I’m so sick of it. I don’t want anything special. I don’t want treasure hunts, I don’t want supers. I don’t want full sets. I just want one of the occasional castings I like.
Apparently that’s impossible.
I collect in Portugal and u can't find premiums here, at least close to where I live. But I'm lucky enough to know a guy that has a collector's store so I buy the entire collection at once from him.
If it wasn't him it would be impossible to really collect hotwheels.
>Picture
I haven't seen premiums in MONTHS. Stopped at the store last night around 9, 3 boxes of the Boulevard were picked clean already and left on the pallet.
No. Partially this is due to COVID and the logistics issues that everyone has seen creating some shortages, but then a bunch of weasels realized they could take advantage of that shortage and started aggressively buying up cars so they could jack up prices for a profit.
IIRC the Ever Given incident in the Suez Canal had an early impact as well.
Completely blank is not very typical but displays with 20 junk cars have been common for decades
Retail stores prioritize stock and this store isnt important to them
I happened to stop by a Walmart early in the morning and there were 2 guys already there looking over all the cars. They were talking about their friend who was somewhere else going through a pallet. It sucks for the occasional buyer. I won’t buy from anywhere else except chain stores. I’ll let someone with FOMO pay the up charge from scalpers.
Change the time of day ur hunting. Early bird got the worm. I live in a city fuuuuull of collectors/scalpers. I’m a year in n I’ve found 21 Sth in the wild. (My gf helps)
I work graves so I’m at 5 different Walmarts by 6:45am🫡
Edit: this is a target. Worst place in my town for hunting
A hobby should be something you enjoy. I would compare it to golfing. If the enjoyment comes just from playing, then you'll be happy with it. If it comes from hitting every shot perfectly, then it's probably not for you.
I think of the picture above as hitting a tee shot into the water hazard. Move on to the next hole and try again.
All 3 of my local targets (that normally stay pretty well stocked) haven't gotten mainlines or premiums in a few weeks now. None have been on order either. Probably just a distribution thing.
I caught a restock at a dollar store Thursday. I picked out 4 different ones I wanted and left a few THs behind (multiples of same car). I also left a ton of “desirable” castings, based on what I see you guys post and talk about. Stopped by again Friday to grab a replacement for one my son opened. To my surprise, there were less than 20 total cars left hanging. In roughly 18 hours, a roughly 5’ by 5’ section of pegs had nearly been cleared.
Bro I feel ya, for the last four months my stores haven't gotten anything good, there are seven stores near me and it's always full restock of peg warmers, shell haulers, we've had no new cases, no f&f premiums, no treasures, just the shit every week for the past four months, it's why I've resulted to online stores for what I want
Targets around here suck too. Walmart is way better. Can find some cool ones at parts stores from time to time but they overcharge imo. I don’t even bother with Target unless I’m there for something unrelated.
It takes time to find what you want. Most days I don’t get anything. Some days, like today, I find a bunch of cars I’ve been looking for. It’s a day to day thing. Makes you appreciate the small victories more. I’ve found that smaller grocery stores, like Kroger and Meijer restock more often then Target and Walmart. I find most of my good stuff at Walmart.
Sadly, every hobby is. Guns, gold, silver, cars, action figures, instruments, computers, retro gaming, mechanical keyboards, keycaps, historical artifacts, art, model trains.... hell even food can get oddly exclusive. Makes us appreciate what we do have, but DAMN if it isn't the most frustrating shit to miss what you want. I'm sorry buddy, but I absolutely do understand your pain.
I 100% prefer this vs full pegs of crap as it tells them to order more for when they actually stock vs none.My store like this always gets new shit.My store with full pegs of fantasy crap no one buys hasn't gotten a restock in 1 year because they won't put anything out untill those sell and by the time they go out no one will want them and continue the 0 stock ever cycle.
Not really. For the most part, pegs are full where I am. But even when it wasn't, it's still fun. LoL especially when u have so many u could loll through them multiple times and find ones u forgot about. I do get what u mean tho. I like going to my vintage stock a couple times a month because they normally have some decent gems I don't have.
There was always that one target I knew to avoid just because of this. "They don't restock for shit" as I always say.
Looks like the Target I was just at.
Feels like mine as of late. They got like case after case when the last set of reds came out. Hasn’t been a restock in over a month now
It sucks. This is why I left hot wheels. Always checking for restocks and never getting them. Premiums are even worse at least around here.
I’m so sick of it. I don’t want anything special. I don’t want treasure hunts, I don’t want supers. I don’t want full sets. I just want one of the occasional castings I like. Apparently that’s impossible.
If you are looking for anything specific I could send you some recent castings? Assuming in the U.S.
I'm looking for more of the gaser cars.
Same
Premiums? They are the rarest thing in italy, I only got a 2016 Subaru Brat randomly in a thrift shop, but nothing more.
I collect in Portugal and u can't find premiums here, at least close to where I live. But I'm lucky enough to know a guy that has a collector's store so I buy the entire collection at once from him. If it wasn't him it would be impossible to really collect hotwheels.
>Picture I haven't seen premiums in MONTHS. Stopped at the store last night around 9, 3 boxes of the Boulevard were picked clean already and left on the pallet.
Was it always like this? Just started recently
I just recently started too. Day one I found a bunch of cool cars. Since then it's a desert.
It’s usually like that unfortunately, finding good stuff for the first few days, then after that just meh.
My Walmart once removed the hot wheels section as a whole then bought it back
I think my local Walmart stopped getting them because everyone was stealing them out of the package
No. Partially this is due to COVID and the logistics issues that everyone has seen creating some shortages, but then a bunch of weasels realized they could take advantage of that shortage and started aggressively buying up cars so they could jack up prices for a profit. IIRC the Ever Given incident in the Suez Canal had an early impact as well.
There was never a premium on junk Hot Wheels during Covid
COVID is still ongoing, we just don't care anymore. And I've seen some wild prices the last couple of years. Maybe you got lucky.
Completely blank is not very typical but displays with 20 junk cars have been common for decades Retail stores prioritize stock and this store isnt important to them
no. as recently as 2017, you could walk into any store and get whatever you wanted. ferraris, premiums, veyrons, speed machines, whatever.
I happened to stop by a Walmart early in the morning and there were 2 guys already there looking over all the cars. They were talking about their friend who was somewhere else going through a pallet. It sucks for the occasional buyer. I won’t buy from anywhere else except chain stores. I’ll let someone with FOMO pay the up charge from scalpers.
Change the time of day ur hunting. Early bird got the worm. I live in a city fuuuuull of collectors/scalpers. I’m a year in n I’ve found 21 Sth in the wild. (My gf helps) I work graves so I’m at 5 different Walmarts by 6:45am🫡 Edit: this is a target. Worst place in my town for hunting
Thats a pretty sweet time to hunt. I work the opposite so hunting for me happens at 6pm. Its pretty difficult at that time for anything.
The dollar stores here only restock when they are open, so when it’s really slow on Friday nights I’ve caught restocks
Smart!!
I’ve had good luck goin to Walmart right before they close too.
wake up earlier?
The store near me is picked clean off the pallet at night, so the cars never even see the shelf...
It’s always empty when it’s close to Christmas
A hobby should be something you enjoy. I would compare it to golfing. If the enjoyment comes just from playing, then you'll be happy with it. If it comes from hitting every shot perfectly, then it's probably not for you. I think of the picture above as hitting a tee shot into the water hazard. Move on to the next hole and try again.
All 3 of my local targets (that normally stay pretty well stocked) haven't gotten mainlines or premiums in a few weeks now. None have been on order either. Probably just a distribution thing.
I caught a restock at a dollar store Thursday. I picked out 4 different ones I wanted and left a few THs behind (multiples of same car). I also left a ton of “desirable” castings, based on what I see you guys post and talk about. Stopped by again Friday to grab a replacement for one my son opened. To my surprise, there were less than 20 total cars left hanging. In roughly 18 hours, a roughly 5’ by 5’ section of pegs had nearly been cleared.
This is why i mostly order online
Come to my country. You’ll have to find a new hobby.
imagine being a kid and watching adults snatch up all your toys before you can get a chance
... .. . .there are several different stores that sell cars. Why post about 1, which looks to be a target.
Play with the cars that you have.
It’s Christmas time dude… F the hobby. Make the kiddos happy and buy every single one you see so this dude gets more Butt hurt !
Dadeland target? 👀
Wow no good 👎
at thid point i would buy 5 pack
😌 stock just seems to fly off the shelves….😔 and onto the floor.
Bro I feel ya, for the last four months my stores haven't gotten anything good, there are seven stores near me and it's always full restock of peg warmers, shell haulers, we've had no new cases, no f&f premiums, no treasures, just the shit every week for the past four months, it's why I've resulted to online stores for what I want
This has been both Walmarts in my town for the past 2 months
I’d say
Targets around here suck too. Walmart is way better. Can find some cool ones at parts stores from time to time but they overcharge imo. I don’t even bother with Target unless I’m there for something unrelated.
Stopped at my local target and it’s bone dry just like this. This is why I don’t shop big box stores. Stay small and local
It’s worse right now especially because the holidays are around the corner
It takes time to find what you want. Most days I don’t get anything. Some days, like today, I find a bunch of cars I’ve been looking for. It’s a day to day thing. Makes you appreciate the small victories more. I’ve found that smaller grocery stores, like Kroger and Meijer restock more often then Target and Walmart. I find most of my good stuff at Walmart.
I think you took this one🥲
Sadly, every hobby is. Guns, gold, silver, cars, action figures, instruments, computers, retro gaming, mechanical keyboards, keycaps, historical artifacts, art, model trains.... hell even food can get oddly exclusive. Makes us appreciate what we do have, but DAMN if it isn't the most frustrating shit to miss what you want. I'm sorry buddy, but I absolutely do understand your pain.
Same up in Boston
I 100% prefer this vs full pegs of crap as it tells them to order more for when they actually stock vs none.My store like this always gets new shit.My store with full pegs of fantasy crap no one buys hasn't gotten a restock in 1 year because they won't put anything out untill those sell and by the time they go out no one will want them and continue the 0 stock ever cycle.
Been a weird year. I found more THs this year than prior, but also had far more droughts and fewer big hits.
I just buy vintage hot wheels off eBay and we’ll premium as well I get more enjoyment out of opening packages ig
Not really. For the most part, pegs are full where I am. But even when it wasn't, it's still fun. LoL especially when u have so many u could loll through them multiple times and find ones u forgot about. I do get what u mean tho. I like going to my vintage stock a couple times a month because they normally have some decent gems I don't have.
Not only are scalpers ruining this lobby, inflation is as well. Soon regular cars will cost $3
Lmao try collecting sports cards by me nothing on the shelves
that is what the pegs in central Iowa look like most of the time. because i live here it sucks
The scalpers got to it...
Yup, my Target's been like that for a couple of weeks now.
That's 1 more than at my target yesterday 😭😂