Toy Hunters: Do you call stores to find toys you're after?

[sanbot]

I really enjoy the hunt (I'll probably get blasted for this) sometimes even more so then the toy itself! Case in point was when I drove around all of Sydney looking for Wreck Gar and ended up also finding HA Jazz.

But on the occasion where I'm simply just too lazy to get off my ass. I do call. I seem to share the same experience as many of the previous posts so I agree that you need to get specific and it helps. Although, I've never had success finding something via calling.

And another reason calling isn't effective is coz unlike yourself who's a crazed transformer fan, the store staff don't go scrummaging through the back of the pegs or behind boxes to see if someone has hidden one there!

[GoktimusPrime]

I was once at Target looking and a staff member asked if they could help me. I told them that I was looking for a toy that was:
+ a Transformer called Solar Storm Grappel
+ part of the Reveal the Shield line
+ a yellow Voyager Class robot that transforms into a crane
+ part of the same assortment as Strafe and Lugnut
+ and that I couldn't find it in the aisle where the Transformers are

Despite all this information that I gave, I was still directed to the same aisle with the store attendant insisting that the toy was there. I led the attendant to the aisle (who reluctantly complied) and pointed out that the toy was indeed not there.

I agree with what UltraMarginal said - it also boils down to how much they care about their products, which IMO is dependent on how much pride they take in their job. IMO if people took pride and care about their work, then they would be more observant. So whether you're being served at a department store or dedicated toy store doesn't matter all that much, it's whether or not the person serving you actually cares about the products they work with. It also depends on whether or not the employee cares enough to train staff about product knowledge.

My next door neighbour used to work at TRU and her boyfriend works at Bunnings. TRU staff are notoriously ignorant about their products wheres Bunnings prides themselves on their staff's expert knowledge. She explained to me that this was because Bunnings regularly trains their staff in product knowledge whereas when she was working at TRU they never gave her product knowledge training. She desperately _wanted_ training, but they never gave it to her.

As I said before, I find Japanese department store staff to be quite knowledgable -- if I ask them when their next shipment of Transformers is coming in, they can tell me the exact date and time off the top of their head without even having to look it up. I reckon this is a combination of worker's pride (and honour) and occupational training and open sharing of product information.

JMHO.

I completely agree with you dude and it's thoroughly frustrating how many sheepish idiots do make up a significant portion of the populace.

Idiocracy'd

[Hursticon]

Idio[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSROlfR7WTo]cracy'd

Ah yes, that movie.

[UltraMarginal]

I really enjoy the hunt (I'll probably get blasted for this) sometimes even more so then the toy itself! Case in point was when I drove around all of Sydney looking for Wreck Gar and ended up also finding HA Jazz.

snip><

Like you I also really do enjoy the hunt, though it's dissapointing to go on a bit of a hunt and not come up with anything.
Looking in 4 or 5 stores on a Thursday evening is something I quite enjoy. I seem to like shopping more than my wife does...

[Mr Ed]

I generally find the smaller specialist toy shops know more. eg Toyworld.

I had a horrific experience at Target a few years ago.

I rang up the Brisbane CBD store and said I wanted a Legends Devastator

1. I said it is small
2. It is $40
3. It is not the big construciton devastator

Well they said they had one, but when I went to the lay buy counter to collect, they had the big construciton..... clearly they didnt listen to any of the three key points!

[jazzcomp]

yes, specially if interstate like Toyworld:
Verify if item is on sale, in-stock and if they would be able to ship it to me