The Energon Pub

by **mob_fisto** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:31 pm

Toys must be reserved in stores — in order to avoid online scammers, Storch said — and customers have to put down 20 percent to reserve the toy.

Once reserved, customers will receive an e-mail notification when the order is available and have until Dec. 16 to pick it up in store. The idea is to help customers avoid a frantic last-minute search for hot toys — such as 2009′s Zhu Zhu Pets stuffed hamsters and last year’s Leapfrog LeapPad tablet — which often run out of stock later on in the season.

Services like the reservation program, and Toys R Us’ layaway program and new ship-to-store program are important to draw customers into stores as Toys R U facing increasing competition from discounters and online retailers.

Maybe this can help us out so we can actually have a chance at Optimus

News Credits: 16 · by **It Is Him** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:51 pm

Where is this getting pulled from?

by **mob_fisto** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:54 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/toys-r-us-offer-h ... nance.html

i pulled it from yahoo, saw it on the front page

News Credits: 5 · by **RodimalToyota** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:55 pm

indeed.. what's this all about'

News Credits: 16 · by **It Is Him** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:57 pm

mob_fisto wrote:http://news.yahoo.com/toys-r-us-offer-hot-toy-reservation-program-171027202--finance.html

i pulled it from yahoo, saw it on the front page

Nice! That does sound cool. I wonder when we can start using that. I wouldn't mind reserving some Generations Combaticons that way.

by **redoutlander** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:22 pm

yup I"m heading to TRU this afternoon to see if i can get mine reserved! no more fighting scalpers online

News Credits: 1 · by **Rhinox23** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:28 pm

redoutlander wrote:yup I"m heading to TRU this afternoon to see if i can get mine reserved! no more fighting scalpers online

I was literally just at TRU! Let us know if you can already reserve Masterpiece OP! If so, I'll be up there again twice in the same day!

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:39 pm

[Toys R Us] will offer a "hot toy" reservation system starting over the next few days — when the company announces its 50 products on its annual 'hot toy' list. The reservation system will run through the end of October.

Sounds like the reservation system will only apply to these 50 selected toys. We'll be lucky if ANY Transformers make the list. Judging by the way they stock their TF shelves, I have very little faith in their ability to accurately gauge what customers want. If there's a TF on the list, it will probably be that Cyberverse Battle Suit Bumblebee.

by **redoutlander** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 4:46 pm

GuyIncognito wrote:
[Toys R Us] will offer a "hot toy" reservation system starting over the next few days — when the company announces its 50 products on its annual 'hot toy' list. The reservation system will run through the end of October.

Sounds like the reservation system will only apply to these 50 selected toys. We'll be lucky if ANY Transformers make the list. Judging by the way they stock their TF shelves, I have very little faith in their ability to accurately gauge what customers want. If there's a TF on the list, it will probably be that Cyberverse Battle Suit Bumblebee.

I called TRU and they said they were not taking any preorders at this time. I guess they have to wait till corpate anounces the product like Guy Incognito said. Hopefully the new OP will be on the list!

News Credits: 9 · by **triKlops** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:01 am

i would be very interested in this for Prime
we will see what develops once more in store info is forthcoming

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:34 pm

We might as well speculate about what TFs might make the list. The 50 "hot toys" are going to be toys that they expect a high demand for, particularly from kids who beg for them for Christmas and drive most of their sales.

My concern about MP OP is that it's more of a collector piece. I don't think kids will be asking mom and dad for it, nor do I think TRU is expecting to move a lot of units of it.

FoC Bruticus is a more likely candidate, since it's based on a video game. But again, is it something that's going to be a hot, in-demand toy this fall?

On the other hand, maybe I'm wrong that the list will only be popular, high-demand items. Maybe TRU will use it as a way to promote sales of big-ticket items like MP OP.

News Credits: 1 · by **Rhinox23** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:33 am

Sadly, it does not appear that MP Optimus made the hot toy list for the TRU reservation system! :-(

http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?c ... toys:91911

Oh well, I guess it'll be the same old hunting nightmare where only the scalpers seem to hit the jackpot. Good luck to everyone because we'll be doing this the old fashion way.

News Credits: 1 · by **datguy86** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:25 am

Considering 14 of the 50 items are TRU exclusives that, judging by sales of similar toys not all will sell; I'm a little surprised OP isn't on there.

Crap on a stick.

by **redoutlander** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:17 pm

Well we all could just order Brok the Brachiosaurus as he is the only transforming toy on the list.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... d=13103922