The Energon Pub

[ZeroWolf]

Lucky you seriously though at least it's nice to hear good things associated with the name now.

[william-james88]

Toysrus Canada is 100% Canadian, but there is still toysrus elsewhere in the world. What I find ery bizarre is that I recieved this e-mail from toysrus last month.

[Galactic Prime]

Toysrus Canada is 100% Canadian, but there is still toysrus elsewhere in the world. What I find ery bizarre is that I recieved this e-mail from toysrus last month.

Not the same email, same subject line. The one a month ago was announcing the purchase, the one today was stating it went through successfully.

[-Kanrabat-]

Toysrus Canada is 100% Canadian, but there is still toysrus elsewhere in the world. What I find ery bizarre is that I recieved this e-mail from toysrus last month.

Not the same email, same subject line. The one a month ago was announcing the purchase, the one today was stating it went through successfully.

That's why it's the END of the Canadian saga.

As for the rest of the world, "to be continued" I guess.

[william-james88]

We knew that Fairfax Financial had won the bidding for Toysrus Canada and now all the documents have been signed and Toysrus Canada is now fully owned by Fairfax. The later being a Canadian company means that Toysrus Canada is now 100% Canadian with no ties to the US, which is quite a twist since it started as a subsidiary of what was once a prominent American business. Now, simply due to the fact that competition was limited in Canada for toys of any kind (with a tough barrier of entry for any potential competition due to Canada's ridiculously low population density), Toysrus Canada has always been profitable. But all along, its earnings were going to the US parent so there was no chance for reinvesting in the Canadian business. But that is over now, so we can simply imagine how this company which was already great will now have an influx of cash for reinvesting and improving.

Toysrus Canada aims to reinforce the fact that they are sticking around and to do so, they are offering events every week-end in June with free 5$ giftcards to anyone who shows up, along with free gifts like lego kits you can build in the store and take home with you. Plus, if kids bring in their report card on the last Saturday of June, they get a gift.

These are all shown in the image below and more details can be found here.



Along with that, we have a message from the Toysrus Canada president, Melanie Teed-Murch, about Toysrus Canada beig here to stay followed by a statement from Prem Watsa, CEO of Fairfax, which gives a quick look at the business figures that went into his company's decision to buy Toysrus. However, all this joy on the Canadian side is inverted when looking at the US where the Toysrus head office is also being cleared with everything on sale, including Geoffrey



Message from Toysrus Canada President:

TORONTO (June 1, 2018) – Toys "R" Us (Canada) Ltd. announces the completion of the previously announced acquisition of its business by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. As a result of the acquisition, Toys R Us Canada is now a proudly Canadian-owned and operated business employing more than 4,000 Canadians and Canada’s only exclusive coast to coast business with over 80 locations dedicated to kids and babies across Canada.

“As Canada’s leading toy and baby retailer, we are thrilled to be part of the Fairfax family and to now operate as a reinvigorated company that is 100% Canadian,” said Melanie Teed-Murch, President of Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us Canada. “I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our customers for their loyalty and for choosing to shop at Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us. We are passionate about our business and want Canadians to know that we are champions of play with the newest trends and hottest toys in our stores. We believe that parenting is an adventure and Babies “R” Us Canada will be there along the journey to help parents. We are also excited about our future and look forward to inviting customers back to see what’s new in store.”

This summer, Toys “R” Us will be moving full steam ahead in getting the message to Canadians that we’re here to play, here to stay! “We will be challenging kids, parents, grand-givers and kids at heart to embrace the power of play. At Toys “R” Us, we believe that moments of joy, endless possibilities of fun and the wonder of imagination all happen through play,” said Teed-Murch.

The company also remains committed to its philanthropic initiatives and its support of communities across Canada. Each year, the company raises nearly $2 million to support its partners through the generous support of its customers and team members. Beginning this month, Toys “R” Us will host 10 Starlight Dashes across Canada in which seriously ill children from the Starlight Children’s Foundation will have three minutes to race around the store and fill their carts with toys.

All customer programs like Baby Registry, “R”Club™ loyalty and wish list are running just as customers know and love. Gift cards purchased in Canada can be redeemed anytime online and in any store location across the country. In the coming months, the company will roll out exciting new innovations that have proven successful at recently opened stores in Langley, British Columbia and Barrie, Ontario. This format includes dedicated play areas, interactive stations for kids and mobile pay. The evolving omnichannel strategy connects customers wherever, whenever and however they want through our webstore, mobile and store shopping experience.

Visit www.toysrus.ca and www.babiesrus.ca for exciting announcements and new events happening throughout the summer.

Statement from Fairfax CEO:

“Toys “R” Us has a 34-year track record of standalone profitability in Canada (over the last three years, revenue has exceeded C$1 billion annually and, for the last nine years, EBITDA has exceeded C$100 million annually). With over two decades working in Canada for Toys “R” Us, Melanie has the experience necessary to lead the dedicated employees of Toys “R” Us for the benefit of all stakeholders, kids, families and communities across Canada,” said Prem Watsa, Chairman and CEO of Fairfax. “We look forward to building for the long-term and allowing the Toys “R” Us team in Canada to re-invest in the business, instead of the past history of just sending earnings to the U.S.”

[Munkky]

Well it's good to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I'll miss my UK stores, but I wish all the best for Toys R Us Canada and hope they continue to do well.

[ZeroWolf]

Maybe one day the canada will seek to branch out once again, and revisit the uk but with proper fiscal planning and good ideas...that is unless Symths conquers the toy world

[Absolute Zero]

I would rather they offered me a place to work since my store is closing.

[Qwan]

Just when you though it was safe to go back in the toy store... Following on from last month's development where Toys R Us Australia entered administration and was looking for an urgent sale, it would appear that the company was unable to find any such thing and will soon be shutting down entirely.

According to SBS News, all potential buyers have pulled out and the failing company has no other choice at this point. Many of the previous statements applicable to consumers still stand, but now with an ending date. Items of note include:

- Gift cards and vouchers continue to be accepted, as long as customers spend an additional equivalent amount (i.e. to redeem a $50 gift card, a customer would need to purchase $100 worth of product). This will be true up until July 5th.
- Online orders will be delivered, provided the order has been fully paid for and the stock is available. The online ordering system will be closing June 22nd.
- Lay-bys will be honoured until July 5th.
- Workers are expected to "receive all their entitlements from the proceeds of the liquidation and asset sales".

Aside from the closure itself, the big (if expected) news for collectors is that the company's stock will be liquidated through Toys R Us stores. This, hopefully, means upcoming sales, which is perhaps the biggest silver lining to this stormcloud of a story.

Toys R Us Australia is expected to shut down entirely "in the coming weeks", but there's no word yet on when exactly that will be. Rest assured we'll let you know once that information is shared. For now check out our story on Toys R Us Canada's success if you want a more optimistic spin, and as always, share your feelings on this development in the Energon Pub forums. And of course, keep an eye on Seibertron.com for all future updates to this ongoing saga.

[Nathaniel Prime]

This is sad news for Australia, kids and collectors alike. I'm happy that TRU is still open and proud in Canada though. Hopefully that means more Masterpiece exclusives for you Canadian fans

[Qwan]

So this is how it ends... not with a bang, but with a small discount. Toys R Us Australia, which you may remember announced its definite closure earlier this week, has begun promoting their 'Closing Down Sale', with discounts "up to 30%" storewide (in stores only, considering the online ordering system is already shut down at this point).

What does this mean for Transformers collectors? Well, yours truly checked a nearby store and it appears that action figures (including Transformers) are marked down by 10%. Keep in mind that this appears to be a fixed discount, not an escalating sale like US shoppers experienced; according to all available information, this is simply a flat 10% off Transformers toys presumably until all stock has been cleared out or the company closes.

If anything changes we'll be sure to let you know, but as it stands now this seems to be Toys R Us Australia's last hurrah. Despite the gloomy subject, however, we still want to hear what you have to say: does this sale entice you in any way? Let us know by posting in the Energon Pub Forums, and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for more optimistic news in the future!

[Qwan]

Well, if I may be permitted to answer my own question: no, this sale is not enticing to me in the least. Honestly, 10% off doesn't even bring Deluxes down to a competitive price - they're still $1.50 more expensive than Big W has them for! The exact same toys as every other chain, being sold for barely less (sometimes still more) than other, more easily accessible stores. Yeah, way to clearance, TRU. Irritating to the very end.

[-Kanrabat-]

Well, if I may be permitted to answer my own question: no, this sale is not enticing to me in the least. Honestly, 10% off doesn't even bring Deluxes down to a competitive price - they're still $1.50 more expensive than Big W has them for! The exact same toys as every other chain, being sold for barely less (sometimes still more) than other, more easily accessible stores. Yeah, way to clearance, TRU. Irritating to the very end.

Nothing annoy me more than entering a store with a big huge sign claiming "BIG SALE! 30% 50% 90%!!!" Only to notice that the "regular" prices have been boosted by 60% 100% 180%.

[Burn]

I walked in, took one look, decided I'd come back in a fortnight.

I don't see much TF stock moving in that time, the best I can hope for is a cheap Unite Warriors boxset.

[Qwan]

I walked in, took one look, decided I'd come back in a fortnight.

I don't see much TF stock moving in that time, the best I can hope for is a cheap Unite Warriors boxset.

The fact you even have a Unite Warriors boxset to hope for makes me frankly jealous. The one here has literally nothing except PotP and Studio Series Wave 1, RiD Crash Combiners, and a couple TR Quakes and Brawns. I don't even know what they did with their TRU-exclusive or imported Transformers products. Fingers crossed that the "liquidation through existing stores" means we might see some interesting stuff get pushed out to various places, but somehow I doubt it...

I'm out of the city for a couple weeks as of tomorrow, so it's possible TRU might be fully closed before I get another chance to check it out again (if their liquidation moves faster than in the US). C'est la vie... it's harder to feel bad about losing them when their final goodbye is so pathetic.

[Qwan]

Good news, Seibertronians! For a given measure of "good", at least. It seems Toys R Us Australia is indeed following suit in its closing-down sale, and periodically increasing the discounts available much like its American counterpart.

The most recent update proclaims "Up To 40%" off items storewide, which for Transformers collectors translates to a 15% discount on action figures (up from the previous 10%). This brings all Transformers prices down to a competitive amount compared to other Australian stores, though for Deluxe and Leader figures the currently-running Big W sale is still a better deal for now.

There's still no indication whether or not the sale amount will keep increasing over the coming weeks, but rest assured we at Seibertron.com will update you if and when that does occur! In the meantime, share your thoughts (or any tips for fellow collectors) in the Energon Pub Forums, and stay tuned for any other Transformers news!

[kurthy]

This seems to be moving faster than the U.S. sales.

[ZeroWolf]

By the end of the tru near me, the highest we got off tfs were 20-25% but selection was so pitiful, it just wasn't worth it in the end

[fenrir72]

The feels

https://youtu.be/4zXwMkJ7gI0

[Qwan]

It's said that every cloud has a silver lining, but on this particular occasion it seems there are multiple silver linings to celebrate! Toys R Us Australia, as part of its own drawn-out death throes, seems to have yielded a few items of interest over the last few days.

The first and most widely-applicable is yet another increase to Toys R Us' closing-down sales. The chain now boasts "20-40% off" store-wide, and while there's no certain word on what the discount is for action figures (and thus Transformers), the pattern so far suggests that they will be riding the bare minimum of 20% off. Even so, this is a decent discount, made even more appealing given the other items of news we have to share on this topic.

Indeed, it seems that Toys R Us Australia, in the process of pushing out their stock to be liquidated, has yielded two final figures for the Australian collecting market to enjoy. As Ozformers users Caminus Prime and Handsprime shared, it seems that Masterpiece Movie Barricade and Studio Series Thundercracker are both appearing at Toys R Us stores around the country! It's not yet clear if they will be making their way to all Toys R Us locations or just those near warehouses, but for any Australians who are interested in these two previously-unsighted-down-under figures, it might be a good idea to at least check a nearby store. It's also confirmed that the universal Transformers/Action Figure discount applies to these two as well.

So, Seibertronians, does this sudden slew of relatively good news raise your spirits on the whole Toys R Us Australia subject? Share your thoughts and feelings on the Energon Pub Forums, and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for ever more Transformers news delivered straight to your screen!

[Va'al]

There are even bigger sales incoming for the closure of the Australian branches of now closed down storechain Toys'R'Us, as the 20-40% reductions we previously reported on has gone up to 30-50% store wide (note: only available in physical stores, cannot be redeemed online)!

This also means that those recent sightings of wave 3 and wave 2 resurfacing for Power of the Primes may come in handy after all, if you can make it to a store this month. If you do so, make sure to share with other local fans your finds, and happy hunting!

[Qwan]

The date is July 26th, 2018; barely twenty-four hours ago. A final, heaving death-rattle escapes Toys R Us Australia. And that death-rattle is another increase to their closing down sales, boosting the minimum discount on toys up to a startling 50% off!

This means whatever Transformers are left on the shelves should be currently at half-price - MPM-5 Barricades should now sit at around $90, while Studio Series Thundercracker is priced at $25... if they're in stock at any given store, that is. It seems unlikely, given the urgent tone of the flier, that the discount will be increased any further at this point; but, then again, that chas seemed to be the case for the last few price-drops as well.

If you find yourself in the mood to do so, why not share your celebrations at this incredible (especially for Australia!) discount, and your eulogies for the once-titanic company, in the Energon Pub Forums? And of course, stay tuned to Seibertron.com for a wide variety of Transformers news, from sales to ciphers and everything in between!

[Qwan]

Kinda bummed that I went and picked up an MPM Barricade and Studio Thundercracker on Saturday, just barely before the sale prices increased by a full 20%. Ah well, c'est la vie.

Perhaps tomorrow I shall make another trip after all - to buy another Barricade that I can re-sell and hopefully offset some of the cost; and to pick up another three Studio Thundercrackers. I'm going to have a squadron of Sweep-headed jets headed by a Cybertron Thundercracker homage, if it's the last thing I do!

[RotorstormNZ]

Qwan, we New Zealand fans are highly envious - I don't think we ever had a single TRU branch anywhere!

Good luck grabbing some bargains!

[Qwan]

Qwan, we New Zealand fans are highly envious - I don't think we ever had a single TRU branch anywhere!

Good luck grabbing some bargains!

Thanks very much - seriously, if you want a Thundercracker or an MPM Barricade (and if there's still some there) I'm sure we can work something out!