Small Scale Military Headquarters

First, armed with the item numbers for the new planes and armor I went to my local Target. I then find out they don't have them and there is no space for them on the shelf. Then they check next closest stores, same story nadda. They then tell me there are only TWO stores in Illinois that have any, both over an hour away and of course near Chicago.
So I take off on an excursion. The first Target has both planes, the Sherman playset and the Marder. There were 3 Marders on the shelf so I asked an employee to check if they had anymore. I got the canned response "I can't check because there are some on the shelf". I asked for a manager. He gave the same response. I told him they came in an assortment and I wanted the other one. He said he can't check, they are collectables, this limits quantities so someone can't buy them all and sell them. I told him I wanted only one of each and if I was selling I would have taken all on the shelf. He then says that if looks for me that wouldn't be fair to someone who comes in later looking for them. HELLO how is that fair to me being here now. Of course no response other than this is company policy.
Off to the other Target. They have an FW 190, the playsets and 3 Marders on the shelf. So I play their game. I stash the marders behind the Power Rangers and ask someone to check. "Yeah we have somemore, I'll be right back". He brings out another Marder, damn!
My question is why do they care? They are in the business to sell merchandise, not to dictate what we buy. Once I pay for it and walk out the door it is mine, they have nothing to say what I can do with my property. If wanted to take it out into the parking lot and smash it, it matters not to them. I hate Target, I hope someone online gets the new stuff.

Ray

At least you found some of the new items, though you had to drive a ways None of the six Targets in my town, or the other one 40 miles down the road have the 21c items. To get them, I would have to drive well over 100 miles in one direction to the stores in northern CA or southern CA. I don't have the time nor want to waste the gas to do that...

I don't completely hate Target, but I am pissed to hell with them at the moment. Why do only some stores get these things while others are left high and dry, even in large urban centers? As with your local stores, the FOV products are not discounted and there are no tags for the 21c items in my local Targets.

Come to think of it, I also really don't not care for Wal Mart either. They are even worse with 21c items, lagging between two to six months behind stores in the middle of the country in terms of distribution. It is really only the 21c items that that happens wtih as well. GI Joe and Star Wars items take a much shorter time.

Both 21c and the mass retailers really need to get their act together. 21c most certainly has more input into the distribution of their products than they might say. Sending products to one place and not another is no way to make sales and only angers their customer and fan base.

There, now I vented yet again

Well Tman, I will back you up and agree 100% with your rant. It seems every time something happens to make us think we will have an easier time getting 21st's products we get disappointment instead. Who knows, hopefully this is just teething troubles with the new store. As for WM, we all know they are a lost cause. I'm just waiting for them to drop 21st all together.

It is a good possibility that Target is just testing the waters for this product and that is why only certain Targets are carrying 21st stuff. If the stuff sells well (as it has here), I'll bet we see these in all Targets eventually.

If Target was once testing the waters with the Bravo Team figures and vehicles, then my area won out early on. Still, the distribution is bothersome. I'm hoping the items will show eventually - their spread really is too broad to indicate simply a testing of the market.

However, thanks to a great boardmember, I'm not at a complete loss and got one of the Target P-51s and will soon have a Wal Mart Spitfire on the way

I'm kind of surprised Target carries any war oriented toys at all. It just seems counter to their political correctness.

I do worry we could antagonize them to the point where they decide, they'd rather not be bothered by us. I could see the local managers, stocking the shelves with My Little Pony or a few more wrestling figures just to get us off their backs.

What's up with the Chinese figure sets at my Target?

Target is a French store, so it figures they would have F'd up policies.

Well nothing at my 4 Targets that I been to so Im a little pissed rite now.

I've yet to check back, but my target had only one Fw-190 and one P-51 on the shelf. They had 3 Sherman playsets, and nothing else. No FOV clearance, and I think it's time I check again.

dfoos wrote:Target is a French store, so it figures they would have F'd up policies.

Actually, that rumor has been around but is, I believe , totally unfounded. Target came out of Minnesota. It was originally started by Dayton's department store and, as a chain, used to own Dayton's, Hudson's, Mervyns, etc. It is still based in Minneapolis and is publicly traded on the NYSE. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Corporation)
No store is pefect, but I think, in general, their stocking policies are the best in the business. Their stock is almost always new, fresh, well packaged and nicely arranged, and their stores are usually clean. If stuff doesn't sell it is clearanced quickly. They have it all over Walmart and any of the other big chains, hence their phenomonal growth.
I think, if you give them time, they will be a good source for 21C.
By the way, they have stocked war products n the past. They carried Solido tanks for a period in the nineties.
And, no, I don't work for Target.

no 21st at 2 targets here

When I made the target rounds, I found this sign on the forces of valor pegs in several stores. Needless to say, one of the signs is now missing.


COLLECTIBLE ITEMS
To ensure that all guests have an equal chance to
purchase the popular collectibles and high-demand toys that we carry, we have the following policcy:

Team members cannot search the stockroom for items
in response to guest requests for unique styles.
Items cannot be held for individual guests.

Hey rmoore456 i did the samething today with the platoon figs there was 2 pegs Full i took them and hide them in the sheets aisle

Then i asked if they had more hopeing they would bring out the new 21st figs but NO the guy came out with a case full with platoon figs i said no thanks, then he filled the pegs full these platoon figs are a CURSE.

dfoos wrote:
Target is a French store, so it figures they would have F'd up policies.

Could you please explain ? as a French i feel offended

The only thing i can see here is stubborness of typical sales persons so common in the US : you can have the best service ever if you stay in the middle and play by the rules but if you have a problem or need something wich is not written ther will be no solution.

Here in France, service is not quite the same but when the "s....t hit the fan" you can count on our "esprit de debrouillardise" (wich mean our spirit for solving problems one way or another )

It s remind me so much the way i travel : when i want to come to the US for skiing or wakeboarding I usually have large luggages and, before coming i take great care to have a paper from the airways company - written in English- that i am a golfer. with this paper, and the proper stickers on my ski luggage written GOLF i can do whatever i want ! ( there is strange law in the different companies that allow golf club to travel for free but not so the ski or wakeboard ???)

All this because it s written somwhere ! i have great difficulties in France to pass with that but usually manage to do so, in the US nobody challenge the magic paper !!!!!

So good luck with "LA CIBLE" / TARGET ! this situation would certainly drive a French dude like me CRAZY

by the way we don t know Target in France but i am interested in buying from them the mustang 1/32 00 double nuthin´ could a nice member of this great forum help me here
Thank you

I would have to say that Target has had better distribution than WM. I know that many of us missed the 1/18 FOV Tiger, but I don't think there were really too many made. I also know many board members waited a few months before they finally found the 1/18 FOV figures, and 1/32 FOV distribution was kind of spotty, but I think they have done WAY better than WM. I haven't seen the new planes but am not too worried. I think I will by the end of August. If not, I will be b*tching too!

dfoos wrote:Target is a French store, so it figures they would have F'd up policies.

Nice blanket, dude.

Yeah Target blows WM out of the water distribution-wise, even if they do sometimes tick me off with their somewhat hit or miss local distribution.

I dont know how long some of you have been collecting, but I can remember when 21st was first at target and TRU only. I also remember when they went bankrupt and quit making toys for a period.

I am damn happy to see them in WM, Target and TRU. Even if its not perfect its still the best thing going in toy soldiers. IMHO.

I think we will soon loose Unimax as they are dead meat, no new product no Target etc. I am just glad 21st is still alive.

jrs. wrote:I think we will soon loose Unimax as they are dead meat, no new product no Target etc. I am just glad 21st is still alive.

From what I take it, FOV's 1:32 and 1:72 scale lines are stopped for now until all the problems are solved. Until then, I think FOV will probably still exist in Target through the 1:18 Bravo Team line.

My local targets have restocked the 1/72 aircraft, 1/18 armor and 1/32 and 1/18 figures. Is this different from the stores seeing the 21C stuff?

The ones by me with 21st C. have restocked all FOV 1/18 scale items.