TRU rewards r us?!?!?!

[atmail35]

I ended up getting Olivia's Tree House for $4.99 after using my $10 and $3 rewards. Of course this means they will have some sort of sale before the end of the redemption period, that always happens to me.

[ncbarrett]

I ended up getting Olivia's Tree House for $4.99 after using my $10 and $3 rewards. Of course this means they will have some sort of sale before the end of the redemption period, that always happens to me.

it doesn't matter, you get to enjoy the set either way.

[Zeya]

My girlfriend found out about the Friends theme and lost her mind. She had to have them! She isn't normally into Lego. A funny quote: "These look way better than the ones you buy, where it's just like one dude stabbing another dude underwater." That made me laugh. (I only got like one Atlantis set anyway, lol.)

We got two sets with Olivia. One is the treehouse, and the other is her little science lab/classroom. The treehouse set is really nice actually. It's got a lot of nice little bits that can go on flower stems. The cat is cute. I'm going to buy her some more Friends, hopefully before the big bad giraffe jacks up the price.

[Neo]

The TRU rewards expire very fast. Locally, my TRU stores are picked over and the
shelves are almost empty wrt to Legos. I saw one or two new sets but there's
really not that much, e.g. I saw some *friends* legos kits, you can get with the
TRU rewards dollars. oh well... They've also jacked up the prices on most
of the legos by 20% to 30% to limit sales (so they don't have to restock the shelves).
my guess is that TRU doesn't have the cash flow now to get more merchandise or
they want to keep their inventory down for the audit/taxman...

[toyz4me]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

[dhaas06]

These look way better than the ones you buy, where it's just like one dude stabbing another dude underwater.

That's classic!

[ncbarrett]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

Because they know you'll buy the "good stuff" later either way.

[atmail35]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

Because they know you'll buy the "good stuff" later either way.

I am convinced that the reason TRU gives 10% rewards on holiday purchases is because they know that when they issue those rewards, the store is 1/2 empty and you end up not using it or just getting something you don't want/need.

[Zeya]

I am convinced that the reason TRU gives 10% rewards on holiday purchases is because they know that when they issue those rewards, the store is 1/2 empty and you end up not using it or just getting something you don't want/need.

What, you don't want to buy the Prince of Persia ostrich race set at over MSRP? Well then you can buy a Ninjago spinner booster pack, whatever the heck that is.

[toyz4me]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

Because they know you'll buy the "good stuff" later either way.

So sadly true ...Darn them to heck!!

[toyz4me]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

Because they know you'll buy the "good stuff" later either way.

I am convinced that the reason TRU gives 10% rewards on holiday purchases is because they know that when they issue those rewards, the store is 1/2 empty and you end up not using it or just getting something you don't want/need.

We are SOOO on the same page!!

[Neo]

The TRU's around here have close to nothing on the Lego shelves. There is a full Lego Friends promo stand on the floor. Charging $11.49 for the regularly $9.99 ones. Half of the TRU bucks I got expire in 12 days, so really not much choices right now. Gotta hope for the restock in the next week or so.

Why couldn't TRU wait to issue these when there's actually something I want in stock? Oh well...

Because they know you'll buy the "good stuff" later either way.

I am convinced that the reason TRU gives 10% rewards on holiday purchases is because they know that when they issue those rewards, the store is 1/2 empty and you end up not using it or just getting something you don't want/need.

We are SOOO on the same page!!

I agree. TRU's CEO is hoping that he can get people to clear the shelves
of the leftover toys nobody bought during christmas so that by the end of
the month he can lower TRU inventory that he's taxed on.

Most of the legos on the shelves appear to be leftover stock. Not only
are the few legos on the shelves have their prices inflated by 20% or
more, but many of the lego kits on the TRU shelves here are either
open or damaged or outdated kits ( I saw a very damaged indiania
jones temple of doom kit for $100). Also the TRU reward dollars
expire quickly - I got $25 that expire next week and $25 that expire by
the end of this month and $10 that expired in Feburary. My guess is
that Lego was probably contractually was required TRU to buy a minimum
number of the new Lego Friends and new Ninjago sets - so TRU did
the minumum it had to fullfill to hold on to its retail -distribution
agreement with Lego. The TRU rewards program isn't worth
that much.

What did I get with my $25 that expired next week (1/13/12)?
I used it to get a $25 discount on the Lego *Builders of
Tomorrow* #6177 set ( 650 pieces @ 39.99-25.00 = 14.99).

[PTSandman]

So I just got my $50 in rewards, but it's all $5 coupons. Some for first half of the month, others for the rest.

Is there any way to stack them, or it is 1x $5 off coupon, per checkout? If so, it's useless, since the normal lego deals override the savings.

[Venvoi]

So I just got my $50 in rewards, but it's all $5 coupons. Some for first half of the month, others for the rest.

Is there any way to stack them, or it is 1x $5 off coupon, per checkout? If so, it's useless, since the normal lego deals override the savings.

You should be able to combine all of the ones that're for the same period. Yesterday I used my $6 and $5 coupons that expire the 13th to get the Snappa spinner for $2 (of course, TRU had it marked up to $13 ).

[PTSandman]

So it has to be instore then.

I wish I could use them and stack them with the $10 on $50 and get a Fire Brigade for $90.

[meyerc13]

I earned $50 in rewards, but it was distributed in two chunks of $25. I spent mine before the $10 on $50 deal, but usually rewards dollars stack with sales like that. However, you aren't likely to find Fire Brigade in a store, and since you are only likely to be able to use half your rewards before Friday, and the other half starting Saturday, I don't think the deal will work the way you want it to.

[SpaceViking]

Just to pile on ... TRU Rewards are awful.

I hate that they expire, and have a limited window of use.

I hate that each $10/$5/$3 'coupon' can only be used on one item online.

I hate that if they get scanned, they are 'redeemed' even if none of the value is actually applied to the purchase.

Two times this month, I've made a trip to a brick-and-mortar store to use Rewards bucks, and have been disappointed/angry both times.

Today I tried to stack them with the LEGO Friends deal and came up with the short end of the stick.

My lesson(s) learned when using these is:
* use them in-store
* separate out the purchases, and dedicate a single item to rewards bucks.
* don't bother trying to stack these with minimum purchase deals

There. Now I feel better. [rant done]

Update: One more...
* If you decide to cancel a purchase made with Rewards bucks, in order to start over / try again, ask for a manager to come to the register and void the transaction. [Remember? The coupon is 'redeemed' even if the value wasn't applied] The cashier will try to send you over to customer service. But that will take lots of time just to reach the conclusion that the manager will need to go to the register to void the transaction.

2nd update:
I'm really starting to hate TRU. Aside from the BOGO50 deals, they offer a horrible experience.

[markerpk]

Pretty much agree with all of the above. I would also add that I think TRU is not doing very well. I think they are facing very stiff competition from other retailers and they are trying to make up for their losses with deceptive pricing. The more stuff that Walmart and Target carry, the more money stores like TRU that focus on one type of inventory lose.

[cowbug]

I had a $5 expiring today, got an anakins pod racer poly for free. My TRU had most of the 2012 SW sets but marked up to the point I didn't think it was worth it

[pdaaat]

At least those in the US gets rewards. Canada gets zilch - except 25% higher Lego prices.