![Despite an aggressive push for sales, Toys "R" Us saw same-store sales drop 1.8 percent from 2011.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/83/fe/1358028688_7834_Toys%20R%20Us.jpg?itok=AkBadK_G "Despite an aggressive push for sales, Toys "R" Us saw same-store sales drop 1.8 percent from 2011.")
Despite an aggressive multi-pronged approach to grabbing sales heading into the holiday shopping season, Toys “R” Us, Inc., announced on Jan. 10 that its U.S. domestic segment reported a comparable store sales decrease of 1.8 percent from sales in 2011.
The company also stated its international stores did not have strong sales, either; in December comparable store sales declined 3.5 percent and total sales decreased 4.1 percent.
When combining sales with November sales, the press release stated that “quarter-to-date comparable store sales in the U.S.decreased 4.5 percent versus last year, while total sales decreased 4.7 percent.”
Toys “R” Us cited Hurricane Sandy as a factor for its lower sales.
In addition, the company's learning category saw the strongest comparable store sales growth.
In the weeks prior to Christmas, the retailer had announced its tactics for encouraging shoppers to purchase toys at its locations, including an extension of its layaway program, pop-up department stores in select Macy’s stores, a reservation program for shoppers trying to buy the most popular toys for the upcoming holiday season, and a price-match guarantee for select merchandise. It also extended store hours on Black Friday, with many Toys "R" Us stores opening as early as 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
The retailer wasn’t the only one to see lackluster sales this holiday season, as Best Buy and Target both saw no sales increase from the same time-frame in 2011.
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