Again, it's worse in the UK. They've become £11.98 I think, so :argh Cept for one place, but that only sells Wave 1 :argh

Yep, prices went up here in New Jersey, too...

 

We had it good a few months back. $8 to $10 bucks (for a decent Deluxe fig) was the best...

 

 

We all just have to be a little more choosy, that's all...

Me thinks Ill just get mine from Hasbrotoystore.com.

There have been some troubling comments in this thread. I'd like to address them.

 

1. Businesses are getting hit by the suck economy, too. It makes PERFECT sense to raise prices. Businesses serve the customers best, over the long run, by serving themselves: their first responcibility is to their own survival. Here's what most will be doing or at least ought to be doing: They'll be seeing that people still BUY certain things, but in less quantities. To maximize profits, they'll need to raise the prices X amount so that sales won't decrease, but profits will increase.

 

I.E, A parent will now only buy 1 TF for their child for his birthday, instead of two. With a two dollar markup, the parent is likely to still buy it, even if he doesn't like paying the extra two bucks.

 

This important thing to remember here is that the business has to survive. Without Hasbro/retain chains, there are no or very little Transformers. If the extra two bucks NOW fuels the next line of Transformers, I'm all for it.

 

2. For a long time we paid around $8. The price increase is basically going to cancel out the great prices we got before hand. If you didn't take advantage of those deals, that's your fault.

There have been some troubling comments in this thread. I'd like to address them.

 

1. Businesses are getting hit by the suck economy, too. It makes PERFECT sense to raise prices. Businesses serve the customers best, over the long run, by serving themselves: their first responcibility is to their own survival. Here's what most will be doing or at least ought to be doing: They'll be seeing that people still BUY certain things, but in less quantities. To maximize profits, they'll need to raise the prices X amount so that sales won't decrease, but profits will increase.

 

I.E, A parent will now only buy 1 TF for their child for his birthday, instead of two. With a two dollar markup, the parent is likely to still buy it, even if he doesn't like paying the extra two bucks.

 

This important thing to remember here is that the business has to survive. Without Hasbro/retain chains, there are no or very little Transformers. If the extra two bucks NOW fuels the next line of Transformers, I'm all for it.

 

2. For a long time we paid around $8. The price increase is basically going to cancel out the great prices we got before hand. If you didn't take advantage of those deals, that's your fault.

 

 

Have read every post in this thread?

There have been some troubling comments in this thread. I'd like to address them.

 

1. Businesses are getting hit by the suck economy, too. It makes PERFECT sense to raise prices. Businesses serve the customers best, over the long run, by serving themselves: their first responcibility is to their own survival. Here's what most will be doing or at least ought to be doing: They'll be seeing that people still BUY certain things, but in less quantities. To maximize profits, they'll need to raise the prices X amount so that sales won't decrease, but profits will increase.

 

I.E, A parent will now only buy 1 TF for their child for his birthday, instead of two. With a two dollar markup, the parent is likely to still buy it, even if he doesn't like paying the extra two bucks.

 

This important thing to remember here is that the business has to survive. Without Hasbro/retain chains, there are no or very little Transformers. If the extra two bucks NOW fuels the next line of Transformers, I'm all for it.

 

2. For a long time we paid around $8. The price increase is basically going to cancel out the great prices we got before hand. If you didn't take advantage of those deals, that's your fault.

 

True however they could sell more at the $7.77 price point than the $12.88 price point. I mean I know that 2 whole cases flew off of the pegs at my local Wal-mart last Friday I'm not sure if they sold before or after the price went up. I'll tell you though at $7.77 they never had anything on the pegs for more than 12 hours. I literally went in there 1 morning when they had just put 3 new cases out and every last one was gone when I went back that afternoon. It really doesn't seem like a stellarly brilliant move to up the price by almost twice in less than one month when the lower price was Wal-mart's main draw during those 3 months. Doubling the price is kind of dumb at least during the course of 1 month. Oh and it isn't Hasbro that raised the price to $12.88 it was Wal-mart. Most other stores even TrU have them for $9.99. This is Wal-mart saying here's the other side of the coin from us giving you those sweet prices before. How do you like the kick to the 00? Oh and further more we're upping the price of the other figs too to get even more money. :mwahaha

Yes, and when they lower the prices again they'll look like heroes.

Yes, and when they lower the prices again they'll look like heroes.

 

Only if they drop back down to $7.77 or below for Deluxes. :tfrofl

There have been some troubling comments in this thread. I'd like to address them.

 

1. Businesses are getting hit by the suck economy, too. It makes PERFECT sense to raise prices. Businesses serve the customers best, over the long run, by serving themselves: their first responcibility is to their own survival. Here's what most will be doing or at least ought to be doing: They'll be seeing that people still BUY certain things, but in less quantities. To maximize profits, they'll need to raise the prices X amount so that sales won't decrease, but profits will increase.

 

I.E, A parent will now only buy 1 TF for their child for his birthday, instead of two. With a two dollar markup, the parent is likely to still buy it, even if he doesn't like paying the extra two bucks.

 

This important thing to remember here is that the business has to survive. Without Hasbro/retain chains, there are no or very little Transformers. If the extra two bucks NOW fuels the next line of Transformers, I'm all for it.

 

2. For a long time we paid around $8. The price increase is basically going to cancel out the great prices we got before hand. If you didn't take advantage of those deals, that's your fault.

 

I am always puzzled as to where this mind set comes from...the new hack and slash business tactics of corporations wanting to keep the stock value has worn out it's welcome.

 

Walmart has first laid off employees (which gives them more money) and now raise their prices on EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! not just toys.

 

Economists the nation over are bitching because they fear that the consumer is saving too much and buying less and less. If companies like Walmart staffed off their corporate bonuses for a year then they could survive keeping their employees hired and paid and their prices low. Gas prices (the biggest expense) is the cheapest it's been in 4 years!

 

What i see is that public stock has taken a hit. The value of stock is minimal. Fine then, let it be. Low stocks makes it easier for new investors to get in the game. Everything is a cycle and stock values will go up. But if corporations keep worrying about pleasing their stock holders then this country will go to shite. I know, someones going to flame me for promoting a hiatus in the exchange but really...lets get our people back in the work force before the big money makers try to buy a new house or take that trip to Paris.

Here's a few ideas that Walmart could implement to make a store that never lays off workers while keeping prices low and competitive:

 

Private ownership, employee owned, buying up failed stores: Publix

 

The company has seen sales increase during the downturn while competitors have endured layoffs and store closures.

 

Publix, which enjoys a strong balance sheet with no long-term debt, has focused on operational efficiency, managing costs, employee development, and store growth and expansion.

 

Last year, Publix acquired 49 stores closed by Albertson's and hired more than 1,250 people in those locations.

 

This grocery chain has never had a layoff in its 79 years in business. Since Publix is 100% employee-owned, it prides itself that "owners never want to lay off other owners."

 

Nearly 6,000 of the company's "associates" have made a career at Publix, having served 20 years or more.

 

Private ownership, good marketing, customer service: Stew Leonards

 

The privately held grocery chain doesn't have to focus on quarterly earnings, allowing it to weather economic downturns and rising food prices without resorting to layoffs.

 

The company intends to maintain sales growth without raising prices, even in the current economy, by focusing on customer service and pushing top-selling items with lively store displays.

 

"We'd rather grow and develop our people and not lay them off just to increase short-term earnings," says CEO Stew Leonard, Jr., adding: "We are fortunate that we are in a business that does not have dramatic swings in sales due to the economy.

 

When the economy is great we don't see a big increase in sales and conversely, when the economy is bad, we don't see a big drop. One of the benefits of being in the food business is that people have to eat."

 

Telecommuting, work from home, cutting office overhead: Aflac

 

Aflac, which sells supplemental insurance, has never had a layoff, living up to the mandate of founders John, Paul, and Bill Amos: "If we take care of our employees, the employees take care of the business."

 

Well-known for its quacking-duck ads, the company says remaining fiscally responsible, keeping a watchful eye on its budget, and listening to employee suggestions -- called "Bright Ideas" -- have helped keep it in good financial shape.

 

Indeed, the company has experienced double-digit sales growth each year since Dan Amos became CEO in 1990.

 

Options like telecommuting and flex schedules -- programs which resulted from employee suggestions -- have helped streamline the organization and save millions of dollars. Four recently approved "Bright Ideas" projects are expected to save $3 million annually.

 

See, given these examples, one can see how poorly run the Walmart chain really is. It is possible to not raise prices and keep your employees. If a company is raising everything and laying people off, it is due to immature, mismanagement and not focusing on your customers.

 

Other gross offenders include Albertsons, Vons, Sprint, Home Depot.

 

Edit: Target just joined the list of the weak and pathetic stores who can't hack keeping their prices the same.

 

http://forums.TFormers.com/talk/index.php?showtopic=105267

 

 

If you want to learn more about SMART companies that never lay off check out this article:

NO LAYOFFS EVER!

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/artic...No-Layoffs-Ever