[USA] Wal-Mart Clearance

[ironman617]

any walmarts or targets in massachusetts selling lego on sale? i went to two walmarts yday and nothing was on sale.

[ironman617]

i even saw the republic frigate and was getting ready to drop 80$ on it but it was at full price 119.99

[intromission]

Haven't seen anything worth mentioning and I've been to maybe 6 Walmarts around MA and NH. It's either hitting us later or it already happened. I got a lot of the sets mentioned after Christmas at 50% off. Last good deal I got was a Falcon and a Frigate, both $50, around June. Kind of a fluke because I haven't seen a Falcon clearanced anywhere. Returned the Frigate because someone had swapped figs.

Still looking of course, but I get tired of the driving and the letdowns. Until I hear something is definitely nationwide I'm taking a break.

[Little3piggies]

I did a quick walmart app search in MA, looks like the store in Lynn MA has the friends, star wars, and some city sets on clearance now. And they've got the MF for $50 (limited availability, which means "who knows").

[sadowsk1]

Concurr with taking any discount you can, locally I rarely see Legos around at the 50% drop point. And if I do it's cars :p or ninjago :p. !

I hear that. Get some while there is still some available. If you happen to find some at a cheaper price later hooray for you. Return the stuff you originally bought at a higher price.

[bobl]

For those in northern MA and southern NH, the Concord NH Walmart is one that has many sets at 30% off. There are no more Helm's Deep or Falcons, but as of Friday they had most of the others that have been mentioned. If you are going to take a ride up there, call first. Everything is still in the main Lego aisle, and most of the employees have no clue they are clearanced until they check the prices. And if you are coming from south, stop in at the Hooksett store. They have some clearance, just not as much as Concord.

[kwkw]

Just got back from the Santa Ana, CA walmart they had stacks of 30% off Falcons, Frigates, Podracers, X-Wings, Tie Fighters, Helms Deep, Weathertop, Dino T-Rex, and Dino Triceratops. I picked up the last Dino HQ and the last Mines of Moria, everything else had between 5 and 10 sets of each, so go grab them now before they're gone. Btw the Orange, CA walmart had nothing left on their shelves even though they had clearance prices of 30-50% (from the walmart iphone app). I tried the return/repurchase thing but they didn't let me so that's a bummer but I still got everything I wanted for 30% off so I'm :). I'm gonna go check the 2 Corona, CA and maybe the Riverside, CA walmarts and I'll report back later.

[eldudearino69]

Went to a small small small wal-mart in Erwin, TN... Had fun.

Ninjago Truck $35
Ninjago Ship $54
City bike transport $13
City camper transport $13
City big helicopter $35
City space rover $3.50
City shuttle transport $13
All dinos 30% off
Batman twoface chase $35 (had 7 bought 1)
And the granddaddy imo
Star Wars Tie Fighter $35 :D (had 3 got all 3)

[Athos]

Fernley, Nevada Walmart had the three biggest LOTR sets on clearance. All of the Dino sets were also 30% off. They also had the Alien Abduction set for $7.50, which I'm still kicking myself for not cleaning them out of those sets (I just didn't have room in the car). Also had some creator sets (the yellow car, orange bike and lighthouse). And a bunch of Star Wars sets.

Most of the $20+ superhero sets too. All Friends too.

Steve

[ironman617]

I did a quick walmart app search in MA, looks like the store in Lynn MA has the friends, star wars, and some city sets on clearance now. And they've got the MF for $50 (limited availability, which means "who knows").

anything else besides MF?

[sterlingice]

Was at the WalMart at 288 and Broadway in Pearland and they had marked off a ton, even some new stuff.

They still had the following large sets on clearance for 30% off
*Helms Deep
*Quinjet Aerial Battle
*the big Pod Racing one
*the rocket launchpad city one
*Black Pearl marked clearance but didn't see any in stock (what I really wanted)

A lot of Cars, smaller PotC, quite a few Star Wars, Alien Conquest

But they seem to be arbitrary:
*Helms Deep clearanced but not Moria or any of the other LotR
*Loki's Cube Escape on clearance (out of stock) but not any of the others from that time like Captain America's cycle, the one with Wolverine, etc
*But some older stuff not on clearance (Atlantis, Series 1 Star Wars planets, Harry Potter, etc)
*No Friends or Dino on clearance

And, laughably, a bunch of copies of Star Wars Advent Calendar for 2011 at $30-something :D

I picked up the Log Cabin because I've been wanting that one for a while and at $21, hard to pass up

[SquareSide]

I'm kinda amazed at the number of people posting that they are buying so much now at 30%. These will go to 50% if you just have a little patience, probably in the next week or two. If you are buying to fill a collection gap and you see only 2 or 3 on the shelf, then it makes sense to get one, but to clean out a whole set group at 30% for either resale or stocking up on bricks is a mite to early imo. Also, remember that these stores track sales at each point of price drop, so the more that leaves the shelf at a smaller price drop, the less likely they are to reduce it further than that in the future.

Yeah, I took back the Podracers to get the MF at $99 at the only Walmart(1 of 3) that had them in stock and on clearance. So far the Podracers haven't budged and all the MFs are gone now. A worker that knows me said they will get further reduced so I'm just waiting now. I'll kinda feel bad if the BP get reduced further than $69. I bought the best 2 out of the 4 they had, one for myself and the other for a coworker. The other 2 they have left are pretty beat up. Mine at least looks great.

It's gonna be hard to pass up the Frigate, Podracer & Lighthouse Island when they hit 50%. I haven't considered selling. My brother would have done this for me I'm sure, but he moved to New York. Maybe I should ask him how hard or easy it is...? But for now I just buy 1 set at a time since I just got back into LEGO after a decade absence. So I'm new to clearance deals.

[natelite]

I'm kinda amazed at the number of people posting that they are buying so much now at 30%. These will go to 50% if you just have a little patience, probably in the next week or two. If you are buying to fill a collection gap and you see only 2 or 3 on the shelf, then it makes sense to get one, but to clean out a whole set group at 30% for either resale or stocking up on bricks is a mite to early imo. Also, remember that these stores track sales at each point of price drop, so the more that leaves the shelf at a smaller price drop, the less likely they are to reduce it further than that in the future.

A classic sign of a bubble. When it gets to the point where every Tom, "Richard" (TnB doesn't allow me to use the pet name for Richard) or Harry thinks they can make money at 30% off, and wipe out the entire store in doing so, you know you got a problem. Why at 30% when you can get that from b&n all year long? It's because you don't need to jump through the coupon codes hoops in doing so and every grandma out there is thinking she can just resell anything she doesn't want in one year for a profit. Yup, classic bubble.

I have been selling Lego since 2006, and I have seen sets sitting there languishing for ages and gotten sets at 75% or more. Not one but multiples, like more than 10s. These days the Wallys and Targets are cleared out before reaching even 50%. Those that barely made it to 50% are only the original themes, and not licensed stuff. I even heard mothers talking on the phone saying it's a good deal, and whatever they can't gift as presents they can resell for profit. That was for SW sets at 15% off. Go figure!

Exclusive sets are getting more and more ridiculous, especially for Target. Naboo star fighter rose to $50 from $30 in 5 years for fewer pieces. TLC or the retailers think they can charge a premium just for the exclusive label. Poly bags were $2.49 or $2.99 at most back in 2009, and in 3 years they rose to $4.99?! Just check your local Target store. The polys are now just as bad as in TRU.

[greanie2011]

Kinda crappy for those of us that purchase for individual consumption for the resellers to go in and buy everything up at the not so great 30% off. But if i want one without having to order it i am forced to purchase at the 30% off.

I know someone posted they have seen a week difference inbetween percent drops, anyone else track this? Curious of the trend. (Im hoping to get a Millenium Falcon for less than $100 which is what it marked now, and maybe a Dino HQ)

[bobl]

The walmart stores around me rarely do a second clearance markdown. I've seen things sit on shelves for 2 years or more at Walmart, even though they are clearanced. That's why there are certain sets which are less numerous, or already clearanced by Target, I am grabbing at 30%. Others that are well stocked at other stores, I feel like I can catch after Christmas at 50% or more.

[Johnnyb287]

I did a quick walmart app search in MA, looks like the store in Lynn MA has the friends, star wars, and some city sets on clearance now. And they've got the MF for $50 (limited availability, which means "who knows").

I checked out the Lynn store for the Falcon earlier this week, but no luck. I didn't see it and there was no one around to help me. I've never been to this store before, but many of the boxes were tampered with. They had a good amount of Sith Infiltrators and Pod Racers @ 30% off. Saw the Friends sets too.

[anakinisvader]

I'm kinda amazed at the number of people posting that they are buying so much now at 30%. These will go to 50% if you just have a little patience, probably in the next week or two. If you are buying to fill a collection gap and you see only 2 or 3 on the shelf, then it makes sense to get one, but to clean out a whole set group at 30% for either resale or stocking up on bricks is a mite to early imo. Also, remember that these stores track sales at each point of price drop, so the more that leaves the shelf at a smaller price drop, the less likely they are to reduce it further than that in the future.

A classic sign of a bubble. When it gets to the point where every Tom, "Richard" (TnB doesn't allow me to use the pet name for Richard) or Harry thinks they can make money at 30% off, and wipe out the entire store in doing so, you know you got a problem. Why at 30% when you can get that from b&n all year long? It's because you don't need to jump through the coupon codes hoops in doing so and every grandma out there is thinking she can just resell anything she doesn't want in one year for a profit. Yup, classic bubble.

I have been selling Lego since 2006, and I have seen sets sitting there languishing for ages and gotten sets at 75% or more. Not one but multiples, like more than 10s. These days the Wallys and Targets are cleared out before reaching even 50%. Those that barely made it to 50% are only the original themes, and not licensed stuff. I even heard mothers talking on the phone saying it's a good deal, and whatever they can't gift as presents they can resell for profit. That was for SW sets at 15% off. Go figure!

Exclusive sets are getting more and more ridiculous, especially for Target. Naboo star fighter rose to $50 from $30 in 5 years for fewer pieces. TLC or the retailers think they can charge a premium just for the exclusive label. Poly bags were $2.49 or $2.99 at most back in 2009, and in 3 years they rose to $4.99?! Just check your local Target store. The polys are now just as bad as in TRU.

I must agree here. If you are buying at 30% to re-sell, you wont be in business very long especially with ebays fees (or other fees associated with re-sell). I will also play the wait game with Walmart. They clearanced out the Legos at 50% off right after Christmas and there were still items sitting on the shelves. This was also when people had gift cards and money that they got for Christmas. It's back to school time and everyone is spending their money on supplies and clothes, not toys. Lets just cross our fingers and hope they run out of room and have to discount them even more soon.

[ncbarrett]

just to add more confusion, I returned the Avengers Hulk Breakout set that I got for $35, and when she scanned it, it was no longer on clerance, but back to the $49.xx price.

[octick]

I must agree here. If you are buying at 30% to re-sell, you wont be in business very long especially with ebays fees (or other fees associated with re-sell). I will also play the wait game with Walmart. They clearanced out the Legos at 50% off right after Christmas and there were still items sitting on the shelves. This was also when people had gift cards and money that they got for Christmas. It's back to school time and everyone is spending their money on supplies and clothes, not toys. Lets just cross our fingers and hope they run out of room and have to discount them even more soon.

For resale, you should wait for 50% or more, but for personal use on sets you don't have, waiting for 50% is a gamble especially on newer sets or licensed sets like SW or LOTR. That fact LOTR are 30% off 3 months after release is confusing. Why not get rid of some of the older SW or City sets? I hope some of them drop to 50%, but normally in my area, they will be cleared out well before 50%.

[sadowsk1]

I'd say the most important thing about buying in these sales is to know your area and what kind of competition you are up against. It sounds like a mix of people that have to fight to get 30% while others enjoy 50% since there isn't as much competition in their area. I find Walmarts current pricing method confusing and inconsistent so it's hard to say what will stay and what will go come the holidays.