Latest news with #ToySale
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why thousands of shoppers are racing to Big W to load up their trolleys with hauls of items worth hundreds
It's that time of year again when hundreds of parents race to Big W to secure their children's Christmas gifts six months early. The retailer launched its epic Big Whopping Toy Sale on Tuesday, with mums and dads lining up outside their local stores before opening hours, hoping to grab the top rated items on every child's wish list. Eager shoppers were up at the crack of dawn to snap up this year's hottest toys from popular brands LEGO, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Pokémon, Bluey, Jurassic World and more. Pictures have emerged of shoppers with trolleys overflowing with toys worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars - as dozens of parents were spotted waiting outside long before the doors opened. Big W offers shoppers lay-by for just a $3 fee, allowing them to pay off their huge toy hauls over 21 weeks - meaning they pay in installments and pick up the items just in time for the gift-swapping season. It's an old-school payment method that helps many families stay on top of their budgets by letting them to pay off purchases over time - without incurring immediate debt or high interest fees. One happy mum-of-two was seen showing off her toy haul after snapping up a Thomas the Tank Engine train set and a collection of Care Bears for half price. 'I basically grabbed all of the good deals I could find... nearly anything that was half price,' she said. She's among the group of parents who have opted to lay-by their items. The mum said the best part about Big W's lay-by is how long shoppers have to pay it off - and that there's no large upfront fee to put their items on hold. 'You have to put down 10 to 20 per cent at a lot of other places just to lay-by so Big W is a good option,' she explained. And she's not alone. Another mum who was stocking up on her children's Christmas gifts said: 'Being able to pay things off (gradually) without having to pay everything all at once helps us save money.' While a third mum said it was a great time of year to grab her children's favourite toy brands - including Bluey, Gabby's Dollhouse and Sylvanian Families. One dad said he was doing his early Christmas shopping while another mum revealed she was stocking up on birthday and festive gifts. With Christmas just six months away, Australians parents are choosing to shop early and take advantage of the affordable prices. Big W's Chief Toy Buyer Christine Faulkner said the toy sale was the most anticipated event on the retailer's calendar. 'The BIG Whopping Toy Sale is the best time of year to buy toys,' she said. 'Our customers use the opportunity to save on all their gifting needs for the next six months, including the holiday season.' 'It's always good to see some of the classic brands, from LEGO to Barbie and Hot Wheels at the top of our trending toys list again this year, but we also have some newer favourites like Squishmallows and Jurassic World joining the top 10. 'If it's building, collecting or adventuring, there's a toy on the list to pique every kind of interest.' The standout deals include LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon for $929 (saving $221) while the Disney Princess Castle & Royal Pet set is reduced to $149, and the Friends Plant Café & Flower Shop is now $89. Hot Wheels fans haven't been left out, with the City Ultimate Garage Playset slashed to $99 and the 40 Car Gift Pack now just $59. Meanwhile, Barbie's iconic Dreamhouse Pool Party Doll House has been reduced to $179, the Dream Camper to $79, and the Dreamplane Playset to $89. Bluey fans will also be thrilled to see the Take Along Plush 33cm selling for $14 and the Bluey Cook with Chef Playset marked down to $150, with a bonus 2,000 Everyday Rewards points attached. Tech lovers will also find massive savings, with the Canon EOS 3000D DSLR Camera down to $549, the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS on sale for $499, the PlayStation 5 Digital Console available for $549, and the Nintendo Switch Console Neon selling for $399. To help customers manage their budgets, Big W offers a $3 extended lay-by for Christmas. Families can spread their payments over 21 weeks, with collection only required by November 7 2025 - making it a popular option for those wanting to get organised without breaking the bank. This year's event includes more than 300 new products and a host of online-only exclusive offers through BIG W Market. Shoppers can also access the sale via Pick Up, Home Delivery, and Direct to Boot services - ideal for those wanting to skip the queues and shop on their own terms. 'The variety, the savings and the flexibility of this year's sale means there's something for everyone,' Faulkner said. 'We expect brands like LEGO, Hot Wheels, Barbie and Pokémon to be some of the most popular products - so if you've got your eye on something, don't wait too long.' With major discounts already flying off the shelves and stock expected to move quickly, the sale is shaping up to be one of the retailer's biggest yet. The huge sale ends on July 9.
Herald Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Sad scenes emerge from 'Australia's biggest toy sale' of the year
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. "Where is everyone?" That's the first thought that popped into my head as I walked towards the entrance of my local Big W. It was the opening of what has always been hailed as their "biggest event of the year" - the BIG Whopping Toy Sale - except it was looking a little different this year. There was no massive group waiting outside to get in. No buzz outside... just one lonely worker standing at the front of the store holding a catalogue, bidding me a good morning. "It's the first day of the toy sale, right?" I asked her. She smiled and confirmed yes before pointing me in the right direction of the bargain items that could be nabbed. Not that I needed it, there were huge signs everywhere - and plenty of bright yellow price tickets on shelves that could hardly be missed. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. Big W's Toy Sale has launched with hundreds of toys discounted and stocked on shelves. Image: Supplied Big W's Whopping Toy Sale is back! The BIG Whopping Toy Sale officially kicked off on Monday June 10th, with over 500 toys and tech on sale - including 300 new products big and little kids could get excited about. Chatter began early online, with eager customers counting down the days to the biggest event of the year - and one that sees them stock up ahead of time for Christmas. TikTok creator and mum Tara (aka @mamtaramae) was just one of them. "Counting down till when I can sneak off leave kids at home with dad to do a layby for Chrissy," she declared online ahead of the launch. But instead of being greeted with the usual chaotic scenes of toys, parents, grannies, prams, and tantruming children screaming "BUT I WANT ITTTTT!!!!" everywhere, she too walked into a somewhat quiet store. "To be honest, it didn't seem like much was on sale. There were toys EVERYWHERE though! Literally every aisle around the whole store seemed to have toys in it," she posted in an update. Another blogger, Food Mumma Ren, also commented on how different the toy sales look these days compared to previous years. "My oldest is 21 years old now but when he was a little boy the toy sales used to be worth it. Line ups so long. I even started working at Kmart I was employed just for the toy sale, and it was crazy people lining up from midnight to get a deal," she posted on Facebook. So what's the deal? RELATED: Big W's amazing $23 dupe for $220 Missoni towels Some popular toys are a massive 50% off. Image: Supplied Eager beavers getting in early Although the two stores I visited in Sydney's east were fairly quiet, different scenes emerged at the Big W store in Penrith. "There were people lined up from 7.30am and shoppers filling their trolleys full of toys - we are sure this is just the start of the Toy Sale rush," a Big W spokesperson told Kidspot. While the sale officially kicked off on the 10th, many customers hit social media to share that their local store already had toys on sale. "My store already has toys on the shelves. So excited!" one customer declared in a private Facebook group. "I went in the week before the sale officially kicked off and things were already discounted," another mum told Kidspot. "I got a heap of LEGO stuff for my kids. I thought I might as well get it now than wait for those crazy scenes to hit when the sale officially launches!" RELATED: TikTok video reveals what 'W' in Big W stands for The 10 picks According to Big W's Chief Toy Buyer, Christine Faulkner, many customers had an idea of what they were going to purchase before the sale kicked off. 'It's great to see classic brands, like LEGO, Barbie and Hot Wheels at the top of our customers' wish lists again this year, with some newer favourites like Squishmallows and Jurassic World joining the top ten," she said. "If it's building or collecting, there's a toy on the list to pique every kind of interest.' Making their way into the top ten this year are: The LEGO Record Player with Flowers, $26 Barbie Party Unboxed Pet Birthday, $19 (more than half price) Hot Wheels Monster Trucks 1:24 Scale Remote-Control Toy Truck, $14 (more than half price) The VTech 4-in-1 Alphabet Train, $79 40cm Squishmallows, $14 Little People Ultimate Farm Gift Set, $69 Mega Construx Pokemon Jumbo Pikachu, $44 Bluey Escape Convertible, $17 (down from $35) Jurassic World Chaos Theory All-Out T-REX, $40 Stitch Dance & Sing plush, $39 (save $41) As for me, I think I'll be heading back for those floral LEGO sets. So pretty (and cheap!) Originally published as Sad scenes emerge from 'Australia's biggest toy sale' of the year
