Lego Mindstorm (8547) Pricing - $229.99

Toys R Us has had price matching as long as I can remember. I'd think
they'd match Amazon, especially as I believe they sell their items
online using Amazon. Tell your son not to fret, Toys R Us when it
comes to prices.

We made the purchase today with a price match using all the gift
cards. Thank you, ToysRUs!!

Also, thank you to everyone for your comments, suggestions and
different points of view.

My son certainly has learned a lot of life lessons from reading your
posts with me about this experience. He is so excited to tell his
friends what happened! And, he looks forward to visiting ToysRUs
again.

While its unfortunate that things didn't work out like you planned and
your son was unable to but the toy I fail to see how any of this is
toy r us' fault.

Maybe you should use this as a learning opportunity for you son and
explain to him the situation and how even with the best planning
sometime things don't always work out. I don't think there's any
valid reason for you to let you son go around bad mouthing something,
especially when they did nothing wrong.

looking at the item online... I see all the electronics that go into
it.


I'm just wondering if any of the parts were made in Thailand,
especially the computer that goes inside.


People involved in computers know about it but the general public may
never have paid attention to the news, or may have forgotten... There
was some pretty bad flooding in Thailand. Bad enough that some
factories were under water.


You may have noticed a drastic increase in the price of hard drives
for example. Limited supply, high demand.... prices go up.


That may be a factor.



Or it could just be generic supply / demand in effect.

Neither the employees nor the managers will kow when the Lego
Mindstorm or any other item will go on sale again. That is determined
by corporate and they will not tell you either. Your best bet is to be
patient and wait for them to go on sale again. As a former retail
manager, the store had copies of the upcoming sale ads up to a week
early. Most often, it was only a few days before the sale started.

This "toy" isn't meant for 7 year olds, the age suggested is 10 and up
-- while they are very cool robots (I know several people that own
one) it might end up being frustrating at this age.

Also, to address what you said below about a school club, while I
wonderful idea, I wouldn't suggest ever bringing this to school - for
any reason. If this is what he has his heart set on doing, start with
some smaller, less expensive models.

That you missed the sale?

Or was it sold out before you could get one?

Or were they not selling it at the price you wanted it to be?

Your 7 yr old son is going to tell all his friends to never shop at
Toys R Us? And he will NEVER EVER "patronize" Toys R Us again? I did
not know that one could save gift cards for 7 years?

wow now children are threatening to boycott a store if they dont get
their way.

This is a good life lesson for your son. Things happen in life and
you cant always get your way.

I find it funny he is mad at ToysRus, shouldnt he be mad at your
husband for having to have surgery right when his sale was going on?
Or mad at you for caring more for your huband than a toy?

on another note...

HOLY COW some of those mindstorm things are $500-$1100 bucks!! Those
arnt toys, those are investments.

He's been planning to start a robotics club at his school since his
first Christmas (when these gift cards began accumulating)? My
goodness, what a precocious lad.

I would strongly advise that a multi-hundred-dollar toy never be taken
to school. I think that everyone on this web site learned creative
problem solving without a Lego Mindstorm--perhaps your son could put
together a Science Olympiad group instead (many great science and
learning activities can be found online). A school computer club
would also be a great way to learn about technology in a safe
environment. His admirable dream to help his peers learn and grow
truly does not have to wait for an expensive toy.

I am a little alarmed to hear of the large, long-term investment in
gift cards, especially cards for a specialty store that is not
handling the recession too well. It would be extremely unfortunate
for your family if the chain were to go under suddenly. I cannot, in
good faith, close this letter without urging you to either try to sell
the cards for their cash value (thus enabling an Amazon purchase of
the toy), or spend the cards on other needed/wanted items soon. I
honestly think that your good intentions regarding delayed
gratification could be swept away if a Border's-style closing
situation were to hit Toys R Us. . . please consider a plan for your
son other than hoarding of gift cards.

Hi Cherry O.,

At first I was the one who saved the gift cards. He established the
goal of the Lego MindStorms a couple of months before turning five
years old.

I also am a fan of Science Olympiads that will be offered to him at
school in another two years. There is a Robotics Class offered by a
local college as part of its early outreach using the Lego Mindstorms.
The cost to participate is on par with buying the Mindstorms
outright. We appreciate your suggestions and will look for online
activities.

You are right, my allowing the gift cards to accumulate was placing
too much trust in one company.