darkSpyro

I read this in the article linked below.

Toys R Us CEO Jerry Storch quote:
"From a retail perspective we ask Storch if the high Ebay prices were something that concerned him? “No I don’t think it’s a problem but an indicator of true value. It means [customers] get a great bargain when they find them in store at the regular price. We tell customers when figures are arriving. Those that are in the know come and get what they want.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tec...-interview.html

What do you expect him to say? Retail stores have no way of thwarting scalpers. TRU gets the same amount of money whether they sell to regular customers or to scalpers, so they don't really care.

Although, they are happy to see the high prices, because then they can casually increase the price of such items and take a little bit more off the top.

That means we will see W4 on the 22nd

Quote: Himewad

What do you expect him to say? Retail stores have no way of thwarting scalpers. TRU gets the same amount of money whether they sell to regular customers or to scalpers, so they don't really care.

Although, they are happy to see the high prices, because then they can casually increase the price of such items and take a little bit more off the top.

Well, scalpers DO affect them negatively, just not on the surface. They create shortages, which frustrates customers. They drain "disposable income" from fans that might have otherwise been spent at the store (example: they get $15 for a Thumpback, the scalper sells for $45, that might mean $30 not spent at the store on other figures/accessories). Scalpers also have a habit of late returning figures that don't sell high enough barely under the return window, thereby getting a full refund on a product that may have been hot 30 days prior, but possibly not later (or might be on sale currently, thereby earning less profit).

In the end, stores cannot stop scalpers, but some stores do things to discourage them. TRU has set purchase limits in the past. Gamestop.com has been known to "ban" people for ordering larger quantities of popular items, and has also outright cancelled some orders/multiple orders of the same thing. Amazon and some other sites also put purchase limits on hot items. Scalpers are competition for consumer dollars - after all, a dollar in their pocket is a dollar that might have been spent in the store.

His statement is just corporate spin. If he were to condemn them directly, the negativity would reflect poorly on them. That's why they try to keep their statements upbeat and positive, especially when they have very limited control of the situation.

I think the part where 'We tell customers when figures are arriving' is the bunk part. They don't really tell us anything.

Quote: Kesrael

I think the part where 'We tell customers when figures are arriving' is the bunk part. They don't really tell us anything.

Every single new arrival for Giants has been preceded by a blast email the day before indicating it (except Lightcore Shroomboom).

Quote: defpally

Quote: Kesrael

I think the part where 'We tell customers when figures are arriving' is the bunk part. They don't really tell us anything.

Every single new arrival for Giants has been preceded by a blast email the day before indicating it (except Lightcore Shroomboom).

Not for UK fans. We ask on Facebook, in stores, on the (un)helpline, via email and they either ignore the questions or give incredibly vague or plain wrong information. TRU is my most hated place to buy Landers

Well, he may have just meant for the US. I can understand the confusion though since it is a UK article. He is also apparently stepping down from CEO due to holiday numbers, so maybe his obliviousness isn't reserved to just Skylanders.