Just got back from a trip up north to visit family. And ended up hitting a few different stores looking for clearance LEGO. Happened upon a Wal-Mart, that still had Hobbit sets on sale. Picked up a #79002 Attack of Wargs -- I've been wanting the set, but didn't like the price at $50, but I like it better at $35. Back at the hotel, we opened up the sets to pack for our flight home, only to discovered the contents was from a completely DIFFERENT LEGO set. Needless to say I was angry. Long story short, we managed to exchange the set at a different Wal-Mart, that still had the set for sale at full price. This is the 2nd time this has happened to us, where we've purchased a LEGO set, opened it up only to discovered it's been repacked with incorrect parts (baseball cards the first time), then had to return it. And we're not the only people to have this problem... I suspect it's more wide-spread.
I suspect the Collectible Minifigs and Star Wars collector's market is a major contributor to this problem. Talking with my cousin, he mentioned that at that the flea market he goes to on the weekend, he's started to see more and more LEGO for sale... even a few booths dedicated to just selling LEGO -- this didn't surprise me, considering I saw the same effect at a small flea market in NC. The greater problem I'm seeing is that AFOLs are getting caught between TLG's new policies (mostly aimed at AFOLs since we represent a consumer face that LEGO Retail interfaces with) and the profiteers (those that have no interest in the LEGO hobby, whatsoever, but who are willing to do anything to make a quick buck off LEGO products; even if it means stealing it).
One of the allures of a LEGO conventions was buying LEGO at a discount, this helped AFOLs afford to build the awe inspiring creations. The side-effect is that it attracted the soccer-moms and the profiteers. With no discount this year at LEGO conventions in North America, I suspect sales have noticeably declined as a result. Many of us, who save up money for these events to buy sets we've waited months to buy at a decent price, where our money would go further, I suspect Christmas this year will seem more like Grinchmas.
I wonder about the bigger picture... With profits up at the company, are the rate of product returns? How about product theft? Is TLG just looking at BrickLink prices on aftermarket items (that policy changes are a by-product of corporate greed, in response to rabid fandom), or it is the Wal-Mart side-effect?
To be continued...
4 comments:
Hi, hope you don't mind some questions - you seem to raise some interesting points, but without the same inside-knowledge, I'm unsure quite what you're getting at.
Do you think the wrong box contents was due to TLG's own processes, or because a thief swapped the contents before returning it to the store?
What has the collectable minifig & starwars markets got to do with it?
What are TLG's new policies, and how are they affecting AFOLs?
The wrong content were due to a thief returning the swapped contents/set back to the store -- the box was made to look like it wasn't opened up.
The prices in which minifigs are selling for on the after market is giving rise to creative theft. This a little more unique than what's happened to the Hot Wheels market, where Hot Wheels use to package one rare car per case of cars or one in every 5 cases. Like Willy Wonka and the golden ticket (golden minifig, anyone?), ethics fly out the window when you have to buy a whole series of sets to have a complete line of dwarfs or a whole cast of characters.
I won't go into the TLG's new policies on-line (if you haven't already heard about them yet from fellow fans), but we can discuss via e-mail if you want.
Also, I have plans to go into more details with the next post. :)
I really missed the LEGO display at the festival of the masters. I came for my holidays during that week just to see the display and AFOL, I guess next year I wont need to bother. I should have checked first, silly me.
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