Im really getting sick and tired of employees at these stores treating diecast collectors like trash.They lie, cheat and cherry pick thru the boxes for thier personal gain.You call corparate on them and they dont do anything about it.They alternate times when they put new diecast out,hows that help??I would say that the majority of scalpers work out of these stores.Its not a perfect world but,a toy car.I know I have the right to chose where I shop.Is it because stores dont care about thier customers or are they just getting to greedy??What happened to the customer is KING and pays my check attitude.I understand about[ The kids dont have a chance to find a Treasure Hunt]I would say that Hotwheels and the other brands cater to the Adult collector and are creating this to sell thier product.It boils down to who ever has the better resources wins.I appreciate the chance to vent my disapointment in people, and this will fade away. Sprinter

I have talked about this with local hobby shop owners or on-line retailers. The best thing I have to say is if you live in an area where there are local hobby shops as well as big box stores like Wal Mart, shop at the local indenpent shops. They will try to help you out in getting some of the more adult related collectible cars. The same goes for buying on-line from an independent diecast retailer. You will be paying more but by supporting the small business person, you have a better chance of getting what you want.

By buying only from large chain stores, you are at the mercy of whatever their buyers feel is "in" or as you said, insiders getting the best stuff first before the customers get a chance to see it.

alternating their times putting out has helped a good bit at a wal-mart near me.It gives other a chance to get cars they want instead of the scalpers that hang out there for hours on end.

I've only found one WL in the last 10 years at WM . Or most other stores . The scalpers are everywhere . No matter what store Ive asked at , the reply to 'do you have anymore in back' is They are all on the pegs ! -- 99% of the time .

Most wm`s I know,they`re all out except one that doesn`t like the local scalper that has started lots of problems in different stores. They knew his routine,so they now keep hw`s and jl`s locked up in the managers office until different points in the day.So far it`s been working really good for that store.Now if only target,kmart and tru wouldn`t set there stuff out at night because he`s waiting at the doors in the mornings on them.

I really dont think it matters when the JLs are put out,someone in back has probably already ransacked them or told thier buddies when theyll be put out.They treat me,the buyer like Ive committed a crime when its most likely one of the employees making the big score.This subject really ticks me off because of the demeaning way they treat people that only want to make them money by buying thier products.With all the security these stores have you would think that things would make it to the pegs for everyone.Like everything in life,the early bird gets the worm.Ive personally had a treasure hunt taken out of my hand by a Walmart manager[for his kid]The toy lady at K-Mart going home for the day with Hotwheels and THs in her cart at the checkout.The reason they say they dont have or cant put out is because the employees havent been able to research the boxes yet.The same lady at K-Mart looks thru the box as she puts them out and has kept a car from the pegs [for a collector that had been looking for that car.]Its a clear point of theft by employees.Its coming down to more trouble then its worth,Ive already quit buying off E-bay and dont go to stores that often anymore because of it.I do appreciate all comments given and I guess Im not alone in this.Thanks for the read and Good Luck in the hunt.Sprinter

Ok, a couple things, it's not theft, thats taking something without paying for it, it's understocking, hiding something from the customer with the intent to buy later. Which is a n offense punishible by action leading up to and including termination (but it's rarely enforced unless they're looking for a reason to get rid of an emloyee) I watched an asst. manager hide a weed eater that was marked way down, like 80%, with the intent to buy later, that coupled with a few other things he did got him transferred but thats it.

Also you say with as much security as these stores have? Thats a laugh, you know all those bubbles for cameras in wal-marts? Most of them are empty! In our wal-mart they have a total of 9 cameras and god knows how many of those stupid bubbles!

Yes I worked there at one time, and I've seen bad employees and bad customers and I've seen the lengths both will go to to get hold of a toy car. It's really kind of sad.

I have given up also on retail stores, Its come down to, I have to make friends with the Scalpers who are at the stores every day. This has worked out for me once, I have become good friends with a guy who hits stores daily because he has no job at the moment. If it wasn't for him Id be with out my Mopar Sweets, He was just going to all WM for WL's and would leave the rest of the cars, He would buzz me saying i got a WL at this store, some reg issues are left out so come and get em.

If I knew a dozen more of these guys I would be very happy. Ya, most of the scalpers arnt out to help others but themselfs but there are some good ones out there.

As for employees that take cars, that does suck, but no way to stop them.

it uesed to be fun collecting Die-cast, I mean it still Is but Im getting little depressed when people just do it for Profit. Flooding the market...

O well, Life goes on....
my 2c

While I understand the desire to get the "rare" cars I have decided that it is just not worth the frustration of never finding anything. The only thing that I actively collect is regular issue cars. If I happen to come across something rare or of more value of course I do pick it up, but for the purpose of trading for what I really want.

This reminds me of one of the local K-Marts.... The JANITOR has told me on a few occasions that there is a table at a local flea market that carries all these TH's, WL's, etc, etc.... The ONLY time I found something at this store was when he was off.
On the same strain of thought, the janitor at Target told me a few months ago to just stay away from the store. He doesn't collect or hoard to sell, but knows what I was there for.
As for odd stocking times, it's the only way I would be able to find anything at either of the Walmart stores near me. In fact, I just found a 05 #48 Chase car just after posting on the Nascar boards about it. It was found at 6pm tonight!

Michael

ok lets not be dissing on the janitors :) Yeah guess what I do for a living. Unfortunatly there sno little cars at my job. I'm the janitor at the police station :eek:

I wanted to take a pic. of the pegs at the wally's near me. Not more than 2 new cases put out in the last month and a half or more and a new rule a year ago was no more than 4-5 cars can be returned at one time this was the new Manager of toys new policy.

Well i posted about the only JL missing from a full set Monopoly cars was the 40 Ford truck with white wheels and i knew it would be returned when they found out it wasn't a white. Well it came back to the pegs at Wallys along with 25-30 Tomhawk FE's all fresh and in perfect shape.

This is what happens when the manager or employees collect cars.
Allen

No problem on the janitors.... I went to a private academy for high school where you went to school for half the day and had a job for the other half. For my senior year, I was in charge of the cleaning crews for the boys dormitory. It probably explains why I always chat w/ the janitors when I run to the stores.

Michael

I always end up talking to the janitors too, even when I wasn't one. I guess alot of the time they're just the most down to earth people. I mean you can't get too high & mighty when your scrubbing toilets :)

Of course I've seen good & bad among the janitors too.

Here's an idea I've had to reduce some of the frustration...Mattel could help by making T-Hunts a variation like White Lightnings. That way the scalpers can get the hard to find ones and everyone else has a shot at the mass produced version. Then everyone at least finds something and the die hard collectors can finance the scalpers via epay. That might even soften the demand for T-Hunts making it not as worth the effort for the scalpers, possibly resulting in more being found on the pegs because scalpers would conclude it isn't worth the time and gas.