Can someone teach me about Blind Bags...?

[cloud_weaver]

Alright - I admit it!  I missed the BB train.  But after seeing a couple in person at last weekend's pony meet in MN (thanks girls!) I think I may be falling for them.  I'm so confused though!  I don't know anything about them except they come w/cards.    So, I've got some questions for you experts out there. 

First off, is there a way to tell which pony is which by the outside of the package?
Second, which stores have they been found at in the US?
How many sets are there?  I think there's five but the last set isn't widely available yet...?
Are all the sets available, or are there some discontinued?
How much does one pack retail for?
Which ones are 'rare' aside from the glittery/glow-in-the-dark/pearly ones?
And finally...can I get a PC on them?

Please feel free to show off your set(s) and/or favorite ones!

Also...I have fallen in love with the green one w/a tea cup as a symbol...if anyone has her plmk! 

Thanks!
Cloudie

[Sandi]

Is there a way to tell which pony is which by the outside of the package?
Yes there is. Link: http://mlpg4merch.tumblr.com/post/24157634436/g4-blind-bag-master-post

Second, which stores have they been found at in the US?
Can't answer this one. I don't live in the US.

How many sets are there?
Five "waves" have been released so far. More are on the way. There are also sets of blind bags, like the Toys r us collector set, the Rainbow collection and the miniature sets.

Are all the sets available, or are there some discontinued?
I don't think all waves are avaibable in stores anymore, but I'm not sure.

How much does one pack retail for?
Don't know what the prices are in the US, but here it's $4.44

Which ones are 'rare' aside from the glittery/glow-in-the-dark/pearly ones?
The pink glittery Twilight Sparkle is rare, because it was only released in a limited amunt in Europe. Wave 2 ponies are also kind of rare for the same reason.

And finally...can I get a PC on them?
Can't answer this one.

[hathorcat]

I know the feeling Cloud Weaver - I think its because of the variety of characters that I am enjoying them so much

First off, is there a way to tell which pony is which by the outside of the package?
As Sandi has linked to you just need the codes. In the Coming Soon thread there are pics of each pony along side his or her relevant number. Each bag has either a single/double digit code which is simply the number of the pony - this is for early wave 1, wave 2 and early wave 3. However, in late wave 1, late wave 3, wave 4 and wave 5 the codes are 5 numbers, all you have to do is completely ignore number 1, 3 and 5 in the order and the second and forth digit gives you the number of the pony.
 
Second, which stores have they been found at in the US?
I think TRU, Target, Walmart and Meijer

How many sets are there?  I think there's five but the last set isn't widely available yet...?
Yup you are right - there have been 4 waves do far - all of them have now turned up somewhere in the world for sale but in the US you havent got past Wave 4 as yet and you guys skipped Wave 2.

Are all the sets available, or are there some discontinued?
The sets are considered the same product by Hasbro and retailers hence the "waves" - so technically when the next wave starts hitting retailers the previous wave is discontinued.

How much does one pack retail for?
I think its anything from $1.99 to $2.99 depending on the retailer

Which ones are 'rare' aside from the glittery/glow-in-the-dark/pearly ones?
The glittery/glow in dark/pearl ones are not actually any rarer than any other ones - every box should have 24 ponies, 24 different ponies - so if a set of 24 features 3 glow in the dark ponies then you ll get 3 glow in the dark ponies in every box. I think its more "special edition" than "rare".
The only really hard to find ones are wave 2 - they got a really limited release - the US skipped the wave, we never went straight to Wave 3 in the US so only a few countries in Euro and Aus/NZ actually saw this wave at all. This wave and the unique ponies from it [aside from the 3 which are rereleased in the TRU Pony Friends Forever assortment accessory pack] are all getting harder and harder to find.
The exception to the rarity rule is the pink glitter Twilight Sparkle - she is from wave 1 and got a tiny release in Germany and surrounding countries when blind bags were first released. Clearly her colour was wrong and by the time further batches of this wave were released she had been replaced with a purple version.

And finally...can I get a PC on them?
Wave 3, 4 and 5 are still all retail value. Wave 2 is getting expensive and they seem to be 3 and 4 times retail sometimes when they are selling. Wave 1 maybe double or a little under retail right now.

[Feathermay]

I have also seen some at Walgreens, but you pay extra for them.

[cloud_weaver]

Thank you all for your help!  This has been very enlightening.  ^_^  And yes hathorcat, I think it's the variety that I'm liking so much.  Also, I was a huge fan of ponyville until they started going a bit wonky (mermaids and removable hair...).  I really love the green and blue tea pony from wave 2.  I'm going to have to track her down. 

[MaronaPossessed]

I've made an online stock+retail guide which includes interesting tidbits as well.

http://mlparena.com/mlp/index.php/topic,304353.0.html

[NoPonySpecial]

I've also seen them at CVS, if you have those in your area. Waves 3 and 4 are out right now, but you might find some old stock of Wave 1 if you look hard enough, especially at drugstores. I've only seen Wave 3 at Toys R Us, Wave 4 at department stores and such. (I'm in PA right by the New Jersey border, so this of course may not be true in other areas.)

Blind bags cost about 2 dollars more at TRU (and I think at drugstores like Walgreen, CVS, etc) than at places like Walmart and Target. I've had more luck seeing them at Target, and no luck whatsoever at Walmart, but again, that might just be in my area.

[cloud_weaver]

Why is wave 2 harder to find?

[banditpony]

Wave 2 wasn't hard to find when it was out in stores (in Europe I believe). I snatched them up at that time. Now since they are no longer current, and were only in an isolated area, people are having a hard time finding them.

[NoPonySpecial]

Which ones are 'rare' aside from the glittery/glow-in-the-dark/pearly ones?
The pink glittery Twilight Sparkle is rare, because it was only released in a limited amunt in Europe.
Wave 2 ponies are also kind of rare for the same reason.

^ This. I want Tea Love too! And I'm in need of Feathermay as well. They're pretty easily found on eBay, but they get lots of bidders, and obviously they cost WAY more than they should. I'm trying to hold out in case they get released in the US ever, but it's getting more unlikely.

[KermitGreen82]

They are also at Five Below if you have one in your area. Wave 1 only. But they are like $3 I think.

[Starly]

There was a blue bodied LilyBlossom made too, but like pink Twilight, she was very rare/early and not released in the US.

[cloud_weaver]

I found a bunch of auctions for BB ponies that I couldn't identify.  Are there a bunch of prototypes out there?

I found a few ponies that I love - their bodies are clear (but colored) w/solid colored hair.   

[NoPonySpecial]

  The transparent bodies with painted hair have not been released yet, don't worry! Probably the unidentified ones are also unreleased. If you're paranoid they won't be released where you live you can always order them, we won't judge you.
  I would guess the ones you mentioned, with the painted hair, are going to be the next wave and will probably be in the US, (but they better not end up exclusive to any country, I hate when they do that!) since they're so highly anticipated, but I have seen painted solid versions of Wave 4 ponies, and I haven't been hearing much about those at all.

[hathorcat]

Why is wave 2 harder to find?

Just because only Aus, NZ and some European countries got them - they completely missed the US and the UK which are usually 2 reasonable large pony distribution markets hence in "number" released they are much fewer than all other waves.