Nintendo World Report Forums

Community Forums => General Chat => Topic started by: King of Twitch on September 18, 2017, 01:55:13 PM

Title: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on September 18, 2017, 01:55:13 PM
Toys R Us could file for bankruptcy this week

http://www.businessinsider.com/toys-r-us-could-file-for-bankruptcy-this-week-reports-2017-9 (http://www.businessinsider.com/toys-r-us-could-file-for-bankruptcy-this-week-reports-2017-9)


I had no idea they were in trouble.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on September 18, 2017, 03:26:40 PM
I was thinking of making a thread like this about the recent retail apocalypse that seems to be occurring of late. I was talking with some people at work about this a week or two ago when the news was first being reported. I had no idea that Toys R Us was in rough shape either until I saw that news.

I don't know what things are like in the states but in Canada we've seen a retail chain called Zellers get bought out by Target who then opened branches of their stores in the previous Zeller locations only to fold up in a couple years and pull out of Canada. We had an electronics chain called Future Shop that was owned by Best Buy. A couple years ago, all Future Shops were immediately shut down one day out of the blue and only Best Buy locations remain. Earlier this year, HMV went bankrupt and shut down. That one hurt as I still liked to go to their stores and browse through the music. I still buy CDs myself but I guess I seem to be one of the last holdouts still doing that. Sears appears to be in trouble and is shutting down a bunch of locations. Toys R Us in now in this financial crisis. I'm wondering if there is something else I'm forgetting. I feel there is but can't think of it.

My thinking for a thread like this was "Retail Getting Hit Hard Lately" like the famous Sony thread we had during the initial Wii years but never got around to making it. Good job beating me to Invincible DK.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Ian Sane on September 18, 2017, 04:48:59 PM
Seeing this happen to retail just seems so odd because it's like a different world is causing it.  I always go to stores to buy things.  I have to commute to work anyway and it's all just a quick stop on the way home.  I buy things online that I can't find in local stores, essentially the same sorts of things that historically I would order from a catalog or I would have to ask the store to bring in for me.  Isn't that mentality how Amazon got started?  In the old days bookstores were a common store for which you would ask if the store could order in some semi-obscure product that they weren't carrying and Amazon took that idea to an online book store (for any young people reading this: did you know Amazon.com was strictly an online book store at first?)  I don't know anyone who doesn't frequent brick and mortar stores.  My friends and family have the same habits that I do and it isn't like when I go to a store it's a barren wasteland with no customers.

But aside from a few co-workers I pretty much never associate with anyone under the age of 30 ever.  So the best I can figure is that the younger generation, particularly those raised entirely in the internet age (I was already in high school when I found out the internet even existed), are not going to retail stores with the same frequency as earlier generations and that's killing things off.

Though I find buying online to have some annoyances that seem idiotic to put up with when there's an alternative.  You have to wait for the item to arrive which seems like a stupid thing to put up with if I can literally drive five minutes to the store and get the item right NOW.  You have to pay for shipping so that adds an extra cost to everything.  Okay driving has a cost too but if I incorporate with driving I'm doing already then it adds virtually no cost at all.  You also still have to go out to either buy groceries or eat at a restaurant so it's not like you never leave home, unless you just order delivery all the time.

Now something like HMV I can see because buying media digitally is very convenient and there is no shipping cost or transit time.  It's more of an instant gratification than driving to a store.  But Toys 'R' Us sells physical TOYS.  You can't digitally download a toy so now you're dealing with shipping issues again.

Here's another potential generation gap thing.  When I was a kid I loved browsing toy stores like Toys 'R' Us.  Do kids today find that fun?  Or do they just look at pictures and videos of toys online and wouldn't be impressed or interested in a store lined up with toys as far as the eye can see?  I don't have kids or any nieces or nephews so I'm rather clueless as to what kids today like doing.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: NWR_insanolord on September 18, 2017, 05:38:30 PM
Waiting for shipping and paying for shipping are much smaller concerns with Amazon. A Prime membership adds up to about $10 a month and in addition to free 2-day shipping on everything they sell it includes huge libraries of streaming video, music, and ebooks. It's a spectacular value when you factor everything in, and most of the time waiting 2 days is nothing.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on September 18, 2017, 05:58:49 PM
Well that's Canada for ya. What else is there to do up there besides shop?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on September 18, 2017, 06:21:23 PM
Well that's Canada for ya. What else is there to do up there besides shop?

Watch hockey.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on September 18, 2017, 11:08:27 PM
The death of retail irritates me. I hope the consequence is it destroys the Millennials. The Internet collapses in 2030 and then I sit back and laugh and laugh...
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BranDonk Kong on September 18, 2017, 11:38:10 PM
This really sucks, but maybe I'll be able to get some sweet deals when the local one closes. Toys R Us has, by far, the best action figure (Marvel Legends, Star Wars Black Series, etc.) selection around. My kids love going there too. It's where I got my SNES and GameBoy...makes me sad.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: lolmonade on October 02, 2017, 10:32:03 AM
Apparently Toys R' Us thinks what'll save them is garbage AR games in-store that parents will have to bring their kids with their phones or tablets to play with. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/10/02/toys-r-us-has-plan-save-itself-and-its-unreal/702205001/)


I look forward to Toys R' Us turning into budget Chuck E Cheese, and the eventual closure shortly afterwards...



Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on October 02, 2017, 05:40:58 PM
One thing about Toys R Us to remember is that Amazon and Tablets aren't killing it directly.  A few years back, TRU was bought out by a couple of venture capital firms that loaded it with debt.  At the time, TRU was doing great and had pretty high earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation/amortization.  That was originally supposed to to pay for the debt in a number of years, assuming it held.  Unfortunately, it didn't hold.  So, while TRU's earnings (EBITDA) were still respectable ($792M, $800M past two years), they weren't high enough to manage the debt the company was loaded with.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on October 02, 2017, 06:50:51 PM
Think about this: Do you ever go into any retail store M-F? They're empty!

Saturday and Sunday they're packed. Why does this happen?

Most people work M-F and don't have time to shop except on the weekends.

If I was one of those big box models I'd reconsider business conformity.

Maybe change business hours from 9am to 9pm to 2 pm to 2 am except on weekends. Some places they should build a smaller store in the larger store.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on October 02, 2017, 10:34:04 PM
Perm, I've always wondered why dry cleaners don't take this approach.

I think one of the obvious reasons is that it would be hard to find people to work those shifts. You get off work and the only things open are dive bars and Taco Bell.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on October 03, 2017, 04:31:16 AM
It depends on when you wake up. I've done the mid shift a few times. I hate getting up early,  I'm a nite owl and usually have worked those hours. I'm not a fan of sunlight. If you wake up early you can get the best of both worlds. I tend to go straight to work so yeah dive bars and Taco Bell. Most Wal-marts are 24/7 unlike most all of their competitors. I used to get annoyed in K-mart when it was 7pm and they shew you away from the electronics section because they closed it 1 or 2 hours before they closed the rest of the store. That place is going out of business soon too(and Sears). They should have never bought Sears. Every time I go into a K-mart I think it looks like the stupidest ran place. Liquor right next to the door. Last time I went to the bathroom there, there was a turd that was gigantic. Biggest turd I ever saw. It was wide and pretty long. Like a little bigger than a Monster BFC. I had my camera with me. I took a picture.

I'm not saying all business should do this. It would just be better if business took shifts like people do. I think some other countries take this approach.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on January 24, 2018, 02:09:11 PM
Toys R Us plans to close up to 182 stores (1/5 of all stores) as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Store list here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/01/24/see-if-your-toys-r-us-store-closure-list/1060761001/
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on January 24, 2018, 02:39:11 PM
That's a bummer. :(
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on March 23, 2018, 01:56:26 AM
Toys R Us plans to close up to 182 stores (1/5 of all stores) as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Store list here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/01/24/see-if-your-toys-r-us-store-closure-list/1060761001/

Not just 1/5 of its stores. All of it's stores. Boom!
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on March 23, 2018, 02:01:07 AM
Also, a good chance Barnes & Noble will be next on the chopping block. Informative read here of the warning signs (http://audreyii-fic.tumblr.com/post/170886347853/the-entirely-unnecessary-demise-of-barnes-noble) and a strongly reasoned argument of why a lot of this retail collapse shouldn't be necessary. (Although, like most things, it boils down to the fatcats at the top.)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Adrock on March 23, 2018, 08:59:08 AM
Toys R Us was my very first job so it’ll always have a soft spot for me. Granted, I was being paid minimum wage, but it was a perfectly fine summer job. Even after I left and mostly didn’t recognize anyone, people were still very nice when I stopped in for a Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale or an Amiibo I couldn’t find anywhere else.

Still, I suppose I’m part of the problem. I signed up for Amazon Prime back in 2014 which changed how I shop entirely. There are very few instances when I need something right away and 99 times out of 100, it’s cheaper online. Just a couple months ago, my primary doctor recommended Flonase. Later, I was in Target already for an unrelated reason, checked Flonase online, saw the price difference then just waited two days. There are also plenty of better items online that aren’t available at brick and mortar stores.

I don’t particularly enjoy the process of going to a store, browsing for things, then waiting in line to checkout (including self-checkout). The only exceptions are groceries and most clothes. The latter is a relatively rare occurrence as I don’t enjoy clothes shopping and only buy them out of necessity (e.g. holes, aging out of wearing Aeropostale apparel I bought in my teenage years). There are apparently laws against public nudity. Who knew?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: lolmonade on March 23, 2018, 09:07:04 AM
I walked into my Toys R' Us yesterday, and was informed that the liquidation was postponed due to some court issues with the creditors (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/03/22/toys-r-us-liquidation-sale-delayed-least-until-friday/450520002/).  Guess I'll have to wait another day or two to see if there'll be any worthy deals on kids bikes.


I think anyone looking for deals is going to have to be patient and persistent with visiting their local store.  The employees are as left in the dark as we are about all this, so also be kind/patient.  These aren't the best places to work, but they are losing their jobs.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Ian Sane on March 23, 2018, 12:13:20 PM
So in Canada it's apparently all business as usual for now for Toys 'R' Us.  News reports say that the Canada branch is profitable, did big business as usual at Christmas, and is hoping to sell to someone else.  Considering every Toys 'R' Us I ever go into seems to have a steady flow of customers I found it odd that the franchise was in trouble but different countries have different buying habits.  Here in Canada a new toy store chain called Mastermind Toys has been expanding recently so toy retail must be doing okay around here.  How weird would it be if Toys 'R' Us becomes strictly a Canadian-only thing?

Though if online shopping is partially to blame then brick-and-mortar stores doing well in Canada may just be a delay of what's happening in the States.  Online services in Canada are usually a bit behind the US (usually since America is a much larger market and most of the innovation is being done there first) so it might just be that we're shopping at physical stores because it's a lot easier than online shopping.  We didn't always have an Amazon.ca for example and the selection on .ca isn't as full as .com.  To get everything we want online usually means we need to get some stuff shipped from the US which means delays at customs, duty charges and higher shipping costs.  An American meanwhile will typically have no need to order anything from outside their own country unless they're really into anime or something like that.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: lolmonade on March 23, 2018, 01:10:31 PM
Ian Sane, I can only speak for my experience, BUT


My local toys r us was almost always vacant EXCEPT during Christmas.  The building inside-and-out is an absolute dump.  The things in there were commonly 20%+ more expensive than other retailers (one time I price compared a kids toy for my nephew and it was TWICE the price as target or wal-mart). 


The differentiation for TRU should have been 1) selection/variety, 2) Immediacy of being able to walk-in/walk-out with a toy if you're in a pinch, and 3) a superior shopping experience compared to buying online or from the targets/walmarts/kmarts of the word.  But the selection isn't enough now that most of the things there can be found online for cheaper, most things there were often cheaper even if you had to pay Amazon for next-day shipping,


And while I don't like ragging on retail employees, my local store is like a Wal-mart in that there'll be two people at the register, and literally no-one else around the store to help people.  And those people at the register are either clueless or lifeless if you try to interact with them.  On top of that, it's not an experience to go into one of them here like it was when I was a kid.  When I was a kid, they'd have open displays of toys, legos, trainsets they were promoting for you to try-out and play with.  They'd have video game systems set up in demo displays to hook you in and make you want to walk out the door with the game you played.  It was part playground that sold you as a kid of wanting to go there, spend time having the fun, and walking out with something.  Without that, it loses its one last leg-up against the online retailers of the world.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on March 23, 2018, 03:38:27 PM
I knew I had looked up TRU's earnings at some point when all this news was breaking.

The rhetoric I've been seeing on social media is predominantly focused on "kids wanting tablets" or something similar.  But $800M in earnings is crazy for a company that's now going out of business.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Ian Sane on March 23, 2018, 06:55:25 PM
If the issue was kids not liking toys anymore than I figure toy manufacturers like Mattel or Lego would be going out of business as well.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on March 23, 2018, 07:20:56 PM
46% of US households have an Amazon Prime account. 44% of all online retail sales are through Amazon.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/27/investing/cyber-monday-online-retail-stocks-amazon-walmart/index.html

All will fall as we feed the monsters.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on March 23, 2018, 08:43:39 PM
I don't know if it's been mentioned (too lazy read thread) but I heard the real factor in to this BK and closure has to do with the previous Corporate Buyout that saddled TRU with TONS of debt... so much that their meager profits couldn't cover them, and now TRU get to take that debt to the grave with it.

But some Execs prob got a big bonus for sweeping that debt under Geoffrey's rug and calling it a day.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on March 23, 2018, 09:12:28 PM
I predict most retail stores except a handful will go out of business. You can expect companies like Wal-mart and maybe Target to stick around, but most will go out.

Food places, Furniture places. Places that do stuff you cant really get online will stay in business. If I we're running a mall I'd get really creative with how I run things.

A good number of malls raised their rent, this caused some businesses in my mall to vanish,  but what they should have done is selectively find business that attract people to the mall for the mall ambience and given them temporary free rent. Most of the mall's business is just rent. If business stop paying rent all together then you don't make any money. It would be better to give them a break than to let them permanently get destroyed. You don't want your long term income to be eliminated. I would take a temporary loss for a long term gain.

I go the mall and I think about how out of the many stores in the mall, only 2 are ones I would buy stuff at. Gamestop and Hot Topic. And maybe not even Hot Topic, I hate their T-shirt material. It's too thin. I'm not going to get **** at Dillards, Macy's, JC Penny, or Sears.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BranDonk Kong on March 23, 2018, 10:29:10 PM
Mitt Romney's old company did it.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on March 24, 2018, 01:53:07 AM
I predict most retail stores except a handful will go out of business. You can expect companies like Wal-mart and maybe Target to stick around, but most will go out.

Food places, Furniture places. Places that do stuff you cant really get online will stay in business. If I we're running a mall I'd get really creative with how I run things.

A good number of malls raised their rent, this caused some businesses in my mall to vanish,  but what they should have done is selectively find business that attract people to the mall for the mall ambience and given them temporary free rent. Most of the mall's business is just rent. If business stop paying rent all together then you don't make any money. It would be better to give them a break than to let them permanently get destroyed. You don't want your long term income to be eliminated. I would take a temporary loss for a long term gain.

I go the mall and I think about how out of the many stores in the mall, only 2 are ones I would buy stuff at. Gamestop and Hot Topic. And maybe not even Hot Topic, I hate their T-shirt material. It's too thin. I'm not going to get **** at Dillards, Macy's, JC Penny, or Sears.

I always thought a mall should add a big venue. Some place that has concerts and shows booked. Give people a reason to visit and they can browse the stores before and after.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on March 24, 2018, 02:19:02 AM
Tiffany used to sing at the mall. The first episode of WCW after Turner bought it I believe was at the mall of America. I was thinking of appending my smart city design to include a Plaza Mayor.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on March 24, 2018, 03:37:05 AM
They already have Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny show up for events. What more do you people need to get your bodies in there and shopping?!?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on March 25, 2018, 06:45:26 PM
On my way in for likely the last trip ever, I saw someone taking a picture out in front. Maybe the last time they would ever set foot in one and wanted to remember the moment. Not kids; maybe late teens or early twenties. What was it that Kylo Ren first said? "Look how old you've become." Yes, we've all become old, but the toys make the years seem small. Inside, I walked past the place (long since reorganized to sell other, lesser goods) where I first saw Mario running around a 12-poly castle façade controlled by a three-headed monstrosity. He kept going and going, never got tired, didn’t seem to get scraped or bruised even if he jumped and dove headfirst; he kept going no matter what. Then he rode a turtle shell like a skateboard and launched himself in the air from a cannon! He was whooping and hollering the whole way. Such joy and freedom! These yelps called directly to me as they leaped, long-jumped, and wall-jumped through my heart and arrived at the tip-top of my soul where they have yet to leave. Why sell any other toy, why have an entire toy store at all, when that was possible?
 
Of course, that’s probably what they said about Star Wars back in the day. I meandered through where I thought might be miniature ships for my desk. I saw things and brands I didn't recognize. Row upon row of playthings for imaginations not from my time. A squishy ball shaped like the head of Predator. What in the world would you crazy youngsters do with that?! (Besides, they're not even old enough to watch that movie...) Just across the aisle were Legos. I wasn't sure if the Technic brand wind surfer was on sale so I continued on to the Lego Star Wars to pay my respects for a once great franchise. Strange--I didn't remember seeing a flash-forward scene of Rey in 50 years in Episode 7 or 8, but then I realized it was supposed to be Lego Supreme Leader Snoke. My bad. On to the videogame section, rightly situated in the front corner of the store was the place I wanted to be.
 
~20 years ago, a Star Fox or Wind Waker Link plushie, Boo backback clip-on buddy, and Slippy Toad World-of-Nintendo figure would've been at the top of my Christmas list. Now, all I could do was shrug at dozens of unwanted Tom Nook Amiibos and laugh at the greedy son of a gun getting his due. What’s for sale today, Tom? Any overpriced total uggo carpet for sale? Not one decent DS game on the shelf? Nope, it’s all in 3D now. Oh, I could tell you about 3D; this was the first and only place I ever got a Virtual Boy-induced headache and the only time I have wondered if I would ever be able to see another color other than red. It was also the only way I had to try out Sega games, or any other game that wasn't due out for awhile. "Early access," for you 2000's babies, was going to the Toys R Us or Blockbuster and hoping they had a demo unit to try out. If they didn't, then you simply didn't play it until launch and looked at a screenshot of it in a magazine instead. The only thing I really wanted from the store today was something from a franchise I didn't yet have a plushie or statue from: Pikmin, which first came out half a lifetime ago. Life-sized red Pikmin from the World-of Nintendo line, all of 2 inches tall, $4.99. Red, like my watering eyes after Mario’s Tennis circa 1995. Like the company’s profits, circa right now.
 
My last purchase at Toys R Us on 3/25/2018 at 12:52pm, red Pikmin, is a determined fighter that will fight anybody and carry anything you ask of it. Toys R Us did the same, never getting tired, jumping and getting a little bruised along the way, carrying our memories and imaginations off to be used to make better things, better ideas. Then one day the whistle calls, the day is over, and it’s time to find a new place to explore. Let's-a-go  :'(
(http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a556/zapr2k/f9fc89de-4898-42e3-87fc-7ac6ab402354_zpseu8dphd5.jpg)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Order.RSS on March 25, 2018, 07:09:18 PM

[...]


If Poetry for Corporations isn't a genre yet, I think you may have just invented it.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on March 25, 2018, 07:20:34 PM
I think you may be right. If anyone wants to hire me as a corporate shill, feel free to slide into my PM's  ;)  (I don't do Sundays or holidays)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Khushrenada on March 25, 2018, 08:22:17 PM
When Toys R Us shuts down and the last sales have been made and the fixtures and shelving all sold off then anyone who enters one of their empty buildings at that point will find only a small pile in the corner of Animal Crossing Amiibo still taking up space. We may have a new E.T.: The Game situation about to unfold. There's a pit in Arizona just waiting for K.K. Slider and friends.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on August 23, 2018, 09:49:21 PM
Giraffe Parts Sales Are Booming in the U.S.


 :confused;

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/science/giraffe-sales-humane-society.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/science/giraffe-sales-humane-society.html)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: pokepal148 on January 28, 2019, 07:17:18 PM
Apparently K-mart and Shopko are on their way out as well. They both kind of dug their own Graves though through shifty management so no real surprise there. My first job was at a shopko and dear God that place was a trainwreck.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on January 28, 2019, 07:20:20 PM
Story time please!
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on January 28, 2019, 10:09:20 PM
K-Mart has been a poop show for a long time. I remember when I worked there way back in the 90s, a manager told that a company K-Mart's size should have about four vice presidents. K-Mart had fifty.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on January 28, 2019, 10:33:47 PM
I knew k-mart was sketchy when they closed the electronics section at a certain time of day and left the rest of the store open. Did they not want my money?

What is really strange is K-mart was clearly better than Wal-mart where I lived for a while. Then it just went downhill.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on January 30, 2019, 10:25:11 AM
K-Mart is owned by Sears, right?  The guy running the Sears Holdings has done a lot of sketchy **** over the years like selling business lines/brands and pocketing the money via dividends; selling prime store real estate to a company he runs; and acting as the company's main creditor as he bled their cash flow.

One of the things he would do is basically cut costs as much as possible and blatantly refuse to reinvest the money into the actual stores, letting them crumble in the process.

It's weird that the collapse of major retailers is at the hands of hedge-fund managers, but Amazon gets most of the blame.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: lolmonade on January 30, 2019, 10:51:11 AM
K-Mart is owned by Sears, right?  The guy running the Sears Holdings has done a lot of sketchy **** over the years like selling business lines/brands and pocketing the money via dividends; selling prime store real estate to a company he runs; and acting as the company's main creditor as he bled their cash flow.

One of the things he would do is basically cut costs as much as possible and blatantly refuse to reinvest the money into the actual stores, letting them crumble in the process.

It's weird that the collapse of major retailers is at the hands of hedge-fund managers, but Amazon gets most of the blame.

Not only that, but Sears had a long, bad track of either selling off their most valuable brands or trading on the good reputation they had while reducing their quality (see - Craftsman Tools).

Amazon/online retailers get a lot of the blame instead of hedge fund managers/short term profit seekers because

1) Not everyone knows/understands business practices

2) Everyone buys stuff and most people have likely found their buying habits trending more towards online.  It's easy for people to project their own personal experiences towards a larger trend. 

My town is littered with the corpses of dead/dying retailers, some that have been vacant since the 90s (anyone remember the retailer named Venture?).  I really don't know what happens to all that space.  We've even lost our Best Buy recently, making the closest electronics store 30 miles away.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Morningshark on February 25, 2019, 09:47:52 PM
This impacted me pretty hard. I was preparing to move to NYC to work for Fisher Price. But they laid off 20% of their staff, and told me to not come to NYC for my internship, because of how hard Toys R US' closure hit them. Hoping things improve.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on February 25, 2019, 11:54:06 PM
At that point is when Fisher Price needs to expand. There's a power vacuum.


The space should be bought up by movie studios and turned into sound stages.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on February 26, 2019, 12:32:04 AM
Sorry to hear that Morningshark, I hope things turn around for you.

There seem to be talks to open under a different brand somehow:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-11/new-toys-r-us-emerges-looking-for-partners-in-u-s-and-u-k
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: lolmonade on February 26, 2019, 09:01:36 AM
At that point is when Fisher Price needs to expand. There's a power vacuum.


Fisher Price is not a retailer, they're a manufacturer and distributor.  That's like saying if Ford went under that a car seat manufacturer should be ramping up production of seats to buy car dealerships and sell their own vehicles.


This impacted me pretty hard. I was preparing to move to NYC to work for Fisher Price. But they laid off 20% of their staff, and told me to not come to NYC for my internship, because of how hard Toys R US' closure hit them. Hoping things improve.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune on this, Morningshark.  I imagine there'll be some sort of void filled by retailers who weren't used as a debt pump-and-dump.  Kids will still want to see toys at a store to show parents what they want for special occasions, hopefully the opportunity will still be there for you eventually.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 26, 2019, 12:08:33 PM
Wal-Mart to soon open separate Wal-Mart Kids stores around the country.

They will focus on expanding the kids departments into their own dedicated stores.
this obviously hasn't happened yet.... but it wouldn't surprise me. LOL
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Morningshark on February 26, 2019, 12:54:42 PM
Thanks for the best wishes, Lanky in the Sky with Diamonds & lolmonade. I'm hoping things improve too. Things seem to be getting better for them. Perhaps I will try again.

I predict most retail stores except a handful will go out of business. You can expect companies like Wal-mart and maybe Target to stick around, but most will go out.

Food places, Furniture places. Places that do stuff you cant really get online will stay in business. If I we're running a mall I'd get really creative with how I run things.

A good number of malls raised their rent, this caused some businesses in my mall to vanish,  but what they should have done is selectively find business that attract people to the mall for the mall ambience and given them temporary free rent. Most of the mall's business is just rent. If business stop paying rent all together then you don't make any money. It would be better to give them a break than to let them permanently get destroyed. You don't want your long term income to be eliminated. I would take a temporary loss for a long term gain.

I go the mall and I think about how out of the many stores in the mall, only 2 are ones I would buy stuff at. Gamestop and Hot Topic. And maybe not even Hot Topic, I hate their T-shirt material. It's too thin. I'm not going to get **** at Dillards, Macy's, JC Penny, or Sears.

Not sure I'd ever buy from GameStop after having worked there and realizing how rough it is. They're a glorified Thrift Store.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on February 26, 2019, 01:45:26 PM
Wal-Mart to soon open separate Wal-Mart Kids stores around the country.

They will focus on expanding the kids departments into their own dedicated stores.
this obviously hasn't happened yet.... but it wouldn't surprise me. LOL

You kid, but this makes a lot of sense.  The spaces are there for them to expand to locations where they may not have as large of a presence, but the retail space might be too small for a full blown Wal*mart.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on February 26, 2019, 10:51:10 PM
Thanks for the best wishes, Lanky in the Sky with Diamonds & lolmonade. I'm hoping things improve too. Things seem to be getting better for them. Perhaps I will try again.

I predict most retail stores except a handful will go out of business. You can expect companies like Wal-mart and maybe Target to stick around, but most will go out.

Food places, Furniture places. Places that do stuff you cant really get online will stay in business. If I we're running a mall I'd get really creative with how I run things.

A good number of malls raised their rent, this caused some businesses in my mall to vanish,  but what they should have done is selectively find business that attract people to the mall for the mall ambience and given them temporary free rent. Most of the mall's business is just rent. If business stop paying rent all together then you don't make any money. It would be better to give them a break than to let them permanently get destroyed. You don't want your long term income to be eliminated. I would take a temporary loss for a long term gain.

I go the mall and I think about how out of the many stores in the mall, only 2 are ones I would buy stuff at. Gamestop and Hot Topic. And maybe not even Hot Topic, I hate their T-shirt material. It's too thin. I'm not going to get **** at Dillards, Macy's, JC Penny, or Sears.

Not sure I'd ever buy from GameStop after having worked there and realizing how rough it is. They're a glorified Thrift Store.

I worked at Gamestop too. It was my first job. They hired me during the opening and then kept me on payroll for 3 months. I had to quit because they never fired me. They hired 30 people to work at the one store. I helped set up the store and I worked for a couple of days once it was opened. Then it was me calling every few days wondering if they would give me hours. This was in 2004.  I should have just stayed on for the discount.

Though to be honest I go in there sometimes, but I rarely ever buy anything.

I am also happy Sears is going out of business. I felt totally dissed during a job interview for their call center. **** em.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BeautifulShy on April 04, 2019, 04:43:52 PM
So Payless Shoes is going out of business and it is such a shame because they have always had affordable prices since the 80s and now they are going out of business.  This affects me because they are like one of the few shoe stores to have affordable size 11 and 12 normal women's shoes. Most places don't go up to that size aside from one or two places in town but they aren't as affordable. 
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on April 04, 2019, 07:17:33 PM
I don't understand what killed Payless. Are people buying shoes online now? Why would you do that? Are people buying more expensive shoes? I know I got a couple pair from DSW shoes, but they are more expensive.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: UncleBob on April 04, 2019, 07:34:23 PM
I buy my shoes online simply because I can't find my size in stores most times.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on April 04, 2019, 07:47:57 PM
Well that's a good reason. But do you get a good fit and feel from the online shoes?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: UncleBob on April 04, 2019, 08:08:34 PM
No.  But what else can ya do? :/
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Shaymin on April 04, 2019, 10:02:29 PM
I don't understand what killed Payless. Are people buying shoes online now? Why would you do that? Are people buying more expensive shoes? I know I got a couple pair from DSW shoes, but they are more expensive.

Same thing that got Toys 'R Us: combination of online shopping and a leveraged buyout dumping an unmanageable debt load on them.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Ian Sane on April 05, 2019, 11:53:09 AM
I'm pretty much screwed by the Payless Shoes thing.  My feet are disproportionately wide compared to their length and Payless was the only place that consistently carried shoes that fit.  Name brand stuff like Nike or Reebok is always way too narrow.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Mop it up on April 05, 2019, 06:26:57 PM
That one's gonna be a loss for me as well. Are they gone yet? Maybe I can stock up from a clearance sale.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BeautifulShy on April 05, 2019, 06:33:12 PM
They are still around. When I went to my local one the saleslady said that they will stay open until they sell the rest of their stock then that is it.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on May 10, 2019, 04:05:29 PM
Global helium shortage leads Party City to close approximately 45 of its approximately 870 Party City locations in 2019.

The Company ended the quarter with $1,991 million in debt

https://investor.partycity.com/investors/press-releases/Press-Release-Details/2019/Party-City-Announces-First-Quarter-2019-Financial-Results-and-Updates-Helium-Availability-Status/default.aspx

Lest you think America isn't in the partying mood, there's also this:

Quote
(a) ... The charge for inventory reserves was recorded in cost of sales in the Company’s statement of operations and comprehensive loss.  The other charges were recorded in “store impairment and restructuring charges” in the Company’s statement of operations and comprehensive loss.           
(b) The first quarter of 2018 principally relates to costs incurred while moving one of the Company’s domestic manufacturing facilities to a new location.           
(c) The “deferred rent” adjustment reflects the difference between accounting for rent and landlord incentives in accordance with GAAP and the Company’s actual cash outlay for such items.               
(d) Charges incurred related to closing and relocating stores in the ordinary course of business.           
(e) Represents non-cash charges related to stock options.           
(f) Principally represents shares of Kazzam awarded to Ampology as compensation for Ampology’s services. 

Shuffling stores around at a company with already thin margins sounds like some bad planning.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Stratos on May 23, 2019, 04:41:09 PM
I imagine that the bulk of their merchandise is very cheap and thus limited profit margin. They always give the vibe of a dollar store mixed with Spirit Halloween for all holidays. Outside of those balloons I can't imagine there being much there you couldn't buy at a Walmart or Target.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on June 05, 2019, 04:16:50 PM
Did someone say "Gamestop 'Burns to the Ground'"?  :-* :-* :-*

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/gamestop-burns-ground-analysts-fear-113736134.html

Quote
The stock dropped as much as 36% in its biggest one-day percentage loss since its listing in 2002, according to Bloomberg data. The stock has lost more than two-thirds of its value since a peak earlier this year.

Quote
“The only impactful transformation we see in GME’s future is the industry’s on-going transition to the digital economy, a viable scenario where GME has little value.”

Jefferies, Stephanie Wissink

Quote
The combination of the transformation initiatives, ongoing consumer shift to digital gaming, and current console cycle being in the very late stages are likely to make 2019 a very challenging year.”

Loop Capital Markets, Anthony Chukumba

Quote
“The elimination of the quarterly cash dividend sends a worrisome signal that management has lost confidence in the company’s cash flow generation ability.”

GameStop rated as "little value" *mega-snort*
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on June 12, 2019, 07:27:45 PM
I wonder if you could make helium by storing radioactive material in lead tubes.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on June 13, 2019, 09:15:52 AM
Everything ok with you, Perm?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ThePerm on June 13, 2019, 02:14:06 PM
An alpha particle is almost the same thing as a helium atom. Except missing electrons. In a tube of dense atoms it might steal some electrons and become helium. Maybe IDK I'm not much of a physicist.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on June 19, 2019, 10:36:33 PM
Mattel rejected a merger from MGA Entertainment for a second time and [MGA's] CEO called Mattel insolvent. He gives a few kicks to Toys R Us' corpse as well.

"MGA is the fastest growing toy company of the last 5 years, most profitable, with 0 debt."

"The toy business is down double digits already this year."

*LOL/Fashion dolls and Frozen movie dolls will further kill off Barbie later this year.

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/mattel-going-way-toys-r-165453416.html
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on June 20, 2019, 07:08:37 PM
THAT'S THE SCUMBAG WHO MAKES POOPSIE THE UNICORN
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on June 20, 2019, 07:56:41 PM
Why did I just watch a four and a half video about making a toy unicorn go poop?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on June 20, 2019, 10:43:15 PM
Why did I just watch a four and a half video about making a toy unicorn go poop?

You have now been cursed. Take one part My Little Pony, one part Bratz Doll, one part Lisa Frank, one part diaper fetish, and one part poop, pour into a blender and set it to slime-ify.

(https://i.imgur.com/f2ZHoSU.jpg)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on June 20, 2019, 10:50:12 PM
I just want to know why their official art style is exactly that of people who take normal cartoons and make rule 34 out of them.

Actually, nevermind.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on June 20, 2019, 11:03:06 PM
Ugh. Looks like Walmart and Hot Topic had a baby and then abandoned it in a dumpster at Comic Con
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Stratos on June 20, 2019, 11:08:48 PM
I just want to know why their official art style is exactly that of people who take normal cartoons and make rule 34 out of them.

Actually, nevermind.

Some of those rule 34 artists have real jobs and are permitted to create these abominations for profit. This is one of those things that I dread to think will be found centuries from now by alien life excavating out extinct world and trying to reconstruct what our daily lives were like. This is now a part of our legacy.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on June 20, 2019, 11:40:43 PM
Pineapple Poop! Flamingo Poop!
(https://i.imgur.com/eJGiqE3.jpg)

Let's make some more!
(https://i.imgur.com/bcPq7xl.png)
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on June 20, 2019, 11:47:44 PM
Like, if it started naked that'd be one thing, but there's something especially upsetting about having to strip it.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: King of Twitch on June 21, 2019, 10:47:57 PM
Waiting for @Maxi to weigh in on this subject.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on June 25, 2019, 01:48:19 AM
Good news everyone, Toys R Us is opening two stores back in the USA: https://www.kxly.com/news/money/toys-r-us-plans-to-return-in-the-united-states/1088287025?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KXLY_4_News&fbclid=IwAR1TQSh5-OGRfgR3BPemR1wzuqjWx2KGvIjghmEOtPq6bFYMlZGMd8Z8CdM
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: UncleBob on June 25, 2019, 09:58:12 AM
Here's my biggest issue with TRU.

They want to bring it back as smaller stores.  Which makes sense, the toy mega store model just isn't as realistic in today's market..

But... that's what made TRU special - it being a giant building full of toys.

I think a hybrid TRU/KayBee Toys model could work... but it won't have the magic that a giant Toys R Us did.

Hopefully, they get things off the ground with smaller stores across the country, but then the mega stores in select large cities.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Stratos on June 25, 2019, 01:39:30 PM
That could be the perfect hybrid model. Smaller boutique stores in major malls and shopping centers, and large ones in major tourist locations like New York, LA, Seattle, Houston, etc.

Hopefully they also modernize their business practices. Give us reward points or offer some slick online interface and free ship-to-store options...maybe offer some great discounts on games to compete with Best Buy and Amazon and we get our 20% off deal again. Though that is a bit more of a stretch and surely wouldn't last.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on June 25, 2019, 02:02:25 PM
There's no way they're getting the Times Square location back, right?  I mean, they could easily have other flagship locations, but that was the location to see/check out.  I know people who have bought stuff there just to say they did.

The one thing about their previous model was that it was, more or less, working just fine until the brand was acquire by venture capitalist firms, probably mostly due to what UB said.  But also other reasons.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: Ian Sane on June 25, 2019, 02:51:59 PM
The other day I was out with a friend and we stopped by the Toys 'R' Us in Surrey, BC.  The reason we did that was because his family used to live across the street from it and he remembers going to that Toys 'R' Us as a small child.  He ended up taking some pictures of it as the store had not updated much.  The sign was still an older style with Geoffrey the Giraffe.  The TRU that I'm familiar with is in Langley and it has updated a few times and even relocated to a different store in the same mall.  This one looked more like a blast from the past and it even had the "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" song playing.

Now Toys 'R' Us in Canada is no big deal and wasn't affected by the bankruptcy.  But I thought about the nostalgia that the chain has.  Most of Canada's major cities are near the border.  I see Washington licence plates all the time so Americans frequently visit, much like how when I'm in Washington I routinely see other BC plates.  It might be a good idea for Canadian TRUs near the border to play up the nostalgia factor so that Americans may decide to pop by if they're in Canada for some other reason.  The main business model is obviously to sell toys to Canadians but this could be a good bit of marketing to get some more people into the store.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: oohhboy on June 25, 2019, 09:13:16 PM
TRU definitely got vulture by VC's. It was ticking along fine, needed updating to go with the times of course. The VC leveraged buyout crippled the company, stripped it's assets. If your company has been acquired by a leveraged buyout, it's only got a couple years to live.

This easy to digest video sums it up quite nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JYUo9WKkao
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: BeautifulShy on December 06, 2019, 12:59:49 AM
Don't know if any of you are aware but Toys R Us is coming back for this holiday season. Also there is a partnership with Target dot com to expand Toys R Us reach nationally for this holiday season. Currently there is 2 stores in New Jersey and Texas with plans to expand to 10 stores in the coming year.

https://www.npr.org/2019/11/29/783762495/toys-r-us-reopens-2-stores-under-new-ownership-after-painful-bankruptcy
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: pokepal148 on December 24, 2019, 12:52:45 AM
I don't think Bed Bath and Beyond's new ad campaign is going to pan out the way they think it is.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: nickmitch on December 24, 2019, 05:55:40 PM
?
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: pokepal148 on December 24, 2019, 06:06:46 PM

it's a hoot (https://youtu.be/5c_Br-mO7Po)

Also apparently it's from like 6 months ago but they've decided to re-air them during the holidays.
Title: Re: et tu, Toys R Us? Retail getting hit pretty hard lately thread
Post by: ShyGuy on December 29, 2019, 08:58:52 PM
You know who's got a good thing going? Walmart. I bought a Wacom Cintiq for myself for Christmas and didn't want to risk having that expensive thing stolen by a porch pirate. So I bought it from Walmart.com then had them ship it to a store. Same price as the Amazon sale price and faster shipping too.