Powerteam HQ Closed

tankduel · Post by **tankduel** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:17 pm

I got a newsletter from them that their stock has been wholesaled off and they are now closed.
Maybe things would have worked out differently if they did things like actually sending you stuff ..or respond to emails..oh well,

flayrah · Post by **flayrah** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:41 pm

Too bad, that's another source of 1:18 that's gone, but I can't say I'm surprised. When I placed my order earlier this year, I finally had to file a complaint with PayPal to get any response from PTHQ. I don't run an internet business from my house, so I don't know how hard it can be, but the 1:18 market isn't that large and it certainly couldn't have been that difficult to keep orders filled and customers informed.
BTW, I was a customer and didn't even receive the e-mail announcing their closing.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:55 pm

I got the email. I won't shed a tear at their closing. Granted, it was the only place to get Powerteam online (as far as I know), but that's the only good thing about that place. Guess I'm screwed out of one of my SEAL sets, though

tankduel · Post by **tankduel** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:20 pm

Yeah I got my money back through paypal, so no harm done..Morian Miner I hope you don't mean they owe you money?

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:48 pm

Long story, but pretty much ended up not getting one SEAL set I had ordered. Should have just went through the Paypal process, but dragged my feet and now....oh well.

digger · Post by **digger** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:53 pm

I know this has been mentioned b/f but just for the record: KB has some older PTE and the prices right now are great. M1 with figs is $10, LB with figs is $6

and the Buggy with road block is about the same.

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 11:57 pm

Too bad, that's another source of 1:18 that's gone

Well, it would be a shame if they actually sold something anyone wanted or if they actually came through for people who did place orders... As it stands though, to me, good riddance. I don't mean to sound like a jerk to the owners, but I've been in business a long time, I've worked and been educated in how to run a company properly and they didn't acheive one goal you need to, to survive.

I love PTE stuff, it's really good gear if you can get it in bulk and some people like the figures, but the hastle of getting it online is just not worth it... Especially with the last site.

It's something that should do well at outlet stores, and I think it wouldn't do badly in the "cheap" aisle at Wal-Mart.... It's just not cut out for the smalltime store that wants to jack its price up, which PTHQ did from my POV since I could find much of the same stuff cheaper at stores if I looked hard enough.

I hope PTE shows up at retail various places but as far as I'm concerned the supposedly main source for the stuff was never an option to me. They weren't reliable in the slightest and I'm not a fan of losing cash on a gamble like that.

tosborne3 · Post by **tosborne3** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:04 am

The Biglots stores here in Columbus Oh have a lot of the pte figs to choose from, but I dont make it to thier stores that often. I guess now that I know for sure that they are through I'll hit em up before they sell out or get rid of all the stock.

tosborne3 · Post by **tosborne3** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:24 am

Ok, I misunderstood.

I thought PTE was through but I'm still going to hit up Big Lots to see what they have. Hopefully PTE will stick around for awhile even though their products aren't the best, they're still pretty good.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:29 am

Jesse James wrote:
Too bad, that's another source of 1:18 that's gone
Well, it would be a shame if they actually sold something anyone wanted or if they actually came through for people who did place orders... As it stands though, to me, good riddance. I don't mean to sound like a jerk to the owners, but I've been in business a long time, I've worked and been educated in how to run a company properly and they didn't acheive one goal you need to, to survive.

I love PTE stuff, it's really good gear if you can get it in bulk and some people like the figures, but the hastle of getting it online is just not worth it... Especially with the last site.

It's something that should do well at outlet stores, and I think it wouldn't do badly in the "cheap" aisle at Wal-Mart.... It's just not cut out for the smalltime store that wants to jack its price up, which PTHQ did from my POV since I could find much of the same stuff cheaper at stores if I looked hard enough.

I hope PTE shows up at retail various places but as far as I'm concerned the supposedly main source for the stuff was never an option to me. They weren't reliable in the slightest and I'm not a fan of losing cash on a gamble like that.

I have to disagree on their price and selection. I know from the board here many couldn't find the howitzer - they had it. Also, some of the harder to find figures, like the SEALS (before this Christmas) were there, and for less than $1 a figure. Jacked up prices? - not quite. Not to mention the red and blue little birds that came with the civilian/firefighter figures - still never have seen those in stores.

If the owner wasn't suck a jerk-o, it would have been a tragedy to loose this place.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:35 am

Check this out. It looks like Marauder John is picking up some of the PTE accessories. Considering he is also getting a blue version of the upcoming PTE warthog, maybe he's a new source of them. That would be great - I've had nothing but good luck with MJ.

http://www.joecustoms.com/board/showthr ... ?tid=41097

flayrah · Post by **flayrah** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:24 am

Morian Miner wrote:Check this out. It looks like Marauder John is picking up some of the PTE accessories. Considering he is also getting a blue version of the upcoming PTE warthog, maybe he's a new source of them. That would be great - I've had nothing but good luck with MJ.

http://www.joecustoms.com/board/showthr ... ?tid=41097

This is VERY good news.

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 12:26 pm

The Howitzer was widely available around me for, well, years really... TRU had it, KB had it, etc... So I can't say I had that same experience, and KB I'm sure had it cheaper than the PTHQ price, not to mention shipping... For those who didn't see it I guess it was a blessing though.

But when they sold LB's for twice as much as I see them at KB and Big Lots, or the Abrams tank, or the Watch Towers, or the Buggy, and I could go on... Well then yeah I think they were overpriced.

Not to mention the shipping tacked on AFTER the fact.

Was it sales at these other locations that lowered the price? Possibly... However the stuff's been fairly readily available at the locations mentioned too. I also saw some of it at local grocery chains too but sporatically and higher priced.

If KB could continuously keep the prices low though "on sale", but keep carrying the product, it tells me PTHQ could've as well and simply were not wanting to play competitively...

Sure I didn't see the Blue or Red LB's but they were not of interest to me either... To me that doesn't make the store a worthy place to keep around if they're so utterly unreliable and had prices that I have found better deals on at brick & mortar, including the SEAL figures.

The big thing I'd always wanted from them and actually kept an eye out for were the bunk sets... They had hardly any ever, sold out, never got more, and fortunately brick & mortar retailers picked them up for very cheap... I still say no loss on this store then. The Howitzer will likely show up some place else... I hope it all does. PTE stuff's good, they just need a good company to distribute it.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:54 pm

Hmm, charged more than retail, and you had to add shipping.... Carried some stuff you had no interest in..... Wouldn't get product as quick as the large brick and mortars....Pretty much any of the small etailers fall into this category. And aside from KB, no one else carried PTE online (I think - I could be wrong), and KB has only ever carried a very small portion of what PTHQ had.

This wasn't PTHQs problem, it was their customer service stunk. As long as someone else picks up the PTE stuff, I'm glad they are gone. And hopely some of the online places learn from this - there are some who's customer service is questionable at times.

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:11 am

I don't recall PTHQ carrying much that anyone outside the GI Joe clique were interested in really... SWAT was hot, but they never got it in, or if they did it came and went, never to be seen again... Then the SEAL stuff people seemed to want wasn't in abundance... The 3 figure set perhaps? I can't recall off-hand, but they didn't have the boat IIRC, which was the real in-demand piece...

They had watchtowers, buggies... M1 I think? And Humvees, but so did KB and for cheaper... They didn't get the bunk sets everyone was drooling for, or the headquarters set which only KB ever seemed to actually have in stock. The LB's were cool for the GI Joe fans though, and same with the other color Humvees they got in I think. But from a guy from this forum's POV they didn't have much of anything I wanted to buy, and what I did want that they had I could get elsewhere for less, is my point... To me, that's the company, not the customer service.

And I'd say the GI Joe crowd wasn't keeping them afloat... Not that the XD crowd could've either of course. The Customer Service I think was just one of several nails in a coffin they helped pull the lid on.

But as far as etailers being just like PTHQ... I don't agree at all. If that were the case, they wouldn't survive off other toy lines like they do. That's not to say too that the points about charging more (at times, not always) than retail, and shipping expenses aren't obvious issues, but the etailers actually tend to get the product in first for many toy lines, and anymore retail and etail pricing has kept neck-and-neck pace for various lines... With PTHQ and where you could get PTE stuff... Well PTHQ was pretty much the worst choice unless you wanted a blue or red Humvee/Littlebird.

Like I said, I see it as no loss at all then... I guess I just had a different experience though since I could find PTE some places, and for better prices online... And of course not needing red or blue vehicles helped.

It's sort of like K-Mart and Star Wars... For me, they're still a very viable source for figures, and prices there are same as most other retailers anymore or the difference is less than $.50 or so... Yet other areas I hear KM never gets new waves in, they sometimes sit with empty pegs for months at a time or don't even keep a dedicated spot for the SW line... Those people could care less if KM went the way of the dinosaur tomorrow I guess.

scope uk · Post by **scope uk** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:47 am

Hi guys i have noticed on a couple of Joe boards people have reported finding PTE 2 packs at CVS thought i'd let you know

if anyone finds new stuff from PTE please let us all know
http://www.joecustoms.com/board/showthr ... ?tid=41149

Also Looks like Marauder John is re organising for his new items so keep an eye on that as another source i know i will be placing an order when it is available

http://www.marauderinc.com/servlet/StoreFront

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:53 pm

Looks like MJ is already selling them. A few are missing pictures, hopefully they will be up tonight. There are a few items I might pick up.

scope uk · Post by **scope uk** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:07 pm

They are all up now with pics if you want to check it out. I placed my order for bunk beds and lots of spare lockers

as well as alot of other items

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:59 pm

PTE at CVS? OMG!