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Toys R Us and Babies R Us have announced they are relaunching in Australia.

The return of the iconic brand follows a new deal with Hobby Warehouse, after the retailer reached an agreement with Toys R Us’ US parent company Tru Kids. The relaunch is set for next week!

In an official statement the company have shared:

“Tru Kids Inc, the US-based parent company of Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us®, and Hobby Warehouse Pty Ltd in Australia today announced an exclusive licensing agreement which will see the Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® brands return to Australia and make their debut in New Zealand.

The new license agreement, effective today, includes rights for Hobby Warehouse to sell through the www.toysrus.com.au and www.babiesrus.com.au websites for Australia and New Zealand including:

Top toy and baby products from LEGO®, Disney (Marvel, Star Wars, Disney Pixar, Disney Princess & more), Funko, Mattel (Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, Uno® & more), L.O.L. Surprise!, Hasbro (My Little Pony, NERF, Monopoly & more), Bandai, Spin Master (Meccano®, Air Hogs®, PAW Patrol®, Hatchimals® & more), PLAY-DOH, Thomas & Friends®, Monster Jam®, Lamaze, John Deere, Bruder, Carrera, Wilson, Britax, InfaSecure, and so much more.

Consumer brands owned by Tru Kids including toy products such as Journey Girls®, Fastlane®, True Heroes®, You & Me®, Imaginarium® and Just Like Home® as well as baby products like Koala Baby®, Koala Kids® and Koala Baby Boutique®.

Hobby Warehouse will initially launch Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us online in Australia and New Zealand in June this year, featuring a wide range of toys and baby products at competitive prices. Same day delivery will be available in metropolitan Melbourne in the short term, which will be expanded to other metropolitan areas in Australia and New Zealand in the medium term.

Hobby Warehouse aim to launch physical ‘experience centres’ for Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us beginning in 2020.

Hobby Warehouse Chief Executive, Louis Mittoni, said: “We are delighted to bring the much-loved brands of Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us back to Australia and to introduce them to New Zealand. We believe play is extremely important in the development and wellbeing of children and in their interaction with family and friends. Play enables children to develop their imagination, collaborate, problem solve, explore, create or simply express themselves spontaneously.

“Our mission is to encourage children to engage with as many forms of play as we possibly can. Hobby Warehouse is a digital native with a keen understanding of how to accelerate and match the requirements of the modern shopper.”

Hobby Warehouse’s management team together with commercial advisor, Kevin Moore, negotiated with Tru Kids’ executives and advisors for the Australian and New Zealand licensing rights.

Moore said: “Previously, the Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® business model in Australia was focused primarily on large physical retail stores which had high fixed costs and extended periods of relatively low sales due to seasonal factors. Going forward, the business model for Australia and New Zealand will be online focused, with smaller and fewer physical ‘experience centres’ that allow children and their families and friends to see and touch our products.”

Tru Kids Executive Vice President of Global Licensing & General Counsel, James Young, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Hobby Warehouse to bring Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us back to Australia and to launch in New Zealand. Louis Mittoni and his team have a strong digital vision and understand both the heritage of our iconic brands and how to evolve the shopping experience for the modern consumer. This is an exciting milestone for our company as we continue to grow Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us around the world.”

Tru Kids’ license partners currently operate over 700 Toys“R”Us and Babies”R”Us branded stores and ecommerce sites in more than 25 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with over US$3 billion of retail sales attributable to the brands in these regions in 2018.”

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  • I would stick with kmart and Big W

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  • I didn’t find toys r us to be much hype. So ex0ensive

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  • The only time I found them any cheaper and worth the 2 hour drive for me was when they were having there closing down sale. Otherwise there too expensive and I shop local in my towns little toystore

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  • I’m soo excited! I’m a TOYS R US KID!!!!!!!!! I was devo when they closed. Most of their stuff isn’t that much more expensive than online, and they had great deals.

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  • It will depend on their prices. I did find them more expensive than elsewhere. Hopefully when they come back they’ll keep their prices down as much as possible

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  • I will be interested to see what their pricing is like.
    I found the odd bargain here and there so hopefully they have competitive pricing this time

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  • Lets hope their prices are more competitive this time around. I hardly ever brought anything from there as their prices were crazy high compared to the same products at other stores.

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  • They were good for sales, but it’s hard to compete with sites like amazon and catch of the day dominating the market with the same goods, just above cost (I know this as i have an online store and it’s difficult to access these products and make any money if you charge even close to the prices these websites list items as. Even with wholesale prices)

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  • Will watch with interest to see how this goes. We never had one near us anyway, so won’t effect me at all.

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  • Can’t see it working a second time unless they are cheaper

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  • Hmm, that’s a very quick come back. I doubt if they will make it to be honest.

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  • I bought a few things that were either competitive prices or not available in other shops. The one in Adelaide was two storey – only with stairs – not ideal with stroller or young children

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  • Why bother coming back when K-Mart and Woolworths have already picked up the slack and are serving our children well.
    I did occasionally browse their store when my grandchildren were little, but don’t think I ever bought anything from them.

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  • I have never heard of Hobby Warehouse but it will be great to have Toys R Us back. It has been so difficult to find the same variety in toys without them.

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  • Will be interesting to see if the price will be better

    Reply

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