Subject:
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Re: The Relationship - LEGO and its Fans (was: Re: Official vs. unofficial LEGO postings)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.admin.nntp, lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Fri, 16 Mar 2001 01:38:10 GMT
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Viewed:
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2499 times
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In lugnet.admin.nntp, Eric Kingsley writes:
> >
> > I have to ask, so what? We want to buy their product, and as long as the
> > groups aren't saturated with marketing (which they aren't), I see no problem.
>
> I think Todd explained things pretty well here:
>
> http://news.lugnet.com/lego/direct/?n=2201
>
> But if you want my *personal* reasons to know what "my point" was I will tell
> you.
>
> 1. Time = Money
> The time I have to dedicate to reading LUGNET is somewhat limited. I am not
> interested in what contest LEGO is running today, or why Bionicle masks arn't
> properly randomized, or that S@H just got some Fort Legorado's in. I prefer to
> *spend* my *time* reading fan posts and looking at pictures of MOC's.
A very brief response -- I'm still digesting all this. I agree concerning
contests, sale items etc. I think the matter of the Bionicle masks is a little
different. Tomas Clark responded to direct questions/speculation from fans. This
was interesting, useful information (in the Bionicle context), not just spam
about how they could win six nights on Mata Hui if they sent in 30 teal Kanohi
masks by next Tuesday. If a totally uninformed debate raged for a week about the
likelihood/impossibility/probability/scumminess of production errors, would that
have more value simply because it was "fan driven"? I can definitely see the
point about building a pearl of a community, and how TLC is just the grit in the
LUGNET oyster. Sure mostly grit will scratch, but I think that sometimes it can
polish.
> 2. LEGO came here for one reason, to make more Money.
> I agree that LEGO should make as much money as they can, but don't do it on my
> dime. If I want to know what LEGO has to say and I have some free time I will
> check out the .lego. groups. My reason for being here is to be with fans. I
> don't plan on consulting for LEGO for free to help them make more money. I
> will gladly spend my money on LEGO but I don't want LUGNET to become a big LEGO
> advertising forum.
AFOLs understand LEGO in a different way to TLC. Sure. But both parties know a
lot about LEGO, and naturally TLC knows quite a bit now that we won't for a good
while (if ever). If we can access their information, not just their spiel, it's
to our benefit as fans. If TLC is smart, they'll realise that we can actively
improve their business through our understanding of LEGO, not just through
buying more and more of their product.
> 3. Other than the very first release of bulk bricks LEGO hasn't posted
> anything about the Bulk selection that I didn't already know either from a fan
> or having a catalog in hand. I don't want to read about things I already know
> if its avoidable. Now if LEGO wanted to tell us what is coming in terms of
> bulk ordering I would be interested in that but I would like it posted to
> .lego.direct or a similar location. Now I don't think that will happen because
> doing so would not be in LEGO's best interest. For example, if I know part xyz
> was going to be available in bulk in 2 months I would stop buying set 1234 to
> get those parts right now and that would hurt LEGO's bottom line.
I doubt whether 60 days worth of AFOLs purchasing 1234s has much effect on TLC's
profits. On the other hand, if we knew that TLC was going to bring out doodads,
we could tell them "if you bring out gizmos too, you'll sell five times as many
doodads, to us at least, and probably to everyone". If we were right about the
doodad/gizmo synergy, we'd benefit (hey we got gizmos!!), and TLC would benefit
(hey we sold a lot more doodads than we thought we would). Smiles all round.
some thoughts (more than I expected!),
DaveL
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