So perhaps someone more in the know can explain this to me. I have been buying Lego set 40090 Halloween Bat & Pumpkin from TRU the past 3 TRUTH. Shelf price of $3.99 MSRP $9.99 and was thinking perhaps it was excess stock found by Lego that they are clearing out thru TRU. My TRU has been getting them in cases of 6 so I asked manager to use the hand scanner and it shows over 999 in the mid-Atlantic distribution center. 

So this morning I see that walmart is now selling them online for $9.99 same set number same piece count here:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/LEGO-Halloween-Bat-Building-Set-40090/46716417

Thing is this is a Retired seasonal set according to Lego and originally was only available from them at LEGO Shop at Home or the lego store

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Halloween-Bat-40090

So since I am selling it as Retired I check the seal codes and what do I see but this:

Maybe this is another test and they will do HH next year

 

Everybody Panic!

Good catch. It was bad enough they were selling them at TRU below there lowest clearance price of 4.98.  Now printing new retired stock just pushed it a step further.   Maybe some SSD and R2 for xmas.  Every few months they seem to cross that line more...

My TRU hasn't received any, or they'll hold them in the back until Easter.  The entire staff at my TRU won't go in the back and look for anything.  Standard answer, "Everything we have is on the floor."  This is from the managers too.  Even when I see stuff disappear from the floor, I ask if it's in the back, and then it reappears 3 weeks later.

I'm kind of like my 3-year old.  Keep asking the same question and hoping for a different answer eventually.

Edited October 3, 201510 yr by exciter1

That has happened with WVM in Europe, I was marked "retired" but came back the next year, so this isn't entirely unprecedented.

ruh-roh.

down is up is down

reign of chaos continues.  

what's that sucking sound.

That has happened with WVM in Europe, I was marked "retired" but came back the next year, so this isn't entirely unprecedented.

Agreed. I guess I need 2 points clarified. First, was the new production run done after the official retirement date? If not then no big deal lego could have pumped them out early for next year. Second, since these sets were originally only available directly from lego will we see PEE all over the floors of Target next Easter?

I just checked the 8 I bought at TRU the other day, and they are all 24O4.  Yes O4.

So, no panic from me.

Brickset shows this set available in Europe in January 2015 but only available for one week in the States. So no real help there. 

I have also noticed a lot of Easter Bunny 40086 appear in various retailers in my area.

Could these seasonal characters be making a comeback?

They have done this in the past with exclusive polybags (ie retired from $@H to show up at retailers next year).  Perhaps the same rule now applies to $10 exclusive sets as well.  Meaning stocking on these may not be a good strategy anymore.

They have done this in the past with exclusive polybags (ie retired from $@H to show up at retailers next year).  Perhaps the same rule now applies to $10 exclusive sets as well.  Meaning stocking on these may not be a good strategy anymore.

AT-DP and Yularen ring a bell there.  Sold out in a few days during the promotion only to be found in droves later.

Still a little different as those aren't really listed and get a retired tag followed up by new printed stock.  

AT-DP and Yularen ring a bell there.  Sold out in a few days during the promotion only to be found in droves later.

Still a little different as those aren't really listed and get a retired tag followed up by new printed stock.  

You guys are no fun. I have to present my own evidence for my post.  For something that just happened last year, no less.   I rest my case, btw

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Halloween-Pumpkin-40055

I just checked the 8 I bought at TRU the other day, and they are all 24O4.  Yes O4.

So, no panic from me.

Apparently the panic hasn't spread far enough towards the south.  I just check the 16 I picked up on Thursday and 10 have 22O5 and 6 have 24O4.  Can't see a single difference between the boxes and both have a 2014 copyright.

Edited October 3, 201510 yr by colossus

Apparently the panic hasn't spread far enough towards the south.  I just check the 16 I picked up on Thursday and 10 have 22O5 and 6 have 24O4.  Can't see a single difference between the boxes and both have a 2014 copyright.

Try again, I spotted 1:

2014 box has 4 tapes / seals, 2 on each side.  2015 box only has 2

This seems to be consistent with Pseudoty's picture above and the 2015 ones that I have 

Try again, I spotted 1:

Hidden Content

Oh come on man get your hat on straight.  I said a difference in the BOX.  Technically the tape is added onto the box

OK fine, then the codes below the UPC are different as well - 118789 422 (new) vs 118789 118 (old).

Edited October 3, 201510 yr by colossus

Oh come on man

OK fine, then the codes below the UPC are different as well - 118789 422 (new) vs 118789 118 (old).

The different UPC's or codes would lead me to believe these are now eco-friendly...

Edited October 3, 201510 yr by dcdfan

Oh come on man

OK fine, then the codes below the UPC are different as well - 118789 422 (new) vs 118789 118 (old).

Not fair, you did not include side by side pictures of the UPCs  

It's fine they are reading brickpicker and seeing if we even noticed. The thumb knows all and nothing gets by him.  If it weren't for him a green grocer would be out tomorrow with a 2015 seal code.

All hail the thumb....

#chaos #kaos if you're into skylanders

 

speak of the devil..

speak of the devil..

I'm glad I still have my coupons.  They sure as hell weren't in stores when the coupon was out.

Found this at my Walmart last night. 

I cam across this same exact sight at my local Walmart last night.

I cam across this same exact sight at my local Walmart last night.

Same here in OKC.