[ladyhump]

There's a Walmart near me that closes at 9:00pm.

[VIPER 48]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kndy

TOY HUNTING (HARD CORE): [Note - this was during my hardcore toy hunter years several years ago, same can still be applied today]

If your Wal-Mart is 24 hours...go there at 11:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m. Look at the pallets and search for GI Joe. You either ask the person working the dept. to open the box for you or if no one is around, open it yourself [note: I'm not advising you do this but if no one is around to open it...then you either leave it on the pallet and go home or get that key and rip open that tape and see what's inside]. More than likely 24 hour stores have people working the dept. Non-24 hour stores...those people are in the back room pulling the pallets out and stockers are everywhere else.

If your Wal-Mart is not 24 hours and closes at midnight...then you go there around 11:00 p.m and do the same thing. Or wake up and be right there at 6:00 a.m.

That's why it's sometimes important to know the people stocking....talk to them a few times, say hello, ask questions because if they don't know you and you ask for them to open the box, they'll probably say they can't or they are not allowed to put stuff up on that day and people have to get it the next day. Sometimes I'll just say...I know you can't put it out...but any chance you can just open it and I just want to see what's inside if it's the one I'm looking for. Most have obliged to open to let you see. Then, what I would do is ask one of their department supervisors if I can buy a figure (which the regular employee can put out) and supervisors have always said go ahead and give to him. So, never had a problem.

And if you don't want to deal with that...make a call at 6:00 a.m. or even after midnight if the WM is 24 hours. And ask.
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As for delivery schedules, in my experience I learned that I had more luck on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. That is....Thursday night stock for Friday Morning and Saturday morning stock for Sunday morning.

For 25th Anniversary, so far I have been able to find new waves on Thursday morning and Saturday morning.

But it can vary at locations but it's good to talk to your toy dept. stockers, let them know what you are looking for, if you get close to them...and they are willing to call you if a shipment comes in, then that's good for you.

Now, I don't do the hardcore toy hunting stuff...but I read the sightings in my state... if one posts they saw new figures in the morning...I'm confident that mine either got it the same day or it will be the day after. So, far...each post made on the sightings have worked positively for me for wave 4,5 and the wave 3 comic packs. No need for me to go to the store to check. Just read the sightings, make a call to the toy dept. Ask them if the pegs are full or empty, they check and tell you what they saw...(ie. I see a "sailor", "ranger", a white ninja and right there that is enough to tell me that Wave 4 were there. Wave 5's...made a call at 6:00 a.m. and she was like...some "snow guy" came in. Then you know that was Snow Job. For the wave 3 comic packs....saw that they came out around the country, made a call at midnight and the stocker was like "Wild Weasel" and that's all she could remember and that was enough for me to check. Just make a phone call...and be prepared to go to your store immediately. Otherwise, you wait and it'll be gone.

Of course, you can just order online and eliminate the hunt. You pay a little more but at least get rid of some of that frustration.
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As for video games, I would never call WM because a) they are busy most of the time or talking with friends or co-workers b) The games are all over the place and not alphabetized c) Learned that when some stores get them...Wal-Mart and some dept. stores take a few days longer. I buy games in WM...especially PC games...but many times I went there for a game and it was a wasted trip.

Thanks for the tip...

[kingmoredred]

i have found that about 3-4 in the morning the toys or on the shelves at a 24 hr store. depending on how fast they stock. but i think they stop at 6-7 am so everything they may not get to that night is put back.

[Daywalker]

It always amazed me how Walmart got a great rep for customer service just because they put a nice old person out in the front to say hi to you. Other then that they could care less.

[spacemonkeymafia]

My GF works for walmart and she told me that the LSMs tell there employees to just say they dont have anything...if someone asks them to check in the back. The LSMs even get mad at the employee if they even try and help. Walmarts motto is if its not out front they dont have it in.

I almost got escorted out because I knew they had SWs figs in the back...it said it on the scanner gun. A LSM told me to my face they didnt have anything. I reminded him of the sign up front about SATISFACTION...and that I was in no way having that feeling. I got a dude in the game department to look up the codes and he went to the back and got me what I needed.

I looked for that A Hole LSM and showed him what I had in my hands...then I reminded him how he said they werent in. He was pissed!!!!

[VandalSavage]

I also used to do Toy Hunting Hard Core. It helps when you collect 10 or more lines, as it cuts down on the "letdown" factor. I would often do the following schedule. I would check 24 hour Wal-Mart at Lunch(12:00pm, After work(5:00pm), and again at 2:00am..Yes I would wake up each night just to go to Wal-mart. If I knew something was going to hit, ie reports of it hitting either coast I would step up my search to sometimes include a hour extra at the store at 2am to wait for the 3am truck or stop back in at 7am before work...I would also make a phone call around 10am to make sure I did not miss the shipment/stocking of whatever it was I was after. Now, back in the day, Friday Night/Saturday morning and Saturday Night/Sunday were the best days for Star Wars(Hasbro). I will say now, I rarely check Wal-Mart more than 3 times a week. I lost the drive, gas got more expensive, and I just realized..WOW what the heck am I doing!!!
I agree also, if it's posted it has been found you can almost bet it hit your area too..I hit my K-Mart after you all posted finding the cobra wave and sure enough, it was there...



Mr. Savage

[DarthBrett]

My luck at the Super Center Wal*Marts (the 24-hour ones) have always been on Friday or Saturday mornings between 2-5 AM (driving home from a late party or night out always gave me an excuse/reason to stop by the 24-hr WalMarts). They usually have the pallets out on the floor by Midnight and the cases/boxes are usually placed out on the floor around 2 AM.

[Shogi]

For years I've always seen pallets out on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights (I keep forgetting which )

Lately, Wal-mart employees have been very helpful. I'll ask if they have an item, or if they'll get any soon and they'll just scan the tags and tell me how many they have on order.

Target is usually better though. However, this one time I asked about a Star Wars toy I had the DCPI for and the guy I talked was apparently the Toy manager or something. Well he laid into me for asking if they had the item. Stating that they can not and will not go into the back to get anything for me because it's against the rules and they can be fired for that. Then he grilled me about where I even got the number. This is the one and only time I've had that happen though. Sometime after that at another Target I had someone go in the back, pull out a whole case and offer it to me. I just wanted two of the Star Wars Battle Packs as I told the guy before he got the case so I grabbed them, thanked him for his effort and left him with the rest of the case

[VIPER 48]

I have found out recently that my wal mart seems to do alot of stalking between the hours of 2 to 5 a.m. I try to check in the morning before my wife heads to work...

[Shogi]

I guess I'm going to say Tuesday nights are a good time to look. at 2 wally world's I just found 3 cases of wave 4 singles and 2 cases of wave 3 comics