Which do you prefer? I never liked the idea of paying a premium for a toy plus shipping and handling just to get it early. There's something to be said for just being lucky enough to walk into the right store at the right time and find your next kill sitting there on the shelf. I walk to the toy aisles quickly, at first, then I slow down and peek around the corner where the TFs are, savoring the moment when I may find what I'm looking for. Lately, though, I've been getting a bit discouraged by my lack of an Alt. Prime. Plus, who's to say which TFs will be a limited release (e.g., Swerve, which I was lucky to find at a Target) and which will be shelf warmers. I highly doubt that Alt. Prime will be a limited release, but what about Nemesis Prime? Maybe he'll show up somewhere where I don't have to pay a $60+ premium price. Doubt it, though, I'd like to be there IF it happens. I haven't pre-ordered a TF yet, but with the soaring gas prices and all the time I spend looking, The Thrill of the Hunt is losing its appeal. What do you guys think?
I'd have to agree, hunting for TF has certainly lost its appeal, after calling many stores in search of Primus, I came the realize that if I had driven to all these places to come to the same result, the time and gas spent on the unfruitful trip would certainly cover the S&H, as well as the premium cost. Honestly, if I hadn't spend more to get that one Alt. Prime I saw in Chinatown, I still wouldn't have him, distribution is so crappy that I wonder if Hasbro really want to make money, because this whole supply and demand thing is certainly not working the way it should be, it's almost like they are doing Collector's business rather than average consumer business. So if I see a fair deal on-line, I'd most likely pre-order these days.
Excellent topic. I still love hunting, but it helps to hunt with others, and collect more than just TF's. With more premium items, the hunt is almost ridiculous. I have still never seen an Alt Prime...I was one of the ones fortunate enough to score one from Wal-Mart.com. But I still love the feeling of seeing something new on the shelves or something I had been looking for. I love bouncing from store to store with friends, and the good thing is I have a friend who collects Star Wars, one who collects Marvel Legends, and I am the TF guy. So each person's interests do not clash...it's a great way to hunt. The other plus in my situation is my area. Living in the St. Louis area I have around 5 TRU's, and even more Wal-Marts and Targets...so we have alot of stores to visit. Sure the lust for it begins to fade after so many failed attempts, but I try to not let it get me down. I get what I can when I see it, and if I don't see a TF that I was looking for, then I pick up a Joe figure or something else that catches my eye.
I'd enjoy hunting more if I found stuff more often. As it is I usually just wait for it to come in at work and then nab it. Finding Primus in-store the other day was fantastic. It's so much better than getting stuff in the mail.
I find myself, especially with alts, preordering online. I did with Prime and Mirage, only with Prime I was lucky to fine ONE in a store, and it has remained the only one I have seen in a store to date. Also I find myself reading the toy sightings section here before I head out to give me a heads up of what's around. I just did that with Primus. Someone posted that there was some at a TRU near me so I went and behold there were three, so I got one. Did not have the head, however I could care less about something that would have stayed in the box anyhow. So yeah, for me, the appeal of the hunt is almost gone. I go months without going to a store and when I do go, they still have the same old junk.
I rarely hunt anymore. I wait for others to spot somthing then I will start looking. I hate hunting, but only because of the gas prices.
Normally, I prefer the hunt. If its an exceptionally rare item (like Primus with Unicron head), I'll pre-order and save myself a little trouble.
I still hunt but I never find anything so I end up getting sick of it and order on-line. And Nemesis Prime will only be available on-line or at the comic-con...
Well, I actually like to do both. I pretty much preorder everything. However, if I happend to find it on the shelf before hand (which I've done many times with Cybertron stuff) I'll pick it up in the store and cancel my preorder. On the other hand, that usually never happens with the Alternators. I've pretty much been exclusively preordering Alts since I almost missed Swerve and couldn't find Decepticharge and Wheeljack anywhere. Of course, with BBTS lately I've been getting my preorders almost a month or more before anyone even spots these toys in my area. So to me, that's worth a little extra premium wise and what I pay in shipping is at least equal to what I use in gas when I go on the hunt. And no, I don't hold it over my fellow fans heads that I get it early (just thought I'd nip that in the but before someone even suggested it). Well, I tease Dark Magnus about it at work sometimes, but that's all in friendly jest.
I do both. Now it seems I do more online than store hopping. But that is because of my remote location. Christ, I only have 1 walmart and one Zellers to shop at. I don't have TRU. So when it comes to TF's, I am in a bit of a black hole. Plus I have to compete with Cobra Zartan here. But we tend to work as a team, letting each other know what we find and "relocating" stuff we know the other needs so they can go back later and get it. But we ain't got much!
Like others here, I do a little of both. For items (read: Alts) that are really important to me, I do not take the chance and preorder them. I cannot remember the last Alt I actually bought from a retail store (except for another fan). The main line stuff I generally stick to retail stores and "the hunt". If I miss out on something then oh well... wasn't meant to be. I do find the lack of success while hunting a little frustrating though.
thrill of the hunt! I've ordered only two Alt's online (Tracks and Decepticharge) the rest have been found by me in stores and I love it
I only buy mainline stuff from the store...to date I have not ordered any off an online store save the black repaint of unicron which I never saw in a store. Alternators is def a different story...up until and including wheeljack and shockblast i found them all in stores, then it seemed like the line just disappeared. I had to buy swerve, decepticharge, prowl off BBTS. then with the bubbles I have found them all in stores again. Now I only found prime once and I snagged him as soon as I saw it lol. THat was in April and I have not really seen much since. I just found Primus, however only after a fellow Member posted he found some in a store near me so i ran down there and got it lol.
I pre order everything. I don't have the time nor the gasoline to waste hunting for Alternators that in many cases NEVER make it to my city. Pre-ordering pretty much guarantee's you will get the figure you are after.
Looks like most of you guys are on the same page. And, I'm soiling my pants over the fact that I finally started a thread that went over one page before dying! Deefuzz, I can certainly relate to the fun to be had in joining a group of friends to hunt with. I remember when Armada was on clearance in early 2004 and a friend and I spent every night hitting places up for half price TFs. Lots of fun, even when we didn't find anything. I'd be less disappointed if more of my trips proved to be fruitful. And, to all you non-U.S. collectors, I do feel for you. Of course, I guess you can save your gas money due to the fact that you ALREADY know it isn't worth hunting around.
