Is Amazon Trying To Artificially Inflate The Demand For Their Exclusive Marvel Legends Sentinel?

[JayC]

Obviously there is no way to really know for sure, but something sure does seem fishy with Hasbro's new Amazon exclusive Marvel Legends Series Wolverine and Sentinel 2-pack. Is the massive online etailer trying to create an illusion of demand by having this latest exclusive constantly sell out in minutes if not in seconds?

The set which here in the United States was originally slated to be a Toys R' Us exclusive was later switched over to an Amazon exclusive after the toy retailer closed it's doors. The set is nothing more than a newly packaged re-issue of the 12" Sentinel that Hasbro originally released under the 3.75" Marvel Universe line with a modified Old Man Logan figure made to look like the Wolverine from the classic X-Men story line called Days Of Future Past. The original Marvel Universe Sentinel toys while pretty cool eventually ended up being sold at discount chains like Marshals for a drastically reduced price.

Amazon originally started listing this new 2-Pack about a month ago and every time it has been listed at the $100 price tag it has sold out in minutes. Just yesterday the set was listed 3 different times as being in stock and then sold out very quickly. Then again this morning at 7am ET I received an email notification it was back in stock again only to click on the link to find out it was once again sold out. It literally sold out between the time I got Amazon's email notification telling me it was back in stock and 2 second's later when I clicked on the link. Even if this was a completely brand new item and not just a reissue I would have a hard problem believing a high-priced item such as this was constantly selling out that quickly.

Since we have no way of knowing how many of these sets Amazon has to sell, its near impossible to tell what kind of volume these are selling at, but one really has to wonder how can you have an item sell out 3 different times in one day and then have it back in stock. I could see getting something, then it sells out and then getting more in a month later, but in one day???

People on eBay are already trying to sell the item double its regular price and the frustration of more collectors who actually want it grows daily, but is this a case of real demand, or just a etailer trying to make it look more popular than it really is???

[Hogun]

I know Amazon has restocked on popular figures like the Marvel Legends Colossus and the new Cable but they usually restock them after a month or two after they're out. This is pretty weird. And I also know Amazon is known for constantly changing their prices. The Deathlok figure was about 18$ CDN and the next day, it went to about 27$. Collectors beware.

[tarot]

alot of store that are been forced to close constantly blame Amazon for it. I find it hard to believe that store are closing just because Amazon is around. Most of these store have very bad online presence if any. Not only that but you can see Etailer like BBTS and EE thriving because they are online. 

As for the article, I find it hard to believe that Amazon would even care about these. To them it's just one of a million product  they have for sale. Are they trying to get a market for these? Maybe but that what most companies would try and do.

also adding to @monron999 said scalper (and even greater evil swappers) are part of the problem, no doubt about that BUT It is also the Army Builder that buy multiples that are causing these to sell out. Amazon has no limit of one product when they go on sale. They even allow multiple account with the same address to buy the same thing as well. However, I do find ABs to be true collectors so they are fine by me.

Also am I the only one who would buy the set for the DOFP Logan and not just the sentinel?

[memocromatico]

I doubt it's Amazon as a company. They care about selling, and toys is just a small piece of they pie they're having. An Amazon employee, on the other hand, might be trying to do just that. Building up the demand, so that they may sell the piece higher that it would if it were available at SRP. Not to blame the fellow working people, but here in Mexico it's not uncommon for store employees to hide figures for themselves to resell in the secondary market at ridiculously higher prices.

[nighthawk]

The Star Wars droid 3 pack was like that too. It would sell out in minutes and then a few days later, be in stock again, and then sell out in minutes. Maybe that's how they do their exclusives now. We'll see how the Pepper, Mandarin 3 pack goes when that comes out.

[JayC]

LOL, so for the second time today I got another email saying it was back in stock and as soon as I clicked on it it was gone again. If this isn't an attempt to try and artificially inflate demand then I would say at the very least the Amazon site is screwed up.

[JayC]

2 hours ago, Hogun said:

I know Amazon has restocked on popular figures like the Marvel Legends Colossus and the new Cable but they usually restock them after a month or two after they're out. This is pretty weird. And I also know Amazon is known for constantly changing their prices. The Deathlok figure was about 18$ CDN and the next day, it went to about 27$. Collectors beware.

There is a difference in getting something in stock, selling out and then weeks or months later restocking. Thats normal. In the last 2 days this Sentinel has gone in an our of stick at least 5 times in a matter of minutes if not seconds. Thats just not normal.

[JayC]

Ok so literally while typing the last post I got a third email today about it being in stock. And at least for now it still available saying it will ship on 10/29. Lets see how long it lasts

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CKYMV9P?ref=em_1p_0_ti&ref_=pe_2409890_229390510

 

[JayC]

So its gone again, lasted about 5 minutes this time.

[JayC]

Ok its back yet again for a 4th time today. Lets see how long it lasts this time.

[JayC]

gone again in 5 minutes.

[leokearon]

I doubt they are trying to inflate demand, they are probably just releasing it in batches, other exclusives have been done like that on other sites.

[nighthawk]

Yeah, this was exactly the same case with the Star Wars Black Series Red Squadron.  It was going in and out of stock constantly.  Apparently, only like 5 or 6 at a time. 

The way Amazon pricing works, I think they are doing this to ensure the pricing algorithm they run doesn't end up putting these exclusives on 'sale' or 'clearance'.

 

[JayC]

once again its back https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CKYMV9P?ref=em_1p_0_ti&ref_=pe_2409890_229390510

[MIKE]

This is why I stick to the brick and mortar too. Hate the scalpers. They make it harder for us little guys who love marvel legends. 

[JayC]

Looks like Amazon finally got the message, in stock, ready to ship. 20 in stock more on the way. Those wanting this for the sake of wanting shouldnt have a problem now.

[Snikt4bub]

I had 1 in my cart, and by the time I got to checkout it was unavailable again...

[JKenbok]

We did it!  We made them correct their deceptive ways!  Lol. Okay maybe I spoke too soon earlier. Who knows what’s going but it’s back up now. Sure is fishy though. 

[Malocchio]

Nice!

[JKenbok]

Yeah it’s gone again already!  Wtf is going on ?!  I added it to my cart, got home and figured out my financial situation, went to check out and it’s gone. Literally within 20 minutes. Pissing me off. 

[Hogun]

10 hours ago, JayC said:

There is a difference in getting something in stock, selling out and then weeks or months later restocking. Thats normal. In the last 2 days this Sentinel has gone in an our of stick at least 5 times in a matter of minutes if not seconds. Thats just not normal.

I personally think Amazon doesn't even know what they have in-stock. Lol. What's not normal though is their constant restock of the Colossus figure. I thought that wave was out-of-print. Even more surprising, why Colossus and not Cyclops. Not that I'm complaining because I got the Jim Lee Cyclops the day it arrived at my favorite comic book store and the restocks allowed me to recently get Colossus.

[Falls22]

Hmmm very mischievous of them to say the least. It’s the great Amazon Action Figure Conspiracy! Lol But in all seriousness I do think you’re right. They’re trying to make us think it’s going and then gonna be gone. When it actually isn’t. 

[FASVB]

To me is just  that deal of selling out really fast and probably scalpers going like crazy after it.  Or even someone at Amazon putting it up for sale when they shouldn't have. 

[MIKE]

There just going to say they had computer problems and play it off.

[TrueBeliever]

I think the $100 price tag is too much anyway. The Marvel Universe Sentinel was only $60, right?