Another retailer reducing their action figure selection.....

[-megalithanod]

But not all that bad for McFarlane!

http://www.action-figure.com/Article11167.html

Atleast it is one safe haven for McFarlane collectors. Although it was a nice place to ensure that you can pick up the ToyBiz ML lines later in their run, and the more game based figures are going to be very hard to find now since EB doesn't carry anything in the stores any more....

[sculpey]

That's a very interesting article. One thing that's been worrying me lately is how difficult it's going to be now for people that don't have a Wal-Mart to be able to find figs. On the one hand, I'm very happy not to have to pay Gamestop $12.99 for a McF fig, but if the line eventually gets into all Wally's, will GS decide to stop carrying McF too? It's tough to compete when you charge five dollars more per fig. Not everyone has a Wal-mart near them, especially people in the larger cities.

And how will this affect online retailers? I've been loyal to Kim for years, but for a line that Wal-Mart carries from McF, it's hard to pass up $7.73 a fig and no shipping fee.

If online retailers start to fold... what will happen to lines like Monsters 3 and TS? Lines that I don't think Wal-Mart will touch.

Lots to ponder here.

[Peter Peeker]

giner...
that'sd all...

[-megalithanod]

Yeah - I have been thinking on these things a while. I also consider where I am to be very lucky. I have more than the norm of places available for me to hunt and find figures.

I have found online retailers that I have received excellent service from and continue to patronage (read that as Kim for Spawn, Joe looks to be doing me a favor with the Star Wars figures).

I like the idea that the WalMarts are starting to carry Spawns, but truely seeing how they are selling, I doubt that they are going to go much further than they are at this moment. The "hot" figures do well, and the intial cae or two seem to sell quick. The problem now is that on the pegs there are more than needed of the SWAT Spawn, and a few Jazz Spawns, with an occasional HellSpawn, but those are still there. I doubt they are going to move now that S25 is starting to show up. The initial run has been good to sell through, but there are still some on the pegs.

I don't think that the trial run is going to continue (unfortunately). The cheaper price is great, but I do think that is do to the loss leaders that WalMart turn the toys into.

I hate to think, but now that Spawn is in WalMart, I really hope that it doesn't continue with them as they are the main reason that the other retailers going out of business. I would rather choose to pay more for my figures and have a better choice in the long run.

[sculpey]

What struck me as odd at my Wal-Mart is that I went back the day after I got my figs to see if they'd put out another case so I could snag a Raven for people here. Everything in the line was gone exxcept for the original three Spawn VIII.

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ March 04, 2004 11:43 PM: Message edited by: sculpey ]</font>

[-megalithanod]

Yeah, same here - the only ones left on the pegs when I have gone back each day is one of the hellSpawns, a Redeemer, and a couple of the i.95s

That is along with what looks like two fill cases of Matrix figures that have gone NO WHERE in the last 2 months, and the afore mentioned remnants of S24.