Subject:
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Re: Poor Service to Toy Shops = No Lego
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Mon, 3 Jun 2002 18:06:22 GMT
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Viewed:
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1504 times
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I have to say that one of my regular stops reports the same experience. They
have cut back substantially on what they carry.
Ironically, a small "chain" of Toy Stores (I think 4 stores) that does carry
them jacks up the prices ABOVE the listed Lego price to a level that
approximates gouging. Another small independent Toy Store locally does the
same. ($9.99 instead of $7.99 - $59.99 instead of $49.99, etc.) Ironically,
these places DO sell product because they appeal to parents who lack the
time to comparison shop - they stop, pick up a present, get it wrapped, etc.
on the way home.
While the big box stores do move volume, it seems that they also have HUGE
costs associated with damaged returns, mark-downs and such. I'm always
amazed at the numnber of open/damaged boxes at local TRU's - and TRU doesn't
mark down (a clerk said they send the stuff back for credit).
I will confess to having seen TLC teams stocking up at TRU periodically - I
wonder how much TLC pays for the shelf space? I'd find it hard to believe
if TRU does NOT charge something directly or in the form of "discounts" for
the shelf space allocated.
Ironically, there seems to be absolutely NO regional differentiation at TRU.
Large expensive sets sit forever on the shelves at Bronx stores (as do
Mindstorms) in lower average income areas. I can't say how many times I've
seen parents say to kids - put that back, it's too expensive (even in the
more affluent suburban areas). At least K-Mart et. al. discounted
periodically - though K-Mart seems to have dropped most Legos in the stores
I've been in. Stock is minimal.
Again, in a point made a while back, I think TLC missed the baot in
marketing Mindstorms. This line NEEDED supportive sales people which the
chain stores do NOT provide. THe smaller independents could have done a far
better job with the right support. I'm reminded of the Rokenbok displays
that the small stores around here had when the line first came out. They
really helped sell product. Even TRU had them later but they were so abused,
it seems like they all got pulled out of those stores (but then that line
seemed to sell at TRU only during the holiday season). The smaller stores
are STILL selling.
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Poor Service to Toy Shops = No Lego
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| (...) I regularly go to a toy store in Keene, NH (Toy City) & the manager of the store knows that I'm a Lego fanatic & he lets me see the yearly retail catalog when he gets it. He's told me several times about this same problem of difficult service (...) (23 years ago, 2-Jun-02, to lugnet.lego.direct)
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