Official word on Orbit Balls

[Greg Peshek]

Citing Wikipedia here, because I'm too lazy to find the original source..

In 2005, Wal-Mart had $312.4 billion in sales, more than 6,200 facilities around the world—including 3,800 stores in the United States

So 14,000 / 3,800 stores comes out to about 3.86 or 4 balls per store.. which seems to be the average that people have found. Personally I found 4 at my local Walmart. Some people have been reporting not finding any and some people have been reporting finding them in numbers upwards of 10.. so it actually makes sense.

Of course these Walmarts aren't always in the most convenient places for teams, so there will be a lot of random Walmarts with these balls in stock, while tons of other will be wiped out.

[Wetzel]

I think the error came in reporting them at 319 Walmarts. Inventory control and tracking is something that Walmart is extremely good at, and a big part of why they have done so well.

Wetzel

[XXShadowXX]

team 1718 i was told walked into a nearby Walmart, and walked out with 10 undamaged orbit balls...

[suewanninger]

Yes, I think that it is really a matter of where you are located. I was traveling yesterday and, on a whim, stopped off at a Walmart about 40 miles from home (Milwaukee) and found 13 orbit balls nicely packaged in their boxes. We don't have that many FRC teams here in Wisconsin (and lots of little towns with Walmarts), so that is probably to our advantage.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by peter

To all First competitors,

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify many of the rumors regarding the Blip Toys Orbit Ball. At this time Blip Toys does not have any stock of the Orbit Ball to sell to competitors directly. First has purchased extra units for the competition and has informed us additional balls we will be sold via their website in the next 24 hours. To date Walmart has been the only retailer to carry the Orbit Ball and has elected to not purchase the ball for the upcoming spring season. All remaining orbit balls through Walmart are available in their stores and are being sold on clearance. They were not offered by Walmart via their website or in any other countries. Our analysis shows around 14,000 pieces throughout their stores across the U.S.

Customer Service
Blip Toys

1) What about that random report about one being available at KB toys? Fluke? I didn't see any at my local KB last night.

2) And are they GOING on clearance, or were they ALREADY on clearance at the $10 price? If they are going on clearance, then can those of us who bought them at the regular $10 price get a price adjustment now?!?!?
Oh, And if they were on clearance at $10, why the heck did they ever sell for more than that?? Seriously now. Or, maybe they didn't, & that's why they are discontinued.



On a seperate note, I'm glad Logo-Loc is picking up the slack of Blip/Walmart this time. I guess FIRST has one more company they owe a huge favor to after this one. I'm wondering how much they will sell for on the Logo-Loc website with my 2nd question above in mind.

[Brandon Holley]

This entire situation depresses me....Knowing that whatever we design and come up with may not be able to be tested to the best of its ability until competitions....its sad

[BrianT103]

There has been discussions that you must fill out an "application" in order to purchase orbit balls through FIRST.

Could someone perhaps provide a link that explains this possible "application" and where you would fill it out?

[Team 135]

I search around about 5 area walmarts only to find 1 or 2. I drove about 30 miles and after asking an associate they presented me with 4 cases of 3 balls each. These cases were still sealed from the factory. We now have a total of 28 balls and that is most likely as many as we are ever going to be able to find.

[MikeDubreuil]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

2) And are they GOING on clearance, or were they ALREADY on clearance at the $10 price?

I talked with a Walmart employee. He claims that he started working there 4 months ago. He remembers the ball and said that when he started they were on clearance.

Anyway, the Walmart in Tewksbury, MA had zero.

[The Pre]

Originally Posted by suewanninger

Yes, I think that it is really a matter of where you are located. I was traveling yesterday and, on a whim, stopped off at a Walmart about 40 miles from home (Milwaukee) and found 13 orbit balls nicely packaged in their boxes. We don't have that many FRC teams here in Wisconsin (and lots of little towns with Walmarts), so that is probably to our advantage.

in kenosha, wi (30min south of milwaukee) we found that the "WILD TIME ORBIT BALL" (not ZOOM BALL) happened to be in a walmart in kenosha when the director of the school and purchasing students came back they had their arms filled with 18 orbit balls!!! it was quite hilarious seeing them walk in.


i think these are the most fun game pieces i've seen thus far

[Cow Bell Solo]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Also see http://www.logoloc.com/first/ - "Orbit Balls Coming Soon"

They have had that on there before with previous game pieces and it has taken until either mid season if I remember correctly or not until after the season or even the competition. But that is what I noticed when viewing their site, but each year is a new year and I guess we will see what it is this year.

[MrForbes]

We checked our local Walmart Sunday and did not find any balls, although we did find the $9.97 price tag for them on the shelf in the ball section. Yesterday we saw that list that said they should have 10 in stock. Today we visited Walmart again for something else, but we found a dept. manager working in the toy department, and asked her if they had the balls (pointing to the price tag on the shelf). She said she thought they did, and went and looked and came back with a carton of 3 balls, and said there might be more. Apparently she had trouble with them having the packaging removed, and people playing with them, and hasn't been putting them on the shelf! So you might want to find the toy department manager, and ask if they have any. Also she said they were moving a lot of the toys out and getting ready for the pool toys display...which means pool noodles should be available here soon! And it also means that you might be able to find pool noodles if you ask the toy department manager.

[synth3tk]

Originally Posted by squirrel

So you might want to find the toy department manager, and ask if they have any.

Thanks for that tip. According to that list, there should've been ~18 balls at one local store, but I couldn't find any at all. And as far as I know, there are really no area teams that didn't have another Wal-Mart closer to them which carried the balls.

[Manoel]

Teams will be hearing officially from FIRST today or tomorrow. Don't expect to be able to buy many balls, though. Don't even plan to count them with a full hand.