darkSpyro

I'm pretty sure I have a way to solve everything: Activision sells the figures directly. Even at $15 all said and done, they will still at least have them in stock and allow people that want them to buy them.

Ya'll are thinking with your hearts and not your brains. Would any of you impose a limit on how much money you will make in a given year? "Oh no boss, I can't take that raise. It wouldn't be fair to my fellow co-workers who have been here longer making less than me." Get real, none of you can seperate your emotions from the arguement.

No limit on anything that is not a life saving item.

Quote: Monsinour

Ya'll are thinking with your hearts and not your brains. Would any of you impose a limit on how much money you will make in a given year? "Oh no boss, I can't take that raise. It wouldn't be fair to my fellow co-workers who have been here longer making less than me." Get real, none of you can seperate your emotions from the arguement.

No limit on anything that is not a life saving item.

I don't see how this bluster counters my post in the least. Annoying customers is not good business sense. If you cater to a single "get up early every day to be at the store opening and buy them all" individual you are alienating all the rest of the consumers that come into the store for the rest of the day, week and possibly month.

How in the world does that equate to a sound business strategy? How will they make money by losing customers in droves due to lack of supply to meet a growing demand?

As I stated above, Skylanders isn't the only product that a store like Toys R Us has to move. They need happy mommies and daddies that can find things when they shop there in order for them to return for little Jimmy's birthday next week. Otherwise they will turn to the far more reliable Amazon.com for future purchases and drive your business model out of business.

The End.

Never said that annoying customers was good. However, you cannot make everyone happy all the time. This is life in a capitalistic market. If individual stores want to impose a limit, fine for them. I don't think they should as it would limit their income on a customer by customer basis.

Agree to disagree

Quote: Monsinour

Never said that annoying customers was good. However, you cannot make everyone happy all the time. This is life in a capitalistic market. If individual stores want to impose a limit, fine for them. I don't think they should as it would limit their income on a customer by customer basis.

Agree to disagree

That would only be true if the stock wouldn't move if they limited the scalper from cleaning them out.

I would believe (and strongly) that the stock will move just fine and still be depleted if a limit was imposed. The big name chains make EXACTLY as much money plus the dividend of making thousands of customers happy instead of a handful of opportunists that will simply dump their loot on the bay.

You can't tell me that Skylanders figures will gather dust at TrU if the good old scalper boy didn't fill his cart with them at store's opening every day.

Furthermore, they will gain sales down the road on toys that have nothing to do with Skylanders because the consumer won't have war stories to tell about visiting Toys R Us at every opportunity only to be disappointed and finally give their loyalty to a competitor.

Quote: skyp1e

Quote: Monsinour

Never said that annoying customers was good. However, you cannot make everyone happy all the time. This is life in a capitalistic market. If individual stores want to impose a limit, fine for them. I don't think they should as it would limit their income on a customer by customer basis.

Agree to disagree

That would only be true if the stock wouldn't move if they limited the scalper from cleaning them out.

I would believe (and strongly) that the stock will move just fine and still be depleted if a limit was imposed. The outlet makes EXACTLY as much money plus the dividend of making thousands of customers happy instead of a handful of opportunists that will simply dump their loot on the bay.

You can't tell me that Skylanders figures will gather dust at TrU if the good old scalper boy didn't fill his cart with them at store's opening every day.

Nope, not saying that either. We are all sure that these things will not last 24 hours in a store. However, I did say "one a customer by customer basis" that would be bad for the store.

Quote: Monsinour

Quote: skyp1e

Quote: Monsinour

Never said that annoying customers was good. However, you cannot make everyone happy all the time. This is life in a capitalistic market. If individual stores want to impose a limit, fine for them. I don't think they should as it would limit their income on a customer by customer basis.

Agree to disagree

That would only be true if the stock wouldn't move if they limited the scalper from cleaning them out.

I would believe (and strongly) that the stock will move just fine and still be depleted if a limit was imposed. The outlet makes EXACTLY as much money plus the dividend of making thousands of customers happy instead of a handful of opportunists that will simply dump their loot on the bay.

You can't tell me that Skylanders figures will gather dust at TrU if the good old scalper boy didn't fill his cart with them at store's opening every day.

Nope, not saying that either. We are all sure that these things will not last 24 hours in a store. However, I did say "one a customer by customer basis" that would be bad for the store.

First it would more likely be two per customer on a given SKU, but even so, why don't you actually back these statements up with salient arguments rather than pure rhetoric, just once.

Quote: skyp1e

Quote: Monsinour

Quote: skyp1e

That would only be true if the stock wouldn't move if they limited the scalper from cleaning them out.

I would believe (and strongly) that the stock will move just fine and still be depleted if a limit was imposed. The outlet makes EXACTLY as much money plus the dividend of making thousands of customers happy instead of a handful of opportunists that will simply dump their loot on the bay.

You can't tell me that Skylanders figures will gather dust at TrU if the good old scalper boy didn't fill his cart with them at store's opening every day.

Nope, not saying that either. We are all sure that these things will not last 24 hours in a store. However, I did say "one a customer by customer basis" that would be bad for the store.

First it would more likely be two per customer on a given SKU, but even so, why don't you actually back these statements up with salient arguments rather than pure rhetoric, just once.

Because he thinks extortion is the same as an honest raise.

A limit huh?

Good idea, but it's also not

TRU has put a limit to one per customer online for the Legendary packs.

But they are not in stock right now. I cancelled my online order (of 1 since I found in store this morning) so I hope others do too if they find them in the store. That way people who cant find them in store can get them online.

Without a doubt. The limit should be 2 of a particular character/pack especially when demand is so high. It would be akin to the limit on consoles when they are hot like the Wii was at one point.

Let's not forget that it benefits Activision as well for stores to enforce a limit of some description.

Impulse buyers and typical parental (and grand parental) consumers don't realize the existence of nor particularly wish to participate in a secondary market. If they don't see any Skylanders in the store when they visit (which for most adults purchasing toys for family children is probably only going to be once before a gift giving event) then Activision can write off that and any subsequent future sales from that particular person completely.


GRANDFATHER: "Excuse me, miss. My grandson has been hinting rather strongly that he wants these Skylanders figures for his birthday next week, but I can't seem to find them. Can you help me?"

CLERK: "Sorry, we're sold out. We can't seem to keep them in stock".

GRANDFATHER: "Oh well, I guess I'll buy him some Geotrax instead".

I'm sure that above scene plays out in one form or another every single day at some Toys R Us store somewhere out there.

And I'm also pretty sure that the marketing people over at Activision wish that it didn't.

I think they should let anyone buy only 1 of each unique Skylander or triple pack. "Limit 1 per customer" isn't out of the ordinary, and should only be applied individually. The things are dirt cheap, and most people aren't poor to the point of legitimately wanting to get 2 total and being satisfied. That would cause more problems than scalpers. "Sorry, you can't get Prism Break, Double Trouble, and Stump Smash. Put one back." I'd call the guy a dick and buy them anyways.