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The only thing to do is exactly what Stephen is doing - not shopping there. If you disagree with their pricing, don't buy there. But you have to stick to your guns. You can't shop there when it's convenient for you or when they have a sale that you like or they're offering some promotional item you want. Until a significant number of people do this, it will never change.

Oh boy, another TRU post...

When I started seriously investing in Legos my trips to TRU became more and more frequent and so did my anger and frustration with their pricing. TRU seems less like a toy store and more like and an airport gift shop. I mean does anyone there know what they charge EVERYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THEIR STORES???? With the internet so readily available and even the average consumers becoming ninja-like in their ability to find the cheapest prices how can a bunch of suits sit around in an office and think they can get away with marking up their prices sooooooooooooooo much??? If this wasnt the worst bit of it then comes the sales??? I ask what is the point of a sale when any and everything thats worth buying is significantly marked up before said sale??? This and the worst is a con and and its best is an outright lie. Anyone here who's bought Legos for more than two months knows all too well what I'm speaking about. What I decided to do about it was write an email to their customer service. Heres what I sent: This is an email concerning the general frustration I have with your store/website. I'm always getting survey request when I purchase things from the physical location so I hope the fact that I've taken time out to actually write up an email and send it is reason enough for somebody to take note and actually give me a written reply instead of a canned statement. Whatever the response I will be posting this letter and the reply to my various social media accounts. Ok just so it's understood, I LOVE Toys R Us. I always have since the first time I went there as a 6 year old child. As a child all that mattered to me about your store was getting in, finding something I wanted, then completing a strategy to get my parents to purchase whatever it was that I found. Times were a lot simpler then. As an adult, however, more and more things about your store and its policies are making coming there to shop more and more frustrating. At this point I am making the trip to your store simply for the nostalgia as your policies and prices are bested by just about every other retailer out there that sells toys. First lets talk pricing. Your in-store pricing is on average 5-20 dollars more expensive than the Target right across the street, the Walmart down on the corner, and 5-35 dollars more expensive than their corresponding websites. Now with the invention of the internet its hard for me to find a reason for this other than to milk parents who would do anything to quiet a screaming child. Is it to take advantage of individuals who aren't savvy enough to check pricing before they make purchases??? This is something I would expect of a theme park gift store where vacationing zombies think little of pricing but are more focused on relaxing. These ridiculous mark ups are particular to your store and has relegated me to purchasing things from you ONLY when there is a sale or promotion and only when that promotion beats the competitors, which is rarely the case because your prices are already 10% more on average. Which brings me to my next point. Coupons, sales and other discounts. I recently called RewardsRus to find out why points that I had earned had not been transferred over to my account in the form of coupons, of which I had earned 20 dollars. I was told that on average it takes 4-6 weeks for points earned to be converted into coupons. 4-6 weeks??? How can ANY retailer say 4-6 weeks to a consumer and it be ok??? NOTHING I've ever had to do at a store has EVER had me waiting 4-6 weeks for results. Again, with EVERYTHING being computerized how can such an archaic policy even be in place??? Today I received an email stating 20-25% off a complete purchase from now until the 21st. "GREAT!!" I thought and hurried to your website to purchase the most expensive thing that I wanted which was a Lego Superstar Destroyer that retails for 399 (which is one of the few Lego items on your store website that sells for the same price it does everywhere else). After I had it loaded into the cart I tried to apply the coupon and found that it wasn't applicable to this item because it was a "HOT DEAL" item. I literally laughed when I saw that this item was a "HOT DEAL". "No it's not!! This is the same price it is EVERYWHERE ELSE!!!". This is as close to being an outright lie as I've ever seen. Then when I saw most of the other items I wanted were all HOT DEALS it basically makes this promotion absolutely useless for me. I love being in your store. The look of happiness on childrens faces, the smell of all that plastic and your super friendly employees. It would be the place that I would want to purchase toys from for the rest of my toy purchasing days. However, your policies and pricing have pretty much squashed that possibility. Nostalgia isn't enough of a reason for me to pay a 10+% premium. Coupons that I cannot use are wasted paper and junk-mail. And rewards points that take 4-6 weeks to be able to use is just nonsense when most other points programs have almost immediate accessibility. I shouldn't have to make reasons or find excuses to go to your stores. It should be the other way around. A department store that doesn't specialize in toys should be coming up with reasons to pull customers from you. Instead, all your competitors either at their stores or their online equivalent have the same products you do and are beating your prices without the need for coupon codes. And when they do have sales........it pretty much looks comical how over the mark your pricing is. I have 100 dollars coming to me for your holiday promotion. After that coming to your store to shop will happen with nowhere near the regularity that it has in the past. Here's to hoping someone who has the authority to make changes finds this email. Its been an awesome few decades, but the camel's back is beyond broken. Anthony Grayson Former Loyal Customer

Yeah I was guilty in the early days of this site of complaining about TRU. I have since learned that it does no good so I decided to let my wallet do the talking. I don't care what sale is going on or if they are selling sets for 75% off, I will not spend a dime there. There are plenty of places to buy LEGO so I'm not missing out on anything. TRU can and will continue to charge outlandish prices and a letter, no matter long or well written will ever change that. Instead of wasting your time writing letters put your time into finding other stores with decent sales and prices.

Hi everybody, At the moment, you can snag the 42009 Mobile Crane MK II for just under

Welcome to BrickPicker. That sounds like a pretty nice ad you have there! LEGO ads definitely beat the Pillow Pet ads...

She is standing, and clearly beginning to vandalize the neighborhood...

Those aren't her parents. She's still waiting for her mom to stop blocking the Costco aisle and come get her.

I didn't buy a modular today because the lego store wouldn't honor my coupon. I was not happy. Eventually I know I'll find what I want on sale or on ebay. In the meantime, TLG can sit in time out and think about what they did.

Men: "Women are a pain sometimes." Women: "OhMyGod you sexist a-hole!" Women: "Men are a pain sometimes." Men: "Yep. Lolz." Pbbbbt.

I just realized I now have to go to the mall on black friday....not excited about this.

One thing for sure, the quality of knock-off / bootleg lego will increase. If they could make these with the current setup, imagine what would happen when most of the software and hardware are transferred there from Bilund Please tell me you were being sarcastic. Otherwise, you might want to do a quick google search on the topic.

This is terrible news. No way will the output from China match the current Lego product standards. The very fact that TLG is doing this in China says they are okay with a dip in quality, because the only reason any company makes anything in China is because it's CHEAP. I will be the first to eat my words if Chinese Lego is up to par. But it won't be.

And look where it got KB toys--out of business. Toysrus used to be cheaper--then they went bankrupt. This is the new business model---it either works for them-or it doesn't. It's not the same store we all remember as kids. That store went bankrupt. The name and assets were bought and taken private, and has been rebranded into what you all see now. If you don't like it---vote with your wallet. I am some what convinced most of their customers are nostalgia seekers, and parents and grandparents buying gift cards--not realizing how little you get there for your money, comparitively. Fact is TRU giftcards look better than walmart cards as gifts

Man getting a 30% discount on anything is insane on that site. I gotta complain more.

I agree it is getting rather tiresome seeing all the TRU bashing. They can charge whatever they want, if you don't like it, shop elsewhere!

Too bad they didnt offer you the bundle pack with the big foam finger!

The TRU fat cats laugh at your letter and then lick at their milk. I might copy and paste your letter and email it to TRU to get a 30-percent discount.

So basically, what happened was what I expected to happen.....nothing. And yeah sure change doesnt happen overnight but I dont see TRU changing in a thousand nights. The 30% off was amazing though. I maxed it out with a SSD and a modular. If they wanna gimme a 30% discount I'll use the hell out it sure but its not gonna keep me shopping there. Anybody see this weeks joke of a BOGO?? Thanks for the discount TRU......but you still suck!!!

Lets use the topic for news and upcoming pictures of LEGO Hobbit sets... some information from Eurobricks: Elf army sounds great! I only wish elves have shields/armors and good helmets like in the 2nd trailer... and tree is always nice!

Non paying bidders are the worst. I don't do many auctions so don't usually have much of a problem, with immediate payment required on all our fixed price for about two years now. Edited to add: They especially seem to come out of the woodwork during November/December when it's actually painful to not be able to offer the item for sale elsewhere. I'd encourage anyone running fixed price to consider IPR during the Christmas season, if at no other time of year.

I was pretty surprised, too! It was one of my very first Lego buys to flip - I was up at 4 a.m. (my entire household tends to be nocturnal, though we try to keep a "somewhat" normal schedule for mostly business reasons, but a couple nights per week I succumb) scrolling through eBay auctions and came across it. Cross checked the going bid with the current solds and thought I might luck out. I did. :-)

Hey all, If you don't usually check out the blogs, just an FYI that I posted up a blog with a trip report and tons of pictures from Brickcon 2013! Really cool event. http://community.brickpicker.com/blog/50/entry-431-brickcon-2013-trip-report/ Did anyone else here end up attending? Maybe I met a Brickpicker and didn't know it?

This is the note I got last year from someone after they bought some sets. I already pack my sets completely wrapped in 1/2" bubble wrap and nrw shipping boxes, but you better believe I double wrapped these sets and went above and beyond! "Hello, I just purchased 2 Lego 7753. Please package so that items arrive in described condition as feedback is based on condition of received items. Thanks" I got very nice feedback by the way, whew On another note, reminds me of the auction in which I had to discount a WV PO bc it had a crease on the box...and since I did such a nice job packing it and the WV Bakery it was sent with came through unscathed, apparently the crease didn't happen in transit...doh...rather than argue too much, I learned my lesson and immediately changed all my listings to "box may have creases/shelf wear/dents...not a mint box". Most of the boxes I ship are in great condition but its not worth the hassle to have those expectations from a buyer.

About twice a week, I get a note from one of my book buyers. These notes range from sad, whimpering pleas to hostile, demanding instructions. All of them say basically the same thing: Please don't be as dumb as a box of rocks, like 5 out of 10 of my last sellers, when you package this book for shipping. I never get mad at people for telling me to "package well!" or any variant thereof, because I know from experience there are sellers - and not just on eBay, Amazon used to be notorious - who toss books loose in a box or a huge bubble mailer and send it on its merry, bouncing way through the postal system. When I buy things that I care about the condition on, like new in box Lego, I send my own (hopefully nice sounding) note asking them to package it carefully, etc. I know some sellers are annoyed by it, but try not to be. As buyers, we have to at least TRY to curtail some of the packaging idiocy that occurs out there.

The Atlantic Wire has just released a little narrative of the US government shutdown...in LEGO form! I think this does a pretty good job of explaining what the problems are, and how the government is "trying" to solve those issues. **THIS POST IS NOT MEANT TO SPARK POLITICAL DEBATE. ITS SOLE PURPOSE IS FOR HUMOR AND THE SAKE OF SHARING.** Thank you for your cooperation.

I freakin' love Doctor Who! The series and character is one of those that even people who haven't watched know it by name (including the US). Hell, I knew about the series when I was a child. I'm not sure why Lego wouldn't have gone for it other than it would have to compete with the license of Star Wars which is just an intergalactic war zone. (Lord knows kids love all out war!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1AnTi1X2QM On a awesome somewhat related note, I just found this mock anime for Doctor Who. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3qZYUPi2Y

Canadiens with money aren't using the free system...just like here. I had a real world experience with their system about 10 years ago. My wife, 2 friends and I were headed Back home from Montreal. We were there for a week for gambling, drinking and ok....fine......the limp bizkit, eminem, and xibit show too! Anyways...started snowing a LOT. First snow of season...and wasn't expected. Driving my rear drive---non traction control ls400 with 17 inch steamrollers in the back was no fun. Coming around a turn on the highway there was a multicar accident. I braked hard, went down a mountain, hit a drain culvert and flipped the car trunk over hood 3 times. Wife and I woke up in back seat (no seatbelts) with our friends hanging over us like gods...in their seatbelts. We were on the roof, and water was coming in from a small stream. We were able to all climb out safely and walk up the mountain to the top where highway 10 was...outside brossard. We waited no less than 45 mins on the highway...well over an hour after the crash. Police finally showed up..no ambulance. We were all cut and my wife was throwing up....one friend had a big cut with glass in his hand. Police said ambulance was going to take too long and drove us all to the medical center. They took friend right in..cleaned his cut, removed the glass...and didn't need stiches..they gave an ice pack. My wife...well...here was the issue. She lost consiousness, and was throwing up....and doctor said she probably had a concussion. Said we should take her to city for ct scan...but said he wasn't sure how it would work as we were not citizens..and if we were they wouldn't be able to get her in for 3 days...to the earliest appointment. We explained we had great health insurance and were willing to pay out of pocket. He told us it could be up to 3k for the scan...and I told him I could charge it, write a check, or have it wired next day. He left and came back and said they don't accept money for care..and that this was deemed non emergency and best they could do was 2 days later if we could do 3am! Doctor was very honest and friendly. Told us to get home asap and go to hospital...not to bother with waiting, as we could get better care in us. He mentioned he was only doing his required residency hours...then moving to america himself to make real money. So...it wasn't horrible....both injured seen relativey quick...we were at emercency room for over 3 hrs waiting to be seen..but that may have partly due to not having provincial health cards. We went home same day. Wife called her doctor on the way home..and he said it was crazy that they didn't check wife over at all. We got home...went right to doctor...did some tricks with a flashlight to the eyes and checked her bumps and bruises. Found she had a cracked rib with the in office xray..and sent her for a ct scan. In 30 mins! Luckily she was fine....but I like my doctor to have financial incentives to take care of us. We did end up getting a non citizen bill about 18 months...yes...18 months later. For about 1800...for the exams. Luckily the insurance company paid it. Also of note: the appraiser totalled our car obviously up there where we left it...and the local office (CA) quoted the loss in USD..but our local US agent assumed it was CAD...and marked it up 20% or whatever the exchange rate was then. Nice pay day.....I tell you I was rollin rollin rollin.. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/Why-Canadian-premier-seeks-health-care-in-U-S-3198150.php

I'm an old fashioned girl when it comes to labels, very boring - for eBay I use their bulk label page and print on plain paper that I cut in half. For everywhere else I use PayPal multi-order shipping program, ditto the paper. I do plan to get a thermal in future - when we get up to an average of 30+ packages/day it'll be worth it in time savings for me (and a little savings on ink and paper), but we're only at an average of 14/day across all venues, so we have a ways to go.

I asked my wife to approve of me buying ALL the legos at target for investment despite financial cuts we've had. She said No. Find ones on sale and only those ones. Brickpicker says never pay retail. I said NO i want the whole package or nothing. She said NO, only the ones on sale! I said NO. the whole package or im not coming home...... So here i sit. Too broke to buy a pretzel and too hungry to walk home. With no legos at all.

People can bash TRU's practice anyway they want. However, there are some who bash and hate it one day but then shop there when TRU stores have decent sales. These "do as I say, not as I do" types should realize ANY little purchase they made there helps perpetuate the very practice they hate. If you feel so strongly about it, STOP shopping at TRU. Lead by example and make TRU suffer. Please, either put your money where your mouth is or shut up about it already.

And when will this be corrected so that the actual prices are shown for Europeans (and all other non-US folks) as well? The Brickfolio is, at least in its current state, rather useless for non-US Lego investors. Besides, the information on Prices and Performance is oddly off as well. Check this out for example: 10228 Haunted House In the according section it notes a 28.71 % increase in price from retail for Europe. However, on top of the site, the current worth a new set is given with approx. 170

For example, to the right it shows my most valuable set, and instead of showing the value for this set NEW, which I have explicitly marked as NEW, it shows the value of the set USED, that makes no sense. Same goes for all prices and the overall value of my brickfolio, and sometimes the value displayed for a set makes no sense at all, for example the value for 79003 is (NEW)

Lego has released pictures and video of the new Modular, set 10243, Parisian Restaurant. I think is is absolutely stunning with tons of intricate work and a great new color. Check out the link to the pics and video. Eurobricks topic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_VroKcBFqE

I don't have a strong opinion either way, but I can see where emazers is coming from - the Haunted House is a lot more appealing to a wider range of people than I think the Technic stuff in general and the Crawler in particular may be. Yes, there are more of them, but there may be a correspondingly greater interest in them down the road. We should start betting pools on some of these and then pay each other in Brickpoints in a few years.

To make a $1,000,000.00(US) you need to spend a $1,000,000.00(US).....

It's a good way to appease both crowds... don't like it? Cut open the bags and dump them out as soon as you open the box and act like nothing has changed. But for people like me that can't find the red brick hiding in a pile of white, it's helpful.

I don't pay much attention to EOL speculation, but it would seem like many predictions around here are not very accurate.