Collectible Minifigs locked at TRU

thedingman5

My local TRU (Melrose Park, IL) has placed all Series 12 and 13 minifigs in cases. The associate has to open and hands you the minifigs!

Anti-theft I'm sure, but the end of feeling the blind bags?

Anyone see this before?

Rails

Nothing like that in the UK. Hardly seems worth it for the value of them.

MrJ_NY

That's the last time I'd be shopping for CMF's there...plenty of other stores.

brickmatt

Haven't seen that in the US before either. I was just in a TRU on Saturday and they had 2 boxes of series 12 sitting out with the rest of the Lego.

madforLEGO

I went to a Target in the Chicagoland area (western burbs) and they were not behind a counter or locked up in 'glass' . My guess is they are in the locked box to thwart thieves either stealing the packages or cutting them open for the contents, more than 'feelers'. If LEGO keeps upping the cost of these I would say theft is going to get more prevalent. 3.99 USD for a figure is a joke, especially when you see the same store have something like this #30226 or #30313 for sale for 3.49 USD.

Shib

The closest I've seen is having them behind tills which is fairly standard for WH Smiths in the UK. Probably more anti theft than anything else, easy to pocket item that's also easy to sell.

empire

It would be so easy to steal these at most stores. Walmart here has the most, and they were in the back where the toys are, someone would have no problems either ripping them open and taking the figs or just stuffing packages into their pockets. Our TRU has them up front right beside the tills, they're right there so you can feel them if you want, and visible enough where you can't steal them.

CCC

Rails said:

Nothing like that in the UK. Hardly seems worth it for the value of them.

There has been. I remember seeing series 4 and 5 done like this in Tesco in Maryhill, Glasgow.

madforLEGO

empire said:

It would be so easy to steal these at most stores. Walmart here has the most, and they were in the back where the toys are, someone would have no problems either ripping them open and taking the figs or just stuffing packages into their pockets. Our TRU has them up front right beside the tills, they're right there so you can feel them if you want, and visible enough where you can't steal them.

Well a lot of people here have mentioned Walmart as a place to do that type of activity.

I know the TRUs used to have them at the front of the store, but probably got tired of watching people feel packs all day and if they have more than one box, or end cap they likely throw them in a bin. I think one TRU by me still has them at the electronics counter. You can feel the packs, but with an employee usually staring at you doing it.

I know I was feeling packs at a Target by me and there was an employee eventually loitering around near me 'straightening a shelf' for about 10 minutes. I almost wanted to turn to them and say 'Relax, if I was stealing them I would not be standing here feeling them'

Mojoest

Rails said:

Nothing like that in the UK. Hardly seems worth it for the value of them.

I've seen then individually locked like this in Sainsbury's (UK Supermarket) before now. Thankfully they don't seem to have continued it. I guess it might just be a localised reaction to people opening packs and leaving them with stock they can't sell, but then once they realise how much effort it takes and that they don't have enough boxes for them all, the decision to box them is soon forgotten.

Also it seems a bit pointless as there are unboxed ones behind the from few.

TheLoneTensor

If I can't feel the packs for the few specific, already-overpriced figs I'm looking for, my interest in these will plummet to near zero.

samiam391

One of the top items in my con list for series figures. I have no problem dropping a bit more on the figures that I missed out on (series 1, 2, etc.), fair enough. However, I'm not the least bit excited about the future of these figures with the rising prices. I'm not interested in perhaps eventually dropping $5 a figure, or even $4, what it is now, for that matter.

krklint

people will still be able to purchase and take home/ go to parking lot, feel for the figure they want, and then return the rest.

1265

^^
There are some folks who have bought an entire new display case of minifigures and then returned the majority of them after feeling through the packages. I'll be kind and refer these folks as opportunists.

madforLEGO

^- Yeah, would not be upset if stores instituted a 'no returns' policy on these.

Basta

I have seen only a few stores with locked up CMF's here in Australia, it has always been in areas that most would consider "The bad part of town".

@madforLEGO‌ the problem is that most large stores have a pretty liberal returns policy on just about everything, they use it as a marketing tactic. So I doubt they would in act an actual policy, they may stop regular offenders some how though.

Brickman

Well that's dumb and If I know employees, it will be impossible to find one to open the case for you if you just want one. I just buy the figs I want on eBay

77ncaachamps

My TRUs have them in their boxes behind the counters or just a few on the shelves or end caps.

Target either have them hanging on the end caps or at the electronics register.

SumoLego

In upstate New York, when the Simpsons Minifigures were out, they only had 5 on display, and you had to go to the front desk to purchase any higher quantities.

They were able to sell me a sealed case - so atleast that was convenient.  I'm always very weary of purchasing a case (or multiple minifigures) if the packs have been picked over already.

The Lego Retail Store in my area will only permit purchase of 32 figures at a time.  Personally, I think if they were really worried about the product being returned - they could sell a case, but only accept the return if the case remain sealed.

Or, they could probably care less so long as the product is off of the shelves...

ryjay

I wish TRU & Target  would just open them all up so we can see what they are....that way I'd buy 16!  Now, we buy zero cuz I'm tired of the kids getting duplicates at $3.99 a pop!!  If there is a special one they like, we wait and get it at a toy show.

SumoLego

Last week, they had completely open cases of Series 12 and Series 13 at TRU in the section mismarked as clearance items.

(Suffice to say, neither Series 12 or Series 13 scanned as clearance...)

TheLoneTensor

^^ Why not feel for the ones you are looking for?  With a little practice, certain figs can be identified quickly.

TarDomo

They´ll lose more money and customers when they do this than if they just let it be. Maybe some idiots steal a few, open some... but anyways this is worse business.

SumoLego

I think they should go back to the bar codes from Series 1 and Series 2.  It takes the guesswork out, and probably would save everyone time that is looking for a set.

CCC

SumoLego said:

I think they should go back to the bar codes from Series 1 and Series 2.  It takes the guesswork out, and probably would save everyone time that is looking for a set.

Rumour has it that they got rid of the bar codes to stop people doing that.

SumoLego

I'd be interested to see if there is any marketing data that supports higher sales if the random packs aren't easily discernible. 

They did remove the bar codes for a number of reasons - that among them.  I also believe the multiple bar codes on the packaging was confusing for the larger resellers. 

The first run of CMFs did not sell very well out of the gate, so it's easy to scapegoat the easily defeated "randomness" factor. 

I'm also curious if the computer code inserts from Series 12 and Series 13 boosted the sales.  I'm guessing the gimmick of Mr. Gold from Series 10 didn't do as well as anticipated - as that promotion wasn't repeated.

minicoopers11

Shib said:

The closest I've seen is having them behind tills which is fairly standard for WH Smiths in the UK. Probably more anti theft than anything else, easy to pocket item that's also easy to sell.

I've seen this at TRU, but never locked up on the floor. Either on the floor and not locked up or behind the customer service counter.

TheLoneTensor

SumoLego said:

I think they should go back to the bar codes from Series 1 and Series 2.  It takes the guesswork out, and probably would save everyone time that is looking for a set.

If they still did this, there would be many fewer mangled minifig packs out there.

monkey

madforLEGO said:

My guess is they are in the locked box to thwart thieves either stealing the packages or cutting them open for the contents, more than 'feelers'. 

You're probably right though I'd totally understand a manager if they locked the minifigures up for the latter reason. Especially in a toy and baby store like TRU, unless you understand the concept of AFOL (which kids don't and neither do many parents) a scene with a big dude standing by the shelf for hours "feeling" the little packets is bound to appear weird, and not in a good way.

As for suggestion to open the packets/make them identifiable I think we're again forgetting that Lego primarily is a toy and oriented at kids. There is a fun to be had in choosing the packet not knowing which figure is inside, hoping to get the right one and waiting with excitement until you can open it and find out. Then if you get the wrong one there will be disappointment of failure, but it is part of the deal as without it there would be no joy of success.

VaderX

^@Monkey  your whole comment made me roll m eyes...

I feel packs all the time before I buy them.  Sorry if they were still 2$ like series one I wouldn't do it.  I'm not going to pay 3-4$ per fig for duplicates I will never use or want. Many times over I have helped other people find ones they want or share the space with someone also filling for the ones they want. 

Some of the TRU in my area have them behind the main counter to help deter theft.
I would imagine as the people get tired of seeing the price double on CMF for less value theft will become a greater issue in stores.

I see many adults in the toy store not with children looking for action figures, Hotwheels, or simply shopping without their children with them.  By your account all these people are somehow weird, and not in a good way?

Solarious

I would never actually do it but this thread is totally making me want to go to Toys R Us and steel a bunch of CMF

CCC

That beats chroming them.

monkey

VaderX said:

Many times over I have helped other people find ones they want or share the space with someone also filling for the ones they want.

So now it is two dudes standing by the shelf for hours massaging the packets. That really does help with the weirdness issue :smiley: 

VaderX

^Who said anything about two dudes?  For hours? I can find the whole collection in less than 15 min.  You sound like a young child who should not be on this site.  

Solarious

He was being facetious

Solarious

"That beats chroming them"

Argh!
Stupid fat fingers and spell check!

I usually notice the really dumb ones like that too

Pitfall69

Ha!!! It isn't the the dudes or dudettes feeling the packages that are weird; it is the faces that they makes and all the noise from the crinkling of the packets :) My wife saw me feeling some packets one time and she said the faces I was making were interesting.

SumoLego

Objectively, it's weird to smush Minifigure packs.  However, it's a necessity to complete sets at a reasonable cost.

And that's before steeling, chroming, or dipping them in a fudge fondue.

Which is also weird.

monkey

^^ Lol someone should take a video surreptitiously and post it on youtube, that'll get some views! :smile: (pity the professionals like Vader here will scream bloody murder pressing the spam buttons and demanding it to be removed, spoiling us all the fun..)

Shib

monkey said:, unless you understand the concept of AFOL (which kids don't and neither do many parents) a scene with a big dude standing by the shelf for hours "feeling" the little packets is bound to appear weird, and not in a good way.

Plenty of parents also touch ID, so I think those that see a lone adult feeling for the parts in a Lego blind bag would just assume they are buying them for their child.

monkey

Can't think of many ordinary parents doing more than picking three or four packets maybe choosing the bulkiest etc and moving on, but this is different from meticulously going through the whole box sorry. 

Shib

My personal experience is that parents will. I've spoken to parents iding them and even helped some in the past. Obviously not all parents will, but equally not all AFOLs will either. My first CMFs were given to me by a non AFOL who said they'd fondled the packs to make sure there were no doubles.

monkey

Maybe. I'd still think it could be a good idea for Lego to make the packets "unfeelable", maybe small boxes or similar. Would be fair and square for everyone, AFOLs and kids alike. Its additional expense though so unlikely they'll do it! 

CCC

My experience is that parents will do it too.

The pros and cons of making them purely blind has been discussed many times too - pros: truly blind / random, no damage to parts by aggressive feeling, cons: probably more expensive, more likely to be opened and dumped before being purchased, harder to get what you want without doubles so some people stop buying, bad for people that don't want to open them but still have a complete set, probably bulkier so more shelf space needed and transportation costs go up. There's probably more points that I forget right now.

monkey

^Lock them up then, as TRU guy did! ;) Seriously though I agree there is probably no ideal solution, and its not really a big issue at all, compared to other things you can collect in Lego CMFs are fairly insignificant. Just weird, a little bit unfair to kids and it would be nicer to have toy stores without AFOL, if occasional, occupation. 

thehornedrat

CCC said:

That beats chroming them.

That chemical smell when you cut open the packet? Takes deeeeeeeep breath. Smells great!

VorpalRyu

Big W stores in Australia have started putting them in anti-theft cases in some store, while others have them on a shelf at the Returns/Information counter. With the fact that it varies from store to store, I'd say its a trial run to see which way is more effective in combating theft.

xiahna

I've recently started buying these. Went to a store where they have them in cases, and the chick was like 'do you want to feel it to make sure its the one you want?' ... I was like 'kinda defeats the point of this' lol. I'm an adult and I like the suprise lol

Solarious

I like the surprise too
I'm only going to buy like 2-3 packs per series so I'm not too worried about getting doubles
And let's be honest- of all the lego out there do I really need to be spending $4 for a single fig?
That's $65 without tax for an entire series

cheshirecat

Uhhh, how does any multiple of 4 equal 65?  ;) (Other than 16.25)

I've given up on CMFs which leads to a very liberating feeling.

Solarious

Fine
4x16=64
I rounded up a little

Really if you want to be that anal
3.99x15=63.84

And if you want to be REALLY specific
63.84+.06%(sales tax here in Michigan)=$67.67 for a full set without duplicates

I hope that's right
I did it all in my head