Toys R Us Liquidation Sales Delayed At MD Stores: What's Next?

Toys 'R' Us has delayed a massive liquidation sale at all of its 17 Maryland stores that was scheduled for Thursday. The sale was delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances," according to the company. The sale is now likely to start Friday, according to Toys R Us spokesperson Amanda Kahl (see list of Maryland stores below).

Discounts on toys, baby goods and many other items will start at 30 percent off, Kahl said. Coupons will not be accepted and all sales are final. The liquidation sales will take place after a number of closing sales already began following the company's filing for bankruptcy protection last year.

The sales are slated to be completed by the end of June. The schedule was discussed Tuesday at a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to USA Today.

Some stores may close prior to the 14-week timeline the company has put in place, according to Fortune. Toys R Us was in court this week seeking approval of the liquidation timeline from U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Keith Phillips. Several toy manufacturers at the hearing called the timeline unfair, according to the reports.

Toys R Us began holding going-out-of-business sales at 144 of its U.S. stores in February but announced last week it would be "winding down" operations and sell or close 735 U.S. stores. That "winding down" includes liquidating its inventory and holding going-out-of-business sales.

Check with the individual store on the timing of its sale. Here's what you should know about the liquidation sales:

Can I return something I recently purchased?

Items bought at a store before its liquidation sale begins may be returned to any open store. Once a store has a liquidation sale, returns will not be accepted. Purchases made prior to store closings will be accepted per normal store policy as long as the store is open. Purchases made during the store closing process are all final at sale.

What about my gift cards and coupons?

Endless earnings will be honored until Wednesday. Gift cards are redeemable through April 12. Merchandise credits will also be honored.

What will happen to my Babies R Us gift registry?

Loyalty programs, including the Babies R Us Registry in the U.S., will continue as normal in their current forms, according to the company.

What about price matching?

Toys R Us' Price Match Promise is not available at closing stores.

Closings will affect Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations throughout Maryland:

• Annapolis

• Baltimore
• Bel Air
• Clarksburg
• Clinton
• Columbia
• Frederick
• Gaithersburg
• Glen Burnie
• Hagerstown
• Owings Mills
• Oxon Hill
• Pasadena
• Salisbury
• Silver Spring
• Towson
• Waldorf

Chief Executive Dave Brandon had shared the despairing news with employees in a conference call, according to The Record. Brandon told employees it was a sad day and that customers and others would be sad to see the brand disappear, a spokeswoman for Toys R Us told The Record.

The company began the year with more than 800 stores across the country under the Toys R Us and Babies R us monikers. In January, Toys R Us said it would close 180 locations, including a store in Clinton, Maryland.

The demise of Toys R Us would be a significant blow to the toy industry as the chain makes up about 15 percent of American toy revenue.

The New Jersey-based Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in September 2017 amid slumping sales and mounting debt, which grew to about $5 billion. The once-popular chain faced increasing competition from Amazon, Walmart and Target. The chain was initially set to close about 180 of its stores, or about 20 percent.

Toys R Us also had a bad spell in November when a glitch allowed customers to "stack" three coupon codes for a total discount of 60 percent off their online order. Toys R Us learned of the glitch and cancelled orders placed using the glitch.

— Patch editors Kara Seymour, Tom Davis, Eric Heyl and Mike Carraggi contributed to this report; photo by Autumn Johnson, Patch staff