Small Scale Military Headquarters

I was thinking back over the years and 2 TRU instances stick in my mind. I wonder if I was dreaming. Can someone confirm if I was seeing things?

1) There once was a TRU sale where 1:18 XD halftracks and tigers were brimming the clearance rack. They were some ridiculous price like $9.99 each. I am kicking myself because back then I wasn't "into" vehicles, just the figures. I think there were Shermans too if I'm not mistaken.

2) There once was a TRU sale where 1:18 XD VC and NVA figures were like a $1 a pop. They were in this huge bin and there were so many. It was just sad. I remember thinking I shouldn't buy any because they were "common" and would be around forever.

Was I the only one who witnessed these sales?

No, there were all sorts of those sales back in 2002-2003, with all the figure lineups from the originals to the paratroopers. I really missed out on the figures (not being into them so much at the time). Where I really hit the jackpot was with the playsets. I got one of the farmhouses and two each of the Haylofts, Bombed buildings, and fountains all on discount. For some I paid as little as $5 - not bad considering they originally sold for around $30

dandaman wrote:I was thinking back over the years and 2 TRU instances stick in my mind. I wonder if I was dreaming. Can someone confirm if I was seeing things?

1) There once was a TRU sale where 1:18 XD halftracks and tigers were brimming the clearance rack. They were some ridiculous price like $9.99 each. I am kicking myself because back then I wasn't "into" vehicles, just the figures. I think there were Shermans too if I'm not mistaken.

2) There once was a TRU sale where 1:18 XD VC and NVA figures were like a $1 a pop. They were in this huge bin and there were so many. It was just sad. I remember thinking I shouldn't buy any because they were "common" and would be around forever.

Was I the only one who witnessed these sales?

I remember both very well. I purchased roughly 10-12 Tigers (strictly for trade bait) during that particular sale, of which several were traded to a certain awesome e-tailer when he had some customers wanting them. I didn't really go all out when I found the Halfy's a few years later, simply picked up a couple for myself. The playsets were clearanced at the same time the figures were, so I fortunately made out pretty nicely on those, but strictly for my own use.

The first big clearance I recall "cashing in" on was when TRU clearanced the M48's, P38's, and the first issue WW2 and VN figures. I recall getting the M48's for $9.99, P38's for 19.99, and the figures were deep discounted to $0.99 ea. I actually ended up selling at least 10 M48's to customers I had overseas who at this stuff up. I also picked up during this same timeframe, a couple of the 1/6 21st Century Bradleys that were clearanced for $39.99, and I'm wishing I held on to those, but I sold off most of my modern 1/6 shortly after that.

More recently (2-3 years ago) I caught the BBi clearance at TRU where I managed to snag quite a few M1's for $4.99 (marked!) and several LAV's as well but for $5.99? lol

Patience used to pay off, but I've noticed in the past couple of years there are far more folks into collecting these, and it's harder to get the good deals unless you happen to catch it at the right moment, where as before most of the items I've listed above, literally sat on shelves collecting layer after layer of dust.

I remember when TRU did their "annual" after christmas clearance in this same time period. I could not make it over to the local TRU till that Saturday. I raced into the place and asked the first worker I saw where the had their clearanced "army" figures at. She pointed to a wall and we walked over to it. I quickly looked any of the playsets. I asked her if she had seen any "houses/playsets" and pointed to a Ultimate soldier box. She said that morning some guy had come in and bought up all they had. "AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" I cried out (in my mind) and thanked the girl. I did find some 21stC vehicles, (command cars, etc.), Fountain playsets, and maybe a figure or two.
My best deal I got after the inital "after Christmas" sale hoopla was over and the raised their clearance percentage to 90% off the original price was 2.00 bucks for the Fountain Playset. The German figure that came with Fountain playset had a removable helmet. No other 21stC's figures helmets came off. This was before any of the other later 21stC figure lines came out.
I sold several of these removable helmet Germans on Ebay and pointed out the fact that no other 21stC figure could do this. The figures more than paid for the 30+ fountain sets I had acquired.

Never saw prices like that around here. except for the figures which might have been a dollar. The original Shermans and Panther sold out before they were clearanced. I did see some S1 Mustangs and 109 on sale for about ten dollars off. I bought my M48 for $29.99 when it was originally 39.99 and bought my M41 for half off. Other then that I paid full price at TRU.

TRU had some crazy clearance sales. I got many items during those times. Most of my Nam guys (series 1) were I think the $1 or so and I also got many extra Paratroopers (US & German) then too around that price. I think the best deal was when they dropped the playsets for nothing though. I got so many of them that the wife could have killed me. I think I even remember getting a few P-38s (series 1, 2, & 3) for under $10 in most cases. I had so many of thoughs at one time. Too bad we don't have those type sales these days, but weren't most of those deal when that whole PC thing was going around at TRU and then we got nothing new from 21st Century in TRU until nowadays?
momaw nadon

Many of us remember those sales Dandaman. I spent a small fortune cleaning out one of our Toysrus stores which was closing at the time. I talked to the store Mgr. who did not want to count this inventory and he gave me a fantastic deal. I bought an entire box pallet of figures for $50.00. Price per figure came out to a wopping 17 cents each. That was probably the best deal I have ever found. I think those days are long gone though.

Mark

Rub it in Mark. Rub it in.

It would be one thing if I wasn't into collecting back then, but I was. (The figures at least.) I remember the big bin all the 21st Century figures were dumped in, at a dollar each. In hindsight, I can't understand why I didn't buy more.