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Hi Brad and LEGO Direct service team,
a huge welcome to lugnet - oh this has been said already?
Who cares, this is one of the most important days in history, a dream coming
true for all of us (mostly AFOLs).
All I could say know has already been mentioned in some way so there is no
need to read the whole message if time does not allow it. I want this new LEGO
Direct service to give us bulk sales quickly, not to keep reading for weeks
first and there obviously is a lot to read now.
-
My first question/concern is how international this service really is. I live
in Germany and I do also want to get bulk sales, ...
So please try to publish -whatever TLC decides to- also in Europe (of course
Australia,...). It would even be nice if there would also be local divisions
for special languages, but on the other hand is very common and I have not yet
heard any AFOL complaining about (my) bad english and grammatical mistakes.
Well, the language is not the point I wanted to explain here. Take e.g. etoys:
This is a great service but unfortunately they do not ship to Europe and so I
can't order anything.
-
TLC, give every person in the world to get all sets that are available in
other countries too. I spent about US$500 on shipping costs in 1999 to get all
those US only sets and other things, so please don't forget us. Note that the
german market is besides the US one of the most important ones and the new
LEGOLand opening here soon is a great improvement.
-
Well, US only sets are not the only things that are hard to find. Next point
are the promotional items. It is so dissapointing to see special sets
appearing all over the world - Kellogs, Shell, Maersk, Danone, Mc Donalds,
Velux, Milka, Kabaya, MilkyWay, etc. etc. etc. just to name a few here.
Of course those sets have a promotional sence but getting the guarantee that
they show up maybe twelve months later available at LEGO Direct would help us
collectors a lot (and save us a lot of money for shipping and trading). I do
not think TLC itself would have less profit only because they sell the sets
again a bit later. My favourites so far are all Kabaya and Airline sets as
they are nearly impossible to find and pay. Well, bulk sells might be the
solution. I could go through all instructions to find out which pieces I am
missing for those sets and then simply order them directly. This will be a
soloution too, although not the perfect one.
-
What about old/discontinued sets? Most of them were great, and absoloutely
cool, but paying more than twice the price plus shipping for a used set is not
possible for me (at least not generally). Maybe you could remake some of the
best classic sets, thinking of Pirates, Castle, Town and Space. It would be
enough if we would get two old cool sets a month available or so. Maybe not
even excactly the same sets. What about the same model with new set number,
new box, and new building instruction plus a small sheet with details about
the original set, such as year piece count, classic pictures, original number
and available countries, and other nice things. I think we have even seen this
for some smaller sets. The Kabaya Space and Castle lines were actually old
sets with new set number. Their original themes were discontinued long before
they came out. I am dreaming about sets like 6954, 6989, 6086, 6277, 4558 and
lots more, let the AFOLs themselves decide. It would be nice to get the
original model with no new minifigs and no new colours but I do think as long
as the sets go back to their roots we will buy them.
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What would also be nice is getting the old 12V sets remade but with new 9V
motors. Some modifications would be necessary but it would be great. What
about "real-life-set", a TGV, ICE, an old steam locomotive and many many other
train items that are more realistic and where people won't be loaded onto the
trains like cargo. For children this might be nice but not for AFOLs, we are
not playing that way. I have many ideas how to improve the 9V train system,
but it would be an adult train theme then, not for kids. First of all we need
electronical switches, then sensors on the rails combined with signals,
pedestrian crossings and train crossings. All this should be electronical and
programmable. I can even imagine a LEGO Mindstorms Train expansion set, yes
Mindstorms. Develop an RCX that we can put next to the transformator so that
we can program diverse tracks on the PC and then combine them with the real
tracks. The PC would know when a train arrives at a stop sensor and so the
trains would stop at stations, crossings, signals, switches, etc...
You could program them to avoid crashes that way, maybe even tell them the
speed individually and lots more. Try to develop even a system that allows us
to "turn" a train around. I mean a track where trains can go both ways without
the electronic stopping them.
Well, I know this will cause lots and lots of problems but in theoretical it
is possible as Maerklin, Fleischmann and other train construction companies
also did this and you already have the software, you only need the hardware,
based on simple Mindstorms motors and sensors, telling the PC when a train
reaches a certain point via sensor and reacting via motor by changing a switch
to avoid a crash.
Okay, as said this is a difficult job and the products would be only for
adults and also very expensive. I think the starter Mindstorms kit should
contain around five sensor rails, two electronical switches and stopping rails
(like used in the 12V system) and some crossings. Additionally a very large
train RCX with about eight inputs and eight outputs also able to expand.
Okay, okay, a huge project and I stop writing about it now. Please don't tell
me I am stupid, think about it for a few hours and if it is a stupid idea, you
don't have to do this. electronical switches without PC would also be nice
though, but remember PCs are the future.
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Besides this you should bring back the monorails, lots of them. Maybe sell
single trains also without track or buildings. What about waggons for them,
have you tried monorail crossings yet, what bout 20stud high bridges? or else
curves with smaller angles like 45* . That would give the system a new
complexivity and I am sure many monorail fans would buy this. If those
improvements are unprofitable okay, then simply bring back the track sets so
that we can keep our tracks growing. I know children do no more buy any of
those monorail tracks, but we certainly do.
AFOLs, please disagree if I am wrong.
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As mentioned above many of my ideas are really not useful as toys for kids so
why don't you think about new sets specially designed for adults. A new twon
theme would be so cool. The age marked on the box could say 16-99 or so. What
about a classic realistic church, the Statue of liberty, a large bank or any
other buildings seen in LEGOLands. Those would be great and I am sure adluts
would buy them. You could sell them besides your usual sets. I can live with
juniorized city and things like Scala or Belville. I don't think they are as
bad as AFOLs say and as long as they are profitable you should keep them. Some
of them are really good - for kids! Please discontinue Znap though, this is
ugly right? Sorry to be so open here, but first I did like the Znap sets and
bought several, so meanwhile I think they are only good for train bridges and
that is all I use them for. Well, as you now do care about AFOLs I can live
with all those sets I do not like, we do not have to buy them. If some AFOLs
would want you to produce military sets you can even do this IMO, but I will
not buy them in any case.
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Last but not least you can help us to complete many of the unofficial
databases. I am sure there is still lack of information and some official
pictures for the Pause Magazine (espacially for old sets) would be cool. Of
course this might be impossible also because of various points. First it might
cause TLC some costs to help us filling the empty set numbers places, but on
the other hand I am sure that many AFOLs would even pay US$2 if we would get a
complete list therefor and this means maybe more than US$4000 for giving us
help to complete some lists, fair for all I think. Well, but lots of work for
the AFOLs to organize the money collecting etc.
Simply answer the questions we do have on many sets. Can you ever tell us what
set #1886 IS/WAS/SHOULD be? It is impossible for most of us to imagine why
this set caused so many rumors.
On the other hand I would like to know if this information is secret for some
reasons. Maybe you truly have copyright problems so you can't help us here. Oh
well, just think about it carefully, it is worth a thought.
-
I think that's it in general. Thanks for listening (if you are still reading).
The fact that your posting got such a large reaction should express how great
these news are. I am sorry that this is finally such a long message but I was
waiting to tell you this for years, well decades so it is more than fair that
I can finally say you what I do think. My collection contains meanwhile more
than 1000 LEGO sets, I spent more than US$2000 for LEGO this year Many other
impressions are yet to be written so prepare to read and listen, I think this
is all you can do right now, simply listen, this is already a dream-come-true.
Once again, welcome at lugnet, keep listening, it's good to know you do.
Bye, Christian.
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The World is full of AFOLs - gech1@t-online.de
In lugnet.general, Brad Justus writes:
> To LEGO enthusiasts everywhere:
>
> We hope that we are the bearer of some holiday cheer for you all. For those of
> you who have felt that your love for LEGO was unrequited, this is a new day.
> With this missive, the LEGO Company asks to open a dialogue with you, our
> consumers. Whether you are an AFOL, or a parent purchasing a first DUPLO set,
> or a KABOB (Kid with a Bunch of Bricks – we just made that up), here are some
> words that should gladden your hearts: We are listening. And more than that,
> we will endeavor to be very responsive to your needs and desires. We want to
> have the best possible relationships with all of you who want to have a
> relationship with us. That is what LEGO Direct – our new direct-to-you
> communications and commerce channel (which I am heading) is all about. LEGO
> Direct embraces all the company’s direct-to-consumer efforts on a global
> basis, both on- and off-line: Shop@Home, our Internet presence(s), e-commerce,
> LEGO clubs worldwide, community building activities, and more.
>
> In creating this new enterprise for the company, we take one more step towards
> reaching our strategic intent: we want to be the strongest brand in the world
> amongst families by the year 2005. It’s a very bold goal, and one that we
> believe we can reach – but only if we are capable of listening and responding
> to the people who buy our products. You. Hence the creation of LEGO Direct.
>
> As a first step, we at LEGO Direct want to participate actively in these
> newsgroups from now on – that is, if such participation is something that you
> want. Please realize that it will take some months for all our new efforts to
> be fully visible – we will be redesigning our entire Web operation (as well as
> our offline direct services), and intend to have the first release ready for
> you by late next Summer. But here’s a little preview that we think you’ll
> like: we are planning to make bulk ordering – albeit initially in a restricted
> format – available by then.
>
> We are right now in the process of establishing new office space in New York
> and expanding the LEGO Direct staff. It will take a little time, so please
> understand that we’re not yet able to handle a deluge of incoming e-mail – but
> we’ll be happy to engage in a dialogue with you in these forums. We will do
> our very best to respond to everything that we can in a timely manner. We want
> to be a company with whom you want to be involved. We want to be the company
> you’d like us to be. And to do that, we need your input. What do you love?
> What do you hate? How can we help you? Tell us – we want your input. We know
> you’ve got a lot to say – we’ve been reading your postings for a little while
> now. We are very encouraged by the commitment and intensity of the LEGO
> community online – and that includes AFOLs. Perhaps, if traffic warrants it,
> we ought to consider creating a new newsgroup (or simply reformat lugnet.dear-
> lego) to serve as the online communication-to-LEGO channel. It’s up to you.
>
> We cannot tell you how excited we are to be working with you all. We hope you
> are equally encouraged by the renewed commitment we are making to you. We look
> forward to a very rewarding collaboration.
>
> Happy Holidays. And Play Well.
>
> – Brad
>
> Brad Justus
> Senior Vice President, LEGO Direct
> legodirect@lego.com
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Introducing LEGO Direct
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| To LEGO enthusiasts everywhere: We hope that we are the bearer of some holiday cheer for you all. For those of you who have felt that your love for LEGO was unrequited, this is a new day. With this missive, the LEGO Company asks to open a dialogue (...) (25 years ago, 9-Dec-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.announce, lugnet.dear-lego) !!
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