Toys'R'Us very interesting sale

[Golden Phoenix]

Toys'R'Us are having a sale starting today. Forget till when.

40% off all Toy Story Lego and Duplo.
The exclusives are advertised, but not reduced.

However, there are some very special prices for some of the other sets. I don't know if its just mine or I haven't noticed the higher prices but I swear the Star Wars sets have been put up in price and then reduced for the sale.

The battle packs for example are now $24.xx on sale for $22.xx
Weren't they $22.xx before??

The exclusive TRU truck is also advertised as $69.xx
But it was $59.xx before. I know that because I reported it before. Still scans at 59 too

Anyone else see any dodgy stuff lile this for this sale?

And is there anything we can do about it? It sounds almost illegal

[Tabias Prime]

Toys'R'Us are having a sale starting today. Forget till when.

40% off all Toy Story Lego and Duplo.
The exclusives are advertised, but not reduced.

However, there are some very special prices for some of the other sets. I don't know if its just mine or I haven't noticed the higher prices but I swear the Star Wars sets have been put up in price and then reduced for the sale.

The battle packs for example are now $24.xx on sale for $22.xx
Weren't they $22.xx before??

The exclusive TRU truck is also advertised as $69.xx
But it was $59.xx before. I know that because I reported it before. Still scans at 59 too

Anyone else see any dodgy stuff lile this for this sale?

And is there anything we can do about it? It sounds almost illegal

It might be worth reporting to the appropriate authority, maybe consumer affairs...

[jaydisc]

For what? Raising their prices?

[1AZRAEL1]

I think it is more deceptive marketing. Raising their prices shorlty before the sale, to make it seem like people are getting a saving. When people see XX% off, they think they are getting a bargain, when in reality, it's not.

That's if you know for sure they did that.

[jaydisc]

But the marketing reflects the higher prices. How is that deceptive?

Also, in the case of the truck, there is no xx% off. It's just a price declaration, very common for TRU, Big W and the others aka "Hot Price!" As far as the battle packs, I'm not sure what that is or where it is in the catalogue.

[1AZRAEL1]

The truck is fine, I'm talking about the battle packs (I'm not sure what they are either :p) But it's bad that they put the price up, give you a discount for the price it was originally, making you think you are getting a saving. Maybe not deceptive marketing, but still pretty poor effort in marketing IMO.

[MV75]

But the marketing reflects the higher prices. How is that deceptive?

Also, in the case of the truck, there is no xx% off. It's just a price declaration, very common for TRU, Big W and the others aka "Hot Price!" As far as the battle packs, I'm not sure what that is or where it is in the catalogue.

You missed it, so it must be deceptive.

Read the part in the OP about 69 and 59$ again. ;)

[kaiden]

i dont think its illegal but very sleazy thing to do. but it is common practice.

as for the prices not scanning correctly, i was there today where my sister's friend works and she said it was because head office had not made the changes yet so the prices do not reflect the catalog and are giving the underpaid workers headaches.

[jaydisc]

You missed it, so it must be deceptive.

Read the part in the OP about 69 and 59$ again. ;)

I have. Have you? :confused:

It's deceptive to advertise a $59 item as $69?

[MV75]

Yea yea, you know the context.

Let's call it bastard-ive then to do that with the price in a "WOW! HUGE LEGO SAVINGS" catalog. And no, it does not matter at all if it's not advertised specifically as an actual special as the overall theme is imparting otherwise to the reader that it's all at either sale or previous regular pricing when it's not, it's gone up.

[Sam]

In this case, I think the best reward we can give to them is to shop elsewhere, such as Big W. Unfortunately, a lot of people who do not follow toy news or are after exclusives will be buying from them.

[Golden Phoenix]

I have. Have you? :confused:

It's deceptive to advertise a $59 item as $69?

I'm assuming they hadn't updated the system yet. The other stuff that was 40% off had to be updated manually at the register.

It is still dodgy as hell. It gets worse if they put the prices back down right after.
If they do go back down, then surely that is evidence they are intending to mislead people. Isn't that covered in some trades act or something?

[jaydisc]

There's an awful lot of condemnation on what are admittedly "assumptions". If the truck is still selling at $59, the more likely theory is the catalog has a typo. I've put a call into TRU customer service so we can hear the explanation from the horse's mouth.

Can someone tell me what the "battle packs" are? Are they in the catalog?

[Golden Phoenix]

There's an awful lot of condemnation on what are admittedly "assumptions". If the truck is still selling at $59, the more likely theory is the catalog has a typo. I've put a call into TRU customer service so we can hear the explanation from the horse's mouth.

Can someone tell me what the "battle packs" are? Are they in the catalog?
The battle packs are little Star Wars sets usually 20 each. They have been 2 each year. They have a crummy little vehicle and 4 minifigures. They are usually generic figures like clone troopers or rebel soldiers. Army builders essentially, very popular.

They weren't in the cataloge. It was just one example. They had those big 'on special, was $XX now $YY' tags.
With these I want to see if they are at other stores or just Doncaster

[jaydisc]

I just spoke to TRU customer service and here's the deal:

1. The truck WAS JUST on sale for $59. That sale ended today.
2. The truck's regular price is $69.99 and is advertised in the catalog as "Huge Value", not a sale item.

In other words, at least concerning the truck, there is nothing deceptive going on here.

[Golden Phoenix]

I just spoke to TRU customer service and here's the deal:

1. The truck WAS JUST on sale for $59. That sale ended today.
2. The truck's regular price is $69.99 and is advertised in the catalog as "Huge Value", not a sale item.

In other words, at least concernin the truck, there is nothing deceptive going on here.
Didn't know it was on sale before. Fair enough for the truck. But the other Lego still seems strange

[jaydisc]

I suspect the explanation will be similar.