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Geoffrey may seem like an extravagant, larky enterprise dreamed up by Willy Wonka, but Toys "R" Us badly needs it to work if the firm is to break out of its deep slump. Wal-Mart and other big discount chains like Target have eroded the company's sales in recent years, and now it looks as if Wal-Mart is circling for the kill, escalating a price war that may eat up whatever profit margin Toys "R" Us has left. Despite rising consumer confidence and blistering U.S. economic growth of 8.2% in the third quarter, analysts expect sales at Toys...
Should Geoffrey catch on, it would bolster the conviction of Toys "R" Us CEO John Eyler that it's still possible to combat the low-cost threat posed by Wal-Mart and Target. Geoffrey "is potentially a $1.5 billion business," he says. "The Geoffrey stores are flat-out fun--and it's not clear if going to Wal-Mart or Target is fun." So far, the concept seems to be working. Since Geoffrey opened 14 months ago, Wisconsinites appear to have embraced it, showing up in large numbers and steadily boosting sales, the firm says. Maintenance technician Lonnie Roeder...
Putting the fun back in toy shopping--not least as a way of enticing customers to stores all year round--is critical if Toys "R" Us is to survive the toy wars, which look particularly brutal this season. In late September, Wal-Mart lobbed an ominous warning shot by discounting a basket of popular toys several weeks earlier than in past years. "We're going to be the low-price leader, and that will include holiday toys," declares Wal-Mart spokeswoman Karen Burk. To its rivals, the depth of its price cuts has come as a shock. The company...
...successful mass merchandisers, Wal-Mart and Target can more easily afford a price war than Toys "R" Us and other toy specialists. Wal-Mart's sales of high-margin items like flat-screen TVs can make up for losses on low-margin toys. It's a classic loss-leader attack. Wal-Mart figures that supercheap toys will lure customers to the store, where they might buy pricier items. That puts the squeeze on toy specialists, which must either follow suit and risk losses or try to hold their prices and bet that their superior customer service and selection will enable...
...Spokeswoman for Curvation, a line at Wal-Mart for full-figured women...