Then he'll have someone to ride when I import him.

 

I buy all my figures at retail outlets. The thrill of the hunt is still a part of why I love collecting. Sure 9 times out of 10 you don't find anything new but damn the feeling you get when you do.

So if it is released in North American retail then I will only buy from a store.

I use online stores for 3rd party goods and TakaraTomy exclusives...looking at you my beautiful Masterpiece collection...you too Alternity Bee and CJ.

 

about a month ago i picked up lord " don't call me Darkmount' Straxus and Dinopope Grimstone the XVII and the dinobots

 

I do all my shopping in store. Allows me to skip the time consuming, and often too-expensive-to-be-worth-it shipping procedure. Most of the good online retailers don't ship to Canada, or charge a good amount extra if they do!

 

1993 when I bought Skram.

 

Last time I bought a Transformer was (I think, its kind of sketchy) WFC Prime in late August.
That was in a different country. Havent seen anything past ROTF wave 3 in my area.

 

This is pretty much how I do it, too.

Maybe you can blame this on the Prime Minister.

 

2-3 months back I got lucky and got Skystalker & Hailstorm at my local supermarket in the same week but aside from one other purchase which escapes me for the present they were the only TF's I bought in a store in 2010 out of approx 20-25 that I added to my collection.

With UK distribution being so useless the "thrill of the hunt" is usually replaced with something more negative and I'd advise any new collectors in my country to save theirselves the time and petrol money and order from somewhere like Kapow Toys instead.

You may have to pay shipping fees but if you weigh up the petrol money spent driving from store to store in some vain hope of finding something that Hasbro probably haven't sent to the UK anyway you'll inevitably find you save some money and you'll have a much better chance of getting what you want with far less hassle.

 

MY buying source for TF's:
Local hobby shop which specializes in import TF's: 50%
online from various sources: 40%
toys'r'us: 5%
Other random departmental store toy aisles: 0 - 5%

 

I don't think I've ever bought a TF online. Unless you count the three or four my girlfriend has bought me online for birthdays or Christmas. My TF collection has still done very well despite trying to resist the internet shopping plunge. That said I'm somewhat lucky as Toyz and Gamez is within less than an hour's journey from my home and I pass by there at least once a month when I go to collect my comics. So that place essentially replaces my need for online shopping, even if I do have to usually pay a little more. It's nice because it's right by the Park and Ride bus stops, I can browse and pick the stuff with the better paint apps and chat with Nick and get him to save me stuff or order something specific in. It's like online shopping but without the internet part getting in the way. And I don't have to wait for stuff to get mailed to me. Without TnG though I'd probably have to go the online route or miss out on half the figures each line.

It is sad and disappointing though that the enjoyment of hitting up a mainstream store for figures has all but gone over here.
I'm still gonna keep checking stores, since I'm often passing by them anyway so it's not like I've made a special trip out just for toys and wasted petrol if none are to be found.

- Whoops, forgot to answer the question of the thread. Mid-December last year was my last in-store TF purchase. Unless you count the RtS Tracks and Jazz a friend picked up for me at Smyths last week.

 

I think Terradive in November. The rest have been online.

 

I don't buy online if I can avoid it since I like to inspect the paint apps (what's visible, anyway) before I buy stuff.

 

2004 or so

 

Like three or four days ago. I much prefer shopping at retail - the hunt is part of the fun for me, and I like to check figures for quality myself before buying, if possible.

 

Last one I bought at retail were my Combaticon KO's and my Constructicons KO's (Cheap so I wasnt going to pass it up) but last Hasbro buys were Lockdown,Payload and Rescue Ratchet from ROTF in the NEST and Hunt for the Decepticon ranges..

This Friday shall possibly be the Ravage Infiltration and Banzaitron (Bludgeon) maybe... depends what I see that and I have paintballing match Saturday..

 

The last time was Dec. 31, 2010, I got the TF United Bees from a specialty toy store here.

 

yesterday

 

What did you get?

 

I picked up a TFA waspinator. Unlike the OP, I was looking for one  

But totally agree with the OP on the shamefulness of TRU. Ours are loaded with super big bumblebees and PCCs.

 

Toys R Us in Bristol is rubbish the shelves are bare at the moment the only things they do have are ROTF 3 packs which I have no desire to buy full price at all.

Asda has some exclusives such as Data Wars but thats all ive seen... they will be being purchased soon Tescos,Sainsburys and the Entertainer are good for figs and books/comics related to Transformers.