Toys "R" Us - 50% scraps are all that's left

[Fenix_2k1]

5 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

Devastating news in the UK.... TRU has been offered a lifeline ;-(

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/toys-r-us-rescue-deal-135100809.html

I think all of us holding gift cards for dec 26th can breathe a sigh of relief.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

9 minutes ago, Fenix_2k1 said:

I think all of us holding gift cards for dec 26th can breathe a sigh of relief.

Don't hang on to them for too long just in case ;-)

[John82]

Love em or hate em, it's good news. IMO they have finally got their act together this year.

[Fenix_2k1]

2 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

Don't hang on to them for too long just in case ;-)

Spending them asap. Already scoped out which stores have the sets I want. 

I have 2 nearby stores that are listed as closing so will be keeping an eye out in March.

[Val-E]

Note that they were not planning longer term than the spring for any shops.

[Fenix_2k1]

15 minutes ago, Val-E said:

Note that they were not planning longer term than the spring for any shops.

True. But even if they meet all expectations there's a list of stores that are being closed due to poor performance.

[Captain_chaos]

I hope I still get the cashback listed as pending. Seems like an easy thing to lose...

[Fenix_2k1]

7 minutes ago, Captain_chaos said:

I hope I still get the cashback listed as pending. Seems like an easy thing to lose...

I think that's why both major cashback sites no longer have any offers for them

[Fenix_2k1]

Just been to one of the big warehouse stores near me and the Lego section has shrunk a lot since I was last there. I'd say it's a third of the size.  They seem to be stacked.on big sets and not much regular sets. They must have had 20 Assembly Squares, 20 gbhq's, plenty of big Ben's, DO's, PR's, BWE's  Hardly any juniors, hardly any sw, only one elves set. It look like they were just using stored large sets to fill the shelves. I don't know if Lego have cut off their supply at the moment with the uncertainty but I've never seen such a small selection in a store that size.

[Villager Chris]

19 minutes ago, Fenix_2k1 said:

Just been to one of the big warehouse stores near me and the Lego section has shrunk a lot since I was last there. I'd say it's a third of the size.  They seem to be stacked.on big sets and not much regular sets. They must have had 20 Assembly Squares, 20 gbhq's, plenty of big Ben's, DO's, PR's, BWE's  Hardly any juniors, hardly any sw, only one elves set. It look like they were just using stored large sets to fill the shelves. I don't know if Lego have cut off their supply at the moment with the uncertainty but I've never seen such a small selection in a store that size.

I noticed something similar in my local Store. Lego down to about 5 or 6 metres, with just Star Wars, City, Batman Movie, Super Heroes and Ninjago and one or two Creator lines. 

Friends, Elves, Technic,  Architecture, Minecraft etc were all absent. Previous space that was filled with Lego had other bulky stuff instead. This particular store is one of the confirmed closures next year. Very sorry looking store. Nearest Smyths 32 miles away too, so not great at all, unless Smyths take over this particular TRU. 

[Captain_chaos]

7 minutes ago, Villager Chris said:

I noticed something similar in my local Store. Lego down to about 5 or 6 metres, with just Star Wars, City, Batman Movie, Super Heroes and Ninjago and one or two Creator lines. 

Friends, Elves, Technic,  Architecture, Minecraft etc were all absent. Previous space that was filled with Lego had other bulky stuff instead. This particular store is one of the confirmed closures next year. Very sorry looking store. Nearest Smyths 32 miles away too, so not great at all, unless Smyths take over this particular TRU. 

My TRU is also closing, and recently it has had no modulars, no UCS, no other creators, no GBHQ, no Architecture either. Technic was there though; they sold out of the Porsches when they had 20% off. Still loads of Rebel Combat Frigates though...

[Villager Chris]

My local store is Cambridge. Thriving city, with just an Entertainer now as a toy shop. No independents at all. Maybe it says a lot about rents/rates in an area where property is hot - tough for retailers. 

Nearest Lego store is Milton Keynes (47 miles) and Smyths is at Peterborough (40 miles), or Ipswich (also 40 miles). Tesco and Asdas in the area also have very limited Lego range ?

Edited December 21, 2017 by Villager Chris

[John82]

In my area, 2 out of the 3 locals are closing (Leicester and Tamworth), luckily the good store (Derby) is staying.

The strange thing is that in the last 12-15 months Smyths have opened a new store in both Leicester and Tamworth.

Whilst TRU are closing stores, Smyths are opening them.

[Lego17]

In my area, 2 out of the 3 locals are closing (Leicester and Tamworth), luckily the good store (Derby) is staying.
The strange thing is that in the last 12-15 months Smyths have opened a new store in both Leicester and Tamworth.
Whilst TRU are closing stores, Smyths are opening them.

I better spend my Credit note before it closes in Leicester then.

[Will 4]

14 hours ago, Villager Chris said:

Nearest Lego store is Milton Keynes (47 miles)

Nearly as desolate as most TRU's

[Guest TabbyBoy]

Reading TRU have recently moved their store to within spitting distance of Smyths, bad move!

[grabbitfast]

TRU have probably had the penny drop after way too long,

1.Clear out your old lego sets even if its  at a low price asap and get the new sets on the shelf pronto which are the sets kids will be looking for.

2. Really Large lego sets are slow sellers and your money is better off tied up in medium and smaller lego sets which will sell faster and turn over more money.

3.When you are running a promo dont sell the promo item on ebay leaving no stock for instore or online store promos thus hitting sales,ref bricktober.

4.Get your packaging sorted out for home deliveries pronto.

5.Dont just close non profit making stores,the easy option,first find out why they did not make a profit,learn from your mistakes,such a basic business principle which I am sure they will not engage in.Case in point being they are closing a store close to me in a prime selling spot when Smyths around the corner from them are doing a roaring trade.

TRUs real problem is the management are not on the ball and I have no faith they will ever be, so  predict they will be history by 2019 spring time or before.

 

 

[Val-E]

Starting to close stores in Spain now. I worry I won´t be seeiny any points or have anywhere to spend them when the next payment comes in March.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

The Basingstoke TRU in the UK closing down too. Of course, LEGO is the first to go and I've more dignity than to face the riff-raff looking for any cheap crap that they can hope to flip. Hopefully all UK branches will be gone soon.

[Lego17]

Store in Leicester is closing down, went ti check what they had Lego wise & to my suprise they had nothing so must have sent it back or passed it along to a store which is not closing down.

[HandyHand]

TRU Netherlands had already disappeared years ago. While there's still a Dutch TRU webshop, the orders are sent from TRU Germany. 

Now I'm wondering if TRU is also closing stores in Germany as well ? I haven't seen any comments from our German Brickpicker friends here...

[OrangeChiliPeP]

13 minutes ago, Haay said:

TRU Netherlands had already disappeared years ago. While there's still a Dutch TRU webshop, the orders are sent from TRU Germany. 

Now I'm wondering if TRU is also closing stores in Germany as well ? I haven't seen any comments from our German Brickpicker friends here...

I have a TRU near to me and I asked the manager if the store will close in future? I know him for years and he knows about the problems in generally.

He told me that he has no information about any planned store shut down in Germany.

Edited January 23, 2018 by OrangeChiliPeP

[Val-E]

I think they are rationalising after Xmas and closing shops with short term leases or that are the least profitable. I reckon there will be further developments in late summer. One thing I have noticed is they are not stocking 2018 Lego yet.

[HandyHand]

5 minutes ago, Val-E said:

I think they are rationalising after Xmas and closing shops with short term leases or that are the least profitable. I reckon there will be further developments in late summer. One thing I have noticed is they are not stocking 2018 Lego yet.

They are on the webshop though: http://www.toysrus.nl/family/index.jsp?categoryId=10335801&ab=NL_T1_StarWarsLastJedi ... There are new 2018 Lego Star Wars sets for sale.

Funny though ... Just noticed this farce:

Old price: €172.99 and now sold for €129.99 

But ... the Dutch LEGO RRP of this set is €119.99 !

Edited January 23, 2018 by Haay

[Guest TabbyBoy]

24 minutes ago, Val-E said:

I think they are rationalising after Xmas and closing shops with short term leases or that are the least profitable. I reckon there will be further developments in late summer. One thing I have noticed is they are not stocking 2018 Lego yet.

LEGO may now see TRU as Reseller Scum and have pulled the wholesale contract. I'd not offer TRU my products wholesale along with purchase/credit terms either as it's just too dodgy now with the risk of being added to creditors. I went in to the new Reading branch earlier out of curiosity and the atmosphere wasn't good.