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ToysRUs Minimates -what happens now?


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I don't think Hastings is regional, as I think there are stores in the northwest, and at least one somewhere here in LA (because they make us pay tax when we order online). But they may not be spread out all across the U.S.

FYE has had exclusives in the past. Not sure if they still go by that name or not, though.

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Wal-mart....Hastings....Target?

Hastings isn't national though, right?

Zach confirmed Wal-mart will have TMNT, and Hastings is getting a Pulp Fiction boxset.

Ah ok thanks, Im glad mates are coming back to Walmart and target, hopefully my local stores stock up!

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And oh, my God, I hope nobody thinks Minimates is in trouble. I've been telling people they're not in trouble at TRU, but they're doing fine everywhere else, as well. We just picked up three national chains.If you're one of those people who doesn't like things once they get popular, you're about to hate Minimates.

Popular is great. It means more money for DST, (which translates to job security for the employees), and the overall health of the line. As someone that likes to spend money with DST, that makes me feel good. It also means a possible expansion into licenses that might not have otherwise been possible. I know some things like Star Wars have more to do with other companies. But if Minimates get more exposure and are on the pegs at bigger retailers, then maybe some properties that weren't available will become available. It's a win for the retailer, DST, and all of us collectors.

The only thing that worries me about "popular" is the possible side effect of the loss of push that my favorite corner of the Minimates line, Marvel Comics, could possibly deal with. Popular makes me think of a push into the most mainstream of Marvel properties... the movie and/or animated corner that most non-comic readers are familiar with. While that's not the most interesting thing to me, I completely understand why DST fills that need for movie fans and moms and pops buying for kids.

The optimistic side of me hopes that the recent lack of focus on the Marvel comics side of things has more to do with the heavy movie schedule. But the pessimist toy collector in me sees paths that other companies have tread that get away from the core and focus solely on the movies. I know that Minimates collectors that focus on the comics are taking a back seat to the mainstream stuff for a little bit. I just hope that the new found popularity that the Minimates line is about to see due to certain licenses and retail partners doesn't further dilute the commitment to the comics side of things. Because not only is that my favorite part of the line, it's also the horse that brought Minimates to where thy are today.

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If you're one of those people who doesn't like things once they get popular, you're about to hate Minimates.

Just the opposite... Now that Minimates are making it big, I fear they'll leave me for some hot shot, 6 figure attorney with a big house and a slick car. BUT HE'LL NEVER LOVE YOU LIKE I DO, MINIMATES!!!

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Their online shipping prices are shaky... they don't combine shipping on anything. I've seen packs listed at good prices but wanting more than one is prohibitive due to additional shipping costs. Thought they were going to be my solution to building a Shield army until I noticed that.

And of course the previously mentioned, not on the East coast so... we've got that to look forward to.

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There used to be two Hastings within a 25 minute drive from where I live in Fayetteville, AR, but unfortunately they were both closed down last year(still don't understand why they closed both of them, they were always busy and were one of the last remaining video rental places in the area). The Minimates selection was decent, but it always seemed odd what waves they got and didn't get, plus they never had a whole case out at the same time; One day they would have a couple of 2-packs from a wave out and then I would go in a few days later and different 2-packs from the same wave would be on the pegs. Fortunately Ft. Smith, AR(hour drive) and Joplin, MO(hour and a half drive), both still have Hastings so I should be able to get the Pulp Fiction box set and hopefully help others here on the board.

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I've never had a problem with the shipping from gohastings, the last two orders I had were:

Marvel vs Capcom Minimates Series 1 Phoenix/Morrigan

Marvel Minimates Series 39 Thor Movie Coulson/Frost Giant 2pk

and

Battle Beasts Minimates SDCC 2012 2 Pack
2 used CD's

The first order shipped together and the shipping total was $3.59

The last order shipped separately (all 3 items arrived at different times) and the shipping total was $4.71

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Am I being unfair by cherry-picking quotes from other threads & placing them here ?

I'm just catching up on stuff so this is older news *...........

*Not news to me & probably not news to many of us but yet again I'm not shooting the messenger .

I have no insider info but after scouring ebay for the last 8 years for Minimates on a daily basis you get to know (feel ?) what's going on ........& fairly quickly . That's not to say I buy much from ebay it's just a good gauge .

The trouble is & was that if I had actually posted what I felt I knew in my heart then the feeding frenzy would have increased..........Zach (& others ) were undoubtedly in the same position. No win situation.

I'm not sure whether I'm using the right word here but I'll use it ....the word is momentum ......... the ToysRUs 'incident' had cost the Minimate line its momentum for the time being . I will quickly add however that what I saw first-hand at C2E2 completely contradicted what I had been quietly thinking .........you just needed to watch the body-language of everybody connected ............Minimates ain't going away anytime yet .

Which is what we've been trying to tell you all along. Rare, hard to find waves occur inpractically every toy line. Ebay shouldn't be your measuring stick for the health of the line. Loss of momentum is very subjective.

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I order from Hastings all the time, because they have great 30-40% off used CD/DVD deals at least once a month. Shipping is weird, though--99 cents per item for those types of orders.

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Am I being unfair by cherry-picking quotes from other threads & placing them here ?

I'm just catching up on stuff so this is older news *...........

*Not news to me & probably not news to many of us but yet again I'm not shooting the messenger .

I have no insider info but after scouring ebay for the last 8 years for Minimates on a daily basis you get to know (feel ?) what's going on ........& fairly quickly . That's not to say I buy much from ebay it's just a good gauge .

The trouble is & was that if I had actually posted what I felt I knew in my heart then the feeding frenzy would have increased..........Zach (& others ) were undoubtedly in the same position. No win situation.

I'm not sure whether I'm using the right word here but I'll use it ....the word is momentum ......... the ToysRUs 'incident' had cost the Minimate line its momentum for the time being . I will quickly add however that what I saw first-hand at C2E2 completely contradicted what I had been quietly thinking .........you just needed to watch the body-language of everybody connected ............Minimates ain't going away anytime yet .

Which is what we've been trying to tell you all along. Rare, hard to find waves occur inpractically every toy line. Ebay shouldn't be your measuring stick for the health of the line. Loss of momentum is very subjective.

"Ebay shouldn't be your measuring stick for the health of the line " is what you said not what I said .

You'll note that I paragraphed my post making various points . One of those points was that what I saw on ebay reflected the smaller numbers I thought might be available from ToysRUs ......was I right or wrong ?

Regards ".....what we've been trying to tell you all along " ........is there more than one of you .......& what have you all been telling me?

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