darkSpyro

Up until Today Regular Giants Singles have been $9.99 with lightcores Running $11.99 in TRU store.

Starting This morning in their System TRU is returning to their $10.99 Pricing Scheme as well as hiking Lightcores up to $12.99

Old SSA Figure prices have not changed.
Giants themselves have not changed ((Though 20% off this Week))
Triple Packs have not changed ((Though $5 off this Week))

Online Price is still $9.99 - Stores DO honor Online Pricing. At least in my experience they do.

Great. Just in time for wave 3...

Dammnit.

I can't imagine this is a permanent change. But it is the current posted price as of right now ; ;
They got flack for it last year and supply doesn't seem nearly as limited so I can't see they maintaining this price point.

On a counter-point to my own argument though the Walmart and Target in my immediate area have GREATLY reduced their Skylanders sections making my TRU one of your only real places to find a large assortment of figures.

I swear to God, on my kids' lives, if TRU's price hikes lead to another round of price hikes from other retailers, like what happened with the first game, I am done with this franchise. Two games and a ton of saved money in the end won't hurt me a **** bit.

When this happened with the first game, it was only TRU and Gamestop at first. It was leading me to believe they did it and not Activision. However, when most other stores got to that price range, it lead me to believe Acti had something to do with it. They would probably lie and say they didn't.

If prices go up, and Acti is to blame or Acti does nothing, then this series can kiss my butt after Giants is done. I don't take swears litely, and I just swore on my kids' lives, as a reference to myself to stop if prices go up one more time.

If these are indeed going up to 10.99 per figure, I will see Giants through until the end, but then I am done. 10.99 for single pack figures for a downright - pathetically - easy game is not worth it in the slightest. Act will go and ruin another franchise like they did with Guitar Hero, and that will be their problem.

TFB needs to step in and tell retailers - if it's not their doing - to stop doing this because it will hurt them in the end. Maybe not now, but no human ever gets smart right away... well most of them. Eventually, though, people get smart and see that 75 dollars a game, plus 11 dollars per toy, just isn't worth it.

7.99 was a good price for these figures. I stomached 9.99, but I swear to God (my God to atheists out there) I won't do 10.99 per figure. I will flip the bird to this franchise, sell my doubles, to recoup costs, and retire from Skylanders after Giants.

Eh, I don't care. It's $4 cumulatively for each of the new S2 guys. Whoopity-whoop. If I can get them there and save myself the hassle of checking every Walmart/Target/GameStop/back alley within a 50 mile radius due to superior stock, bring on the price increase. I'd spend more in gas even trying to look elsewhere.

There's a point I hadn't considered. I suppose now we wait and see how other retailers react.
With Skylanders selling they way they are ((Dear god the amount of time it takes to fill all those pegs)) it won't take but a few hours before parents such as yourself see and feel that price hike.
10% is pretty steep even if it is only a dollar. ((...no sarcasm...I know that's hard to portray over the net - I'm actually agreeing))

Yeah, it's dumb. I remember a Toys R Us manager telling me last year, why TRU raised the prices.

I asked him, "Why did you guys raise the prices to 9.99 per figure?" He put it so bluntly, "Because stupid son of a ******* will pay for them." He isn't lying, and I was one of them.

Point is, if TRU is doing this knowing they got wave 3 in, **** them for being greedy. I will use them until I don't need them anymore, and then if this shows Acti people will pay those prices, so they sell Skylanders 2 stuff for the same prices TRU jacked them up to, at all other stores starting with Gamestop, **** them as well.

Maybe this is what I need to break myself of this Skylanders habit. Acti's greed will kill this franchise in the end. Honestly, I am starting to see a pattern here. Watch me be right. The pattern is -

- Spyro's Adventure releases. Figures are 7.99 and 19.99
- In january 2012, Gamestop and TRU raised their prices to 9.99 and 24.99
- Giants releases. Figures are 9.99 and 24.99 at all retail stores
- In January 2013, TRU and Gamestop raises their prices to 10.99 and 25.99 (or maybe even 27.99)
- Skylanders 3 releases. Figures are 10.99 and 25.99 (or 27.99) at all retail stores
- In January 2014, TRU and Gamestop raises their prices to 11.99 and 26.99 (or maybe even 28.99)
- Skylanders 4 releases. Figures are 11.99 and 26.99 (or 28.99) at all retail stores

In all honesty, I am thinking this has been a plan of Activision all along. Slowly raise prices at all retail stores. I had dropped the thought, but seeing the pattern of TRU raising prices again, is only making it become a thought once again. If so, Acti can kiss my butt. I don't care how awesome Skylanders is. Where I help sell this game everytime I'm at a local TRU, I will flat out tell the truth to customers. They're just going to raise the prices every year, and you already have to buy a 69.99-74.99 game to boot.

I hope that no one else follows suit. I know GameStop will, but I don't get many Skylanders there anyway.

I have a feeling this am be the beginning of the end.

It's all about how far they can push the price to find the consumer limit. The problem is, most of the time the consumers allow for these price hikes to keep happening because they don't put their foot down and just keep forking over whatever the companies want to charge. I have seen it before with other collectables. The best thing to do is just wait for them to go on sale and pounce on them. Especially since there is no Limited Editions if they don't sell at at retail, they will have to reduce them at some point. If they start losing money the prices will level out.

Well, I am putting my foot down. If I see these prices happen at all retail stores before Skylanders 3 comes out, or if it happens at all stores when Skylanders 3 comes out. I will buy each game's Portal Owners Pack and won't buy any figures until they are less than 9.99, IF I BUY THEM AT ALL, and the game.

It's just silly to see corporations give their thanks to customers making them who they are, by price hiking over and over. They think they're the oil industry, who can keep raising gas prices, but they forget, Skylanders aren't needed to handle the responsibilities of life.

If these prices are permanent, so far, I am done with the franchise after Giants. Skylanders doesn't offer gameplay that's worth 10.99 a figure, when it comes to longevity.

It's bad enough I am buying figures like I did last year, where all I do with them, is open them, register them, press the two primary attacks to see what they do, sit them on a shelf, and be done with them, because I've beaten the game already. However, 10 dollars before tax is my limit for Skylanders single packs. I've always told myself that. Anything higher, and I will just laugh as I rush to the bank to throw my money in it, knowing I don't have to waste hundreds anymore on a single game.

^ GM, please. You and I are buddies, so you know I'm not trolling you, but we both know that you'll collect the crap out of Skylanders 3 for these prices.

I promise I won't. I would only collect figures from a 3rd game, with these new prices, based on these conditions -

- I can find them
- They are on sale, or buy 1 get 1 free/40-50% off.

That's the only way I would, and even then I would hesitate because of the principal of Acti/TFB allowing retailers to raise prices, if they aren't the ones doing it themselves.

When I think about it, the only waves I spent actual retail prices on, were waves 2, 3, and 4 for Spyro's Adventure last year, and Legendary Stealth Elf for Giants. Everything else was always bought at buy 1 get 1 half off or free. Even still, it's the principal of it. I don't support DLC because I feel game companies are jipping people by including most of that stuff ondisc, and there is getting to be too much of it. So, in order to stand my ground, I don't support DLC no matter how bad I want games like Nano Assault Neo, Trine 2, or even 1 dollar games like Angry Birds.

I have no problem treating Skylanders the same way, if they keep price hiking, thus ripping people off so they can please their investors.

Quote: Tashiji

I hope that no one else follows suit. I know GameStop will, but I don't get many Skylanders there anyway.

However Gamestop is also a specialty store. Thing is Gamestop raising prices isn't going to affect Acti or influence other retailers overall. I live in a large Area with TONS of Gamestops but that being said they're all tiny - they don't have the shelf space that Walmart, Target, and TRU have. To further that point their shipments are spread out WAY more than those stores as well. My allotment is to a certain extent based on what's sold so if I keep my shelves filled on weekends and my stock runs dry then TRU will order what they can and distribute to stores based on sales. Gamestop uses a "salesmen" approach they allot what they think they can push. ((Though Acti and TRU seems to be able to "Dry-Up" stock at will based on Waves...since we didn't have ANY W2 problems till just about 2 weeks before W3...))

The fear is that Walmart and Target follow suit; that will 'cause the biggest wave of problems.


Quote: JTChief82

It's all about how far they can push the price to find the consumer limit. The problem is, most of the time the consumers allow for these price hikes to keep happening because they don't put their foot down and just keep forking over whatever the companies want to charge. I have seen it before with other collectables. The best thing to do is just wait for them to go on sale and pounce on them. Especially since there is no Limited Editions if they don't sell at at retail, they will have to reduce them at some point. If they start losing money the prices will level out.

While demand will always be a part of the supply dynamic, hence Supply-and-Demand thanks to things such as the internet and online retailers always trying to undercut the big-box stores this is actually sort of a moot point. True people, especially older ones that haven't, didn't, or won't acclimate to internet shopping will flock to these brick and mortar buildings till they collapse we've only really got about 25-30 years until we see those with the spending power are part of the internet generation - and trust me these big-box stores are already aware or that.

One point you made and I'm hoping tends to be the trend is instead of making that extra dollar on every sale it turns customers to retailers keeping their prices competitive. The stupid part is being more expensive drives the customers away. I promise you the average skylander purchaser ((Adult/Parent)) is not going to buy just one Skylander - that extra dollar brings up the price fast especially in a place with as high of a tax as I have. We'd make more money selling Three $9.99 figures to two different people than 5 $10.99 figures to one.


Alas the easiest way to make them hear us IS through our wallets - but we're also all posting in a community of collectors >.>;; I know myself - I'll still buy them...I'm weak.

Now I can see that happening, for sure. I wouldn't question for a second that you'd wait for B1G1, 50% off, and other sales to round your collection out. I know you're not quitting is all I'm saying, but refining the criteria under which you would purchase Skylanders is a different story.

Anyway, I do support DLC. Try playing what they've offered on Borderlands or Kingdoms of Amalur and then tell me that DLC, when done right, isn't awesome. It's all these companies that charge an arm and a leg for next to nothing (BioWare...) that give the model a flawed perception. If a fair product is sold for a fair price, then DLC is a fundamentally awesome way to expand a game that's been beaten to death.

Quote: Tashiji

Now I can see that happening, for sure. I wouldn't question for a second that you'd wait for B1G1, 50% off, and other sales to round your collection out. I know you're not quitting is all I'm saying, but refining the criteria under which you would purchase Skylanders is a different story.

Anyway, I do support DLC. Try playing what they've offered on Borderlands or Kingdoms of Amalur and then tell me that DLC, when done right, isn't awesome. It's all these companies that charge an arm and a leg for next to nothing (BioWare...) that give the model a flawed perception. If a fair product is sold for a fair price, then DLC is a fundamentally awesome way to expand a game that's been beaten to death.

Aye~ DLC doesn't bother me except under the point that it was developed and put on the disc before hand and the DLC is merely a key to unlock it >.>;;
You could have used that space for better models, more dialogue, anything!!

Other than that - Borderlands is a perfect example of DLC done right~ Tons of content - $7-10. ((Except Moxxxie...that can bite me...))

i would love to see more of those Adventure packs for Skylands
Really disappointed that it doesn't look like we'll see any this time around. $25 for a new level a new character and some items I rarely use. My wife and I don't do PVP so those are awesome for us - the battle packs are really lackluster for co-oppers

Quote: Tashiji

Anyway, I do support DLC. Try playing what they've offered on Borderlands or Kingdoms of Amalur and then tell me that DLC, when done right, isn't awesome.

I won't deny that 2K is smart in their presentation for DLC, but at the same time, most if not all of the content that's been released for Borderlands 2 at this point was finished at the time the game went gold (or could have been released with a Day 1 patch to correct any last-minute issues), and was deliberately omitted from the disk. But they present it in a way to mask that fact, and are also smart enough to not offer things like "Golden Keys for 99 Cents Each".

DLC encourages the smart companies to figure out EXACTLY how much content they need to release for a game to be good enough, and not cross that line. The extra content is released for extra cash later. If it didn't exist, companies would compete for your sales by having games that had the most quantity for your quarter from the very BEGINNING, as opposed to elaborate smoke-and-mirror games to make you think you're buying "new" content that was developed "after the game was completed."


In the end, though, we're all collecting figures for a game that's designed around hundreds of dollars of on-disc DLC, so it's not really an argument that makes much sense to have here. Skylanders is probably the single-worst offender of "fake DLC" in existence, and we all seem okay with it.

^ Agree on DLC as unlock codes for pre-loaded disc content. That's stupid. But if it's developed after the release of the game, and adds entertainment worth the money spent, then wonderful. Sign me up.

I'll also do episodic DLC, like Telltale's Walking Dead. That can be amazing, and you get access to it before a disc compilation is ever released.

Quote: Peridot Weapon

Quote: Tashiji

Anyway, I do support DLC. Try playing what they've offered on Borderlands or Kingdoms of Amalur and then tell me that DLC, when done right, isn't awesome.

I won't deny that 2K is smart in their presentation for DLC, but at the same time, most if not all of the content that's been released for Borderlands 2 at this point was finished at the time the game went gold (or could have been released with a Day 1 patch to correct any last-minute issues), and was deliberately omitted from the disk. But they present it in a way to mask that fact, and are also smart enough to not offer things like "Golden Keys for 99 Cents Each".

DLC encourages the smart companies to figure out EXACTLY how much content they need to release for a game to be good enough, and not cross that line. The extra content is released for extra cash later. If it didn't exist, companies would compete for your sales by having games that had the most quantity for your quarter from the very BEGINNING, as opposed to elaborate smoke-and-mirror games to make you think you're buying "new" content that was developed "after the game was completed."


In the end, though, we're all collecting figures for a game that's designed around hundreds of dollars of on-disc DLC, so it's not really an argument that makes much sense to have here. Skylanders is probably the single-worst offender of "fake DLC" in existence, and we all seem okay with it.

Truer words have never been spoken - oh the thrill of collecting physical objects.

On the second point some DLC is just a selling factor to combat used game sales >.>;;

((As far as the Borderlands 2 DLC - I guess it doesn't bother me 'cause the DLC that was finished before hand didn't work into the main campaign anyway - and was obviously done as an extra...))

^ Gaige was still in development when the game was released, so I'm not entirely sure that expansions 3 and 4 are done yet either. What evidence are you basing this on? Is there a source that confirms pre-release completion, or are we both just guessing here?

Quote: Tashiji

^ Gaige was still in development when the game was released, so I'm not entirely sure that expansions 3 and 4 are done yet either. What evidence are you basing this on? Is there a source that confirms pre-release completion, or are we both just guessing here?

I'm going based off what was said.
Though you're right they specifically said Gaige wasn't finished which is why we didn't get her day one even though she was a pre-order bonus.

I don't support DLC, no matter how awesome, because it shows the developers they can charge me up to 20 dollars for a download game (Trine 2 on Wii U) and all I get for it is a liscense tied to 1 console.

I will never have anything physical to call my own with that 20 bucks. I'm all about owning physical objects as opposed to liscenses. Even on things like Steam, where it's tied to your account, it still isn't mine to touch and play with. It's simply a paid download, but I love physical objects for my money.

Oh I'm sure not downloading anything on Wii U either. Their system is very unfair to anyone who expects to own anything they buy. PSN and XBL have much more fair models that actually give you access to your stuff for the life of the account, not the system. Similar to iTunes. So, I see your point. It is important to differentiate.

BTW, I got Trine 2 for free from PS Plus a couple months ago. Pretty fun, but I wouldn't spend $20.

Well, I wouldn't say XBL gives you your content for the life of the account, because my account has been active since the first week XBL went live in 2002, and I can't access XBL to redownload my Halo 2 maps. That's what kind of gets my goat. I fully expect them to take down XBL for 360 after a certain amount of years, 720 has been on the shelves, thus if I can't move my DLC to the 720, and the 360 bites it one day, I will lose all of the money I did spend on DLC when I used to support it in full back in the day.

Price hike or not, Toys R Us ALWAYS matches the Toys R Us online price (except for on Black Friday), which I don't think has ever increased, at least since the release of Giants.

Price hikes means I'll just be waiting for deals to get them. TRU is pretty liberal with its B1G1-40-50% off sales. Activision doesn't feel that its found that sweet-spot price yet, thus the price hikes. I wonder what the sales are in comparison to last year? The shelves look well-stocked in many of the stores I've been in. Some figures are hard to find, ie lightcores, but they're out there. Activision, or stores, keep hiking the prices and they'll find the figures even harder to move. Look at the sales that stores have for the SSA figures in attempt to get rid of them. In an effort to draw more revenue by raising prices, they find that the figures are languishing on the shelves, much like the over-production of certain figures (Legendary TH & Stealth Elf, GiTD Sonic Boom, etc).

They're expoliting the holiday season because they know people will become crazy

It's true that they toss out special offers every other week. They might need to jack the price up normally to continue to afford all those discounts. And to make them look better on paper.

They are probably doing it because its the last week before christmas and snatch the desperate parent. They will probably drop after the holiday.

Quote: GameMaster78

However, 10 dollars before tax is my limit for Skylanders single packs. I've always told myself that. Anything higher, and I will just laugh as I rush to the bank to throw my money in it, knowing I don't have to waste hundreds anymore on a single game.

I've slowly been putting limits on which characters I buy in order to save money. I'm at the point now where all I intend to buy from now on are the new characters from the Tech and Water elements since those are the only elements where I like all of the characters. Just gotta get Thumpback and I'll be done with Giants.

Well, I hope he comes out in January, honestly, as I need time to build money. However, should he come out this week, watch my lanky butt find some way to get him.

N the brig side, giants at TRU ar 11.99 this week.

Quote: GameMaster78

I swear to God, on my kids' lives, if TRU's price hikes lead to another round of price hikes from other retailers, like what happened with the first game, I am done with this franchise. Two games and a ton of saved money in the end won't hurt me a **** bit.

When this happened with the first game, it was only TRU and Gamestop at first. It was leading me to believe they did it and not Activision. However, when most other stores got to that price range, it lead me to believe Acti had something to do with it. They would probably lie and say they didn't.

If prices go up, and Acti is to blame or Acti does nothing, then this series can kiss my butt after Giants is done. I don't take swears litely, and I just swore on my kids' lives, as a reference to myself to stop if prices go up one more time.

If these are indeed going up to 10.99 per figure, I will see Giants through until the end, but then I am done. 10.99 for single pack figures for a downright - pathetically - easy game is not worth it in the slightest. Act will go and ruin another franchise like they did with Guitar Hero, and that will be their problem.

TFB needs to step in and tell retailers - if it's not their doing - to stop doing this because it will hurt them in the end. Maybe not now, but no human ever gets smart right away... well most of them. Eventually, though, people get smart and see that 75 dollars a game, plus 11 dollars per toy, just isn't worth it.

7.99 was a good price for these figures. I stomached 9.99, but I swear to God (my God to atheists out there) I won't do 10.99 per figure. I will flip the bird to this franchise, sell my doubles, to recoup costs, and retire from Skylanders after Giants.

Guess your kids might be needing ripstones.
Lolnoep. I wouldn't say that.

I was just at Walmart earlier and I've noticed they raised up all their Skylanders prices as well.

Quote: Victormaru

I was just at Walmart earlier and I've noticed they raised up all their Skylanders prices as well.

RAWR~ That's what I didn't want to see >.<;;
Though they've decreased the amount of room they're giving Skylanders as well. Probably the biggest physical competitor in the US though...

Yeah, they used to be like $8.86 or something like that for single Skylanders. Now they're $9.96 this week when I checked. I would know because I visit my Walmart about four times a week just to look at the Skylanders, lol. I'm shuffling through each of them like, "No Clears, no Sparkling, no Stones, misprints...okay let's get out of here".

The Giants figures have always been (and still are, as of last night) $9.xx at my local Walmart.

Still a buck cheaper than TRU's new price.

saw the price hikes at my local trus.

Hope Wallyworld does not follow suit.

-M

The things all started at 7.99, even at TRU. Then TRU jumped, and they all followed suit. We'll see if it happens again. It's a bit outrageous, but it's not like the sculpts aren't better this time, or the chips aren't future-proofed, or the company doesn't have increased manufacturing to finance now that the game is a hit and the money comes from us to do so.

Aye - it might be that I came into this really late in but I was a figure collector before and paying 10-15 bucks for Gashapons never seemed weird.
The sculpts on the Giants figures are pretty nice for 10 bucks. Wish I didn't have to dig through figures for nicer paint jobs but alas I'll just blame that on Activision and carry on.

Once the Christmas craze is over the prices will drop back down to a more reasonable price. I dont see them going back to the oricinal price of 7.99 though i would imagine they will stay at 9.99/11.99/14.99/24.99 for the single, lightcore, giants(bigones), triple and battle packs respectivly. with that being said i am very happy that i have been a frugal shopper this Season with the Skylanders. for my list posted in the I just bought thread I have not paid more than 8/18/11/14 most i have gotten significantly cheaper but there are a few that i shelled out some big bones for! i believe i paid 75 for a 3 pack with Flocked Stump, Blue Bash and Amazon gold Flameslinger. and 89 for the sidekicks(all 4 not each!!)....

@Knewbsauce Do you know the name of the seller for the sidekicks (I'm assuming you got them from e-bay) and do they have any more?

Well, GameMaster, you got some friendly competition between me and you!

Skylanders at my toysrus cost 9.99 euros and the pack with fake slam bam (lets call legendary slam bam fake ) cost 26 euros and the other 3 packs cost 25 euros

Quote: ZillionHardCore

@Knewbsauce Do you know the name of the seller for the sidekicks (I'm assuming you got them from e-bay) and do they have any more?

I do have the info but they dont have anymore sadly =(

it was from ebay if you keep your eyes on them you can pick em up at a "reasonable price" i just got another set for less than my first. /wink one play one keep