Toys Toys Toys and Walmart

[someguy99]

I agree, Transformers at 'Toys Toys Toys' usually cost alot more than everyone else. Eg. TRU, Hudson's Bay. Don't know why they bother with Transformers, they should concentrate on others lines. On more than one occasion I see a thread, a comment, on cybertron.ca that's along the lines of ~ ToysToysToys stocks up on Walmart sales.
Is this just a myth floating around or is there truth to this? Do we have a Toys Toys Toys employee here that can confirm this? I find it hard to believe that the management of TTT would send their people to Walmart, fill up a shopping cart of 10+ each transformer, then push it across the street so to speak back to their own store. Wouldn't it be better to fix their relation with their distributor rather than face the ridicule of being a Walmart reseller? Or as mentioned previously forget Transformers all together. TTT customers do not seem to have a problem selling their other product lines. I see people buying ez bake ovens and jigzaw puzzles etc etc etc from them for years now.

[BeeBoy29]

im sure someone here works at TTT lol
how else would they know about sales so tht they can stock up and resell TF's at outrageous prices
but im sure whoever it is wont say who they are
i think generally though as long as they make a profit theyll do watever they can to get there grubby hands on all the tf's on sale tht they can rather then share.

[Aernaroth]

Originally Posted by someguy99

I agree, Transformers at 'Toys Toys Toys' usually cost alot more than everyone else. Eg. TRU, Hudson's Bay. Don't know why they bother with Transformers, they should concentrate on others lines. On more than one occasion I see a thread, a comment, on cybertron.ca that's along the lines of ~ ToysToysToys stocks up on Walmart sales.
Is this just a myth floating around or is there truth to this? Do we have a Toys Toys Toys employee here that can confirm this? I find it hard to believe that the management of TTT would send their people to Walmart, fill up a shopping cart of 10+ each transformer, then push it across the street so to speak back to their own store. Wouldn't it be better to fix their relation with their distributor rather than face the ridicule of being a Walmart reseller? Or as mentioned previously forget Transformers all together. TTT customers do not seem to have a problem selling their other product lines. I see people buying ez bake ovens and jigzaw puzzles etc etc etc from them for years now.

The difference is that walmart orders millions of units of stuff, and thus, is able to price set. Basically, they tell their distributor something like "We will buy 50,000 master cases, and we're going to pay this. Or we can buy none. Your call." So that's basically how it works.

And when they have stuff lying around left over, they figure "well, lets sell this leftover stuff, we're running out of room. We can afford to sell these at cost, since our purchase prices are ridiculously small, so we won't lose any money here." and then they proceed to send a bunch of them to a single store like SQ1 Walmart, who sells them off at a ridiculous price.

A Toys Toys Toys store, either on its own or as a chain, doesn't buy enough product to be able to dictate prices. So they have to pay what the distributor poses. If that price is higher than what walmart is selling them for when they liquidate their stock, why wouldn't someone from toys toys toys go and get some? I mean, let's face it, they specialize in carrying toys from waves or lines that aren't carried in major stores anymore.

And there's another possibility, that the manufacturer or distributor is the one trying to liquidate old stock, in which case it sets a hugely discounted price, and both Walmart and Toys Toys Toys buy a bunch, mark the price up a bit to make a profit, and sell it as "on sale".

So either possibility could be true, frankly.

Are you asking why other businesses try to compete in selling transformers? Probably because people buy them. I mean, if you're going to say people shouldn't try to compete with Walmart on a product because Walmart is cheaper, then there'd be pretty much nothing else left to sell.

And to BeeBoy, there's other ways of finding out about sales that don't involve this site, though it would be a pretty good idea for a store, especially a small one, to check us out if TFs make up a good part of their business.

[BeeBoy29]

Originally Posted by Aernaroth

And to BeeBoy, there's other ways of finding out about sales that don't involve this site, though it would be a pretty good idea for a store, especially a small one, to check us out if TFs make up a good part of their business.

haha yea good point.

[someguy99]

Originally Posted by Aernaroth

Are you asking why other businesses try to compete in selling transformers? Probably because people buy them. I mean, if you're going to say people shouldn't try to compete with Walmart on a product because Walmart is cheaper, then there'd be pretty much nothing else left to sell.

What you say makes sense. But I think you went off on a tangent. My question was that on this site I see comments along the lines of ~ TTT buys their stock from Walmart sales. I wanted to know if that was true, because it seems somewhat strange for a retailer to buy from another retailer. It be like saying Loblaws buys from Dominion. I guess another way to phrase my question would be is it literally true? Do TTT employees walk into a Walmart, stock up and then push the shopping cart back to their store?

[Jefro]

Originally Posted by someguy99

because it seems somewhat strange for a retailer to buy from another retailer.

Try to think of it sort of like Sub-Contracting/Out Sourcing (which compaines/retailers do daily). Instead of buying from their supplier at retail costs etc they can get them on clearance from Walmart and save. Therefor, making more money.

So while it may seem strange, others may consider it good business ethic as it could possibly lower the cost of over head.

[Uberman]

Not to name names... but I may or may not have formally worked for the store in question. And if I did, then yes, I can confirm that the above action occured. I also returned/exchanged returned items that came to our store at the nearby Walmart. If I worked there, that is. Which maybe I didn't.

But ya, don't buy from them unless you KNOW it's a deal. And you will find deals there, believe me. It's just very rare. They had Treadbolt for 30 bucks for quite some time before the recent Walmart explosion. But if any Infernos suddenly pop up, yeah, they probably came from Walmart.

[Dragon Knight]

Toys Toys Toys cracks me up. I love how they have their toys at double the price, but cut it in half so it's just around what your paying for at retail anyway and mark it as a "sale price"

still, they are good at keeping older toys, so if your REAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALY desperate for something...

[Dark Rage]

The thing I don't get is that their sale prices are higher than the regular prices of other retailers. But then again, I only look at their TF prices, not other stuff.

I just can't fathom on how they make money and stay in business with such ridiculously overpriced items.

[joshimus]

While I understand Toys3 doesn't get as many good deals and has higher prices because of it, they do take advantage or "scalp" which is something I don't like thus refuse to buy from them.
When Black Convoy/Scourge was getting a TRU only exclusive release, Toys3 had dozens of them at 99.99 and I had to try about 5 differnt TRUs till I found a store that HAD some. (at 39.99 retail) It was from that I decided to boycott Toys3.
One: NO reason for them to tripple, and I mean LITERALLY the price.
Two: Being a TRU Exclusive, they really have no right to resell the toys at their store. If it was an online store, I can see that, but not when it's brick and stone buildings.
Again, much like comic shops that had Universe Inferno for 69.99, they need to make extra $$$ considering what they are up against, but the Scourge thing was WAY overkill and took TOTAL advantage of a htf item, and htf because they BOUGHT them all from TRU.
In my opinion, bad business practice, so I can't justly support them. I hate Wal-mart as well and I barely support them. If TRU has the toys, i'll go there. I won't buy anything other than htf toys are Wal-mart, hate their business ethics too.