[US] Walmart Clearance

ecmo47

My Walmart has just put some set on clearence. Gunship, AT-TE, LOTR pirate ship, Batcave and others. Prices not great at about 25% to 35% off.

samiam391

Thanks for the heads up, I was wondering when I should start checking for clearances at my Walmart. I'll be sure to stop by and check in tomorrow.

margot

accidental post...

scotty12

One of my WM had all the same sets on 20-30% clearance. City Cargo Truck $39.97 to $29.97, AT-TE was $74 and the only SuperHeroes set was the Batcave at $54. There were only 6-7 sets on clearance.

ecmo47

Stopped by 6 WM yesterday in the way to a CL buy. 4 of 6 had the clearence items mentioned above. I found it suprising that old sets #9493 (X-wing), #79003(Hobbit hole), and #9525 (Pre Viszla) were still full price.

luckie_reubs

I wonder if they'll hit the big clearance on 8/1. I want the bat cave, but $54 is still way too much, IMO. I'm hoping some of the many, many movie sets get clearanced out soon, but we may still be a good ways off from that.

GIR3691

I saw Coast Guard Helicopter, AT-TE, Rancor Pit, and a couple others at 25-30% off yesterday. They had 30 Cuckoo Lands at full price...

Pacific493

luckie_reubs said:

I wonder if they'll hit the big clearance on 8/1. I want the bat cave, but $54 is still way too much, IMO. I'm hoping some of the many, many movie sets get clearanced out soon, but we may still be a good ways off from that.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Walmart typically doesn't do progressive discounts like Target and they seem to have cut way back on their 50% clearance sales over the last year.

madforLEGO

Pacific493 said:

luckie_reubs said:

I wonder if they'll hit the big clearance on 8/1. I want the bat cave, but $54 is still way too much, IMO. I'm hoping some of the many, many movie sets get clearanced out soon, but we may still be a good ways off from that.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Walmart typically doesn't do progressive discounts like Target and they seem to have cut way back on their 50% clearance sales over the last year.

That and you roll the dice that something will make it to 50% and that someone else will not be quicker than you and scoop them before or at 50%
I'm guessing movie sets will be discounted for any sales for any new years clearance sales in Jan or Feb, but that is just a guess.
I really gave up on trying to find clearance for a multitude of reasons, and now will just watch BF sales and Cyber Monday sales like a hawk.
Not sure if they will be as prolific as they were last year, but here is to hoping.
That and I have to get to the LEGO store more so I ensure myself a place for their pre BF sale event, especially if there is 3x VIP again.

scotty12

Everyone else have the same disappointing WM clearance sales? 15% off...at best...really? Anyone heard if they're going to do progressive discounts like Target or just hold out until their gone. I still have a WM that has a full row of clearance toys from last year sitting in the hardware dept that they just keep moving around (Easter & when they received winter shovels) but always ends back at that row.

piratemania7

scotty12 said:

Everyone else have the same disappointing WM clearance sales? 15% off...at best...really? Anyone heard if they're going to do progressive discounts like Target or just hold out until their gone. I still have a WM that has a full row of clearance toys from last year sitting in the hardware dept that they just keep moving around (Easter & when they received winter shovels) but always ends back at that row.

You should go ask the WM manager if you can get a discount since they have been there for so long, or better yet, ask what kind of discount you can get if you buy the lot. : )

binaryeye

scotty12 said:

Everyone else have the same disappointing WM clearance sales? 15% off...at best...really? Anyone heard if they're going to do progressive discounts like Target or just hold out until their gone.

The store closest to me started at 25% off in early July and has remained there. Based on this year and last, this store doesn't do progressive markdowns.

tamamahm

Not only that, but I have not seen anything if interest I even want. I have done some stock checks, but really we have small Walmart Lego aisles now that most the stuff they were clearance was simply sold out anyway. I have not bothered going to even look in store at this point.

sonsofsceva

I don't know if all Walmarts are now like this, but mine no longer take LEGO back as a return without a receipt. I don't know the reason for that, but now the store also seems to be much slower to move LEGO to clearance status, and then to any real discount. They are starting to give TRU a run for how long sets can continue to linger on the shelves.

Zathras

A couple of the walmarts near me have at least 4 distinct waves (winter 12, summer 13, winter 13, summer 14 + oddball hero factory/chima sets) of Lego on the shelves. It's going to be interesting when the the winter wave 14 needs to be stocked.

madforLEGO

scotty12 said:

Everyone else have the same disappointing WM clearance sales? 15% off...at best...really? Anyone heard if they're going to do progressive discounts like Target or just hold out until their gone. I still have a WM that has a full row of clearance toys from last year sitting in the hardware dept that they just keep moving around (Easter & when they received winter shovels) but always ends back at that row.

Disappointing to you, but I doubt it is to the stores.
Walmart and Target took a page from TRU and probably realized that if someone still wants to buy it they may as well leave it on their shelves at near retail. I think these stores are not really hell bent on stocking a ton of all new sets when they see a ton of old sets languishing on the shelf meaning they will have more such sets sitting on the shelf in another 6-12 months.
I think that these stores are starting to get sick of having to see having to hugely discount a ton of sets to rid them off of the shelves, and then only to buy another ton of new sets to try to put on those shelves. I'm sure you will see stores that will discount a few sets here and there for a decent amount if a few are on the shelves, but if they have rows and rows of stock I'm guessing stores no longer want to have to do that. Just another sign of the times I think.
This economy (at least in the US) is still not doing well, regardless of the glass half full crowd, and it is showing in what you see in stores. Resistance to massively discount old stock and smaller and smarter buying of stock to not have to clearance it and also not trying to discount a mass of sets to get rid of them

crazycarl

Just got 2 76000 artic batman for $30 from wally world. Not a good discount but in my area even 25% discount items fly off the shelves. I dont think wallmart will discount to well this year as their profitability is lower than projected. Got better deals at target though got a 70809 lord business' lair for $35, 70806 castle cavalry for $18, and a 76008 iron man vrs. mandarin for $3.98. To add to my luck I just got home from the thrift shop where I got 2 older NIB $29.99 creator sets for $3.99 each. Boxes are thrashed but what a deal for parts!

GIR3691

I've seen a lot of red tags but none of those sets to go with them. I also saw a couple 75024 Starhoppers red tagged at $44.88. It's a $39.99 set...

legogal

I agree with @madforLEGO and others saying that there appear to be very few discounts over 20 percent this year at Target or Wal-Mart, stores I race through about once a seek while grocery shopping. The signs may show otherwise, but there seem to be very few sets above those clearance tags.

TRU is extremely cheap with its discounts this year keeping the Lone Ranger mine set at 99US while Tuesday Morning has had it for 40. TRU has had so little price discounting that often their sales price just brings it down to the listed price elsewhere. And they have not had decent polybags at all this year.

This could move many AFOL's with collections that are already to big for their homes to just buy the specific parts they need to build a particular MOC. Which does not look good for TLG, but it should make up the sales from parents and grandparents buying for children.

madforLEGO

legogal said:

I agree with @madforLEGO and others saying that there appear to be very few discounts over 20 percent this year at Target or Wal-Mart, stores I race through about once a seek while grocery shopping. The signs may show otherwise, but there seem to be very few sets above those clearance tags.

TRU is extremely cheap with its discounts this year keeping the Lone Ranger mine set at 99US while Tuesday Morning has had it for 40. TRU has had so little price discounting that often their sales price just brings it down to the listed price elsewhere. And they have not had decent polybags at all this year.

This could move many AFOL's with collections that are already to big for their homes to just buy the specific parts they need to build a particular MOC. Which does not look good for TLG, but it should make up the sales from parents and grandparents buying for children.

Completely forgot about Stores like TJMaxx and Tuesday Mornings, but I always worry about tampered boxes in B&M stores.

legogal

I have seen very few LEGO in TJ Maxx this year after having cruised the kids' section many times looking at stuff for my new granddaughter as she grows up. Tuesday Morning has had a few sets, but even better has been their Absorba cotton baby blankets for just 8US. It is great when one can look for LEGO while doing other errands.

Thanos75

Target has been by far the best discounts in my area. The four that I have are really consistent between them. What's on sale at one is on sale at all and the sales usually start the same week at them.

I have three TRU stores in my area. Lately I have been finding great deals there. The stores are very inconsistent. What's on sale at one is not on sale at another.

I had big hopes for Wal-Mart sales this year. We already have 8 in a 30min radius and this year they opened up two more in New Orleans east. Other than finding some odd ball sets here and there I have bought very little there.

BuriedinBricks

Finally got out to the closest Super WM tonight. Plenty of the stuff mentioned here, with nothing really deeper than about 20% off. None of the stuff on sale is stuff I'm even interested in. It's hard to see the Gorilla Striker sitting at $40, after we just bought so many of them at $25 from Target a month ago.

It was kind of funny seeing the Epic Dragon Battles cleaned out at $99.99, when those have been on Amazon for soooo much cheaper for so long.

luckie_reubs

iccarus said:

Finally got out to the closest Super WM tonight. Plenty of the stuff mentioned here, with nothing really deeper than about 20% off. None of the stuff on sale is stuff I'm even interested in. It's hard to see the Gorilla Striker sitting at $40, after we just bought so many of them at $25 from Target a month ago.

It was kind of funny seeing the Epic Dragon Battles cleaned out at $99.99, when those have been on Amazon for soooo much cheaper for so long.

The Gorilla Striker was $15 at our Target, and I missed out on it completely. I'm kicking myself for that one! There's nothing really amazing at our Walmarts here, either, though.

bmwlego

Clearance hunting for LEGO at Target has been less fruitful than in the past. Walmart hasn't discounted much of anything and what is marked down is at a 20% reduction at best. That's good news for my basement as I'm not sure how much more can fit down there!

Squarks

Just a heads up for my fellow Canadian friends: Walmart has the corporate alliance tank droid and some small superhero sets for about 30% off.

graphite

^ the US walmart thread probably isnt the most useful place to put that.

prevere

Why is Wally's website so screwy when searching for specific sets? I find the results feel as though it's only searching for the word lego and nothing else.

graphite

I noticed that the other day too. Searched for 'lego republic gunship' which had an exact match title but it was like 6th or 7th in the list.

ecmo47

Stopped by my local Walmart are they are finally doing the shelf reset. Many clearance Lego sets have been moved to the clearance aisle or an endcap. Some sets about 25% off but many full price like LOTR Goblin King.

Thanos75

I found a Wal-Mart that dropped all of their toy clearance to 50% off. Instead of putting it in the system so everything scanned on sale they just put price stickers on the sets. Really was a pain in the butt when you checked out because every purchase required a managers approval.

ecmo47

I havent seen across-the-board 50% off at Walmart since after Christmas 2011. Ahh..the good ole days.

red237

Like Ecmo47, i have seen some better Clearances in my travels this Summer and a spurt this week, as the plan o grams for the new shelf sets are taped up. At least this lets me know what not to scan. Found some stuff at 30 but didn't bite - Hobbit, Juniors, city, Republic Gunship, LOTRand the only 50 was a mandolorian #9525 pretty beat up but intact, i was happy to get it.

luckie_reubs

Our Walmart was restocking today, but I couldn't find anything that was on clearance earlier this week. I scanned a UPC on my phone and saw that everything was still the same (for ex, the Batcave was still $54), so it wasn't a huge loss. Sucks, though, to see Lord Business's Lair and Millennium Falcon there, knowing those were REALLY cheap at Target on their last clearance.

cleverusername

Walmart is messed up. There was a large cart with several sets that were on clearance. They had a #79003 Unexpected Gathering for $69.99. Several other sets had that red & white clearance price sticker, but they were full retail. I think it is a great idea to display products that you wish to move quickly in high-traffic areas. However, pushing them as clearance seems deceptive.

Thanos75

My local Wal-Mart had two isles of LEGO clearance. Much of it like you said isn't marked down at all but it has a clearance sticker on it. They have two tables right by the front door that has 50% off toys on it. Everyday they have been moving one Lego set to the table. So I guess it's smart on their part .

kor

I found 79008 Pirate Ship Ambush for 74.00 and Battle at the Black Gate for around 45.00 I think. There were a few other things but they were only about 10% off. They had a bunch of the Goblin King Battle with clearance stickers on that at full retail. Gotta love walmart.

GIR3691

if the red sticker has two prices on it (old and new), it's a clearance tag. If it only has one price, it's overstock product.

scotty12

Walmart is just cleverly sneaky. Same red tag....one just means clearance with 2 prices on it, same tag with one price on it means overstock....yet both items are sitting in the clearance isle. I've got a local WM that has had Lego in the clearance isle since before X-Mas of '13...with the single price red tag. I don't know how many people I've listen too talking about buying them "on sale" and then have to tell them it's still full price.
What does "Overstock" really mean?? The WM around here red tag it as 'overstock' but there's only 1-2 sets on the shelve.....they sit there awhile....finally sell....but the item is never replaced. So where it overstocked? Does overstock really mean it hasn't sold as fast as projected and they want it off the shelves?

speedpro50

I picked up a couple of Pirate Ship Ambush (79008) for $74 a piece tonight.

Thanos75

I thought if the price ends in ".00" then it's a clearance item but if it ends in ".97" or ".98" then it's an overstock item.

wagnerml2

Picked up a #31009 small cottage for $15. The price checker said "see sales associate" so I found a person in the clearance aisle with a pricing gun and she marked at $15 for me. Other lego (mostly Chima) in the clearance section by in the 20-25% off range. On a side note, WM clearance aisles are scary places.

goshe7

When, oh when, will Walmart stop playing around and get to real clearance prices?

OUWxGuesser

Not confident it will happen again in our region (North Dakota). We are a fairly big destination for Canadian shoppers and they shop like crazy down here. I think the overstock clearance tag trick works wonders. Meanwhile, Target never goes below 30% for LEGO.

Thanos75

This is what the clearance section at a local Wal-Mart looks like. Only 20-30% off. Nothing worth grabbing yet.

mathew

Walmart clearance sucks big time. The very fact that they throw full price sets in the clearance aisle should be a red flag as to their selling tactics.

GallardoLU

my local Walmart has a Collectors edition of Guild wars Factions still on the shelves (game came out in 06 I believe) it has been clearance since 2007 (almost bought it but packaging was destroyed) my point is that its now 2014 and its still on the shelf! its only got 1 price on the sticker Original Retail price.... 69.99 but its been in the store longer than anything else. just goes to show that Walmart will do anything for an extra buck.

Shpadoinkle

I think it's more an issue of space. The stores certainly don't want empty shelves so to them there is no reason to discount old stock just to make empty shelf space.

Of course this flies in the face of the high inventory turnover model, but Walmart as a whole seems to still pack in the customers so why change?

My wife and I used to check our local store once a week, now it's maybe once a month and the items are always the same. Until things change I've completely given up on Walmart clearance.

jnorlund

Good to know on the overstock piece, I was wondering about the different red sticker. Walmart has hit an all time low for me. And to think I thought no one could beat Toys R Us in terms of stinginess and tricky tactics......

GIR3691

It's not like the overstock tags are a new thing... They've been doing that for years.

A retailer not wanting to discount product beyond 30% doesn't make them evil. Of all the reasons you could have to hate Walmart, this is probably at the bottom of the list.

The incidents people have been reporting sound more like inventory errors or employees not giving a crap, not the managers rubbing their hands together over how best to screw someone out of a clearance sale.

goshe7

GIR3691 said:

It's not like the overstock tags are a new thing... They've been doing that for years.

A retailer not wanting to discount product beyond 30% doesn't make them evil. Of all the reasons you could have to hate Walmart, this is probably at the bottom of the list.

The incidents people have been reporting sound more like inventory errors or employees not giving a crap, not the managers rubbing their hands together over how best to screw someone out of a clearance sale.

Wait, what? You mean Wal*Mart isn't in the business of tying up their money in inventory and then giving it away later? And I thought I understood their business model. ;)