Pretty much. Toys R Us has been doing this practice of having items for sale a month or so before everyone else for a very long time. It isn't anything new really. Supposedly, Toys R Us has some kind of agreement with the various toy companies allowing them to sell their products earlier than others. This is also the alleged reason as to why they can mark up their prices more than the other retailers, too.

To be totally honest, the toy companies don't care how much they sell it for, as long as it is selling. It's just that TRU has a very misunderstood reputation of being "the place" to buy toys that they manage to sell them for inflated prices. Also, generally the toy companies sell their products on their own websites, so they can claim that their prices are cheaper than TRU, which would lead at least a few gullible parents to buy from them...and the company gets 100% of the sale.

I went to a Target store yesterday and they didn't have any of the new Star Wars sets out yet. In the last week or so they've put the new Castle and Coast Guard sets on some endcaps. 

I found one of the Republic Gunships at Target yesterday. I'm going to try to flip it for a quick few bucks.

I found one of the Republic Gunships at Target yesterday. I'm going to try to flip it for a quick few bucks.

you better hurry.......I think the time has passed to flip these new SW sets, the ideal time was a few weeks ago when they popped up at the stores or when Yoyo.com accidentally listed and sold the sail barge.

Yeah I know. I'll let you know how it goes.

Here is my theory on why the sets are in the stores but, not in LEGO Shop at Home. The set in the stores right now have a limited amount and that is why some of them are sold out. If the stores do not carry them anymore, then there will be a lot of people waiting for the release to happen on Lego LEGO Shop at Home to buy it from Lego. Thus making Lego more profits.

TRU got special priority to get and sell it ( 30-45 days ahead) before official release....that's ok to see it before August.

Lego and the TRU group in the UK have some sort of deal going on. I don't know what it is exactly but it carries over to the USA TRU. Essentially TRU get's Lego's about 6 weeks before anyone else does.

you better hurry.......I think the time has passed to flip these new SW sets, the ideal time was a few weeks ago when they popped up at the stores or when Yoyo.com accidentally listed and sold the sail barge.

Yep, I flippin flipped that flippin flip for a few flippin dollars. 

Yep, I flippin flipped that flippin flip for a few flippin dollars. 

There goes that motherflipper again....

August 1st releases along with a limited supply of BTTF sets have been popping up for sale at some LEGO stores recently. Some LEGO stores must be less strict about release dates than others.