Toys R Us...R U For Real?

bmwlego · December 2012

We have a right to do both actually. I can choose to shop at TRU or not (I usually do not shop there for LEGO but do shop for baby stuff and gifts for family when I can find a deal to take advantage of). I can also complain when they are ripping me off and rewarding me for ripping me off which has lead to my LEGO budget being spent elsewhere for the last 2 years.
I will NOT buy LEGO a TRU unless I cant get the sets elsewhere (looking at you LOTR Elf poly) or am using rewards dollars.
They don't have the free stuff they say you get with a purchase and offer nothing in its place. They mark items up 10-50% (creator mini 3 in 1s are $8.99 instead of $5.99!). The prices on the shelves often do not match what is in the system. Wonder what will happen as a result of the class action lawsuit brought against them this November?

dougts · December 2012

I generally have no trouble using multiple rewards coupons per purchase in store, but of course YMMV

Yellowcastle · December 2012

No issues using multiple valid rewards bucks at the same time.

LURKERnumber2149 · December 2012

What is the lawsuit bmwlego?

goshe7 · December 2012

thehockeyboy said:
Simply put: if you don't like TRU, don't complain... just don't shop there. They are a retailer and are free to charge what they like. Who cares if they raise the price on some of their items? It's not like they have a monopoly on an ESSENTIAL and are price gouging people!

My friend, you are not American. The American way is to complain bitterly about your perceived slight by a big box retailer (TRU, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.) and profess that you would never shop there. Then, when you think nobody is looking, you go ahead and shop there for the deals that you can find.

flyingpig · December 2012

Eh. Free Christmas wrapping paper for the coupons. Not a bad bonus for toysrus purchases.

Thanos75 · December 2012

I was at the mall today and walked into the Toy R Us Express that was set up for Christmas.....They had a big 50% off sign hanging up. I checked out the lego isle and it had tones of really good stuff...all marked up like crazy..even by TRU standards..i asked the lady working there when they were going to put the Lego's on sale and she said never....that after New Years everything they have left is getting send to the main store in my area....so they would rather pay to store and move then unpack and restock and store the Lego's then set the price low enough to actually sell...crazy

malachirobertson · January 2013

Not sure if this is the place to ask this ... Can you use more that one R Us Rewards at once? I have two rewards expiring at the same time. I didn't see anything in the fine print against it.

malachirobertson · January 2013

Another question ... TRU Lego prices are normal on-line right now and except for one banner, I can't see anything that says "on-line only." Has anybody been able to get their local TRU to price-match?

Thanos75 · January 2013

I was able to use all of my rewards on one item. I have heard that it really depends on your cashier. When i went to cash mine in the lady in front of my was doing the same thing. The cashier was giving her a hard time and had to call the manager over. So I went over to the cashier in the video game section and he just scanned all three coupons right off my phone and applied all three to one item.

Joseph · January 2013

^^ From what I've heard, they typically will match their online price if you ask, but it's YMMV when it comes to getting them to stack discounts/sales with it.

malachirobertson · January 2013

I would do store pickup for the item that I am interested in, but the on-line inventory doesn't match the store inventory. I was just there, there is one on the shelf! If the inventory reflected reality, I would just skip trying a price match.

Edit: Just realized that the rewards are in-store only. Are R Us Rewards always in-store only?

Poochy · January 2013

^^^ I had "no" problems PM'ing with TRU.com on Sunday. The CSR did not seem to happy about it, even tried to mention something about having to charge us for the "shipping cost", and then she "realized" that the item can be "ship-to-store" for free. I was also readied to point out that the purchase was over $79 and would have shipped for free in any case. They did not give me any additional discounts ($20 off $100), but that was expected. I was just surprised that she even put up some amount of resistance to the pricematching part.

SarahIsabella · January 2013

malachirobertson said:
Another question ... TRU Lego prices are normal on-line right now and except for one banner, I can't see anything that says "on-line only." Has anybody been able to get their local TRU to price-match?

My local (Houston TX) TRU matched the online price for 3315 "Olivia's House" for me this summer. I had looked it up online before going to the store, but found it marked up $10 in store. I took it to the service counter, asked them to price match their own online price which they did, then stacked a $10 off purchase of $60 worth of Lego promotion they were running and an instant $5 off emailed coupon.

Poochy · January 2013

^ 3315 was the set I pm'ed on Sunday, and they told me it wouldn't stack with the 20/100 (got 2 for a total of $140 before tax).

nkx1 · January 2013

I like how the inflated prices are crossed out, and the adjusted prices reflect the MSRP. Like somehow they're doing you a favor by offering the sets at normal MSRP. Shenanigans like this are probably why I haven't bought anything from TRU in quite a while.

mrseatle · January 2013

They did have 90% off Christmas Candy when I went today... I bought three packs of Snickers Bar Santa's for $1.17!

jadeirene · January 2013

TRU price match policy is a joke. I had $15 of Rewards certificates to use, and I wanted to buy and A-Wing. I brought in the LEGO store catalog to price match to MSRP and they wouldn't take it. I asked why, they said it has to be an ad from a brick and mortar store. I told them it was the catalog from the brick and mortar LEGO store two miles down the street. They said they won't price match to the LEGO store since they are a much larger retailer so the LEGO store is excluded. They apparently don't even have a button for the LEGO store. (The price match policy states they match all brick and mortar stores, so I don't see how they can claim they only match Walmart and Target.)

What complete and utter BS. I wasn't even trying to price match a sale price or stack coupons on top of it. All I wanted was MSRP!

On a happier note, I was at the LEGO store, found a bunch of series 9 minifigures that I needed, filled my free PaB box, bought a Winter Village Cottage (on sale plus stacked a 10% off coupon), and got a free Chima polybag. Plus, the staff there are always friendly and helpful. Talk about a world of difference from TRU.

Ma1234 · January 2013

TRU actually let me stack reward dollars from two accounts. So I actually got a really good deal: Used a 15% coupon on the new museum heist, which got it down to $2 under retail (so a 3% off coupon in actuality), combined with $28 in rewards and paid $39.99 for it. Cool set, too.

kwkw · January 2013

@ma1234 where'd you get the 15% coupon from?

Yellowcastle · February 2013

I just left my neighborhood Toys R Us in Fair Lakes VA and I'm just finally fed up:

#9471 - Uruk Hai Army $41
#6858 - Catwoman Catcycle Chase $18.50
#9468 - Vampyre Castle $121
#7498 - Police Station $132
# - Duplo Zoo $121
#75001 - Sith Battlepack $16.50
#9496 - Desert Skiff $36
#79000 - Riddles for the Ring $14.50

I've decided I'm going to write TLG. How many families have to get gouged? Worse yet, how many families are abandoning LEGO based on these inflated TRU prices?

111ins · February 2013

well, the rest of the world seems to keep buying LEGO and the prices above are most likely similar to what everyone outside of the USA pays...

the funny thing is that YRU in the USA marks up prices but they end up being about what TRU in Canada lists them for. I am sure there are a few they mark up here, but they are usually very close

0.02

sidersdd · February 2013

I pretty much hit TRU for the polybags, the CMFs (when they have a BOGO), and the occasional faux 30% off on their exclusive sets.

Found the Star Wars Advent Calendars on clearance today for $23. Stacked with BOGO to make em $17.25.

sschmotz · February 2013

Yellowcastle said:
I just left my neighborhood Toys R Us in Fair Lakes VA and I'm just finally fed up:

#9471 - Uruk Hai Army $41
#6858 - Catwoman Catcycle Chase $18.50
#9468 - Vampyre Castle $121
#7498 - Police Station $132
# - Duplo Zoo $121
#75001 - Sith Battlepack $16.50
#9496 - Desert Skiff $36
#79000 - Riddles for the Ring $14.50

I've decided I'm going to write TLG. How many families have to get gouged? Worse yet, how many families are abandoning LEGO based on these inflated TRU prices?

I work about 10 min away from the Fair Lakes TRU and they have a good sized Lego dept compared to other TRU but their prices are ridiculous compared to other stores in the area, even other TRU that are 15 minutes away. I don't know how they get away with it.

bigjsd · February 2013

I did get some resistance when trying to use multiple reward certificates. The manager tried to tell me that it was one certificate per item. I pointed out that the back of the certificate clearly explains that only one certificate per item can be used for ONLINE purchases and says nothing about in-store purchases. A reasonable consumer could infer from that statement that in-store purchases were not covered by the same restrictions. She then agreed to let me use them. When I pulled out a Wal-Mart ad for a price match she again tried to refuse my use of the rewards certificates by saying they could only be used on regular priced items. I explained that the item that I was purchasing was at regular price, and was not a sale item to begin with. I went on to lecture this manager about how I felt as if TRU did not value my business. I explained that they should be doing everything in their power to build confidence in their customers rather than constantly hassling them over a few bucks. I asked her if she even cared if I ever came back as a customer? She said she did so I told her to act like it and think about the fact that if she wasn't willing to do the right thing in this situation then she was going to lose me as a customer forever. I made it clear that she should think about what was going to cost her more money a simple price match now for $6.00 or hundreds of dollars in lost purchases over the course of the future. She agreed to do the price match and let me use the rewards certificates. This was about six months ago and I haven't had an issue since then but due to TRU's horrible Lego pricing I buy less than 5% of my Lego's from them and buy when I have rewards.

Yellowcastle · February 2013

There has never, ever been any rule that you can't redeem your Reward Bucks at the same time. Heck, you have to, seeing as how they split your rewards into tiny date specific increments. They know less than 10% of their customers will try and price match and then they harrass those that do. I was previously their staunchest defender, trying to keep the last major Toy Store going. I am done. In the words of Ivan Drago, "If he dies, he dies."

Crownie · February 2013

Well, they made their bed...

I'd love to support the 'last brick-and-mortar toy store' as well, but based on the way I'm treated when I go in combined with the LEGO pricing fiasco, I just don't see how I can anymore.

Grrr.

Zathras · February 2013

I've bought 40ish Lego items/sets this last year alone. Probably 20 other items from other toy brands in that same time frame. Of that 2 of those purchases (1 lego & a board game) were at TRS. When it's more beneficial to me as a customer to skip my local TRS, a store that is exactly a 4 minute drive from my house, the writing is on the wall so to speak.

madforLEGO · February 2013

I also like how TRU LEGO prices increase for a BOGO50 well over the Retail to account for some of that money back on many items, them coincidentally drop down to 'sale' prices (ie RPP) immediately after the BOGO50 sale. (Like from last week to today).
It is one thing if you actually manufacture the item, but if you simply are a 3rd party retailer I'm not sure legally that they can simply raise and lower prices on a whim to avoid actually giving someone a better sale price that is advertised.

I find myself more on Amazon these days. Even with sales tax on Amazon I have no issue, their deals still are usually better than TRU and will still be about the same as other retailers due to their price matching, and Id still take their shipping and customer service over any retailer any day, BUT there are still times like BOGO50 and better yet B2G1F where it still is a good deal, so I will not be one of these 'Im not shopping there ever again' types because lets face it, SOMETIMES, though rare, there are good deals to be had (although it is getting few and far between).
I will not even get into the whole empty/filled with garbage returned box thing because that can happen at any retailer but it happened to me at a TRU (which is why I rarely shop at B&M store any longer)

TRU wonders why it is faltering. Ever since FAO bought them they have been pulling this gouging crap because that is how FAO did business, which is why FAO was floundering before buying TRU.
Maybe if they can get someone with brains over there in the head office they will realize that if you just keep the prices at retail but do fewer sales or more 10% or 15% off sales on select items, you will make your money as well.

BrickDancer · February 2013

^My gut feeling tells me that should be the better approach, but JC Penny is doing that marketing change currently under the new CEO and its not working out all that well. It actually sped up the revenue drop.

Picopirate · February 2013

I am curious who TRU thinks their customers are. People who buy lots of one type of product generally know what good prices are. Do they think those customers wont notice or have they given up on those customers and are instead trying to milk grandmas and other relatives who periodically buy sets? That said, every time they do have a sale, there are one or two gems. I am not sure if it is mini door buster or if someone just screwed up and forgot to mark up the regular price before putting it on sale.

Crownie · February 2013

Picopirate said:
I am curious who TRU thinks their customers are.

Based on results, they seem to view them in a bit of a 'PT Barnum' light. I feel like a sucker just walking in, lol.

madforLEGO · February 2013

BrickDancer said:
^My gut feeling tells me that should be the better approach, but JC Penny is doing that marketing change currently under the new CEO and its not working out all that well. It actually sped up the revenue drop.

I dunno if that is a really good example though.. I mean JC Penny has been losing money for a lot of different reasons and long before they went to this new campaign.

BrickDancer · February 2013

Its just hard to retrain the herd when they're used to seeing all the red signs. Wish there were more examples of retailers that tried to change their markup/discount tactics, but sadly most don't survive long enough to make a case.

FollowsClosely · February 2013

Yellowcastle said:
I just left my neighborhood Toys R Us in Fair Lakes VA and I'm just finally fed up:

#9471 - Uruk Hai Army $41
#6858 - Catwoman Catcycle Chase $18.50
#9468 - Vampyre Castle $121
#7498 - Police Station $132
# - Duplo Zoo $121
#75001 - Sith Battlepack $16.50
#9496 - Desert Skiff $36
#79000 - Riddles for the Ring $14.50

I've decided I'm going to write TLG. How many families have to get gouged? Worse yet, how many families are abandoning LEGO based on these inflated TRU prices?

I stopped in that store with the kids a week back to kill some time. My kids where loudly and boldly proclaiming that the prices where ridiculous. My youngest was like: "Daddy, who would pay $50 more for this set when Target is next door, and the LEGO store is so close."

madforLEGO · February 2013

Really bad when a kid can 'out think' a CEO/Board of directors

pharmjod · February 2013

Problem is TRU has been poorly run for years and years from what I can tell. I worked there back in the late 90s at the customer service counter. They were worse than Wal Mart on what they would take back. People would buy $200 "deluxe" inflatable pools at the beginning of the summer and then before the 90 day return window ended, bring it back all nasty and say it had a hole in it. My managers always took stuff like that back. I watched it time and time again with various items. I thought if this happens at this one store, how bad is it nationwide. The prices weren't bad back then, but the general operations were not great to say the least.

ufjason · February 2013

madforLEGO said:
TRU wonders why it is faltering. Ever since FAO bought them they have been pulling this gouging crap because that is how FAO did business, which is why FAO was floundering before buying TRU.
Maybe if they can get someone with brains over there in the head office they will realize that if you just keep the prices at retail but do fewer sales or more 10% or 15% off sales on select items, you will make your money as well.

You're mistaken, TRU bought FAO.

CCC · February 2013

madforLEGO said:
Really bad when a kid can 'out think' a CEO/Board of directors

It is, but with the profit on their prices, they probably only need to sell one for every five that another retailer sellers. And some customers are stupid. They see something, they want it, they pay the price there and then.

Sherlockbones · February 2013

Over here, we have a brand of stores called Toymasters, they're not as bad as Toys R US but their Lego SW Planets were in my store £15...

They've got better but still are £5-10 more then Argos or [email protected]

jasor · February 2013

Sadly....TRU is a last holdout for a lot of items that won't stay on the shelves anywhere else. I have seen an adult literally take a Lego set off the shelves that a child was looking at, in a B&M box store. Sometimes, TRU is the only option on older sets that folks have waited too long to buy. I know mine still has a couple Alien Conq and Atlantis sets....

Yellowcastle · February 2013

When you charge 25%+ over RRP, some sets do tend to warm the shelves.

TheLoneTensor · February 2013

Unfortunately for us, most shoppers at TRU are ignorant of the prices. They know their kid likes Lego, they know what set he's been whining for, they go get it (or pick it up on the spot). Most people aren't aware of the price gouging that TRU does because they just aren't savvy about competitive prices for Lego because they buy it infrequently, and certainly not for reselling.

I made mention of near last Xmas, where I saw parents filling their carts with all sorts of overpriced Lego regardless of price. I also can't tell you how often I've seen people in the aisle during a BOGO50% event pick out only one set for their kid and walk away. I used to mention to them that they can get another for 50% but even when told, most don't care.

dragonhawk · February 2013

tensor said:
Unfortunately for us, most shoppers at TRU are ignorant of the prices. They know their kid likes Lego, they know what set he's been whining for, they go get it (or pick it up on the spot). Most people aren't aware of the price gouging that TRU does because they just aren't savvy about competitive prices for Lego because they buy it infrequently, and certainly not for reselling

I made mention of near last Xmas, where I saw parents filling their carts with all sorts of overpriced Lego regardless of price. I also can't tell you how often I've seen people in the aisle during a BOGO50% event pick out only one set for their kid and walk away. I used to mention to them that they can get another for 50% but even when told, most don't care.

To be fair, if you are in a tight budget and just spend $100 to buy an overpriced Ninjago Destiny's Bounty set, would you want to pop another $50 for yet another set ? Especially, when you already have cart full of (overpriced) puzzles, dolls, action figures, etc. From my observation, people go to TRU to buy various types of toys and not just LEGO.

As others mentioned above, TRU's selling point is their number of toy selections. Not all of the toys in the stores are "winners" / popular. Unfortunately, with the number of selection, they most likely need to increase the price on the more popular toys (LEGO and others) to offset the loss on the less popular ones.

As with free market, the suppliers are free to increase prices until the price is too high for consumers to buy. I just hope TRU understand this before it is too late.

CCC · February 2013

tensor said:
Unfortunately for us, most shoppers at TRU are ignorant of the prices.

Why for us? Surely it is unfortunate for them.

TRU occasionally has some decent deals. I know I got Mines of Moria for £48 on 3 for 2, so essentially £33 a set - RRP here is £70.

TheLoneTensor · February 2013

^Unfortunate for us because if the sheep didn't continue to gobble up overpriced Lego, TRU would be forced to reduce their prices overall, and we wouldn't have to play the TRU bargain game (which becomes more convoluted and tedious every year).

Styer · February 2013

I think it's unfortunate for us because it means that it's less likely that market pressure will bring down the prices.

Sherlockbones · February 2013

The problem is that people keep buying it, has anyone wrote to them bout it?

LegoFanTexas · February 2013

Sherlockbones said:
The problem is that people keep buying it, has anyone wrote to them bout it?

The problem with that is if I received letters saying, "I'm not shopping with you because your prices are too high", and yet I was still selling all my product, what would you expect me to do?

TheLoneTensor · February 2013

dragonhawk said:

tensor said:
Unfortunately for us, most shoppers at TRU are ignorant of the prices. They know their kid likes Lego, they know what set he's been whining for, they go get it (or pick it up on the spot). Most people aren't aware of the price gouging that TRU does because they just aren't savvy about competitive prices for Lego because they buy it infrequently, and certainly not for reselling

I made mention of near last Xmas, where I saw parents filling their carts with all sorts of overpriced Lego regardless of price. I also can't tell you how often I've seen people in the aisle during a BOGO50% event pick out only one set for their kid and walk away. I used to mention to them that they can get another for 50% but even when told, most don't care.
To be fair, if you are in a tight budget and just spend $100 to buy an overpriced Ninjago Destiny's Bounty set, would you want to pop another $50 for yet another set ?...

You're right of course, but I was thinking more about the scenario where they had like a $30 set picked out, and didn't really care exactly what set it was, they could get 2x $20 sets for the same price. Or a $100 set, they could get two $65 sets, etc.

Again, when trying to explain that to some mom, I just ended up looking like some kind of weird mathematical creep, so I stopped :)

Toys R Us...R U For Real?

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