How clearance works

[kevinp]

May be posted elsewhere but I didn't find it. I have been to 6 WMs within a 60 mile radius and have noticed that each one is very different in how they clearance Legos. Talked to a toy manager today at my local WM and here's the details. Corporate office tells all branches to clearance specific items initially (almost always) 20%. Then the store manager gets so much clearance dollars per store at the first of every month to allocate as he/she pleases to each department. It varies but usually the toy manager takes over from there and further discounts clearance items but sometimes the store manager likes to micro-manage and they select the items themselves. My toy manager said her department gets the largest share of clearance dollars but I'm sure that varies by location. So. if you have local WMs and can get in good with the toy manager or their assistant, you can really be on top of things. In my case, I have a video/game store in this small town and I've been here for over 18 years and they are customers of mine so my situation is pretty sweet : ) If nothing else, just remember the first week of the month is when clearance should be further discounted. Wouldn't surprise me if the other Big Box Retailers do something similar. If anyone has questions for me to pass along, feel free to ask.

[Ed Mack]

May be posted elsewhere but I didn't find it. I have been to 6 WMs within a 60 mile radius and have noticed that each one is very different in how they clearance Legos. Talked to a toy manager today at my local WM and here's the details. Corporate office tells all branches to clearance specific items initially (almost always) 20%. Then the store manager gets so much clearance dollars per store at the first of every month to allocate as he/she pleases to each department. It varies but usually the toy manager takes over from there and further discounts clearance items but sometimes the store manager likes to micro-manage and they select the items themselves. My toy manager said her department gets the largest share of clearance dollars but I'm sure that varies by location. So. if you have local WMs and can get in good with the toy manager or their assistant, you can really be on top of things. In my case, I have a video/game store in this small town and I've been here for over 18 years and they are customers of mine so my situation is pretty sweet : ) If nothing else, just remember the first week of the month is when clearance should be further discounted. Wouldn't surprise me if other BBRs do something similar.

This seems reasonable. Probably similar with most large box stores, like Target and Walmart. I have 3 Targets and 3 Walmarts within 15 miles of me and they all price differently.

[stephen_rockefeller]

So yesterday I was at Walmart and they had a huge clearance section, in that section were 2 7965 MFs which had a clearance tags on them but with the retail price of 139.00 on the tags lol. I asked to speak with a toy manager and he said the only reason they were tagged and in the clearance isle was because they will not be carrying the set anymore. I asked him for a discount and he laughed and said no way. I walked over the the home and garden section and asked the manager there to follow me go the clearance section because I had a question. When we got there I explained her that its not discounted and she gave me the same reason so I said OK thanks and began to walk away she stops me and says hey what's a good deal on this set to you? I said 75 bucks and she said deal! She took me to her department and rang me up!!!

[Azcoyote21]

I too saw something similar I was at a walmart near my home and saw dozens of lego sets ine the "Clearance" aisle including many LOTR sets MF sets especially. However none of the sets where truly "clearance priced". The clearance price was basically the MSRP price. However I am hopeful one of the people in toy area stated they will be marking the clearance Items down again on february first.

[Talon]

I saw two 7965s at my local Walmart on the same deal, clearance but no price discount! I happened to be back there the next day and they were gone! Either someone is paying full price or they also know how to sweet talk an employee!

[stephen_rockefeller]

I learned a long time ago with the Lego displays that I have no "sweet talking" skills whatsoever lol......I just asked why it wasn't discounted, she offered the name your price discount!

[kevinp]

Just heard from my local WM toy manager. She said management gave her permission to 50% further clearance what is left (I'm getting a bunch of series CMFs for 50 cents each) and adding new clearance items Monday. She told me to check other stores as they don't waste time when management gives orders. So check your WMs and other big box retailers. Another thing I will mention is if you can foster a relationship with a toy manager as I have, do so. She is giving me the Friends display when they're done with it :)

[stephen_rockefeller]

Sweet......hope she doesn't get fired though.

[kevinp]

Nah she's "throwing it away" I will just happen to be there when that happens :)

[comicblast]

Nah she's "throwing it away" I will just happen to be there when that happens

I wish my Target/Walmart/TRU toy managers were that nice. They usually say that they have to "dispose of it" or something like that. Seems like a HUGE waste doing that though.

[Teeird]

The toy manager to one of my local Walmarts is now good friends with me, she'll be calling my house when she personally (and she's the only one who can) marks down/puts Legos on clearance. Like today, I bought 7x 4428 Advent Calenders for $5 each because of her! All aboard the cash train!

[comicblast]

The toy manager to one of my local Walmarts is now good friends with me, she'll be calling my house when she personally (and she's the only one who can) marks down/puts Legos on clearance. Like today, I bought 7x 4428 Advent Calenders for $5 each because of her!

All aboard the cash train!

My friend, you have access to a gold mine of Legos. I wish I were you!

[StarPod]

The lego sets in my walmart on clearance are discounted 2 cents.... i got into A fight with the manager because she legitimately thought 2 cents was a true discount

[nolanfan34]

The Walmart closest to me, where I found a good discount and picked up some sets recently, is pretty much cleared out. Not much on the shelves, and only thrashed boxes in clearance. Went to another Walmart today closer to my work. Nothing in clearance at all. Tons on the shelf. 5 min Vampyre Castles, Helms Deep, a few Falcons, Malevolence, Ghost Train, etc, etc. Nothing marked down. Guess I have to keep going back. :-\

[kerrmando]

none of the stores near me do discounts anymore on damaged boxes :/

[TheOrcKing]

I just purchased the other day a thrashed box of "Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator" (7961) for $29.50. It originally retailed for $69.99! Although it turned out that it was opened and slightly used, possibly by the kid of an employee that brought them to work one day and left 'em unattended, then the employee just stuffed everything back in and then used a hot glue gun on the box. It was only missing four parts, the minifigures were still there, and everything was in near mint condition, so it wasn't too bad. Or at least, not as bad as it could have been. I just washed up the parts I have and am planning to see if LEGO will send the four pieces I'm missing.

[Studebricker]

The Walmart closest to me, where I found a good discount and picked up some sets recently, is pretty much cleared out. Not much on the shelves, and only thrashed boxes in clearance.

Went to another Walmart today closer to my work. Nothing in clearance at all. Tons on the shelf. 5 min Vampyre Castles, Helms Deep, a few Falcons, Malevolence, Ghost Train, etc, etc. Nothing marked down. Guess I have to keep going back. :-\

Yah, I saw a Jabba's Palace in the clearance area recently that had obviously been opened, returned and taped shut (no telling what's missing inside) and just as I guessed, it was marked and scanned at full price. Crazy...

[TheOrcKing]

Yah, I saw a Jabba's Palace in the clearance area recently that had obviously been opened, returned and taped shut (no telling what's missing inside) and just as I guessed, it was marked and scanned at full price. Crazy...

Yeah....crazy. Stuff like this just boggles the mind, doesn't it?

If the set was marked down dramatically, I could consider buying it even if it was an open item and there was a possibility of a few missing pieces. Parts is parts, you know.