Decision For Toys R Us Postponed and New Statement From Toys R Us Canada

wait, isn't wednesday the 14th?

Ig89ninja wrote:wait, isn't wednesday the 14th?

its thursday, I fixed it

It's an extremely slow gradual decline that we've been watching since '88. Everything started going down the toilet around '88='92. All the toy lines died. The cartoons died. The stores started dying off. The economy went to hell. Music went to shit when rap came on the scene. And because of cell phones & other electronic gadgets humans don't even know how to socially interact with each other anymore. You can't stop progress! lol Let it burn! Good riddance to a rotten world.

My local Toys R Us never has anything. I leave empty handed 99% of the time. And their website is just as bad. And back in the 80's Toys R Us hardly ever had anything, Child World was my store. Child World was always better. I still miss Child World & Kay Bee but I won't miss Toys Aren't Us.

I really do hope that TrU Canada keep going. If it mean paying more for the exclusives, so be it. At least they won't be scalped to death.

If TrU is gone from Canada, all that will remain is Walmart. And Walmart suck ass for toys. There's never anything in store and their websites is now infected with Amazon Style vendors, their listings peppered through Walmart's. It's garbage.

Aimless Misfire wrote:It's an extremely slow gradual decline that we've been watching since '88. Everything started going down the toilet around '88='92. All the toy lines died. The cartoons died. The stores started dying off. The economy went to hell. Music went to **** when rap came on the scene. And because of cell phones & other electronic gadgets humans don't even know how to socially interact with each other anymore. You can't stop progress! lol Let it burn! Good riddance to a rotten world.

My local Toys R Us never has anything. I leave empty handed 99% of the time. And their website is just as bad. And back in the 80's Toys R Us hardly ever had anything, Child World was my store. Child World was always better. I still miss Child World & Kay Bee but I won't miss Toys Aren't Us.

In the 90's TRU was booming, TF generation 2, The Star Wars POTF2 line came out, Beast Wars and all kinds of other toy lines were extremely popular. Every Saturday and Sunday mornings at local TRU's collectors met in droves to see what they received the night before. The downfall shift I and others I know noticed was when Kaybee toys closed down, TRU became a monopoly and then decided to jack their prices up way more than other stores. I know TRU employees that state that they feel the prices are non competitive and this is one of their downfalls. When competition goes away and one store becomes a monopoly that means prices can go up. I remember the golden days of multiple toys stores,'Lionel Playworld, Children's Palace/Child World, Toys By Roy (later merged with Kaybee) you had options but now you only have one toy specific store, TRU, they got greedy and are now paying the price for greed.

Cyber Bishop wrote:

Aimless Misfire wrote:It's an extremely slow gradual decline that we've been watching since '88. Everything started going down the toilet around '88='92. All the toy lines died. The cartoons died. The stores started dying off. The economy went to hell. Music went to **** when rap came on the scene. And because of cell phones & other electronic gadgets humans don't even know how to socially interact with each other anymore. You can't stop progress! lol Let it burn! Good riddance to a rotten world.

My local Toys R Us never has anything. I leave empty handed 99% of the time. And their website is just as bad. And back in the 80's Toys R Us hardly ever had anything, Child World was my store. Child World was always better. I still miss Child World & Kay Bee but I won't miss Toys Aren't Us.

In the 90's TRU was booming, TF generation 2, The Star Wars POTF2 line came out, Beast Wars and all kinds of other toy lines were extremely popular. Every Saturday and Sunday mornings at local TRU's collectors met in droves to see what they received the night before. The downfall shift I and others I know noticed was when Kaybee toys closed down, TRU became a monopoly and then decided to jack their prices up way more than other stores. I know TRU employees that state that they feel the prices are non competitive and this is one of their downfalls. When competition goes away and one store becomes a monopoly that means prices can go up. I remember the golden days of multiple toys stores,'Lionel Playworld, Children's Palace/Child World, Toys By Roy (later merged with Kaybee) you had options but now you only have one toy specific store, TRU, they got greedy and are now paying the price for greed.

Circuit City did the whole too greedy thing too. It seems like once corporate gets the idea that they're the 'big boys' and 'too big to fail' and 'our customers will pay whatever we say because we're *Company*' it infects most of the company and it's downhill from there.

The problem I see is prices going up all across the boards. Smaller retailers pay in some cases more wholesale than Walmart or Target sell items for so all that think some white horse will take thier place....not for some as prices will probably double

Kyleor wrote:Circuit City did the whole too greedy thing too. It seems like once corporate gets the idea that they're the 'big boys' and 'too big to fail' and 'our customers will pay whatever we say because we're *Company*' it infects most of the company and it's downhill from there.

Pretty much.

The BBC has just reported that all UK Toys R Us stores are closing. This is due to no buyer willing to purchase this subsidiary. We had reported that it had fallen into administration and now we know officially of the chosen outcome and time frame.

We know the US is getting ready for a liquidation fo their own but no official decision has been made yet. You can click here for the latest news on the US and Canadian front.

Here are the key points from the BBC article:

All Toys R Us stores in the UK are expected to close in the next six weeks following the chain's collapse into administration.

The BBC understands that attempts to find a buyer for the US retailer's 100 stores in the UK have failed.

Twenty five stores have either closed in recent days or are due to shut by Thursday.

The collapse will put more than 3,000 people out of work as a dismal period for the retail sector continues.

I'm going to be heading to my local either today or tomorrow. Not expecting to find anything great though. Still feels odd that they'll all be gone.

Damn shame. They're an institution!

ZeroWolf wrote:I'm going to be heading to my local either today or tomorrow. Not expecting to find anything great though. Still feels odd that they'll all be gone.

Not quite all gone I must add. Toys 'R Us has a quite a few stores in Asia, especially in Japan and they seem to be doing more than fine right now. I wonder what would happen to those stores.

The news just broke: Toys R Us will be closing all 800 US stores.

Ironhidensh wrote:http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/14/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-stores/index.html

Damn.
So TrU will remain only in Canada and Asia?

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/14/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-stores/index.html

Damn.
So TrU will remain only in Canada and Asia?

FYI, TRU Australia isn't part of the TRU Asia group.

[UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal has a quote from Chief Executive David Brandon on the matter of Toys R Us stores in other countries. Brandon says that the company is likely to liquidate in France, Spain, Poland and Australia, and has plans to sell its Canadian, Central European and Asian arms. The only real light in the tunnel here is the prospect of purchase; the company is currently attempting to find a buyer for a 'package' of sorts, comprised of its Canadian branch along with 200 US stores. Other countries' stores may also find themselves saved if a buyer happens to come along - Brandon has said that "all anyone has to do is offer one dollar more” than liquidation firms - but this is still not anywhere near a guarantee that Toys R Us stores are safe anywhere in the world.]

Sad news today, Seibertronians. After months of tension regarding its fate since September last year, Toys R Us has finally made the decision to sell or close all of its US stores, as reported by CNN. This comes not long off the heels of their postponed decision on Monday, but now we know the answer for certain and it's not a heartening one.

Employees have already been notified by the company's CEO, as the Wall Street Journal reports. There is not yet any word on how this will affect Toys R Us' business in Canada and other countries, though with Toys R Us expected to close all UK stores in the coming weeks as well, things aren't looking too good for the brand at large.

From a more Transformers-centric perspective, it's also unclear how this will affect Toys R Us-exclusive figures like the extremely recent Studio Series Thundercracker, and fans' attempts to acquire them. There's a lot of uncertainty going around right now, but with such a huge change as this, it's only to be expected that many things are in flux with no clear direction or solution.

Share your thoughts below in the Energon Pub if you have any perspectives on this issue, and you can be sure that Seibertron.com will be on hand to report on any further developments to this situation and its multitude of loose ends. Until next time Seibertronians, don't take your toys for granted.

So yeah, dang. Growing up mostly in a rural part of Australia it's not like I've had a whole lot to do with Toys R Us, but I did used to visit relatives in America with my family about once a year, and trips to the nearby Toys R Us were always a memorable highlight. Titanium Rodimus (a toy I still like to this day); Animated Cybertronian Optimus, Ratchet and Arcee; even a couple non-Transformers like the Glatorian Mata Nui and some weird all-terrain Hot Wheels vehicle; I have clear memories of picking up each and every one from that huge child-haven full of toys.

It is just a retail company, and not even a very popular one at that, but TRU was probably a big part of a lot of people's childhoods and it does strike a bit of a chord with me to see it go. Seems I'm overly sentimental about this, eh? Ah well... I'm guessing the big news now is going to be how TRU Canada/Australia/Asia etc. are affected by this - there's no way they're coming out totally unscathed, at least.

I don't want to sound like I am brushing off a concern on the fate of a famous store, but at least there is a chance that stuff like any exclusives TRU sold (like Masterpieces and Thundercracker) can be sold in more commonly found stores. I don't think Target or Walmart would have issues with selling the upcoming MPM-5 and 6 Barricade and Ironhide or maybe bring out the Predaking gift set.

Burn wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/14/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-stores/index.html

Damn.
So TrU will remain only in Canada and Asia?

FYI, TRU Australia isn't part of the TRU Asia group.

Close enough.

Still, hope your TrU stay open.

I guess I have to grow up. I was a ToysRUs kid. So many different kinds of toys that I could play with. From bikes to trains to video games, they were the biggest toy store there is. I guess I have to grow up, oh baby now that I did, I can longer be a ToysRUs Kid.

In other news my childhood died today. So I gues we have to grow up.

Quantum Surge wrote:I don't want to sound like I am brushing off a concern on the fate of a famous store, but at least there is a chance that stuff like any exclusives TRU sold (like Masterpieces and Thundercracker) can be sold in more commonly found stores. I don't think Target or Walmart would have issues with selling the upcoming MPM-5 and 6 Barricade and Ironhide or maybe bring out the Predaking gift set.

I think the more likely scenario is that the ones that already hit shelves will just be obscenely rare.

As I recall, though, MPM Ironhide was never officially slated to be a TRU exclusive. Like... To the point where people pointed out that the packaging didn't have the 'exclusive' stamp. Maybe Hasbro has been anticipating this. Or. I'm remembering this entirely wrong.

I'm just worried, now, that Amazon exclusives will take its place. I f***ing hate Amazon.

DecepticonFinishline wrote:I'm just worried, now, that Amazon exclusives will take its place. I f***ing hate Amazon.

I hate exclusives in general, regardless of what store/website they're sold at/on

For me it is a sad day. I was a Toys R Us kid. Reading the holiday catalog and circling what I would want. As you grow older, you start to realize their prices were higher than most. I started to head elsewhere but still never forget that feeling of heading to the store and being surrounded by toys. I can still remember standing in line for Nintendo Wii and talking to the manager. Hunting for MP-10 at every local TRU. Finally finding him and using a coupon to save some money.

I don't know what the future holds. Hate shopping online but that might be what I have to do. My local stores never change or restock their items. I wonder what this closing would do for other smaller toy lines? If GIJoes are not in the stores now...I don't think they will ever be.

Thanks for all the nostalgia and memories, Toys R Us.

Whelp, I guess I'll be getting home from work a whole lot sooner now.

Burn wrote:

DecepticonFinishline wrote:I'm just worried, now, that Amazon exclusives will take its place. I f***ing hate Amazon.

I hate exclusives in general, regardless of what store/website they're sold at/on

But... But... that PREMIUM feel?

Seriously, Exclusives suck ass. Especially when they are overpriced and/or badly distributed. Not counting when the thing is an exclusive of a store that ISNT EVEN IN YOUR FREAKING COUNTRY!

Masterpiece toys will probably just be sold through online vendors. This is currently what is happening with the only generation one style masterpiece toy coming out this year, prowl.

I think that the future just means that there will be less exclusives... and that's bad. Sometimes, a figure just won't sell a lot of toys, and a manufacturer might only make 4,000 of them. Toys R Us was a good place to sell those exclusives. Walmart doesn't want them--they make it VERY clear to retailers that they have limited space in their stores, and if their stuff doesn't sell fast, they don't want them.

If there's not a ready market to sell small runs of figures... the small run of figures just aren't made.

Thus, say bye bye to likes of figures like RID Cryotek or Animated Rodimus or US Masterpiece Optimus. If it can't make a profit from mass production, it's just not profitable to make.

Well, time to wait for the clearance sales

gone the way of childrens palace and kb. good luck to those losing jobs.

This is a sad day indeed. I was a Toys R Us kid too. I used to love going to the one in Times Square before it shut down, and now it is all of them. Damn you greedy corporate Leveraged Buy Outs that caused this mess. Maybe a new toy chain will take it's place.

First i find out my local comic shop is closing now i find out TRU is closing, pretty crappy day if you ask me. I didnt like how they over charged on transformers and other brands like that but they were the only place i could get neca stuff for regular price and they just started to carry import stuff like gundam universal unit. Corporate greed strikes again and the only ones screwed are us, the customers & employees.

Well, damn. I don't know what to say. RIP TRU. You will be missed

I NEED that Thundercracker for a custom I'm planning.

What about This?

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?itemid=307 ... m=facebook

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo!!!

Major bummer. Local TRU has been here longer than me, and now it's gonna be gone. Prolly see a Spirit Halloween in there later this year, then someone will doze it and put in another crappy storefront with a phone place, a vape place, and a Subway, like they got on just about every other corner 'round here.

And here I thought that the internet would cheer me up after being sick all day.

I couldn't agree more about not taking your toys for granted. Here is to hoping that another company will try and pick up where TRU is leaving off. Makes me worry a bit for the future of toys as a whole considering how crappy my local Target is.

shajaki wrote:What about This?

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?itemid=307 ... m=facebook

The news (11pm local news) said that deal fell through as far as the American stores go

Holy crap. It's happening. Honestly, though, they did it to themselves. I do feel bad for all the people losing their jobs. However, tomorrow I will go to my TRU to be a vulture and try to pick the carcass. Maybe I can score a TLK Cybertron dirt cheap?

Also, I wonder what effect this will have on previous TRU exclusives on the 2ndary market, if any.

william-james88 wrote:So what? Even in normal times, some people migjt not see toysrus exclusives at their specific toys are us.

The point is this exclusive has been shipped to the stores. There is no going back on it and you will not see it at another outlet aside from a discount outlet ifTRU dumps their stock.

I see this as a part of the problem. I am like others and do not like exclusives. Especially when they rarely pop up at the actual store they are exclusive to. Especially when I have a hard enough time finding non-exclusives at their stores. Do not get me wrong, I do like to look at TRU. But that's honestly all I feel like I do these days. Look. I'm even ok with the prices being a little higher(Kay Bee never bothered me either and they were way higher than other places). But man, actually give me something that other stores can't/don't. And not just one or two that get snapped up immediately after the truck arrives at the store that I miss out on because I have things like, you know, work to be at.

Despite all this, I am sad to see them shutting down. A lot of good child hood memories and whatnot. But I am not sure what to say other than that. Especially with recent experiences there. Oddly enough I find myself missing Kay Bee's more. I'm not sure there will really be anything to snag if they start to clearance anything because they really haven't had much in the way that Target hasn't. Anything I would pick up would be non-TF anyways.


On another note, did I grossly misunderstand the leveraged buy out aspect or did someone really buy TRU while using TRU itself(or it's revenue generating power) as the collateral for buying TRU? Can you claim something as an asset to use towards buying said asset? That blows my mind so I'm hoping I really did not understand that. Otherwise, that seems almost like it was an intentional failure and the only way I see that being pursued is if whoever did it had something to gain whether TRU sank or swam(which it would be hard not to know it would have most certainly sunk based on repayment totals for said debt incurred and projected revenue earnings).

You understood perfectly, that is exactly what a leveraged buy out is. It minimizes the risk for investors.

WreckerJack wrote:And here I thought that the internet would cheer me up after being sick all day.

I couldn't agree more about not taking your toys for granted. Here is to hoping that another company will try and pick up where TRU is leaving off. Makes me worry a bit for the future of toys as a whole considering how crappy my local Target is.

I really see everything trending to more online now. It has to. Target and Walmart will not carry anywhere close to what TRU did(despite the fact that a lot of times it was never on the shelves anyways). But you're never going to find the Predaking set at Walmart/Target in store(I'd honestly already decided I would BBTS that anyways) for example. I really hate having to shop online for new toys. Having packages sit on your door step all day is a dangerous game(porch pirates) and that doesn't even take into consideration the damage that can occur during shipping. Hence why I have had the chip on my shoulder regarding TRU's lack of stock. Although I do realize my experiences do not necessarily reflect those of others in other locales.

william-james88 wrote:You understood perfectly, that is exactly what a leveraged buy out is. It minimizes the risk for investors.

Ok that's, yeah, that's scary. That just screams failure. There would never be any way to climb out of that hole.

lakebot wrote: I really hate having to shop online for new toys. Having packages sit on your door step all day is a dangerous game(porch pirates) and that doesn't even take into consideration the damage that can occur during shipping. Hence why I have had the chip on my shoulder regarding TRU's lack of stock. Although I do realize my experiences do not necessarily reflect those of others in other locales.

I also dislike the 3rd party sellers on amazon. They can have different characters in the same wave for an absurd price difference. Yeah, sure I could hit up HTS but the shipping costs are terrible. Target's site gets stuff that is ancient history, that is if it's not out of stock. And don't even get me started on walmart and the scalpers they allow to use their website.

Very depressing. TRU has came in clutch on more than one occasion for me (its literally the only place that’s even bothered to stock the last three Titan-class figures on the shelves where I’m at). Got quite a few memories from TRU.

Disappointing and heartbreaking. I was a Toys r Us kid as well, but all good times must come to an end. I guess at least I have the memories...

well @#$%!

i was there when it opened
ill b there the day it goes.

I AM
AND SHALL EVER BE
A TOYS R US KID!
NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THAT.