It would definitely be cheaper to get the whole boxes but the conversions and stuff isn't really my thing meaning that they'd probably be left on a table and be a waste of money. Ill will probably get the boxes and sell the dupes but even then that's not a guarantee (I still have two Wongs and that does not make a wight) and I will almost certainly lose money in the process.
As for the LGS doing them, you're right they're not great. We have a joke here that the February releases are the July stock. My store tries but the supply chain just doesn't ever work smoothly so much so that I have had my order for Will o the wisps cancelled three times by the supplier with no word to my store at all.
All in all I know this will only be a problem for a minority of people for about a year but it is still a problem that will have lasting problems in the community. I love Wyrd products which is why it sucks so much to see problems like these happen.