The pattern that I have recognized is that Christmas seems like the best time to collect. Literally everything you want or need is always on the shelves. Not only that, but they are all usually heavily reduced due to one sale or another.

On top of that, stores like TJmaxx and Marshalls get the left over inventory which is even more reduced.

I mean today alone, I got the following:
- Leader Class Sentinel Prime: $25
- Leader Class Ironhide: $25
- Voyager FoC Soundwave and Soundblaster: $40
- Jetwing Prime: $52

This is not even mentioning all the GDOs, FE, FoC wave 2, Last wave of PRiD that has been around for like a month now.

I did not pay full price on any of these figures. All were some bogo deal or some other crazy deal. It is truly great.

Having said that, I now look forward to none of the shelves being restocked for the next 5 months after Christmas is done. Maybe even longer then that.

Do you guys agree?

 

Caught onto this last year, that's why I only have 2 TFP figures. With the TJMaxx/Marshalls/Ross stuff, that number's going to swell

 

Sadly is the time when I'm broke 

 

I agree, tons of cool stuff to get now, especially from the TFP AM line, but having enough funds is another matter, hehe.  

 

You know what, next year I am thinking that maybe I will hold off on buying any Hasbro products that I like. (if I can, we'll see). I will just put the money aside for the end of the year and buy everything then. The only exception is the MP stuff.

I mean, when I was hunting in the last month, I think I can honestly say I saw every figure that Hasbro released this year. The only thing I have yet to see if the other cassettes for FoC. But those are on TRU.com.

 

I agree.

In the past month I have scored deals on all of the GDO , First Edition , Prime Voyagers , and even the MP-10 Optimus Prime.

Here are some of the deals

TRU

GDO Deluxes Wheelie , Springer , Cliffjumper , Swerve $12 each
GDO Voyagers Hotspot $13 (Saveology Deal) , Megatron , Powerdive $18 each
FE Deluxes Terrorcon Cliffjumper , Vehicon $12 each
FE Voyagers Bulkhead , Optimus Prime $20 each
FE Entertainment Pack $25
MP-10 Optimus Prime $96
MP-11 Thundercracker $58
Soundblaster / Soundwave Voyagers $18 each
Data Disk Decepticon sets Ratbat / Frenzy , Rumble , Ravage $8 each
Weaponizer Bumblebee $13 (Groupon)

HTS

Bruticus (Retail Set) $60
Ultra Magnus Voyager $16
Dreadwing Voyager $16
Thundertron Voyager $16
Ultimate Gift Pack $26

Amazon

YOTD Optimus Prime $30

Aldi

Vehicons , Airachnid $10 each

Marshalls / TJ Maxx

Warpath $8
Wheeljack $8
Junkheap $8
Skyshadow $8
Kup $8

 

I do not agree. Surprisingly. More people are out at this time looking for gifts for the kids. Plus, target has those DOTM packs that take up to racks.

 

I haven't really had a problem with finding the stuff I want. Is it a bit harder, what with all the people buying random stuff that they think others will like, sure. But overall I find patience wins out in the end.

But yeah, what with all the sales, it's a great time to collect.

 

I actually find that the stores near me stock the shelves as much as possible. So it's not harder to find stuff, it's actually much easier.

 

One would think that these sales might be the reason why two months ago all the prices were increased.

 

I would agree other years this year not so much. Other than finding of the things at tru like mp 10, first editions, and ultra magnus the transformers isle at the rest of the stores near me are baren wastelands. Wal-mart appears to be phasing out tfs altogether, as figures clear they are not being restocked but the shelfspace replaced by for some reason toys from toy story. Target isn't much different, I haven't seen anything new on the shelves for months just the stock slowly dwindling and has yet to be replaced. Just today I seen only one deluxe no voyagers and a few of cyberverse. K-mart is the same as target.

 

Unless it's a Walmart.Those stores blow right now for Transformers.For some reason none of the Walmarts around here are stocking anything.

 

Mine aren't either. Though all the local stores have been really good about Prime voyagers, for some reason.

 

I'll agree with you on the NUMEROUS discounts, like.. it's frickin' ridiculous, but great! As for the availability...it depends where you are. I'm usually lucky but I've been duped before and so have others.

 

I have been able to find figures that I haven't seen all year.

 

I'm waiting for the after christmas sales so i can grab stuff for cheap.

 

Where I'm at, toy prices are pretty much the same all year round, often actually higher due to inflation. Robotkingdom, we could use a little more "holiday spirit."

 

not just DOTM, they target the FOC Combaticons too! meaning less likely of getting a full set, or any, if at all. + Christmas is the worst time to collect especially if your order things online, coz the considerable delay with the postal services can hamper things quite a bit

 

yeah I saw figures I haven't seen all year at my TRU. One part is that all the other collectors and/or scalpers have already gotten theirs perhaps? Another is the stores definitely stocking up. Throw in the usual B1G1 deals and sales and it's good stuff.

 

I've gotten more out of it in non-TF lines, but I agree with the premise. I got 3 Batman movie masterpiece figures for $9 each (normally $17) and SH MonsterArts baby Godzilla for $22. I don't even know anything about Godzilla, but at that price and that level of cuteness, I couldn't resist!