Why We Shouldn't Care About The Fate Of Tru

[Crimson Twins]

SO, everyone is up in arms saying we gotta save TRU, and don't buy your joes at Wal-Mart, and all that other stuff. Well, hate me if you want, but I think we should just let TRU die. Really, you think if TRU was gone, Hasbro would just stop making the figures that are 'TRU exclusives?' NO, they'd just sell them at Wal-Mart. AND, except when TRU has a sale, their prices are higher than the norm. I'll gladly buy Joes for $5 at Wal-Mart instead of 2-3 bucks more at TRU. Then, there's the people that say if TRU goes down, Wal-Mart won't have competition in the toy market and they could charge whatever they wanted. That's just ridiculous on a couple accounts. One, they don't have any competition in the toy market right now. That's why TRU is doing so badly anyway. Two, if you charge an outrageous amount for a product, people will not buy it. I don't care how 'exclusive' it is. So, in closing, if TRU dies, I will not be there to mourn it. I will be at Wal-Mart on that day buying up more $5 Joes. @firedevil@

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really do like TRU, I'm just playing the role of Devil's advocate in this by stating the other side. But really, I wouldn't be too hurt if TRU died.

[pesatyel]

Well, if I understand right, Walmart is THE major proponent of gimmicks on the figures/vehicles. If Walmart has more say, we end up with more gimmicks, wouldn't we?

 

Besides, I doubt the TRU exclusives would go to Walmart. I'm guessing Target there.

[Grady]

I want TRU to stay open only because they've been getting in the new MOTU Snakemen figures which can't be found anywhere else.

[nevermore]

I agree this is a free market if other stores cant compete then they dont deserve to be open. If TRU wants to compete then they need to lower their prices or offer something u cant get at Walmart ie the exclusives or the Mission Disk give a ways.

 

Gradius...your TRU has SNakemen!!! WTF All mine has left are those stupid wings that clip on to them and Wolf Armor He Man/Snake Armor Skeletor 2 packs. Oh wait u r in Canada. Damn it. I swear I am going to move there. Are u looking for anything other then Teela and Mossman, I need to get a Battle Fist and Buzz Off to complete my collection. Let me know if we might be able to works something out.

[Draven79]

Letting TRU die will gurt RAH releases. If you don't think so you are kidding yourself. Walmart is and was the reason toys like Joe and SW have aa crap on them. You think its bad now with gimmicks, just wait to Walmart has the classic RAH vehicles butchered worse than anything so far.

Draven

[Crimson Twins]

Plain and simple, if you put crap out, it won't sell. Don't blame wal-mart, blame Hasbro. Hasbro is taking Wal-Mart's money to make those ugly AA. Hasbro gets paid wether you buy Buttplug Duke or not. So, it's on Hasbro to say, 'No, we want quality to be associated with our name.' But, instead, they say: 'We will get paid for these BP Dukes no matter what, so if you don't want it, then oh well, we already got our money.' If you think wal-mart has that much control over the toy industry, you are sadly mistaken. Sell the RAH stuff at Target, or KB. It doesn't matter. Maybe if TRU dies, then other companies won't have bare shelves all the time. Maybe we won't be seeing Spy Troops warming pegs when VvV wave 4 is about to come out. Maybe other stores will be able to get the 'coveted' RAH exclusives and charge a reasonable price for them. Point is, stores have come and gone. It's business. Hasbro was around before TRU, and they'll keep making their stuff after TRU is gone. It may not end up on a wal-mart shelf, but there are plenty of other stores out there that will fill up their pegs with your RAH exclusives when TRU is gone.

[King James]

But Walmart is trying to take over the world. @hmmm@

 

 

Actually, I'd be sad if TRU died. Very sad. I was one of the guys that got to enjoy Children's Palace, Lionel Playworld, Circus World and all the rest of the little toy stores and drug stores selling off all of their own knock off versions of He-Man and Joe.

 

And then it was just TRU and KB. And that was a sad day.

 

But now it's just going to be Walmart and Target? @cry@

 

I'm not going to act like I don't shop at Walmart. I do. But having a dedicated toystore really is the best way to go. Even if I think that TRU could be better run by monkeys.

[Draven79]

And you are also kidding yourself if you think Target and Walmart want old RAH stuff. They don't and that has been plainly said. And if you are banking of KB, get real folks! That one has more of a chance of dying than TRU.

Draven

[kevfett]

Sorry Crimson Twins but Wal-Mart only wants current "TV Toys". Anything you might see ads for on TV. Be it a commercial or cartoon. That's why they are so quick to clearance out old toys. TRU dies so does the ARAH exclusives.

 

Now I'm not so sure I wholeheartedly believe Hasbro when they say "gimmicks" are because of Wal-Mart.

 

And Hypothetically if WalMart is the only remaining mass toy retailer do you really think they would keep the toy prices low? No way! They could also single-handedly put toy companies out of business by simply passing on their product. How long do you think ANY toy company would be around if WalMart didn't buy into their lines.

 

I also don't see Target rushing in and carrying ARAH exclusives. They carry the same TV toys and VVV/Spytroops style repaints as WalMart.

 

Face it folks we are lucky that someone inside TRU has a thing for ARAH style Joes.

[Three Storms]

SO, everyone is up in arms saying we gotta save TRU, and don't buy your joes at Wal-Mart, and all that other stuff.  Well, hate me if you want, but I think we should just let TRU die.  Really, you think if TRU was gone, Hasbro would just stop making the figures that are 'TRU exclusives?'  NO, they'd just sell them at Wal-Mart.  AND, except when TRU has a sale, their prices are higher than the norm.  I'll gladly buy Joes for $5 at Wal-Mart instead of 2-3 bucks more at TRU.  Then, there's the people that say if TRU goes down, Wal-Mart won't have competition in the toy market and they could charge whatever they wanted.  That's just ridiculous on a couple accounts.  One, they don't have any competition in the toy market right now.  That's why TRU is doing so badly anyway.  Two, if you charge an outrageous amount for a product, people will not buy it.  I don't care how 'exclusive' it is.  So, in closing, if TRU dies, I will not be there to mourn it.  I will be at Wal-Mart on that day buying up more $5 Joes.  @firedevil@

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really do like TRU, I'm just playing the role of Devil's advocate in this by stating the other side.  But really, I wouldn't be too hurt if TRU died.

so lemme get this straight.............you wouldn't mind TRU going under so Wal-Mart can get it's exclusives? Sounds to me like you just prefer Wal-Mart over TRU. IF TRU goes under, I hope anyone but Wally gets the exclusives because they're the very cause of it.

 

If TRU wants to compete then they need to lower their prices

 

It's called economies of scale. The more you sell, the cheaper you can price something at. The less you sell, the more you have to sell at. Just ask any of the small net dealers who show up here about that. That puts a business like TRU in a bad position because they have to charge more to break even, but doing so loses sales to Wally as people look to save a buck. It's not as simple as blaming their prices when their prices are reflective of them hurting.

[Crimson Twins]

Like I said from the get go, I'm just plaing Devil's advocate here. I really don't want to see TRU go under. I actually could care less. I haven't bought all that much from TRU. Whatever happens, I'll still have my Joes, and I'll still be a collector.

[prozac]

Joes at my TRU are only $1 more, I don't mind paying $1 more to help them out, plus they have a bigger selection of toys in gerneral than WM(obviously).

[Chazz]

Letting TRU die will gurt RAH releases. If you don't think so you are kidding yourself. Walmart is and was the reason toys like Joe and SW have aa crap on them. You think its bad now with gimmicks, just wait to Walmart has the classic RAH vehicles butchered worse than anything so far.

Draven

i totaly agree!! TRU is the only company that acknowledges the collectors. TRU knows that adults do shop there and collect lines like G.I.JOE that's why they have exclusives on figures we grew up on, not JVC. like pesatyel said, WM is strictly for the kids and cattering to them and there wants, they don't give a damn about collectors that's the main reason why we get all the gimmicks from JVC. you ever noticed how the WM exclusives ALWAYS use the JVC mold? that's what they think is hot for the kids, not what's hot for us.

 

without good ol' TRU i would be willing to bet my life that the anti venom packs would be JVC molds...wait a minute...didn't that already happen at WM? @lol@

[CHA]

I thought Wal Mart stopped carrying the 3 inch Joe packs. If TRU went under, what makes anybody think that WM will be the savior for toys.

 

I don't know about you guys but all my local Wal Marts have the same ol sh!t everytime I'm in there. Power Rangers, wall of Spider Man or any movie with kid appeal, a peg of Justice League, a few pegs of 12" Joes, TF Energon/Universe, a few pegs of ML, Star wars and beyblade.

 

Personally I loathe going to Wal Mart cause of their limited toy selection and the overall presentation of their stores. I hate how they have pallets upon pallets of crap in the middle of the aisle and I hate seeing some some woman with 4 babies all in their diapers with clothes that hadn't been washed in 10 days.

 

If WM is the savior of toys, then I'm sticking with BBTS. I'd rather pay the extra buck for shipping than to hassle with the crappiness that is Wal Mart.

[Forcehunter]

Crimson, It should be noted that if a product doesn't sell, retailers tend to be more hostile to the manufactuerer. That was the death of MOTU here. Sure, Hasbro gets an inital profit, but may be hindered for future profits or a decrease in profit if the product doesn't move or gets a poor response. I will again point to mOTU. IT WAS POPULAR! But the dictaions of retailers (like Wal Mart) "Bad guys don't sell." killed MOTU as there was not enough characters packed in. And we want these buffons to handle Joe?

 

There is one hope for collectors: the internet or perhaps Direct Marketing. Although DM is not a good idea for most products, it can work with toys. Most items require you to feel, measure, read etc. That is what the stores do. They provide the consumer with that opportunity. Toys, on the other hand require little of that. 99% of the time, hwat you see on the catalogue or ad is the finished and true product. You do not need to feel it or measure it. I believe that Hasbro knows that the collecting commmunity is the "significant minority" and knows the popularity of RAH. If future mail-ins continue to be strong, we may have just gotten our way around the retailer for RAH. By selling directly, they can beat Wal Mart at their own game. If Hasbro sold the item for two dollars less than Wal Mart directly or through a dummy store, it would still make a profit. I admit that the mail-ins would not have done so well last time, but now Hasbro has another tool at its disposal it did not in the 80s and 90s and would increase the chances of success: The Internet which I will talk about below.

 

Second, the internet. more and more of the middle-class are utilizing the computer for their needs. This includes shopping. My grandmother is not one who I would call well off, but she does her gift shopping on the net. The "e-tailer" has been gaining momentum over the past five years and some consumer/markter analysts beleieve that their time is coming. The e-tailer also recognizes the value of the collector and that it will drive a significant amount of the demand for items. Let us look at HALO action figures. You cannot find them in the brick and mortar store, yet, the online stores sell them almost exclusively. Joy ride Studios has said that line has been a success even though it was through one medium and are looking to do figures of the sequel. That gives me hope that we collectors will help set the stage for the future of marketing by our wants as over grown kids.

[Wraith]

I have but one thing to add. Everything that everyone has said about being pro TRU is true, and here's my little addition. Both Wal-Mart and Target have far less stock than the TRU's in NYC. In fact, I'll go into Target and buy every card 3 3/4 Joe pack on their pegs and it will take them a week if not more to open a new case and restock the shelf. At TRU, they are helpful and they restock more often. Not to mention that I grew up with this company and it sickens me that these giant conglomerates are taking over the world.

[Tazzzman]

I do not agree with this statement as TRU was the only retailer at one time that was keeping gijoe out on the market (re issues and such). I will continue to support my TRU's as well as Target, while people can continue to support Walmart and there huge selection of power rangers @lol@

[Chazz]

I do not agree with this statement as TRU was the only retailer at one time that was keeping gijoe out on the market (re issues and such). I will continue to support my TRU's as well as Target, while people can continue to support Walmart and there huge selection of power rangers @lol@

that's true as hell! if it wasn't for TRU g.i.joe might have died. those re issues were aimed at us, not kids...that's why TRU will always get my support. were the hell was WM when we needed there support to keep the line back then alive? WM just jumped on the gimmick bandwagon when JVC came out.

 

great point tazzman!

[mr. han]

If Walmart ends up being the only place to buy joes they can put the price up. So you'll be buying your joes for 9 bucks...not 5.

[Stevy Maximus]

All I will add is that toy fans (of any brand) need dedicated stores like TRU and KB. They are the ones most likely to carry the kinds of products us older fans want.

 

As others have said, Wal-Mart and Target are only interested in the current flavor of the month, if it is not big at that moment, they are not interested. In addition, Walmart is not every supportive of Joe as it is. At EVERY Walmart I have been, the Bravo vehicle selection is gone, some have even dumped the Alphas as well, and have given over three times the shelf space to the Corps, which I'm sure Walmart gets dirt cheap and makes a healthy profit on.

 

I have to go with Forcehunter's proposition that Direct Market may eventually be the best way to go with classic reissues (though, I believe he is a bit mistaken about MOTU's fall). Many of us open our purchases, so it would probably be profitable for Hasbro to simply produce figures in small mini blisters and unassembled vehicles and sell directly to the consumer without paying for packaging, advertising, or shelf space.

[Hammerfel]

Wal-Mart would NEVER sell the TRU exclusives we've gotten. If TRU folds, say goodbye to cool stuf like the Cobra Infantry 6-pack, Nightforce 6-pack, MCC, Ninja 6-pack, etc.

[pesatyel]

Crimson, It should be noted that if a product doesn't sell, retailers tend to be more hostile to the manufactuerer. That was the death of MOTU here. Sure, Hasbro gets an inital profit, but may be hindered for future profits or a decrease in profit if the product doesn't move or gets a poor response. I will again point to mOTU. IT WAS POPULAR! But the dictaions of retailers (like Wal Mart) "Bad guys don't sell." killed MOTU as there was not enough characters packed in. And we want these buffons to handle Joe?

 

There is one hope for collectors: the internet or perhaps Direct Marketing. Although DM is not a good idea for most products, it can work with toys. Most items require you to feel, measure, read etc. That is what the stores do. They provide the consumer with that opportunity. Toys, on the other hand require little of that. 99% of the time, hwat you see on the catalogue or ad is the finished and true product. You do not need to feel it or measure it. I believe that Hasbro knows that the collecting commmunity is the "significant minority" and knows the popularity of RAH. If future mail-ins continue to be strong, we may have just gotten our way around the retailer for RAH. By selling directly, they can beat Wal Mart at their own game. If Hasbro sold the item for two dollars less than Wal Mart directly or through a dummy store, it would still make a profit. I admit that the mail-ins would not have done so well last time, but now Hasbro has another tool at its disposal it did not in the 80s and 90s and would increase the chances of success: The Internet which I will talk about below.

 

Second, the internet. more and more of the middle-class are utilizing the computer for their needs. This includes shopping. My grandmother is not one who I would call well off, but she does her gift shopping on the net. The "e-tailer" has been gaining momentum over the past five years and some consumer/markter analysts beleieve that their time is coming. The e-tailer also recognizes the value of the collector and that it will drive a significant amount of the demand for items. Let us look at HALO action figures. You cannot find them in the brick and mortar store, yet, the online stores sell them almost exclusively. Joy ride Studios has said that line has been a success even though it was through one medium and are looking to do figures of the sequel. That gives me hope that we collectors will help set the stage for the future of marketing by our wants as over grown kids.

I was thinking the same thing about the internet.

 

Why can't Hasbro just setup an online store? The seem intent on ruining some of the OTHER online stores.

 

As for the fall of MOTU, it didn't help they did 8,000,000,000,000,000 He-Man and Skeletor variations for every 1 of any OTHER character.

[Three Storms]

Why can't Hasbro just setup an online store? The seem intent on ruining some of the OTHER online stores.

 

 

They do unofficialy have one: mastercollector.com. They used to have another one before that, but it folded.

[pesatyel]

Why can't Hasbro just setup an online store? The seem intent on ruining some of the OTHER online stores.

 

 

They do unofficialy have one: mastercollector.com. They used to have another one before that, but it folded.

Can't really say that Mastercollector counts considering how expensive and limited they are.

 

I'd think, that if TRU goes under, an online store might actually work this time around.

[Pit Viper]

You anti-Toys "R" Us people have been explained 15 thousand times how Wal*Mart operates but you continue to act like Wal*Mart is some kind of saviour. If you think G.I. Joe will continue to sell at $5 with Toys "R" Us out of the picture you are mistaken. Imagine if you were the only store in America that sold Joes? Why would you sell them at $5 when everyone HAS to come to you? Ah hell, if you don't get it by now you never will.