Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Shopping Discussions > Store Forum
Reload this Page >

R.I.P. Toys R Us

Store Forum Share Your Shopping Experiences at Stores both Online and Off.

R.I.P. Toys R Us

Old 09-18-17, 02:59 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
 
DJariya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: La Palma, CA
Posts: 78,664
Received 3,543 Likes on 2,539 Posts
R.I.P. Toys R Us

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/18/toys...ource=facebook

Toys R Us could file for bankruptcy as soon as this week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The sources noted that the bankruptcy plans are not definite, and both its plans to file and its timing could change.

A bankruptcy would help simplify a capital structure made complex by its trio of financial owners. Toys R Us was acquired by private equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Bain Capital Partners and real estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust in 2005 in a deal valued at $6.6 billion.

The three owners either declined to comment or did not immediately have a comment. The debt restructuring would help provide Toys R Us the financial flexibility to invest in its business as it repositions itself to combat a changing retail landscape.

Addressing the retailer's debt load prior to the crucial holiday season could give its major vendors such as Mattel and Hasbro clarity into the company's long-term viability to help ensure the toymakers continue to stock its shelves throughout the holiday.

Toys R Us has hired restructuring lawyers at Kirkland & Ellis to help address looming $400 million in debt due in 2018, CNBC had previously reported, noting that bankruptcy was one potential outcome.

Kirkland declined to comment.
Old 09-18-17, 03:03 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

They almost certainly will file bankruptcy. Their bonds have dropped in value a great deal over the past month.

Unless some other company swoops in that wants the brand for themselves, I don't think the chain will be around in 3 years.
Old 09-18-17, 03:04 PM
  #3  
DVD Talk Legend
 
kenbuzz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Bloomington, IN
Posts: 22,558
Received 378 Likes on 242 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

I think you mean TrU
Old 09-18-17, 03:05 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Hail to the Redskins!
Posts: 25,295
Likes: 0
Received 49 Likes on 38 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

They should just eBay all the SNES units getting shipped to them.
Old 09-19-17, 11:57 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
 
DJariya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: La Palma, CA
Posts: 78,664
Received 3,543 Likes on 2,539 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

It's official. Chapter 11.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/18/toys...ankruptcy.html

They have almost 5 billion in debt.
Old 09-19-17, 02:32 PM
  #6  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,884 Likes on 1,455 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by DVD Josh
They should just eBay all the SNES units getting shipped to them.
I thought that was one of the employee perks?
Old 09-19-17, 03:58 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Cardsfan111's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 18,479
Likes: 0
Received 366 Likes on 231 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

This news makes me sad when I think of memories as a kid, wondering up and down the aisles at the store in my local mall. But I haven't been in one in years and don't recall ever buying much there because their prices seemed so much higher than other retailers.
Old 09-20-17, 12:40 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Toys R Us as it was in 1987:

http://www.retro-daze.org/site/article/id/267
Old 09-20-17, 06:59 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 963
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Ahh, while I also admit to not setting foot in one in many years, what I miss most is the "stocked to the ceiling" look and the clearance aisle of toys from years past. When the store looks like a Wal-Mart or Target and carries the same stock as a Wal-Mart or Target, what's the point of visiting a TrU?
Old 09-20-17, 07:10 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Mike86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,710
Received 1,128 Likes on 888 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

I went to a Toys R Us earlier this year for the first time in ages. Aside from new toys the store honestly felt largely the same as it did when I was a kid. I was always more a fan of KB Toys to be honest but when my brother and I were younger and my parents took us on vacation going to Toys R Us was like an event (we never had one where I live).
Old 10-30-17, 02:23 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
ben12's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Where I live?
Posts: 3,599
Received 68 Likes on 58 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

I went in one yesterday to look for some arts and crafts supplies (they didn't have what I was looking for), and it was full of screaming children all running (or riding bikes) up and down the aisles. Total pandemonium. I barely escaped with my life.

Don't even ask me what Babies R Us looked like next door! *shudder*
Old 10-30-17, 02:28 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

This bankruptcy is having a major effect on the toy companies and their bottom lines.
Old 10-30-17, 03:01 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Troy Stiffler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Under an I-10 Overpass
Posts: 25,783
Received 362 Likes on 262 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
This bankruptcy is having a major effect on the toy companies and their bottom lines.
$5B is serious. Lots of invoices are going to go unpaid. Sucks for Mattel and whatnot ... right down to the commercial real estate companies, unpaid payroll taxes, etc. It'd be interesting to see a list of their debts (though I don't know if that's ever made public).

I've been seeing Amazon casualties here-and-there (in example, local hardware shops). People just aren't buying at retail stores. Toys R Us couldn't lean up enough to stay alive.

I hope they can restructure under Chapter 11, get their debtors paid, and stay alive. But it's going to be an uphill battle to make the numbers work. I can't imagine how much has to be done to work on that much debt.

First thing I could think of ... downsize the stores to KB Toys' size and consolidate excess inventory to Amazon. Don't hang onto the past identity just for vanity (I've seen that happen a lot ... including the aforementioned hardware shops).
Old 10-31-17, 09:41 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
TheNightFlier's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: NIMBY, NY
Posts: 5,909
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by Troy Stiffler
$5B is serious. Lots of invoices are going to go unpaid. Sucks for Mattel and whatnot ... right down to the commercial real estate companies, unpaid payroll taxes, etc. It'd be interesting to see a list of their debts (though I don't know if that's ever made public).

I've been seeing Amazon casualties here-and-there (in example, local hardware shops). People just aren't buying at retail stores. Toys R Us couldn't lean up enough to stay alive.

I hope they can restructure under Chapter 11, get their debtors paid, and stay alive. But it's going to be an uphill battle to make the numbers work. I can't imagine how much has to be done to work on that much debt.

First thing I could think of ... downsize the stores to KB Toys' size and consolidate excess inventory to Amazon. Don't hang onto the past identity just for vanity (I've seen that happen a lot ... including the aforementioned hardware shops).
My friends and I were talking about the same exact thing last night. We have Tanger Outlet Stores near us where Toys R Us has a smaller downsized outlet store that is about the size of a KB Toys. I never understood why Toys R Us never downsized from their massive stores. The utility costs alone had to be a negative factor on budget.
Old 10-31-17, 01:16 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
mattysemo247's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 12,551
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

There is a Toys R Us shop in our local outdoor outlet mall and it's really the perfect size. I could see them down scaling to that size and still making it work. They just need to cut out some of the crap that they carry today and stick to stuff that sells.
Old 11-11-17, 01:42 PM
  #16  
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,046
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Restructure? Seriously? Fuck off and die already. I'm so tired of these shit businesses filing bankruptcy over and over and staying open. If it's not profitable anymore, it needs to fucking die. That goes for Perkins and Gander fucking Mountain too. I'm still pissed we have Kmart stores here. Circuit City stores all disappeared when it went bankrupt though.
Old 11-11-17, 02:05 PM
  #17  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by Viper187
Restructure? Seriously? Fuck off and die already. I'm so tired of these shit businesses filing bankruptcy over and over and staying open. If it's not profitable anymore, it needs to fucking die. That goes for Perkins and Gander fucking Mountain too. I'm still pissed we have Kmart stores here. Circuit City stores all disappeared when it went bankrupt though.
Chains are using the bankruptcy laws mostly to renegotiate their long-term leases. Better performing locations can stay in business if they suddenly cut their rent in half.

It's how chains like KMart and others have hung around far longer than anyone thought possible.
Old 01-24-18, 08:53 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Legend
 
mattysemo247's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 12,551
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

180+ Stores are closing starting next month

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...st/1060761001/
Old 01-24-18, 01:08 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Legend
 
bunkaroo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago West Suburbs
Posts: 16,391
Received 201 Likes on 134 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

This chain should die off. Their pricing is a joke. Was in there this weekend with gift cards for the GF's kids - everything I saw seemed to be marked up 15-40% from other stores.
Old 01-24-18, 02:04 PM
  #20  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,884 Likes on 1,455 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by bunkaroo
This chain should die off. Their pricing is a joke. Was in there this weekend with gift cards for the GF's kids - everything I saw seemed to be marked up 15-40% from other stores.
I am curious what you were buying and what you were comparing prices to (sale prices online?) They do have some markup, especially on their exclusives or hot items like lego, but they often do the old KB tactic of marking things up so their sales won't bring the prices too low. They carry a larger variety of toys than the other B&m stores and even Amazon, and as the last remaining dedicated toy store their death would have the toy companies be even more at the mercy of those stores.
Old 01-24-18, 02:10 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 19,308
Received 871 Likes on 642 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Sad day. Going to Toys to pick out a new NES game after my birthday was something I massively looked forward to as a kid. And Toys was my first job at 14.
Old 01-24-18, 03:25 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Legend
 
bunkaroo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago West Suburbs
Posts: 16,391
Received 201 Likes on 134 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by fujishig
I am curious what you were buying and what you were comparing prices to (sale prices online?) They do have some markup, especially on their exclusives or hot items like lego, but they often do the old KB tactic of marking things up so their sales won't bring the prices too low. They carry a larger variety of toys than the other B&m stores and even Amazon, and as the last remaining dedicated toy store their death would have the toy companies be even more at the mercy of those stores.
LEGO's, Nerf guns, Pokemon card box sets...they were all way higher than what I saw at Target or Amazon.
Old 01-24-18, 03:39 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
 
Obi-Wanma's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Detroit
Posts: 12,518
Received 737 Likes on 364 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

+Action figures, Barbie dolls, board games, etc. I've had the same experience as you with TRU's prices generally being significantly higher than the same product from their competitors

Let's talk about the hot product from this Christmas. Fingerlings. TRU was selling them in store at 17.99. Everywhere else had them at the regular retail price of 14.99
Old 01-24-18, 03:43 PM
  #24  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Sunny Hawaii
Posts: 8,091
Received 442 Likes on 301 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by bunkaroo
LEGO's, Nerf guns, Pokemon card box sets...they were all way higher than what I saw at Target or Amazon.
They'll price match local competitors, and online competitors, including Amazon.
Old 01-24-18, 03:49 PM
  #25  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,884 Likes on 1,455 Posts
re: R.I.P. Toys R Us

Originally Posted by Obi-Wan Jabroni
+Action figures, Barbie dolls, board games, etc. I've had the same experience as you with TRU's prices generally being significantly higher than the same product from their competitors

Let's talk about the hot product from this Christmas. Fingerlings. TRU was selling them in store at 17.99. Everywhere else had them at the regular retail price of 14.99
I'm fairly sure if you wanted to buy Fingerlings from amazon before Xmas the price was likely more than 30 bucks.

You may say oh, that's Marketplace sellers. But amazon has just recently started putting variable demand based pricing on toys. Say a Marvel Legends set has six characters, you'll see the most popular one sell out first, then you'll see it get relisted, from amazon, for higher than the rest, then higher. So it's not like Amazon is a paragon of keeping prices at retail.

They do blow out Lego and Nerf guns, though, it's pretty amazing the kinds of discounts they have.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.