Toys R Us...R U For Real?

BombTec

I agree 100% Keta! I will travel the 60mi to the nearest Lego Store or buy [email protected] before I will ever buy another Lego product at TRU. Too many times they list the MSRP as $10-$20 over to give you a false impression of getting a deal.

Nadana86

There was a big TRU thing in Germany a few weeks back when they advertised the Maersk Train #10219 more than 40% off. On the website it was sold out at 7am, in stores just right after opening because all stores had only around 5 sets available. The deal was supposed to be available for 2 weeks!

Later that day you were able to order online again with delivery scheduled 1-2 weeks later. All of those orders have been cancelled a few days later, some people have not even been noticed. It took 2 weeks til I had my money back, other people were waiting even longer.

A few e-mails back and forth and nothing but a "sorry, technical problem".

sadowsk1

TRU does a fair amount of questionable business practices no doubt. I'd still buy from them if the price was right, always hard to pass up a good deal when they do come around.

Oldfan

I walk into TRU all the time to see what they have. But, I never buy anything LEGO other than polybags, since the boxed sets are all ~20% higher than TLG's online prices. I just wait for shipping deals and buy online rather than buy at TRU prices.

doriansdad

Their last ditch effort to save themselves with their own tablet for kids (priced just $10 cheaper than a Kindle Fire) should be a huge fail. I think once Amazon rolls out same day delivery nationwide while still being cheaper than TRU the end is near for this retailer. They are way down the bottom of the list for my Lego purchases. I have not seen a decent Lego sale from them in over a year, and if they did Amazon would price match.

akunthita

Yeah, with TRU you always have to do your homework. Recently Jason from the Brickshow did an excellent tutorial just how to do the TRU math: http://thebrickblogger.com/2012/10/lego-shopping-toysrus-deals/

I rarely go to TRU with the intention of shopping, but one thing I do like about TRU is their LEGO display cases. The closest LEGO store to me is 2 hours away, so for me the best place to see new sets built and displayed is TRU.

Even with all the pictures available online and even holding the box and looking at the pictures does not equal to seeing a set for real. The experience more then once pushed me either into buying a set I wasn't sure about before, or deciding against a set I thought I liked.

So for this experience I'm grateful to TRU. And I always end up buying a little something while I'm there....(c:

Pitfall69

Well...you can look at this from another angle. My friend is a manager at a ToysRUs and my goal is obviously not to put them out of business. I will certainly not stop buying from ToysRUs, but I won't buy anything from them that is marked up. They have some good sales at times. Informed buyers shouldn't have a problem navigation the myriad of sales and exclusions.

murphquake

@keta123,
Can't say I blame you but here's a few things I noticed on your issues with TRU:

Your "FIRST" point: TRU doesn't consider LEGO sets to be "Toys" but instead they are "Building Sets" or "Construction Sets". Even within LEGO they break down further and exclude LEGO Games from many LEGO sales they offer.

"SECOND": TRU BOGO50%Off sales (25%off of the listed price in other words) are normally slightly marked up higher than their already marked up prices, BUT it doesn't mean there are no deals to be found. I suspect the two TRUs both know me as the fat lego guy who price scans almost everything they sell with LEGO written on it, then does it again a week or two later. When the first week of Bricktober had BOGO40%Off and get the free Vintage Minifig Set with a buy over $60 I was able to get about $100 of RRP LEGO for just over $60 two times that week, and each time got the VMF set. By continuing to make sure I was aware of any sales and coupons I did almost as well every week to follow. The hardest thing to do is get them to stack sale prices with coupons and other promos, but i've had some success there too, not always but sometimes. It never hurts to ask.

"THIRD": TRU calling LEGO at or above RRP "on sale" is nothing new, the one by me even jacks up their prices on older items above their previous prices as they become scarce. They're hardly the only store to do so. The thing is if you want the option to go to a physical store and choose from a large selection of LEGO there's few places that can compete with TRU in most areas (WM & Target, with great variation in the amount of LEGO they actually have). The downside of that is TRU feels the need to keep their prices high to have shelves stocked like that. Wait for sales and shop smartly and this isn't an issue. I have knowingly bought several things at higher than RRP prices this year at TRU because they wouldn't be available elsewhere for quite some time. Getting them when I saw them was worth not waiting til I could find them somewhere else. I put my money down and had the sets I wanted the first chance I got. Even then I didn't always get hosed, I often would find something at a great discount to offset the upcharge I was paying. I know other people who get stuff at TRU when it comes out but will get another at a LEGO store later on and return it to TRU effectively getting their cake and eating it too by having the item as soon as it shows up on shelves and not paying the "TRU Tax" in the long run.

"FOURTH": I'd say it would be safe to guess you were trying to get "The Mine". It's been common knowledge on here that TRU was aware of the mistake WM made on Sunday and issued notice to their stores not to match the price on that item. Their policies clearly allow them not to do this. The person at the CS counter might not have been aware of this. (A tip, go straight to CS to checkout whenever you can, it's usually someone with a little authority to make deals, and you skip the lines at the check out counters) Had you tried to make the buy with the CS girl who told you yes you might have gotten away with it. If the manager refused you should have asked them if they could make another offer. I believe their policy mandates that the item in question be in-stock physically at a local branch of the other store, and they apparently will call and ask. WM chose to continue honoring the price on The Mine this week as a show of good faith to their customers, and many of us appreciate that. I know I do. However, I live in NYC, where there is not a single WallyWorld to be found within the City limits, so I don't have that option regularly.

I know a lot of us hate TRU as well but I doubt you'll get many takers on this board as most of us will take a decent deal anywhere we can get it (if we can get it) and consider the occasional "no" from TRU on a deal just part of the cost of trying to get a better deal. Sometimes though you come out way ahead, I've gotten several promo polys (mostly bricktober magnets from last year) for a penny each by checking TRU carefully for LEGO deals when I have a chance. I'm fortunate that I live in a small "Bermuda Triangle for AFOLs" with TRU, Target AND a LEGO Store all a few blocks away. I greatly prefer shopping at the LEGO Store, and they know me quite well, but TRU gets a fair amount of my business and Target almost none. In NYC many retailers have "urban pricing" and this Target is one... They constantly have things on "sale" and "clearance" above RRP, including things that the day before were at or below RRP. They have nationwide store and online sales that are several dollars more here, negating the savings or making it negligible. But they have a decent beer selection and are next to the subway so I go there regularly anyway, and once in a blue moon get lego.... Heck I just got a polybag there on Friday!

Good luck with your riot, I hope it doesn't cause you to miss out on another good LEGO deal. If you feel the problem is that your local TRU consistently refuses to honor their sales then you should make a written complaint to TRU in addition to calling, you might get a worthwhile response or a change in their practices.

cloaked7

I posted this back in February. :-)
= = = = = =
I have a love/hate relationship with TRU. Hate them because they do mark up prices, so you have to be careful and always check how much, if any, they have marked up LEGOS. Love them because when they have a BOGO I have gotten LEGOS at really good prices. Hate them because of their return policy. Love them because they offer a slight discount if you have a TRU CC and/or TRU Rewards card. Hate them because the Rewards coupons will come at the same time but have different expiration dates, and often for only 2-3 weeks. (The TRU CC coupons are not like that.) Love them because they have the largest LEGO selection in town. Hate them because their ads will said 'All', then have an exclusion when you get to the store. I have learned that I just have to be a smart consumer when dealing with TRU, and if I am I can get some really good deals. Recently they had a BOGO Half Off sale and my store had 2 Unimogs. They were marked up to $210 (a small mark up), but I had a $10 Reward coupon, so I got them one for $205, one for $105. I was pleased. Also, they will have a on line sale and limit quantities or run out of some sets, but if you get there first you can maybe get a Fire Brigade and a Grand Emporium and get one half off. Course, they won't let you get two of either of them at the same time, but if you mix and match for an equivalent item you can get a good deal.
It is difficult for me blast them too much, because Amazon and Target will mark up LEGO prices above retail at times. I figure it simply has to do with supply and demand. Just like it is on eBay.

ajhuddy

I have only been apart of this "scene" for a month or so... have really enjoyed building 7965, and 10212. Seeing comments about Toys R Us like this is a bit puzzling to me. Granted their prices may be higher than LEGO online, but they do have rent, utilities, and employee salaries to pay. Not to mention they are in the business to making money.

A call for a boycott seems a bit harsh just because their prices are high. If they were involved in some sort of child-labor / toxic waste dumping scandal, that would be different. At the end of the day, aren't they just a reseller of goods?

Basta

ajhuddy said:

I have only been apart of this "scene" for a month or so... have really enjoyed building 7965, and 10212. Seeing comments about Toys R Us like this is a bit puzzling to me. Granted their prices may be higher than LEGO online, but they do have rent, utilities, and employee salaries to pay. Not to mention they are in the business to making money.

A call for a boycott seems a bit harsh just because their prices are high. If they were involved in some sort of child-labor / toxic waste dumping scandal, that would be different. At the end of the day, aren't they just a reseller of goods?

Although a boycott is probably going a little far, I think the point is that TRU marks up their Lego more then Recommended Retail Price (RRP). In Australia at least, all the large chain stores seem to sell Lego at the RRP and in a couple of cases a little less then RRP.

RRP is what Lego sets as the price for resellers to sell it at, so the augment about Rent etc. does not hold (Obviously it is only Recommended, so they can charge what they want).

The other thing is the way they do sales, it is terrible and some would call it misleading. I love how they have "20% of all toys" then an exclusion list nearly as long as their inventory list. Most other retailers may have 1 or 2 exclusions but I see nothing comparable to what TRU has.

Lastly if they do indeed jack the standard price of an item up on the same day a sale starts, then revert the standard price back the day the sale ends I think this is very dodgy and they should get flack for doing it.

Dougout

Haven't been to TRU since my last Rewards coupons were deemed useless as everything they had was far over RRP. After all my bad experiences, the only time I shop there now is during BOGOs and we may be seeing an end to those as we speak. Sad to see a business struggle, but it can be expected when you practice shady advertising techniques like they do.

mr_benn

For what it's worth, I quite like TRU, and if you are an informed shopper then the markups that they do put on some of the sets should just have you rolling your eyes, rather than spitting feathers and calling for a boycott! They sometimes do have some nice discounts, especially on discontinued sets, and my personal experience has been that the staff are always very helpful (and particularly willing to go round the back and hunt for new boxes of Transformers for me!)

tamamahm

Stores have different models. There are stores that are high price stores that generally do not offer discounts. There are discount stores. There is every facet of sales model in between.

Toys-R-Us has the model of jack up the price and then offer coupons and discounts every week or other week, so you feel like you are getting a good bargain, while you probably are getting only a small discount.

It generally requires one to be a smart consumer. I have purchased several good deals over the years from Toys-R-Us, had no issues, and saved money.

In the examples you give...
The 4th is a known entity. They explicitly say that to price match the other store has to have stock.

The 3rd is definitely a known entity. That is the business model I describe above. you really have to watch your prices, and then only purchase items that are at standard retail to get a good bargain. Kohls is another store I often see with a similar model.

The 2nd....I personally have not encountered this in any of my purchases at any Toys-R-Us or any other store. I have seen other stores, occasionally use a practice where they have a temporary price cut on an item, as opposed to a sale, and then the item goes back to normal prices during a sale. I wonder if that was what you encountered.

The 1rst... To me that is the one issue out of the four you mentioned. I did experience something similar, where they announced a sale...the sale was working fine. Then they out out another code, and suddenly their sale for the first item stopped working, despite it supposedly being on sale still. It was not something I wanted, but if it was, I would have needed to call them on it. Anyway, I have seen several flaky things this year along this line. This tends to be my bigger issue. I think they're was a case in the last few months, where they had a Lego sale, but the big sets were not showing up as part of that. Nothing anywhere said there was no discount. I think several people called in their order for that and got a price adjust.

Honestly, as others have said, I usually avoid Toys-R-Us, unless I can guarantee I can get a good discount. I almost always purchase online and not in store. For Playmobil, as long as I watch my prices, I have found very good discounts, and they are my goto store for Playmobil. For Lego, I almost never buy from them. I can usually find better deals elsewhere, but I still have found a few good deals over the years.

bigjsd

No need for a boycott ,TRU is doing just fine at killing off their business all by themselves. Their pricing policies come very close to being an unfair business practice in my opinion. With that being said consumers have a choice to shop eleswhere and prevent them from getting away with such practices.

I personally quit buying anything other than Lego minifigs from TRU quite a few years ago. I am lucky however to live in Southern Ca, where I have a Wal-Mart, Target and even a Lego brand store within a reasonable distance of my home where I can buy Lego's. Even without those stores there is always Amazon.

Brickassaul21

Is it me or it pretty much seems like all employees are di**s (sorry for name calling but it just feels that way admins) in my state because I've been to three different locations they treated me like crap they think im to old for Legos

Renny

Actually tried buying a set online today and realized that you can only use one $5 reward per transaction. Instead of being treated like a $5 gift card, it is rung up as a $5 off promotion and multiple promotions cannot be used. What good is having $20 worth of rewards if I have to claim them one at a time.

Anyone know if they will accept multiple rewards in store?

nkx1

Renny said:

What good is having $20 worth of rewards if I have to claim them one at a time.

Anyone know if they will accept multiple rewards in store?

Well, there's not very much "good" in it for you, but there is for TRU if you use them one at a time haha. That's why I don't bother with their rewards program (or many other rewards programs for that matter).

Sorry, no idea if they'll let you use more than one. If the policy states only one can be used at a time, I probably wouldn't count on TRU employees breaking that policy.

jadeirene

@Renny, they will let you use more than one at a time in store, but make sure that they are all for the same time period. They usually try breaking it up into different redemption times so that you have to make multiple purchases. I've also had bad luck trying to stack them with coupons (even though TRU rewards dollars are not coupons). I hope you find something worthwhile to buy!

cloaked7

^ Yup, I confirm jadeirene's post. I have used multiple reward coupons together at the same time. Have done so more than once.

Renny

Thanks for the info. Really annoying that they only let you use one online. Nice way of forcing someone to get into a physical store so you feel like you have to buy something to make the trip worthwhile.

cloaked7

^ Also, TRU may be getting better on the dating of the rewards coupons. The 4 $5.00 ones I got this week are good to 12/31, all of them. In the past the dates would have been staggered and each coupon only good for about 2 weeks. Hopefully they improved (corrected, he he) that aspect.

Bandit

Yeah, the coupons themselves say only 1 can be used at a time online, but any number can be used in store. I'm assuming this is just a limitation of their online payment system. (surprise surprise!)

madforLEGO

^ I have 20 dollars in rewards bucks, but I am hard pressed to use them. I mean I stay away from sets that are most likely one to be scammed (That is emptied of it original contents and resealed) AND the fact they upped the prices on most stuff you will find at the store by 10-20% you really save nothing at least not enough for me to drive to the one TRU I know has tons of LEGO in stock.
And do not forget you cannot use them all at once, only on the dates designated on the coupons themselves...

GIR3691

Got a 20% off any one item coupon off Facebook today. Went into TRU to see if there was anything worth getting. In anticipation for the holidays, they've marked up all the LEGO sets well beyond what they usually do. They also had a bunch of sets "on sale," which couldn't be stacked with my coupon. The "sale" prices were slightly over MSRP.

Also... Star Wars Advent Calendar "on sale" for $49.99?! Are you kidding me?

Unbelievable. I had a 20% off coupon in my hand and couldn't find a single thing that would cost standard MSRP AFTER I used it!

Awful, awful store. I left the coupon in the LEGO aisle in hopes of relieving some poor soul who didn't know any better.

goshe7

keta123 said:

FOURTH - tonight I went in to 'price match' a set Wal-Mart had on their website...

I grabbed three of the sets and went to the register with my phone. The cashier needed a manger override.

I have yet to find a store that will price match more than 1 of any item. I'm sure the three sets were Christmas presents for cleft-lipped war orphans, but please get past the initial emotion and be objective.

keta123 said:

I was told that no Wal Marts had the item in stock and were unable to offer this one to me because of that.

Again, standard price match policy from any retailer is that the item must be available at the other store. The point of offering a price match is that you *chose* to shop at their store when you could have shopped at the original advertiser.

Historically this has been very difficult to prove, but the internet is changing that.

As for me, I will continue to shop at TRU any time a suitable deal can be had.

Pacific493

When it comes to Lego, TRU basically sucks a**. Their pricing practices are atrocious and reflect a corporate assumption that any customer who comes in to buy Lego has the word "sucker" stamped on his or her forehead. The only time I ever buy Lego from TRU is when they have an exclusive (like the Batman jetski). Otherwise, I avoid them like the plague because they are a complete waste of time.

However, I do have to say that for other toys, they are just fine.

Penkid11

Pacific493 said:

When it comes to Lego, TRU basically sucks a**.

That's putting it lightly...

LegoFanTexas

Penkid11 said:

Pacific493 said:

When it comes to Lego, TRU basically sucks a**.

That's putting it lightly...

Yes, but consider that the average person simply doesn't know this...

I have found many people I know buy LEGO at TRU, for various reasons. When I tell them it is priced over retail most of them are shocked, the thought never occoured to them, they thought that is just what it cost.

I of course have directed them to the LEGO store, most of whom didn't even know it existed, even though the mall it is in is across the street from TRU.

JBricks27

Come to the LEGO store! (If there is one within driving distance)

iancam33

You have to know how to work the system at TRU. I myself buy online using ebates. I will then return the item to use in-store coupons(online prices on average are cheaper). Right now they have 20% off. If you get the product for retail online then take it back to the store and use the coupon you can get a decent deal. Otherwise i use them for items you can't get anywhere else.....ie the polybags.

Sometimes you can find out of production items. For example i picked up the creator off-road power. I used gift cards from prior purchases so it did not cost me a dime for the set(at least this time around).

Ma1234

iancam33 said:

You have to know how to work the system at TRU. I myself buy online using ebates. I will then return the item to use in-store coupons(online prices on average are cheaper). Right now they have 20% off. If you get the product for retail online then take it back to the store and use the coupon you can get a decent deal. Otherwise i use them for items you can't get anywhere else.....ie the polybags.

Sometimes you can find out of production items. For example i picked up the creator off-road power. I used gift cards from prior purchases so it did not cost me a dime for the set(at least this time around).

When you return the item the clerk will actually adjust the price down for the coupon?

Picopirate

@Ma1234. Yes. The coupons usually say that they cannot be applied to prior purchases, however if you are within the return period then they will do it. Otherwise you just returned the item and buy it again with the coupon.

meyerc13

Latest TRU story. My wife is there to pick up some games for the kids today. I ask her to scan the Red Cargo Train to see how marked up it is. It rings up at $135. Wow, it's on sale. I remember that there was a coupon in their Pre-BF catalog, so my wife drives home to pick it up. Drives back to the store, now having wasted probably $5 in gas, and takes the set to the register. The sale price rings up, until the coupon is scanned. Then the price changes to $160 and it knocks off the $30 coupon. My wife didn't catch this (she isn't as used to TRU's shady practices as I am) until she gets to the car.

Here are my problems with this:
1) In what universe besides TRU does using a coupon result in the item's price changing? If I go to the grocery store and use a coupon, even a store coupon, the item's price doesn't change from a sale price back to MSRP.

2) Why in the heck didn't the cashier say something? You can't just change the prices on the fly without telling the customer. It's one thing to say, "I'm sorry, the coupon can't be combined with this sale, but since the coupon is a better deal I can use it instead of the sale." But no, that didn't happen, the price just magically changed without the cashier uttering a peep.

I hate TRU, and will happily take my business to the LEGO store. I don't even care if I pay more, at this point it is the principle of the matter. TRU's business practices are among the worst of any major retailer, and I'm just sick of them. I'm tempted to spend my free time sitting in their LEGO aisle directing customers to better prices at other retailers.

madforLEGO

I had purchased 3 9516 Jabba's Palaces during their B2G1F event about 1 1/2 months ago and received a 9516 and two Hogwarts castle... I contacted TRU and they said they would send me an RMA, they did not. So during their 'QnA' call to me asking about my experience, had to explain the whole issue and then I explained I received no RMA, nor did I receive the correct sets sent to me. He explained that I would not received the replacements until I sent the other sets back, to which I understood and he finally got me the RMA tags. . So I get the RMA tags and he says once they are returned back to the Warehouse they will ship the 9516's out to me.I sent out the Castles the next day. Flash forward another 3 weeks where I go to wondering where are my items? I checked the RMA tracking and it showed that they received them 3 weeks before but still no sets.
After sending a lengthy email (I was not going to explain the whole situation a 3rd time) I got the customer service direct number, to which they said they fix it (they forgot to check a box.. that is right FORGOT to CHECK a BOX), I got a order number and I though all was well.. I got the item and found it was only 1 not 2.. To which I had to call and explain everything AGAIN, to which they found out the did not change the quantities to two this was AFTER I explained on the first call I was missing TWO sets. So finally I am now receiving the last set I was missing today. So I finally had my order completed about 2 months after placing it. What a joke.

I admit despite this issue (and others I believe had similar issues initially with receiving the wrong things during that B2G1F) I will not completely 'boycott' TRU, THey keep the mods at RRP (for now at least) and if there are BOGO50 or B2G1F sales and the sets i want are at retail, or very near on the expensive sets, I probably will still buy ass they are usually pretty good deals, otherwise Ill watch Amazon.com

LegoFanTexas

^ Why would you buy modulars at RRP from TRU when Amazon sells them for RRP?

I've had that same sort of problem, reread the abuse you just typed, why on earth would you want to put up with that?

As much as we need competition, I'd be perfectly happy for TRU to go out of business with the way they do business.

madforLEGO

^ because after hundreds of transactions this was the only foul up and I have had transactions since.
Do not get me wrong, if there is a better sale price to be had at Amazon Im all for it, but Mods are not gauranteed to go on sale as frequently as they do at TRU (well used to anyway)
So in the future would Id buy more from Amazon? Absolutely, but if there is a TRU B2G1F deal for something like a DS I'm going to TRU.

Jenni

There were signs in the LEGO aisle today

$25 off your LEGO purchase of $100 or more

Excludes Technic and regular price sets

And that would leave....?

cloaked7

Same sale on the TRU website. I have no idea what LEGOS this applies to. I tried several sets, all that came to $100+ and the $25 discount was never applied. After several minutes of trying to figure it out I gave up. I was going to order a few #9471 but TRU would NOT apply $25 off even after putting 4 in my cart. So, I just went to Amazon and got a couple. Amazon had them for a little cheaper, plus tax free, so it was a no brainer. And, worked out for the best. No hassle, lower price, easy decision.

cloaked7

@Jenni Did you happen to see any of the Mirkwood Elf polys in the TRU store? Was thinking of stopping by my TRU tomorrow to check, but don't want to make the trip unless there's a good chance they have them in store.

Jenni

@cloaked7 No, that's why I went. Will they definitely show up some time? I seem to remember that they had the ghost polys on the website but I haven't seen them in store. Don't really want to order anything from the site.

I think I may be near another one tomorrow and will let you know if I go in and find any.

cloaked7

@Jenni I may go to TRU tomorrow too. If I do I'll let you know what I find.

BlueMoonUSA

I think I must be wearing a Toysrus lucky charm. Like the time I received a free Avengers set (Avenging Cycle 6865) in my shipment. I had not ordered it, it was just there :)

Or today...non-lego related (I apologize) and a long story short...but I got 2 LeapPad games for free after an online promotional order mix-up.

I would ultimately find it hard to boycott a store that seems to be incompetent to the point of furnishing me with freebies :)

Basta

You could say I just about boycott the local Australian TRU's as they have similar issues as the US as far as pricing and sale exclusions, so i don't often spend money there especially as our retail price is way too high.

But I have now done 3 orders from the US TRU as they have some good deals. Just last week I ordered some Starwars Millennium Falcons for $125 each shipped and today I ordered a few Maersk Trains #10219 for $132 shipped. I had to do separate orders to get the $25 off $100 though. Unfortunately $'s talk, and if the price is right they get my business.

Jenni

@cloaked7 nothing again, just the $5 Stephanie, can't imagine why they haven't sold out of them.

hleonffu

@meyerc13 the 20% coupon was for a regular priced item. In your case the red cargo train's regular price is $160 and with the 20% is cheaper by a bit. The 20% coupon does not stack with the sale price - which is just the $25 off sets over $100 or $135 in your case.

As was stated many times above, an educated consumer can find good deals at TRU. Like has been said, I also do not like some of their practices.

But today, using the coupon, I got the UCS B-wing for $160 before taxes as the set was list and was found in store - NYC Times Square store.

meyerc13

This is what the coupon stated, "Not valid with any other "R" Us offer for same item or on prior purchases."

I suppose that is sufficiently vague that they can weasel out of it, but it wasn't as clear cut as being only "for a regular priced item." I've seen that same wording on TRU coupons before and had them stack just fine with sale prices and other coupons. It's completely random and arbitrary how TRU decides to program their computer system when it comes to sales and coupons.

Contrast that with Target and Shopko, where their in store coupons stack just fine with sale prices, even if it means they are taking a loss on the sale.

I stand by my assertion, show me one other store besides TRU where using a coupon changes the sales price. I doubt you can find one because it would result in State consumer protection agencies investigating said retailer. That reminds me, time for another email to said state agency. I figure if people complain often enough that eventually they'll open an investigation against TRU. All it takes is a State Attorney General up for re-election and he or she will happily go after a big company and get a nice cash settlement for the State as well as sanctions against the company. Elliot Spitzer in New York was always good for that as Attorney General. Wish my state's AG was half as zealous.

murphquake

@meyerc13 know what else Elliot Spitzer was good at? :-o

@hleonffu THAT's not bad at all... anything else good at Times Square? I'm probably going to go by tomorrow. I get good buys at TRU all the time, but most of the time I just spend a lot of time practicing price scanning and putting a few miles on my shoes scouring the aisles for misplaced Lego.

mrseatle

I agree with a lot of what has been said, but its good to have a lot of choices, and some of the exclusives are really good. Recently saw the Ninjago Samauri Mech on sale there for 33.99! Also saw a single Prince of Persia Dagger Fight set there earlier this week. I'll be there on Black Friday. ...doors open at 8pm Thursday!

Crackseed

The only thing I ever pick up from TRU anymore is polybags I can't find anywhere else. They do a double mark-up here in Hawaii. The usual TRU markup and then an additional one due to "shipping" it overseas to the islands.

Pretty grotesque, but oh well - I just choose to support them as little as possible as a result.