BBI - Blue Box Toys Information Q&A (Mike)

SGT. Saunders · Post by **SGT. Saunders** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:26 pm

Hi Guys

So Sorry fo starting this, I just wanted to talk to somone about the loss I had over the week-end I was almost positive that my wife's cousin would have found the new BBI figures in Boston. Well I hope holensock the new WWII BBI figures show up at the TRU for you soon, and I hope for myself and the others in the same situation will have them show up on-line soon.

Maybe Mike can say some good words to put everyone at rest.

SGT. Saunders

DocTodd · Post by **DocTodd** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:03 pm

holensock wrote: That and the wife, who doesn't understand all the 1:18 collecting, especially when it comes to me wasting my time, as she puts it, LOOKING ALL OVER for this stuff.
Trying to justify BUYING it was hard enough!!

I can relate. I sometimes wonder if they would be happier if we spent our money on cigarettes and topless bars. (Probably not)
Todd

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:00 am

I'd rather have my wife yell at me each time I walked out of a TRU with a bag load of bbi's than to have her say each time I walk out with nothing..."See? Told you they wouldn't have it!" "How come they don't have it? They have all this other stuff!" "This is just a waste of time!" "This is stupid! You're wasting your time!" I try to leave her at home...

KAGNEW · Post by **KAGNEW** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:53 am

tru in my area is a complete waste of time!
i maybe go 3 times a week looking for stuff they never seem to have.
i think the gas i would save not going there will make up the difference in internet prices.

Warthog75 · Post by **Warthog75** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:53 am

Holensock, sorry to hear all the trouble you've been having with hunting down these BBI figs. My wife was able to find me 2 full sets of the new BBI Army/Ranger figs last weekend (not sure which TRUS she went to, but I'll ask her). Hopefully, that will comfort you somewhat because the figures are getting to TRUS here in the cleveland area.

I moved to Cleveland from LA a year and a half ago, and I have to say that my toy/collectible buying (I collect mainly 1/18 military but also collect Marvel Legends and some Star wars stuff) has been so much easier in Cleveland than in SoCal. Not sure if it's because there are less collectors here or what, but I've never really had trouble finding anything that has been spotted in other parts of the country. Sometimes, we won't get an item (particularly XD stuff) until months after other regions, but we almost always do get them. Case in point, I was able to snag some Black 12 FW 190s at a local WM nearly 5 months after they were initially spotted by members of this board.

pastel_monster · Post by **pastel_monster** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 11:11 am

aferguson wrote:Patience is a virtue, especially in this hobby....i've been waiting for five years for some things to show up...

Yep, I agree. For example, I am patiently waiting for bbi to reproduce the Blackhawk, Apache, Little Bird and F-18 so that I can finally own them.

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:21 pm

Hi Warthog! Welcome to Cleveland! As you will see, we had weeks of beautiful weather...of which I wasted some of this time hunting for bbi's, and now it's gonna be cold and rainy with wet snow! YEUCK! But once again I can waste time looking for bbi's. Thanks for the post of your wife finding the bbi's!! I guess there's hope!

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:57 pm

Well you have eyes down here looking too Holensock, but still nothing on this front for me either, but I'm on the prowl when I'm out looking for my other vices...

And I can sympathize on the comments... I just return the favor when she drags me looking for clothes.

ExtnsvEnterprise · Post by **ExtnsvEnterprise** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:20 pm

Welcome to Cleveland Warthog75...betcha can't wait for the s**w they're predicting for next week...

Holensock: I'm not sure which TRUs you're hitting, but I've seen quite a few sets in the area. Great Northern last week, Mayfield this week, Mentor last week...I also travel to the Boardman/Niles area every couple weeks or so, and there are huge chaches of everything down there. If you're in desparate need, I could always pick up a set...lmk

What I can't find, are the Gen. Patton figures. This past weekend was the first time I'd ever seen any 21c figures [Marines, Tankers, and 1 Gen. Patton] at Wal Mart...and the first time I've seen the two halftracks, and the South Veitnamese fig with tank.

-s**w is blanked out because I feel it's a very, very bad word

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:32 pm

ExtnsvEnterprise wrote:Welcome to Cleveland Warthog75...betcha can't wait for the s**w they're predicting for next week...

Holensock: I'm not sure which TRUs you're hitting, but I've seen quite a few sets in the area. Great Northern last week, Mayfield this week, Mentor last week...I also travel to the Boardman/Niles area every couple weeks or so, and there are huge chaches of everything down there. If you're in desparate need, I could always pick up a set...lmk

What I can't find, are the Gen. Patton figures. This past weekend was the first time I'd ever seen any 21c figures [Marines, Tankers, and 1 Gen. Patton] at Wal Mart...and the first time I've seen the two halftracks, and the South Veitnamese fig with tank.

-s**w is blanked out because I feel it's a very, very bad word

Ecellent news! Back to the hunt this weekend!

HardenSteel · Post by **HardenSteel** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:05 pm

Mike,

What are the chances that you will make some articulating tracks for the Abrams or Sherman. I would really like some for the Sherman especially. Also, how about R/C ing them without any loss of detail? Armour this large just begs to have proper tracks.

HD

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:55 am

What happened to this being a sticky? Has Mike stopped answering questions? Just wondering.

Post by **aferguson** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:43 pm

Just heard from Mike. He's going to be busy until the 29th but has not forgotten us and will give us some replies after that.

KAMIKAZE · Post by **KAMIKAZE** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:27 pm

You guys in Ohio need to get together. That will really make the wives happy. Sometime next year I am going to invite all the colectors I know to a meeting in central Texas probably Austin. I have met most of you in person with the exception of the Houston area. Lots of good ideas and great conversation about the hobby were the result.

Mark

Post by **aferguson** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:07 pm

Mike wrote:

" For HardenSteel

Both our Sherman and M1-A1 are now out of
production and we have no plans at this time to revise either or to introduce
any r/c for these items.

For Sgt. Saunders
Our figure line is available in TRU and
un-happily we cannot control which stores do or do not recieve goods. Our
shipments are to the TRU Dist. Centre and allocations are then determined
by TRU.

I can say this, retailers usually respond to custoner enquiries once
they reach critical mass...so I do recommend a "carpet bombing " campaign
of the TRU customer site to let them know that there is real demand out
there.
Right now TRU are in love with their Elite Operations line and feel
that the growth in the category is all there."

digger · Post by **digger** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:17 pm

Thanks! That is a very candid and appreciated answer.
So, all you guys who buy that Chap Mei/PTE rehash cr%p at TRU be advised that you are interfering with the success of the good stuff

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:43 am

Thanks, Mike, thanks, Digger. Phone calls will be made! I also made a few trips to some TRU AGAIN this week with no luck on the new bbi, but I didn't just walk out-I went to the service desk and informed the Mgr. I also follow up with 'different' phone calls this week to them too!

SGT. Saunders · Post by **SGT. Saunders** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:24 am

HI Mike

Thank you for the post, Im happy to hear that your still around!
For me its Toys R Us that is the prob can't get BBI figures in Quebec
I can only get the new BBI WWII figures on-line. Please reconfirm if all on-line stores will be able to sell the new 1/18 WWII figures to the public?

Thanks
SGT. Saunders

coreystinson · Post by **coreystinson** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:13 am

It was I that said that (SMALLJOES.COM).

Meantime, I have arranged with BBI to get these figures but I will not have them until December. I am sure everyone would like to have them sooner than that, but if you can't find them at TRU you need not worry - I will have them eventually and in quantity.

digger wrote:I understand that they will be available and that they are not exclusive, but below is a response I got from a reputable small retailer of 1:18 products:

"If you are referring to the new WW2 ground troops, BBI informs me that these are not available yet for the specialty retailer market (in other words, TRU only right now). "

I don't know who said they were exclusive but at the moment they don't seem to be available to the small retailers.

SGT. Saunders · Post by **SGT. Saunders** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:22 am

Hi Coreystinson

What do you mean you will be getting them from BBI?
Do you mean you are smalljoes.com and that smalljoes.com will get them?

Thanks
SGT. Saunders

holensock · Post by **holensock** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:31 am

Hi Corey! Yep, Sgt. Saunders, he's Smalljoes and I completely forgot about his online store!! I'm happy to see that you'll be carrying the new bbi's!! I see that you have the bbi paratroopers too! Will you also be getting the new Marauder set?
I had another post awhile ago that we should have a Thread to spotlight online dealers only! I wouldn't have wasted so much time looking for this stuff at Walmart and TRU!! Online shopping is the way to go!!! We talked about this before, but I didn't know you'd be getting the bbi stuff in!! I can wait til Dec!!!
Corey, if you can, please post here of ALL the new bbi and XD you have and will be getting in!! Let us not forget that you're here and you can help!!! I'll be shopping with you soon!!! THANKS FOR YOUR POST!!!!

SGT. Saunders · Post by **SGT. Saunders** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:23 pm

Guys

Good to know thanks holensock. Corey I Will be giving you a call in December.

Thanks
SGT. Saunders

Jericoeagle1 · Post by **Jericoeagle1** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:23 pm

So Mike when can we expect to see the new Hellcat? And was someone yanking our lariats with that A-10 hanging from the cieling? Thanks for all your input its greatly appreatiated.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:10 pm

Yeah Mike,

What's up with the A-10 hanging from the ceiling? Are you teasing us or is that a message of what's to come? Thanks.

Post by **aferguson** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:24 pm

Mike wrote:

"To all
Thank you for your comments regarding our showroom display from the recent Toy Fair in New York.
This event is known as the Fall Show and was started 2 years ago as an event for major retailers to preview proposed new product for consideration for the following Fall.
The show held in February of each year in NYC is intended to display products that are confirmed for release in the Fall of that year and are available to all retail outlets. "

Small Scale Military Headquarters

BBI - Blue Box Toys Information Q&A (Mike)

WW2 BBI figs

Good to know

Re: new figs