Friday, November 20, 2020

Visiting the 1st NEW Toys”R”Us in the USA... in 2020!

8 comments:

Barb the Evil Genius said...

Thanks for sharing the video! It's a shame that the guy filmed right over the Barbie section; I think even LOL Surprise got a better look. I also saw something that looked like a giant house that interested me, but that also was very brief. I wonder if we will get one here in Cleveland anytime in the next couple of years.

D7ana said...

Hi, Barb! You're welcome. I wanted to scream, "Stop!" when he zipped over the Barbie section. Who does that, lol?

There is a second TRU location in Houston, Texas. However, one blogger doesn't think there will be more openings. I suppose we'll see in the next few years. Thanks for visiting and commenting.

Barb the Evil Genius said...

D7ana, I read the article that you linked to in your comment. I wanted to discuss the idea that Amazon, Walmart and Target stepped into the void that TRU left behind, because I feel like they really didn't. They may have gotten increased sales when TRU closed, but no one has replicated the fun of walking down an enormous aisle filled with Barbie merchandise. Target has one side of a shorter aisle dedicated to Barbie. My local Walmart has even less. With Amazon, you have to know what you're looking for, or scroll endlessly through a bunch of stuff you may not be interested in. I also feel like it was easier for me to throw more things in a physical cart than a virtual one.
I also wonder if store exclusives became less popular because TRU wasn't there to create competition to have one.

rosi said...

Thanks for posting this video for us to see.

I just wanted to point out to everyone that the most recent set of Barbies that was just released, will also be for sale at Aldi's grocery store either the end of this week, or next week. They'll be selling for $7.99.

Ms. Leo said...

Hi, Great to see! As with everyone else, I would have like to see more time in the Barbie aisle.

The big stores that sell toys I don't think will really come back. I a person who worked in retail, there isn't as much of a mark up on toys. That is why the never really go on sale. You'll get 20% off maybe but the stores don't have the same mark up as they have on let's say.... jewelry (50% + another 20%). With jewelry, if they are giving you 80% off, they are still making big money. Toy only go low at closeout and they are taking a lost then. If Covid-19 has taught us nothing else, store are going to have to work hard for our money. I do you want to deal with sales clerk with bad attitude or who hide and don't know anything and don't want to help, long lines inside or outside of a store. I can do it on line with a few clicks! I am afraid toys toys have gone the way of the bookstores. Ads showing your full selection and shipping for free is the way to go!

Shasarignis said...

Hi, thank you to share with us this new video about Toys R Us. It looks big. Here, in my region, there are a Toy R Us. I don't think it is bigger, but there are more choices and there are a big section for the babies. Do you have this section ?

Black Doll Enthusiast said...

That nanosecond glimpse at the Barbie display and zero views of any other dolls, if others exist, was so disappointing. I guess his tour focused on his interests. Shameful, but thanks for sharing.

dbg

D7ana said...

Thanks Linda, Barb, Rosi, Ms. Leo, Shasarignis, and Debbie! Thanks for visiting and for commenting. I'm glad to share news like this.

@Linda - some channels that have or had doll enthusiasts moving through American toy and or toy-selling stores are TooHunkyToys and Hey It's Muff. The videos aren't recent, but I enjoyed watching the vloggers travel to and through stores.

@Barb - I agree with you that Amazon, Walmart, and Target have NOT stepped into the void that TRU left behind. Amazon's stock is online so you either have to know exactly what you want or you have to "get lucky" and find something new scrolling through related items. Walmart and Target only dedicate a small section to dolls. Dolls are a small portion of their inventory. Only the big toy stores like Toys R Us or discount toy stores like K B Toys or boutique toy stores like Small Blue Planet that specialized in dolls and action figures and other toys can satisfy the treat of seeing a broad range of dolls and doll accessories. I remember seeing the Walton's family dollhouse by Mego set up with some of the characters peering out of rooms. Sigh. Or the displays with various dolls out of box and posed.

Regarding store exclusives ... I think Walmart and Target still have a few of those. Walmart has a few Barbie exclusives. The Alex Morgan doll is a Target exclusive. So I'm not sure if the absence of Toys R Us affected their exclusive lines.

@Rosi - hi! Long-time no see ;-) Thanks for sharing the news about Aldis having recent Fashionistas. I haven't seen them at the 2 Aldis I most often go to, but I think they get snatched up whenever they come out.

@Leo - thanks for sharing your knowledge of the toy sales business. I agree that - unfortunately, big toy stores won't return without some major revamping (more on that in another post). I've gotten incredibly great savings on dolls at Walmart and at Target because dolls are NOT the main focus for their sales.I've paid $3-5 for dolls on sale at those stores. Amazon can be convenient and occasionally have decent sales. But because we in this conversation have had the experience of going in person to see dolls, etc. in stores, well, there's some loss in the quality of doll shopping.

@Shasarignis - I'm not sure if the new Toys R Us stores have a babies section. I did not see such an area in the video. The older stores did have a Babies R Us section. I don't think Babies R Us will return; there are other options for baby and toddler goods. Toys R Us included those items in an attempt to broaden their market.

@Debbie - I watched the video again, only this time I noticed the vlogger call to someone that he was filming. Perhaps the store worker wanted the vlogger to end the filming. I remember that Toys R Us in Philly did NOT want filming - except towards the end of their existence here. Maybe that's why more of the doll areas weren't shown?

Also, there is a second new Toys R Us store in Houston, Texas. I'm not sure if it is open - due to the pandemic - but that might be a place you could visit.

Thanks again, everyone, for visiting and commenting. I wanted to give fruitful responses because this post is a little sparse.