Kmart online clearance!

[intromission]

@atmail35: There were more POTC Isla and Mill sets at the Assembly Sq. Somerville Kmart. The thing is they were in the wrong aisle. Check the end of the aisle one over from the LEGO in the direction of Electronics, towards the bottom.

[vynsane]

Never got a chance to pop back in here yesterday after picking up my items, but my experience was fine - everything I had ordered was available within a few hours. Wish I had seen a QAR for $30!!! But I'm happy with what I got. I can't believe other people are having issues with the availability of items, that sucks!

This was the Vails Gate, NY Kmart. Everything I had ordered online was still full-price on the shelves. I asked the girl running the layaway/online pickup counter what the business model was here, if they website division would resupply them with the same items from their warehouse, but she didn't know. It seems like a really odd way to run it, really, if they don't. The store takes the hit for the website wanting to clear house.

When I got to the store there was a guy taking down the "Additional 50% Off Clearance Toys" sign, so perhaps I missed some other great deals.

[intromission]

The manager who helped me out in tracking down the missing set commented that by the way the online portion functions, "it's almost like they were trying to close down the stores."

Never got a chance to pop back in here yesterday after picking up my items, but my experience was fine - everything I had ordered was available within a few hours. Wish I had seen a QAR for $30!!! But I'm happy with what I got. I can't believe other people are having issues with the availability of items, that sucks!

This was the Vails Gate, NY Kmart. Everything I had ordered online was still full-price on the shelves. I asked the girl running the layaway/online pickup counter what the business model was here, if they website division would resupply them with the same items from their warehouse, but she didn't know. It seems like a really odd way to run it, really, if they don't. The store takes the hit for the website wanting to clear house.

When I got to the store there was a guy taking down the "Additional 50% Off Clearance Toys" sign, so perhaps I missed some other great deals.

[pumbaugh]

I think some people are over reacting when a store has items on the shelf but shows out of stock online. TRU may have the items on the shelf but say out of stock for store pick up in my area also. What if a customer is walking around the store with 1 or 2? They prob leave a cushion and only x% of the actual inventory is available for online/store pickup. Would be better than having to constantly tell online customers there orders were not fulfilled.

[sadowsk1]

I think some people are over reacting when a store has items on the shelf but shows out of stock online. TRU may have the items on the shelf but say out of stock for store pick up in my area also. What if a customer is walking around the store with 1 or 2? They prob leave a cushion and only x% of the actual inventory is available for online/store pickup. Would be better than having to constantly tell online customers there orders were not fulfilled.

That's a very good point to make. It's frustrating to see in your face when you are in the store, but it makes sense.

[Gooker1]

That is exactly what is happening. My local KMart had 2 left of the Bounty Hunter's Gunship, but it said it wasn't available at the store. The toy dept manager had to change the physical on hands from 2 to 6 to allow me to place an order. It took about 30 mins for this to happen, but the online site only reads it if there is more than two of an item.

Thanks again to this site for another great deal!!

[goshe7]

Great deal... Is this a usual Kmart clearance time? I thought the past couple of years the Toy clearance has been around the 4th of July.

I experienced the usual hassles described above; out of stock online for some things, some stock on shelves, some things only clearance priced if you bought online. Overall I'm out about $220, but very happy with the haul!

Here's the deals I stacked (as best I could) to minimize my investment:
- Kmart LEGO Clearance
- $5 off $50 coupon
- 5.74% rebate toward tuition through a school giftcard fundraiser program
- 5% rebate towards 529 savings plan through Upromise

Only thing I think I missed was getting the rewards from a credit card funding the gift card. But unfortunately the program doesn't accept credit card payment.

[mom2twinz]

The local Big K in Dickinson, ND had a H.P. Hogwarts 4842 (the big one) on sale for $95 - so it rang up for $47.50 - already had one, but just bought it cause it was such a smokin' deal! Also picked up 2 Alien Motherships for $22.50 each, and 2 Ninjago Skull Trucks also for $22.50 each. They also had some small POTC sets on sale. All this stuff was in a special CLEARANCE aisle and not in the regular lego aisle.

[zaskar]

If you find POTC clearance in store there's a couple of other deals you should be aware of. In a couple of stores I found a postcard size flyer for $5 off of a $30 purchase for reward members. You should also get a $5 gift card good next week if you spend $50 on toys.

[MakoSlade]

Well, I placed two pickup orders at two different stores and both went through perfect. Both stores had all sale items on the shelf, but for some reason online I could only get SW at one place and the rest at the other. Still, each K-Mart is less than 10 miles from my house so no damage done.

The prices in the stores were full price, and they were loaded with this stuff. And the Linden, NJ store had PotC for those ridiculous prices, Canibal Escape, Isle de la Muerta and Captain's Cabin. I picked up six sets total, none left. Cool find there.

Also, the Staten Island store said I could buy the item full price and return with a print out of the website and they will do a price match. I really doubt that will work, so I didn't want to spend the time trying. Still, it might be worth a try.

[Legobrandon]

Any TNB members try printing out an image of the website with the prices and try and get the store to price match? Please let us know how it went. I might consider trying this.

[jal4u2c]

Well i was able to order a Mothership, 2 Alien Jet-Copters, a City Marina, and a single V-Wing Starfighter and pick up at my local store. Obviously managers are not understanding the premise of these clearance sales. If it was meant to sell off some kind of warehouse inventory then most of this stuff would have been shippable. Since most, if not all, was subject to what a particular store had, it was a sale intended to get rid of that stock to make room for new. When i got to my Kmart they still had a Geonosian Fighter and Bounty Hunter Gunship so i proceeded to ask about the online sale and that i was there to pick up my other orders. He scanned the two ships and they came up full price. My wife has a much sweeter disposition than i do when it comes to businesses honoring their own sales. So since i started to get a little upset with him i left my wife there to see what she could do while i went to the back to pick up my order. Apparently, she has the magic touch because when i got up to the counter with the stuff i had already paid for, she said i needed to go ahead and pay for these as well. He had the clerk override the system and give me the sets at the clearance price. My wife mentioned that at least the sets were sold now and it made room for new stock on the shelf to which the manager chuckled and agreed. My recommendation: take a woman with you when you go to the store and let her schmooze them to get the clearance price. If she had not been there, i know for a fact he wouldn't have dropped the price for me. Now i'm still on the lookout for a clearance priced Black Pearl and Queen Anne's Revenge. Being in the south, there isn't as many Kmarts anymore. I checked Franklin, SHelbyville, Tullahoma in TN, and Huntsville, AL. None had any Pirates ships at all.

[tommy20]

Anyone TNB members try printing out an image of the website with the prices and try and get the store to price match? Please let us know how it went. I might consider trying this.

I did. We were looking for the HP Quidditch & HF Witch Doctor. Both were on deep discount online, for store purchhase only, but my local store listed both out of stock. I printed out the screen for the Quidditch set, and went to the store. They had quite a few of both sets, so I took one each to the service desk and explained to the manager that i would have bought them online if I could. He did an override on the spot. Handled it very professionally.

[dho7622u]

I did. We were looking for the HP Quidditch & HF Witch Doctor. Both were on deep discount online, for store purchhase only, but my local store listed both out of stock. I printed out the screen for the Quidditch set, and went to the store. They had quite a few of both sets, so I took one each to the service desk and explained to the manager that i would have bought them online if I could. He did an override on the spot. Handled it very professionally.

Similar with me. Actually I had two very different (though good experiences). The first one I went to had my order all set for me at 8:00 am. I went back to see what else they had and everything was ringing up as full price (friend set, Potc, even!) so after I grabbed my stuff from my online order, I asked if I could get the same price on the Friends set on the shelf. They were incredibly nice but said no. OK, no biggie.

The I went to the second kmart to pick up my other order. Same sort of thing...One of each HP set on the shelves (sadly....not the big Hogwarts). So when the giuy cam up to bring me my stuff, I went over to the online kiosk and said that I noticed the sets on the shelf and would have ordered them if I could. He was VERY nice and said, "Sure. We will just override the price." Really cool of him to do that.

So, I got to return one item to WM since I got the smaller Hogwarts, which was nice.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the service for folks. Yeah, things sell out and inventories are off, but we all still got 75% off stuff- can't get too bummed about that.

david

[dho7622u]

Oh, and a big thanks to pumbaugh and T'N'B for passing on the info. Really made my weekend, folks!

david

[Legobrandon]

Guess I'll have to try it. Thanks for your input.

[marcusloignon]

A cushion is exactly what the lady told me today when I asked to purchase the remaining two sets at the online price. Their inventory was correct, two sets left on the shelf, but you can't purchase them online. I also could not get them at the online price. Manager said NO!

I think some people are over reacting when a store has items on the shelf but shows out of stock online. TRU may have the items on the shelf but say out of stock for store pick up in my area also. What if a customer is walking around the store with 1 or 2? They prob leave a cushion and only x% of the actual inventory is available for online/store pickup. Would be better than having to constantly tell online customers there orders were not fulfilled.

That's a very good point to make. It's frustrating to see in your face when you are in the store, but it makes sense.

[zdog89]

so after almost three months of no lego shopping this sale made me cave.
I scored 2 cannibal escape 11 each , 1 mill 18 i think, 3 fountain of youth 7.50,
I also got them to price match the harbor from 49.99 to 18.50
so with that after one more store tomorrow I will be going on another lego buying hiatus. I would of liked to find some isla de murta sets but i guess i cant complain. gotta love kmarts ridiculous sales

[slacker]

Big props to pumbaugh for posting this. I had the same problem as everyone else. Iwas able to plead my case to the store manager and he was able to override the system. My store also had potc sets for. 50% off. Pick up fountain of youth

[sadowsk1]

Nice find! Thanks for sharing!