Small Scale Military Headquarters

I went by Walmart this evening, and what I saw kind of made me think is the the future of XD there? The only 21st Century product there was a 1/18th scale BBD P-51 that looked like it had gone through hell. Not only was the clear window on the box gone, but the whole model box looked like it had been walked on. This sad site was all by itself on an isle full of clearance stuff. I did not see how much they wanted for the Mustang, I just got to thinking that is a sad site indeed.

That's not much. ... How about 5 Fw-190's , all "Dortenmanns" , on clearance for $39.84 @ the WAL* MART in Morten , Ill. , all w/ missing windows , totally exposed.


v MG

I just cant stand to go into my nearest walmart anymore They will have 5 1/18 planes. They say that they are clereanced..... but then you look at the clereance tag and it says the same price as what the regular price is 39.94 No figures,armor, anything just 5 planes that have been there forever I have quit going to that walmart to look for xd and just go to tru

It would appear that 1/18 has fallen out of favor in WM. It looks like the 1/32 and 1/144 are OK there but not so sure about 1/18 except for figures still are hanging around. Wonder if this is the beginning of the end for !/18 scale. I hope not but I guess time will tell.
Todd

It appears that from what is being found, or should I say not found, at WM's all over the country that 1/18th XD items are history. The recent clearance now going on for most of their remaining XD aircraft suggests that they will no longer be sold. I too, hope that isn't the case, and that WM is just making space for the XMAS items coming in and that we'll see a bunch of new items either during or after the holiday season.

Could well be that TRU is the new home of 1/18 for 21st. We could end up being surprised too--my local WM recently restoced on planes, including several they never had before. And most of the local WMs around here have restocked on figures.
Before we panic too much--keep in mind that 21st hasn't really released anything new since last spring, either, other than a few figures and some items that seem to be TRU exclusives (the Pak-40 Hanomag, U-Haul trailer) or available on-line only so far (Me-262, Flight 19/BUnker Hill Avengers). Any "new" items from 21st like the King Tiger, Flak 88, F-4, Mig-21, and B-25, as well as the Platoon and dual-pack figures, appear to be months or years out. So why should WM reserve space for something they may not see for 6 months to a year? The Me-262 was announced last November, and just came out--and the NIghtfighter version is still nowhere to be seen. The Platoon figures were announced about 3-4 years ago. And they are just now seeing production. And the dual-packs were SHOWN at toyfair last February, and are scheduled for an early 2008 release--also a full year.
If 21st pulled most of their larger stuff out of WM, I could actually understand. TRU probably pays a higher wholesale price, although I could see where the overall reduced sales volume might slow things down on the development front. But time will tell. I see something like this every year around here. Sometimes they get in new stuff a month or so before Christmas--last year, the ones in South Bend got the new half-tracks and Avengers, but my local WM seemed to get restocked with nothing but old HUMVEES, Muttts, old halftracks, etc. I allso suspect that WM may get a bit more cautious this year (or not--they never seem to learn)--last year, they overstocked big-time and ended up clearancing most everything out for half off or less. So we may not see the stacks of 20 Avengers per store this year marked down to $15 or Mustangs, Migs, F-86s and F-104s for $7.50.

Only 1 WM here in SW MO got BBD's, only 2 of them, clearanced at $25. Both looked like they had been in the back room with alot of weight stacked on top of them... Ok with me if TRU becomes the primary 1/18 watering hole for 21st again. Although a little more expensive than WM the distribution will likely be better.

RESCUE THEM!!!

walmart is my favorite "adopt a 1/18th " shelter to go to.

i have made a promise that no dora, nor pretty pony will ever see torture by a child again.

sure it may have a little coaxing to come out of its box.. but when it sees that there are no children around, it spreads its wings and joins the coterie of wings that also were neglected ...

what is wrong with you people !!!???? may i remind you of the little boy walking along the beach, throwing starfish aack into the ocean!.."it matters to THIS one!...."

OCTOBER IS ADOPT A 1/18TH MONTH!!!

Wallys =$$$$$$$ They don't give a hoot about the colector or X/D.

tosborne3 wrote:Wallys =$$$$$$$ They don't give a hoot about the colector or X/D.

Very, very few retailers care about "the collector".. What it comes down to is that retailers are here to make money, and that is the bottom line.. The main reason Walmart probably dropped XD is that XD sits on the shelf, taking up valuable space, while XD figures and 32x typically can't be kept in stock..
I predicted this long ago, that the future of cheap XD would be short, and it has now come to pass.. We can only hope that TRU picks up the XD Aircraft line or the line will most likely die, just for the fact that online retailers can't hope to sell the volume that Walmart did..

32x is the future.. Come to the darkside...

hworth18 wrote:

tosborne3 wrote:Wallys =$$$$$$$ They don't give a hoot about the colector or X/D.

Very, very few retailers care about "the collector".. What it comes down to is that retailers are here to make money, and that is the bottom line.. The main reason Walmart probably dropped XD is that XD sits on the shelf, taking up valuable space, while XD figures and 32x typically can't be kept in stock..
I predicted this long ago, that the future of cheap XD would be short, and it has now come to pass.. We can only hope that TRU picks up the XD Aircraft line or the line will most likely die, just for the fact that online retailers can't hope to sell the volume that Walmart did..

32x is the future.. Come to the darkside...

I agree, perhaps 21st should sell directly to us collectors online. But I don't think that will ever happen.

I very much fear that 21c killed their own cow to prevent anyone else from grabbing the tail. Other then BBI's Hellcat, 21c's BH Avenger that was on preorder forever (thanks BC for keeping it), BBD for $20 at WM, the OG Blackhawk at TRU for $20, the Quad 50 trailer, and the RIB for $12 at BigLots, and this is going back a ways, it's been quite.

I'd recently discovered Ignite, Soldier Story, Sideshow, Hottoys, others, and a gazillion customs, in 1/6 that is doing well in filling the space I had available for 1/18 (thanks BC for your recent contribution).

I still have airspace for the F-4 (both), Skyraider, SBD, Mig-21, and B-25, but thats only because it hasn't been filled yet with something else.

I do hope these are available before I find something else to fill that space.

I'm only speaking as someone that's been involved in this for less then 18 months now. I shutter to think of those that may have been going through this for longer than that. I at least have been able to catch up more than wait.

chunks wrote:I'm only speaking as someone that's been involved in this for less then 18 months now. I shutter to think of those that may have been going through this for longer than that. I at least have been able to catch up more than wait.

It tends to come and go in spurts... Sometimes you get a lot of new stuff, sometimes you get repaints, and then other times nothing.

If I recall correctly, we were voicing similar opinions earlier this year when all the Avengers, Halftracks, etc. left over from the Christmas season were being drastically discounted. Some Wal Marts will still get XD when it comes in, and others will not (namely mine!) but TRU and the small retailers will hopefully be there to fill the void

I just picked up a few more XD American figures at the new Wally world not far from home last night. Nothing new, just 3 more figures to swap heads on with BBI figures. Their stock had lots of 1/32 planes, a fair selection of figures in 1/18th and some of the new 1/6 weapons packs. This WM seems to carry stock, unlike the WM up the street from me that doesn't seem to care. I think all the WMs are run a bit different from one another on what they stock. I've NEVER seen a 1/18th vehicle at any WM here in the last year other than some of the F-104 and the MGs. I think the TRUs carry much more, yet I never seem to find the "good stuff". There is a big problem with E-bay horders/sellers that raid the TRUs down here and buy all the good stuff, then sell it for an inflated price on Evil bay. I found this true on the Star Wars stuff I'd collected back a year or two ago. I gave up on that collection Just wanted to add my next 2 cents worth on WM and that I can still find figures at a few stores down here The General

I jpicked up nine XD figures at one of my local Walmarts for a dollar a pieice. Nothing rare just some rifleman, scout, tank commanders and German dress parade figures.

Picked up a Russian Mig on clearance for $25 at my local WM. They also had 4 Chinese Migs and 2 BBDs that looked like they went thru German flak. Anyway, I think its way too early to predict the demise of 1:18 aircraft at WM. I have seen it in cycles over the years. They get a bunch of new aircraft out of the blue then they hang around for awhile, get clearanced out and in about 6-8 weeks another new wave of aircraft hit. Let's hang in there and remain patient. I believe it will pay off.

Charlemagne wrote:Picked up a Russian Mig on clearance for $25 at my local WM. They also had 4 Chinese Migs and 2 BBDs that looked like they went thru German flak. Anyway, I think its way too early to predict the demise of 1:18 aircraft at WM. I have seen it in cycles over the years. They get a bunch of new aircraft out of the blue then they hang around for awhile, get clearanced out and in about 6-8 weeks another new wave of aircraft hit. Let's hang in there and remain patient. I believe it will pay off.

You may be right, but.....
My local Walmarts got a good restock of Migs, Mustangs, F-104s and P-40s which almost immediately went to clearance and at all the stores, there is NO shelf space reserved for XD airplanes at all.. I don't think we saw that last year... I hope I am wrong, but I fear I am right..

I remember when 1:18 century planes first came out at Walmarts in the red motorworks boxes. (was it 4 years ago?). Tons of red boxed planes went on clearance with tales of folks finding them for 10.00 bucks a pop. I remember we here at the board thought that was the beginning and end of XD at Walmart. Then, they came out in the green motorworks boxes and sure enough, same thing happened with the clearances, and once again with the 21st century blue boxes. Guess my point is that Walmart has been selling and clearancing these planes and tanks for 4 years now so I wouldnt get too down in the dumps about this latest down turn in supply. (Could just mean there is a different color box coming I'm joking I'm joking)

Good ---> point "CW4" ! * + , too.


Mitch _ v MG

I also remember when I first saw XD at Walmart. There was a tall stack of Cobra helicopters in the motorworks box. Wish I would see that big stack again.

One little thing to keep in mind: WM doesn't make anything on stuff sitting in their distribution centers. So when stuff suddenly shows up and immediately goes on clearance, that is usually based on the hope of turning a quick buck and freeing up some space for incoming product. And based on some comments I have heard from different store personnel--the store often doesn't know it's coming--or where to put it. And to be honest, I really doubt WM loses money on most of it, even planes at $20-25 a pop. Now when a plane gets down to $7.50 (or $15 for an Avenger) they may be below the break even point. But otherwise, I doubt WM is losing money, considering the volumes they buy and the prices they negotiate. I have dealt with WM myself in negotations before, and they pretty much make it clear what they will pay--and it's up to you if you thnk you can make money at that price. They know they will--as long as they can get it into the stores and out the doors.