Toys R Us = Dumb

[piccolodaimaoh]

Hey, remember the last time a Wachowski brothers movie went up against a Lucas film in the same summer?
Man I wish they had Matrix toys in TRU back in 1999, I would have been all over that.

 

[IrishJedi]

Hey, remember the last time a Wachowski brothers movie went up against a Lucas film in the same summer?

No, because The Matrix came out in March and was pretty much long gone from theaters when TPM opened in late May.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

No, because The Matrix came out in March and was pretty much long gone from theaters when TPM opened in late May.

Was it March? I was a Sophmore in college at the time and I could swear it was at least April the first time I saw it. Live and learn.

 

[UTtoyfan]

Was it March? I was a Sophmore in college at the time and I could swear it was at least April the first time I saw it. Live and learn.

You are both right. I have a poster for the Matrix and it says "On March 31st the fight for the future begins". So it did open in March, except it was the last day of March.

Here's a link too:
https://www.movieposter.com/poster/A70-4902/Matrix.html

 

[IrishJedi]

Out of curiousity, I went to a local TRU store today. They had a decent-sized section for HULK and BATMAN toys, INDY stuff was relegated to a single end-cap (!!!), and of course SPEED RACER had a huge mega-section.

The Indy toys were all picked clean already. I asked the manager about SPEED RACER (which looks as if no one has purchased a single thing), and he was distraught. He said, "Unless this movie is big like SPIDER-MAN with the kids, we're screwed". Meanwhile, the Indy section ... err, I mean end-cap... now sits almost completely empty already.

Way to go, Toys R Us!

Have fun speed-racing your way into Bankruptcy (again).

 

[Sniper33]

My TRU has a small baby section for Indy as well. Then on the area's around it is Hulk, Batman, and Ironman. I only picked up the 12" talking Indy and was thinking about getting the Joe sized one as well but passed for now.

 

[choopie]

Out of curiousity, I went to a local TRU store today. They had a decent-sized section for HULK and BATMAN toys, INDY stuff was relegated to a single end-cap (!!!), and of course SPEED RACER had a huge mega-section.

The Indy toys were all picked clean already. I asked the manager about SPEED RACER (which looks as if no one has purchased a single thing), and he was distraught. He said, "Unless this movie is big like SPIDER-MAN with the kids, we're screwed". Meanwhile, the Indy section ... err, I mean end-cap... now sits almost completely empty already.

Way to go, Toys R Us!

Have fun speed-racing your way into Bankruptcy (again).

Same thing with my TRU stores here as well. Went to one last night. A tiny section next to bigger sections of Iron Man and Hulk right when you walk into the store. They were picked clean. Nothing but a few 2-packs. I thought, surely that can't be all of it. So I went to the back of the store. Yep, that was all of it. Pretty pathetic.

 

[IrishJedi]

Same thing with my TRU stores here as well. Went to one last night. A tiny section next to bigger sections of Iron Man and Hulk right when you walk into the store. They were picked clean. Nothing but a few 2-packs. I thought, surely that can't be all of it. So I went to the back of the store. Yep, that was all of it. Pretty pathetic.

It's TRU's loss. Frickin' morons.

So, how many Speed Racer toys did you trip over while walking around your TRU stores?

 

[choopie]

It's TRU's loss. Frickin' morons.

So, how many Speed Racer toys did you trip over while walking around your TRU stores?

I've noticed Target and Wal-mart devoting endcaps to Speed Racer and the Indy stuff crammed into a small section with the other action figures. It should be the other way around. So it's not just TRU, although they've taken it to the extreme. An entire wall devoted to Speed Racer?

 

[IrishJedi]

TRU has put the SPEED RACER stuff out as if it's STAR WARS when a new movie hits. It's madness.

 

[icruise]

Well, as someone pointed out earlier, the prime shelf space is often purchased as part of an agreement, so it may actually be that TRU is being paid to put the toys there.

 

[IrishJedi]

Whatever the case, someone is about to lose their ass.

And I'm still just baffled as to why Speed Racer in a season with Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Batman and Hulk???

 

[KitFisto]

Speed Racer will be much more popular among kids than the new Indy movie. Indy fans are in their 30's and 40's now. Kids who watched the Speed Racer cartoon are older too, but this movie looks like it gears for kids.

 

[IrishJedi]

That's all well and good, but they still have to sell A LOT of toys. So far, they're not moving very well at all. The INDY toys are selling briskly and most TRU stores have already blown through them (though I suppose it's easier to sell out when you only stock an end cap )

Seriously, I talked with a TRU manager yesterday and he was as baffled as me. Unless the SPEED RACER movie is a huge, huge hit the toys are going to be cluttering TRU shelves for eons.

And I think you might under-estimate Indy's appeal with youngsters just a tad. Clearly, it's our generation that is leading the charge. But it's not as if kids don't get it. My 5 year old is as jacked as I am about INDY right now.

 

[icruise]

Well, I hardly think it's surprising that they aren't selling well yet, since the movie isn't out and I would guess that the target audience doesn't really have any knowledge of the original series. They might actually be using the toy space as a kind of advertising for the movie, since seeing the toys in the store was actually the first time I heard about the movie.

 

[IrishJedi]

Well, I hardly think it's surprising that they aren't selling well yet, since the movie isn't out and I would guess that the target audience doesn't really have any knowledge of the original series. They might actually be using the toy space as a kind of advertising for the movie, since seeing the toys in the store was actually the first time I heard about the movie.

That might be the most logical explanation I've seen yet. Good point.

It's still a huge, huge gamble though. Especially when all of the other major brands this Summer are sure-fire bets. It's just weird. Why put 85% of your bets on this particular horse??

 

[Captain Britain]

That's all well and good, but they still have to sell A LOT of toys. So far, they're not moving very well at all. The INDY toys are selling briskly and most TRU stores have already blown through them (though I suppose it's easier to sell out when you only stock an end cap )

Seriously, I talked with a TRU manager yesterday and he was as baffled as me. Unless the SPEED RACER movie is a huge, huge hit the toys are going to be cluttering TRU shelves for eons.

And I think you might under-estimate Indy's appeal with youngsters just a tad. Clearly, it's our generation that is leading the charge. But it's not as if kids don't get it. My 5 year old is as jacked as I am about INDY right now.

I haven't been in a British TRU recently, but when I bought my Indy figures in my local Woolworths they had ONE BOX of Indy figures, which I filleted before it got to the shelves, and literally a whole aisle filled with Speed Racer toys at the front of the store.

The thing with Speed Racer is they must be gambling that because the movie is about cars the toys will sell at the same rate as Mattel Pixar Cars toys (over a billion dollars worth of sales in 2007, even though the movie came out in 2006).

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

That's all well and good, but they still have to sell A LOT of toys. So far, they're not moving very well at all. The INDY toys are selling briskly and most TRU stores have already blown through them (though I suppose it's easier to sell out when you only stock an end cap )

Yeah, but the Indy stuff just came out so of course the collectors who have been waiting years for Indy stuff are blowing through the intial stock. Once they've got their fill, that stuff is gonna rot on the shelves. No kids are gonna want a German soldier or Spalko or Sallah figure. I don't know If Speed Racer is going to catch on with kids or not, but I'd say it's less of a gamble than Indy.

 

[choopie]

I have to agree with the speculation that Speed Racer might be trying to capitalize on the success of Cars. But Speed Racer isn't Pixar, and it is a huge gamble to use product advertisement for a movie based on a cartoon that probably not many of today's kids know much about. Speed Racer isn't Spongebob Squarepants. To me, it's like trying to hype up Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Regarding Indy. I do agree that the popularity of the toys right now is fueled by the adults who grew up watching Indy and are starving for collectibles. But, once the movie is released and becomes a hit, I think the toys will remain popular -- at least for a while...you've got parents who love Indy taking their kids to see it. There is going to be some trickle down effect.

 

[IrishJedi]

I didn't intend for this to get into a Speed Racer toys vs Indy toys debate. My whole point is that Speed Racer product is taking up a HUGE section of every TRU store, more than the Iron Man, Batman, Hulk, and Indy toys all combined! I'm just shocked that anyone thinks Speed Racer is going to be THAT successful.

And whether the INDY sales dry up or not, there's really no excuse for not having more than a single small end cap for product on the eve of the new movie release.

But, again... TRU is only screwing themselves ultimately. Isn't the first time, and almost certainly won't be the last (unless they go out business soon).