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In lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, Dave Schuler wrote:
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My local TRU has the entire line of BTR sets (Transformers, GI Joe, and
Tonka) on 50% clearance. Well, they say 50%, but sets that were $12.98 are
not $6.98, etc.
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I just discovered BTR this weekend, and OH MY GOODNESS. I couldn’t believe the
level of quality. They are all on half price at my Toys R Us as well, but I
didn’t take this as a bad sign (at least not bad for BTR), since this is the
first time I have SEEN them at TRU, I assumed the sale was some sort of
loss-leader, introductory thing.
I bought the “Ocean Rescue” set for 4 bucks on sale. The plastic is good
quality, the thing snapped together perfectly, the instructions were
understandable and clear, and after construction the “rescue boat” was
practically indistinguishable from a prebuilt tonka toy bought off the shelf.
It was sturdy and probably had great play factor for little kids. I certainly
had a cluster of little kids swarming around me as I was building it. Yes, it’s
quite juniorized, but in a sturdy, built-for-play kind of way.
The pieces seem very specialized at first, but after playing with them a bit, it
becomes clear that they can go together in lots of different configurations.
AND, the instructions are online in case you lose yours. They don’t sell
generic buckets of pieces, only sets which support their other product lines (GI
Joe, Tonka, Transformers). So, they are not so much a building toy as a
different way of selling the same kind of toys that Tonka et al have generally
been producing already.
As far as compatibility with Lego bricks, they are pretty much 100% compatible.
In fact, I took two 2x4 bricks, one BTR and one Lego, and gave them to my bf and
told him to tell me which was the Lego brick without looking, just by feel. He
couldn’t tell. He picked the BTR brick. When I did the same test with plates
(2x2 plates), he picked the Lego plate, but I think it was more luck than any
actual noticable difference in quality. This is the first clone brick I know
about that is THAT close to Lego quality.
If I didn’t have longstanding gripes against Hasbro, I would probably be
thrilled with the BTR stuff. As it is, all I can do is worry that Lego is going
to be yet another Hasbro casualty.
However, maybe the half-off sales are more ominous for Hasbro than I thought.
Somehow, I doubt it.
Pamela
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Ill tidings for Built-To-Rule?
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| (...) My local TRU has marked down its BTR products even further, though the posted pricetags don't reflect it. I picked up the Tonka Rapid Response fire truck and the Transformers Optimus Prime set, each with 100+ pieces and each for $4.98 versus (...) (20 years ago, 28-Apr-04, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Ill tidings for Built-To-Rule?
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| My local TRU has the entire line of BTR sets (Transformers, GI Joe, and Tonka) on 50% clearance. Well, they say 50%, but sets that were $12.98 are not $6.98, etc. Obviously, this speaks poorly of BTR’s outlook, but it affords the opportunity to (...) (20 years ago, 8-Mar-04, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)
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