Toys R Us UK goes into administration

Surprised it didnt happen sooner, its been coming with 7 years profit issues. Toys r us is always overpriced to and never did much to compete in other ways (Really poor loyalty scheme for example) I just feel bad for the employees.

So they going to sell all their stock to pay open bills and close the doors? I didn't know what else to make out of this headline
(Sorry, English is just my sencond language)

Surprised myself it didn't happen sooner. Every time I went into my nearest one in Preston the place seemed run down and poorly staffed. They just weren't a well run retailer.

Hopefully I can get to the Preston one and snag some cheap Lego.

they wont discount anything it will be business as usual, they need to raise money so dicounting wont really happen dont look for closing down sale prices

^I was just going off the BBC article:

"A large sale of remaining products at Toys R Us is expected. The administrators said this would happen in stores only, as the online service and click-and-collect will be closed immediately."

So the Admin have said there will be sales and discounted stuff.

It closes only in UK or all Europe?

I need to visit the San Juan store ASAP.

I've been in a store in Berlin just this last saturday to get some missing Batman CMFs and there was no sign of any closing down or related sales.

But it's correct what Huw said... kinda depressing and/or lazy design going on in there.

Toys R Us stores in Sweden price LEGO sets above the SRP (suggested retail price), while online retailers and most other stores that sell LEGO sell them at either SRP or 10-20% below. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they falter here too with those kind of practices.

That a shame really! There is a Toys R Us very near my Uni in Southampton, so hopefully I will be able to take advantage of the sales.

Its kind of to be expected really, when you see all the events that Smyth's and the Entertainer do, if people are going to drive to a shop, they are going to pick the one that's got character meets and candyfloss!

Was in Preston store yesterday and I didn't see any other customers and every Lego set was RRP, even old ones, that's always been TRU's problem, too much stock held of out of date lines and too high prices.

Bradford TRU was marked for early closure and all remaining stock has been significantly discounted

@Graysmith: they do claim (on their website) however that they would 'price match', i.e., if you point to the (exact) same product from another retailer with a lower price they would match that price. I've never tried this in practice, though

^I have done that. It was the old Forest Police station that was £15 cheaper at Smyths. They didn't seem too impressed though!

Toys r us Germany is not affected by this and will continue operation as usual (at least that is what they told me).

Yeah, I haven't heard anything about the Australian branches of Toys R Us, but it's the same franchise, isn't it? You'd have to think there would be global ripples, there.

They're pretty rate on the ground here in Australia (at least, outside of three capital cities), but we have a Toys R Us a short drive away from where I live. I don't much like going in there. They have a decent (not great, but decent) range, and there's usually exclusives. But the prices are always more expensive than anywhere else, and as mentioned in the article, it's really depressing going in there. The place is so cold and sterile and quiet. It's not a fun place to visit at all. I never stay long.

They're looking for a buyer for the European arm of the business. It's not affected by the current US or UK situation

Whilst i feel sorry for the staff i have ever enjoyed shopping at TRU. It’s just an awful experience.

^ My guess is they'll be next though if they're looking for a buyer too.

As a European I can only say: I thought they had vanished years ago. I think the problems the franchise faces are global so I hate to think who would want to waste money investing in that formula in Europe...

I had an idea they were in trouble when Altrincham, s store was shut down and turned into B&M in 2016,
Ancoats will be next followed by Stockport because Smyths and the Entertainer are they're biggest toy store Rivals and offer cheaper deals, and the staff are more helpful,
I live close to the Stockport store and there's only ever one till on and one working customer service even on a Saturday..

Oh and supermarkets now have a great range of toys lego especially can be cheaper in Sainsbury's than in TRU..

I phoned up my local toys r us to see if they had any reductions for sets on my want list, they were either full retail price price or out of stock.

So off goes the TRU tab on the Top discounts and new sets' page. Pity.

They wouldn’t discount Lego would they? Wouldn’t they just send it back to Lego to try to cover some of their debt to them (Genuine question)?

I'll miss my local TRU. Not the most pleasant shopping experience but certainly not the worst and I've got some good deals on sets in the past not to mention the exclusive freebies and in-store build events with the kids :-(

Shame as they do sometimes have decent discounts. Last December I picked up Arkham Asylum (70912) for £80 when LEGO.com were charging £139.99 but I guess I will have to stick to Amazon for my bargains now. Won't be the same though as I enjoyed browsing with my 2 little lego builders, seeing them pore over the displays etc. Not something we can do online....

There is a TRU just down the road from me and it has been handy to get the odd small thing in there.
But as others have said it rarely offered the kind of discounts you see elsewhere. Even when they were discounted on the TRU website they were RRP in store.
Once I can remember them having some sort of sale and I picked up Tower Bridge, the only time I have bought something large from them.
I won’t miss it that much.

It's been a similar story in the states. There are only a third of the TRU locations near me still open compared to the amount there were two-wheeler years ago. It's a pity they have exclusive access to many themes in the states (Technic for example), fortunately the nearest TRU to me is across the street from the Lego Store... I only go to TRU if the Lego Store is low on stock.

@kfr Me neither. I'm guessing they use that as an excuse for their prices, knowing that most people aren't going to bother with going to the extra effort of "proving" to them that it's available cheaper elsewhere. Plus, the odds are that they have very specific terms that would allow them to turn down most price matches.

I feel sorry for all 3000+ employees who's jobs are on a risk. My local store in Solihull is a depressing store and always stank, but it had a decent selection of LEGO. I don't believe all stores will close and i'm sure someone will purchase there assets soon. If they aren't brought out that means no more Bricktober no Toys R Us exclusive sets like polybags and figures and sets. All 108 stores will remain open for now but in spring some 26 stores are to close but this might be pushed to a later date or more stores will join the closer (if not all store)

^^ I'd guess another retailer would pick up the exclusives and such. Most likely Smyths.

It was hardly an inviting place to go to. The you must leave you bag in the car and can't take it round the store was a right pain especially if you came on the bus! When they started enforcing that I stopped going I wonder if I was the only one?

TRU's original business model in the US was to buy in bulk across multiple brands and offer customers discounts on a bigger range at their large-format outlets. At the time, most toy retailers were either mom & pop stores, small chains or catalogues selling at full RRP. So TRU's formula was a winner.

They never really replicated the discount aspect when they came to the UK, relying instead on their greater choice/increased likelihood of finding the toy parents were after.

When the internet came along, they failed to adapt their model and ultimately got squished by amazon and ebay.

The small TRU near me had friendly staff and a good, but not great, LEGO selection including some hard-to-find polybags. It closed recently. I don't know if a larger branch which is a few miles away on Purley Way, Croydon is still open. It was never a lovely place to shop but they had an OK selection. Despite TRU not being great, I will miss them. I'm reluctant to shop at the Entertainer for ideological reasons.

@Cardinal Brick, I was never told to leave my bag and always went to TRU with a backpack.

Very sorry for people losing their jobs, but the stores are truly awful and their website extremely badly designed. The senior management should be ashamed of themselves. They failed to move with the times and innovate and just reduced store staff numbers to save operating costs - leading to an even more unpleasant retail experience. And they loaded the company with debt; that old drug of cheap money aided by the foolish central banks. I hope someone buys what's left and turns it into a success.

Makes me wonder how Smyths are doing in the UK. I don't see a significant difference in their business model or pricing and the stores are pretty similar - usually a warehouse on an out of town shopping park.

The Croydon branch had a really nice refit just before Christmas so it will be a shame it could be going. As I have two branches near me I go there a lot. I will miss them a loads. Not just for Lego - I love their own brand products for dolls. Great quality stuff. I hope these products get picked up by another 'brand' (like Chad Valley).

I know this article is Re: UK TRU stores only however the US branch has been in trouble for years and is also closing hundreds of stores. I will be sad to see TRU go, they hold a golden place in my child-like heart and their LEGO selection is second to none in my area. They're always the first to get new sets I want, such as the new Speed Champions sets I picked up last weekend. What has greatly urked me, and reduced my purchases there however, is their decision to drop LEGO from their rewards program. Right now I have 10.00 in TRU rewards all earned by buying LEGO (and yes they will price match - making them do so is a must when shopping there!) but I cannot redeem that 10.00 on LEGO. That is pure unadulterated crap IMHO.

@joemmo: They've got 2 new stores opening in April and another in June, so they can't be doing too badly if they can afford to expand. True at my local one, sometimes they'll only have the customer service till open and staffed, but they always seem relatively busy.

I wonder when the American stores will be shutting down. These stores are always insanely overpriced, but if they go on mass sale I'd probably snag up a bunch of Collectible Minifigs.

@GrizBe
Always an unpleasant shopping experience, it seemed too soul draining to go near at Christmas. I'm afraid I can't add much good about the Preston store. I feel sorry for all the children whose parents work for the company but I'd condemn the Preston store alone long ago for it's obnoxious anti customer culture. They had a horrible manager at one point, unfriendly staff, some with a bad odour, very poor customer service and rewarded a staff member with a dire attitude for sales alone. The prices were greedily horrific despite their buying power and stock was not always available for an offer and they still owe suppliers vast sums of money!
Verdict: Condemned to retail damnation.

I used to work at TRU, my first job as a teenager. Sad to see it go, if just for my history with it. Hope to catch a few discounted sets if I can get down there, imagine everyone will have the same idea though.

Can’t help but wonder if this will happen elsewhere...

@LegoSolo77 - Rewards certificates can be used for LEGO again since the beginning of the year, I think. I used $10 worth at the end of January.

@jhuntin1 for real!? Oh man, I could've/should've used mine last weekend then! I will try to verify this next time at my local store and thanks for the great news!

I do not think it will have any effect in the Nordic countries according to themselves. Even though the UK shops has the same problem.

http://top-toy.com/toysrus-in-the-nordic-is-not-impacted-by-the-closure-of-stores-in-the-us/

Buying a toy is an impulsive event (usually), and when I have the impulse to buy something for the kids, I usually see that the online prices are not that much more attractive compared with the store prices. And the happiness of taking a box down from the shelve, go to the counter, bring it to the car with excitement, is definitely worth it compared with clicking online and waiting for a brown carton box to come.

The East Kilbride store near me was always fine. Wide, bright and open. I was a regular visitor to look through the large selection of Lego and bought a number of things over the years. They often did decent discounts if you looked for them. I used to enjoy wandering around it with my son, and it was the first place to go if he had money to spend from Christmas or Birthday's. You can't do that online the same way and I'm genuinely going to miss that.

It sounds like they weren't all the same experience as this, and I've certainly been in a few smaller, darker, cramped TRU's, but they weren't all bad. The staff seemed to stick around too as many had been there a while. I don't think the local Smyths is as good, super high shelves and thin aisles makes you feel trapped.

EK was actually one of the stores marked for closure already, but there were no Lego deals to be had, the entire Lego selection was removed right away, probably to pay off the debt that's been mentioned.

Not surprised. I live in Australia but visited many stores in the US when there. In both countries the stores are pricey, and cumbersome (narrow entry’s and teller-only exits went out years ago). Nobody likes to feel like a criminal when they’re in your store.

Oh no... we are doomed, all doomed!!

This presents a serious opportunity for Smyths to expand its presence in the UK through an acquisition of at least some of the Toys r Us stores. Smyths as you all probably know are an Irish family owned company and are very well regarded here and I take it in the UK. Lego aisles are well stocked, well displayed and well priced. They are very wealthy but not a huge company either so maybe this sort of expansion could be a bridge too far.

The Brighton store has always been extremely well stocked with not many customers. It's a shame its going as there's no where else as large near Brighton. My 5 year old loved going in there on his birthday. I remember saying to my Dad that they needed to change their business model and should have rented our spaces within the shop and linked with other brands that enhanced their business. Ie... Build a bear, dunkin donuts, coffee shop, lego. it was just a big store room you walked around. Zero staff interaction and no exciting things going on. You only have to look at the lego free monthly minibuild to see how it can be done.

I visited the States this past summer and was aghast to see the prices on shelves at Toys R Us. Now things are expensive where I live but I found no sales on any LEGO items. I had better luck at other stores. Was also stunned to see really old toys from every brand clogging store shelves and competing for attention with newer toys. Actually, I think it is not a mystery how Toys R Us found itself here. Sad for those affected and disappointed in the store's inability to remain competitive.

The best part of TRU has always been the ability to find certain exclusive polybags . . . and occasionally to find CMFs before they appear in other stores. All of the other Lego has always been overpriced.
But my favorite TRU story was when my 9 year old son saved up enough to buy the Y-Wing Lego set a year or so back and I noticed that TRU online was advertising the same sale price as Amazon, and because my son was excited to get the set . . . we drove to our local TRU store. Once there I noticed that the Y-Wing set on the shelf was not only not on sale, but it was at the regular TRU price (i.e. marked up). When I asked about matching the TRU online price they gave me all sorts of grief . . . and that was matching the price of THEIR OWN ONLINE STORE!!! I couldn't believe it. They did eventually give us the price match but it was a hassle and it should have been a no brainer.

Laughing and relating to comments about price-matching at TRU! I've had some terribly uncomfortable situations regarding that - they almost make you feel like a criminal; once or twice, I've felt so anxious approaching the counter, I've almost not wanted to say anything!

I'll be sad to see it go, mainly because I have so many memories of my childhood in the branch near me - which, incidently, as other people have mentioned about their branches, hasn't had any kind of makeover or update since the early 80s and is looking terribly tatty now - however it's sentimental reasons only. Better/easier deals at other places. I just hope the poor employees find jobs elsewhere.

I'll be first in the queue if there are any rumours of markdowns mind!

It's very sad that all those jobs will be lost, hope they all will be alright.
I will miss it but only from a nostalgic point of view. Can't say I ever got any great lego deals in there. I did like the fact they often had new sets before any other high street shops.
Smyths is overall a much nicer shopping experience though.
I will miss the adverts at Xmas.
They'll have to do an updated version.
' I owe Millions says Geoffrey, and can't pay it off ' ' It's called going bust, going bust, going bust!! '

I got the ghost buster fire house last year for £175 which i was very pleased with and two brick banks and a detectives office for £300 in a deal. So they did compete well for price sometimes. but the stores just seemed too big and too empty of customers.

There have been several store closings recently in the US as well. I think the one nearest me is still open for now, but it's only about 2 blocks away from a LEGO brand store, so there's never much reason to go to TRU.

The thing that irks me about TRU is that their normal LEGO prices are 10% ~ 20% above list price, so even when they have a "sale", often you're still paying above retail price. On rare occasions, I have gotten an actual bargain there, but you really need to do your homework.

In short, they wouldn't really be missed by me - if they go out of business, it might make room for a better toy retailer to serve the market.