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In lugnet.lego, David Gregory wrote:
> The 2X2 tiles and 2X3 plates seem to have reasonable prices.
> Everything else is insane.¬ ¬
Wow. I was wondering if this was across-the-board bad, so I checked out the
aspect I've used, Technic. I don't have the "old" prices squirreled away, but
from memory the price of studded beams hasn't changed much (although the types
have changed some - for instance, they no longer offer 14L). But the pins!
Almost all of them are $0.25 a *piece*, which is much more expensive than I
remember... about 8x Bricklink prices.
I've done a couple of significant orders from S@H PaB previously: mostly for
mass quantities of certain elements, but I would then add a bunch of other
things "because I was there" and the prices weren't too far above Bricklink. In
short, impulse buying, or "one stop shopping".
Not at these prices. I wonder what happened.
--
Brian Davis
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The 2X2 tiles and 2X3 plates seem to have reasonable prices. Everything else is
insane.
David
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You’ve probably noticed that the LEGO online Pick-A-Brick / LEGO Factory palette
has recently been updated with new parts - and new prices. As an avid user of
the LEGO Factory system, I was curious just how much the prices had gone up by.
I created three train models in order to evaluate the new prices - a caboose in
6-wide, the same caboose as an 8-wide model, and an AAR-style wheelset using
some new wheels that were recently added to the Palette.
I’ve designed numerous LEGO Factory models over the years and have a feel for
what these models should cost based on previous pricing. In my experience,
models typically average about 15 cents per part. A 6-wide railcar typically
runs less than $70. My 6-wide caboose uses the train baseplate and minimal SNOT,
so it should cost about $50 or less. At 329 elements, my 15c/part estimate gives
$49.35 - almost in exact agreement. The 8-wide version is SNOTtier and has 601
pieces, so $90 is a good estimate. The AAR truck has only 43 pieces, but it uses
an expensive magnetic buffer piece. To estimate the price, take the 15c/part
estimate of $6.45 and add on the (former) cost for the buffer of $1.54. This
brings the estimated cost to $7.99.
So, how did these estimates check with the new (USA) LEGO Factory prices? The
results aren’t encouraging. Let’s start with the AAR truck... this little
43-part gem is now a whopping $21.57 - 270% more than the estimate using the
previous Factory pricing. At this price, it would cost you over $40 just to
supply the wheels for a railcar using two of these AAR trucks.
8-wide railcars are always expensive. Just before the price increase, I ordered
an 8-wide, 1086-element locomotive, sans 9V motors and wheels, from LEGO Factory
for a cost of $107. This caboose has 601 elements, so we would expect the cost
to be less, given the same pricing. However, the pricing is not the same
anymore... and this caboose now costs $201.50 - averaging 33.5 cents per brick.
That’s more than double the old prices.
The real shocker is the 6-wide caboose, which should have cost about $50 with
the old pricing. It comes in at an unbelievable $181.51, or 55 cents per brick!
Why so much more for the 6-wide model? The secret is in the wheels. For this
model, I used stock train wheelsets. There is a bug (if you can call it that) in
LEGO Digital Designer that includes one four-pack of train axles for each
wheelset ordered. That means that the caboose model will actually ship with four
axle packs, or 16 total. These axles are now priced at $13 per 4-pack, and a
wheelset costs $16.10 as a result. Since the model includes four wheelsets,
these add more than $64 to the cost of the model. The AAR trucks actually end up
being cheaper, even at more than $20 each!
I’m really disappointed by this new pricing. LDD models and online Pick-a-Brick
have become unaffordable. If LEGO requires such high prices in order for online
PaB to be profitable, then it appears that the time has come for LEGO Factory to
close its doors.
As a LEGO Ambassador, I have voiced my concerns through the LEGO Ambassadors’
message board. I also contacted LEGO Customer Service by phone and was told that
several customers had voiced the same concerns over Factory pricing. I was told,
however, that these prices are set by LEGO in Denmark and that the US Customer
Service could not provide me with further information at the time of my call.
LEGO is already aware that there are a number of fans upset over the new prices.
However, if you find these new online Pick-a-Brick / LEGO Factory prices
objectionable, I still encourage you to make your concerns known so that LEGO
can understand the impact of the new prices - which are more than double the old
and have made online PaB impossibly expensive. Their toll-free number in the US
is +1 (800) 835-4386. I will pass along more information as I receive it.
--
I also posted this story - with pictures of the MOCs - on MOCpages. The link
for that is:
http://mocpages.com/moc.php/109368
-- Jordan Schwarz
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If LEGO granted Christmas wishes, I would have to ask for:
1) 5.5 length technic axle - so my train wheels don’t fall off anymore
2) modular train railing system - so I don’t have to cut any more hose and the
awkward use of minifig hands
3) train wheels that will grip the track and that are no more than 3 studs in
size - the current wheels are about 3.1 studs in diameter
Does anyone else have a wish list of parts?
Scott
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"Karl Paulsen" <karlepaulsen> wrote in message news:K7G6y3.FMK@lugnet.com...
> Hi folks,
> I just thought you all might like to know that it appears that the
> Factory
> palete has been updated to include elements in "Custom Car Garage" and the
> PAB
> selection has been updated accordingly. Perhaps most notably the minifig
> parts
> inlcuding new heads, naboo and agents henchmen torsos, and brown and tan
> legs,
> are now present.
>
> http://us.factory.lego.com/PAB/default.aspx
Can a LEGO Ambassador forward this palette error onto the LDD design and
LEGO Factory website teams at TLG.
Why does the part described as 'MOTOR 2X2X1 1/3' appear as an orderable LEGO
Factory element in LDD, but does not appear in the LEGO Factory Palette in
LDD?
I think this (and other parts too) are erroneously specified in the LEGO
Factory Palette.
I think someone at TLG needs to cross-reference both palettes and make sure
that the proper element sets are showing up on both palettes.
Can we also please have a 'help' category on the website to report LEGO
Digital Designer and LEGO Factory errors like these.
Cheers ...
Geoffrey Hyde
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"Jordan Schwarz" <jbschwarz@ThisIsReallygmail.com> wrote in message
news:K7GAEx.4E8@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.announce, Karl Paulsen wrote:
> > Hi folks,
> > I just thought you all might like to know that it appears that the
> > Factory
> > palete has been updated to include elements in "Custom Car Garage" and
> > the PAB
> > selection has been updated accordingly. Perhaps most notably the minifig
> > parts
> > inlcuding new heads, naboo and agents henchmen torsos, and brown and tan
> > legs,
> > are now present.
> >
> > http://us.factory.lego.com/PAB/default.aspx
>
> And I'm glad to see that we finally get the "Brick 2X4X2 W. Screen" - the
> part
> used as a wheel-well on all sorts of LEGO vehicles that also makes a great
> piece
> for window decorations. That will be a nice asset to have.
They must be a bit slow to change the brick palette, or there is some error.
I tried to find this brick in the LEGO Factory palette, but it does not show
up in LEGO Digital Designer Factory palette, only in the Factory website.
It does show up as a brick you cannot order, if you turn the palette filters
off, but this still makes it hard for people to order it in a LDD model.
And the only color I see it available in is the dark bluish grey from
Factory, it'd be nice of them to make it available in other colors as well.
I think it would be great if TLG could at least make the Factory orderable
bricks match up properly with the LDD palette which shows them.
Cheers ...
Geoffrey Hyde
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In lugnet.announce, Karl Paulsen wrote:
> Hi folks,
> I just thought you all might like to know that it appears that the Factory
> palete has been updated to include elements in "Custom Car Garage" and the PAB
> selection has been updated accordingly. Perhaps most notably the minifig parts
> inlcuding new heads, naboo and agents henchmen torsos, and brown and tan legs,
> are now present.
>
> http://us.factory.lego.com/PAB/default.aspx
And I'm glad to see that we finally get the "Brick 2X4X2 W. Screen" - the part
used as a wheel-well on all sorts of LEGO vehicles that also makes a great piece
for window decorations. That will be a nice asset to have.
-Jordan Schwarz
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Hi folks,
I just thought you all might like to know that it appears that the Factory
palete has been updated to include elements in "Custom Car Garage" and the PAB
selection has been updated accordingly. Perhaps most notably the minifig parts
inlcuding new heads, naboo and agents henchmen torsos, and brown and tan legs,
are now present.
http://us.factory.lego.com/PAB/default.aspx
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Hi!
Here are three questions: one about LEGO trademarks and two for the LDraw
community. The questions stem from a casual interest in selling custom LEGO kits
with instructions. Because there are existing vendors of excellent such kits -
and books containing similar instructions - I assume that LEGO and the LDraw
community are not hostile to such enterprise. However, as I consider entering
this lucrative market myself, I would like more direct assurance that it is
indeed acceptable.
Firstly, to what extent - if any - may the name, number, or image of LEGO
products be referenced in the sale of custom models? These properties would be
used solely to identify which LEGO sets should be purchased to obtain the
prerequisite pieces for custom kits.
Secondly, does LDraw policy (as expressed by the Contributor Agreement, other
documentation, or tradition) grant third parties the right to capitalize on the
considerable volunteer time, effort, and ingenuity represented by the part
library and the LDraw system?
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, how do the individual authors of LDraw
parts and programs feel about such enterprise? The good will of the people who
propel this hobby is of principal importance to me. Would you be pleased to see
your work used - and promoted - as part of another small commercial endeavor, or
would you consider it a misuse of your contribution to the community?
Again, because of the considerable precedent - including but not limited to
books by LDraw software authors - I infer that it is not objectionable to market
materials containing LEGO and LDraw imagery.
If nothing else, I hope these questions prompt thought and discussion about the
variety of uses for the LDraw system and the LEGO brick.
Be well, and thank you for your input.
Jim
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Dave Schuler wrote:
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Alexander Farlie wrote:
***big snip***
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Sadly in finding the specfic auction above, I also found a few others :(
Thanks for listening.
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On the plus side, the auction ended without a bid. I only glanced at it, so I
don’t know if it was terminated by the eBay powers-that-be, or if it truly
lapsed without interest.
Dave!
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If the eBay powers-that-be would have been involved you would get a page that
says the auction number is not valid or does not exist. Since you can see the
auction ended it is because time ran out for the auction with no bids.
In terms of a DVD full of LEGO instructions I only know of several on the market
that are legit. 1
The CD-ROM (ok not a dvd) by Mechanized Bricks of his CUSTOM WWII series I
models, url: http://www.mechanizedbrick.com/mb.html
Foundry DX Mecha CD series (again NOT a DVD), url:
http://www.foundrydx.com/main.html
and Brickmania DVD re-published under license by A&M Productions 2 which
contains all the original Brickmania models, except for Blacksmith Shop which
was licensed to TLC under the MOC series, uel: http://www.aamproductions.biz
The Brickmania DVD is NOT a full 4.8 GB full of data or instructions for that
matter. It also includes tons of other stuff (photos, other instructions, etc.)
In terms of what you can do. eBay does have a form that you can fill out to
report copyright infringements auctions if you go the HELP section on ebay and
type in bootleg recording you will get to this url:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/bootlegs.html at the bottom is a report
violation (you need to be signed in) and can report the auction number. eBay
will look at the auction and determine if they are going to shut it down.
Note that this DOES NOT always work and it depends on the amount of money ebay
has to GAIN from the auction. eBay has been know to turn a blind eye if it
is just one or two people reporting a violation on an item as they would rather
charge the fee on the auction. Do a google search to learn more about this
issue on eBay’s double standards of who and what they crack down on.
Now if TLC itself is not willing to take action (per another post on this
thread) then there is not much we (non copyright holders) can do about it.
1 By legit I mean these optical disc contain CUSTOM LEGO building
instructions that are copyright by the creators of the instructions and NOT
TLC.
2 I, Ahui Herrera, am the owner of A&M Productions.
-Ahui
A&M Productions
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In lugnet.lego.direct, John Patterson wrote:
> In lugnet.lego.direct, Dave Schuler wrote:
> > In lugnet.lego.direct, Alexander Farlie wrote:
> >
> > ***big snip***
> >
> > > Sadly in finding the specfic auction above, I also found a few others :(
> > >
> > > Thanks for listening.
> >
> > On the plus side, the auction ended without a bid. I only glanced at it, so I
> > don't know if it was terminated by the eBay powers-that-be, or if it truly
> > lapsed without interest.
> he has more running right now of the same thing.
Ugh. That's pretty crappy. What a jerk...
Dave!
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Dave Schuler wrote:
> In lugnet.lego.direct, Alexander Farlie wrote:
>
> ***big snip***
>
> > Sadly in finding the specfic auction above, I also found a few others :(
> >
> > Thanks for listening.
>
> On the plus side, the auction ended without a bid. I only glanced at it, so I
> don't know if it was terminated by the eBay powers-that-be, or if it truly
> lapsed without interest.
>
> Dave!
he has more running right now of the same thing.
John P
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Alexander Farlie wrote:
***big snip***
> Sadly in finding the specfic auction above, I also found a few others :(
>
> Thanks for listening.
On the plus side, the auction ended without a bid. I only glanced at it, so I
don't know if it was terminated by the eBay powers-that-be, or if it truly
lapsed without interest.
Dave!
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Alexander Farlie wrote:
> Dear TLG,
I've email Lego about this several times. They don't seem to care.
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(Note to Moderators, If this post is not appropriate please fell free to remove
it.)
Dear TLG,
I note the following EBAY auction:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEGO-PLANS-AND-DESIGNS-ON-3-DVD-ROM-AUTORUN-DISCS_W0QQitemZ200185829178QQihZ010QQcategoryZ70100QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The seller claims: "THIS DISC IS NOT AN UNAUTHORISED COPY.THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
CONTENT IS EITHER, OWNED BY THE SELLER, OR HAS BEEN FULLY AUTHORISED FOR
USE/REPRODUCTION/SALE BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER, OR IT IS FREELY AVAILABLE IN THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN. THE SALE OF THIS ITEM BY SELLER DOES NOT COMMIT ANY BREACH OF
COPYRIGHT OWNERSHIP OR COPY REGULATIONS, IT THEREFORE COMPLIES FULLY WITH ALL OF
EBAY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS"
The problem is that as far as I can tell the seller has misunderstood both
copyrights and Ebay's rules as they apply to Lego(R) instructions.
Copyright as I understood it persisted in any fixed work (in the EU) for the
lifetime of the authour + 70 years, where the work was joint, it is the death
of the last contributor that is important. In the US similar rules apply apart
from a 95 year term from creation where the fixed content is work-for hire on
behalf of a corporation (for example The Lego Group)
Given the length of the above terms it is highly unlikely that Lego instructions
would have yet entered the public domain,(the only websites
I knew of that were hosting old instructions having made specific arrangements
with the Lego Group directly.)
Furthermore my understanding was that copyright does not transfer to the
purchaser of the instructions,meaning the only content the seller could
distribute under his own copyrights are plans for his own creations. I doubt
that anyone has a DVD's worth of their own instructions, but am willing to be
proved wrong.
As Lego orignated material is not public domain, and would clearly not be the
copyright of the seller, Perhaps someone in Lego Direct would be willing to
confirm or deny if copyright authorisation was given in respect of the auction
concerned, or contact Ebay directly to ensure the seller does indeed have the
appropriate paperwork to make the auction concerned legal?
Sadly in finding the specfic auction above, I also found a few others :(
Thanks for listening.
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In lugnet.lego.direct, David Eaton wrote:
> [...] I guess one way of going about it would be to e-mail
> Steve Witt or Jan Beyer who could at least point you in the right direction.
>
> DaveE
I have one other option left. If that one brings no results, I think I'll just
follow your suggestion.
Thanks,
Maarten
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Maarten Steurbaut wrote:
> In August 2004, I asked for an e-mail address to contact TLC.
> [...]
> Any suggestions?
In what capacity are you looking to contact them? These days, there's a very
wide variety of ways to contact Lego-- I dunno if they would have a "general
contact" e-mail address. I guess one way of going about it would be to e-mail
Steve Witt or Jan Beyer who could at least point you in the right direction.
DaveE
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In August 2004, I asked for an e-mail address to contact TLC. I asked this in
LegoLand Billund (the parks weren't sold at the time). The e-mail address didn't
work.
Last month, I was back in Billund. I mentioned this and asked for a new e-mail
address. They gave me "Danmark@LEGO.com". But this e-mail address doesn't work
either...
This e-mail address is also mentioned on
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/contact.html. On this page I found "UK@LEGO.com" but
this one doesn't work either.
Any suggestions?
Using the contact form on the webpage is not a good idea: I am always
automatically redirected to the local consumer services...
Maarten
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