Anyone's kid send an email from Walmart Toyland.com?

HouseMouseGames · #1 October 5th, 2006, 01:35 PM

This morning on CNBC, I heard about the new Walmart Toyland.com website that specifically targets kids. If you haven't heard about this, kids are encouraged to pick their own toys then send an email to parents, (grandparents, aunts, uncles, whatever) with their Xmas wish list.

Has anyone's kid actually done this? What was your reaction when you received this email?

In a similar vein, if there was any doubt that Walmart sells toys at a loss to get you into their stores, here are some quotes from the Washington Post about Walmart's preditory practices:

"(Selling toys at a loss), toy analysts say, is what happened last Christmas. At Wal-Mart, the season's hottest toy, Hokey Pokey Elmo, sold for $19.46. KB Toys paid $24 for the same toy, and charged $24.99. At the time, KB Toy spokesman, John Reilly, said such pricing amounted to "giving away toys."

"Wal-Mart also commands deep discounts from toy manufacturers because it orders such large quantities of toys. "I have a price sheet for Wal-Mart and a price sheet for everyone else," said the same toy executive."

"(Small retailers) can't compete on price but they can compete on the overall shopping experience," he said. "The Wal-Mart shopping experience is not so good. If you go to one of these Wal-Mart Supercenters, the store is a zoo. It is not fun shopping at a zoo."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...04May30_2.html

If I recall correctly, someone on this site also refers to Walmart as a "zoo".

Just a final thought: Walmart wants to get you into their stores. Stocking so few of a popular item and constantly being out of stock of the items you're looking for, they are achieving their objective.

Kepler · #2 October 5th, 2006, 01:46 PM

I haven't heard of this Toyland.com thing, but I wouldn't let me kids use a computer unsupervised so it is not a big deal to me.

I have also read that Wal-Mart lsoes money on toy sales. I thought that was public knowledge. Does Wal-Mart deny it? I like that they do it.

If they are making a loss on toys then they are losing money to me since that is all I typically buy there. I like using companies' marketing ploys against them. If they are selling X (such as HS) at a loss and I go to Wal-Mart to get X and they are out of X, then I buy nothing.

Rajaat the Warbringer · #3 October 5th, 2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kepler

I like using companies' marketing ploys against them. If they are selling X (such as HS) at a loss and I go to Wal-Mart to get X and they are out of X, then I buy nothing.

That's me too. I hate going into walmart... you almost swear that the smell follows you home.

Finrod · #4 October 5th, 2006, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HouseMouseGames

"(Small retailers) can't compete on price but they can compete on the overall shopping experience," he said. "The Wal-Mart shopping experience is not so good. If you go to one of these Wal-Mart Supercenters, the store is a zoo. It is not fun shopping at a zoo."

Man, I don't know. Last time I was in that HouseMouseGames place, it wasn't exactly a zoo... but all those mice running around stabbing at your ankles with their tiny little swords wasn't much better...

caravaggio · #5 October 5th, 2006, 02:32 PM

yeah, but where else can you buy legos at 4 in the morning?

~~K/H_Addict~~ · #6 October 5th, 2006, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caravaggio

yeah, but where else can you buy legos at 4 in the morning?

Ebay, duh!

HouseMouseGames · #7 October 5th, 2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finrod

Quote:

Originally Posted by HouseMouseGames

"(Small retailers) can't compete on price but they can compete on the overall shopping experience," he said. "The Wal-Mart shopping experience is not so good. If you go to one of these Wal-Mart Supercenters, the store is a zoo. It is not fun shopping at a zoo."

Man, I don't know. Last time I was in that HouseMouseGames place, it wasn't exactly a zoo... but all those mice running around stabbing at your ankles with their tiny little swords wasn't much better...

Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. I'll address it at our next weekly management/mouse meeting. (But I have to "tread lightly" because I don't want to upset the mice's union steward...which, of course, would never be a concern at Walmart.)

Eclipse · #8 October 5th, 2006, 02:44 PM

Clarify:

Where else can you buy legos at 4 in the morning that you can have built by 5?

HouseMouseGames · #9 October 5th, 2006, 02:53 PM

Just something else that struck me funny:

Jim Cramer (Mad Money, CNBC) just compared Walmart's stores to GUM, the Soviet Universal store ...except that the Soviet greeters are dressed better.

In all fairness, GUM is now a private upscale store and has become a tourist attraction. The reference should be to the GUM of 1953 when it was owned by the state, one of the few stores that didn't experience shortages, and had LONG, LONG lines at checkout.

happyjosiah · #10 October 5th, 2006, 05:44 PM

It's a strategy, and a mighty good one I'd say. But yes, I also hate the experience at Walmart. It is nice that they are open 24 hours (you would be surprised how a college student sometimes needs a shopping trip at 1am), but wow, it is awful. The one by my college is the best one I have been to and that is probably because I am usually there when no one else is. Lines take 3x as long as anywhere else, absolutely zero service, low quality merch, dirty, disorganized, and generally, well, a zoo. But wow, is it cheap. As far as heroscape though, they are priced same as the official site (MSRP) except for small boosters. Even so, those go for 9.99. With the Fall25 code, the official site's were cheaper than that, and Sandra, you had snipers and vipers packs for 8.99 a while ago. Were you taking a loss on that? If so, you were using the same technique. If not, Walmart isn't undercutting heroscape to lower than their cost (as their costs are surely lower than yours), so this technique may not affect you directly. Plus, you have a great many supporters and exclusive buyers here, and your service outshines pretty much anyone from what I can see. Incidentally, Walmart isn't the only company doing this. Microsoft loses money on every XBox sold, and makes it up in game sales. You have a lot to offer, but you cannot compete in price. Such is life. Even large companies scarcely can compete with walmart. Keep doing what differentiates you in this market, since you do it best.

markwars · #11 October 5th, 2006, 05:55 PM

They opened a super Target in my town this week. I predict that I will never go to my local Walmart again.

Sundance · #12 October 5th, 2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyjosiah

Microsoft loses money on every XBox sold, and makes it up in game sales.

Slightly off-topic... Every game company loses money on there console. There always sold at cost or lower. You only make money w/ the games. Thats why the systems cost the same at every game store. You only make money when you buy the system and sit on it for 10 years and try to resell it on Ebay. <-- Long term investment, mind you..lol.