[USA] Wal-Mart LEGO Clearance Fall 2012

[octick]

Ok, now I'm all for posts but really, VC for 45 and HD for $45? Already? There's no way Walmart is this stupid for _current_ sets.

I have seen sets clearanced within the first month of release. I saw a Friends House hit the shelf and clearanced 2 weeks later. It doesn't make sense at all. But, I assure you there is deals like this. I was at a Wally where they were reducing the prices in front of me, and there was a Lego representative checking stock at the same time. The Wally employee, Lego rep, and I were shaking our heads. 50% instantly too. Last week, I found a Fangpyre Truck Ambush set go from full price one day and 70% off the very next day.

The only problem I am facing is stuff that says is in stock but is no where to be found. Some are hidden (yes, I have found your hiding spaces) waiting to reduce further, but others have to be in the back like dilbert12 has said or checker is completely wrong. Either way, it is frustrating because I have to personally check the stores often hoping they are going to be stocked.

[tensor]

Ok, now I'm all for posts but really, VC for 45 and HD for $45? Already? There's no way Walmart is this stupid for _current_ sets.

I have seen sets clearanced within the first month of release. I saw a Friends House hit the shelf and clearanced 2 weeks later. It doesn't make sense at all. But, I assure you there is deals like this. I was at a Wally where they were reducing the prices in front of me, and there was a Lego representative checking stock at the same time. The Wally employee, Lego rep, and I were shaking our heads. 50% instantly too. Last week, I found a Fangpyre Truck Ambush set go from full price one day and 70% off the very next day.

The only problem I am facing is stuff that says is in stock but is no where to be found. Some are hidden (yes, I have found your hiding spaces) waiting to reduce further, but others have to be in the back like dilbert12 has said or checker is completely wrong. Either way, it is frustrating because I have to personally check the stores often hoping they are going to be stocked.

That may be, but again, this whole thread doesn't belong in the "hey, here's a deal" category. It belongs in "hey, here's a situation that could happen at any given point of any given day at any given store when any given store manager or employee or pricing team is stupid and does a stupid thing and the moon is blue" category.

My point is, when it comes to Walmart, there's no "deal" and there's no "sale." It's a daily crap shoot where you may or may not find something every single day of the year. I come to this site for deals, not speculation (and outright lying in some cases) on something that happens every day.

[Gooker1]

The difference it makes is that I would like to continue to get the deals as they come. Yes, I got my sets this go around, but I would like to get them next time too.

Tell you what. I'll let you in on where I got the deal. Walmart. Go to your Walmart and see if they have it. That's why I posted the information. Sorry that you feel that way about me posting here. Let me know when this is your site and I will stop.

Would you like for me to take a picture of the receipt? I'll include the one with the $10 QARs I picked up too. Let me know if you would like another "irksome" post.

Here is a reminder of the forum rules for this section:
Please read and follow the guidelines listed below when creating a new topic. It will make everyone's lives much easier. Don't forget to update your profiles with your location as well!

Your title should include

•Country, store, item, and price
•Ex: [USA] ToysRUs 20% off ALL LEGO City & Pharaoh's Quest
•Ex: [CAN] Wal-Mart 50% off Select LEGO Toy Story
Your topic should include

•Store Name
•Sale Date (If applicable)
•Website and/or Location (City and State or Province)
•Set Name(s) and/or Set Number(s)
•Sale Price(s) and/or Discount
•Quantity Remaining (if applicable)
•Special Notes (Location if not in normal toy section, additional coupons, etc.)

[Deathleech]

Again I have to agree with tensor. If these clearance deals are so random and so sporadic, why even bother having a thread devoted to them? Especially when people won't tell you which store they are at? It's completely and utterly pointless. The deals may or may not pop up at one store near you, on any given day. Only a select few people may find good clearances while the majority of others don't find anything at all if the clearances are done on a store by store basis.

I mean if I have checked 5 Wal-Marts in a 20 mile radius and the best deal I found on anything I was interested in was $15 off a set that was well over $100. Big deal, Amazon has those deals almost daily. If some guy finds some Lego set for 75% off at one Wal-Mart, and every other Wal-Mart in the area has the same sets for full MSRP, what good does that do us? Especially when they won't tell the location?

[Gooker1]

IMO, people can be greedy. They don't want to share the location with others, b/c now you've given up your honey pot and others have a chance too if they see you post a location. Some are trying to prevent trollers and scalpers from going through this thread and raiding it too.

There are rules/guidelines for this thread, and if a mod wants, they can intervene. I posted it in here, just as a friendly reminder for those who are new to the board.

[sydra]

I for one, appreciate the people that post any random deals they happen to find. It gives a very good idea on what to look out for. There have been countless times I've heard on here that some locations have had specific items, and been able to find them unmarked as clearance, but they scan at the clearance price(especially kmart). The exact store that had a good deal is completely useless information 99% of the time. Wal-Mart clearance is VERY random. Even the day after Christmas stuff, which is their most consistent, is still all over the place. Get used to it, that's just how it is.

People posting about deals they find, isn't helping themselves out in any way. They are just helping others(or bragging, or whatever their motivation) Technically, the fewer people that know about clearance going on, the better it is for the poster. I post any deals I come across, and twice already I've been called a liar. It's just silliness. I guess there are plenty of people here that would prefer people to just not bother helping if there's no picture of your receipt with store address highlighted, and a signed affidavit from the store manager that it's not a fake.

[Palisade22]

Just to add more fuel to the fire for all the people that don't believe certain sets are being discounted, I picked up a 9500 Sith Fury Interceptor for $40, and a 6860 Batcave for $30 a few weeks ago at one of my local walmarts. It was/is the only one of the 30 Walmarts near me to discount them. I don't know why they did this, but they did. So I think it's very plausible that some other walmart in some other part of the country discounted the Vampyre Castle to $45.

[bea]

Walmarts do have some crazy clearance prices from time to time if you're very lucky to find them. But there's a "Steal of A Deal" thread which I think is better suited to posts of that type.

One thing I've been told is that if the price ends in .00, it is a "local" clearance and hence much more ymmv, whereas if the price ends in .97, it is system wide.

[jefflord]

I have a couple of thoughts about sharing information after one of us visits a store and shops for Lego.

NO GOOD DEALS. I believe it might be really helpful to the other Lego enthusiasts on this board to share information about SPECIFIC STORES when you've been to one that does not have any good deals. Though we all know that the inventory and clearance situation at the major discount stores can change fast, that can still be great timesaving information. And I think you really have to strain to come up with an argument against sharing the specific name and location of the relevant store.

A FEW GOOD DEALS. What do you do if there are just a few discounted sets available in a big, messy clearance section of a chain store? Personally, I identify the specific store, try to describe the size of the discount and name whatever sets I can remember that were still at the store when I left. For people here who don't want to identify the specific store they were at, how about saying something like "one of the major discount chains in xxx county" or "north of xxxx city" or "in the xxxx suburbs?"

LOTS OF GOOD DEALS. This is where my view may depart the most from some others. When a store has lots of sets on clearance (or some type of sale distinctive to that location), I think we have an obligation to share that news with others here. Does it mean someone who is particularly greedy might get wind of it? Yes, that will happen sometimes, and it will be frustrating when it does. But what will happen ALMOST EVERY TIME is that several folks here (who love Lego as much as you) will - thanks to your generosity - get some of those discounted sets, and like you, will have been able build their collection in about the most economical way possible.

Sometimes we worry so much about the bad we forget about the good. OK, I'm getting off my soapbox now. Comments on my suggestions are welcome (of course, they will come whether I welcome them or not!)

[just2good]

"Reports are coming in"

Can we please not have such speculative (or should I write, unsubstantiated) deals appear on the homepage?

Yea, these front page posts get me excited over nothing. Nothing at my Walmart.

[cocoman]

I went to couple walmarts near my home and i just found only one item was clearance at one store, heroica:fortan game. it was $17. and date on the clearnace sticker was 9/14/12.

Now, I understand that I have to go to the every single store to find deal everyday!!!!

SO i gave up...

[manddarran]

Awwww Come on gang, half the fun is trying to find the good deals!

[octick]

The biggest benefit I see regarding clearance threads like this is if a store (Walmart and Target) is going to do a clearance, normally it is consistent (there are exceptions) across stores on which sets are being clearanced, if at all. Keep in mind each store is still YMMV, but it allows for people to keep an eye out and maybe scan those items. As we know, Wal-marts and Targets don't always move or label their items clearanced.

Since it is a YMMV, maybe it should be in the header. I mean the honest truth is for Target and Wal-mart clearance it is always YMMV. Each store can do whatever they want for the most part, so any "clearance" threads should either have a YMMV or an inherit understanding that no 2 stores are alike.

I have always attempted to help others when there is sets remaining at a particular location, but I have also been advised on the forums from doing so to prevent scaplers. And if people are being labeled liars for posting their finds, I don't see why anyone would attempt to help. As I must be a liar as I have witnessed in person and on app, "The Mine" for $45, "Vampire Castle" for $45, "Ghost Train" for $40, "Fangpyre Truck" for $15, "Hulk Building Set" for $3. I saw the board games go for 70% off at Wal-marts and Targets.

Moderator should close this thread if there is no reason to share stories on specific stores in a consolidate per store thread.

[brickster90]

Question: Are these sets marked down with clearance tags, or do you have to use the price scanner most of the time?

[LegoLee]

Hate being called a liar. I was at the Auburn store, AL for the 5 Helms Deep sets i grabbed. Shelf price was $89. The only reason i scanned it was because others had mentioned getting them for less. It scanned at $45. There were quite a few Star Wars sets at 30-50% off, Maters for $14.50 and a few AC sets for 50-75% off. The next store down the road (less than 5 minutes away) still had Helms Deep at $114.97 and no other clearance. At the time of posting there were still quite a few clearance sets at the Auburn store (the 1717 College st one). Don't believe I got 5 Helms Deep...why wouldnt I? They go for at least double that on Ebay or I can use them as parts for my castle builds. Was just trying to give others a heads up as to what sets were left on the shelf. If you get that jealous about other peoples finds get out and do the legwork yourself. If you want to be double sure you don't miss that bargain, always, always, always, scan your sets. I have found multiple sets on many occassions sat there on the shelf at original or slightly marked down price, only to find them in the walmart system for a fraction of the price. Best find...maybe the new box of Ninjago Ice Dragons at one walmart for $7 each when they currently sell on Ebay for $80-90 each...and yes I did buy the entire case again. In my opinion you get out of it what you put into it.

[tjjohn12]

Question: Are these sets marked down with clearance tags, or do you have to use the price scanner most of the time?

I've been finding some stores are using shelf tags only, some are using clearance tags. Even with Clearance tags, the prices are often lower than marked. Using the in-store scanners or the Walmart App helps to weed out these discrepancies.

About a month back, when I found the random Podracers sets for $17 they were still marked on shelf tags and on the box as over $60. Scanning is the name of this game.

[intromission]

Can anyone tell me if there is any love for the Android users out there re: the APP of gold.

Seems like an unfair advantage for the apple folks. ;)

As far as the clearance debate. There is absolutely NO rhyme or reason to these clearances people.

I think the only time you get those across the board clearances is right after Christmas, and even then the waves occur with different timing across the country. At least it seemed that way for the second wave.

I have come across sets people mention randomly but never quite at the high discount people post. I try to keep my eye on them, but I can't live inside Walmart. I've scored the whole Marvel line for 50% off in the first month they were out. It was a complete fluke and perfect timing. There is no pattern here.


P.S. Enjoy the hunt. It's really about 85% luck, although it seems this new app may be a game changer in the wasted time department, which is why I'm eager to learn more or invest in an Ipad if the android system is left out.

[Fenix Starr]

Anyone found anything at the wal-marts in Utah?

[scandell]

I am a talented, avid, experience Lego clearance hunter. And I find great value in threads like these. If you don't like reading this kind of stuff...then do not frequent the thread! geesh.

I will say that Walmart clearances are really quite store specific compared to Target...who seems to clearance Lego at specific times of year...and they are relatively consistent from store to store...except when they are not.

So when I hear about a Walmart find....I think "good for you!"...when I hear about a Target find....I usually put on my coat and hop in my car.

[manddarran]

So when I hear about a Walmart find....I think "good for you!"...when I hear about a Target find....I usually put on my coat and hop in my car.

DITTO