Holy Returns, Batman!!!
To update on the hardware side of TMSR, I was checking TMSR product while I was shopping since Pete isn't around to give us his little sample.
I saw something *very* interesting in CompUSA. Not only did I see a similar removal of most of the Talk N' Play to be replaced by iConference, but I saw NO Thrustmaster wheels and pads, and the only joystick they still carry is the USB Top Gun and two Flight Combo packs.
That means the returns of literally dozens of X-Fighters, Rage3Ds, Fusion Pads, regular Top Guns, and the remainder of the Motorsports products. They aren't going to be returning obviously as the shelf space is been taken up - the Thrustmaster display samples for these products, except for one wheel that is spun around, are completely gone. The joysticks and pads have been replaced by CompUSA's new el cheapo label (5.99 pads and 9.99 sticks) and the wheels have been replaced by cheaper OEM'd wheels from this company:
platinumsound.com
A visit to Fry's showed per4mer has kicked out TMSR there as well.
No TMSR wheels. They still carry the Fusion Pads and Fragmaster of all things...
To those boys and girls not familiar with the process, revenue for the products is claimed when they store gets them, not when a consumer buys them. Thus this inventory flush will result in a large negative hit of returns for the third quarter - this was obviously not an arbitrary single store decision.
Needless to say, this is all TMSR needs when it's new line hasn't taken off yet and is falling further behind the competition every day.
The internet products will become a higher percentage of the sales, but not in the way shareholders are looking for... At least half of their plan is working ;-)
Oh, yeah:
BUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA |
