The Official Target Vehicle Exlusives thread

[Dakemesh]

I had to go and buy another HISS - I just had to play with one. I went a little sticker crazy and used a few off an old Dragonhawk sheet too...

[John Missal]

OK, as a Target Employee, I can tell you this...

(we just got 4 cases in today BTW).

They are NOT street dated. The 4/13 is the floor set date, which means they are supposed to be out on the floor the week of the 13th, but NO LATER than the Saturday the 13th. If they go out sooner, fine. If they are not out on the floor by the 19th, the store actually gets penalized (internal tracking if they are doing their job or not, not by Hasbro).

The case I got this morning does have a sticker on it, among other identification info, the sticker says T-4/13 .....I'm assuming this is where people are getting the "street date" theory from?

T-4/13 is an internal code meaning "Transition, week of 4/13" for a major aisle change
S-4/13 would be stage, meaning it's already assigned a location
R-4/13 would be revision, for a small aisle change
ad-4/13 would mean that it is in the weekly circular for that sunday the 13th.

The Purge that someone mentioned is just that they arrived in time to hit a back room purge and should be pushed out on that date if they are not out already.

They will have a home in the action figure aisle just on the top shelf under the pegs for the comic two packs by the 13th, but no later than that date.

I was right on the line this morning as we unloaded and I saw the first case, and all of my team (I'm the Flow Team manager) got a good laugh out of me holding up the case and going "WOO HOO! New GIJoes are here" They are an assortment of 1 each per case of 3 vehicles.

You can ask for them to be brought out, but the thing to say is that they are a new, active item that is starting to be distributed. It is the goal of the store to make money, not to let product sit on the shelf. If you're asking for a Treasure Hunt Hot Wheels, they know not to let you have them, but as these are NOT a limited release item (Chase) and just a store Exclusive, it is in their best interest to sell you as many as you want. The only toy currently in Target that has a street date is any Speed Racer items which were dated for yesterday.

If I had someone come in today asking for as many as we have, I would probably let them have 2 cases, just to make sure we have them on the shelf, come the revision.

If they tell you it is Street dated, ask them to see the case. If it really is street dated, then it would say it on the box and the 4 cases we got DO NOT say it. Tell them that a Planogram set date is different than a street date and that you would like to talk to an executive to see why they are telling you that they are street dated.

Same holds true for the new Deluxe Allspark transformers exclusives. They should WANT to sell you these items.

John M.

[dockingbay97]

I forgot how much I hate AWE Striker stickers - I just cannot get those on the rollbars or antennae to stay on. I may have to break out some glue but I hate doing that as well.

[Rooster3D]

OK, as a Target Employee, I can tell you this...

(we just got 4 cases in today BTW).

They are NOT street dated...

If they tell you it is Street dated, ask them to see the case. If it really is street dated, then it would say it on the box and the 4 cases we got DO NOT say it. Tell them that a Planogram set date is different than a street date and that you would like to talk to an executive to see why they are telling you that they are street dated.

I have been told, and have actually observed for myself, that not all Targets are the same in what products they carry and how they handle selling them. Could this be the reason for why my Target wouldn't sell me any cases? I mean, could they actually have a reason to street date and withold it? This Target seems to be very popular to sell GI Joes first, so I can imagine that they might be holding them to make sure there will be products to display at release time. Maybe they are worried that the new plannogram will make it look empty without product on the first day of their "release".

[Dakemesh]

I can't imagine any reason except someone there has decided to include Joes in their list of "collectibles", so they just won't bring them out.

[SolidSnakeEyes]

I went to my Target today, armed with the DPCI number. A guy went back three times, trying to get me a case, but his "team leader" kept stopping him, telling us they weren't to be sold until the 13th.
****es me off.

[Goldbug]

I can't imagine any reason except someone there has decided to include Joes in their list of "collectibles", so they just won't bring them out.

They probably had some problems before. So instead they just claim all the toys are also collectible. Plus I'm sure there are a few employees who just don't care & give you the street date excuse.

[cmderinchief]

Picked mine up today.

[John Missal]

Go in around 6 to 7 in the evening. There shouldn't be any problems with getting them through someone on the sales floor that works in the evening. The team leads that tend to be the ones that stop people are the logistics team leads and they don't work most evenings. Also, find out what day the trucks arrive and go on the alternate days. If they don't have a truck on Tuesdays, then go tuesday afternoon/evening. If it's a 24 hr store, do not do it in the middle of the night.

Street dates are not different from store to store. IF they say that the hand held computers are telling them that it has a date, they are idiots and don't know how to read it. A street dated product will state is ONLY on its box or associated paperwork and will day Not on shelf before... or Do not set/sell before...

Honestly, ask to speak to the store manager, and tell them that you have a team lead who is trying to deny his/her a sale based on erroneously thinking that an item is street dated. Execs know better than sales floor which items are dated, and right now, if you go in armed with the knowledge that only Speed Racer is dated in toys, then you can win your argument. Explain that it is an item that will be coming out based on the Action Figure aisle revision and it's not a limited release, you would just like to purchase it in advance of their Presentation Team setting the new aisle revision. There is nothing short packed, chase, or limited about these items. Say that it's not like a person who is buying the limited 1 per 200 hot wheels cars.

The more you know about how the items are distributed the more likely you will be to be able to purchase the ones that you want and not be lumped into the "scalper" category.

John M>

[the joe bandit]

*There is NO figure stand for any of the drivers.

*There are no "classic blueprints" on the other side.

That is too bad, I was really hoping for both of these to occur with the vehichles. Hopfully they will come with some of the later ones!

If nothing else, maybe they will realease a pack of stands, and while they are at it, maybe some accessory weapons!