Wal Mart enclosing ENTIRE LEGO product line in sealed glass displays

SebbyDenver

Gone are the days of picking up the boxes and looking at them from all angles up to the point of making your purchase decision.  This store in Englewood Colorado was in the process of installing the locked glass displays.  Even for low-cost models.  Understand why they have to do this but sad it's become obviously necessary.

vwong19

All that protection won’t help if they don’t check returned Lego sets for tampering.

Lego_Star

Oh dear. So not good. 

SebbyDenver

Some guy in Washington state I believe was charged with three felonies recently for doing just that.  Returning bogus sets while he sold the "new" sets on eBay, returning tampered products.

I'll definitely buy from Way*Mart, but only after having researched and looked at the products elsewhere.  Cannot imagine occupying some Way*Mart employee while I "shopped" amongst several sets.

In this case today, I bought a 75168 Yoda's Jedi Starfighter for $20.00 only after waiting 5 minutes for someone with the "key".

Bricklover18

A Barnes and noble does this in my area but the sets are in individual containers instead 

Astrobricks

SebbyDenver said:

Some guy in Washington state I believe was charged with three felonies recently for doing just that.  Returning bogus sets while he sold the "new" sets on eBay, returning tampered products.

Any chance you mean this guy in Virginia?
http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/28016/walmart-return-scammer-caught/p1

SumoLego

SebbyDenver said:

...This store in Englewood Colorado was in the process of installing the locked glass displays...

There is something funny about a $24.99 set under lock-and-key, but there's a full endcap full of Barbie Makeup Heads for $29.84...

They must have a tremendous amount of stolen product that would warrant suxh security.

1265

I like it.

oldtodd33

@SebbyDenver  Which Walmart?

GoodCoffeeJoey

SumoLego said:

They must have a tremendous amount of stolen product that would warrant suxh security.

Wal Mart has had a big problem with crime for a long time now. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-walmart-crime/

Cyberdragon

This is stupid and will only hurt sales. As stated their biggest problem is return scams. Why couldn't they just use security stickers?! This is just pointless overkill! Plus, how secure are these locks against just picking them with some paperclips or getting bypassed? Do they have electronic alarms?

EDIT: Display case locks apparently suck! They better have alarms or they're in for a world of hurt!

Astrobricks

GoodCoffeeJoey said:

SumoLego said:

They must have a tremendous amount of stolen product that would warrant suxh security.

Wal Mart has had a big problem with crime for a long time now. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-walmart-crime/

Wow, that’s just sad. No wonder it feels so much better at Target.

snowhitie

That's just sad.

ecmo47

Part of the theft problem would go away of Lego sealed their boxes better.Despite the minifigs being in separate bags, I still see pilfered sets on the shelf. Boxes are just too easy to open.  

ecmo47

Also, that is going to be a full time job for the toy department employee.

CCC

Does it even work? Ask for a set, put in trolley, push trolley away, steal figures, dump set.

I can see that it will stop people doing it for multiple (same) sets, but it will also stop people being able to buy multiple sets without having to ask for them.

mh3490

What a sad little world we now live in. Another interesting tidbit is that there was at least one report of a drug dealer in Amsterdam accepting Lego as payment.

mh3490

http://www.cracked.com/article_21796_5-bizarre-criminal-undergrounds-that-are-bafflingly-huge.html
Read the last section about the LUCARATIVE stolen Lego game 

Pebbles

CCC said:

Does it even work? Ask for a set, put in trolley, push trolley away, steal figures, dump set.

I can see that it will stop people doing it for multiple (same) sets, but it will also stop people being able to buy multiple sets without having to ask for them.

You make a good point. I wonder if something similar to the way video games are sold would work better. Here you take the empty case to the checkout, and an assistant swaps the dummy case for the real game which is kept in a locked cabinet.

Rainstorm26

Gone will be the days of scanning the sets to find great un-marked clearance prices.

Brainslugged

I was in a Wal-Mart a couple of days ago and saw a guy buy something from a glass cabinet. The guy who unlocked it asked of he'd finished his shopping yet. When the shopper replied "no", the employee said he'd leave the item at checkout number xx for him to pay for when he was done. Funnily enough, I had the exact same experience at Target yesterday when purchasing a Sonicare toothbrush from a locked cabinet.

Pitfall69

SumoLego said:

SebbyDenver said:

...This store in Englewood Colorado was in the process of installing the locked glass displays...

There is something funny about a $24.99 set under lock-and-key, but there's a full endcap full of Barbie Makeup Heads for $29.84...

They must have a tremendous amount of stolen product that would warrant suxh security.

There's also something funny about having to lock up Tide Pods. 

alaskaguy

SebbyDenver said:

This store in Englewood Colorado was in the process of installing the locked glass displays.

Great way to make sure people don't buy stuff they want from your store. I won't even ask to see something that is behind a counter.  I'll just go to a store that doesn't assume I am there to steal - or better yet - just buy on-line.

Pitfall69

alaskaguy said:

SebbyDenver said:

This store in Englewood Colorado was in the process of installing the locked glass displays.

Great way to make sure people don't buy stuff they want from your store. I won't even ask to see something that is behind a counter.  I'll just go to a store that doesn't assume I am there to steal - or better yet - just buy on-line.

Stores have been locking up video game consoles, games and certain electronics for many years; am I to assume that you don't shop at these stores? You always have to ask to see jewelry that is locked behind glass as well. We all know that Lego is more expensive than gold, so why not :)

Cyberdragon

Lego__Minon said:

CCC said:

Does it even work? Ask for a set, put in trolley, push trolley away, steal figures, dump set.

I can see that it will stop people doing it for multiple (same) sets, but it will also stop people being able to buy multiple sets without having to ask for them.

You make a good point. I wonder if something similar to the way video games are sold would work better. Here you take the empty case to the checkout, and an assistant swaps the dummy case for the real game which is kept in a locked cabinet.

That would be a huge source for return scam boxes. 

Pebbles

Cyberdragon said:

That would be a huge source for return scam boxes.

How so?

CaptainPirateMan

I've seen a lot of people steal the minifigs our of the CMF line from Wal-Mart. Always finding empty bags.

Cyberdragon

Lego__Minon said:

Cyberdragon said:

That would be a huge source for return scam boxes.

How so?

-steal empty box
-fill with gravel
-return the fake box and keep the real one still in it's own box

alaskaguy

Pitfall69 said:

Stores have been locking up video game consoles, games and certain electronics for many years; am I to assume that you don't shop at these stores?

Yeah - I don't buy any of that stuff, so I don't really care.

Pitfall69 said:

You always have to ask to see jewelry that is locked behind glass as well. We all know that Lego is more expensive than gold, so why not :)

Different situation there, due to the nature of the item and the fact that they're usually required to do that by their insurance companies.

With respect to CHILDREN'S TOYS, if I can't freely examine the item at the store, I'm not going to buy it at that store.

tamamahm

I am going to agree. With a video game console, I do not need to examine a box. A spur of the moment purchase of a $10 - $20 Lego item where my son wants to see the details on the box??? No way am i spending time tracking down someone to open glass. I will buy at a far easier location. 

elspankdog

Can you imagine this after Christmas and in July for clearance?

"What can I get for you?"..."everything please"

SumoLego

Pitfall69 said:

There's also something funny about having to lock up Tide Pods. 

I'm safe - unless they start locking up Pop-Tarts.  Or if Tide starts making Pop-Tarts.  Then I'll just be confused, hungry and have smelly clothes...

Russell844

SumoLego

alaskaguy said:

With respect to CHILDREN'S TOYS, if I can't freely examine the item at the store, I'm not going to buy it at that store.

Until you get stuck with a LEGO box full of rocks from an unsecure Wal-Mart.

I don't so much mind it.  But it's really just for show.

IceCreamClone

CaptainPirateMan said:

I've seen a lot of people steal the minifigs our of the CMF line from Wal-Mart. Always finding empty bags.

I can't remember the last time I saw CMF packs at a Walmart around me, must've been like 2013. Maybe so many got stolen they just gave up on them.

alaskaguy

SumoLego said:

alaskaguy said:

With respect to CHILDREN'S TOYS, if I can't freely examine the item at the store, I'm not going to buy it at that store.

Until you get stuck with a LEGO box full of rocks from an unsecure Wal-Mart.

I don't so much mind it.  But it's really just for show.

I don't really shop at Walmart anyway. I find it to be an unpleasant experience.  I will go there if I am desperate (i.e. it is 3am and nothing else is open) or if it happens to be very convenient (I'm already at Lowe's next door, and there is something else I need that I can get at Walmart and "now" is a good time to get it). Nevertheless, if I were concerned about getting a "bad box", I'd just open it while standing at the register to verify the contents.

pharmjod

Walmart is where I get a large majority of my lego. The clearance prices simply can't be bearen. I've only seen one store so far in the entire state of KY do that, and it was over a year ago. I have seen a store keep empty boxes on the shelf for pricier sets. I'm ok if it keepa people from buying. More clearance for me later =)

ryjay

I like the idea.....although the idea and the implementation of the idea are two different things.  Good luck finding the person to open the case when you want

Goldchains

Most of the Walmarts in my area have big "NOW HIRING" signs and can barely keep enough people to run the registers, much less have someone in toys at all times to open doors.  The normal 10-20% off of MSRP prices from the beginning, and the subsequent clearance prices, are too good to pass up though, so it's a conundrum. 

Cyberdragon

Again, why don't they just use RFID stickers for most sets, and for big expensive sets, use the strap-on alarm tags? I think this is what our local Walmart does, although I haven't looked at their Lego for awhile.

willobee498

My local Walmart has put the big strap 'spider' alarms on any Lego set over $100 (Canadian). Makes for one hideous toy shelf.

Astrobricks

Around here, they put the spider wrap on many sets priced above $100, but also some cheaper ones. The shelf tags actually have a “Spider Wrap” banner on them. However, what gets wrapped seems to vary by store, and I frequently find sets without one amongst several of the same set number that do have it.

Toc13

If those spider ones are the same used in Tesco over here, they rip the boxes. 
I have also seen them on a £5 set

datsunrobbie

I often wish they would put the security feeds from the LEGO aisle up on some of the TVs in the electronics section. I would think that having activity up on a few 70-inch displays that can be seen by everyone in the store would cut down on theft.

Mastergamer015

Wow, even lego stores don't have that kind of protection. Walmart must be losing quite a bit of money to thefts if they need glass casing to keep the sets safe. 

blokey9

a few years ago, a local book store stopped putting Terry Pratchett books on the shelves because of the amount of stealing going on. they canned this policy, because people stopped buying the books when they couldn't see them on the shelf.

piratemania7

Either way, this is sad it's come to this.  The undertaking to get all that installed, the cost added to your employee time for coming over, unlocking, waiting for the customer to take or give back the product, then go back to doing what they were doing before is certainly a lot.

Justifiable none the less and I think its more sticker shock - to see something like that is pretty new so I'm sure once it becomes the "norm" it will not even be worth a shoulder shrug.

560Heliport

How do you find an employee to unlock it? If the nearest employee is busy helping someone else, how many customers will just give up? If the case reduces theft to (almost) zero, but drives customers away... is it worth it? If employees have to be ready to unlock the case, maybe just pay someone to be in the aisle all the time. Radical thought: hire someone who knows LEGO! 

pharmjod

I don't think it will become the norm. My guess is it's only for stores with a really big problem. Spider wrap security tags seem to be sufficient for at least the bigger / more expensive sets.

TheFew

Toc13 said:

If those spider ones are the same used in Tesco over here, they rip the boxes. 
I have also seen them on a £5 set

My local tesco today had a lot of sets out. The only ones with security tags.... Joker Ballon Escape sets! WTF would you only put security tags on these ones?

SumoLego

TheFew said:

...Joker Balloon Escape sets! WTF would you only put security tags on these ones?

Um, to keep the Joker from escaping?  Duh.  He's a master-criminal.