To be honest I think that it will just suddenly end up in stock sometime in January. No evidence. Just a feeling. I don't think they sold +7K in hours. Especially with a 2 item limit and there doesn't seem to be an increase in ebay auctions for the toy which would be evidence of a rapid increase in supply. I just think that TRU has a major customer service failure, screwed up inventory management and a culture that isn't focused on serving customers. If it has sold out i'll just wash my hands of it but there is no real concrete evidence of such an outcome. Just conflicting and incomplete information.

 

I'm with you, I'm 99.999999% certain that these didn't go out of stock it's just a bug somewhere in the system. I used to see this many years ago with the software I use. Sometimes a receiving voucher would fail to correctly update the physical onhand. So your system would tell you you received 7000, sold 0 and have 0 on hand. Now out support desk was dealing with the store managers and they could clearly see the stock in front of them so they knew there was an issue. I think that simply the techs here just don't care. They don't care that there is 7000 units unaccounted for, they don't want to spend time searching through a database or they lack the basic skills to do so. All they can see on their screen is that it says out of stock, they lack the motivation to look beyond and try to understand or correct the situation.

 

yeah that’s my thought process exactly. I’m seriously surprised by the online sales failures of TRU, Target and Walmart and the fact that you can’t seriously buy transformers retail products directly from Amazon. The Brick & Mortars store just aren’t great for this stuff and HAsbro really hasn’t developed anything with Amazon. Probably to avoid antagonizing the major retailers.

 

This should be brought up to higher management. With the company facing bankruptcy it seems that issues such as this aren't intentional but the root of their demise. Mismanagement at it's finest. I'm sure that positions are presently being consolidated and promotions and pay raises are non-existent for most employees. These are just people with jobs not giving a fu©k. While I imagine the big boys digging in and cashing out it seems fitting that what we see is Grotesque; or more appropriately, a lack thereof.

 

I'm giving it until this weekend. If it's not available online and I can't find it at the store, I'm just gonna go ahead it buy it elsewhere. Shame, as I would have much rather paid $25 than ~$70...

 

Unfortunately the root of TRU’s troubles stem from the leveraged buyout that was used to save the company the last time it had major issues. The debt load would be difficult for any company to handle but TRU is in a declining industry and facing challenges from Target and Walmart and Amazon. This doesn’t excuse the inventory/customer service issues but those probably developed due to an upper management/creditor mandated drive to cut costs (mainly people). The bankruptcy is an attempt to stop the bleeding but usually upper management is the only one that comes out well here. Especially since I’m sure the debt was secured with physical assets (the stores and other distribution locations)

 

Given the odd answer that it sold out but never available online. I wounder if it all got sold behind the scenes to Ross/Marshell's/TJ Maxx style places? That's what happen with the Special Edition Universe figures back in the day. Megatron, Optimus, Drag Strip, and Overkill were HTS exclusives, sold for a bit, taken off the site, and a week later were at clearance stores. Maybe TRU is counting thier losses and just sold the shipment to discount instead of bothering to sell online.

 

I bet once everyone has blown their gift card wad at TRU, they'll put them up for sale.

 

Might be this^. And if it is, I have 0% chance of finding anything at Ross/Marshalls/TJMaxx/Ollies. I live in a small area that doesn't get much stock & I have a huge & overly aggressive scalper/flea market/Hotwheels population. Those stores are all at least a half hour away & I can't afford to waste any gas. I'm going to school full time & only working 16 hours a week.

Last year I missed out on the Combiner Wars figures & Fort Max at both Ross & Ollies. I went to Ross every day for 3 weeks but I had already missed Fort Max & the employees were too stupid to even realize it had already come & gone. So I won't be doing that stupid nonsense anymore.

 

With patience, you can. It’s not worth that high price tag.

 

The day TRU releases Grotusque is the day I get a life. And that ain't happening soon.

 

I would at least wait to see exactly where these things show up before making a move.

 

I hope some of them show up in europe.

 

In my experience the ones answering the customer service number are holiday help and would only know what they can see. I’ve heard 7400 from an in store employee who looked up the number so it’s hard to say

 

Well my Grotusque is sitting at my post office waiting to be picked up.
Unfortunately they closed at 9:15 this morning and now I have to wait til Tuesday to get him. 

 

Congrats on the find, how were you able to get one?

 

Yes, how did you get one? EbayI bet.

 

Robotkingdom
Like 80 bucks including shipping.

 

^ From initial USD $24.99 to the current price...And then with the exorbitant shipping charges...

RK made some good killings.

 

This is how I ended up with the fans hobby one. When I realized he cost nearly as much, I ended up jumping on the MP sized one that I'd been hesitating on. I'd still love to get the deluxe as well- but not at those kinds of prices.