[US] TRU Bricktober

itsnotme

Do the lame deals offered on TRU.com this morning constitute Bricktober? If so, what a letdown. Nothing on the good stuff. Couple mini fig and BOGO40 discounts on overpriced mid range sets. Weak sauce. Guess it's karma for the sweet deals we saw Thursday and Friday.

BuriedinBricks

Yeah, I was looking for a good combination of sets and could not find one. Everything basically goes down to RRP and then you get the fig collection.

I am doubtful of the 24.99 value placed on the minifig set as well. It's not enough to get me to bite.

sadowsk1

^I gave it some thought and the only real deal I could think of was purchasing was two of the Creator lighthouse since those are MSRP but the vintage minifigure set isn't my cup of tea.

willkfwong

I bought 2 Urak-Hai 9471 sets. Total came out to be $57.40 before taxes and it qualified for the Vintage MiniFigure Collection VOL. 1.

Penkid11

iccarus said:

I am doubtful of the 24.99 value placed on the minifig set as well. It's not enough to get me to bite.

WOW. That's $5 per Minifig!

dragonhawk

The bad thing about the offer was that the minifigs were no longer available online (to buy or to get for free) by 5pm Sunday. I put an order of $100 in my cart and the minifigs were not there. I tried to add it manually and they were out of stock.
Why bother offering free gifts and not stocking up on it ?

chrisdojo

4 stores around me are already out. One CSR mentioned they only received 10 for this week's promo.

SquareSide

I think I want Volume 4 if I even do this deal.

murrough

Volume 4 would be the one to get, I think as well. That being said it didn't stop me from picking up on two of Volume 1 yesterday when I was out. There was only one left at the store I went to, after I had checked out.

shikadi

I work at a TRU and we received 10. I can also tell you .COM had 900 of them when the sale went live. Check back mid week to see if they have re-stocked. And for future weeks, if you want the figs I'd get there right at opening.

gdelahousse

TRU is now offering BOGO50% online only...

Renny

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I will be passing though. Nothing really jumps out at me with the inflated prices.

cloaked7

yup, same here. This year they are selective on what is BOGO and what isn't. In a big way. I got 2 Apple Tree Houses. Used a $10 off coupon and got the collector set. My TRU still had them on Monday. I couldn't get there on Sunday.

cloaked7

@SquareSide and @murrough

If you don't mind explaining to a newbie (me he he), why is volume 4 the one to get?

Also, unfortunately, the Bricktober deals are typically less and less appealing as the month goes by, so it makes it 'more difficult', if you know what I mean, to try and get each additional set (whatever they are for that year).

dragonhawk

Volume 1 was available on TRU website for $25 a few days before Bricktober. It is probably going to be the same for the next volumes. So in theory you can just buy the volume you want instead of getting it as a freebie

cloaked7

True. Do you think they will hold a $25 price tag?

wilbur

Regarding the BOGO50 being selective...

The other week I went in person to TRU and spoke with customer service about their Buy Two Get One Free PROMO, and how it didnt work for all sets. I pointed out that MMV and IS aren't listed as exclusions to this deal, and that TRU should honor their promo and let me have one for free if I bought two. It worked! I bought three MMV and three IS online, I paid full price plus tax, and when they arrived I brought in all six items to the TRU store and returned them all, where they let me repurchase them all over again at 66.66%.

Actually that isnt quite how it happened. there were two sales reps. One sales rep wanted to just refund me one of the three sets and give it to me for free. The other guy wanted to credit my credit card back all three sets, and then resell them to me at 66.66% to reflect the effect of the promo. Its the same difference. But they messed up, and they accidentally gave me one for free, and then sold me back the other two at 66.66% after issuing me a full refund! After taxes, I walked outta there paying a little more than 50% RRP for all 6 sets. HAHAHA

I dont know that that "mistake" will happen to any of you! BUT... its worth investigating in the TRU store in YOUR city to see if they will honor what their promo says is an exclusion. It says very specifically that Ninjago, Technic, and Friends are not included in the BOGO50%. Everything else should be counted in that promo, and the people in the store just may honor that if you try!

Good Luck!

LegoFanTexas

^ The above should not have happened, but it does because large retailers try and get cute with promos, and end up shooting themselves in the foot.

Just make it simple, and even their $8/hr employees should be able to figure it out. :)

cloaked7

TRU is the worst.

Checking out with your purchase takes FOREVER if you have a coupon, points dollars, or there is a promo. Some coupons only work if you use their CC. Some TRU dollars will take down the total of your purchase and cause you to miss out on a bonus. Also, all of these various coupons, etc. have to be entered in a specific times during checkout. Learned all of this the hard way, over may checkout experiences. You need a degree in higher mathematics to get thru the process, and then exercise your brain as you try and determine if you were charged the correct amount.

I see the logic behind what they do, but it becomes very complicated very fast. Don't ever checkout at TRU if you are half asleep, distracted, or in a hurry!

jadeirene

^TRU Rewards dollars are total BS. In all marketing, and their own terms, they call them certificates. But when I go and try to use them, they claim they are coupons, which means that I can't use them with other actual coupons or with discounted items. Certificates should be able to be used like cash, not like a coupon.

wilbur

I should clarify! I paid a little more than 50% of the original RRP! meaning after it was all said and done I received roughly a 48% discount! Didn't know if you all thought I paid 50% ABOVE RRP. Perhaps it was the wording! : )

dragonhawk

@wilbur Wait, they refunded your credit card ? That may be your biggest luck. According to their return policy, you get tru store credit when returning items you purchase online (including ship to store). A couple of stores near me are pretty strict about that

LegoFanTexas

Depends on the person behind the counter. More often than not, they have offered a refund to my credit card.

zoom

@dragonhawk - what about bought online picked in the store (it said online that shipping is not available, only to pick from a certain store) - so i would assume they had it in that specific store - would they refund if the boxes are damaged?

SquareSide

cloaked7 said:

@SquareSide and @murrough

If you don't mind explaining to a newbie (me he he), why is volume 4 the one to get?

Oh, I'm no experienced LEGO collector either it just looks like most appealing Volume Set to me. It has a Knight and what looks like Robin Hood. lol

dragonhawk

@zoom. I am pretty sure they would be happy to exchange for a better box if they still have the item in stock. As far as refund, from my experience online purchase (including the ship to store) can be returned for store credit.
Seems like others on this board have been successful in getting the money back, though

cloaked7

Months ago I got 2 modulars at TRU on line during a BOGO 50% off sale. One of them came in busted. Actually has a big hole in the box. I returned it to the store with my invoice and the cashier credited my CC for the full price one. She said, that's how it came up, so that's how she was going to do it. So, I got the one set 50% off.

Zemata

I hate when I have to go to TRU for their selection or exclusives. I bought Stormer XL and Vampyre Hearse (both marked up $5) for the minifig set and just as I turned to leave the cashier told me I saved $12. Really wanted to tell her it was only $2 but I let it go >_>

Bosstone100

I left TRU empty handed yesterday. A manager asked me if I needed help finding anything. I said "any Lego set selling for actual MSRP". He couldn't help. :-P

Miles

Zemata said:

I hate when I have to go to TRU for their selection or exclusives. I bought Stormer XL and Vampyre Hearse (both marked up $5) for the minifig set and just as I turned to leave the cashier told me I saved $12. Really wanted to tell her it was only $2 but I let it go >_>

Oh, I would've had to bite my tongue as well. The more I try and shop at TRU, the more I think I'd just be better off boycotting the place entirely.

petitetoilonrouge

Does anyone know if there's a way to contact them and see if they will honor the BOGO50 online on the modulars (and 10193 and 10231 actually...)? As @wilbur said, they're not on the exclusion list... I'm not in the US but would have the sets sent to family there, which sort of makes it complicated to order with a local pick-up, have my in-laws try to get the refund, etc. Tips?

murphquake

I went to a different TRU for a second set of VMFs and picked up the TRU Truck (ok i wanted the teddy bear) and a 2nd copy of Saesee Tiin's Jedi Starfighter. Came out to a little over 30 each (bought some candy and a soda too, not in the mood for the math) and I now have a VMF set opened to use for MOCs and such, plus some nice parts in both sets. I tried to get the TRU Truck and the Hobbit game but this store wasn't discounting games like the other one by me was.

Sad news: I went to the Times Square TRU and found the POTC Fountain of Youth for 4 dollars less markup than it was here in Queens, and many other sets cheaper too. It seems that their competition with the Rockefeller Lego Store keeps them honest (often explained as why Rockefeller has a 10% mark-up on everything)... Will be going back there on Sunday morning to get the 2nd week's VMF set as they had a few things I wanted, but passed on the other night.
-bill

madforLEGO

I think this is why Walmart.com and Amazon.com are lowering prices.. it is taking away from TRUs thunder, especially when TRU is not BOG'ing EVERY LEGO set at 50% or even a B2G1F with limited numbers.... Maybe this will wake TRU up finally... NAHHHHHHH

AnthonyC173

madforLEGO said:

I think this is why Walmart.com and Amazon.com are lowering prices.. it is taking away from TRUs thunder, especially when TRU is not BOG'ing EVERY LEGO set at 50% or even a B2G1F with limited numbers.... Maybe this will wake TRU up finally... NAHHHHHHH

never thought about it like this but its true!! i completely forgotten about TRU since im always checking at amazon and walmart now that they are discounting huge sets for so much, and also i don't have to commit and buy 2 or 3 sets.

The_Mack

October is when people start toy shopping, everything is ramping up with stock and sales, and people are buying now to avoid the rush, and being able to get those certain items that are still in stock. At least I am...

SquareSide

I'm holding out till November when everything goes OOS. :)

chrisdojo

Anyone know what time (including correct timezone) the 2nd week giveaway begins online?

rocao

I'm not sure if the 1st week's offer started right at midnight, but the TRU server is on Central Time.

LegoFanTexas

With the past few days sales on Walmart and Amazon, I honestly had completely forgotten about the Bricktober giveaways.

Perhaps that was the idea? :)

sidersdd

I see no sale on LEGO in the flyer for next week. The only deal is the vintage minifig pack at $60 purchase. Now, the on-line sales may be different (they had BOGO 40% off in-store, and BOGO 50% off on-line last week).

chrisdojo

@LegoFanTexas What was/were the Walmart sale(s)?

Titus

chrisdojo said:

@LegoFanTexas What was/were the Walmart sale(s)?

The thread with 285,000 views :)
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/6838/us-walmart-com-super-star-destroyer-ultimate-r2-d2-death-star-now-oos-reduced

chrisdojo

Heh, just making sure it wasn't anything besides. I'm not interested in any of those.

Titus

chrisdojo said:

Heh, just making sure it wasn't anything besides. I'm not interested in any of those.

Did you check out the thread? It was harry potter, modulars, tower bridge, camper van etc Much more than SSD and DS

chrisdojo

Some, saw MMV was 89, already have it though :(

madforLEGO

TRU is dropping the ball, and most likely losing a bit of sales with their lack of a strong sale for LEGO, only offering their 'collectable minifigure set' jokingly retailing for 25 bucks....

cloaked7

^ Yup, I agree. Needing to spend $60 to get the set. And, pay TRU's marked up prices. That makes for some expensive collector sets. Course, TRU always has the best sales the first week. They get worse each later week. As mentioned, they don't appear to have any BOGO's or even sale items this week, as best that I can tell. Doesn't bode well for the final two weeks.

chrisdojo

I had a $10 off $50 (came in the mail) that worked. Too bad I don't have a few more of those.

murphquake

Actually it turns out there are some deals to be had... like #3920 The Hobbit game for $22.99! (34% off US RRP $34.99)

First.. Toys N Bricks had this awesome coupon flyer, $5 off $25 for either Games or Duplo

toysnbricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/LEGO-Bricktober-2012-ToysRUs-Coupons.jpg



Then in the forum about the 2nd week someone noticed almost all games are 20% off, and that's of normal prices... including the brand new hobbit game

In store I scanned the Hobbit, which had been marked up to $39.99 in two NYC stores, and $40.99 in their Times Square flagship store, and it came up for $27.99.

When I checked out the 5$ coupon worked for both sets! $25.49 would have been a good buy, but $22.99 is excellent for a brand new set.... a set with almost 400 pieces including only the 2nd ever release of the 2x2 inverted tile, this time 34 of them in tan, albeit all printed as the game's matching tiles! Also there's 17 bright green 6x6 plates, for people who are excited about that new color. The microfigures are in tan, dark tan, DARK BLUE!, and light bley, I'm not 100% but I think that Dark Blue and maybe Dark Tan are new microfig colors. For people who have been waiting for a 1 dot tile to complete their lego dice here's your chance, 2 each of 2 & 3 as well. A map of some section of middle earth!

All in all it's a nice little kit and I'm glad I went out and was able to get them for this price. One note, the box seems to be shallower than previous fullsize game boxes, maybe 3/4 or 2/3 the depth but still the same length & height as other games like Hogwarts or Ramses Pyramid.

I'm not sure if the coupon will continue to work like that or if it was a fluke but it's well worth checking out, especially if you're trying to get the Minifig set. I got 2 Hobbit games and #4191 POTC Cannibal Escape for a total of $60.97 before NYC sales tax. Full retail would have been 81.97, not including the Vintage Minifig set! 25% savings on two brand new set and a slightly older one ive been meaning to get for parts for a while and 5 very cool minifigs (did someone say B&W Classic Space?!!)

cloaked7

^ Thanks @murphquake You may have given me a reason to go to TRU today and see if I can find a good reason to spend $60 to get the figure set. I would like to get the Hobbit game, being a LOTR fan.

malachirobertson

jadeirene said:

^TRU Rewards dollars are total BS. In all marketing, and their own terms, they call them certificates. But when I go and try to use them, they claim they are coupons, which means that I can't use them with other actual coupons or with discounted items. Certificates should be able to be used like cash, not like a coupon.

I thought that someone else said that the reward dollars could be used for sale items. Who's right?