The toy giant has filed for chapter 11. We we just discussing about whether kids even buys toys anymore. This is mentioned here.
thm
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/toys-r-us-files-bankruptcy-protection-035152559--finance.html?.tsrc=daily_mail&uh_test=2_07
The universe hates me.
Not just you, BBW. Toys R Us was the last refuge of solitude for shopping my wife and I frequented. Everything around here is closed down. Pretty soon, we will never leave the house except to buy groceries. Terrible.
All those great Toys R Us exclusive figures and other goodies gone. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the actual stores. Toys R Us is like one of the only actual toy stores in existnece. You can go to it and see rows of toys in person. To see it go bankrupt is disheartening.
thm
I got a lot of Universal figures over the years. Even though they don't have as much as they once did, I will still miss it. We don't go as often as we used to but it was nice knowing it was there. I blame all these kids nowadays who are too lazy to go out to get things. They would rather just hit a button and wait for delivery. I like instant gratification and I don't like waiting or paying shipping charges. I miss the days I would save my allowance and when I got enough I would go to the local hobby shop and buy a Aurora monster model off the shelf and take it home and get prepared to build it. These kids don't know what they are missing!
No toy stores where I am. The drug store and Walmart being the exceptions.
I used to enjoy going to the bins where they had drawers full of dinosaurs and rubber snakes and the model kit section which ceased to exist eventually. I have to order model kit paints from a mail order place in the East.
Quote from: Anton Phibes on September 19, 2017, 05:47:35 PM
Not just you, BBW. Toys R Us was the last refuge of solitude for shopping my wife and I frequented. Everything around here is closed down. Pretty soon, we will never leave the house except to buy groceries. Terrible.
A lot of people are buying their groceries online too these days!
Chapter 11 does not mean TRU is going away. It could, but I think it will be around for a few more years... or fifty... Depends if someone like Amazon swoops in to buy them up. ;)
:(
:(
Really cool article on Toys R Us. It shows comparison pictures of the toys aisles from the 1980's vs pics from today.
http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/3508/vintage-toys-r-us (http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/3508/vintage-toys-r-us)
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on September 20, 2017, 05:52:58 AM
Really cool article on Toys R Us. It shows comparison pictures of the toys aisles from the 1980's vs pics from today.
http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/3508/vintage-toys-r-us (http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/3508/vintage-toys-r-us)
Great article. Wouldn't it be great to get into a time a machne and step into a Toys R Us from the 80's. Actually, when I was growing up, a remember a store called Child World. Child World was like a Toys R Us. I still remmeber the feeling of walking in there. It was a huge toy store and being a little kid, it seemed like a whole other world.
thm
Let's not forget Children's Palace either. Long gone.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/82/67/3c/82673cf76a14c44afc4ec9096c4ebaca.jpg)
Quote from: Universal Steve on September 19, 2017, 07:53:36 PMI blame all these kids nowadays who are too lazy to go out to get things. They would rather just hit a button and wait for delivery. I like instant gratification and I don't like waiting or paying shipping charges. I miss the days I would save my allowance and when I got enough I would go to the local hobby shop and buy a Aurora monster model off the shelf and take it home and get prepared to build it. These kids don't know what they are missing!
Indeed. Very true and very sad.
:(
It's ironic though. Toys 'R' Us was in the 1980s itself a category killer that put the myriad of smaller mom and pop toy stores out of business. Does anyone still have a free standing toy store in their own neck of the woods?
???
I know of two dedicated toy stores in downtown Toronto but they're both in indoor shopping malls.
:-\
Quote from: aura of foreboding on September 20, 2017, 12:16:29 AM
Chapter 11 does not mean TRU is going away. It could, but I think it will be around for a few more years... or fifty... Depends if someone like Amazon swoops in to buy them up. ;)
I'd like to reemphasize what AoF said, TRU is not going anywhere. They are just restructuring. They aren't even for sale. If I were TRU I would actually team up with Amazon and utilize their website and shipping. They would spend themselves out of business if they tried to create anything on their own close to the robust and user friendly online marketplace Amazon has (frankly so would Walmart). Maybe some stores would close in the restructuring but they'll be around for a while.
Frankly, I was never impressed by TRU even as a kid. I always thought it was too big and I could never find anything (when I was a kid). I always much preferred the smaller toy stores in the malls (KB Toys and to an extend Lionel Playworld).
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on September 20, 2017, 02:50:10 PMFrankly, I was never impressed by TRU even as a kid. I always thought it was too big and I could never find anything (when I was a kid). I always much preferred the smaller toy stores in the malls (KB Toys and to an extend Lionel Playworld).
Yes, too big is right. And not just for kids but for adults too.
cl:)
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on September 20, 2017, 02:50:10 PM
I'd like to reemphasize what AoF said, TRU is not going anywhere. They are just restructuring. They aren't even for sale. If I were TRU I would actually team up with Amazon and utilize their website and shipping.
Amazon does not need to partner up with TRU, and my guess is that Amazon or Wal-Mart will likely swoop in and purchase TRU within the next few years for cheap. For all intents and purposes, TRU is effectively dead. It really is unfortunate that the brick-and-mortar retailers we grew up loving did not have the business foresight to change with the times. Even understanding that they could not compete in the online market with the Amazons of the world, TRU could have incentivized buyers with much better pricing, better selection, exclusivity to many of their items, and more competitive shipping options than the online giants could have offered. But they didn't....and we see the result. And I would agree that it's not a good thing for the next generation of toy buyers.
Quote from: Joseph_Baeza on September 20, 2017, 03:38:33 PM
Amazon does not need to partner up with TRU, and my guess is that Amazon or Wal-Mart will likely swoop in and purchase TRU within the next few years for cheap. For all intents and purposes, TRU is effectively dead. It really is unfortunate that the brick-and-mortar retailers we grew up loving did not have the business foresight to change with the times. Even understanding that they could not compete in the online market with the Amazons of the world, TRU could have incentivized buyers with much better pricing, better selection, exclusivity to many of their items, and more competitive shipping options than the online giants could have offered. But they didn't....and we see the result. And I would agree that it's not a good thing for the next generation of toy buyers.
Amazon does not need to but they would take that deal. Identical to what they just did with Whole Foods and Nike. Make a deal to offer your stuff on their website and Amazon keeps a portion of the profit. Amazon has almost no tangible wealth (buildings, inventory etc.) Almost their entire value comes from allowing other people to sell their stuff on the Amazon website (the exact opposite valuation Walmart has).
Didn't Toysrus buy FAO Shwartz?
Quote from: 1/6thtoyz on September 20, 2017, 06:45:31 PM
Didn't Toysrus buy FAO Shwartz?
Yes.
Toys R Us may be another Albertson's. They went bankrupt about ten years back and now they own about half the grocery stores in the country. It really is a big unknown. Hoping they bounce back.
Quote from: the_horror_man on September 20, 2017, 11:06:03 AM
Great article. Wouldn't it be great to get into a time a machne and step into a Toys R Us from the 80's. Actually, when I was growing up, a remember a store called Child World. Child World was like a Toys R Us. I still remmeber the feeling of walking in there. It was a huge toy store and being a little kid, it seemed like a whole other world.
thm
I actually worked at a Child World one Christmas season to make some extra holiday cash! I had fun there!
Frankly, I think Disney should just buy out TRU; after all, half the store is already stocked with Disney characters & properties! :)
Quote from: BRICK on September 21, 2017, 06:11:52 AM
Frankly, I think Disney should just buy out TRU; after all, half the store is already stocked with Disney characters & properties! :)
I was thinking this would be a good investment for them.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on September 20, 2017, 05:05:39 PM
Amazon does not need to but they would take that deal. Identical to what they just did with Whole Foods and Nike.
I was going to mention this. Amazon isn't a total monster: They bought Whole Foods and right away started cutting prices. TRU could definitely use some of that. ($2 off does not count as "Clearance," TRU... I get junk mail coupons with better savings.) And yes, TRU will probably be around awhile longer.
I do miss KB Toys, that place was awesome. And those sale bins! I remember saving my allowance and buying like the whole line of ToyBiz Ghost Rider figures for the cost of 1 new action figure.
Quote from: Anton Phibes on September 20, 2017, 11:39:25 AM
Let's not forget Children's Palace either. Long gone.
(https://s-media-cache-
Used to love that place
Chapter 11 doesn't mean they're closing as stated above, but this isn't the first time they've filed for restructuring protection. If they don't come up with a solid plan to battle the forces of Wal*Mart and Amazon then they will go away, and probably deservedly so. I don't go into their stores nearly as much as I did when I had kids (they are all grown now) but I stopped in recently to pick up a birthday present-- the store had plenty of help on the floor asking if I needed anything but when I got to the front the lines were insane and the cashier was ridiculously slow. It took forever to check out.
Thinking this was an abnormalty I went in again a few weeks later and it was a complete repeat of the previous experience. Wonder WHY I shop online? This is why.
I don't shop at Wal*Mart-- it's like a third world market in there, no one speaks english and nobody is trained. I had a MANAGER once tell a cashier she was going to have to wait to get change -- despite the fact that there were six or seven people being held up in her line waiting for a role of quarters. What kind of service is this?
Wal*Mart might be kicking TRU rear in terms of pricing, but they're feeling the heat of online retailers too.
These retailers are shooting themselves in the foot by cutting front end training and service because it's a lot friggin' easier for me to pull out my phone and place an order on Amazon that will be here in two days than to wait what feels like two days in your line.
Then I can go outside and enjoy the nice weather. These retailers make it so I DON'T want to shop there.
Contrast that with my favorite supermarket which makes it like a party when you go in-- samples out, a positive atmosphere and plenty of registers open. You want to compete with online? This is how you do it.
I think Toys R Us got themselves into this situation through bad customer service, poor stock, and failure to adapt to changing market trends.
I use to enjoy going in TRU but that was in the late 90's. It's been a long time since I found in joy walking into a Toys R Us.
So this is interesting.
Toys R Us, in fact made a lot of money last year. Actually what's going on has nothing to do with their sales. It has to do with equity firms which used Toys R Us as a pawn to have to suffer for their bad business deals in completely unrelated areas.
So basically, so many of you were blaming kids when it was actually old people's fault. As usual.
I agree, it definitely isn't the kids fault. Why go to a poorly stocked store where employees give less than a hoot? Only to get inside and find the item you are looking for isn't there. Now you can skip all that and go on Amazon and pay less. Tell me why kids or parents would long for going to the store these days?
Let me explain. A lot of us don't like kids and will, unapologetically, blame them for everything (little basrards).
Noooooooooooo! They better not go out of business!
I will always be a Toys R Us kid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJJ-ZLdrTwY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJJ-ZLdrTwY)
I have shopped there since ever since I could remember and will continue to do so as long as they have stores to shop in. I simply enjoy the toy store shopping exprience. Last year one of the 3 Toys R Us locations closed in my city, this year another did, so I am left with the last store (within 50 miles at least) here's hoping it stays open for decades more.
KB Toystores, and Red balloon Toystores are few and far between scattered in a just few malls and strip malls.
Lionel Playworld, the other major toystore from my childhood is long gone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9DI-mxHhAc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9DI-mxHhAc)
I do use Amazon and Ebay to shop (usually for things that I cannot get otherwise), but I would always prefer to see the things that I want on a store shelf versus only available online.
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 02, 2017, 05:49:20 AMTell me why kids or parents would long for going to the store these days?
A quick and easy (depending upon the distance to the store of course) way to see, and touch, what toys are currently available.
cl:)
You can get all that online on Amazon.. and it's cheaper. If you have Amazon Prime it will be there in two days.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to walk into a Toys R Us and find a well stocked toy isle with the toys I'm looking for.
I would also love for them to be lowest priced toy store and have exclusives available. As a parent I can't find the toys my daughter wants either.
They were out of stock with Hatchimals (which is what she wanted), they only had peg warmer Star Wars figures in stock, and no Universal Monster stuff.
If parents can't find the hot toys for their children at Christmastime they will go elsewhere to find it.
There are some perfectly valid points being made, but I can't help but notice an odd loop occurring where the reason stores like Toys R Us have so many problems is because of the rise of online stores like Amazon, so to avoid dealing with those problems, it's better to...shop at online stores like...Amazon...
So Amazon causes problems for Toys R Us, so the solution is to shop at Amazon instead. Obviously this is simplifying things, and there are all sorts of other variables to consider. But it's still weird, to me anyway.
One thing I can say is, any time I've been near a toy aisle at Walmart or Target or even K-Mart, there's been a kid or two yelling and screaming because they desperately want to look at the toys and pick something out that they want. So I'm not quite so sure that it's a matter of kids not liking toy aisles and toy stores anymore, it might be an issue with the parents. As has been pointed out, things like customer service, item selection, quantity of items stocked, variety of items, etc, are valid issues to consider, but I think these are things parents notice more than kids. Not to mention the influence of the economy overall.
Good Points. I just find it rather ironic that toy sales rose by 3% this year but the leading Toy Store is going bankrupt.
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 03, 2017, 11:02:04 AM
Good Points. I just find it rather ironic that toy sales rose by 3% this year but the leading Toy Store is going bankrupt.
Well, YoungestMonsterKid did point out that equity firms basically screwed them over, but the looming specter of online shopping is still present. I just find it strange how it's such a self-fulfilling prophecy. "Amazon ruined Toys R Us, so now I do all my toy shopping on Amazon."
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 03, 2017, 06:56:51 AMYou can get all that online on Amazon.. and it's cheaper. If you have Amazon Prime it will be there in two days.
I would also love for them to be lowest priced toy store....
But that's it precisely! The business model on which Toys-R-Us was built and with which it prospered for decades doesn't enable the chain to compete on the basis of price. Walmart and Target have far greater economies of scale, and Amazon's warehousing costs are far lower than the cost of operating a network of toy stores. That, and the debt level, are the problems Toys-R-Us is facing and honestly I see no way out for the chain.
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on September 29, 2017, 11:08:22 AMI think Toys R Us got themselves into this situation through bad customer service, poor stock, and failure to adapt to changing market trends.
You're criticizing them for both coming and going. A store cannot, let me repeat,
cannot have both good service and the lowest prices. There's a very real cost to providing good service. Therefore you have to choose between the lowest prices and good service.
And American consumers have chosen. They've made their choice on the basis of price. Far and away the most successful retail models are Walmart and the other suburban big box stores. The net result of consumers exercising this preference has been the hollowing out of the downtowns of American cities (the donut effect), and the erosion bordering on complete disappearance of the American manufacturing sector plus the well paid jobs that were previously available in the manufacturing sector.
Yet somehow many/most Americans decry the evaporation of high paying manufacturing jobs while refusing to buy American made goods if they cost more (which of course they must if payrolls are higher). It is to scream. You can't have it both ways.
cl:)
Quote from: Big Bad Wolf on October 03, 2017, 10:23:41 AMThere are some perfectly valid points being made, but I can't help but notice an odd loop occurring where the reason stores like Toys R Us have so many problems is because of the rise of online stores like Amazon, so to avoid dealing with those problems, it's better to...shop at online stores like...Amazon...
So Amazon causes problems for Toys R Us, so the solution is to shop at Amazon instead. Obviously this is simplifying things, and there are all sorts of other variables to consider. But it's still weird, to me anyway.
Indeed. There's an irrational self-fulfilling element there.
:-\
There's an argument I've seen a lot when discussing book selling that I think may apply to toy selling too. There's been a curious shift in the way we shop in terms of what it is we're looking for and how we look for it. When I go to a Toys R Us, I'm not going there looking for a specific thing. I go there to see what they have, and if there's anything they have that I like. Shopping online has shifted the mindset a bit. Now people go to big sites like Amazon, or even toy-centric sites like BBTS, and look for the specific items they crave.
Granted I'm more likely to smell a sasquatch fart than I am to get enough money in my hand to shop there, not to mention I'd have to travel a bit to find the nearest store. But I think the value of discovery is being lost. It's affected book selling and libraries, since people now tend to look for specific books or authors that they want instead of browsing for something that catches their attention. It seems toys have that problem too now.
Of course, as I alluded to earlier, economic issues may have a part to play. Discovery shopping is easier to do when you can afford to do it. For many people, specific shopping likely occurs in part due to tighter budgets narrowing one's interests out of necessity.
Quote from: Hepcat on October 03, 2017, 11:30:27 AM
But that's it precisely! The business model on which Toys-R-Us was built and with which it prospered for decades doesn't enable the chain to compete on the basis of price. Walmart and Target have far greater economies of scale, and Amazon's warehousing costs are far lower than the cost of operating a network of toy stores. That, and the debt level, are the problems Toys-R-Us is facing and honestly I see no way out for the chain.
You're criticizing them for both coming and going. A store cannot, let me repeat, cannot have both good service and the lowest prices. There's a very real cost to providing good service. Therefore you have to choose between the lowest prices and good service.
And American consumers have chosen. They've made their choice on the basis of price. Far and away the most successful retail models are Walmart and the other suburban big box stores. The net result of consumers exercising this preference has been the hollowing out of the downtowns of American cities (the donut effect), and the erosion bordering on complete disappearance of the American manufacturing sector plus the well paid jobs that were previously available in the manufacturing sector.
Yet somehow many/most Americans decry the evaporation of high paying manufacturing jobs while refusing to buy American made goods if they cost more (which of course they must if payrolls are higher). It is to scream. You can't have it both ways.
cl:)
While I feel pity for companies such as TRU, Sears, or K-mart I feel no desire to want to patronize them anymore. Should I shop there out of pity for them? Those failed businesses got themselves into their respective predicaments...not the customer. They didn't adapt to a changing market and they got left behind. Wal-Mart and Target offer both well stocked stores and robust online offerings. They adapted and they have thrived while others have floundered. Perhaps they can look there for inspiration.
Have nice day ~
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 03, 2017, 12:18:40 PMThose failed businesses got themselves into their respective predicaments...not the customer. They didn't adapt to a changing market and they got left behind.
But what you've been doing though is criticizing them for failing to adapt. Sometimes though there's no way to adapt. The world has changed. The previous strengths of Tors-R-Us won't help the chain. Their market niche has dwindled dramatically.
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 03, 2017, 12:18:40 PMWal-Mart and Target offer both well stocked stores and robust online offerings. They adapted and they have thrived while others have floundered. Perhaps they can look there for inspiration.
Somehow Walmart stores have always offended my aesthetic sensibilities, part of the reason being that I'm not exactly a big fan of the made in China thing. Nor am I a fan of the suburban shopping experience:
Gallery of Walmart Shoppers (https://www.sunnyskyz.com/blog/338/This-Gallery-Of-Walmart-Shoppers-Prove-A-Picture-Is-Worth-A-Thousand-Words)
I'm therefore willing to concede the savouring of the Walmart shopping experience to others.
;)
Quote from: YoungestMonsterKid on October 02, 2017, 05:22:56 AMToys R Us, in fact made a lot of money last year. Actually what's going on has nothing to do with their sales.
Misleading. Toys-R-Us earned $460 million in 2016
before interest expenses/debt service requirements. And that's why Toys-R-Us is filing for Chapter 11. Toys-R-Us can't pay its debts.
Quote from: YoungestMonsterKid on October 02, 2017, 05:22:56 AMIt has to do with equity firms which used Toys R Us as a pawn to have to suffer for their bad business deals in completely unrelated areas.
Huh?!!! Toys-R-Us has filed for Chapter 11 for the simple reason that it can't pay its debts. There's no conspiracy here. An element of incompetence/stupidity on the part of the creditors, yes; but conspiracy no. I for the life of me don't understand why the banks and other lenders were willing to advance the $7.5 billion or so in 2005 that the hedge funds needed to finance the leveraged buyout of Toys-R-Us secured it seems by only the assets/business of Toys-R-Us. There's no way that transaction could have passed any of the standard textbook lending tests, e.g. debt/equity ratio, interest coverage, etc. It's the lenders who are now holding the bag therefore and facing a very serious haircut. They actually deserve to be horse-whipped for incompetence of this magnitude.
Quote from: YoungestMonsterKid on October 02, 2017, 05:22:56 AMSo basically, so many of you were blaming kids when it was actually old people's fault. As usual.
Blame isn't the right word. But the shift in kids'' preferences over the last 25 years to almost exclusively video games has seriously hurt Toys-R-Us. Massive brick and mortar stores aren't essential when it comes to selling video games. The market share Toys-R-Us commands in the video game area has now dwindled to 1%.
:-\
I, for one, will very much miss the brick and mortar toy stores, like Toys-R-Us, should it go under. While I would completely agree with some of the criticisms people have made: high prices, a general lack of selection (with some characters and product lines being way, WAY oversaturated [i.e. Disney, Lego] at the expense of others), unruly children, angry parents. Never the less, I still enjoy going to the toy store. Maybe it is just nostalgia from my childhood, but I think that there is something more.
While I pretty much know what Universal Monster items are going to be coming out well in advance, that was not always the case. Back in the early 1990's, walking into a Toys-R-Us and seeing all the Uncle Milton glow monsters (for $1.99!), the beautiful Golden UM puzzles, even the (gasp) Imperial UM figures; that was pure joy. These TRU items helped to get me back into collecting monsters, after a long absence. And over the years TRU stocked the Sideshow figures, the reproduction Aurora long boxes and a bunch of other great stuff. While it's easy to damn them for not having enough UM merchandise; they can't stock that which is not produced.
Another thing; when it came to something like action figures, brick and mortar stores allowed you to actually pick out your item. That is to say, you could compare duplicate figures to see which had the better paint job or detailing, or see how big it really was (i.e. those Neca "12 inch" Godzilla figures, that were measured from head to tail), you can't do that online.
But what I like most about toy stores is just the treasure hunt. As I said, I basically know what UM items are out there, but I don't keep up that much on other characters I like. So 9 out of 10 times I will go in there and find something really cool that interests me; whether that be something from Godzilla, Planet of the Apes, Dr. Who, Alien, even retro Hulk/Marvel stuff. While I don't always buy them, it is interesting just to look, and sometimes get ideas on how to customize figures.
Finally, while it's rare that UM items last until the clearance stage, it has happened before.
Quote from: Crossbonez74 on October 03, 2017, 06:56:51 AMI would also love for them to be lowest priced toy store and have exclusives available. As a parent I can't find the toys my daughter wants either.
They were out of stock with Hatchimals (which is what she wanted), they only had peg warmer Star Wars figures in stock, and no Universal Monster stuff.
If parents can't find the hot toys for their children at Christmastime they will go elsewhere to find it.
Hopefully we're not going to end up seeing your picture in the newspaper as one of those parents at Walmart fighting over the last specimen of that year's must-have toy. I should have been so spoiled as a kid. Most of us here on UMA were not.
???
I've always had mixed feelings about Toys-R-Us. What I didn't like was that it was a category killer and had put the dedicated mom-and-pop toy stores out of business.
(https://www.cityguideny.com/columnpic/the-toy-box.jpg)
However I liked the selection. As a result Toys-R-Us used to be my go-to store for buying scads of toys for Salvation Army kids at Xmas in the 1989-2007 period.
And if Toys-R-Us disappears, I fear that the available selection will also be reduced. Retailers like Walmart tend to stock many multiples of the hottest selling toys that season. Their business strategy is actually based on precisely that. But less popular toy lines are accordingly hard to find at mass merchandise retailers such as Walmart. (Just like the record/CD sections of the mass market retailers never offer the selection of older releases by lesser known artists that dedicated record stores carry.) But it's all about selection to a non-mass market oriented consumer with idiosyncratic preferences such as myself.
:(
Never much cared for Walmart and don't shop there much. There are actually stores that sell things cheaper than Walmart or at the same price (Kroger companies for groceries and Target for other things). Walmart's toy selection, however, is usually okay... not as unique as Target's, but they sometimes have carried interesting things. Not recently, but -- in the past -- they had some okay toys. That being said, there is no comparison to TRU. I don't know why anyone would choose to go to Walmart specifically to look for toys, nor do I understand why anyone would want to browse for toys online. It's like clothes shopping. If you can't feel it and try it out, why would you do it? I firmly believe that Walmart only sells toys because people are in the store for a totally different reason. They play to the impulse buy and view toys as impulse purchases.
I think a lot of the fault here lies in the fact, as has been pointed out, that kids are so video game-centric today. It's like all they do...
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 06, 2017, 12:55:00 AMI think a lot of the fault here lies in the fact, as has been pointed out, that kids are so video game-centric today. It's like all they do....
Sad but true.
:(
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 06, 2017, 12:55:00 AM
Never much cared for Walmart and don't shop there much. There are actually stores that sell things cheaper than Walmart or at the same price (Kroger companies for groceries and Target for other things). Walmart's toy selection, however, is usually okay... not as unique as Target's, but they sometimes have carried interesting things. Not recently, but -- in the past -- they had some okay toys. That being said, there is no comparison to TRU. I don't know why anyone would choose to go to Walmart specifically to look for toys, nor do I understand why anyone would want to browse for toys online. It's like clothes shopping. If you can't feel it and try it out, why would you do it? I firmly believe that Walmart only sells toys because people are in the store for a totally different reason. They play to the impulse buy and view toys as impulse purchases.
First, I'll say I absolutely love Walmart. Some Walmart's are scary/trashy but I don't live anywhere near those Walmart's. If me liking Walmart offends your delicate sensibilities, I don't care. I like it because I can pick up a K&N oil filter, ShopVac bags, Coleman propane cylinders, Stove Top Stuffing, a Slobulus Mad Ball and a camo hoody all in the same trip and using self checkout be in and out of the store in 5 minutes. That was my last trip to Walmart and every item I just mentioned are almost always less expensive at Walmart than on Amazon.
Now to my point. I'm not opposed to TRU, Target or Amazon. But for a KID to actually look for toys that a KID would like Walmart is probably the best and most accessible choice. Now, for the types of toys adults like to
collect Walmart would generally be a bad choice. What do you guys think kids play with? If you want to know walk through the Walmart toy aisle. A lot of kids play video games. But a lot of kids also don't, and those that do play video games still play with toys.
Target is great but usually frequented by trendy moms who think they are too good to mingle with the Walmart crowd.
TRU is frankly kind of overwhelming for a kid and honestly their selection on a lot of stuff kids like (Star Wars action figures, Monster Jam trucks, etc) is usually quite limited.
Amazon - Well, I rarely see an 8 year old adding items to his/her cart on Amazon.
I like and use all of them but this is my impassioned argument for the usefulness of Walmart (and based on sales figures a lot of people agree).
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 06, 2017, 10:49:09 AM
First, I'll say I absolutely love Walmart. Some Walmart's are scary/trashy but I don't live anywhere near those Walmart's. If me liking Walmart offends your delicate sensibilities, I don't care. I like it because I can pick up a K&N oil filter, ShopVac bags, Coleman propane cylinders, Stove Top Stuffing, a Slobulus Mad Ball and a camo hoody all in the same trip and using self checkout be in and out of the store in 5 minutes. That was my last trip to Walmart and every item I just mentioned are almost always less expensive at Walmart than on Amazon.
Now to my point. I'm not opposed to TRU, Target or Amazon. But for a KID to actually look for toys that a KID would like Walmart is probably the best and most accessible choice. Now, for the types of toys adults like to collect Walmart would generally be a bad choice. What do you guys think kids play with? If you want to know walk through the Walmart toy aisle. A lot of kids play video games. But a lot of kids also don't, and those that do play video games still play with toys.
Target is great but usually frequented by trendy moms who think they are too good to mingle with the Walmart crowd.
TRU is frankly kind of overwhelming for a kid and honestly their selection on a lot of stuff kids like (Star Wars action figures, Monster Jam trucks, etc) is usually quite limited.
Amazon - Well, I rarely see an 8 year old adding items to his/her cart on Amazon.
I like and use all of them but this is my impassioned argument for the usefulness of Walmart (and based on sales figures a lot of people agree).
You can like Walmart. It's fine. No one said you couldn't. We in the Pacific Northwest have a much better option than Walmart called Fred Meyer, which existed long before Walmart did and has everything Walmart has and does everything better than Walmart does. Some people don't have those choices, so they go to Walmart. I lived in a city once that had 10 Walmarts. Now, I only have 2. Better competition leads to less Walmarts. Less competition leads to more Walmarts.
I still think "kids just like video games more now" is a bit of a narrow assessment. There's surely some truth to it, but it must be considered that kids can't exactly go to these stores themselves. Parents need to drive there. You know where parents don't need to drive? Steam. Nintendo Shop. Playstation Store. Etc. Video games can be bought and played almost INSTANTLY without having to go anywhere, or having to wait for a package from Amazon several days later. There's an instant gratification factor there. Kids want to play with something new RIGHT NOW? Video game. Parents don't feel like driving to the store? Video game.
And I know I've said this before, but the overall economy is a factor that should be considered in several areas. Driving to the store requires gas in the tank. Gas costs money. When the gas prices are higher, that's more money it costs to travel here and there. When you're in a situation like me, living in a town without at Toys R Us and freaking broke as heck, you don't have the money to even drive there let alone buy anything once you arrive.
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 06, 2017, 01:53:03 PM
You can like Walmart. It's fine. No one said you couldn't. We in the Pacific Northwest have a much better option than Walmart called Fred Meyer, which existed long before Walmart did and has everything Walmart has and does everything better than Walmart does. Some people don't have those choices, so they go to Walmart. I lived in a city once that had 10 Walmart's. Now, I only have 2. Better competition leads to less Walmart's. Less competition leads to more Walmart's.
Some people do get very irrational about Walmart. I don't work for them, or have stock with them or anything, but I certainly choose the Walmart over the Target across the street from it mostly because of the stuff I buy there isn't at a Target (or Fred Meyer), at least not one I've ever seen. We used to have Fred Meyer's where I live. There are still a couple 60 miles or so away but all the rest went out of business when Target's began to pop up. Kroger (owner of Fred Meyer) also has a ton of different grocery store chains where I live, some of them very Fred Meyerish. If I were to guess I'd say both Target and Fred Meyer go the way of Kmart in the years to come.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 06, 2017, 02:53:12 PM
If I were to guess I'd say both Target and Fred Meyer go the way of Kmart in the years to come.
I don't think that's a very accurate assessment, but you're free to think that. Kroger is a food giant. Target is where the middle class prefers to shop. I think both are safe for at least the next 30 years.
Walmart will be around for years to come as well... Until something better comes along... or our trade deals with China go south. China gave rise to Walmart and gave the death knell to Woolworth's. But just as China gave Walmart life, it will eventually lead to its demise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p-lDYPR2P8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p-lDYPR2P8)
Cheers!
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 06, 2017, 05:52:36 PM
Kroger is a food giant. Target is where the middle class prefers to shop.
"We don't have a competitor in variety. There is none." - Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus
"Sears was regarded as a national institution, almost like the Post Office, ... Everybody went there, everybody did business with them. Everybody believed they were a permanent part of the landscape." -
Gordon L. Weil, Sears, Roebuck, USA: The Great American Catalog Store
Sounds familiar
I see T'R'U closer to Tower in comparison. Both specialty stores that followed an obsolete business model. Target is playing in the same field as Wal-Mart. I just think Target has a far more pleasant atmosphere than Wal-Mart.
Quote from: Mord on October 06, 2017, 06:35:37 PM
I just think Target has a far more pleasant atmosphere than Wal-Mart.
Completely agree. But only because of the fact that Target shoppers are significantly more attractive as a whole. This is a fact and it cannot be disputed.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 06, 2017, 07:14:50 PM
Completely agree. But only because of the fact that Target shoppers are significantly more attractive as a whole. This is a fact and it cannot be disputed.
I'm looking in the mirror...yeah, you're absolutely right! I never thought of that.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 06, 2017, 07:14:50 PM
Completely agree. But only because of the fact that Target shoppers are significantly more attractive as a whole. This is a fact and it cannot be disputed.
Of course it is. Why do you think I shop there? :D
Quote from: Mord on October 06, 2017, 06:35:37 PMI just think Target has a far more pleasant atmosphere than Wal-Mart.
If it counts for anything, Wal-Mart is good when you need a self-esteem boost.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 06, 2017, 06:11:43 PM
"We don't have a competitor in variety. There is none." - Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus
"Sears was regarded as a national institution, almost like the Post Office, ... Everybody went there, everybody did business with them. Everybody believed they were a permanent part of the landscape." - Gordon L. Weil, Sears, Roebuck, USA: The Great American Catalog Store
Sounds familiar
And the same could be said of Walmart. You are really into this Walmart thing. Good for you. I'm just pointing out a lot of people hate Walmart. A lot of people dislike Walmart. A lot of people will find alternatives. A lot of people don't even shop there. It's not some holy, sacred place. If your Sears quote applies to any business, it is, in fact, Walmart.
And I do, in fact, shop at Walmart occasionally. My Walmarts are actually nice looking stores. Do I like being harassed about my purchases on the way out the door? Absolutely freaking not. If you don't trust I bought the item, don't have some little old lady in charge of checking my receipt. Call the cops. Walmart is the only store I know that does this, and it was a recent change. Costco has, of course, done this since around Day One. But Walmart is the only store of its kind that makes its customers feel like crooks during every purchase.
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 07, 2017, 11:25:56 AM
And the same could be said of Walmart.
Do I like being harassed about my purchases on the way out the door?
Of course the same could be said of Walmart or any store. That's the entire point of that post. I don't love Walmart, if Walmart ceased to be in business today it would have no impact on my life other than I'd have to go somewhere else the 2 or 3 times a month I go there. I'm baffled I'm arguing about it.
I've also never had anyone do anything when I leave Walmart other than maybe mumbling "have a good day". Maybe you just have a foreboding aura about you?
If nothing else your preference for establishments other than Walmart has provided defacto and unequivocal evidence to all of Universal Monster Army and perhaps even to the entirety of the interweb that you are a significantly more physically attractive individual than I.
Quote from: Remco Wolfman on October 07, 2017, 02:33:09 PM
Of course the same could be said of Walmart or any store. That's the entire point of that post. I don't love Walmart, if Walmart ceased to be in business today it would have no impact on my life other than I'd have to go somewhere else the 2 or 3 times a month I go there. I'm baffled I'm arguing about it.
I've also never had anyone do anything when I leave Walmart other than maybe mumbling "have a good day". Maybe you just have a foreboding aura about you?
If nothing else your preference for establishments other than Walmart has provided defacto and unequivocal evidence to all of Universal Monster Army and perhaps even to the entirety of the interweb that you are a significantly more physically attractive individual than I.
Well, I can't argue with the last point. ;D
However, the Walmarts I have been to recently all require every receipt be checked by the greeter. They look at your purchases and compare them against the receipt... for every single person shopping there. This might be happening only in areas with bag bans if you don't have this happening at your stores, which I guess would make Walmart a whole lot more appealing anyway!
Speaking of Walmart and the bag ban, another reason I dislike them is they are the only store that does not offer free bags for purchases. Every other discounter does, but Walmart charges 5 cents per bag. No exceptions. No exclusions. It's ridiculous, and they keep the money. They are the only company that truly has the cash power to offer free bags, and they don't. Yet Target, Kroger, Albertson's, etc. all do.
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 08, 2017, 11:16:18 AM
Speaking of Walmart and the bag ban, another reason I dislike them is they are the only store that does not offer free bags for purchases. Every other discounter does, but Walmart charges 5 cents per bag. No exceptions. No exclusions. It's ridiculous, and they keep the money. They are the only company that truly has the cash power to offer free bags, and they don't. Yet Target, Kroger, Albertson's, etc. all do.
Sounds like you have some f'ed-up Walmarts. In the my area (TN) they double bag heavier items and certainly don't charge for those cheap*ss bags. The Walmarts around here are like most every other store regarding cleanliness and customers. Shoppers are different everywhere and the idea that prettier people are drawn to Target is obviously a silly joke. I go to Target, I go to Walmart, I go wherever I can get the best deal with the least trouble. BTW, hardly ever does anybody at Walmart check our items at the door against a receipt. If they do anything it's usually just to wish you a good day. I don't stop by UMA much anymore, but I felt compelled to comment on this last statement just because things are quite different here. This is just an observation and not meant to be rude, but...man, you guys don't have much to talk about for this to be a monster related forum.
::)
Quote from: horrorhunter on October 08, 2017, 11:45:24 AM
Sounds like you have some f'ed-up Walmarts. In the my area (TN) they double bag heavier items and certainly don't charge for those cheap*ss bags. The Walmarts around here are like most every other store regarding cleanliness and customers. Shoppers are different everywhere and the idea that prettier people are drawn to Target is obviously a silly joke. I go to Target, I go to Walmart, I go wherever I can get the best deal with the least trouble. BTW, hardly ever does anybody at Walmart check our items at the door against a receipt. If they do anything it's usually just to wish you a good day. I don't stop by UMA much anymore, but I felt compelled to comment on this last statement just because things are quite different here. This is just an observation and not meant to be rude, but...man, you guys don't have much to talk about for this to be a monster related forum.
::)
Walmart is just trying to be the least attractive option in my area, and I'm okay with that. :)
As far as things to talk about, we used to have forums to talk about everything. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Too many topics. Too much fun in those topics. Too much bandwidth. So worth the bandwidth. Hard for mods. We didn't make things easy. Now, we try to squeeze in OT conversation wherever possible The heart of the UMA is not the toys. It's the people. :)
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 08, 2017, 11:54:43 AM
Walmart is just trying to be the least attractive option in my area, and I'm okay with that. :)
As far as things to talk about, we used to have forums to talk about everything. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Too many topics. Too much fun in those topics. Too much bandwidth. So worth the bandwidth. Hard for mods. We didn't make things easy. Now, we try to squeeze in OT conversation wherever possible The heart of the UMA is not the toys. It's the people. :)
Funny, I just shouted that I missed the general discussion board. I still think we should have one. Most forums do. At the very least a "general monster discussion" forum couldn't hurt. Sometimes I have ideas for threads and I'm never sure where to put them.
As for Walmart, my local Walmart is a bit of a mix I think. My town is full of those whom many refer to as rednecks or trailer trash, and Walmart is a great place to find them. But they're not the only sorts of folks who shop there. Plenty of good looking people shop there too. I CAN admit I've seen less of the former at the local Target.
We don't have to check our receipts with a greeter either, and I'm pretty sure we don't have to buy bags. However, the toy selection has gotten smaller recently. In fact, one time I went in there and it was so much smaller I was actually stunned. Meanwhile our local Target has a lot more to offer. Even our K-Mart has a better selection.
I guess I should clarify that plastic bags are illegal, and Walmart is charging for paper, though you can get free personal-sized paper bags everywhere else. Walmart just racks up the money. Meanwhile, TRU charges 10 cents for ILLEGAL plastic bags, which is probably why they are going under.
"The retailer (TRU) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September and officially filed for liquidation in March. As a result, more than 700 Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores across the United States will be closing for good by Friday."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/toys-r-us-will-close-all-of-its-us-stores-by-the-end-of-the-week-take-a-look-back-at-what-it-was-like-in-its-heyday/ar-BBKgNdb?ocid=spartandhp (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/toys-r-us-will-close-all-of-its-us-stores-by-the-end-of-the-week-take-a-look-back-at-what-it-was-like-in-its-heyday/ar-BBKgNdb?ocid=spartandhp)
So do any Toys 'R' Us stores remain in operation at this time?
???
Quote from: Hepcat on May 07, 2019, 09:25:37 AM
So do any Toys 'R' Us stores remain in operation at this time?
???
There are no Toys R Us locations open in the United States. Toys R Us Canada is a separate legal entity and still has stores. There is a possibility of Toys R Us having some presence in the US market later this year but very unlikely to be a brick and mortar store. More likely just their name being used for a product or service.
Evidently there are 22 Toys 'R' Us stores within a fifty kilometre radius of my house.
:)
Quote from: aura of foreboding on October 08, 2017, 11:16:18 AM
Speaking of Walmart and the bag ban, another reason I dislike them is they are the only store that does not offer free bags for purchases. Every other discounter does, but Walmart charges 5 cents per bag. No exceptions. No exclusions. It's ridiculous, and they keep the money. They are the only company that truly has the cash power to offer free bags, and they don't. Yet Target, Kroger, Albertson's, etc. all do.
They don't charge in Wilson North Carolina.
Quote from: Hepcat on May 07, 2019, 02:05:17 PMEvidently there are 22 Toys 'R' Us stores within a fifty kilometre radius of my house.
(https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.3596806.1505852512!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_1020/image.jpg)
I just heard a radio commercial for Toys 'R' Us this morning which was the first in I know not how many years. But the number of Toys 'R' Us stores within a fifty kilometre radius of my house has now dropped to 15. Only three of these are fairly convenient for me. But none of them have any new-old-stock Standard Plastics monster wallets, MPC Pop-Top Horrors, Hamilton Invaders sets, Ideal King Zors or Mad Mad Mad Scientist Laboratories. Such a bummer.
:-\
I think they've been expanding in Asia since 2017, especially in developing economies. There might be a connection between that and issues like population aging.