 | | | | | |
One thing Brad Justus said on Saturday was that LUGNET estimates of how many
Guarded Inns were being ordered were "way off" -- the point was that many,
many times more are being bought by parents of kids. Sales "went through the
roof" when the S@H catalog went out.
I think it will also be true that for every AFOL who never got a Metroliner
before now, there will be a hundred kids who get one.
Lego Direct is a tiny organization within Lego that wants to prove that
trains sell. They don't get to spend a lot of money developing products.
After the current re-releases do well, then LD will be in a position to ask
Denmark for more. The Sopwith Camel already existed, LD just brought it to
market. If a great new train set already exists on a designer's shelf,
perhaps it will be the next Sopwith Camel. I think that is more probable
than Lego putting a great train set in the retail line.
-Erik
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.trains, Erik Olson writes:
> One thing Brad Justus said on Saturday was that LUGNET estimates of how many
> Guarded Inns were being ordered were "way off" -- the point was that many,
> many times more are being bought by parents of kids. Sales "went through the
> roof" when the S@H catalog went out.
Some people think that LUGNET is the center of the LEGO universe. I'd
compare us to a section of seats at a sporting event, with a couple of
hecklers making the most noise. There might be 500+ seats, but only two
people trying to get the most attention. Sure, we LUGNET AFOLs make a lot
of noise, but we're really a small part of the LEGO market!
>
> I think it will also be true that for every AFOL who never got a Metroliner
> before now, there will be a hundred kids who get one.
Speaking as a real 'train head', this *has* to be a good thing. :-)
JohnG, GMLTC
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.trains, John Gerlach writes:
> In lugnet.trains, Erik Olson writes:
> > One thing Brad Justus said on Saturday was that LUGNET estimates of how many
> > Guarded Inns were being ordered were "way off" -- the point was that many,
> > many times more are being bought by parents of kids. Sales "went through the
> > roof" when the S@H catalog went out.
That proves that more sales are generated by the catalog than by people reading
lugnet. It *doesn't* say anything about the people making those purchases.
Who knows whether it's parents, kids or AFOLs placing the orders?
> Some people think that LUGNET is the center of the LEGO universe. I'd
> compare us to a section of seats at a sporting event, with a couple of
> hecklers making the most noise. There might be 500+ seats, but only two
> people trying to get the most attention. Sure, we LUGNET AFOLs make a lot
> of noise, but we're really a small part of the LEGO market!
Exactly. The stadium is everyone buying lego, the section is AFOLs, the two
people are LUGNET.
I've said it before: LUGNET represents a relatively small portion of the AFOL
market. *Serious* LEGO maniacs wouldn't waste time on the computer, when they
could be playing with their bricks.
> > I think it will also be true that for every AFOL who never got a Metroliner
> > before now, there will be a hundred kids who get one.
> Speaking as a real 'train head', this *has* to be a good thing. :-)
I totally agree with you there.
Steve
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.trains, Steve Bliss writes:
> In lugnet.trains, John Gerlach writes:
> > In lugnet.trains, Erik Olson writes:
> > > One thing Brad Justus said on Saturday was that LUGNET estimates of how many
> > > Guarded Inns were being ordered were "way off" -- the point was that many,
> > > many times more are being bought by parents of kids. Sales "went through the
> > > roof" when the S@H catalog went out.
>
> That proves that more sales are generated by the catalog than by people reading
> lugnet. It *doesn't* say anything about the people making those purchases.
> Who knows whether it's parents, kids or AFOLs placing the orders?
Good point. Brad only talked about how it was kids "directing" their parents
to buy, shortly after the context of juniorized sets.
I don't have a problem adjusting to being in a minority, because we've been
coddled lately. LUGNET however has allowed the illusion that we really are
all that important and more.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
Erik Olson wrote:
>
> In lugnet.trains, Steve Bliss writes:
> > In lugnet.trains, John Gerlach writes:
> > > In lugnet.trains, Erik Olson writes:
> > > > One thing Brad Justus said on Saturday was that LUGNET estimates of how many
> > > > Guarded Inns were being ordered were "way off" -- the point was that many,
> > > > many times more are being bought by parents of kids. Sales "went through the
> > > > roof" when the S@H catalog went out.
> >
> > That proves that more sales are generated by the catalog than by people reading
> > lugnet. It *doesn't* say anything about the people making those purchases.
> > Who knows whether it's parents, kids or AFOLs placing the orders?
>
> Good point. Brad only talked about how it was kids "directing" their parents
> to buy, shortly after the context of juniorized sets.
However Brad made it quite clear: "on 7 of 8 calls we listened to, you
can hear the kid in the background directing the parent". Those sales
are FOR kids, no matter whose money is being spent. While I question the
7 of 8 calls (Mike pointed out that he usually orders for his son after
bedtime, I also wonder about gift purchases etc. - but then perhaps it
is just evidence that kids are spending their OWN money [with their
parent's help]).
> I don't have a problem adjusting to being in a minority, because we've been
> coddled lately. LUGNET however has allowed the illusion that we really are
> all that important and more.
Brad made it clear that while we are a minor part of their market, we
ARE important to them. We represent a very dedicated fan base which will
promote the brand, we happily provide information (another one Brad
mentioned - they DID use the "parts survey" as an input to their
decision making and it sounded like he was somewhat dissapointed it had
fallen by the wayside).
--
Frank Filz
-----------------------------
Work: mailto:ffilz@us.ibm.com (business only please)
Home: mailto:ffilz@mindspring.com
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
Frank Filz wrote:
> Erik Olson wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > I don't have a problem adjusting to being in a minority, because we've been
> > coddled lately. LUGNET however has allowed the illusion that we really are
> > all that important and more.
>
> Brad made it clear that while we are a minor part of their market, we
> ARE important to them. We represent a very dedicated fan base which will
> promote the brand, we happily provide information (another one Brad
> mentioned - they DID use the "parts survey" as an input to their
> decision making and it sounded like he was somewhat dissapointed it had
> fallen by the wayside).
I don't know about all of you, but there are at least 6 non-AFOL families
who regularly ask me for Lego advice (including help on buying out-of-production
sets). I have told them exactly what I think about Lego Racers, Juniorization,
Bionicle, and other issues commonly discussed on Lugnet. If I am typical, then
TLC marketing is probably underestimating our influence by a substantial factor.
/Eric McCarthy/
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
Eric McCarthy wrote:
>
> Frank Filz wrote:
>
> > Erik Olson wrote:
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> > > I don't have a problem adjusting to being in a minority, because we've been
> > > coddled lately. LUGNET however has allowed the illusion that we really are
> > > all that important and more.
> >
> > Brad made it clear that while we are a minor part of their market, we
> > ARE important to them. We represent a very dedicated fan base which will
> > promote the brand, we happily provide information (another one Brad
> > mentioned - they DID use the "parts survey" as an input to their
> > decision making and it sounded like he was somewhat dissapointed it had
> > fallen by the wayside).
>
>
> I don't know about all of you, but there are at least 6 non-AFOL families
> who regularly ask me for Lego advice (including help on buying out-of-production
> sets). I have told them exactly what I think about Lego Racers, Juniorization,
> Bionicle, and other issues commonly discussed on Lugnet. If I am typical, then
> TLC marketing is probably underestimating our influence by a substantial factor.
I think they're underestimating it less than you think. Brad touched on
this type of impact. However, I think their feeling is their whole Mania
Club/S@H consituency fits this bill.
Brad also made it clear that while he completely understood that we
don't buy juniorization or racers (I bet you'd be surprised by the
number of AFOLs buying Bionicle), they are also not targetted at our
market segment. They are targetted at today's kids who have been
conditioned to more instant gratification and action oriented play. They
also hope and understand that if they expose a kid to some building
before the action oriented play, that perhaps some of those kids will
realize the building part is play also... Some of the new lines
(Throwbots, Bionicle, and Racers) are also targetting the kids
"collectible" market. Kids have always collected (in fact, people have
probably always collected - ever thought about what's REALLY behind a
zoo or library - and those are ancient concepts).
--
Frank Filz
-----------------------------
Work: mailto:ffilz@us.ibm.com (business only please)
Home: mailto:ffilz@mindspring.com
| | | | | | |
