cloudballoon wrote:Here in Canada, I don't get how we can complain much about TRU's TF toy prices. Their main line TF prices are only a few cents higher than Walmart's. Like $19.99 vs. $19.97 for a TR DLX. They have similar prices for Legend, Deluxe and Voyager except Leader - TRU is $5 more expensive than WM.
But TRU runs far more sales on TF toys than Walmart & price-match. I'd say 75% of my TFs were purchased at sale prices (through sales of the week or rain checks from previous sales) at TRU.
TRU exchange policy is also better. I can exchange any figure from the same line to a different one with minimum hassle. This is not possible at Walmart.
Only thing I can complain are the shelf-warmers, but that's not *my problem* per se, as I can get TF figures I want 90% of the time at TRU... eventually. I'm just concern the losses incurred on TRU's finances about those shelf-warmers.
If we all want TRU to get through this tough time, we should find out how TRU can help themselves by improving their purchasing analysis. We (collectors & parents) can only buy so much BBB, OP & repaints before we collectively say "enough, don't need another similar BBB/OP"? Hasbro can also help out too.
One thing I've really noticed just with talking to Will is the difference between TRU USA and TRU Canada. To your points here, the price differences are huge in some cases. back in combiner wars, they were selling deluxes for $24.99 while every other store (Walmart, Target) were selling them for $14.99. and even now, their deluxes range from $16.99 to $21.99, while Target and Walmart are the same. TLK is a bit more at Target and Walmart, but they're only a buck or 2 higher per size class. So the TRU USA Price difference is fairly significant.
Our TRU's do not do many sales either. If a figure goes on sale, it is almost always a simplified figure, not part of the main line. And if it is part of the main line, it's very expensive and not selling (Cybertron).
Exchange and price matching at TRU USA are BS too. You must have proof of the exact same figure, not size class, same figure to the name and packaging, to price match, and if you have to do that, why even both buying it there when you can buy it where you saw it? (I learned that with the combaticons, they would not price match them).
Honestly, TRU USA is only good for exclusives, that's about it. Prices are much higher, they are usually behind the other stores with stocking (RiD Bisk and Paralon are very popular sights around here still while Walmarts and Targets have Soundwave and Blurr), and their policies are not good either. They need to make some changes if they don't want to go bankrupt. Their USA stores and policies are flawed.
Also,
Dragons: TRU USA has prices on par or worse than online, and often times here their selection is not that good, even online. How many times have I seen a figure I want on TRU.com and it says "store only" and can't be bought online. Too many. So shopping at TRU is a lot like BBTS and the such pricewise, but there are better options and more updated product-wise options, so I would rather buy from BBTS than TRU since they are more reliable
