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Toys R Us looking at bankruptcy, supermarkets to blame? 
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Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:30 pm
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https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... -toys-r-us

I could believe it, because Tesco actively labels toys as 'cheaper than Argos'. And if Argos is the biggest toy retailer while others struggle...

Plus Lego is now doing what sunk He-Man in the 80s. Too many sets at ludicrous prices that stores then have to discount... and they're of noticeably crap designs that get endlessly reused. And blind bags are the scummiest money-grabber going.

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Sun Sep 17, 2017 4:11 pm
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TBH Toys'r'us isn't as good as some of the supermarket stuff. My niece was born about eighteen months ago and we bought a few toys for her. Toys'r'us just didn't have much variety. There were lots of Peppa pig and Lego tie-ins but very little actual "good" toys. In fact, we found better ones at the likes of Tescos and Asda.

The other problem was availability. I'd see a good toy at Toys'r'us but it wasn't available in any of the three most local stores. Amazon would have it albeit from a third party seller.

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Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:10 am
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Toys R Us have always been overpriced.

If your kid likes something in there, look it up on your phone and you'll often find Argos is significantly cheaper.

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Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:19 am
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Supermarkets were already undercutting them, then along cam Smyths.

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Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:08 pm
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Overpriced for branded stuff, cheap quality for furniture, a bit like Argos of the baby world. I'm surprised they're still afloat. Also their loyalty scheme is hilarious. Spent £700 with them, I got a £5 off when you spend £30 voucher. That's not a reward.


Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:26 am
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TheFrenchun wrote:
Overpriced for branded stuff, cheap quality for furniture, a bit like Argos of the baby world. I'm surprised they're still afloat. Also their loyalty scheme is hilarious. Spent £700 with them, I got a £5 off when you spend £30 voucher. That's not a reward.


Their shops always seem rather grubby and tatty, so not something I’d think of as a welcoming place to visit.

Also, not being on the high street or (usually) within range of a super market (trading estates in my experience are not always close to one of the larger supermarkets) would mean an extra journey to visit one. Really, a good toy shop will be on the high street where footfall is large, and the chance of passing trade increases. That would factor in “pester power” from children to buy stuff. We have a branch of the Entertainer, which is always rammed, with ringing tills all the time (apart from Sundays when it’s closed).

I think the future for retail will be a hybrid of high street and online. A range in store to buy and take home, but a greater range available for order and delivery. Toy R Us have clearly failed to do this. Walk-in high street stores that offered this kind of experience could have saved them.

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Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:37 am
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There is (was?) a Toys R Us store in my local indoor shopping centre. Unfortunately it's tiny - I think the toy section of John Lewis in the same centre is bigger.

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Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:28 pm
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