USA 2012 Pirate Sets at TRU

[gloobey]

The new (to the US) pirate sets due out in August are at TRU right now. It's nice to see the sets early, but very upsetting to NOT see them at any other shops. Does anyone else see this as a bad thing? Or is it good to see Playmobil become more available in big box land, but nowhere else?

[bonniebeth]

I'm happy we can get them, but at the same time, it is difficult for owners of small toy shops. I was speaking with a local shop owner who was saying that a lot of those small shops are part of a sort of alliance, and all the small shops in the south, where playmobil isn't quite as popular yet, are not ordering playmobil this year, for this among other reasons. Also, the fact that playmobil brings out US exclusives to be sold at TRU and/or Target, but the small stores can't get them. For example, she couldn't sell all the school set she ordered, because people would go into TRU and see what they thought was the exact same set for MUCH cheaper. It really makes it hard on the small stores, and playmobil has lost a lot of retailers due to this.

[Rasputin]

I think Geobra wants to see all their retailers go under, even TRU. Geobra can then sell them on their own web site for 100% retail and not 50% wholesale.  Business is cruel 

[Elric]

Its good for us consumers but bad for small business. By the time my local shop gets some of these sets, I have already bought them and don't need anymore.

[Luis]

yeah, bussiness is cruel

[Robbie]

Yes, well Playmobil has never really cared about the small independent stores in the USA. Nobody would know about Playmobil..(well most people STILL don't know about PM) if it weren't for the the small stores that carried them in the 80's and 90's well before the days of TRU and Target. Sadly most of the stores are ancient history. 

[bonniebeth]

Or they haven't carried playmobil for the last fifteen years. I have so many pleasant memories going to a little small toy store and playing with Fort Bravo which was set up there. But then a Toys R US was built right next door to it, and everything changed. That store now mostly sells baby furniture, collectors dolls, like Madame Alexanders, and bicycles. They somehow hung on all these years, though, and now TRU has moved across town, and this small store is still there. Robbie, you may know the store, Cullen's Toyland/Babyland in Baton Rouge? I believe there is one in Lafayette, too. That was our only playmobil source when I was a kid.

[Robbie]

Bonnie, I've stopped by those stores before, but the Playmobil was long gone by that point in time (5 years ago or so). Victoria's Toy Station in BR only had one lonely Supermarket 3200 by that time also. Do you go shopping for Playmobil in New Orleans? Some of the stores there once had HUGE selections of PM but they've scaled back big time.

[bonniebeth]

You know, I only recently discovered Victoria's, and when I went, I had a very nice conversation with the ladies running the place, who love playmobil themselves, and buy it for their own children. They had up on the top shelf the wedding carriage, at half off, which I snatched up. They are actually considering stocking playmo again, as they miss it. The only small store around here that still has it that I know of is Santa's Toy Emporium, and they just have leftover stock. THey are the ones who told me what I said above about small toy stores.

I never have gone to New Orleans to shop playmo, but I really should. Celeste and reimagination probably know where they have supplies. I ought to do that one of these days.

[Robbie]

Le Jouet in New Orleans once had an isle of all Playmobil but it was very slim the last time I visited. I scored some Expansion Floors 7411 (the kind that came in pink boxes) a few years ago and check back periodically to see if they've found anything in the back room. Playville, Inc. in Covington and Mandeville has an okay selection but nothing spectacular. I once found a Monk 3631 that was found in the stockroom but aside from that I haven't scrored much here.