[yojoe1138]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeBellew

The company I work for has had reason to deal with this weirdness lately, and it appears to be a pricing algorithm thing. Walmart.com and Amazon use some sort of program that monitors competitor pricing and adjusts their own price accordingly. It's meant to be a price-matching tool (at least at Amazon). You really notice it with Amazon when a third-party seller on Amazon's own site or a competitor like Target or Walmart decreases a price and Amazon's price follows suit. With Walmart though, it seems to also adjust prices UP to match the pricing of the 3rd-party scalpers on its own site. Whether Walmart's program is fucked up or this is by design is a matter of debate. I personally think Walmart is perfectly fine with selling above MSRP and it's by design.

I wonder if this could be manipulated to the buyers benefit if several individuals posted a particular item for sale, as a third party seller, but severely lowered the price. The items could be a preorder, which then gets canceled due to lack of product from the producer (ifWalmart.com Candice this then why not a third party seller?). Then the algorithm would theoretically try to match the price -beat them at their own sneaky game.
Another consideration could be class action lawsuit from a group of collectors against Walmart.com, if it turns out that our Wave 3 preorders, at the original $13 price, were cancelled, but the higher price preorders were fulfilled. I am not certain if this would be possible for breach of contract or some other charge, but it was a thought. Walmart.com is at best inept, but a point could be made under these circumstances that they are practicing a shady business model.

[zentropa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yojoe1138

I wonder if this could be manipulated to the buyers benefit if several individuals posted a particular item for sale, as a third party seller, but severely lowered the price. The items could be a preorder, which then gets canceled due to lack of product from the producer (ifWalmart.com Candice this then why not a third party seller?). Then the algorithm would theoretically try to match the price -beat them at their own sneaky game.

Unfortunately the Walmart marketplace has fulfillment metrics that third party sellers have to meet or their accounts get suspended/canceled. What you are speaking of might be able to be done once in the short run, but it probably isn't sustainable in the long-run.

The automated algorithms that they use (and especially the ones used on Amazon) can be rather stupid at times.

[Goin' Commando]

I now have all of my wave 3.
Reluctantly I caved and paid more than retail. I simply can’t find them at retail and the stores around me show “supply out”.
Lucky for me I only wanted 1 each of these wave to display carded with the rest of the Retro Line.
Duke & CC - $20 each
LJ - $25
If I get lucky enough to find these in store I might pick up another LJ to open. Not a bad color for her.
Duke is as garbage in hand as advertised.

[nighthawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goin' Commando

Duke is as garbage in hand as advertised.

Yes, I'm sure even he knew that. Why else would he be screaming.

[Cross Country]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nighthawk

Yes, I'm sure even he knew that. Why else would he be screaming.

Lol, that made me laugh out loud.

[ShadowNinja]

Is this line done? Anyone finding stores still stocking the figures? I have been in several lately and I am not finding squat. Found one restock of HISS's and that is it.

[Stormtrooper12]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowNinja

Is this line done? Anyone finding stores still stocking the figures? I have been in several lately and I am not finding squat. Found one restock of HISS's and that is it.

My Walmart got all of wave 2 a while back and a restock of HISS's recently.

[packerbacker180]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowNinja

Is this line done? Anyone finding stores still stocking the figures? I have been in several lately and I am not finding squat. Found one restock of HISS's and that is it.

I saw a couple new HISS tanks at a Walmart yesterday. Saw a bunch of wave 1 restock a week or so ago. Nothing else new.

[yojoe1138]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zentropa

Unfortunately the Walmart marketplace has fulfillment metrics that third party sellers have to meet or their accounts get suspended/canceled. What you are speaking of might be able to be done once in the short run, but it probably isn't sustainable in the long-run.

The automated algorithms that they use (and especially the ones used on Amazon) can be rather stupid at times.

Ah, I should have figured it could not be manipulated for our benefit, but thank you for explaining how it works. I do not have much of experience or knowledge of the computer science end of retail and online algorithms and such. It is a shame that they do not honor the price which they advertise but instead feel they can adjust prices like an eBay seller....next thing you know they will advertise the price as "pm for price".
Thanks again.

[yojoe1138]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowNinja

Is this line done? Anyone finding stores still stocking the figures? I have been in several lately and I am not finding squat. Found one restock of HISS's and that is it.

I worried for a little that I may have missed the few and initial shipments of wave 3 at retail in my area as it was not yet on my radar. Then I remembered that the shipment date for the preorders is May 5th or so, and they may stock the shelves prior to the Easter holiday. So before looking at the third party sellers and eBay prices, I am going to wait out this short lull and make another attempt at retail.
I remember there were some initial wave 2 sightings in October before they started hitting more frequently in Nov and Dec.