scarpy
Jobber
Joined on: Aug 31, 2018 19:47:34 GMT -5
Posts: 10
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Post by scarpy on Nov 6, 2018 15:41:44 GMT -5
I have success buying Flashbacks directly off the Walmart site. They will make 5 0r 6 available but they sellout very quickly. I pay and have the figure shipped to my closest store for free. (to avoid it being shipped to my house and my wife seeing it). Picking up my Steamboat today. The Flair figure is Awesome!!!!
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larryarms82
Mid-Carder
Getting too old for this ish
Joined on: Jun 19, 2017 19:04:01 GMT -5
Posts: 182
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Post by larryarms82 on Nov 6, 2018 15:56:47 GMT -5
I'm kinda bummed about the future of the Flashback/Legends, but honestly, it's going to give my wallet a much needed break for a while (and keep my wife off my butt haha).
I'm not going to go around chasing Sherri or Backlund. I want them but if I find them, I find them. If not, oh well. I'm not going to lose sleep over this stuff. I've long accepted that the distribution is a mess and probably will be for the foreseeable future. The debacle with the retro sets kind of broke my enthusiasm for figure hunting (been a collector for almost 30 years). We all should just embrace the fact that these are just toys and not life or death.
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Post by legendsguy on Nov 6, 2018 17:06:00 GMT -5
id say yes that the lack of signed or available talent has always been my issue.. somehow those characters need to be just given a check to make a figure. (similar to video games). As for finding them , MDT needs to discuss how they can get more pegs and better online sales. period. My target has literally 4 pegs for figs, 2 rows of basics 2 rows of elites ..Walmart is maybe 4 pegs total if lucky 6 they even stack them on the shelfs because of how limited it is. And I never see the exclusive end caps or middle caps anymore full of new product.
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Post by Nivro™ on Nov 6, 2018 17:20:37 GMT -5
Not difficult at all. I only collect flashbacks and select elite women. If Mattel doesnt want to make them then so be it. They simply won't get my money and I'll use it elsewhere, including with another company. I'm past the point of complaining. You're a company that's out to make money. If you want my money then make something I want. If not, fine. I'll find something else to buy.
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Post by stc13 on Nov 6, 2018 17:24:54 GMT -5
Also Toys R Us threw the entire business upside down and I think the stores have more companies demanding space with less space to go around. That is a huge factor in all of this that gets very understated. Mattel also laid off 1/4 of their staff, mostly in manufacturing, and was looking to sell factories. Less shelf space, and far less capacity to actually produce the figures. Change was inevitable.
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natureboyfauser
Superstar
Joined on: Sept 2, 2013 22:28:32 GMT -5
Posts: 663
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Post by natureboyfauser on Nov 6, 2018 17:34:42 GMT -5
The answer to your question is yes I am starting to get frustrated. My collection is massive and I happily give Mattel thousands of dollars but my main love is new legends and flashbacks. Because of that, I will even support current elite lines of wrestlers I don't watch or know, but if I don't find Harley Race, Bob Backlund and Sherri then the thousands of dollars I give annually will be no more. Don't blame Walmart. They could have put them in the regular elite line but they chose this exclusive 1 per box that is on Mattel. My hope is that they rectify the case assortment so there is more equality amongst the build a figure set or Mattel might win in the short run but will lose in the long run!
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Post by mrhoss on Nov 6, 2018 18:20:33 GMT -5
I go the latest Surfer Sting yesterday from Amazon, but practically only collect women now. It's like I crossed over to the darkside of being a DivasWomens only collector. I probably watch more current WWE than I have in years, but I have almost no interest in buying the figures. I have to blame Mattel because I'm still excited for the latest from Marvel Legends, Star Wars, etc.,
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mmondrag96
Main Eventer
43 refs and counting
Joined on: Apr 10, 2010 12:35:28 GMT -5
Posts: 2,923
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Post by mmondrag96 on Nov 6, 2018 18:25:36 GMT -5
I have a feeling this is going to suck. My Walmart will order so much junk and never anything new. I also don't have a target within 3 hours and they are awful. I literally drove to 7 of them a few weeks ago and most had little to nothing no HOC or elites.
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marklud
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jun 5, 2009 21:10:30 GMT -5
Posts: 1,761
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Post by marklud on Nov 6, 2018 18:57:27 GMT -5
I've talked a ton about this on these boards so I don't want to rehash my previous talking points, but I will say right now I just think it's become exhausting that there's no consistent source of legends/flashbacks. Whatever the concerns over sales/character selection/etc. -- which are numerous, and we've all done a good job of breaking them down over the years -- it would just be so freaking nice to have a steady, continuing line of flashbacks/legends however high or low the number. Instead we keep getting pulled in a million different directions and the strategy changes every year.
It's exhausting.
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bizcliz4life
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Aug 6, 2017 18:50:26 GMT -5
Posts: 205
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Post by bizcliz4life on Nov 6, 2018 19:19:32 GMT -5
Frustration is setting in a bit with me right now. Over this last year, I've had good fortune with distribution in my area. Really only had to go to the web a handful of times for stuff I couldn't find. All of a sudden, my local WM's aren't putting out FB3. Target is putting out half cases of HOC3. I've refreshed consistent since Sunday trying to bag Harley online, but I'm close to going to Evil. Patience is key, but at this point, I'm not real confident that I'll see that series in stores, especially with the short packing of Race.
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xomanowar
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Apr 14, 2018 17:34:55 GMT -5
Posts: 76
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Post by xomanowar on Nov 6, 2018 19:57:12 GMT -5
My local Walmart is a bit smaller than others, so it often fails to stock all of the items found in other stores. It appears they have eliminated Flashbacks from the "planogram" or whatever they call it, so I'll be traveling to other area Walmarts.
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Post by LA Times on Nov 6, 2018 20:14:41 GMT -5
Collect figures that arent Elite Flashbacks like John Cena, Carmella, etc. I do.
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Deleted
Joined on: Sept 29, 2024 0:15:56 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2018 20:55:25 GMT -5
At least you have Walmart and Target stores so actually have a chance of finding these figures... other countries/collectors don't . Yeah I just paid a guy to ship me some of the HOC wave over and while I appreciate it and he didn't charge much more than say a network spotlight per figure it would still be nice to be able to get those waves here. I'm a huge attitude era fan and relying on guys from the states isn't really fair.
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Post by kennyw86v2 on Nov 6, 2018 21:35:40 GMT -5
Not trying to come off as a whiney thread but do any of you feel the end is near? Either you don't feel like trying to keep up -- or you're just frustrated? Is it the choices in direction or the overall lack of availability? I'm new to this game as of a few years ago. I purchased many figures online from the past that I was able to collect for decent prices but I've noticed how difficult it is to track down new ones at Walmart and Target. I've been to so many Walmarts, some farther away than I wanted to go to find these -- and I just can't score the new Flashback Wave, it's always a couple of straggling Stone Colds. It's not reassuring either knowing that previous waves were stocked maybe twice in my area. Then there's Target? Ha, forget it, wave 2 and 3 of HOC is nowhere to be seen around here. Half the stores barely got any of those from Wave 1. Now the new Mattel plan is to insert flashbacks as store exclusives. Rhetorical question here but do you guys have any idea of how hard it's going to be to snag a Backlund, Sherri or whomever they add in an actual store? Answer: I'm not sure I'll even bother trying. Frustration with finding any new figures is part of what led to me selling a lot of my collection and just focusing on Seth Rollins and the small handful of new stuff that comes out that is must have.
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powerfred3k
Main Eventer
Joined on: Aug 12, 2012 22:12:11 GMT -5
Posts: 3,779
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Post by powerfred3k on Nov 6, 2018 22:18:32 GMT -5
I was actually starting to feel like mattel was going in the right direction, and then they short packed harley race.
Then a few weeks later i find out sherri martel and bob backland are going to be "chase" figures aka short packed and walmart exclusive.
Short packing and these "chase" figures are terrible thing. If someone finds them in store all they have to do is check ebay and scoop it up.
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Post by SteveHulk on Nov 7, 2018 0:13:31 GMT -5
I've talked a ton about this on these boards so I don't want to rehash my previous talking points, but I will say right now I just think it's become exhausting that there's no consistent source of legends/flashbacks. Whatever the concerns over sales/character selection/etc. -- which are numerous, and we've all done a good job of breaking them down over the years -- it would just be so freaking nice to have a steady, continuing line of flashbacks/legends however high or low the number. Instead we keep getting pulled in a million different directions and the strategy changes every year. It's exhausting. Totally agree. I think having 1-3 Flashbacks per-series in the main line was great - but then you get some figures such as Tugboat, Harlem Heat, Warlord, Berzerker etc. that don't seem to sell very well and end up warming the shelves. I love that Mattel is still trying to get out more obscure figures like Sherri and Backlund - but (being in the UK) I hate store exclusives... heck, it seems most people in the US hate store exclusives too. So I would keep Flashbacks in the main line (1 or 2 per series), but primarily make them A-listers (like Sting and Foley in E62), as they always seem to sell well. Then for any 1st time or more obscure FBs (eg. Sherri and Backlund), make them every other case or only in "B"/revision cases (like E16 Nash and E19 Miss Elizabeth). But NOT exclusive to any store)... that way, everyone has a chance of getting them - and they shouldn't hang around/shelf-warm. See how that works out... and if the more obscure Flashbacks still tend to hang around, then maybe make them 1 in every 3-4 cases.
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Post by hitmancmedge on Nov 7, 2018 0:30:59 GMT -5
I've talked a ton about this on these boards so I don't want to rehash my previous talking points, but I will say right now I just think it's become exhausting that there's no consistent source of legends/flashbacks. Whatever the concerns over sales/character selection/etc. -- which are numerous, and we've all done a good job of breaking them down over the years -- it would just be so freaking nice to have a steady, continuing line of flashbacks/legends however high or low the number. Instead we keep getting pulled in a million different directions and the strategy changes every year. It's exhausting. Totally agree. I think having 1-3 Flashbacks per-series in the main line was great - but then you get some figures such as Tugboat, Harlem Heat, Warlord, Berzerker etc. that don't seem to sell very well and end up warming the shelves. I love that Mattel is still trying to get out more obscure figures like Sherri and Backlund - but (being in the UK) I hate store exclusives... heck, it seems most people in the US hate store exclusives too. So I would keep Flashbacks in the main line (1 or 2 per series), but primarily make them A-listers (like Sting and Foley in E62), as they always seem to sell well. Then for any 1st time or more obscure FBs (eg. Sherri and Backlund), make them every other case or only in "B"/revision cases (like E16 Nash and E19 Miss Elizabeth). But NOT exclusive to any store)... that way, everyone has a chance of getting them - and they shouldn't hang around/shelf-warm. See how that works out... and if the more obscure Flashbacks still tend to hang around, then maybe make them 1 in every 3-4 cases. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad idea, but try putting a figure one every few cases and watch this board explode! There really is no answer that would please everyone.
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Post by dynamitekido on Nov 7, 2018 1:41:38 GMT -5
I've talked a ton about this on these boards so I don't want to rehash my previous talking points, but I will say right now I just think it's become exhausting that there's no consistent source of legends/flashbacks. Whatever the concerns over sales/character selection/etc. -- which are numerous, and we've all done a good job of breaking them down over the years -- it would just be so freaking nice to have a steady, continuing line of flashbacks/legends however high or low the number. Instead we keep getting pulled in a million different directions and the strategy changes every year. It's exhausting. THIS. I collect flashbacks as well as newer figures but the flashbacks are constantly exhausting. After the original Walmart flashback elites were almost impossible to find here, I had to seek other means to get them all. I managed to get the second and third series (as well as all 3 Hall of Champions sets) but I had to take a lot of time and driving around to do so. I’m happy with the product Mattel gives us, but the constant shifting of lines and weird distribution is rediculous. It shouldn’t be this difficult to buy toys that are mass produced.
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Papi Joker
Main Eventer
INTERNATIONAL COLLECTORS LIVES MATTER
Joined on: Feb 23, 2016 23:56:30 GMT -5
Posts: 1,576
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Post by Papi Joker on Nov 7, 2018 2:52:01 GMT -5
as an Aussie who searches THE WORLD ie. China, UK, NZ, USA, CAN, and EU for these figs (and spending a lot more money than you) reading this... really puts thing into perspective.
I agree the end is near.. the Flashbacks are the only thing keeping me going... and maybe Mattel know it and WWE know it's the end and they are already working on the next generation of wrestling figs whilst neglecting the current lines.
Yeah Stone Cold had limited attires, but they could at least make new head scans for him! or add more accessories - speaking of, what ever happened to Battle Pack accessories!!? But then again, we are still getting the same Shield members, Triple H's and John Cenas...
The worst thing about all this is.... when you do finally find them... most of the figs' quality will now be ridiculous! botched paint apps, lose parts, over sized heads - where did it all go wrong???
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Post by SmithyPlayz on Nov 7, 2018 6:24:14 GMT -5
Toys R Us and Smyths not getting figures will kill the UK business, prices of these figures are just far too much for the quality. Look at how many people are moaning at quality compared to last year or the year before. Is it then also worth the hassle to order online if your figure is stiff or paint is horrible. No not really. If Argos stopped the NXT series that could be me done or like 5-10 figures a year depending on who comes out
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