OMG - Amazon Killed Toys R' Us!

[DuckingOutstanding]

BASTARDS!!!

No, but seriously real news... Toys R Us officially announced that it plans to cease all operations in the US leaving over 100000 workers unemployed.

http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/end-of-an-era-toys-r-us-to-close-all-800-of-its-us-locations

As bleak as this news may be for those facing the unemployment line in the wake of the former toy giant's debacle, there is an even more jarring reality just beneath the surface of this story...

Can it REALLY be that, going forward, this generation children and all generations that follow will never know the experience of being a youngster of about five or six years old entering a store that sells nothing but toys...

I realize that a lot of you that may come across this post come from third world countries and and frankly this is probably in eye roller for you, and you are probably thinking along the lines of "spoiled American" (hey I grew up poor I got to look not touch or get LOL but but it was awesome at that age LOL) but for those of us in the West - and I'm sure many in the east and Middle East as well, who have such memories, what are your thoughts?

 

[theRevolt]

They just did not keep up with new trends, just as so many other old retailers (I will save the list here). Times have changed, little kids have phones tablets, more video games etc. than what used to be the case.

Either way KB toys might take ove rportion of the stores and employees so you may still get the experience in certain location. Source : HERE

 

[ExperimentalSEO]

I probably haven't been to one in 15 years, but I'm pretty sure they sold video games as well.

 

[amin812]

Capitalism at work here.. law of the jungle eat or be ate.

 

[Rai.]

They killed themselves. They didn't adapt to the change .

 

[Sudarshan Kar]

Capitalism at its peak! Nothing surprising here.

 

[ExperimentalSEO]

They killed themselves. They didn't adapt to the change .

They probably should have starting shutting down stores 8-10 years ago and put more into their on-line operations.

 

[Rusha Mastri]

If you don't get with the times this is what happens. Toy's r us should have reached out to amazon and they should've made a deal with them to sell toys through Amazon.
Instead the person who runs toys are us said that we would all regret the fact that we didn't support them. Sounds like a wheenie to me!

 

[DuckingOutstanding]

They just did not keep up with new trends, just as so many other old retailers (I will save the list here). Times have changed, little kids have phones tablets, more video games etc. than what used to be the case.

Either way KB toys might take ove rportion of the stores and employees so you may still get the experience in certain location. Source : HERE

Totally forgot about KB Toys LOL

 

[Kuem]

They over charge everything. A game that is normally $60 was being sold for 80$. They also have other issues like when I bought smash i got two carriages

 

[zionbar]

 

[ExperimentalSEO]

Target is still making a profit, they closed down some underperforming stores. They are estimated to get a $600 million boost from the closed down toy r us stores. http://tcbmag.com/news/articles/2018/march/target-expected-to-pick-up-$600m-in-toy-sales-from

 

[NY1234]

Walmart was outselling Toys R Us in the toy department 15+ years ago. Walmart did the dirty work. Walmart still outsells Amazon. $ 485 B to $ 178 B.

Sears and Kmart are next. Not because of Amazon. Walmart did it.

It's funny how quickly people have forgotten Walmart. Even though it is still the world's largest retailer.

I haven't shopped at Toys R Us since the 1990s. Ever since Walmart came to my area and everything was cheaper?

Meh.

Most things are still cheaper on Walmart than Amazon. Things you find $ 300 at Amazon will be like $ 288 or whatever at Walmart.

It adds up.

 

[snarky]

Read an interesting article that explained it wasn’t Amazon that killed Toys r Us, it was Wall Street.

This company was the victim of another leveraged buyout by Bain Capital (Mitt Rommey/Meg Whitman’s old company) and KKR. It saddled the company with an extra $7.5 billion in debt that it couldn’t service.

Bain and KKR wouldn’t risk their own money to buy Toys r Us, so they used the company they were about to buy as collateral to finance the purchase.

I remember there was a funny movie staring Danny Devito that depicted the process of how this was done. It was in the late 80’s-early 90’s at the height of the leveraged buyout craze.

People fall for the same stupid frauds time and time again.

 

[Skeptik]

We all knew this was going to happen.

 

[IamNRE]

And when they're not blaming Amazon, they are blaming millennial for not having enough babies.

Gary V. released a video on what they should have done instead of going to Amazon and begging them to stock and manage their inventory; they should have created weekly events to bring people into the stores, like lego weekend, super soaker weekend, Halloween weekend, x-mas weekends, barbie weekend etc... that would get parents to take their kids to the stores for a awesome experience that they wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, and after the kids are done having fun - guess what they're gonna ask their parents to buy them?... Oh yeah... TOYS.

 

[GringoMonkey]

Read an interesting article that explained it wasn’t Amazon that killed Toys r Us, it was Wall Street.

This company was the victim of another leveraged buyout by Bain Capital (Mitt Rommey/Meg Whitman’s old company) and KKR. It saddled the company with an extra $7.5 billion in debt that it couldn’t service.

Bain and KKR wouldn’t risk their own money to buy Toys r Us, so they used the company they were about to buy as collateral to finance the purchase.

I remember there was a funny movie staring Danny Devito that depicted the process of how this was done. It was in the late 80’s-early 90’s at the height of the leveraged buyout craze.

People fall for the same stupid frauds time and time again.

As it is Sunday I am praying the same leveraged buyout collapse befalls the Glazers who own Manchester United!

Which reminds me, I have got to go and watch Billions Episode 1 of Season 3.

 

[patriotnews]

If you don't get with the times this is what happens. Toy's r us should have reached out to amazon and they should've made a deal with them to sell toys through Amazon.
Instead the person who runs toys are us said that we would all regret the fact that we didn't support them. Sounds like a wheenie to me!

They did partner with Amazon, vs having their own platform for years, it was a disaster for them, since people we're going to Amazon to buy Toy R Us toys, when the deal ended, it only was beneficial to 1 party.

 

[mickyfu]

I'm gutted. It was a great place to meet potential girlfriends.

 

[b1step-ahead]

And when they're not blaming Amazon, they are blaming millennial for not having enough babies.

Gary V. released a video on what they should have done instead of going to Amazon and begging them to stock and manage their inventory; they should have created weekly events to bring people into the stores, like lego weekend, super soaker weekend, Halloween weekend, x-mas weekends, barbie weekend etc... that would get parents to take their kids to the stores for a awesome experience that they wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, and after the kids are done having fun - guess what they're gonna ask their parents to buy them?... Oh yeah... TOYS.

I agree, Bass World will do these events and it brings in the crowds. The future of retail is the experience more and more. Costco survives because of prices and the fact that you can return your shit anytime.