Toys R Us (Or: Die, Dinosaur, Die!)

[Darth_Anton]

It's going to be hard to image life without TRU, if this happens. I've made a fair share of impulse buys of non-SW items while browsing for SW and the midnight madness events have been great excuses to take a break from life and geek out with good friends for a day. Hoping they're figure out a way to keep things going.

[BillCable]

Seems like a prime opportunity for some entity to create a new toy retail chain and scoop up old TRU locations to operate.  The problem with TRU was always the debt.  Without the debt, a new chain could thrive.

[I Am Sith]

I don't know a lot about what is going on with their debt, but would it benefit them to move to an online only fomat and exit all of their retail locations?  They are then only carrying the warehouse space and not paying for the retail locations and personnel.  Sucks for all of the employees at all of their locations and the cities now losing out on the tax revenue the stores generated, but it's a possible way to carry on.

[Nicklab]

Amazon would eat TRU's lunch if they went online only.  Sure, closing the brick & mortar stores and selling off that real estate would help their balance sheet.  But Amazon has been building their online infrastructure and distribution network for a long time.  And Amazon's diversity of product ranges helps them if one sector falls short.... like toys.

I'm pissed at how TRU let themselves be saddled with all of that debt.  And I'm really hopeful that a buyer will come along and see some way to transform the business, restructure their debt, and find a new way to can continue on.  Hell, maybe Amazon can do that, too.  They have the cash.  And they already have a significant portion of the toy market.  They're working at competing with WalMart in a big way, especially since WalMart bought a significant online retailer like Jet.com.  Amazon took an inroads into brick & mortar retail when they bought Whole Foods because they saw value in that business, and a way to incorporate the store locations into their distribution network.  This could be another way for Amazon to use TRU in a similar fashion, along with having a place like the R Zone to offer up their own electronics.

There will always be a market, because there will always be kids.

[BillCable]

Amazon already OWNS Toy R Us' online lunch...

https://www.amazon.com/Toys-R-Us/pages/6261281011

[Nicklab]

It looks like the end might be coming really soon for TRU:

CNBC:  Toys R Us prepares plan to liquidate its business

[Muftak]

Clicked through to read the story and couldn't help but notice a large ad for WalMart's online service taking up the right-hand side of the page.

Nice.

[P-Siddy]

And dead. Extinct in UK.  Death watch on US stores.

I’m concerned about that exclusive Zuckuss.

[Dave]

I’m concerned about that exclusive Zuckuss.

I think it all depends on timing. 

If the item hasn't been made then it'll get delayed/cancelled. 

If its been made and is ready to ship from the factories, Hasbro will find some other retailer to take it.

If its already been shipped and is sitting in TRU warehouses somewhere, then who knows what'll happen. 

[P-Siddy]

I believe April is when it’s supposed to be released, so I’m sure they’re produced, but where they are is a good question.

EDIT:  It's official.  They're done. 

http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/14/news/companies/toys-r-us-closing-stores/index.html

[Nicklab]

It really is sad.  I have a lot of good memories from TRU over the years.  And I've actually made some friends with some staffers.  Some that I've known since the 90's.  I really feel for the people who are going to lose their jobs.  And I'm also that much more disappointed that I'm not going to be able to bring my kid to Toys R Us any more.

[Rob]

I wonder if there's any scenario where Toys R Us could come back in a few years as a new thing with a smaller business model.

I mean, it worked for Hostess...

[Jesse James]

If you’d told me Kmart/Sears would outlast TRU ten years ago I’d have said you’re insane.  Yet, here we are.

[Darby]

It's sad. I loved TRU growing up and obviously have spent an ungodly amount of time there as an adult. More than the end of a business, it's the end of an age and perhaps more concerning, an industry. There are a lot of forces at work against traditional toys as we know them, and the precipitous collapse of TRU promises more upheaval to come.

[McMetal]

I wonder if there's any scenario where Toys R Us could come back in a few years as a new thing with a smaller business model.

I mean, it worked for Hostess...

The head of the company that makes those awful Bratz toys is trying to buy the Canadian wing and keep it open under the old name. He is also looking into buying some of the US stores and doing the same. Kind of a  long shot, but who knows.

Bums me out definitely, ill never forget that commercial with the giraffe family driving through the snow at Christmas. "Toys R Us Time of Year" and all that. 

But yeah, up until a few weeks ago, it had probably been a year since I bought anything in one of their stores. I always got their exclusives online because they never showed up in stores until weeks later. Frustrated me that they didn't all carry the same stuff too, especially NECA and similar type collectibles. And their stubborn refusal to clearance, and stingy pricing when they did, was one of my biggest pet peeves.

Most of my more recent memories are less rosy...waiting in line for an hour at the TFA FF to get nothing, waiting outside the store at opening and having to literally foot race some fat nerd to the aisle for the Jaina/Jacen wave, etc.