Exclusives: Walmart vs. Target

[jesusramiro93]

With all the discussion regarding Pre-orders, seeing how good Target has been in delivering their pre-orders or having their shelves stocked on release date compared to bad Walmart distribution as well as lack of fulfillment: Would you prefer if it was the other way around? Target handle the MNW line and Walmart handle the Legends?

I guess it'd depend on your preference for the line since it wouldn't really solve the issue lol but what would your preference be?

[Mr. #1derful 🇵🇸]

I dig a lot of the MNW figures, but Legends are perfect the way they are. You can pre-order them, find them in Targets readily or wait 2-3 months and pick them up for $7 on clearance. I wish the regular Elite line could be that easy to shop.

[ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕋𝕠 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝]

I believe its as simple as Target maintains its space in the retail world by taking great care of customers and trying to doing right by employees. They evolve to stay competitive and understand big things that make a difference to customers that will keep them coming back -- like stocked shelves, accurate inventory, prompt service, and honoring preorders.

And Walmart is just Walmart, plenty of Americans just know Walmart shopping as a way of life. They do not care about customers or employees. They know that low prices will keep customers shopping there and a lot of people don't mind poor (or no) customer service, being herded around a store like animals, and overall poor quality -- because at the end of the day, its the store that is most affordable for home staples.

[Crossfit Jesus]

I think Walmart has the better figures but getting exclusives is way better thru target

[Fighter Hayabusa]

I do wonder how much Mattel is to blame for Walmart’s issues. I say that cuz I haven’t had an issue with any other line in quite a long time. I’ve ordered a few Marvel Legends and GI Joe Classified figures exclusive to Walmart and every single one of them has shipped on time. I also don’t hear anyone having any trouble with Jazwares AEW exclusives either.

[zen411]

Let walmart have some exclusives I could care less about. An entire line of John Cenas or the PG era line. Then I could relax.

[coldblooded]

Target:

Me- Hey can you see if you have ultimate Vader in the back? Specifically the red one?

TE- Sure let me see if I can find it.

Me- Thank you!

TE- This one?

Me- YES!! Thank you very much!

TE- You're very welcome! Have a great day!

Me- You as well!


Walmart:

Me- Hey it says you have this MNW figure in stock on the app but not on the shelf, can you see if it's in the back for me?

WE- We don't have it.

Me- Okay...thanks..

[ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕋𝕠 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝]

Oct 16, 2024 13:26:40 GMT -5 coldblooded said:

Target:

Me- Hey can you see if you have ultimate Vader in the back? Specifically the red one?

TE- Sure let me see if I can find it.

Me- Thank you!

TE- This one?

Me- YES!! Thank you very much!

TE- You're very welcome! Have a great day!

Me- You as well!


Walmart:

Me- Hey it says you have this MNW figure in stock on the app but not on the shelf, can you see if it's in the back for me?

WE- We don't have it.

Me- Okay...thanks..

Exactly this.

I remember hunting the AEW line when it had just came out. Finally they were marked "in stock" at my store. I head there and I am nothing but friendly and patient to the person helping me. Rude employee assuring me the Elite Rock on the shelf was what I was looking for, but its an assorted case so it looks different than the one in the app listing. I explain I get where she's coming from but I have been collecting for years and years and I am certain that they are different. Totally blows me off and walks away. 

Then I walk to the cart of toy boxes she is currently stocking to the shelves, pull off the full case of AEW figures right in front of her and walk up to check out. 

Never had any experiences similar to this at any other retailers. Its just a store culture thing. 

[Ruthless Attitude]

I don't want Legends to be moved to Walmart but something that is particularly frustrating with the MNW line is the BAF component. If the BAF was moved from the MNW line to the Legends line at Target, it would be a major relief because I know I would be able to complete any BAF I wanted.

[wrestlingcollector80]

Fact of the matter is BOTH stores are doing alright I'm sure. Target great job on delivery if your picking the up or deliver to your house. Walmart on the other hand I'm sure is doing alright too on the financial part of things. They tell mattel we want for example we want 10,000 of this product, distribute 10,000 to all their stores and they fly off the shelf! Walmart is like great we sold product. Mattel sells left over to 3rd parties so overall mattel cleans out made money, walmart made money. walmart still has a problem with pre orders hopefully they can fix next year. Idon't understand how target makes money when they are selling new product at sale prices, the new legends $16 and the vader ultimate $16. I haven't seen 1 target product in a discount store yet.

[arossi417]

No. Legends is a much better planned, executed and delivered line than MNW. Better soft goods, better chases, better everything. It's obvious they took more care when bringing that line back and chose a retailer that understood even though it's a miniscule amount of overall sales, proper execution can deliver Target the older wrestling consumer's dollar. Employees there are at least willing to help you find what you want so you can spend your money. When they adjusted from sending mixed cases to stores getting full cases of each figure, it feels like the line really took off.

Don't know who is at fault, but WM not getting cases of each individual figure and it instead being a wild goose chase for a case of 5 figures that hits a store maybe once is just a spectacular failure on everyone's part. Especially for a line where you are selling fans on "Buy 4 and get 1 free!". Other people have elaborated on this elsewhere, but in 2024 the customer is marketed either "Exclusive at Target", which means I can walk into Target and find it on the shelf 95% of the time, or "Exclusive at Walmart", which means you are buying it from the secondary market if you aren't just blindly lucky. I would also say that around the Philadelphia area, 9 times out of 10 at a Walmart it is going to look like a grenade hit the figure section more recently than a fresh case of figures.

These threads are useful because you get to see how everybody else across the country (and potentially world) is faring with these, but the biggest problem with the entire thing is the feedback falls on deaf ears. People are trying to spend their money on these (at MSRP) and just flat out aren't given an opportunity to 50% of the time.

[jt]

No chance. I only collect retired talent and absolutely love the Legends line, I want Walmart to stay as far away from the legends line as possible. They've handled the MNW and RA lines so poorly Id be amazed if they continue to get exclusives.

I don't know how viable it is for a multitude of reasons, but I wish Walmart exclusives were timed in some way. Like Walmart will get them first and you'll only be able to get them at Walmart for say 3 months then they'll make their way to target and online retailers like ringside. Gives Walmart the opportunity to make some money but it insures people like me that have bad luck at Walmart will also spend money and get figures we want

[hbkowns]

MNW line is abysmal. A bunch of unnecessary rereleases imo. I hate Walmart distribution anyways so I’m not even bothered by it.

Target has knocked it out of the park recently with their exclusives like legends series. Anything I’ve ever wanted I’ve been able to find .

[ringgeneraliii]

Let Target continue to be the best of what they do. Walmart is good when pure luck applies. While I’ve found what I want from them as far as MNW, series 1-3 & GH, it’s all due to continuing to hunt and only one manager has helped when MNW Piper & Hart hit. I called, he answered, they had them, he handed me the box. Otherwise, Target, Target, Target. Target, I love you.

[PJ]

Oct 16, 2024 13:04:53 GMT -5 Fighter Hayabusa said:

I do wonder how much Mattel is to blame for Walmart’s issues. I say that cuz I haven’t had an issue with any other line in quite a long time. I’ve ordered a few Marvel Legends and GI Joe Classified figures exclusive to Walmart and every single one of them has shipped on time. I also don’t hear anyone having any trouble with Jazwares AEW exclusives either.

My Supreme Sting was pushed back.twice. And my McFarlane DC Multiverse Gold label preorders always get canceled.

[Chip]

Legends line might be the single best executed line at retail Mattel has EVER done

It's consistent. Plentiful, and each wave has it's shelf life.... then cleared out for the next wave.

It's literally better than the MAIN Elite set or any other set that finds it's way to Target. It's the only line that actually reminds me of how good the distribution of wrestling figures was when Jakks was making figures

[legendsguy]

Oct 16, 2024 14:45:40 GMT -5 hbkowns said:

MNW line is abysmal. A bunch of unnecessary rereleases imo. I hate Walmart distribution anyways so I’m not even bothered by it.

Target has knocked it out of the park recently with their exclusives like legends series. Anything I’ve ever wanted I’ve been able to find .

i agree. i recently started thinking i dont need any of these recent releases . the BAF is the only thing i really care about but not wanting to spend or hunt for it. which sucks, but do i really need Disciple or Golga or nWo Dusty? prob not... ok maybe Golga.. lol. 

[jokerjohn]

At this point there needs to be company reps going into stores and checking thier products like so many other companies do and actually speak to the staff and solve ordering issues. Walmart themselves needs to allocate online stock separate from the ones they randomly ship to different areas. I'd also prefer if B.A.F's were switched to Target or eliminated from Exclusive all together. What's the point in having to buy every figure in a set which includes ones you don't want or need when you have trouble finding even one out of the four.

[aggressiveperfector]

Oct 16, 2024 12:36:42 GMT -5 ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕋𝕠 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 said:

I believe its as simple as Target maintains its space in the retail world by taking great care of customers and trying to doing right by employees. They evolve to stay competitive and understand big things that make a difference to customers that will keep them coming back -- like stocked shelves, accurate inventory, prompt service, and honoring preorders.

And Walmart is just Walmart, plenty of Americans just know Walmart shopping as a way of life. They do not care about customers or employees. They know that low prices will keep customers shopping there and a lot of people don't mind poor (or no) customer service, being herded around a store like animals, and overall poor quality -- because at the end of the day, its the store that is most affordable for home staples.

People are just too dumb and complacent. It's why everything is so subpar in this country, Healthcare, Insurance, Wages, Opportunity, politics, everything. People are just too dumb and herd minded. They just accept the most mindless drone like mediocrity possible and fall for the dumbest things and anybody that knows how to fast talk or hustle them. They are happy just "Existing" comfortably. They don't care that it may make those people in worse situations than them that would LOVE to at LEAST be able to COMFORTABLY exist, instead of claw and scrape just to SURVIVE (the poor, the disabled, the sick,the marginalized) and if making things just a MINOR inconvenience for literally 5 minutes would make it so the people like that are able to exist comforably, they raise a stink and push back. And here's the kicker...those people are almost ALWAYS ONE STEP AWAY FROM THAT HAPPENING TO THEM...but they don't pay attention to that...or care...as long as it doesn't happen to them. That is why we are where we are.

[Rocket_Fuel_Merchant]

I LOVE the MNW line, but Legends is the bread and butter of my collection, so NO, I would not be interested in swapping the lines between Target and Walmart. Walmart is just not reliable enough in consistently deliver the product