XD 2-Packs

[cranedriver]

Well I came across these this weekend as well as the new figures from XD this weekend while I was in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area on a trip.

Since I am new to the hobby I wasn't sure if these were old news or not. I thought they were a pretty good buy @ $8 and some change.

Anyway here are some pics guys. Feel free to flame away if this is old news.

BTW I saw the DAK 2-packs as well but passed on them.

[Rowsdower]

Yeah they've been out for awhile. Both WWII packs are nice, I have a few of them. Good for head swaps. The DAK pack is cool. That is if you can find one without nuclear blast skin tones.

[cranedriver]

I figured they were out a while. I had to really dig through the Wehrmacht guys to find a decent paint app. on the heads. Most were really blotchy looking.

[tmanthegreat]

Still nothing in the western states. By the time we get these things, they'll be discounted everywhere else or Wal Mart will no longer carry 21c

[normandy]

These Dual Packs are out in Some parts of the country, but not here in the North East.

[King O' Fools]

Look nice, but I don't think they're available online either... So off limits to me too. Funny, I thought 21c were in the business to make money. Silly me.

[Rowsdower]

Weird, my AO has been flooded with them for ages. One WM has them marked down to $7. I just wish all the Germans didn't have 98k ammo pouches even if they have a SMG.

[olifant]

Never seen them up here in the GNW. Luckily I have had my pick of Lt. Odeheim for the last six months!

Really, WM distribution stinks. Why doesn't 21C make these available to their online distributors?

[tmanthegreat]

Why doesn't 21C make these available to their online distributors?

'Cause 21c sucks

Really, 21c would make far more money, or at least have a better sales record if they got products to all the big and small retailers in a timely manner. We all know the track record of Wal Mart's distribution system. Too much to some places and nothing to others. The new products usuallly go to only certain regions of the country (usually the midwest and southern states) and never to others. In the regions where the products go, far too many are put out on the shelves, so the items do not sell and rot for months. 21c and Wal Mart thus make less of a profit than if the figures were more evenly distributed at stores across the country at the same time. TRU and Target are potential improvements, but they still suffer from some of the same distribution woes.

Hasbro often manages to get their new figures out to all the retail stores across the country at the same time. While they are a much larger company, it still shows that they (and most likely also 21c) have a certain say in the distribution of their products. 21c depends greatly on its specialty market, yet they have a poor record of getting their products to that market in a timely manner. Not everyone in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia Ohio, Kentucky, and so on are going to buy XD 2 packs, and there are plenty of people in the western and eastern states that would. So why THOSE SAME AREAS ALWAYS GET THE NEW PRODUCTS AND WHY THE NEW PRODUCTS NEVER GO ANYWHERE ELSE is a mysterious, infuriating, and poor marketing strategy.

I would happily buy more 21c products, if newer items were more consistently avaliable. Further, I find it really difficult to get excited about "the next great thing from 21c" when I know my chances of finding it are slim...

[olifant]

Why doesn't 21C make these available to their online distributors?

'Cause 21c sucks

Really, 21c would make far more money, or at least have a better sales record if they got products to all the big and small retailers in a timely manner. We all know the track record of Wal Mart's distribution system. Too much to some places and nothing to others. The new products usuallly go to only certain regions of the country (usually the midwest and southern states) and never to others. In the regions where the products go, far too many are put out on the shelves, so the items do not sell and rot for months. 21c and Wal Mart thus make less of a profit than if the figures were more evenly distributed at stores across the country at the same time. TRU and Target are potential improvements, but they still suffer from some of the same distribution woes.

Hasbro often manages to get their new figures out to all the retail stores across the country at the same time. While they are a much larger company, it still shows that they (and most likely also 21c) have a certain say in the distribution of their products. 21c depends greatly on its specialty market, yet they have a poor record of getting their products to that market in a timely manner. Not everyone in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia Ohio, Kentucky, and so on are going to buy XD 2 packs, and there are plenty of people in the western and eastern states that would. So why THOSE SAME AREAS ALWAYS GET THE NEW PRODUCTS AND WHY THE NEW PRODUCTS NEVER GO ANYWHERE ELSE is a mysterious, infuriating, and poor marketing strategy.

I would happily buy more 21c products, if newer items were more consistently avaliable. Further, I find it really difficult to get excited about "the next great thing from 21c" when I know my chances of finding it are slim...

Well said Tman. I look at it this way: I have a finite amount of money I spend each month, generally $200. I would prefer that it go to 21C for military 1/18 and 1/32 toys, but I refuse to pay inflated e-bay prices for them. My only options are:

1) Find them at WM, Target or TRU (good luck)
2) Buy from an etailer where selection is not that great
3) Pray another board member takes pity on me and buys/ships one for me (Big thanks to all those who have helped with this, you know who you are)
4) Spend that money on other toys, mainly SW and 1/72 military, which is usually what happens

I am sure I am not the only person in the country who would love to spend more money on military toys. Roy, if you are reading this, help a brother out.

[Rowsdower]

I agree with both of you guys! Great points!

[cranedriver]

I agree completly that distrubution is terrible. I was so happy to see full pegs and get this large sections of the toy isle dedicted to 21st century stuff at the Wal-Marts in Texas.

Now back at home here in Mississippi it is back to the normal for around here. If we get two pegs of space for product then we are lucky.

[CrazyinTexas]

Would you please post which Wal-Mart here in DFW you found those dual packs and did you leave us any.

[cranedriver]

Sure no problem.

I first found the latest XD figures at the Wal-Mart in Kilgore, TX. I left 3 assault gunners and 3 US snipers plus they had maybe 20 2-packs on the shelves (DAK and VN).

My next find was at the Wal-Mart in Arlington, TX. They had all the new XD figures. I only picked up some assault gunners from the new wave. The rest I left. Probably three or four of each figure left on the pegs.

The last Wal-Mart I stopped in was in Tyler, TX. This is the place to buy the 2-packs. I would estimate in there to be 30 plus of these on the pegs. They are in the XD section as well as on the endcap of that same isle. I only bought the three pictured earlier in the post.

I hope this helps you guys out. I would have loved to been able to buy these to trade with or help you guys that can't finds these but the rules here won't allow me to trade here yet. I am doing dios and they are based on the Battle of the Bulge and VN era's so the newest figures and 2-packs help very little to me.

[Razor17019]

Sure no problem.

I first found the latest XD figures at the Wal-Mart in Kilgore, TX. I left 3 assault gunners and 3 US snipers plus they had maybe 20 2-packs on the shelves (DAK and VN).

My next find was at the Wal-Mart in Arlington, TX. They had all the new XD figures. I only picked up some assault gunners from the new wave. The rest I left. Probably three or four of each figure left on the pegs.

The last Wal-Mart I stopped in was in Tyler, TX. This is the place to buy the 2-packs. I would estimate in there to be 30 plus of these on the pegs. They are in the XD section as well as on the endcap of that same isle. I only bought the three pictured earlier in the post.

I hope this helps you guys out. I would have loved to been able to buy these to trade with or help you guys that can't finds these but the rules here won't allow me to trade here yet. I am doing dios and they are based on the Battle of the Bulge and VN era's so the newest figures and 2-packs help very little to me.

NOW we know where all the 2 packs got sent to - Texas! -Thanks WALMART!

[immeww2]

We could use a few of them out here in the West!

[General Blasto]

Could use them over here in Orlando too
I found some over by Lakelund, but it's only VNs and DAK 2 packs now

Da General

[normandy]

I wish 21st would paint more of these Dual Pack Germans in full camo not just the smock/jacket. Some of the Dragon Action 18 figs look very cool in full camo.
Now if the DP's would only show up in the rest of the country.

[dandaman]

NOW we know where all the 2 packs got sent to - Texas! -Thanks WALMART!

Before we jump to any conclusions, I would like to point out that Tyler, TX is a little podunk town in the middle of nowhere (halfway between Shreveport and Dallas). It's not like the 2 packs landed in DFW proper. Which would have made more sense.

And regarding the new XD GIs and German assault gunner...the one spot where I found them (near the stadium) was just about cleared out. There was one GI machine gunner and a very fried-looking GI rifleman left on the pegs. The rest were Platoon guys. So it's not like DFW is swimming in the new stuff.

On a related note, certain WalMarts have been putting out even more Platoon guys. I counted well over 20 at one store. The stockers even put the remaining D-Day figures behind the Platoon guys. As if that was going to make them sell first or something.

[dandaman]

NOW we know where all the 2 packs got sent to - Texas! -Thanks WALMART!

I have to retract what I wrote in my last post. All the 2 packs ARE in Texas. Specifically TYLER, TX.

I have not seen this many XD in one place in my life. This is the promised land of XD. Tons and I mean TONS of 2 packs.

I picked up 2 of each kind and there were still plenty left. Simply amazing.

[Coreyeagle48]

Greetings

That is interesting people say they have never seen these in the Northeast. I saw some at some of the PA Walmarts about a month or two ago, but there were only a couple and since I don't collect ground, I didn't pay any attention to them at the time. But it seems to me that some of the Walmart stores in PA did get a few select shipments of these.

One of the problems I see in the situation is that the Walmart indivdual toy managers have the option to order what they want. For example, many of the toy managers around here have told me they are hesistant to stock 21st stuff or stock a lot of it because it doesn't sell. Case in point, one Walmart got about 20 1/18 Migs and F-86's but only sold maybe 5 of each if that, and the rest were left to rot over the summer. One Walmart recently got a few 1/32 Spitfires (3 I think), they sold in no time and haven't been restocked but the Mrs Bonnie Mustangs just sit there and warm the shelves, I haven't seen one of them sell yet.

Another problem is that many of the Walmart stores in my area are smaller stores. I think the smaller stores carry less of the items and dedicate their shelf space to other products or limited numbers. I've also taken notice since the genius remodeling Walmart has decided to embark on, they carry way fewer items. This is across the board. I think they may be possibly trying to compete with Target by carrying less but being more stylish, who knows really. It's not good though, they have less items and going there got less appealing than it was before. If that is hard to believe.

Its a shame one store won't just step up, carry all the items and not be a pain about it.

And yes, you would think 21st could handle it better as well.

Corey

[cranedriver]

NOW we know where all the 2 packs got sent to - Texas! -Thanks WALMART!

I have to retract what I wrote in my last post. All the 2 packs ARE in Texas. Specifically TYLER, TX.

I have not seen this many XD in one place in my life. This is the promised land of XD. Tons and I mean TONS of 2 packs.

I picked up 2 of each kind and there were still plenty left. Simply amazing.

I told ya so....

[dandaman]

I told ya so....

Yes, but what you didn't tell me was that they were $7.00 each!

What a steal!!!

[cranedriver]

Yeah that's true all the Wal-marts around me had the XD stuff marked down(someone cleaned out the DAK 2 packs). I didn't find any 2-packs at $7.00 but I picked up some 32X armor for $11.00 each.

I have to deliver a 'vette to Emory, TX this week so maybe they will have some left.

[dandaman]

I give you all fair warning.

You have until this weekend to get whatever XD you can from the Tyler, TX WalMart.

At which time I will return and will go all out on the 2 packs.

I figure at $7.00 a pop it's worth the investment to grab whatever they have and sell it on eBay for triple the price.

Hey, at least I warned you.