Subject:
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Re: 9v Train status report.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:15:15 GMT
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Viewed:
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3455 times
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In lugnet.trains, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
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In lugnet.trains, Eric Kingsley wrote:
(some interesting ideas)
That’s all well and good, and I think a website might be useful but it’s not
the way to prove the line is viable. That requires driving demand. But how?
What are the chances of LEGO enabling all the clubs to sell stuff at shows
and see if the supposed demand we think is there actually is? Not every club
would want to do it, of course but I expect some would. To enable it LEGO
would have to do it “on consignment” so the club wouldn’t get stuck with
excess inventory if it didn’t work, and have to sell to the club for less
than retail so there is some motivation, and would have to do it without a
lot of red tape. Fast turnaround, whatever product is wanted in whatever
quantity (within reason) and no “you have to sell curved track with straight,
you have to sell this crappy set with that good one” like small the retailers
used to get hosed with.
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You’re getting close to what I’ve thought for a long time, Larry.
Eric, you have some interesting ideas, for sure, and plenty of passion for our
hobby.
Here’s some simplistic opinions that I can share - it’s evident to me that
LEGO’s looking for an out, and they probably should. They’ve kept a fairly
tight exclusivity agreement in force through S@H for a long time, limited
availability, and haven’t tried to grow their 9v train business by lowering
margins and developing a seperate line of exclusive sets for distributors. I’ll
bet that there are plenty of professional entities willing to take over the 9v
train line, and I’m sure they can market it much better that LEGO has. A hobby
train distributor needs to make an offer to buy the rights to the line, and then
market them alongside existing successful products, including through retail
hobby outlets. Train show presence will increase awareness in cooperation with
LTCs, tapping into our existing passionate base of hobbyists. LEGO should be
seeking out those distribution entities before losing more money.
LEGO: Let it go and it will grow. Want to talk more?
Hobby train distributors: Use your experience to distribute and expand the
product line. We’ll buy it, help you market it, develop prototypes and demo
displays, and show you how to increase sales on an annual basis.
Ed
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: 9v Train status report.
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| In lugnet.trains, Eric Kingsley wrote: (some interesting ideas) That's all well and good, and I think a website might be useful but it's not the way to prove the line is viable. That requires driving demand. But how? What are the chances of LEGO (...) (18 years ago, 31-Mar-06, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
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