WalMart Pokemon day
- Thread starter David's Confused Pokedad
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LazyShikamaru
New Member
They should try this at Target. Target actually stocks Pokestuff.
annisarich
New Member
David's Confused Pokedad said:
Geesh
Get your fact strait before you start with that junk.
Seems that you have a pre disposed hatred towards the reatil chain.
Lets keep it to the event and take your opinions to the Randon topic area.
Back to back posts merged. The following information has been added:
survivor said:
I think this was a good idea. But the Logistics were huge.
Maybe PUI learned how the distribution system works (good/bad) and will strive to make corrections.
I am pretty sure it will be much better next attempt.
Why?!
I remember PUI's first nationals.
By the time Worlds came around they had come up with many solutions and it was a great event.
Too many instant gratification folks here who want to never try something again.
Will it be with the same retailer? who knows. But the idea wasgood and I am sure the main office learned.
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Wal-Mart = Clueless.
I called up the manager Friday. She said she had never heard of the promo. However I told her what was needed and that I would be there about 9:40 the next day. We would set up near the entrance and she should have activity books, a theme deck or two, and table and chairs. She said that was fine and she would be there on Saturday and all was ready.
On Saturday I arrive at 9:40 and no one has a clue about anything that is going on. The manager is not working. A worker says the assistant manager will be with us in 5 minutes and asks what we need. After 10-15 minutes I ask again for the manager and they say they will be right there. After 5 more minutes I go looking for the manager.
I find the manager in back with 10-15 employees talking about their color of pants and how long the sleeves are that they can wear. A worker asks me for help so I tell them what I need. 5 minutes later an assistant manager comes over. I tell them again what I need and they go to get it. 10 minutes later I get an 18 inch by 36 inch and 3 foot high table and they tell me to set up by the toy area in back. No chairs. They also are able to find 2 theme decks they say I can use. I ask about setting up in front or if they have any signs or the mentioned activity books and they say no to everything. I get set up about 10:20. So we set up in the back and I start looking for anyone who is a kid that might be interested.
If this thing had any coordination to it, it would be good. The kids I found really liked it when they came over. They:
- Had no idea there were leagues for free
- Loved getting a few cards
- Liked playing "for real"
I think there are a few simple things Wal-Mart could do to help (in addition to knowing the thing was supposed to go on in the first place!)
A) Stick up a poster (18in x 24 in or larger) in the entrance way 2 weeks before the event.
B) The day of the event set up an area near the entrance with that poster displayed.
C) Get a table maybe 5 feet x 2 feet or larger to use. Not a dinky one.
I called up the manager Friday. She said she had never heard of the promo. However I told her what was needed and that I would be there about 9:40 the next day. We would set up near the entrance and she should have activity books, a theme deck or two, and table and chairs. She said that was fine and she would be there on Saturday and all was ready.
On Saturday I arrive at 9:40 and no one has a clue about anything that is going on. The manager is not working. A worker says the assistant manager will be with us in 5 minutes and asks what we need. After 10-15 minutes I ask again for the manager and they say they will be right there. After 5 more minutes I go looking for the manager.
I find the manager in back with 10-15 employees talking about their color of pants and how long the sleeves are that they can wear. A worker asks me for help so I tell them what I need. 5 minutes later an assistant manager comes over. I tell them again what I need and they go to get it. 10 minutes later I get an 18 inch by 36 inch and 3 foot high table and they tell me to set up by the toy area in back. No chairs. They also are able to find 2 theme decks they say I can use. I ask about setting up in front or if they have any signs or the mentioned activity books and they say no to everything. I get set up about 10:20. So we set up in the back and I start looking for anyone who is a kid that might be interested.
If this thing had any coordination to it, it would be good. The kids I found really liked it when they came over. They:
- Had no idea there were leagues for free
- Loved getting a few cards
- Liked playing "for real"
I think there are a few simple things Wal-Mart could do to help (in addition to knowing the thing was supposed to go on in the first place!)
A) Stick up a poster (18in x 24 in or larger) in the entrance way 2 weeks before the event.
B) The day of the event set up an area near the entrance with that poster displayed.
C) Get a table maybe 5 feet x 2 feet or larger to use. Not a dinky one.
CyberManectric
Active Member
David's Confused Pokedad said:
Toys R Us is having a Mew download on Sept. 30.
I'm so glad that I didn't go to the Wal mart event. When it comes to Pokemon, Wal Mart tends to dissapoint me. They usually don't carry single booster packs here in Salem.
Hopefully ToysR Us won't dissapoint with the upcoming Mew downloads.annisarich
New Member
LazyShikamaru said:
Your might but mine is sparce. It Yughio and Basketball cards.
And then there was the Target Promo a year or so ago with the slurpee purchase.
I went and asked and they thought I was crazy.
So its not the first marketing thing with a large retailer that had problems
David's Confused Pokedad
New Member
Dude quit dumping on target. They had nothing to do with walmart pokemon day. Talk about keeping to the event.
Just kidding as I really don't care anymore.
[edit]Really getting off on a tangent. -Pop[/edit]
Just kidding as I really don't care anymore.
[edit]Really getting off on a tangent. -Pop[/edit]
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thebaldman
New Member
i went to the hemet ca store. said they had poeple call,but it wasn't listed as an event at their store and they didn't know anything about it. drove home called one of the other wal-marts listed in san deigo. same thing.
TheDancingPeanut
New Member
annisarich said:
IMO, one of PUIs biggest problems is that they seem to fail to understand the importance of hype.
That is to say, much of the time the vibe I get is that they expect people to want their product...
Which, most of the time, is not true. Kids are not going to flock to Target to get ICEE promos unless the promo has some value (not monetary) to them.
We should be striving to make Pokemon cool, to make it edgy, to make it important.
Mewtwomaster
New Member
well the one at craig in nevada didn't have it eirther so i'm just going to ask pop for the promo for this event
I think Wal-Mart was told the distributor would be there to run the event, our manager was aware of the event, and very open to discussing the event. Our group came prepared, I had a bad feeling that the distributor would just not show up and never contact the store.
I don't feel Wal-Mart is to blame for widespread failures, I feel it was the distributor!
Lets try it again, and leave the distributor out of the loop.
POP can send the list of possible locations where they have Professors, TO, and PTOs in place to run these, request Wal-Mart do demos only in the stores that can be covered. Wal-Mart corporate would notify the store about the demo and the store in turn sends their designated manager's name back to POP. Then POP to us and back to Wal-Mart, and we initiate pre-event meetings with that manager. Lets coordinate it better say over a couple of weekends to keep pre-release conflicts to a minimum, and even use them as a way to fuel the next pre-release.
I don't feel Wal-Mart is to blame for widespread failures, I feel it was the distributor!
Lets try it again, and leave the distributor out of the loop.
POP can send the list of possible locations where they have Professors, TO, and PTOs in place to run these, request Wal-Mart do demos only in the stores that can be covered. Wal-Mart corporate would notify the store about the demo and the store in turn sends their designated manager's name back to POP. Then POP to us and back to Wal-Mart, and we initiate pre-event meetings with that manager. Lets coordinate it better say over a couple of weekends to keep pre-release conflicts to a minimum, and even use them as a way to fuel the next pre-release.
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GymLeaderPhil
New Member
I've never seen any one ever demoing anything in a Target. I think it's a company policy that they don't have demos.
Well.... We had a feeling this was going to be a flop. People kept asking us if we were getting involved in this Wal-mart promo, and couldn't understand why we were not. We just had a feeling....
First of all, the locations selected locally were not ones we would have selected. We are still very suspicious about the "top Pokemon selling stores" designation given to these stores. Local Walmart managers we've talked to also doubt that information. I think others have posted here (or on the 'Gym about their doubts, too).
As for the locations, it would have been great if someone more local (perhaps the PTO) could have helped select area stores. There are lots of neighborhoods in the Houston area where we'd be interested in growing the game of Pokemon, but just because there's a Walmart store, doesn't mean it's a good area for a Pokemon league.
I wonder about the goal of Wal-mart Pokemon Day... It probably wasn't meant to promote leagues or POP specifically. (But then, why did the POP office handle the promotion? I suppose it could be because they were recruiting Professors to help). It was a promotion to sell Pokemon cards (particularly Crystal Guardians) at these Wal-mart stores. In this case, I suppose it was okay to get as many Wal-mart stores as possible, and play the numbers game (more stores, more promotions, sell more cards). I would have preferred more "quality" events over quantity. But then again, I'm thinking in terms of increasing and growing organized play in Houston -- not just selling those Crystal Guardians cards. If you hook them into the game, they'll end up buying more, right? It seems like this should have been the intent. If this was the case, then the PTOs should have helped select the locations and made sure to have staff/professors on site. We could have done a much better job!
The problem with the demo kits also needs to be addressed, and I don't really know if you want to send them to the demo people, but sending them to the store should be okay, as long as there is ONE person responsible for it, and this person is identified and his/her name is forwarded to the PTO and/or the demo person as THE contact person. The demo person (and/or PTO) should make contact with that person and confirm in person/visually that the kit is there. Come up with a secondary contact person (someone who will be there on the day of the event if your primary contact won't be, and then make contact with the secondary ahead of time, making sure he/she knows about the kit as well as the demo details). This problem with locating the kit is just about communication. It could be easily solved with a little planning and time.
So, now the big problem.... the DISTRIBUTORS. I can't speak about all of them (I think there are several??), but I have lots to say about Beckett. I get complaints all the time from our league members and parents: Beckett doesn't keep the Pokémon merchandise stocked, and when they do, they stock with things our players don't want (old, foreign, etc). It is a valid complaint. I think their "re-packs" are horrible. They package unusable cards with regular packs in order to make a few extra bucks, and move merchandise they wouldn't otherwise be able to sell. Our kids (and parents) just want to buy cards! Booster packs and theme decks from current sets! Not any of this re-packed junk or outdated cards!
We've talked to lots of Wal-mart managers. They are not happy about having to go through Beckett, but their hands are tied. It is not their decision to use Beckett. The stores don't have the option of getting their cards elsewhere. I'm still not sure if that decision is made on a district level or in the Walmart headquarters in Arkansas. We're trying to find out, and trying to do something about it here.
When we first started our Wednesday Walmart league, the manager (who has since been transfered to another store) was always calling the Beckett rep, and pretty much demanded what he wanted in his store. He had them come in and get rid of the junk, and carry the sets we listed. Whenever a new set was about to be released, he would call them and demand that he get those cards right as they came out. Usually, the Beckett rep would make excuses about how they are not getting them that early. Okay, so we'd get new releases about two weeks late, but at least the pegs were full of other very usable packs. Our kids were buying up the cards and tins!
Shortly after that manager got transfered out, things started to change at that store. We are seeing a lot of the re-packed junk again, and no packs from the modified sets. Our parents and kids have lots of money to spend, but are often disappointed at the dismal selection at that store. We are trying to work through this new manager, but he's new at being a manager (having been promoted from assistant manager at another store) and seems to feel like he has no control over that part (TCG) of his store.
At our Tuesday Walmart league, that manager is now realizing what is going on with the Pokemon merchandise, and he is not happy. He sees kids going up to the TCG area with money in their hands looking for Pokemon cards to buy, and leaving sad and disappointed with nothing but their money. He is now helping us turn this around. Hopefully, we'll be able to get through to his Beckett rep.
The one good thing about this whole fiasco is that (hopefully) it has opened some eyes. We LOVE our walmart stores. They've been a great place for our leagues. Our stores support our events and leagues. Walmart wasn't the problem here, Beckett was.
It seems that this is something that PUI should be aware of. We have known this to be a problem here (and have been trying to fix it), but we now see it is a very widespread problem.
First of all, the locations selected locally were not ones we would have selected. We are still very suspicious about the "top Pokemon selling stores" designation given to these stores. Local Walmart managers we've talked to also doubt that information. I think others have posted here (or on the 'Gym about their doubts, too).
As for the locations, it would have been great if someone more local (perhaps the PTO) could have helped select area stores. There are lots of neighborhoods in the Houston area where we'd be interested in growing the game of Pokemon, but just because there's a Walmart store, doesn't mean it's a good area for a Pokemon league.
I wonder about the goal of Wal-mart Pokemon Day... It probably wasn't meant to promote leagues or POP specifically. (But then, why did the POP office handle the promotion? I suppose it could be because they were recruiting Professors to help). It was a promotion to sell Pokemon cards (particularly Crystal Guardians) at these Wal-mart stores. In this case, I suppose it was okay to get as many Wal-mart stores as possible, and play the numbers game (more stores, more promotions, sell more cards). I would have preferred more "quality" events over quantity. But then again, I'm thinking in terms of increasing and growing organized play in Houston -- not just selling those Crystal Guardians cards. If you hook them into the game, they'll end up buying more, right? It seems like this should have been the intent. If this was the case, then the PTOs should have helped select the locations and made sure to have staff/professors on site. We could have done a much better job!
The problem with the demo kits also needs to be addressed, and I don't really know if you want to send them to the demo people, but sending them to the store should be okay, as long as there is ONE person responsible for it, and this person is identified and his/her name is forwarded to the PTO and/or the demo person as THE contact person. The demo person (and/or PTO) should make contact with that person and confirm in person/visually that the kit is there. Come up with a secondary contact person (someone who will be there on the day of the event if your primary contact won't be, and then make contact with the secondary ahead of time, making sure he/she knows about the kit as well as the demo details). This problem with locating the kit is just about communication. It could be easily solved with a little planning and time.
So, now the big problem.... the DISTRIBUTORS. I can't speak about all of them (I think there are several??), but I have lots to say about Beckett. I get complaints all the time from our league members and parents: Beckett doesn't keep the Pokémon merchandise stocked, and when they do, they stock with things our players don't want (old, foreign, etc). It is a valid complaint. I think their "re-packs" are horrible. They package unusable cards with regular packs in order to make a few extra bucks, and move merchandise they wouldn't otherwise be able to sell. Our kids (and parents) just want to buy cards! Booster packs and theme decks from current sets! Not any of this re-packed junk or outdated cards!
We've talked to lots of Wal-mart managers. They are not happy about having to go through Beckett, but their hands are tied. It is not their decision to use Beckett. The stores don't have the option of getting their cards elsewhere. I'm still not sure if that decision is made on a district level or in the Walmart headquarters in Arkansas. We're trying to find out, and trying to do something about it here.
When we first started our Wednesday Walmart league, the manager (who has since been transfered to another store) was always calling the Beckett rep, and pretty much demanded what he wanted in his store. He had them come in and get rid of the junk, and carry the sets we listed. Whenever a new set was about to be released, he would call them and demand that he get those cards right as they came out. Usually, the Beckett rep would make excuses about how they are not getting them that early. Okay, so we'd get new releases about two weeks late, but at least the pegs were full of other very usable packs. Our kids were buying up the cards and tins!
Shortly after that manager got transfered out, things started to change at that store. We are seeing a lot of the re-packed junk again, and no packs from the modified sets. Our parents and kids have lots of money to spend, but are often disappointed at the dismal selection at that store. We are trying to work through this new manager, but he's new at being a manager (having been promoted from assistant manager at another store) and seems to feel like he has no control over that part (TCG) of his store.
At our Tuesday Walmart league, that manager is now realizing what is going on with the Pokemon merchandise, and he is not happy. He sees kids going up to the TCG area with money in their hands looking for Pokemon cards to buy, and leaving sad and disappointed with nothing but their money. He is now helping us turn this around. Hopefully, we'll be able to get through to his Beckett rep.
The one good thing about this whole fiasco is that (hopefully) it has opened some eyes. We LOVE our walmart stores. They've been a great place for our leagues. Our stores support our events and leagues. Walmart wasn't the problem here, Beckett was.
It seems that this is something that PUI should be aware of. We have known this to be a problem here (and have been trying to fix it), but we now see it is a very widespread problem.
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What you're saying sounds like just a BIT of a conflict-of-interest there on Beckett's behalf, Mike: why should they push the 'new' sets when THEY repackage old stuff? I'm sure they make more per unit on their 'repacked' stuff than on new blister packs....=/
Something's not right here....=/
'mom
David's Confused Pokedad
New Member
We bought the repackaged stuff not knowing they were old cards and packs and really felt ripped off.
EternalFire
New Member
Seeing all this talk about the 98% failure rate of this event makes me wonder if the one planned to open in the NYC area (somewhere, someday, soon they said) would've been a miss as well... >_>
UPDATE:
There is hope!
We've been busy working on this problem, and since I posted my previous post, I have been in contact with "the right person" at the Beckett corporate office. It was a lengthy conversation, and I feel positive about it. A link to this thread was submitted for their perusal. They will be reading this thread, so say what you want to say here. I'll update more as we hear back from Beckett.
There is hope!
We've been busy working on this problem, and since I posted my previous post, I have been in contact with "the right person" at the Beckett corporate office. It was a lengthy conversation, and I feel positive about it. A link to this thread was submitted for their perusal. They will be reading this thread, so say what you want to say here. I'll update more as we hear back from Beckett.
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