Pony Mania? At Kmart?

[LittleSpiffy]

I must have looked a sight this afternoon: I stood in front of the Photo Finish EQG Pony Mania 3-Pack with my mouth wide open.

Pony Mania?

At Kmart?

On Clearance? (Which isn't really clearance because they wanted $25 or something...)

So...I thought Pony Mania was a TRU exclusive line.  This is the first time I have seen this set at this particular Kmart, despite the set being out for a while.

What gives?

[zombienixon]

That is odd.  The TRU website does say it's their exclusive, and I think they were meant to be, but it doesn't say so on the packaging, so I guess they can get away with it.

[gabumon]

I picked up that set at Ross.  I often see exclusives there and at TJMaxx, though the latter usually is Target exclusives.  I wonder...  Is Ross related to Kmart?

[LittleSpiffy]

I picked up that set at Ross.  I often see exclusives there and at TJMaxx, though the latter usually is Target exclusives.  I wonder...  Is Ross related to Kmart?

Nope!  Kmart is owned by Sears.

[aluke]

Was there just one set or a whole bunch? If the former it could have just been Kmart accepting a return they shouldn't have, and they just stuck a clearance sticker since they didn't know how to price it? I know one time I found a 13 Wishes Abbey in TRU and was very confused about what store I was in for a minute. So I guess it isn't impossible for this kind of mistake to happen.

If nothing else, didn't Kmart also falsely advertise they had Spring Unsprung Kitty on their website? Maybe they just like stealing exclusives?

[LittleSpiffy]

Was there just one set or a whole bunch? If the former it could have just been Kmart accepting a return they shouldn't have, and they just stuck a clearance sticker since they didn't know how to price it? I know one time I found a 13 Wishes Abbey in TRU and was very confused about what store I was in for a minute. So I guess it isn't impossible for this kind of mistake to happen.

If nothing else, didn't Kmart also falsely advertise they had Spring Unsprung Kitty on their website? Maybe they just like stealing exclusives?

There were two sets.  I can't imagine them accepting a return like that...but then again, I was there to return MH dolls and the cashier had no idea what he was doing.  It didn't help that my receipt had faded either.

Nothing on their website...hmmm...

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Maybe it was a shipping mix up?
Looking at the Images on Google, Pony Mania with the actual ponies has the sticker for TRU but the EQG Set does not. However Strawberry Reef does list those dolls as TRU as well..

[Sunset]

Recently, I've found some TRU exclusive stuff at a local discount store.  You know the kind that sells overstock?  They had the first Favorites collection.  The weird thing is that recently they have also had Photo finish (the pony) and the pony mania Queen Chrysalis, both of which are still on my local TRU shelves.

[egyptiondragon]

I know my ex informed me there is like 6 of these at the kmart he works at

[Wardah]

I think this particular set is at the end of its run.

[Violet CLM]

All the Ponymania TRU stuff was on clearance the other month, yeah. Also Kmart is always terrible at knowing what it already has in stock, let alone should[i/] have, so I'm not terribly surprised either way.

[Corona]

I just came across the Photo Finish exclusive at a Ross a few days ago. Seemed odd but for only 4.99 it's not a bad price.

[LittleSpiffy]

$4.99?!?!  I gotta get to Ross!

[hathorcat]

Turning up at unsold stock retailers like TJ Maxx or Ross is not too much of a surprise. However its perfectly possible that unsold stock has been sold on to a retailer like Kmart as well. Exclusivity for the set may have been restricted to 12 months; which would allow Hasbro to sell remaining stock on to other retailers.

[LittleSpiffy]

Turning up at unsold stock retailers like TJ Maxx or Ross is not too much of a surprise. However its perfectly possible that unsold stock has been sold on to a retailer like Kmart as well. Exclusivity for the set may have been restricted to 12 months; which would allow Hasbro to sell remaining stock on to other retailers.

That makes sense.