Once Again We Have The UK TRU TF Glory Years!!

[Prime]

Well I popped into my local Toys R Us in Poole Dorset and they have had a huge change around. I cannot remember this much space dedicated to Transformers with the variety of Transformers toys available since 1986.

At the front of the store was ½ a low height display shelf of Transformers Animated and the later movie stuff.

Continuing into the store, just passed the computer consoles on the end of the row is a whole end of isle display of animated and the odd movie toy.

Onto the Transformers isle and it is taking up 60% of an isle next to the Star Wars toys. And what a display!!!! It was filled to overflowing and stacked neatly, almost a first for TRU. The whole range of Animated bar the wave 2 deluxes, but including the activators which look well cool, Loads of movie toys including the last of the waves deluxe (i.e. stealth BB), voyager and leaders + the usual All Spark Power (why waste a mould philosophy), 10 + Masterpiece Primes (£34.99), 10+ Ultimate Bumble Bees, Loads of the robot heroes, and smaller universe thingies.

I really cannot remember this much shelf space given to Transformers since the mid 80’s.

I am also totally addicted to Animated toys and the 3 for 2 offer is not helping curb my spending lol.

In fact Animated has got me way way way to excited. I cannot think of a Toy line ever….. that has got its “Toys” Cartoon Accurate to the level the new Animated stuff is. The fact the Cartoony look of the Cartoon is picked up so well in the toys does help, for me it works. And because of this, plus the packaging, they look great on the shelves.

It makes me miss the G1 era all over again for the sheer variety of Transformers available. Plus the new stuff is no where near as depressing as the Armada / Energon packaging etc etc was which to me looked a tad dire on display.

If Transformers keep going at this rate, perhaps they will manage what Power Rangers has in terms of the quantum of shelf space and longevity of the Toys aspect to the Product as we see the new movies every couple of years. At any rate I am savouring this moment.

I also popped into Southampton TRU today and the display although good was a bit smaller and lacklustre.

Discuss…

[HeavyAssault]

*jumps up and down and starts cheering*

I hate Tf Animated!Yeah!

Managed to do what the Power Rangers have done?Tfs has out done Power Rangers when it comes to Longevity already.Where you been?

You know what would have been cool?If they did Voltron instead of Power Rangers.

[sonny]

Nothing like that in mine. This town blows.

[Sunstreaker]

Jul 15, 2008 0:26:37 GMT sonny said:

Nothing like that in mine. This town blows.

[glow=red,2,300] If memory serves we're one of the last for re-fits Sonny. There is some stock in - just not vast numbers yet... keep your eyes peeled though! It's TRUS they work to a template...
[/glow]

[Prime]

Jul 14, 2008 22:07:08 GMT HeavyAssault said:

*jumps up and down and starts cheering*

I hate Tf Animated!Yeah!

Managed to do what the Power Rangers have done?Tfs has out done Power Rangers when it comes to Longevity already.Where you been?

You know what would have been cool?If they did Voltron instead of Power Rangers.

No not longevity of the brand, I know TFs have achieved that but I was refering to the longevity of dominating shelf space in TRU. Something Powerrangers has managed consistently for a longer period. even with Energon / Armada / Cybertron there was a lot of time where the TFs only had a smidgen of shelf space alloated to them if any at all.

[Transformers At The Moon]

Even our normal TRU has a large display again now, After the Movie it got smaller and smaller but it has increased quiet dramatically (from the photo's Moonbug showed me), though we are still a month to two months behind the majority of TRU stores.

[kinggrimlock]

Cambridge TRU has 3 full displays now, not very well laid out but we seem to have caught up with the rest of the UK. I'm a bit worried that with so many lines running concurrently, that its going to make some items harder to get ie Universe Acid Storm. My TRU is still selling Cybertron Prime and Reissues as well as Movie, Animated, Star Wars, Masterpiece and Universe. While I'm sure that every TRU will get all the figures, I think that some will be stuck with stock and replenishment will be minimal. Do we know if there are anymore Movie toys to be released?

[sonny]

Jul 15, 2008 6:09:56 GMT Sunstreaker said:

Jul 15, 2008 0:26:37 GMT sonny said:

Nothing like that in mine. This town blows.

[glow=red,2,300] If memory serves we're one of the last for re-fits Sonny. There is some stock in - just not vast numbers yet... keep your eyes peeled though! It's TRUS they work to a template...
[/glow]

Its because this place is so backwards and lame. Figures that the one TRU i live by is the last to get EVERYTHING it seems.

[WayS]

I still think the largest tru display i've ever seen at my local branch (bx) was in the wake of the 2007 movie, when the whole main display as you walk through the door was transformers. That really made me smile. Although it was taken down in a month, the tru shelf space at bx now is still pretty impresssive but nothing beats the movie display, which i assume must have been a nationwide push. Next years movie i reckon will have an even bigger display, there are very few movies that can boast a product line running for decades before the movie comes out.

[sonny]

Jul 15, 2008 13:32:46 GMT WayS said:

I still think the largest tru display i've ever seen at my local branch (bx) was in the wake of the 2007 movie, when the whole main display as you walk through the door was transformers. That really made me smile. Although it was taken down in a month, the tru shelf space at bx now is still pretty impresssive but nothing beats the movie display, which i assume must have been a nationwide push. Next years movie i reckon will have an even bigger display, there are very few movies that can boast a product line running for decades before the movie comes out.

Yep my crappy branch had that too. It was sweet! Shame it was replaced by crappy doc who stuff, that never seems to go away.

[HeavyAssault]

Jul 15, 2008 6:41:31 GMT Prime said:

Jul 14, 2008 22:07:08 GMT HeavyAssault said:

*jumps up and down and starts cheering*

I hate Tf Animated!Yeah!

Managed to do what the Power Rangers have done?Tfs has out done Power Rangers when it comes to Longevity already.Where you been?

You know what would have been cool?If they did Voltron instead of Power Rangers.

No not longevity of the brand, I know TFs have achieved that but I was refering to the longevity of dominating shelf space in TRU. Something Powerrangers has managed consistently for a longer period. even with Energon / Armada / Cybertron there was a lot of time where the TFs only had a smidgen of shelf space alloated to them if any at all.

That wouldnt be cool.Some of us need the downtime to build our bankroles back up.
If there were always Tfs/new Tfs to buy.....I couldnt do it.

[Claymore]

Dundee was quite large for the movie but aint that much more than than normal at the moment, well there wasn't on friday.

[Galvy]

it is great seeing the many tfs on the shelves.
just wish it wasnt aimed at collectors to much for the g1 stuff.

if they can sell masterpiece prime for 40 quid in tru , then omega supreme should cost about the same. but how many shops get the encore tfs? tfs should be available in all toy stores, then ill get excited about tfs on the shelf. but nice to see the displays.

[kinggrimlock]

Hardly seen a reissue or encore in the UK. In fact my TRU had Skywarp (and still has) Prowl and Red Alert. That's it. And for the prices I always think with a bit of effort you can get a good condition original release. I do wonder if the toys we buy now will have the same interest in 25 years time like G1 has?