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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> Somehow this one seems to have snuck under the radar.
> <http://www.bricksonthebrain.com/blog/index.cfm?commentID=326 Jake is showing
> the microscale sets from the LEGO Factory contest winners on his blog.>
> There will be three sets. No prices listed as of yet.
>
> Bruce
Oh My Goodness!! All those are spectacular!! I'm going to get me some of those!
:)
That's awesome work to the three who made those micros!
Wonderfully done
Dave K
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
In a word awesome!!!
Although I consider most sets as bulk packs now a days, these I may have to
build. Unlike most sets, these have interesting building techniques, great parts
and subjects that caught my imagination. I look forward to building the models
and parting out the numerous copies that I will likely purchase.
OnDrew
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In lugnet.build.microscale, David Koudys wrote:
> In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
> > Hey all,
> >
> > Somehow this one seems to have snuck under the radar.
> > <http://www.bricksonthebrain.com/blog/index.cfm?commentID=326 Jake is showing
> > the microscale sets from the LEGO Factory contest winners on his blog.>
> > There will be three sets. No prices listed as of yet.
> >
> > Bruce
>
> Oh My Goodness!! All those are spectacular!! I'm going to get me some of those!
> :)
>
> That's awesome work to the three who made those micros!
>
> Wonderfully done
I agree! What Dave says.
I need to get me some of those sets 'cos they're cool plus it looks like they're
chocked full of good parts too. That means at least two of each, one set to
build and one or more sets to "use".
JB
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In lugnet.build.microscale, David Koudys wrote:
> Oh My Goodness!! All those are spectacular!! I'm going to get me some of those!
Nod.
> That's awesome work to the three who made those micros!
I think it's more than 3... each set seems to be an agglomeration of several of
teh winning entries, for example one set has both the monorail city slice AND
the Statue of Liberty model... I think that's pretty cool!
|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> In lugnet.build.microscale, David Koudys wrote:
>
> > Oh My Goodness!! All those are spectacular!! I'm going to get me some of those!
>
> Nod.
>
> > That's awesome work to the three who made those micros!
>
> I think it's more than 3... each set seems to be an agglomeration of several of
> teh winning entries, for example one set has both the monorail city slice AND
> the Statue of Liberty model... I think that's pretty cool!
Indeed! Congrats to all the winners! If you look closely, all the winners and
the name of their entries are identified in orange titles on the boxes near
their model. I hope that is also done on the final sets, but I would prefer
their real name be included instead of their lego.com alias, assuming they've
given permission.
ROSCO
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
WooHoo!...
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes say
the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an online
Shop@home exclusive? These sets are too good to be limited to catalog or online
only sales tho’. I can’t wait to get ‘em (several times over!)
Jeff
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ross Crawford wrote:
> Indeed! Congrats to all the winners! If you look closely, all the winners and
> the name of their entries are identified in orange titles on the boxes near
> their model. I hope that is also done on the final sets, but I would prefer
> their real name be included instead of their lego.com alias, assuming they've
> given permission.
>
> ROSCO
In my freelance period for LEGO I was able to see the winning models and the
preliminary packagings.
Of what I've seen the real names will also be included on the packaging, but on
the backside. In the contract that all participants have signed it says that
LEGO has permission to use their names.
Nathanael
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ross Crawford wrote:
> Indeed! Congrats to all the winners!
Yup! As pointed out on LEGOFan, the sets form a size progression so there can be
different price points, the third one is the biggest.
> If you look closely, all the winners and
> the name of their entries are identified in orange titles on the boxes near
> their model. I hope that is also done on the final sets, but I would prefer
> their real name be included instead of their lego.com alias, assuming they've
> given permission.
I agree. I would rather see names. Perhaps LEGO was thinking some were underage
and wanted to keep them anonymous, but why not ask the parents for permission,
or give first names if not? Handles are just not as spiffy.
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| |
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes
say the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an
online Shop@home exclusive?
|
Even if the person who buys them has internet access doesn’t mean you do. It
would be a bit crap if as a kid your online grandma ordered it for you and then
you had no instructions!
Tim
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
| |
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes
say the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an
online Shop@home exclusive?
|
Even if the person who buys them has internet access doesn’t mean you do. It
would be a bit crap if as a kid your online grandma ordered it for you and
then you had no instructions!
|
Realistically, what kid doesn’t have internet access but his grandma does?
I agree that not having printed instructions in a 2000-piece set is lame, but I
don’t think the concern above is too likely.
Best,
- Joe
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
| |
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes
say the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an
online Shop@home exclusive?
|
Even if the person who buys them has internet access doesn’t mean you do. It
would be a bit crap if as a kid your online grandma ordered it for you and
then you had no instructions!
Tim
|
I read it that the 3D instructions would be online. I cant imagine LEGO
releasing a set without instructions (if it needed them) ~J~
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
WooHoo!...
but...(again) i thought i saw some where that this set:
|
was a winner that was going to be made IRL (i don’t remember where i saw it- i
think on lugnet, but i’m eating & too lazy to look it up). anyone else
remember/ have any info?
Jeff
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
WooHoo!...
but...(again) i thought i saw some where that this set:
|
was a winner that was going to be made IRL (i don’t remember where i saw it-
i think on lugnet, but i’m eating & too lazy to look it up). anyone else
remember/ have any info?
Jeff
|
Apparently, it was a weekly winner, but (unfortunately) not a final winner:
http://www.lego.com/eng/factory/compete/competition.asp
I really wanted to get that one, too.
Marc Nelson Jr.
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
WooHoo!...
but...(again) i thought i saw some where that this set:
|
was a winner that was going to be made IRL (i don’t remember where i saw it-
i think on lugnet, but i’m eating & too lazy to look it up). anyone else
remember/ have any info?
Jeff
|
Apparently, it was a weekly winner, but (unfortunately) not a final winner:
http://www.lego.com/eng/factory/compete/competition.asp
I really wanted to get that one, too.
|
In the latest LEGO Magazine, there’s a full-page ad for a contest about
something, and they’ve been using images of this creation as a sample. I’ve seen
this Town Hall used by LEGO in several places, I also hope they produce it at
some point.
|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
SNIP
| |
| |
| |
| |
WooHoo!...
but...(again) i thought i saw some where that this set:
|
|
|
|
SNIP
| |
In the latest LEGO Magazine, there’s a full-page ad for a contest about
something, and they’ve been using images of this creation as a sample. I’ve
seen this Town Hall used by LEGO in several places, I also hope they produce
it at some point.
|
Yep, that’s what got me thinking of it. maybe Lego is hinting at it’s
usefulness? Well, i’m dfinitely hinting that Lego should make it IRL.
Jeff
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|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
but...(again) i thought i saw some where that this set:
|
was a winner that was going to be made IRL (i don’t remember where i saw
it- i think on lugnet, but i’m eating & too lazy to look it up). anyone
else remember/ have any info?
|
|
|
Maybe my Toy Fair pics? It was definitely featured at Toy Fair ...
| |
| |
Apparently, it was a weekly winner, but (unfortunately) not a final winner:
http://www.lego.com/eng/factory/compete/competition.asp
I really wanted to get that one, too.
|
In the latest LEGO Magazine, there’s a full-page ad for a contest about
something, and they’ve been using images of this creation as a sample. I’ve
seen this Town Hall used by LEGO in several places, I also hope they produce
it at some point.
|
I too hope that, and sort of expect that maybe they will, based on nothing more
than a hunch and the way they were talking at Toy Fair.
|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
Thanks for pointing this out. I am really impressed with the sets and like the
fact that the individual sets represent more than one designer.
I am wondering about price points though. Does anyone have any thoughts on
this? I wonder what criteria will be used. With the Designer series, there
seem to be more parts than the typical appx $0.10 per level. These sets would
seem to fall in that category, but, would many people pay even that amount for
what amounts to a 4 or 5” model?
Thoughts?
Jonathan
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
LEGO Factory has been updated, and there is now
pricing on each set. Preorders are available for shipping by August 8th, and
descriptions include real names of the winners.
The Airport set,
with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement Park
set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set, Skyline, is USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
There’s a link on each one to
download the building instructions, including a PDF or the .lxf file.
|
|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
LEGO Factory has been updated, and there is now
pricing on each set. Preorders are available for shipping by August 8th, and
descriptions include real names of the winners.
The Airport set,
with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
There’s a link on each one to
download the building instructions, including a PDF or the .lxf file.
|
Also check out this link: http://shop.lego.com/Factory
And most notably, this bit at the bottom of the page:
“Experience LEGO Factory Today! Use the LEGO Factory website and Digital
Designer to create your own incredible models! Then, coming in August to North
America, you’ll be able to order the bricks and elements to build your custom
LEGO Factory creations in the real world - just like the Factory sets shown
here!”
-Paul D.
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
| |
The Airport set,
with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me since
they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less than
$0.10/piece; AFAIK a good average-I assume Lego is gonna make a decent profit
since the design, CAD & instructions were done by fan designers using small
standard pieces & LEGO Co. is willing to have low price/piece points already).
Lego could have made a series of increasing price point sets like most of their
other lines. Since I’m gainfully employed, I’ll be able to get them all (& I
will), but the fantastic work of the Lego community that resulted in many highly
desirable designs, & showcased Lego creativity at it’s most fundamental best:
BY THE CUSTOMER, may now only be available to (mostly) older, employed Lego
fans. Obviously some AFOL parents will get them for their kids, & kids with
great allowances, will get them etc, but I was really hoping the Lego Co. would
use this opportunity to aggressively market their product to the widest group
possible. I think mor lower priced sets would work better in this capacity &
from the ‘designed by so-and-so individual’ idea of the contest, I was expecting
more individual-fan designed sets. OK, and it would allow me to space out my
most anticipated of this years Lego sets as weekly treats: “Ugh thank goodness
it’s friday, I worked hard this week, time to get so-and-so’s set”...yeah as if
i’d need an excuse not to buy them (all at once for that matter) :)
X-posted to Dear Lego
Jeff
P.S. pleas excuse the grammar & long sentences as it’s late, I’m tired & I
didn’t want to forget to post my thoughts. ‘night
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
LEGO Factory has been updated, and there is now
pricing on each set. Preorders are available for shipping by August 8th, and
descriptions include real names of the winners.
The Airport set,
with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
There’s a link on each one to
download the building instructions, including a PDF or the .lxf file.
|
I think the size of those PDF files, there should be an indication on the
download page so that people on dialup know it’s gonna take a while.
ROSCO
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
| |
The Airport
set, with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me
since they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less
than $0.10/piece; AFAIK a good average-I assume Lego is gonna make a decent
profit since the design, CAD & instructions were done by fan designers using
small standard pieces & LEGO Co. is willing to have low price/piece points
already). Lego could have made a series of increasing price point sets like
most of their other lines. Since I’m gainfully employed, I’ll be able to get
them all (& I will), but the fantastic work of the Lego community that
resulted in many highly desirable designs, & showcased Lego creativity at
it’s most fundamental best: BY THE CUSTOMER, may now only be available to
(mostly) older, employed Lego fans. Obviously some AFOL parents will get
them for their kids, & kids with great allowances, will get them etc, but I
was really hoping the Lego Co. would use this opportunity to aggressively
market their product to the widest group possible. I think mor lower priced
sets would work better in this capacity & from the ‘designed by so-and-so
individual’ idea of the contest, I was expecting more individual-fan designed
sets. OK, and it would allow me to space out my most anticipated of this
years Lego sets as weekly treats: “Ugh thank goodness it’s friday, I worked
hard this week, time to get so-and-so’s set”...yeah as if i’d need an excuse
not to buy them (all at once for that matter) :)
X-posted to Dear Lego
Jeff
P.S. pleas excuse the grammar & long sentences as it’s late, I’m tired & I
didn’t want to forget to post my thoughts. ‘night
|
As you are, I am a bit disappointed by the range of size TLC have chosen for the
LEGOfactory products (too big - 130$ is just an incredibly high upper limit to
me for a System and “no licence” product) but I think that choice is due to the
fact that’s a ShopAThome exclusive. (and I’m not able to explain more that
reason, it’s just a thought).
I hope in the future to see similar LEGOfactory products on store shelves with
sets on the 100-300 parts range as a very attractive product. I understand
that’s quite impossible as LEGOfactory is a CAD product concept.
I also hope TLC is not making a bad move by encouraging kids to use virtual
bricks with LDD, to use their computer by not printing BIs : in short to
encourage kids not to buy real LEGO bricks.
Didier
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
| |
The Airport
set, with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me
since they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less
than $0.10/piece; AFAIK a good average-I assume Lego is gonna make a decent
profit since the design, CAD & instructions were done by fan designers using
small standard pieces & LEGO Co. is willing to have low price/piece points
already). Lego could have made a series of increasing price point sets like
most of their other lines. Since I’m gainfully employed, I’ll be able to get
them all (& I will), but the fantastic work of the Lego community that
resulted in many highly desirable designs, & showcased Lego creativity at
it’s most fundamental best: BY THE CUSTOMER, may now only be available to
(mostly) older, employed Lego fans. Obviously some AFOL parents will get
them for their kids, & kids with great allowances, will get them etc, but I
was really hoping the Lego Co. would use this opportunity to aggressively
market their product to the widest group possible. I think mor lower priced
sets would work better in this capacity & from the ‘designed by so-and-so
individual’ idea of the contest, I was expecting more individual-fan designed
sets. OK, and it would allow me to space out my most anticipated of this
years Lego sets as weekly treats: “Ugh thank goodness it’s friday, I worked
hard this week, time to get so-and-so’s set”...yeah as if i’d need an excuse
not to buy them (all at once for that matter) :)
X-posted to Dear Lego
Jeff
P.S. pleas excuse the grammar & long sentences as it’s late, I’m tired & I
didn’t want to forget to post my thoughts. ‘night
|
One thought came to mind as to a “Why”- Star Wars minis. There are still, what,
one or two more years left till the Star Wars licence ends? When the Star Wars
line does come to an end TLG will have to fill the store shelves with something
and individual versions of these new designer sets would do the job. It’s just
a matter of waiting, but, hey, I’m just speculating.
Adr.
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
-snip-
| |
to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me
since they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less
|
-snip-
I’d like to voice agreement with this. Personally, I drop about ~$20 on LEGO
every pay day. I don’t drop more as I can afford more each pay day, and I dont
save up to buy more expensive sets. For me, $20 is the line where I can buy
something without having to save up or as an impulse buy (both online and in
RL). Stuff more than $20, and I’m gonna have to seriously evaluate whether I
need the pieces or not.
If these were in the $10-20 range, I’d have bought one or two a payday until I
had all that I wanted. Now, I’ll prolly grab one and hope the rest go on sale
eventually. Either that or I get hired at a better place ;o)
-Lenny
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
| |
The Airport
set, with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me
since they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less
than $0.10/piece; AFAIK a good average-I assume Lego is gonna make a decent
profit since the design, CAD & instructions were done by fan designers using
small standard pieces & LEGO Co. is willing to have low price/piece points
already). Lego could have made a series of increasing price point sets like
most of their other lines. Since I’m gainfully employed, I’ll be able to get
them all (& I will), but the fantastic work of the Lego community that
resulted in many highly desirable designs, & showcased Lego creativity at
it’s most fundamental best: BY THE CUSTOMER, may now only be available to
(mostly) older, employed Lego fans. Obviously some AFOL parents will get
them for their kids, & kids with great allowances, will get them etc, but I
was really hoping the Lego Co. would use this opportunity to aggressively
market their product to the widest group possible. I think mor lower priced
sets would work better in this capacity & from the ‘designed by so-and-so
individual’ idea of the contest, I was expecting more individual-fan designed
sets. OK, and it would allow me to space out my most anticipated of this
years Lego sets as weekly treats: “Ugh thank goodness it’s friday, I worked
hard this week, time to get so-and-so’s set”...yeah as if i’d need an excuse
not to buy them (all at once for that matter) :)
X-posted to Dear Lego
Jeff
P.S. pleas excuse the grammar & long sentences as it’s late, I’m tired & I
didn’t want to forget to post my thoughts. ‘night
|
Yes. I agree, and thats not including the fact that they are even more expensive
in the UK. The price per piece might not be high but the sets are just too big.
If each winner was an indiviudual set I might end up buying most of them over a
year or two, but as it is I probably won’t buy any. (however, smaller sets tend
to be bought more on a whim than larger sets, but buying on SaH isn’t really on
a whim like seeing one in a shop and grabbing is. Perhaps its not as bad an idea
as it seems)
Tim
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15
|
I have to agree. While I’m delighted with the idea of the lego factory sets and
keen on getting the models that are available, I’m just not liking the prices. I
don’t make a habit of buying $40, $70, & $130 sets. $15-20 sets are more my
speed. Even if I ended up spending the same amount overall, something in my head
is agast at spending $130 on one set, but isn’t at buying 13 $10 sets.
-Jason
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jason Spears wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part
(IMHO). To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold
per individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty,
etc.) to keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15
|
I have to agree. While I’m delighted with the idea of the lego factory sets
and keen on getting the models that are available, I’m just not liking the
prices. I don’t make a habit of buying $40, $70, & $130 sets. $15-20 sets are
more my speed. Even if I ended up spending the same amount overall, something
in my head is agast at spending $130 on one set, but isn’t at buying 13 $10
sets.
|
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”... This
seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their systems so they
can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Paul S. D’Urbano wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
Also check out this link: http://shop.lego.com/Factory
And most notably, this bit at the bottom of the page:
“Experience LEGO Factory Today! Use the LEGO Factory website and Digital
Designer to create your own incredible models! Then, coming in August to
North America, you’ll be able to order the bricks and elements to build your
custom LEGO Factory creations in the real world - just like the Factory sets
shown here!”
-Paul D.
|
OK, so 2 + 2 will give us 5...
We have access to the .lxf files, we have access to the means of ordering the
sets individually.
Basically, what we’ll need to do is rip out the individual models we would like
and then order them as a single entity. Hopefully the price point will make
this a good deal, as I was hoping this would be my chance to buy an affordable
Statue of Liberty. But, the price on this one is still prohibitively high.
Now, to play the waiting game...
-John “God, I’ve been lurking for a long time” Rudy
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|
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.
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I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their systems
so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
Tim
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|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
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.
| |
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their
systems so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
Tim
|
I work for a publisher here in NYC and one of the requirments from our Editor in
Chief is ‘keeping the sku count low’ (number of different books we produce, not
quantities of each title that we print). I’m not 100% sure this is the
reasoning for keeping the sku count low but, an operating/overhead cost is
worked into the P&L for each book we develop and produce. It is automatically in
there. There is no way to get it out. It includes salaries, rent, employee
benefits, kitchen coffee & milk, etc. If the sku count goes up really high,
operating costs for the year automatically go up with them. So, keeping a cap on
the sku count, keeps operating costs down and within a predetermined operating
budget.
I think this might be typical for all/most businesses.
Jonathan
don’t know where to set FUT.
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|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jonathan Lopes wrote:
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
.
| |
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their
systems so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
Tim
|
I work for a publisher here in NYC and one of the requirments from our Editor
in Chief is ‘keeping the sku count low’ (number of different books we
produce, not quantities of each title that we print). I’m not 100% sure this
is the reasoning for keeping the sku count low but, an operating/overhead
cost is worked into the P&L for each book we develop and produce. It is
automatically in there. There is no way to get it out. It includes salaries,
rent, employee benefits, kitchen coffee & milk, etc. If the sku count goes up
really high, operating costs for the year automatically go up with them. So,
keeping a cap on the sku count, keeps operating costs down and within a
predetermined operating budget.
I think this might be typical for all/most businesses.
Jonathan
don’t know where to set FUT.
|
Having a manufacturing background, and having worked a little ops management..
the more SKU’s you have, the more associated costs you’re going to have (for
example--just boxes alone: -more boxes to design and print--adds money to
product, -more time required to print more boxes, as you have to figure in
setup time for each box run (more cost), -area needed to store those boxes
(still more cost, and can you find the area to store?),
When planning resource allocations, more SKU’s means more variables in the mix
that have to be managed.
When the product is packaged at the warehouse, you then have to store the items
separately as well--again, more cost, and can you find the space?) Then you
have shipping and storage space at retailers’ locations. (Granted, maybe that
part is not a big issue right now for the LEGO factory, but all the others
apply.
There are a lot of other factors, but I wanted to look at a small part, just to
see what that does to costs.
Scott
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In lugnet.build.microscale, John M. Rudy wrote:
| |
OK, so 2 + 2 will give us 5...
We have access to the .lxf files, we have access to the means of ordering the
sets individually.
Basically, what we’ll need to do is rip out the individual models we would
like and then order them as a single entity. Hopefully the price point will
make this a good deal, as I was hoping this would be my chance to buy an
affordable Statue of Liberty. But, the price on this one is still
prohibitively high.
Now, to play the waiting game...
-John “God, I’ve been lurking for a long time” Rudy
|
Nice catch, John. You figured out what I saw pretty quickly too. Possibly,
LEGO will be able to track the submission of an individual copyrighted model
design like Nathan’s SoL, but you never know. The cat’s out of the bag, so
we’ll have to wait and see. There’s enough hidden elements in the SoL to
customize and submit as your own anyway, but we’ll see if they planned on that
adequately...
They should have kept the design files private, I guess.
Grab ‘em while you can.
Welcome back!
Ed
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jonathan Lopes wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
.
| |
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their
systems so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
Tim
|
I work for a publisher here in NYC and one of the requirments from our Editor
in Chief is ‘keeping the sku count low’ (number of different books we
produce, not quantities of each title that we print). I’m not 100% sure this
is the reasoning for keeping the sku count low but, an operating/overhead
cost is worked into the P&L for each book we develop and produce. It is
automatically in there. There is no way to get it out. It includes salaries,
rent, employee benefits, kitchen coffee & milk, etc. If the sku count goes up
really high, operating costs for the year automatically go up with them. So,
keeping a cap on the sku count, keeps operating costs down and within a
predetermined operating budget.
I think this might be typical for all/most businesses.
|
I think ones that used fixed burden accounting, yes, but many companies have
switched to variable burden, or even Activity Based Costing. I believe the cost
that LEGO fears lies elsewhere.
FUT trimmed to just lugnet.dear-lego
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In lugnet.dear-lego, Didier Enjary wrote:
| |
I also hope TLC is not making a bad move by encouraging kids to use virtual
bricks with LDD, to use their computer by not printing BIs : in short to
encourage kids not to buy real LEGO bricks.
|
Interesting idea, but I’m not sure that I would agree with you.
--off-topic personal viewpoint--
This is a similiar line of thinking to the way that the record industry believed
(still believes?) that digital music and filesharing was going to kill album
sales or even overall interest in music. Ever report that I’ve seen that’s come
back about the reality of the numbers is that filesharing has actually increased
CD sales overall, and certainly interest in music.
--/off-topic personal viewpoint--
Maybe you’re right, but I hope not. My gut tells me that getting kids
experiencing the LEGO brick is a good thing whether it’s virtual or physical. My
gut also tells me that the more that kids play with virtual bricks, the more
they’ll be interested in physical bricks. We’ll just have to see.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
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|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
.
| |
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their
systems so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
|
It’s not a matter of simply adding more numbers to the system. As was pointed
out elsewhere, each new product brings added complexity to the system, as well
as additional development costs. Designing and printing one box, for example, is
always going to be cheaper than designing two boxes or certainly 10 boxes.
Each time a new product is inserted into the system (not the number only, but
the physical product itself), costs increase from things like distribution,
storage, management, development, quality assurance, marketing, planning... the
list goes on.
With SAH exclusives, we have a smaller market overall compared to, say, retail.
So there’s not as much flexibility to create an unlimited number of products.
Heck, for that matter, we don’t even created “unlimited” product lines even in
retail.
Hope that helps.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
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The Airport
set, with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) to
keep the price less, starting around $10 or $15 (still seems doable to me
since they’e mostly made of small parts & the current prices are MUCH less
than $0.10/piece; AFAIK a good average-I assume Lego is gonna make a decent
profit since the design, CAD & instructions were done by fan designers using
small standard pieces & LEGO Co. is willing to have low price/piece points
already). Lego could have made a series of increasing price point sets like
most of their other lines. Since I’m gainfully employed, I’ll be able to get
them all (& I will), but the fantastic work of the Lego community that
resulted in many highly desirable designs, & showcased Lego creativity at
it’s most fundamental best: BY THE CUSTOMER, may now only be available to
(mostly) older, employed Lego fans. Obviously some AFOL parents will get
them for their kids, & kids with great allowances, will get them etc, but I
was really hoping the Lego Co. would use this opportunity to aggressively
market their product to the widest group possible. I think mor lower priced
sets would work better in this capacity & from the ‘designed by so-and-so
individual’ idea of the contest, I was expecting more individual-fan designed
sets. OK, and it would allow me to space out my most anticipated of this
years Lego sets as weekly treats: “Ugh thank goodness it’s friday, I worked
hard this week, time to get so-and-so’s set”...yeah as if i’d need an excuse
not to buy them (all at once for that matter) :)
X-posted to Dear Lego
Jeff
P.S. pleas excuse the grammar & long sentences as it’s late, I’m tired & I
didn’t want to forget to post my thoughts. ‘night
|
I agree with you Jeff,
These parts are VERY small, paying 5 cents per part for parts that are only a
fraction of the size of 2x4 bricks seems rather pricey. And then grouping the
designs together.... As a town person, I am disappointed that there are NO
actual windows (not the fault of the designers, but of the design database). I
really hate those 1x1 “pigeon holes” that they used for windows in these
designs. I will have to study these designs more to actually see if there are
parts that I am willing to pay the entire set price for, or just wait for them
to filter down into Bricklink.
IMHO, I think that when some of you order these, you are going to be shocked at
how little actual plastic (volume wise) your money will buy. Just because the
sets are a fraction of the usual size, doesn’t mean the price will be
proportionally reduced.
Gary Istok
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ross Crawford wrote:
download the building instructions>, including a PDF or the .lxf file.
| |
I think the size of those PDF files, there should be an indication on the
download page so that people on dialup know it’s gonna take a while.
ROSCO
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Um, there is. eg
http://www.lego.com/eng/factory/products/buildinginstructions.asp?id=5525&cid=6
What I want to know is why don’t any of the sets have those new cool 8x8 road
plates that were in the lego factory parts list? I wanted to get some of those.
Allister
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jake McKee wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
.
| |
I’m 80% sure (guesswise) that the reason is “we don’t have enough SKUs”...
This seems to me a sign of internal breakage, LEGO needs to fix their
systems so they can have more SKUs without it costing them a lot more.
|
How much does it cost to have some more numbers?!
|
It’s not a matter of simply adding more numbers to the system. As was pointed
out elsewhere, each new product brings added complexity to the system, as
well as additional development costs. Designing and printing one box, for
example, is always going to be cheaper than designing two boxes or certainly
10 boxes.
Each time a new product is inserted into the system (not the number only, but
the physical product itself), costs increase from things like distribution,
storage, management, development, quality assurance, marketing, planning...
the list goes on.
With SAH exclusives, we have a smaller market overall compared to, say,
retail. So there’s not as much flexibility to create an unlimited number of
products. Heck, for that matter, we don’t even created “unlimited” product
lines even in retail.
Hope that helps.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
|
Just looking at shop.lego.com, I find:
- 13 keychains
- 4 pens
- 4 backpacks
- 15 books
- 1 watch
- and 55 ‘other’ - mostly Bionicle shoes, t-shirts, and costumes
Even this listing leaves out tons of other items that can be found in a Brand
Retail store - pencils, erasers, picture frames, basketballs, etc.
Perhaps if TLC were to focus more on its core business - as it is forever
promising to do - there would be more SKUs available for actual LEGO sets.
Marc Nelson Jr.
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
> <snip>
> Perhaps if TLC were to focus more on its core business - as it is forever
> promising to do - there would be more SKUs available for actual LEGO sets.
I, for one, like some TLC's non-brick offerings. This one sticks out in my
mind:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/bricksland/bricklink/spacecap1.jpg
-Orion
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Bruce Hietbrink wrote:
|
SNIP
| |
The Airport
set, with 607 pieces, is USD$39.99.
The Amusement
Park set is USD$69.99 and is 1,344 pieces.
Finally, the big set,
Skyline, is
USD$129.99 for 2,747 pieces.
|
SNIP
This is an example of unwise marketing/pricing on the Lego Co.‘s part (IMHO).
To make these more widely accessible, the sets should have been sold per
individual winner (just the pirate ship, just the Statue of Liberty, etc.) ...
|
SNIP
I think the grouping together of designs reduced the company’s risk of getting
left with shelves full of the least popular one. I’m not sure how many of you
buy for parts like I do, but if I were just out for sand green bricks and I
could buy just the statue of liberty set, I probably would. In fact if that
were tru I’d buy at least 10 statues and forget the rest. If lots of people did
that, each with their preference, there could be one or two types that didn’t
sell very well and others that ran out quickly.
I think the company knows that the AFOL community is sufficiently strong for
some people to buy the sets even if there are parts they don’t want, and sell
the unwanted parts on Bricklink.
There’s also the question of the different sizes of sets, since there is a wide
range of amounts of parts even between the ten winning designs.
The scaling of price per piece over the three sets shows what I believed
already, that it’s cheaper in bigger sets, given similar types of pieces. This
agrees with common sense, since the overheads per set are similar, reducing the
company’s costs. $5 in $130 is a lot more economical than $5 in $15!
Lower proportional overheads for bigger sets is also a reason why I want to be
able to buy parts by the 10000 of each type. I’m fed up with paying too much
for small sets when I know it would save both us and the company money for them
to sell parts in much larger quantities to AFOLs. Get rid of the overheads of
fancy boxes with pictures, expensive instructions and advertising literature and
just let me buy plain boxes of parts.
I want to see a list of what parts I could buy by the K8 (~15kg), and the prices
of them. Then I’ll go on a serious shopping spree. Let’s start with bricks and
plates of all sizes in all colours, with a price half that of the current PaB
shop prices. A few of those and we can start building our own Legoland gardens.
Resource the community!
Mark
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In lugnet.build.microscale, James Stacey wrote:
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
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| |
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes
say the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an
online Shop@home exclusive?
|
Even if the person who buys them has internet access doesn’t mean you do. It
would be a bit crap if as a kid your online grandma ordered it for you and
then you had no instructions!
Tim
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I read it that the 3D instructions would be online. I cant imagine LEGO
releasing a set without instructions (if it needed them) ~J~
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There is no instructions included in the 5524-set I just opened. Only a card
that shows how to find the instructions online.
Martin
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|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Martin Bruun wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, James Stacey wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Tim David wrote:
| |
| |
but...what if someone gets these & doesn’t have internet access (the boxes
say the instructions will only be online)? Or will the sets only be an
online Shop@home exclusive?
|
Even if the person who buys them has internet access doesn’t mean you do.
It would be a bit crap if as a kid your online grandma ordered it for you
and then you had no instructions!
Tim
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I read it that the 3D instructions would be online. I cant imagine LEGO
releasing a set without instructions (if it needed them) ~J~
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There is no instructions included in the 5524-set I just opened. Only a card
that shows how to find the instructions online.
Martin
|
That’s unfortunate. I’m sure the public will let the company know that they
don’t approve. Call it a learning experience.
ondrew
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ondrew Hartigan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Martin Bruun wrote:
|
| |
| |
There is no instructions included in the 5524-set I just opened. Only a card
that shows how to find the instructions online.
Martin
|
That’s unfortunate. I’m sure the public will let the company know that they
don’t approve. Call it a learning experience.
|
I read it (when I ordered) that there would not be any instructions included and
that I would have to go online to get them. So, I knew that going in.
I agree with Ondrew though.... Whether the general public picks up on that point
when they order, and whether they like it, or complain and feel like they were
cheated, is an interesting experiment, potentially with larger implications.
If it helps reduce cost I’m for it I guess, I toss 90% of my instructions
anyway. I’d suggest a separate sku for a version WITH instructions, perhaps for
a bit more cost, but we know that LEGO seems to have trouble with a lot of
excess SKUs...
I have my packages now and I’m impressed with the outside appearances,
especially with the builder blurbs, which I thought were well done. I’m bummed
at the lack of the mini roadplates though!
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
| |
I have my packages now and I’m impressed with the outside appearances,
especially with the builder blurbs, which I thought were well done. I’m
bummed at the lack of the mini roadplates though!
|
Yeah, I was hoping for microscale road plates too. Guess that’s going to be the
difference between buying a couple of sets ‘cos they are new and actually quite
cool, and a bunch because I would do that to get loads of such new mini road
plates. Oh well.
On the inline only instruction subject, I also realised that was to be the case
although the almost 9Mb download is very tedious if you live out in the sticks
like me with only a 56k modem for company and a rural phone company whose pops
and burps on the phone line causes my PC to drop the connection every 20 - 30
mins.
JB
|
|
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
| |
I have my packages now and I’m impressed with the outside appearances,
especially with the builder blurbs, which I thought were well done. I’m
bummed at the lack of the mini roadplates though!
|
Does anyone know the future status of the mini roadplates? Will they be coming
someday, perhaps in a company designed set? My belief (perhaps mistaken) was
that since they were included with the LDD parts that the real versions were
already being planned for production.
Best regards,
Allan B.
The Unofficial LEGO Builder’s Guide
|
|
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In lugnet.build.microscale, John Barnes wrote:
| |
In lugnet.build.microscale, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
| |
I have my packages now and I’m impressed with the outside appearances,
especially with the builder blurbs, which I thought were well done. I’m
bummed at the lack of the mini roadplates though!
|
Yeah, I was hoping for microscale road plates too. Guess that’s going to be
the difference between buying a couple of sets ‘cos they are new and actually
quite cool, and a bunch because I would do that to get loads of such new mini
road plates. Oh well.
On the inline only instruction subject, I also realised that was to be the
case although the almost 9Mb download is very tedious if you live out in the
sticks like me with only a 56k modem for company and a rural phone company
whose pops and burps on the phone line causes my PC to drop the connection
every 20 - 30 mins.
JB
|
well speaking of the instructions....
since i am using dialup i figured i would check out the liberty instructions
with the picture version of them. unfortunently there quite hard to follow due
to there small size. now granted i’m using 8x12 resolution but they should still
be understandable. i had to squint to make out some of the parts and placement.
i would have tried the pdf file but i was not in a hurry to wait 10 mins for it
to load.
on a sort of tangant does anyone have inventorys for the 3 sets?
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