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In lugnet.space, Shiri Dori writes:
> The issue of rereleasing sets has come up numerous times, too bad TLC (1)
> refuses to listen. They would make great profit, ESPECIALLY if the sets were
> to be "collector's edition" or the like. Examples of sets that would make a
> ton: (Check eBay if you don't believe me :)
>
> *Trains: Metroliner and Club car would be natural
> choices for the train theme, not to mention the original 4.5V and 12V sets.
> *Castle: Undoubtly the Original yellow castle and much sought-after
> sets like Armor shop and Guarded Inn.
> *Space: I'm no expert but Space Police, Blacktron and IP2002 would be some
> good start points.
> *Town: Houses, ANY houses. Paradisa sets (eg Poolside Paradise).
> Marina sets, airports, monorail. Way too many to mention.
> *Pirates: Forbidden Island and BSB would be obvious
> choices, maybe others.
I am sorry but I just dont see this. And I dont think Lego do either, which is
why they dont do it. I think they do listen and say "why dont people
understand the economics of doing this?"
The fact is Lego are in the mass market, they try to sell 100's of thousands
of each set around the world. Its uneconomic to make and distribute less and
print up the catalogs etc.
For all the enthusiasm here, AFOL are a very small percentage of that market.
Many of the sets that seem so desirable on ebay etc, are desirable as much for
there rarity as anything else.
Once they were widely available, do you think there would be as many people
seeking them? Is a metroliner going to be worth $300, or even desirable, if
anyone can pick one up in toy's r us? The mania about such toys comes from the
fact that is it unavailable, it is rare, not cause its a nice piece of lego
(though that is part of it too, but smaller). Why are these things "sought
after"? Its cause you cant get them! If you could, the interest would be much,
much less. Is it any co-incidence that most of the sets you mentioned are also
fetching the best prices on ebay? Think why that is.
And if they did retail it at $300 do as not to upset AFOLs who collected them
(though why they would be so beneficial I dont know) do you think anyone
beyond a handful of AFOL's would be interested at that price? They couldnt
sell them at $100 first time round!
Look at the sets in the shops now. Are there queues of AFOL's or anyone else
racing out the doors with them? NO. Why are last years sets on clearance? Its
cause no body bought them!
Yet, in 5 or so years we can expect AFOLs to be lamenting the death of Artic,
Star Wars and Knights Kingdom and paying over the odds for them on Ebay. And
pleeding with Lego to reintroduce them as "collectables". Why dont you buy
hoards now and save your self the frustration?
The sad fact is that once, all the sets you mentioned were in plentiful
supply, yet did not sell to the wide public.
I have metroliner and club car and other trains, castles and pirate ships that
were on clearance at half price or less, and I have fond memories now of
seeing a huge pile of club cars at just $14 each in a clearance that I didnt
bother buying, as I didnt have the benefit of hindsight.
Lego are a large global corporation that is struggling to improve its share in
a very competitive toy market.
Do you really think making short runs of 'collectables' for a small number of
enthusiasts is going to be high on their agenda?
Sorry but any ideas of a 'great profit' are more likely to be a great loss
once the initial surge of AFOLs interest has gone. We are a handful of
enthusiasts amongst billions of toy buyers who could not care less
about 'collectable' lego.
Sorry for the negative tone. Nice if lego proved me wrong.
regards
lawrence
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Old sets
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| (...) after (...) Lawrence, I'm mostly in your camp, but I do believe that perhaps TLC should rerelease a "few" old sets to the public as a mass market "Lego Classics" collection. Occasionally Lego makes sets that just blow everything else away. My (...) (25 years ago, 14-Mar-00, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
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