TRU Frustration

[Phil.Pastel]

I wiped out all their Redakai tins a few weeks ago. They had nothing left from Redakai in the entire store save a display box. Well, I asked a grunt to see a manager to see if I could get the display box, and the manager wouldn't even come over to speak with. It was gone this morning, they probably threw it out

Also, I passed on Grimlock last Friday because he isn't a $30 figure.

Very frustrating that you have to cross a store off your list because there are only so many.

[MykEdwards]

I used to work at Toys R Us. I can't speak for all the stores, but the one I worked at didn't seem to care too much about customer satisfaction, just making sure the store looked good for when the regional manager came in. Seriously, that was the only thing we worked for - a nice looking store.
Remember when Zhu Zhu Pets were all the rage? Christmas '09. So every Thursday we'd get a truck with a small amount of these stupid little hamsters. There'd be a lineup waiting to get in. One day, the manager decided she didn't want to put them out, so she went outside, told everyone none came in, and made sure we spent an extra hour straightening the shelves - Don was coming in at 10!
Very glad to be gone from there

[Sandman]

There are no other toy stores in the US, and TRU are well aware of this. That's why they can jack up the prices constantly.

[Phil.Pastel]

LOL. I really didn't expect them to give me the display, but it irritates me that the manager wouldn't even come over to speak with me. Anyway, I hardly ever buy anything there. And they no doubt took a sizable loss on those Redakai tins I bought. Part of being successful in life requires you to learn to use your enemies for your own personal gain.

[MykEdwards]

Part of being successful in life requires you to learn to use your enemies for your own personal gain.

Then I suggest you burn that place down when you really want something. You know, as leverage

[Phil.Pastel]

LOL. Unlikely. The building isn't made of flammable materials. In fact, it's a older building made out of some type of brick. My memory isn't good enough to remember what was there before they came in. But I do remember Kiddy City. Ah, those were the days....

[Dr Kain]

If TRU cared about customers, it wouldn't deal with Mattel.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Every time I go to my 3 local TRU stores they look bare and have very limited stock of anything

[Bonehead]

My TRU stocks weekly but everyone around here knows when they put up new stock so unless I can get to the store the day after they stock, the most demanded stuff is all gone.

I have more problems with Walmart personally. The employees know even less at Walmart than TRU. Their ordering system is completely nuts. They constantly keep downsizing making it impossible to even put stock up.

[cbomb23]

If TRU cared about customers, it wouldn't deal with Mattel.

Huh? That doesn't even make sense, one of the largest toy retailers not dealing with the largest toy manufacturer? I think there are substantially more customers who would be upset they didn't carry Mattel product.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

While it's true their sales are down for the year (whose isn't?), with 1,600 stores worldwide, 70,000 employees, annual sales of $13.9 billion and coming in at 193 on the Fortune 500 list, I doubt they're really sweating over what you cost them on Redaki.

LOL. I really didn't expect them to give me the display, but it irritates me that the manager wouldn't even come over to speak with me. Anyway, I hardly ever buy anything there. And they no doubt took a sizable loss on those Redakai tins I bought. Part of being successful in life requires you to learn to use your enemies for your own personal gain.

[Phil.Pastel]

While it's true their sales are down for the year (whose isn't?), with 1,600 stores worldwide, 70,000 employees, annual sales of $13.9 billion and coming in at 193 on the Fortune 500 list, I doubt they're really sweating over what you cost them on Redaki.

LOL. Good point.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Every time I go to my 3 local TRU stores they look bare and have very limited stock of anything

Well, I went to 1 of my local TRU stores today and they were FILLED with all kinds of new stock. The best assortment I have ever seen there. Unfortunately, I couldn't buy anything, but it was still nice to see.

[Dr Kain]

Huh? That doesn't even make sense, one of the largest toy retailers not dealing with the largest toy manufacturer? I think there are substantially more customers who would be upset they didn't carry Mattel product.

I'm referring to those worthless DC and MOTUC exclusives TRU sort of sold.

[Phil.Pastel]

I'm referring to those worthless DC and MOTUC exclusives TRU sort of sold.

Hey, that's their MO man. The exclusive kings -- cause then they get to charge whatever they want. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. In either case, they come across more like a huge network of scalpers than a legitimate retailer.

Aren't you glad that vegetable cooking oil isn't a Pathmark exclusive? Or Hamburgers a 5 guys only product?

[Alexx]

My opinion of the TRU by me has raised in recent years. They used to be pointless - they wouldn't have anything new and the prices were ALWAYS higher than anyone else. Nowadays they stock regularly and the prices are trying to keep around the standards of the day...most of the time. I mean they still have thier TRU tax on some things like Legos 'n such (usually an extra 5 to 10 on those for some reason). But I actually buy things there now, so that's a BIG change from a few years ago.

My biggest problem is that, if the sales are down and they want customers...then why don't they bother keeping enough people around to check them out? Any time I buy there I know - without a doubt - that I'll be in a line for at least 10 to 15 minutes, maybe more. Doesn't even matter if there's only one or two people ahead of me. Every purchase is a problem somehow, and on top of that there are only 1 to 2 lanes open at a time. Sometimes just nothing and you gotta wait around before someone shows up at the help desk. I swear you could walk out with stuff and no one would know until someone checks the cameras at the end of the day.

Beyond that though, I don't mind the place as much as I used to.

[diosoth]

I got a Shoprunner account through TRU last year which is free 2 day shipping. Problem is, the number of items that are eligible for this is low, and they have decreased the number since I signed up. Neca Duke Nukem, which they can't give away, was eligible, then I go to buy one and it's not anymore. I'm real glad I got this membership for free because if I'd paid for a year I'd be cheated from the lack of stuff they have eligible for it. How do they hope to compete with Amazon Prime if only 5% of their stock can be shipped with it?

I haven't been to their stores in a long time because they're too far away to drive to. $15 in the gas tank to browse the shelves is a waste when I can go to Amazon, get what I want and other things worth $25 total and get free shipping.

Kind of wanted the Best Lock Terminator stuff, but only TRU got them and they charged a fortune, so no. Only discount chains that got them aren't even in my area and I guess the planned Family Dollar stock that best Lock announced fell through. I'll somehow hope that Big Lots stocks them later this year in their usual best Lock assortment.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Thanks for that LOL, Phil. I've had a difficult week and your Sunday night post has helped ease it a bit for me. Funny how sometimes little things can make a difference.

LOL. Good point.

[He-Dad]

I worked at Toys R Us for the holidays and it was a lot of fun. Our TRU tends to be pretty well stocked but the stuff that's stocked tends to never be the exclusives or hard to find stuff. Those they get 3 or four of and if your not there within the first day or two they're gone and take forever to get in. They are pretty slow to clearance sometimes too. Still have a ton of Stratos/Hawkman and Merman/Aquaman packs and they actually went up in price ($32 now!) But they do tend to have a lot of sales (buy one get one 40's or 50's). After Christmas they really downsized though and it does usually take a while to check out but they definitely seem to stock better than our Walmart. However, I have to say Big Lots impressed me tonight with some hard to find Power Rangers for $5....my son was quite happy to finally add the Gold Ranger to his collection! (Last week we found Dekker and his Scorpian on clearance at Kmart...been a good week!)

[Phil.Pastel]

Thanks for that LOL, Phil. I've had a difficult week and your Sunday night post has helped ease it a bit for me. Funny how sometimes little things can make a difference.

Glad I could help.

[diosoth]

The 2-packs would have easily been worth the $30 asking price(because you're already paying $30 for a single MOTUC) if they'd had all their accessories but Mattel pulled their usual cheap behavior of trying to sell you an incomplete toy at complete price. He-Man didn't get his iconic sword and they tried to use the excuse of "he doesn't have it in the comic we packed in". Here's an idea, ditch the comics no one asked for. Ditch the "poster" we don't need and give us the accessories. I don't mind if they skip the extra heads but not accessories.

[Barbecue17]

Just went to the nearest TRU to me to look at both baby stuff (my wife and I are going to have a daughter in August!) and to look at big boy toys, of course!

I hadn't been in few months and definitely noticed a lot of the things you all mentioned:

Lots of exclusive items that seem overpriced. $55 for that new Batman threepack while other Batman Movie Masters were sitting nearby for $12 each. Made it seem rather pointless, even to someone like me who'll buy nearly every Batman figure made.

They also just seem to sit on merchandise. While Target (and Wal-mart, to a much lesser extent) seems to clear out old merchandise to bring new merchandise in, TRU just seems to sit on stuff. I saw a whole shelf of Thor figures, plenty of older Marvel Legends, and plenty of other toys that seemed like if not needing to be clearanced out, at least they warranted a price drop.

Our Toys R us also has a really messy boys section. Nothing is placed where it makes sense. NECA figures aren't arranged in any discernible way and can be found on two or three different aisles. The same with Marvel and Batman stuff. They also seem like they never have any room for anything new unless there's an endcap display. G.I. Joe stuff is just kind of crammed in with other stuff.

Their Lego and Playmobil section is always nice and clean, though.

The checkout line issue which Alexx mentioned wasn't as bad this time. While the store was packed, they did have enough lines open, so that worked.

Our Toys R Us moved to a new building about 2 years ago and ditched the old long aisles in favor of short aisles. Not sure I like it all that much as it makes the little short aisles feel really, really crowded when another person is browsing with you.

[Lord Anubis]

My biggest problem with TRU besides like never restocking and over charging....is their clearance stuff. They never take it down in price more than a few pennys and randomly insert it all over the store, its kinda irritating. Actually.... when I go in to find NECA figures their kinda thrown everywhere too. End caps, isles, bins, no order at all.

[iron_pride]

I have yet to find a TRU anywhere that stocks NEW stuff. i mean, locally, there are still Dr. Midnite DCUC and Spectre figs. All over. Prices are high, and they never have anything good anymore. I quit going.

[Phil.Pastel]

My biggest problem with TRU besides like never restocking and over charging....is their clearance stuff. They never take it down in price more than a few pennys and randomly insert it all over the store, its kinda irritating. Actually.... when I go in to find NECA figures their kinda thrown everywhere too. End caps, isles, bins, no order at all.

Mine does that too. And they do some curious things. They once marked down the Mezco Lion-O to $12 for a short time. What about the rest of them??? Then there was the time they marked down the DCU 2-packs to $25. None sold, and they eventually marked them back up to $35 again

A lot of stores do that stuff, though. I just love finding kmart's clearance toys in the outdoor gardening section.