Toymate enters QLD with a store in Robina

[MV75]

So, it looks to be taking over from tru and opening a store at Robina. Anything to say about it? Good that it's expanding or not?

[SMHFConvoy]

They're okay, the biggest shop I've seen is at top ryde. They can be pricey at times even with a members discount

[Handsprime]

They're okay, the biggest shop I've seen is at top ryde. They can be pricey at times even with a members discount

The deluxes are a bit of a joke at $40 a pop, but the voyagers are reasonably priced at $50, and the leaders aren't bad at only $80.

I wonder if TRU Hornsby and Castle Hill will become toymates.

[UltraMarginal]

It's interesting seeing Toymate develop.

I remember when they started up as a few popup stores prior to Christmas a few years ago, probably nearly a decade ago now. A lot of their stock has been end of line product (from what I know about toys, which is mostly transformers) they do stock new product but it's generally not very competitively priced.

I have bought a few key things from them, (Lego Saturn V at exactly retail price minus the 5% discount for me and a mate from the Top Ryde Store about 8 months ago stands out)

Now they have permanent stores, big permanent stores popping up all over the place. Hopefully they will improve their buying power and take up some of the small product line slack that TRU is leaving behind.

They still stock stuff at high prices, but other stuff at lower than retail, sometimes significantly. I guess like other stores you have to shop carefully with them. They do occasionally get some neat stuff in, I know the Chatswood store had a bunch of the Vinyl art Optimus Primes and Grimlocks for a while, they were the large ones that were a store exclusive in the states.

[griffin]

The photo of the entrance makes the store look very impressive, with the same bright and colourful inviting look that ToysRUs had (which Toyworld doesn't).
Unlike the Robina TRU store, which was outside the Robina Shopping Centre, the Toymate looks like it inside the shopping centre.
It's grand opening is this weekend (August 18-19), and even though it looks like it is trying to fill the void of TRU, this would have been instigated long before we heard that the Australian TRU stores were closing down.... and since the Robina TRU store was half a K from the shopping centre, this Toymate store wouldn't have been competing with it, or even fill its void now that it is gone.

I had the impression that Toymate prices were often similar to Toyworld, and since Toyworld never competed with ToysRUs or tried to match them on price, a new national player might not shake things up much... but it is good to see that they are looking to expand, which might give Hasbro more options with exclusives and collector figures. Toymate even have a Price Match policy, but it is hidden away as a small box on their loyalty program page (which itself sounds pretty good if you become a Gold Member).

I was surprised to see that they have 17 stores now.

(their website notes Robina in their 17 store roster, but still says that their 17 stores are in NSW)

[griffin]

(moved topic to news section, as it is news-worthy)

[i_amtrunks]

They’ve had a store in Penrith for wel over a year and while their regular prices are nothing really to talk about, they have an excelllent range of products and they have a huge “clearance” section of much cheaper toys that can be wxceelt or inconsequential.

They opened a new store in Blacktown about 2 months ago and it has the same very bright (and warm as you walk under them!) lights and a flashy, colourful fun feeling store with an interesting layout with general “areas” for each section of toys. Something a little different.

Good to see them expanding, especially as it seems Kmart and big w in particular are reducing their toy sections and target appear to be changing their layouts a bit.

[GoktimusPrime]

They're okay, the biggest shop I've seen is at top ryde. They can be pricey at times even with a members discount

As griffin mentioned, they do have a price match policy. This can also stack with your member discount.

[griffin]

As griffin mentioned, they do have a price match policy. This can also stack with your member discount.

Considering how well it is hidden on their website, people can be forgiven for not knowing about it. (unless they advertise it in-store)

[MV75]

The photo of the entrance makes the store look very impressive, with the same bright and colourful inviting look that ToysRUs had (which Toyworld doesn't).
Unlike the Robina TRU store, which was outside the Robina Shopping Centre, the Toymate looks like it inside the shopping centre.
It's grand opening is this weekend (August 18-19), and even though it looks like it is trying to fill the void of TRU, this would have been instigated long before we heard that the Australian TRU stores were closing down.... and since the Robina TRU store was half a K from the shopping centre, this Toymate store wouldn't have been competing with it, or even fill its void now that it is gone.

I had the impression that Toymate prices were often similar to Toyworld, and since Toyworld never competed with ToysRUs or tried to match them on price, a new national player might not shake things up much... but it is good to see that they are looking to expand, which might give Hasbro more options with exclusives and collector figures. Toymate even have a Price Match policy, but it is hidden away as a small box on their loyalty program page (which itself sounds pretty good if you become a Gold Member).

I was surprised to see that they have 17 stores now.

(their website notes Robina in their 17 store roster, but still says that their 17 stores are in NSW)

Just have another look at their actual website. Looks VERY tru to me.

I think the next one would probably be northlakes.