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Looks like Toys R Us finally cracked. Check out their new exclusive prices like $539 SSD.


emazers

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I know that this has been hammered out before but I still think its funny that everyone gets all bent out of shape when TRU raises its prices but its OK when we (as investors or resellers) do it. If I was TRU I'd have my prices high all the time. Sooner or later someone is going to buy it. Plus it weeds out all the competition of people going in and buying up THEIR inventory (look I spelled it right)and reselling it on EBAY. Strike a chord?

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Part of the dislike of TRU is their shenanigans claiming inflated prices are MSRP.

 

I'm also not impressed when eBay sellers list things as "RARE!" or "RETIRED" when they're not. Same sleazy sales tactics.

 

Good old honest price gouging, now that I have no problem with.  :money:

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Guest TabbyBoy

Manufacturers can enforce mandatory maximum retail prices if they want to.  At the moment they are "suggested" or "recommended" retail prices allowing for some local market adjustments (UP in the case of TRU, Hamleys, Harrods & WH Smith).  If Lego does enforce prices at their recommended retail price (RRP) or less, that's the end of it for us.  Claber have done it for gardening watering equipment which led to my first eBay ban about 10 years ago.

As far as eBay listings go, I only mention RETIRED if it actually is EOL in the UK.  I never mention RARE as a rare set is extremely easy to find if you are willing to fork our for it.  RARE would only apply to Mr. Gold so far I think.  There's still lots of 41999s about.

 

Back to the subject.... If TRU went belly up, I'd be in tears.................... CROCODILE TEARS !!!

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Manufacturers can enforce mandatory maximum retail prices if they want to.  At the moment they are "suggested" or "recommended" retail prices allowing for some local market adjustments (UP in the case of TRU, Hamleys, Harrods & WH Smith).  If Lego does enforce prices at their recommended retail price (RRP) or less, that's the end of it for us.  Claber have done it for gardening watering equipment which led to my first eBay ban about 10 years ago.

As far as eBay listings go, I only mention RETIRED if it actually is EOL in the UK.  I never mention RARE as a rare set is extremely easy to find if you are willing to fork our for it.  RARE would only apply to Mr. Gold so far I think.  There's still lots of 41999s about.

 

Back to the subject.... If TRU went belly up, I'd be in tears.................... CROCODILE TEARS !!!

 

I don't think they could enforce that in the secondary market - only on their resellers.

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I am not a big fan of TRU because of their lack of an affiliate program.  Many times we have reached out to them and have explained the sales potential from the large LEGO fan base on this site.  We have shown them strong sales numbers from Target, LEGO and Amazon and have stated we would love to promote their listings, yet they always blow us off and state they are not accepting affiliates at this time.  I guess are making so much money that they don't need our support or others like us.

 

Besides an occasional deal, I really find their prices a joke and wouldn't mind seeing them go bankrupt.  At least then I know it would force people to buy from the remaining retailers who do offer some sort of affiliate advertising.  Just my selfish two cents...

I don't get why TRU has a lack of an affiliate program. If there is more money to be made, why doesn't TRU have one. I'm sure that their sales would go up do to it. 

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Part of the dislike of TRU is their shenanigans claiming inflated prices are MSRP.

 

I'm also not impressed when eBay sellers list things as "RARE!" or "RETIRED" when they're not. Same sleazy sales tactics.

 

Good old honest price gouging, now that I have no problem with.  :money:

remember pokemon cards and how they had different symbols for how "rare they were?! yet you got the same holographic ultra rare card in very starter pack thus making it the most common card. lol/ please someone know what im talking about.

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remember pokemon cards and how they had different symbols for how "rare they were?! yet you got the same holographic ultra rare card in very starter pack thus making it the most common card. lol/ please someone know what im talking about.

Definitely i remember and spending my weekend in toysrus in pokemon cards competitions oh god love thats old times!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

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This is kind of a "What did a Toys R Us employee tell me today" post.

 

I was talking to the clerk about how they are now being asked to make sure coupons are relinquished after a purchase and he said something bizarre.  "We were also told this morning we are no longer supposed to price match Amazon.com."  I was asked how you could do that if your website specifically says Amazon.com is an eligible online retailer you will price match.  He didn't really have response, "I don't know, but that was coming directly from corporate."

 

I was also told by an employee there once, "We don't price match Target.com."  Why is that?  "We only price match local competitors?"  I replied, is Amazon.com a local competitor?  She shrugged her shoulders, "I'll make an exception this one time!"

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I'll top you. Tru told me around the holidays thst we will price amazon but not their website. The want onto say yeah, amazon. Com retail stores but not their online front.

I this same instance they told me they would not pm kmart cause they are not a local competitor. So of course I asked where the closest amazon store was. The young clerk did not get it.

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To be fair, the 2$ bill is about as stupid as the penny. Which we shouldn't have either.

Nothing is dumber in currency then those 1 dollar coins though. I remember seeing a report how there are millions of dollars worth in a vault. We continue to make them. Was on a fix news waste watch thing.
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The $2 bill was just a weird and pointless bit of currency but still legal tender all the same. However, I can only imagine what would happen if the US did get rid of the penny. I know some other places in the world already have gotten rid of their equivalent to a single cent so it isn't a new concept but honestly where would the trend stop? It costs slightly more than five cents to make a single nickel, should we get rid of that while we are at it? Then what will happen to the retails of goods; round up to the nearest ten cents? I seriously doubt people

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Nothing is dumber in currency then those 1 dollar coins though. 

 

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing the dollar bill go away.  Although the dollar coins cost more to mint (18 cents vs 5), they hold together in circulation a hell of a lot longer (something like 30+ years versus less than 5) so it's actually a lot more cost effective.  Vending machines and other systems can process the coins much more efficiently.  The visually impaired can tell them apart from other denominations by feel -- I used to know a 100% blind guy, he had to memorize the order that his bills were in his wallet and trust that merchants weren't short changing him.

 

As for the penny, nickel and dime -- why not just replace them with LEGO bricks -- then at least they'd be useful  :thumbsup:

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Well I will say this much. At least the coins stay looking like real coins instead of how the dollar bills keep morphing more into looking like Monopoly money. :hmm:

 

As for the penny, nickel and dime -- why not just replace them with LEGO bricks -- then at least they'd be useful  :thumbsup:

Useful and easy to stack. :)
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The $2 bill was just a weird and pointless bit of currency but still legal tender all the same. However, I can only imagine what would happen if the US did get rid of the penny. I know some other places in the world already have gotten rid of their equivalent to a single cent so it isn't a new concept but honestly where would the trend stop? It costs slightly more than five cents to make a single nickel, should we get rid of that while we are at it? Then what will happen to the retails of goods; round up to the nearest ten cents? I seriously doubt people

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So after looking at this and thinking from a business perspective, I had a thought.  TRU has a pretty close knit relationship with Lego.  I would say they have an inside leg with Lego based on how they sell and market the Lego product.  They consistently mark up their Lego product and still people buy it.  Most never think that the price is wrong, they don't do research.  What if Lego let management know that on X, Y, Z exclusives they are done producing or will be done producing on/by some specific date.  Meaning that TRU decides not to or cannot order more of those sets.  They recognize the price increases on retired or soon to be retired sets and go ahead and mark them up now, knowing no one will buy them.  This way once the lack or reduction of inventory hits the broader market the price they have is right in line or they are able to then markt them down, but still be above retail.  In this way they insulate their inventory against people clearing them out, and then maximize their profits once the sets are not widely available.

 

To bolster your thought, TRU had the Architecture Studio for sale in stock not long before Lego Shop@Home reissued the set.  So that means it's not at all absurd to think that they would know when a set will retire early, and jack up prices in advance.

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Been trying to stop taking pennies at our store (Lasting Toys) but we have so many kids come in with piggy banks full of pennies.  We hate to turn them away so we take them!!

 

Just as a fyi, it's illegal to not accept US money, so pennies, nickels, bills, or otherwise, you are required to take it.  You can put minimums, like $5 min purchase via credit card, but you cannot restrict the actual payment method with regards to type.

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Just as a fyi, it's illegal to not accept US money, so pennies, nickels, bills, or otherwise, you are required to take it. You can put minimums, like $5 min purchase via credit card, but you cannot restrict the actual payment method with regards to type.

find a cop that's gonna enforce that. I won't. I'll show up and be like you're a d bag. Tryna but a death star with pennies. I'll arrest you for unlawful dumping. Billions of pennies on the counter. Shaking my head.
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