jjwspider Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 5 hours ago, Mnemosis said: 1) I'm the assistant manager at my Toys R Us and I want to thank the lot of you for being so much more considerate then the customers walking through our doors and calling our store asking "How long till the sales start?" as opposed to "How are you handling this?" Your compassion is truly appreciated. 2) That said, i shake my head at ANYONE who works for the company and didn't see it coming. For AT LEAST the past five years, the business had been run like it was going out of business. As AZ described of B&N, corners were being cut to insure maximum profit margin while maintaining bare minimum operating standards. 3) Big Lots, Ross, Marshals, and TJ Maxx are just a few retailers that still buy Warehouse stock. And, having purchased a box boldly emblazoned "Toys R Us exclusive" from KB Toy works when I still worked there, i can say with confidence most retailers won't care WHAT the package says, especially if the store it's referencing is long gone. 4) While I've already been seeking alternative employment because i felt this was inevitable, Zach, my heart goes out to the DST team as regards any hardships this brings to the company as a whole and the individuals who have made it what it is. Mnemosis, thank you for posting. Most of us can't imagine what you're dealing with right now and I appreciate you sharing your feedback. Good luck on the job hunt (and future DST position ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystery Man Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 10 hours ago, jjwspider said: Mnemosis, thank you for posting. Most of us can't imagine what you're dealing with right now and I appreciate you sharing your feedback. Good luck on the job hunt (and future DST position ). Well said. I truly feel there are more people concerned for the employees and toy-makers than are the tacky douches asking about sales (this is a broad statement and does not refer to anyone specific). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx_6 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 As I said in other threads, I consider many of the employees at my local TRU better friends than many of those with whom I work at me job. I know more about their personal lives than many of my coworkers. While I know some of them have good chances at other establishments, there are some of the employees that I know are really going to struggle to make ends meet. TRU has been their home for years (over a decade in some cases) and their quirks may not lend themselves to ‘new’ employment. While I like to shop and look for new stuff, the main reason I would visit weekly was to see my friends and I am gutted that this will be over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan The Accuser Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Yeah, the familiar faces and the conversations will be missed. That’s all part of what made the shopping fun. I shake my head when I read reports about how soulless the stores had become. I wish the writer could accompany me on a “quick stop” that involves conversations with 3-4 different people and lasts an hour. Heck, I made a new friend at an out of the way store just last month. I’ve always found TRU to be a friendly environment and I’ll miss that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 It's great to hear these stories . I note today that ToysRUs.com is offering FREE shipping on orders over $99 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx_6 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 25 minutes ago, buttheadsmate said: I note today that ToysRUs.com is offering FREE shipping on orders over $99 ! Yep. Instead of the $19 or even $35 it has been forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Harikari perhaps ? What an odd company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Hey, they have to pay out those executive bonuses. No severance for store-level employees but the corporate folks gotta get their golden parachutes. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSTZach Posted March 19, 2018 Author Share Posted March 19, 2018 Hopefully we won't have to make staffing changes because of this, but if any positions open up (we have been expanding into multiple retailers who may be looking to expand their offerings now) I will let everyone know. I do all the copywriting, but whatever it is the job would likely be in Baltimore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zylek Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I wish Target would put minimates in their pop culture/collector section, seems like a perfect fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I know TRU often merchandises them with the same properties but with Marvel and TMNT, they can easily get lost in the shuffle or passed over for competing product. Minimates have so much category crossover potential they really should have their own kiosk. They work with brick sets, they tie in with movie and home video releases, and they're action figures in their own right with multi-generational appeal thanks to having so many licensed properties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCW Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 Always boggles my mind that wooden pinmates and such have landed at Target in their collector aisle, but Minimates aren't there. Seems like everybody can get into Target but DST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Additup Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 I wonder if the previous time Target carried minimates scares them off. I don’t think they did that well the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx_6 Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 A few Target stores carried a Walking Dead wave. The ones here never sold, but they were hidden in the adult collector area behind electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar17 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 On 3/17/2018 at 3:15 PM, Mnemosis said: 1) I'm the assistant manager at my Toys R Us and I want to thank the lot of you for being so much more considerate then the customers walking through our doors and calling our store asking "How long till the sales start?" as opposed to "How are you handling this?" Your compassion is truly appreciated. 2) That said, i shake my head at ANYONE who works for the company and didn't see it coming. For AT LEAST the past five years, the business had been run like it was going out of business. As AZ described of B&N, corners were being cut to insure maximum profit margin while maintaining bare minimum operating standards. 3) Big Lots, Ross, Marshals, and TJ Maxx are just a few retailers that still buy Warehouse stock. And, having purchased a box boldly emblazoned "Toys R Us exclusive" from KB Toy works when I still worked there, i can say with confidence most retailers won't care WHAT the package says, especially if the store it's referencing is long gone. 4) While I've already been seeking alternative employment because i felt this was inevitable, Zach, my heart goes out to the DST team as regards any hardships this brings to the company as a whole and the individuals who have made it what it is. While I wasn't assistant manager when I worked at my local TRU, I was there when it closed. It's nice that you sort of have/had an idea that the end was coming & could prepare for it. (I hope all of you guys are able to find something else.) My store didn't. My store was doing very well -- we had won awards for several yrs in a row; our reviews were exemplary; we had big wigs stopping by often to praise us -- we were the lone TRU in the northern part of MN (closest was hundreds of miles away). We were told days before Christmas that our store would be closing. The real estate value of the property was insane & that's what did my store in. (The property "lords" over all around it on a landscaped dais. Plus, killer location.) We were crushed & I never got over it. (I grew up a TRU kid from the west coast.) This might all sound silly, but my area never has stores close. (We still have a Radio Shack.) We usually only have one of something & there's typically not another one close for 100s of miles. Plus, the amount of Canadians that come here to shop is insane! So, when the TRU closed it was a HUGE deal. It absolutely crushes me that there will be generations of kids that will grow up without getting to be a TRU kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessex Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 On 3/19/2018 at 11:50 AM, DSTZach said: Hopefully we won't have to make staffing changes because of this, but if any positions open up (we have been expanding into multiple retailers who may be looking to expand their offerings now) I will let everyone know. I do all the copywriting, but whatever it is the job would likely be in Baltimore. If you're willing to sponsor my Visa, I could work in Baltimore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 On 3/18/2018 at 8:50 PM, DSTZach said: Hopefully we won't have to make staffing changes because of this, but if any positions open up (we have been expanding into multiple retailers who may be looking to expand their offerings now) I will let everyone know. I do all the copywriting, but whatever it is the job would likely be in Baltimore. I may be moving to Knoxville for a retail job, so I certainly wouldn't mind moving to Maryland for a dream job lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TENIME_art Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I lived through this myself with Tower Records, and my mother did with Borders. What pisses me off about crap like this, and every other unjust BS in this country, is that the people this affects outnumber the people this benefits. We all need to stop fighting each other, and take them down. If only 200 people stop paying their taxes, they go to jail, and the politicians keep raking in their 6-figure incomes. But if everyone in the country stops paying their taxes, the politicians lose their salaries, and have to do what we say in order to even get a paycheck comparable to a McDonald's employee, let alone more. But everyone has to cooperate. Half the union can't strike while the other half are scabs. I don't honestly know what I could've done for Tower Records or my mom for Borders or Jason for TRU to keep them from closing while the execs get rich, but the fact that this keeps happening to the working class, while the "suits" not only get off scot-free, but benefit from it, needs to f*cking stop, and there has to be something that we can do to fight back in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkerbean Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I wish to subscribe to your news letter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessex Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 3 hours ago, TENIME_art said: I lived through this myself with Tower Records, and my mother did with Borders. What pisses me off about crap like this, and every other unjust BS in this country, is that the people this affects outnumber the people this benefits. We all need to stop fighting each other, and take them down. If only 200 people stop paying their taxes, they go to jail, and the politicians keep raking in their 6-figure incomes. But if everyone in the country stops paying their taxes, the politicians lose their salaries, and have to do what we say in order to even get a paycheck comparable to a McDonald's employee, let alone more. But everyone has to cooperate. Half the union can't strike while the other half are scabs. I don't honestly know what I could've done for Tower Records or my mom for Borders or Jason for TRU to keep them from closing while the execs get rich, but the fact that this keeps happening to the working class, while the "suits" not only get off scot-free, but benefit from it, needs to f*cking stop, and there has to be something that we can do to fight back in the future. What you're talking about is a Revolution. To achieve it, you need the majority to be *so* uncomfortable that they are forced to act. The 'suits' have figured out how to keep every one just comfortable enough, while fleecing them into poverty, to keep them complacent. But if you put the call out, I'll bring my pitch fork. Like, actually. (not being sarcastic). eat the rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 (edited) Uh... cool. So, we're still getting Spot? Edited March 23, 2018 by stack32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjwspider Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 On 3/20/2018 at 4:56 PM, TENIME_art said: I lived through this myself with Tower Records, and my mother did with Borders. What pisses me off about crap like this, and every other unjust BS in this country, is that the people this affects outnumber the people this benefits. We all need to stop fighting each other, and take them down. If only 200 people stop paying their taxes, they go to jail, and the politicians keep raking in their 6-figure incomes. But if everyone in the country stops paying their taxes, the politicians lose their salaries, and have to do what we say in order to even get a paycheck comparable to a McDonald's employee, let alone more. But everyone has to cooperate. Half the union can't strike while the other half are scabs. I don't honestly know what I could've done for Tower Records or my mom for Borders or Jason for TRU to keep them from closing while the execs get rich, but the fact that this keeps happening to the working class, while the "suits" not only get off scot-free, but benefit from it, needs to f*cking stop, and there has to be something that we can do to fight back in the future. I completely disagree. This isn't the proletariat vs bourgeoisie, it's a reflection of a business that has been unable to adjust to the times. It's completely unfortunate that it came to this, but we've seen this pattern before where stores increase their debt and eventually become unable to operate. Hills, Ames, Montgomery Wards, KB Toy Stores, Woolworths, etc., the list could go on and on, but each was beaten by their competitors and sustained significant debt when sales decreased. Our society has moved to an online arena that TRU was never able to develop or compete with (just look at some of the stories on these very boards for examples of TRU's shipping of goods). I do hope that TRU is able to find a buyer that has the ability to keep some of the US and Canadian stores around and eventually expand their marketplace share. At this point, it seems like a long shot, but the potential for a deal still exists. Additionally, it appears K-B Toys may be coming back with an aim at carrying much of the inventory that was produced for TRU and doesn't have a home now. Depending on how these pop up shops go, we may see the return of one toy icon while TRU is either rebuilding or already ceased their operations. Back on topic, TRU mentioned today that closing sales will begin as early as tomorrow at many of their locations. As a result, they are expecting shipping from their distribution centers to pick up over the next few weeks, with some of these hubs closing down before some stores as a result of product being moved. My guess is that if the latest minimate wave was shipped to TRU and was awaiting distribution, we'll likely see some of these hitting stores shelves relatively soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thereasonsy Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 5 minutes ago, jjwspider said: Back on topic, TRU mentioned today that closing sales will begin as early as tomorrow at many of their locations. As a result, they are expecting shipping from their distribution centers to pick up over the next few weeks, with some of these hubs closing down before some stores as a result of product being moved. My guess is that if the latest minimate wave was shipped to TRU and was awaiting distribution, we'll likely see some of these hitting stores shelves relatively soon. I hope you are right about the wave. Although they did give up the Infinity war product so who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 TENIME_art's post is first class . Regards this not being a 'proletariat vs bourgeoisie' (jjwspider) .... I kind of agree but I have come to realise in my later years that neither the proletariate or (my original) concept of the bourgeoisie actually exist any more . I could elaborate & maybe I should but we'd first of all have to agree on who is working class & who is exploiting them ......I am not an avid reader of Karl Marx but his definitions really don't apply anymore IMVHO. Don't worry about the proletariat or the bourgeoisie.......... DEBT is the problem . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwoosheyman Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 TENIME_art you give the word and comrade Greeting Card and I shall join you in the streets and we will cast off the yoke of oppression. But remember there must be no alcohol for it is the opiate of the human bourgeoisie, there must be only efficient synthetic fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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