Why do some store locations not carry certain products?

[Lead Cenobite]

Like if a certain line of action figures is available at a Walmart in one city, why are they never available at a similarly-sized Walmart in another city? They can't always be sold out, can they? Do some store locations simply not order products if there's not enough demand for them?

I've been to two Walmarts looking for the newest DC Comics Multiverse figures and not only can I not find them, I can't find much DC-oriented stuff at all. Both locations I've been to only had Man of Steel and Power Attack Batman figures. It seems like the stuff I couldn't find was never carried by those locations to begin with.

Another semi-related question is why is Mattel releasing the figures like this, like it's some big Easter egg hunt? No definite date was given, no announcements were made, but rather diligent collectors began gradually finding them around the country, and as far as online retailers are concerned, the figures haven't been released yet even though they obviously have been.

 

[3dman27]

simple the stores don't have enough space to carry everything

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Maybe if they didn't give 90% of the shelf space to Marvel...

 

[spideyboy_1111]

eh...

it's just because of space and what the product manager decides is selling well and what isn't.. but some just suck at there job

I live in the middle of nowhere, and in the boondocks of farmland.. we rarely have any superhero related stuff period.. it's nothing but wrestling, cars, and teenage mutant ninja turtles... i think our walmart manager is a bit misguided on what's popular. the turtles i get.. but half the action figure aisle is wrestling.. ive never seen so much wrestling before.. no way is it selling. no superheroes, no star wars.. just turtles, wrestling and the occasional power ranger or transformers toy

I only found one wave of marvel legends there.. and it was the only wave they ever got, it sold out, and they never restocked...

So i travel about a half hour into the city i work in in order to get more variety..


as for the DC multiverse figs, i've seen them at more Targets, Meijer and TRU's than walmarts. Also really odd, but i notice different chains are carrying different series of that (same with star wars black), I've seen Penguin and Catwoman wave at walmarts, batman and the knight armor guy at meijer, and subzero and two-face at target...

same with star wars black... Walgreens tends to have the chewbacca and vader wave, meijer has the obi-wan wave, and target has leia-greedo