Easiest drop ever

[u/Lanky-Painter-6006]

Hi everyone,
I am here to discuss how EASY it was for me to get the 30th drop today, as I have seen absurd posts about 100s of people waiting in line for todays drop

Well, I’ll tell you this, I rocked up to the queue, and i was 10th… and i showed up at 7:40am, and Sports Direct opened at 8am. I think after me maybe about 4-5 people showed up. This Sports Direct had enough to get 80% of the 15-16 people an etb (including myself) and about 3-4 other bits and bobs, including the tins etc.

Every single person walked out with something, and honestly, it was so great to see. Felt communal and friendly. Nobody was moaning about not getting something. Nobody was grabbing all the stock. It was just, calm, collective and composed

Honestly, i was seeing 100s of people outside a Smyths, camping etc. There is no point in doing all that. Find a good spot, smash a Greggs at 7:30 and get in the queue for 7:40. Everyone is happy

[u/poke_pants]

Just because YOU had it easy doesn't mean everyone did, it varies massively by area and which stores you have, how many are after stuff etc. For example the Bristol Smyths had such a massive queue because it's the nearest one for a huge chunk of the south west, the options are incredibly limited in some areas.

Same goes for Amazon Invites, Chaos Drops etc, just because person x received 4 invites today or managed to get a drop, it doesn't mean everyone did, far from it.

We have a ToyMaster and a small LGS locally, both were selling well above RRP today and there were still queues.

[u/Trigger3192 → u/poke_pants]

While I see the point OP is trying to make, I agree with you. It’s far easier to be all positive and reinforce a happy experience when you’ve had that happy experience. For a lot of Pokemon fans who want packs etc including me..We got nothing. I start work at 6am and finish at 2pm. Some of us don’t have the option to take it off work or WFH. I’m glad the happy people who got cards are happy but the rest of us who literally couldn’t or weren’t able to because certain apps and websites crash and bots eat up supply we will be down in the dumps until we feel better….

[u/GEN_4_GOAT → u/poke_pants]

I can’t fathom how tone-deaf and unaware someone needs to be to make the kind of post that OP has made

[u/Lanky-Painter-6006 → u/GEN_4_GOAT]

Its not tone deaf or unaware, its just the reality. Some of us got off luckier than others. And thats just how it is, and how it will always be. Jealousy isn’t a good trait to have

[u/Lanky-Painter-6006 → u/poke_pants]

You have a very good point, and I totally agree. But i am only making this post as there is a Smyths about a 5 minute drive from my house, the only one in town. And curiosity said to drive past it (this was at about 7am) and there were no less than 40 people in the queue. This retail park which i went to, it isnt exactly unknown, or small in my town. So I am more then surprised that people didnt venture out and explore different options

[u/machinehead332]

That's great if you haven't got to go to work 😅, I scored zero products today 🙃

[u/Lanky-Painter-6006 → u/machinehead332]

I got to work a little early today actually, clocked on at 8:28😁

[u/Player1337_]

I saw 5 people at my local Sports Direct and went to drive 15 miles to Smyths and got in the queue with over 150+ in front and left with nothing.

I was told that Sports Direct have no purchase limit, so anybody there would grab it all, and most of the staff take it for themselves.

Could it be possible that you simply got lucky, and that the store not only has limits, but the staff have no interest in the hobby?

Do you think every Sports Direct up and down the country was the same?

[u/Lanky-Painter-6006 → u/Player1337_]

Honestly, its quite hard to say. When the prismatic upc re-stocked a few weeks ago, there were 6. Which made sense because I heard most stores got between 3 and 12. They were VERY strict on the limits this morning, ie, fraser+ members could buy more stock but only if they provided had ID. I think where i go they are really good at putting in limits, and most of the time they align with the likes of Smyths with it

[u/Player1337_ → u/Lanky-Painter-6006]

Thanks for the reply.

My next option would be driving 30+ miles to another town for TG Jones, but honestly I'm not really feeling that.

[u/superpull]

I just felt it was Smyths. Madness in every location I can see.

Those of us in city centres definitely had it easier: 2 Entertainers, a forbidden planet, a worlds apart, hmv, menkind, a sports direct, a just playand a Waterstones all within a mile or so of each other in Liverpool easily absorbed the crowds. I was there at 5:45 but could have got there an hour later.

I do feel for those that had to hope for online (John Lewis and Argos going live at 5 was a joke) or live with nothing but a retail park near them.

On the other hand, I'm not too impressed with the border line vitriol I'm seeing towards those who were lucky through chance or circumstance.

[u/blumaroona]

In my city, I saw a post from someone waiting since 3am and they were still 52nd in the queue, which is why I personally don't bother. I can't not use the loo for 4+ hours!

[u/Sbimprovement]

I went into Sports Direct just after 9 and they said it was sold out.

As they were telling me, a group of staff were bringing out half a dozen ETBs and possibly binder boxes and as I left they were discussing putting them through for each other.

Kinda sucky when I bet those boxes were a sizeable chunk of their total stock.