|
|
Post by Flair Forever on Jul 17, 2024 15:48:05 GMT -5
Welp, I got tired of ignoring all these customer feedback surveys I get in my e-mail from Walmart every time I buy something there.... so I finally unloaded & gave them a bunch of negative scores. I made sure I mentioned "Mattel WWE Monday Night Wars" action figures in every single comment box and that they've been out of stock for over 4 months. I stated that I would have given them all "zeroes" if the system let me..... and I also stated I'd be shopping at Target moving forward due to the continuous unavailability of these action figures. No, I don't think this will change anything, but I guess at least Suzie Bender read my survey? Or is this just some AI garbage?  |
|
arossi417
Mid-Carder
Joined on: May 30, 2022 2:28:28 GMT -5
Posts: 255
|
Post by arossi417 on Jul 17, 2024 16:06:34 GMT -5
I've only seen remnants of series 2 on shippers in my travels this week, haven't seen any of series 3. I forget how long the WM shippers stayed out, any chance they keep these up for a bit and maybe re-stock them? They have all had series 148 out and I finally found the clear Cena after a couple weeks of trying.
Apparently it's a big deal if you don't give WM 5 stars on those surveys or at checkout, give them enough bad feedback and maybe something happens?
|
|
azraelms
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jun 26, 2010 8:41:07 GMT -5
Posts: 2,008
|
Post by azraelms on Jul 17, 2024 16:55:07 GMT -5
I am very curious as to where the hold up is. It is very easy for all of us to blame X, Y, or Z, but I am wondering where in the chain the issue lays.
I don't put much blame on Mattel as they work with the order numbers they receive, produce them, and ship them out to the main Walmart hub, and at that point, their part is done. So in my opinion, the bulk of the issue is Walmart specific.
I am not fully sure of the levels that these go through, but my understanding is they arrive at a few ports on each coast, where they are divided up and sent to each warehouse hub across the US, and those hubs will then break them up and separate them to the individual stores. Am I correct on this?
Per google, I am showing 4,609 Walmart Stores in the US. Let's be generous and assume that each store SHOULD be getting 3 cases each. That means 13,827 total cases - let's round that up to 14,000, a nice even number. Let's also assume each level is balanced.
With 4600 stores, let's assume that each hub supplies 10 stores. And let's assume 3 ports on each coast, so 6 ports total. So 460 hubs and that would mean that each of the 6 ports service 76.6 hubs, so 77 hubs each port. Each port would service 153.3 hubs - so 154.
Ok, I think we have the basics. Each port would receive 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases are divided up between 77 hubs which is 30 cases per hub. Those are then divided between 10 stores, so 3 cases each.
So all that is making me think there is a very easy chance that it is breaking up anywhere along the way. It would be easy at the hub level to get 20 cases to one store and 0 cases to another one. At a higher level, I would hope that there isn't an issue where 60 cases go to one hub and that means that 0 cases go to another hub.
Another factor could be that they just grab 'toy boxes' or 'figure boxes' or even 'WWE figure boxes' and they may be grabbing 3 cases of MNW2 or 3 cases of Top Picks 3 or something else.
Would love to see if anyone else here has any sort of perspective from this viewpoint, or anyone that knows anything that may be more accurate regarding the Walmart shipping path.
So 14,000 cases come into 6 ports, then each port gets 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases get divided into 154 hubs, so
|
|
ekyen206
Jobber
Joined on: Oct 31, 2023 15:12:09 GMT -5
Posts: 8
|
Post by ekyen206 on Jul 17, 2024 17:23:49 GMT -5
Found all of wave 3 in a shipper today with regular Harlem Heat. Was so excited to grab those I forgot to check the actual toy aisle for Ultimate Mankind and Eddie Guerrero. Just got wave 2 a few days ago so this week has been glorious.
|
|
|
|
Post by Flair Forever on Jul 17, 2024 17:26:27 GMT -5
I am very curious as to where the hold up is. It is very easy for all of us to blame X, Y, or Z, but I am wondering where in the chain the issue lays. I don't put much blame on Mattel as they work with the order numbers they receive, produce them, and ship them out to the main Walmart hub, and at that point, their part is done. So in my opinion, the bulk of the issue is Walmart specific. I am not fully sure of the levels that these go through, but my understanding is they arrive at a few ports on each coast, where they are divided up and sent to each warehouse hub across the US, and those hubs will then break them up and separate them to the individual stores. Am I correct on this? Per google, I am showing 4,609 Walmart Stores in the US. Let's be generous and assume that each store SHOULD be getting 3 cases each. That means 13,827 total cases - let's round that up to 14,000, a nice even number. Let's also assume each level is balanced. With 4600 stores, let's assume that each hub supplies 10 stores. And let's assume 3 ports on each coast, so 6 ports total. So 460 hubs and that would mean that each of the 6 ports service 76.6 hubs, so 77 hubs each port. Each port would service 153.3 hubs - so 154. Ok, I think we have the basics. Each port would receive 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases are divided up between 77 hubs which is 30 cases per hub. Those are then divided between 10 stores, so 3 cases each. So all that is making me think there is a very easy chance that it is breaking up anywhere along the way. It would be easy at the hub level to get 20 cases to one store and 0 cases to another one. At a higher level, I would hope that there isn't an issue where 60 cases go to one hub and that means that 0 cases go to another hub. Another factor could be that they just grab 'toy boxes' or 'figure boxes' or even 'WWE figure boxes' and they may be grabbing 3 cases of MNW2 or 3 cases of Top Picks 3 or something else. Would love to see if anyone else here has any sort of perspective from this viewpoint, or anyone that knows anything that may be more accurate regarding the Walmart shipping path. So 14,000 cases come into 6 ports, then each port gets 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases get divided into 154 hubs, so I think you're mostly pretty close except for one thing.... I truly think they're only budgeting for ONE CASE per store..... and - - - as per your detailed speculation - - - it doesn't work out that way and many stores get shafted. ANY STORE that gets more than one case instantly ensures a different store will get none. Prove me wrong, Mattel, prove me wrong. I'd love to be wrong. |
|
|
|
Post by stc13 on Jul 17, 2024 17:39:37 GMT -5
I've only seen remnants of series 2 on shippers in my travels this week, haven't seen any of series 3. I forget how long the WM shippers stayed out, any chance they keep these up for a bit and maybe re-stock them? They have all had series 148 out and I finally found the clear Cena after a couple weeks of trying. Apparently it's a big deal if you don't give WM 5 stars on those surveys or at checkout, give them enough bad feedback and maybe something happens? I don't think they've ever restocked shippers. Once they sell through and the quantities fall low enough it should trigger a standard re-stock. But they shouldn't get more than one shipper. |
|
|
|
Post by Flair Forever on Jul 17, 2024 17:41:03 GMT -5
Wowww..... this Reddit post is a long read but I found it very interesting, and MIGHT have some bearing on the Monday Night Wars.... He's essentially saying that Walmart gets X-amount in..... then if they did pre-orders, the stock gets allocated for that first.... and whatever is left goes to the stores. MNW Series 3 did go on Pre-Order, so I wonder if that's why these just aren't showing up in very many stores.... of course, doesn't really explain why Walmart always cancels the pre-orders, but still.... an interesting take here. ![]() The rabbit hole goes even deeper when the truth comes out that some entire states get nothing. I went down to the deepest trenches of the walmart distribution hole and figured out that the reason many walmarts dont get quantity anymore is due to a few resellers who somehow have gotten direct licenses with mattel to sell these before walmart receives them. Those same resellers buy in incredible large quantities that would make your head explode. Some of these swatters are spending millions... we are all f'd R.i.p Walmart Btw: sorry to still see you struggling brother flair. Join the gijoe collecting club. Much greener on this side. All these wwe figures can be bought in 3-5 years for 1/4th of the price Well, I don't understand the details about why these companies just refuse to stock these wrestling figures, but I had to run to Walmart for something else today & again came home with no wrestling figures.... I'm pretty much done hunting for these guys. Not worth it when these companies clearly don't want to take my cash, they'd rather hold the figures somewhere & just keep the pegs empty. Ironically, I did spot this guy in the clearance area & grabbed it. Don't think I'm starting a new collection, but I was always a Cobra Commander fan & I couldn't resist adding this guy to my collection of toys! See Mattel, now if I'd found some wrestling figures..... I probably wouldn't have bought this.....  |
|
|
|
Post by Flair Forever on Jul 17, 2024 17:46:28 GMT -5
I've only seen remnants of series 2 on shippers in my travels this week, haven't seen any of series 3. I forget how long the WM shippers stayed out, any chance they keep these up for a bit and maybe re-stock them? They have all had series 148 out and I finally found the clear Cena after a couple weeks of trying. Apparently it's a big deal if you don't give WM 5 stars on those surveys or at checkout, give them enough bad feedback and maybe something happens? LOL let's try & restock the actual PEGS first..... they still haven't even figured out how to do that. Restock SHIPPERS? Aww hell no. That might require an actual human being to place orders or something, and I think it's clear that they are all asleep at the wheel. |
|
thep1
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jul 11, 2022 14:53:27 GMT -5
Posts: 1,356
|
Post by thep1 on Jul 17, 2024 18:09:47 GMT -5
The rabbit hole goes even deeper when the truth comes out that some entire states get nothing. I went down to the deepest trenches of the walmart distribution hole and figured out that the reason many walmarts dont get quantity anymore is due to a few resellers who somehow have gotten direct licenses with mattel to sell these before walmart receives them. Those same resellers buy in incredible large quantities that would make your head explode. Some of these swatters are spending millions... we are all f'd R.i.p Walmart Btw: sorry to still see you struggling brother flair. Join the gijoe collecting club. Much greener on this side. All these wwe figures can be bought in 3-5 years for 1/4th of the price Well, I don't understand the details about why these companies just refuse to stock these wrestling figures, but I had to run to Walmart for something else today & again came home with no wrestling figures.... I'm pretty much done hunting for these guys. Not worth it when these companies clearly don't want to take my cash, they'd rather hold the figures somewhere & just keep the pegs empty. Ironically, I did spot this guy in the clearance area & grabbed it. Don't think I'm starting a new collection, but I was always a Cobra Commander fan & I couldn't resist adding this guy to my collection of toys! See Mattel, now if I'd found some wrestling figures..... I probably wouldn't have bought this..... Not to derail the thread, but what was CC marked down to? |
|
|
|
Post by Flair Forever on Jul 17, 2024 18:43:37 GMT -5
Well, I don't understand the details about why these companies just refuse to stock these wrestling figures, but I had to run to Walmart for something else today & again came home with no wrestling figures.... I'm pretty much done hunting for these guys. Not worth it when these companies clearly don't want to take my cash, they'd rather hold the figures somewhere & just keep the pegs empty. Ironically, I did spot this guy in the clearance area & grabbed it. Don't think I'm starting a new collection, but I was always a Cobra Commander fan & I couldn't resist adding this guy to my collection of toys! See Mattel, now if I'd found some wrestling figures..... I probably wouldn't have bought this..... Not to derail the thread, but what was CC marked down to? $35. No idea if that's a good price as the only other GI Joe I've bought was Sgt. Slaughter and a few clearance carded ones that I was going to use for "crowd people" in my photos...but I was a GI Joe fan as a kid, and I always felt like Cobra Commander was one of the most interesting characters.... It's more than I'd normally spend on something like this, but since I haven't needed to spend any money on WWE figures lately (since they aren't stocked) I figured I could treat myself to something different... and I had that slight moment of panic "I might never see this again." So I bought it. |
|
thep1
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jul 11, 2022 14:53:27 GMT -5
Posts: 1,356
|
Post by thep1 on Jul 17, 2024 18:48:21 GMT -5
Not to derail the thread, but what was CC marked down to? $35. No idea if that's a good price as the only other GI Joe I've bought was Sgt. Slaughter and a few clearance carded ones that I was going to use for "crowd people" in my photos...but I was a GI Joe fan as a kid, and I always felt like Cobra Commander was one of the most interesting characters.... It's more than I'd normally spend on something like this, but since I haven't needed to spend any money on WWE figures lately (since they aren't stocked) I figured I could treat myself to something different... I do believe that the MSRP is 54.99 for S7 Ultimates. I myself dipped out of GI Joe when they went windowless and have sold most of mine or put the rest in storage bins. All except for CC, my all-time fave character too. I have a handful of his on display still, including the S7 Ult. Pretty figure! *And your last line made me laugh! |
|
|
|
Post by Crossfit Jesus on Jul 17, 2024 18:58:21 GMT -5
 Walmart then, now, and forever. Thanks |
|
redrooster
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Nov 5, 2021 20:52:16 GMT -5
Posts: 236
|
Post by redrooster on Jul 17, 2024 19:52:56 GMT -5
I’ve been to four Walmarts in my area, only one received the shipper. Ultimate Mankind and Eddie have been at two different Walmart’s and have only seen one series 3 Rock. Absolutely no sign of Booker, Stevie or RVD. Complete distribution nightmare, like we all knew it would be….
|
|
azraelms
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jun 26, 2010 8:41:07 GMT -5
Posts: 2,008
|
Post by azraelms on Jul 17, 2024 19:55:07 GMT -5
I am very curious as to where the hold up is. It is very easy for all of us to blame X, Y, or Z, but I am wondering where in the chain the issue lays. I don't put much blame on Mattel as they work with the order numbers they receive, produce them, and ship them out to the main Walmart hub, and at that point, their part is done. So in my opinion, the bulk of the issue is Walmart specific. I am not fully sure of the levels that these go through, but my understanding is they arrive at a few ports on each coast, where they are divided up and sent to each warehouse hub across the US, and those hubs will then break them up and separate them to the individual stores. Am I correct on this? Per google, I am showing 4,609 Walmart Stores in the US. Let's be generous and assume that each store SHOULD be getting 3 cases each. That means 13,827 total cases - let's round that up to 14,000, a nice even number. Let's also assume each level is balanced. With 4600 stores, let's assume that each hub supplies 10 stores. And let's assume 3 ports on each coast, so 6 ports total. So 460 hubs and that would mean that each of the 6 ports service 76.6 hubs, so 77 hubs each port. Each port would service 153.3 hubs - so 154. Ok, I think we have the basics. Each port would receive 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases are divided up between 77 hubs which is 30 cases per hub. Those are then divided between 10 stores, so 3 cases each. So all that is making me think there is a very easy chance that it is breaking up anywhere along the way. It would be easy at the hub level to get 20 cases to one store and 0 cases to another one. At a higher level, I would hope that there isn't an issue where 60 cases go to one hub and that means that 0 cases go to another hub. Another factor could be that they just grab 'toy boxes' or 'figure boxes' or even 'WWE figure boxes' and they may be grabbing 3 cases of MNW2 or 3 cases of Top Picks 3 or something else. Would love to see if anyone else here has any sort of perspective from this viewpoint, or anyone that knows anything that may be more accurate regarding the Walmart shipping path. So 14,000 cases come into 6 ports, then each port gets 2,333 cases. Those 2,333 cases get divided into 154 hubs, so I think you're mostly pretty close except for one thing.... I truly think they're only budgeting for ONE CASE per store..... and - - - as per your detailed speculation - - - it doesn't work out that way and many stores get shafted. ANY STORE that gets more than one case instantly ensures a different store will get none. Prove me wrong, Mattel, prove me wrong. I'd love to be wrong. I can understand why it would seem that way, but from my experience, in my local Walmarts, they tend to get more than one cases of every series, with a very few exceptions. Even if we are just looking at their last exclusive set, the RA series, my store had multiple cases of wave 1, at least one case of wave 2, a case plus a side-kick of wave 3, one case plus the shipper of wave 4, multiple waves of wave 5, and at least two cases of wave 6. The thing is that they do not get them all at the same time. Wave 1 they got in at least 3 or 4 times, but usually one case at a time. Wave 2 they only got in one case, that I know about, but by then I had used the 'mystery' assortment from .com to get them. Wave 3 I got all from the side kick, but know they got in a separate case after that side kick was empty. Wave 4 the same thing, they had the shipper (Summerslam?) that had the set and also another case later on. Wave 5 both my Walmarts got in multiple cases and not all at once. Wave 6 they each had a couple cases, but again, one case, and it sold out, then later on they got another. I truly think the main issue with Walmart is that they seem to be more of a rural place - the big urban areas do not have the ability to keep stocked as well as smaller towns do, and I have the luck of being in a smaller town. I know way back when Decade of Domination was running and the wave with NOD Mark Henry and Unmasked Kane was very tough to find, I took a Saturday I had off to go traveling to the outer reaches of my region, and managed to find the wave fully stocked at an out of the way Walmart, In most places, a hot toy being put on the shelf on a Saturday morning would not last an hour, but this was such a rural Walmart, that they were fully stocked on an endcap at 4pmish on a Saturday. I am sure they sat there all day at the least. Just recently, last weekend in fact, I got a message from another collector here in town that he had found the shipper at one of my Walmarts. He bought a set of wave 2 and 3, and said that there was another full set of each on the shipper. I got the message at 5:47 pm on Sunday. I didn't see the message until 10:52 that night, just 8 minutes before they close and nowhere near enough time for me to make it there before it closed. I went the next morning, at roughly 6:45am ish, 45 minutes after they opened, and they were all there (minus Kevin Nash who I still need). So based on my experience alone, I think they do budget for more than one case per store. HOWEVER another factor could be that they do not separate by series. Sure the cases of MNW2 may come in based on the numbers I said above, but when they all get divided out and sent from port to hub to store, they maybe all get put in a section that is just 'WWE Figures' so when they run out of something, they just get a case from that pile and send it out. They could be sending MNW2, or Greatest Picks 3, or Elite 106, or that case of Elite 88 that has been sitting in the warehouse collecting dust. That could also be a factor. |
|
triplehpotter7
Superstar
Passionate about all I love in life. ^_^
Joined on: Apr 7, 2013 10:59:51 GMT -5
Posts: 758
|
Post by triplehpotter7 on Jul 17, 2024 22:16:51 GMT -5
I am very curious as to where the hold up is. It is very easy for all of us to blame X, Y, or Z, but I am wondering where in the chain the issue lays. I don't put much blame on Mattel as they work with the order numbers they receive, produce them, and ship them out to the main Walmart hub, and at that point, their part is done. So in my opinion, the bulk of the issue is Walmart specific. I am not fully sure of the levels that these go through, but my understanding is they arrive at a few ports on each coast, where they are divided up and sent to each warehouse hub across the US, and those hubs will then break them up and separate them to the individual stores. Am I correct on this? Per google, I am showing 4,609 Walmart Stores in the US. Let's be generous and assume that each store SHOULD be getting 3 cases each. That means 13,827 total cases - let's round that up to 14,000, a nice even number. Let's also assume each level is balanced... I read all of this while doing an impression of Scott Steiner. 'cause the numbers don't lie. Size matters. XD |
|
dustychodes
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Jan 3, 2024 16:56:20 GMT -5
Posts: 90
|
Post by dustychodes on Jul 17, 2024 22:19:00 GMT -5
There are way more Walmarts than there are Targets, so allocation could be an issue. I still maintain that a lot of Walmarts have scalpers working there and they stock only what they don't want and buy and scalp what they know will get them extra cash on eBay and mercari. It sounds crazy, but don't employees get a discount on purchases? It would also explain why all my local Walmarts (7) never had the WrestleMania displays and only one has the SummerSlam display, as I believe that employees are taking those too.
|
|
mrh
Main Eventer
Joined on: Sept 1, 2018 0:11:53 GMT -5
Posts: 3,475
|
Post by mrh on Jul 17, 2024 22:28:45 GMT -5
The rabbit hole goes even deeper when the truth comes out that some entire states get nothing. I went down to the deepest trenches of the walmart distribution hole and figured out that the reason many walmarts dont get quantity anymore is due to a few resellers who somehow have gotten direct licenses with mattel to sell these before walmart receives them. Those same resellers buy in incredible large quantities that would make your head explode. Some of these swatters are spending millions... we are all f'd R.i.p Walmart Btw: sorry to still see you struggling brother flair. Join the gijoe collecting club. Much greener on this side. All these wwe figures can be bought in 3-5 years for 1/4th of the price Well, I don't understand the details about why these companies just refuse to stock these wrestling figures, but I had to run to Walmart for something else today & again came home with no wrestling figures.... I'm pretty much done hunting for these guys. Not worth it when these companies clearly don't want to take my cash, they'd rather hold the figures somewhere & just keep the pegs empty. Ironically, I did spot this guy in the clearance area & grabbed it. Don't think I'm starting a new collection, but I was always a Cobra Commander fan & I couldn't resist adding this guy to my collection of toys! See Mattel, now if I'd found some wrestling figures..... I probably wouldn't have bought this.....
I didn't realize that was a Super 7, I thought it was a Hasbro. It looks GREAT. How do you like it?
|
|
macraig13
Jobber
Joined on: Sept 24, 2023 20:57:57 GMT -5
Posts: 26
|
Post by macraig13 on Jul 18, 2024 2:03:52 GMT -5
Wowww..... this Reddit post is a long read but I found it very interesting, and MIGHT have some bearing on the Monday Night Wars.... He's essentially saying that Walmart gets X-amount in..... then if they did pre-orders, the stock gets allocated for that first.... and whatever is left goes to the stores. MNW Series 3 did go on Pre-Order, so I wonder if that's why these just aren't showing up in very many stores.... of course, doesn't really explain why Walmart always cancels the pre-orders, but still.... an interesting take here.  The rabbit hole goes even deeper when the truth comes out that some entire states get nothing. I went down to the deepest trenches of the walmart distribution hole and figured out that the reason many walmarts dont get quantity anymore is due to a few resellers who somehow have gotten direct licenses with mattel to sell these before walmart receives them. Those same resellers buy in incredible large quantities that would make your head explode. Some of these swatters are spending millions... we are all f'd R.i.p Walmart Btw: sorry to still see you struggling brother flair. Join the gijoe collecting club. Much greener on this side. All these wwe figures can be bought in 3-5 years for 1/4th of the price Has anyone else heard about the MNW series being done after this year? Heard it being mentioned on a few podcasts. |
|
|
|
Post by wrestlingcollector80 on Jul 18, 2024 5:51:54 GMT -5
As it should the line has horrible distribution. Hoping walmart gets their preorders out to the people that has preorders in. Not sure the release date on the newer sets but if it's not yet why put them in summerslam shippers, and in the past in wrestlemania shippers? I been lucky and found most in shippers, I think I bought 2 online. PLEASE MATTEL END THIS LINE!
|
|
|
|
Post by Back to the Codyverse on Jul 18, 2024 6:04:08 GMT -5
I'm fine if the line ends after this year. This is a nightmare as all things are with Walmart. If no one cares enough fix the problem or isn't smart enough to fix it then quit making collectors be the ones to suffer.
|
|
