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Brad,
Well, this is interesting, but I have a hard time believing this. Maybe
I am too skeptical. I think the majority of AFOL's here are frustrated
with TLC's lack of attention to us and our needs / wants / desires. I
was rather flabbergasted the other day when I inquired to a LEGO
representative at Toys R Us about some items. She had no idea what
LUGNET was, or that adults even collected LEGO'S. She referred me to
Mindstorms, which is a neat product, but one I am not interested in
buying as of now.
Anyway, I don't want to make a huge announcement or post right now, but
I think the biggest help for everyone is if TLC could do a few things:
1) Bulk orders of specialty pieces such as train doors, etc.
2) Acknowledgment of Pause, LUGNET, the train clubs, AFOL's, etc.
3) Support for third party companies if TLC cannot support specific
services.
Well, if this is true, I look forward to having more a representative
voice in what I feel is the best product of the universe. I have used
LEGO items since I was 3 years old, and have spent tens of thousands of
dollars for various LEGO products. I would guess a good chunk of revenue
comes from us AFOL's, and I hope you can help get our points across.
Good luck in your new endeavor, and I wish you all the success I can.
have a great night!
Sincerely,
Scott E. Sanburn Age 24
500+ sets
110,000 Pieces +
Brad Justus wrote:
< snipped Brads announcement for brevity >
_________________________________________________________
Scott E. Sanburn
CAD Operator
Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Work Page:
http://www.aeieng.com/
Home Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3372/index.html
Main LEGO Page:
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3372/legoindex.html
Soon to come: Star Wars LEGO Sets Parts Selling Page!
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As a first step, we at LEGO Direct want to participate actively in these
newsgroups from now on - that is, if such participation is something
that you want. Please realize that it will take some months for all our
new efforts to be fully visible - we will be redesigning our entire Web
operation (as well as our offline direct services), and intend to have
the first release ready for you by late next Summer. But here's a little
preview that we think you'll like: we are planning to make bulk ordering
- albeit initially in a restricted format - available by then.
Bulk ordering is great news.
But, please, please....don't make the "restricted format," be restriction
as to *who* can order.
1. If the restriction is to be types of parts that can be ordered in the
beginning, I can live with that. I want mostly standard plates and bricks,
personally.
2.
If delivery is to be restricted to the US only, as
I suspect will be the case, you will be doing a grave disservice to your
European market, who, as a whole, exceed the US in terms of your sales.
3.
If availability of the service will be global, don't price differently
according to origin of the person purchasing! Make the price universal.
Don't penalize us because we live in Europe! Let the price differential
be in delivery costs!
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On Sun, 12 Dec 1999 20:57:37 GMT, richard.dee@virgin.net (Richard Dee)
wrote:
> Bulk ordering is great news.
> But, please, please....don't make the "restricted format," be restriction
> as to *who* can order.
> 2.
> If delivery is to be restricted to the US only, as
> I suspect will be the case, you will be doing a grave disservice to your
> European market, who, as a whole, exceed the US in terms of your sales.
>
> 3.
> If availability of the service will be global, don't price differently
> according to origin of the person purchasing! Make the price universal.
> Don't penalize us because we live in Europe! Let the price differential
> be in delivery costs!
Not to mention that, especially for people here, it simply Won't Work.
If the US prices are cheaper than EU prices by more than shipping
(shipping, BTW, is reasonably constant across all countries for
service sets - food for thought), there _will_ be mass purchases in
the US flown privately to Europe. That's just the reality of things.
Jasper
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First of all, welcome!
It is always a positive sign when a company should choose
to engage in dialogue with its customers. It is futher encouraging
that TLG recognises that AFOLs are a significant part of their
customer base. Many of us, no doubt, prefer to give Lego as
gifts to our's and other's children, too.
One of my major concerns is pricing! I am aware that a number of
factors affect how a product is priced, but is a constant source
of disappointment that sets in Europe are always priced substantially
higher than the US. Although as a country, the US is your biggest
market, as a collective entity, Europe as a whole far outstrips the US
in terms of sales. It has been, in a number of cases, cheaper to
purchase sets, via an intermediary, in the US, and have them shipped
back to Europe!
Further to pricing, the Lego store, located in the UK at the Bluewater
Shopping Centre, charges more per set than a number of other shops
in the same centre!
Another major concern is restricted availability of sets! There are many
sets and ranges not available universally! (Take the World Cup promotional
sets as the perfect example, and one which you have now addressed!)
I am relieved to see that you are going to experiment with what we have
all been *begging* for, bulk-ordering. Though I have many concerns!
The main concern is your mention of "restricted format." I pray that
the "restrictions" will not be "Orders are to be restricted to US
addresses only!" That would be a grave disservice to your European
market!
If the restrictions are to be colour or type availability, I could live
with that. Personally, I am more interested in basic plates and bricks,
in few colours.
If your initial experiments in bulk ordering will permit international
orders, please do not discriminate, price-wise, based on geographical
location. It would seem from your post that you will be based in New
York, and presumably will distribute from somewhere in the US. If you
can afford to sell, presumably over the internet, to one market at
a given price, there is no *fair* justification for not being able
to offer that same product, at the same price, to all that should
wish to avail themselves of the service. (I can be quite certain
that you will not price individual components cheaply enough to
undercut the sets of which they would constitute anyway!)
The only price differential, I should hope, would be in shipping
costs! (And that should not be that great! If your research should
prove that bulk-ordering is viable enough to justify this experiment,
you should be able to negotiate decent rates with delivery companies
so as to not discriminate further in that regards!)
Should you decide to price-bias based on the geographical location of the
purchaser, I will not use the service as intended. I will use the US-based
pricing structure, have the goods delivered to intermediaries in
the States, and collect upon one of my half-dozen US-destined business trips.
(This is something I currently do with a wide range of products. There are a
large number of UK- and European-produced products that I can purchase in the
US, pay customs duty upon arrival in the UK, and still save up to 50%!)
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