Store Refused To Sell Amiibo On Shelf

[GwenStacy]

My Toysrus had some Wave 3 Amiibo's, specifically Lucario, on Store Shelf with Price. I had them IN HAND and went to check out but was told they couldnt sell them to me because the release date was after today, and if they sold them today that people would lose their jobs. There was a very recent change in their system and had to be taken off shelves. I couldnt get the items on hold. Manager grabbed them up and took them away with the too bad soo sad trivializing attitude. Anyways, I thought if they had it on shelf with price (plus I scanned the item and it rang up as Lucario Amiibo with a Price) and it was in my hand then I could buy it??? Anyone experience this? Any insight would be appreciated.

There was another kid in front of me. He had multiples of almost all the new ones in his basket. One person at the help desk said they were able to save him a Lucario due to a special circumstance. I highly doubt he had a preorder slip because we were looking at amiibos at the same time (I saw his reaction/comments, no way he had a po slip).

By the way, I am unsure if this is in the right section. If its not forgive me and we'll move it.

 

[karamazov80]

No idea what an Amiibo is, but this is a thing. Retailers aren't supposed to release certain products before release dates. I can also get the folks working there showing preferential treatment to a kid over an adult collector. In their shoes I would also probably go out of my way to help a disappointed kid over a disappointed adult.

 

[Buttmunch]

Sadly its something that does happen when things make it to the shelf early. Most stories I've heard that they're usually willing to hold the products for you as you clearly wanted to buy them then and there. Its just THEIR fault you couldn't buy them, not yours. If I were you, I'd submit a store survey or something and tell them of your awful experience. Having worked for a ToysRus in high school, I know they take those things serious and are really upset when they get a bad one. Definitely report your bad experience, don't just let it go. Even if they can't sell the item to you, there is no need to be treated poorly.

But nobody would lose their job for selling it early. The manufactures really have no control over the items once they've shipped them out, release date or not. Most of the time, a store's computer system just won't allow them to sell the item before the release date. A lot of the time online orders for pre-ordered items can arrive before the release date, especially if a release date delivery option is selected. They have to ship them out before the release date for that and sometimes they arrive quicker than expected, but you don't see Amazon getting in hot water for that. They can only keep a release date so much.

 

[Collectorcol]

My daughter works in a store that sell console games and movies.
The company can get in trouble for selling items, even once received, before release date.

If they refused to sell you them there's not much you can do about it, unfortunately.

 

[Sidewinder]

As long as you weren't an arse to the employee. You give a bad attitude, you'll get it back in return. You ask politely if they can hold one and they're more likely to help you out. Children will obviously get better treatment in a kids store though. They don't want upset kids and parents.

 

[AIR]

This happened a few months ago to my sister. She wanted to buy the Disney store exclusive Marvel Select Spiderman, but when she brought it to the register, they told her they couldn't sell it yet. Now I understand it's not in their control, but these items shouldn't be on the shelf if they can't sell them yet.

 

[GwenStacy]

Everyone has great points and I appreciate everyones input. I, having worked with customers, am not nasty/rude/troublemaking person and I am not one to argue. Im more of a shy person. I did feel wronged so I asked simple questions. Overall, I think yes the store made a mistake but as a well mannered customer, I know they dont owe me anything but I feel as though they should have put one of the items I wanted on hold due to a mistake. I mean theres nothing like having something in hand thats valuable to you and highly sought after, only to have it to be taken away to leave with nothing. I wanted to keep the story short but Ill go into more detail here. I dont want anyone thinking I was an arse

To continue the story, The employee was very nice about explaining things about why she couldnt sell me the items. THEN the Manager came out of his office to find the employee pointing to him out. The Manager presented with a ridiculing attitude towards me. Said the release date was changed. Grabbed up the items. Continued to say/ask about why I wanted these but I felt like he was taunting me with the items now in his hands. Once he got his answers, he treated me as if to say dont even try, too bad soo sad, and he walked off with them. The employee said I might be able to put them on hold but there was no guarantee. There was a mom with like 4+ little kids behind me, waiting and I asked if I could go to the help desk to talk about it with them there so the mother, clearly with her hands full, could get out of Toysrus asap. 2 employees at the help desk said the same thing but they cant put them on hold. When I was looking at the Amiibo's, there was this other kid there. He grabbed up a basket full, Lucario included. The employees at the help desk said that they were "able to save him a Lucario due to a special circumstance." I was with him in the Amiibo aisle and its highly likely he did Not have a lucario pre-order slip. The employees at the help desk were again very helpful and nice with me. Then the manager comes. Again, trivializing me. And I should note the items were no longer in the managers hand. I felt as if I was being charged with stealing them! I was embarrassed, humiliated, and frustrated. The intensity of the emotions I was feeling were certainly elevated. I waved goodbye to the two nice employees at the help desk and walked right past the manager as he was talking with me and right out of the store and into my car. Im a 20+ adult who refused to cry...in a toy store. Thats why I walked away. I thought I was upset about not getting the items but I was upset with how the manager treated me and how I felt after.

...And so I wanted to see what everyone thought.
Buttmunch Thank you (btw great user name). I will go ahead with reporting the problem but I will also make sure it is known that the employees (working under the manager) will be given good credit

AIR- Thats horrible to hear. Did your sister end up getting her Exclusive Spiderman? I hope she did. I think she should have gotten at least something, whether a discount or a hold on the Ex Spidy. I wonder how many other people have run into the same disappointing problem. It was on the shelf and it had a price. What gives...

Amiibo's are Nintendos line of little figurine collectibles that can be used to play Super Smash Bros and other games.

 

[AIR]

No, she eventually just bought the regular version at a comic book store. I honestly don't think she cared really but I was pretty ticked. Oh well, live and learn as they say.

 

[j97e1]

"..Thats horrible to hear.." ?????

Hm.

You'll get over it.

 

[Stryker2011]

I get the whole, "We can't sell early" thing. I was in retail management for years. But the "we can't hold for you, but we can hold for the kid" is probably them thinking you're a dealer. Some store managers hate selling toys to adults as they think they are dealers looking to turn around and sell at a profit in their own store. I used to haunt TRU all the time, but when I asked about a particular item from one of the employees, who went in the back, then came out and told me they didn't have any... After he thought I left, I saw him go in the back, bring the item out, and then purchase it for himself. I haven't been back to a TRU since. This kind of selective selling goes on all the time.

 

[Taibhse]

Agreed, sounds like the Manager may have thought you were a dealer.. but if you only wanted one figure and they had that figure displayed and with a price tag on it, then they should have allowed you to reserve that figure for the release date.

Imho, it is not the Toystore manager/employee's job to decide who is an appropriate customer, unless someone is trying to buy a large number of a particular item (effectively their entire stock).. even then, there is an argument to be made, for the fact that the shop is there to sell product, not make moral judgements on those sales.. unless the individual has been caught tampering with the packaging of items they are not purchasing (spoiling the MOC stock for other collectors).. in which case tar and feathering, is entirely appropriate.

I would lodge a complaint further up the Toysrus management food chain.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Most of the time they literally CAN'T sell them early. The SKU won't even come up in the computer. They'd have to override it and enter it manually, which would screw up their inventory and lots of other accounting. But they shouldn't have had them on the shelf.

 

[Sidewinder]

Clearly there was poor management going on at the store as the items never should have been placed on the shelf. If they have strict release dates it should be noted on their internal website from head office.




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[siquisiri]

Just in case you where like me, lol......


But anyways, something similiar happend to me before, with a clearance item they refused to sell to me that should not have been on the floor. I complained though and i paid like $2 , lol