I'm not sure how many of you out there are aware of these amazing things
called budget stores. Places like Ross, Big Lots, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx
get cheaper goods than retail, but you have to wait around longer for
them. This can be an amazing place to grab some of the pieces of your geek collection that were hard to get or expensive at, say, Toys R Us. While each of these stores is a different animal, and present
different levels of discount, product availability, and other factor, I will be
focusing on my most recent visit at a Ross.
For those who are collectors of Transformers, GI Joe, Marvel Legends/Universe, and Power Rangers (or any Bandai America brand like Ben 10 and previously Thundercats and Kamen Rider Dragon Knight), you might be aware of the treasure trove that is Ross. Around three to six months after a toy is released on regular retail, these brands show up with a fair amount of consistency at Ross, at around half off their retail prices. Marshalls and TJ Maxxes have the same pattern, but they tend to discount off the highest (like Toys R Us prices) retail prices instead, so they run slightly more. Big Lots only carries post-clearance products from retail, though they are at best inconsistent about what will show up.
