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 General / 2548
  Re: TLG investigation
 
I think that allthough I am the youngest lugnet user (I think, 13 years old) that I and many others would prefer to join if the following was done: Membership cards and Certificates A FULL sized qaurterly magazine (as opposed to the *pathetic* lego (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Uh... I don't work for TLG, of course, but I can be pretty sure that this ain't gonna happen. Unless you're on the payroll of a company, it's not very realistic to expect them to supply you with stuff at their cost. Certainly a much lower (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Agreed - ESPECIALLY an ID card that is nice thick plastic like a credit card. Like the Legoland CA Primo Pass I'l be picking up Mar 14 at the preview opening ;-) (...) Agreed (...) AGREED (...) NOT AGREED. They would have no incentive to do (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) When you get a little order you'll learn that companies don't stay in business by selling products at cost, even to valued customers. :) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) all (...) ain't (...) realistic (...) I agre with almost all suggestion I saw until now. For bulk part I suggest that most of the bricks, plates, and ALL other structural parts (the most commun one) that they be sold in incremantal quantity of (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
On Sun, 14 Feb 1999 03:18:25 GMT, Mark Tarrabain uttered the following profundities... (...) IF a bulk ordering service were to be made available, and I really hope that it is, it is more than likely that they would be priced at a premium. That way (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Richard, You'll have to excuse me (I'm from the US), but isn't the Euro going to take care of that eventually, or is it still a long way off? Scott Sanburn (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Tom Stangl, VFAQman wrote in message <36C65305.A351656B@vfaq.com>... <snip> (...) even with (...) running (...) 100%+ mark-up, in your dreams!! Where did this figure come from? I don't know if the system is different in the states, but in the UK, (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) For those of us who think 2002 is a long way off, yes :) But the point is more or less that it doesn't matter whether it's in euros or in pounds or guilders or what-have-you: They can still charge more euros in england than somewhere else, (...) (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Well the UK is still using pounds and is not part of the Euro. (26 years ago, 14-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) I used to work in the toy department of a large department store. The markup on almost all of our stuff between our cost and final retail price was about 100%. Some was even more. (...) This shouldn't be an issue. TLG can easily have a (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Mark Tarrabain wrote in message <36C86BD7.DA07F3E8@l....bc.ca>... (...) markup on (...) 100%. (...) It must be different in the States. I have a copy of the Lego UK retailers price list and even with all the additional discounts, it's impossible to (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) What would it take for them to police/enforce such a requirement? (...) What if someone wanted to buy 500 gray 2x4 bricks and there was a minimum purchase requirement of 10,000? --Todd (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Well, for one thing, memberships would only be available to individuals, not corporations. Although this wouldn't necessarily stop a person from doing this altogether, it would put a cap on the amount of profit that they would be allowed to (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
On Sun, 14 Feb 1999 16:56:50 GMT, Scott Edward Sanburn uttered the following profundities... (...) Our political parties are still tearing their guts out over the issue. Despite the fact that it is the best thing for everyone (60% or more of our (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) And why would having a few thousand of, say, any particular part stop the sale of sets? Anyway, if sets generally have costs /part of $.10-$.20, Why not make the bulk ordering service at $.25/piece, for the medium-hard-to-get pieces, $.50-$1 (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) I think the point here is largely mute, since (call me cynical) even if TLG beefs up its offering of parts for club members, it seems to me very unlikely that they would make available each piece currently in production. So it simply wouldn't (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) How far does that go toward stopping an individual from buying $25,000 in bulk bricks and reselling these to a local toystore for $25,250? (The profit is only $250 on the transaction. Not bad for about 1 hour of work. :-) Any restriction (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) That's only 1% profit. Who's going to bother spending that kind of money to make so little? Further, I would never suggest that TLG charge club members prices that are below what retailers could get their stuff for. I, for one, would be quite (...) (26 years ago, 15-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Bulk purchases
 
(...) It wouldn't (and that wasn't the implication). The question was a rhetorical one, in response to Mark Tarrabain's comment "Further, there could be little incentive for a person to purchase from any individuals who were to try this because they (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
OK, Richard. I have heard many interesting tidbits on the Unification and the currency situation, from the EU spawning the Antichrist, to the benefits of American business and so on, so it is good to hear information who is in the thick of it, (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
Todd & All; Excellent discussion regarding bulk brick sales. In certain political circles, I know if say corporation A gives 10 people $1,000 each to give to a candidate that supports them, while the maximum contribution is $1,000, it is illegal and (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Todd, I think you and I are just going to have to agree to disagree on this. I don't think that TLG would have any motivation to sell to individuals in the bulk amounts that you are suggesting, but if you think otherwise, well, hey... maybe (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Think. Toystore writes $25,250 cashier's check to individual. Individual deposits check and writes new cashier's check to LSI for $25,000. LSI delivers bulk elements to individual. Individual delivers bulk elements to toystore. In other words, (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Sorry :) (...) Ok. No problem, no grudges. (...) No, I don't necessarily disagree with that...(and I probably don't want to be making guesses as to what motivates TLG :) My major disagreement was with the assertion that it would be possible to (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Exactly, bulk parts are unlikely to be economically viable for TLG, especially if they were cheaper than sets on a per piece basis. Bulk parts should demand a premium which those building huge models (castles) would be willing to pay in order (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
Todd Lehman wrote in message ... (...) this. (...) Just because you two agree to disagree doesn't mean one of you isn't wrong. Not that I'm going to tell you which one it is (if either). Jesse ___...___ Jesse The Jolly Jingoist Looking for answers? (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Yeah, yeah, sure... I'll betcha you and Todd just cooked up this whole thing together just to get me all riled up and see how much of a fuss I'll make, right? ;) Seriously though, I was never thinking that TLG would have to police anything. (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Jasper Janssen wrote in message <36c8a217.6212706@lu...et.com>... (...) Because presently, if you want a thousand of a particular piece the only way to get them is to buy umteen sets (4x2 bricks etc excluded). Donning my devil's advocate hat again (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Money Transfers (Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Agreed. <insert standard stump for the Libertarian party here. (URL) > (...) If you need to move money to or from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, or Germany (and I hope the NL soon, Hi Jasper) drop me a line. I may be able to help you. I have (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) I will. If you can point me to a scheme that is legal, and guaranteed to return 250 an hour for a capital investment of only 25,000 I am THERE. Only takes 100 hours to double your money at that rate. Lots of arbitrageurs make a nice living on (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) But there's a federally imposed limit on the amount that you can make per year before you have to A> declare the income, and B> either have a business license or be on a payroll. This limit is not really that much per year (only about six (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
I really don't see what all this fuss is about, toy stores aren't interested in selling bulk bricks. You used to be able to buy bulk bricks (supplementary packs I think they were called) in UK toy shops but not any more, there isn't enough demand. (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
I'm not sure what your comment about taxes has to do with my comment about arbitrage. If I can get 1% an hour consistently, I will declare the income and pay the taxes. Gladly. (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Ah, but as soon as you do that, you are making purchases on behalf of your company, and they are no longer private purchases. I was originally suggesting that TLG restrict membership of the club to private individuals only, and not allow (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
Matthew Bates wrote in message ... (...) interested (...) (supplementary (...) isn't (...) I was in Sweden back in December and in a couple of the stores I went into they had parts packs for slopes, doors and windows, and wheels. They were (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) 1. Having a business license does not mean being a company. You can carry on business as a sole proprietor, under your own name or a business name. 2. If you carried on business under your own name, there's no way Lego would know whether you (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Look, Larry, Todd, et al (was Re: TLG investigation and dynamics of bulk purchases)
 
</rant on> You know, I don't even care about bulk brick packages from TLG personally. A greater variety of service packs would be more than adequate as far as I'm concerned. Look, even if TLG had only the barest discount off of what you would pay (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Minifigs. And their accessories. Stores would stock these, I'll bet. We haven't had a minifig set for Space in quite awhile. Steve (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Hee hee... Well, look at the types of packs that were being sold -- brightly colored roof bricks and rectangular bricks and small plates and trees and windows, among other things. Great stuff, I don't mean to insult it, but it's no where near (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
On Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:57:35 GMT, Matthew Bates uttered the following profundities... (...) Let us not forget the closure of the Brazilian factory! Even though Brazilian production would increase the distribution cost, it could presumably be started (...) (26 years ago, 16-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Look, Larry, Todd, et al (was Re: TLG investigation and dynamics of bulk purchases)
 
Mark Tarrabain wrote in message <36C9B1D0.24C107D8@l....bc.ca>... (...) with a LEGO club (...) which can't (...) I think anything that furthers understanding (if only of people's positions) is good, even if the remaining 99% of the population has no (...) (26 years ago, 17-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
Steve Bliss wrote in message <36c9baa1.4738502@lu...et.com>... (...) Probably because they're not putting out any mini-fig sets that can't be composed of primary characters that everyone already has. Jesse ___...___ Jesse The Jolly Jingoist Looking (...) (26 years ago, 17-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Profit dynamics of bulk purchases
 
(...) Nah, it's probably because TLG changes the complete Space-line every (1-2)year! So they would have to change this minifigset also. But the older minifigsets were kept around for a lot more years. Ergo: in the new setup (every year completely (...) (26 years ago, 17-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Look, Larry, Todd, et al (was Re: TLG investigation and dynamics of bulk purchases)
 
Jesse said: (...) Agreed. The only point I was making in presenting counter arguments is that if there is a way to make easy money, sooner or later someone will find it. It doesn't matter whether you think it's moral or ethical or not. It doesn't (...) (26 years ago, 17-Feb-99, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
 
  Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) the same question that I'll ask... 3x3 corner slopes!!!! In a Swedish parts packs? I'm assuming that we are talking low slopes in RED, right? And not any other color, right? If that is the case, are these only in the Swedish sets? Or how (...) (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Back in the olden days (early 80's) when TLG did provide very limited bulk orders (it was not easy to do because they didn't want to do a lot of it), there was a 100 piece order minimum. Gary Istok (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
Gary Istok wrote in message <36CC3E8C.74BB5646@u...ch.edu>... (...) asking (...) parts (...) They were in a box, not a bag like the US parts packs. If you look on the LEGO web site in the European catalog the box looked like the one shown for set (...) (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Wow, a 100 of any given piece is nothing. I can think of a dozen pieces and minifigs (or just torsos and heads) I'd want more than 100 of. And if they started this up again I'm sure that those who only wanted 2 or 5 could arrange something (...) (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Bulk pieces
 
(...) On plates and bricks and normal stuff it sure isn't much, but I heard a story on RTL a few years ago from someone who'd bought 100 brown horses back in the late 80's when TLG was still doing these bulk sales. 100 horses sounds like a pretty (...) (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) Which would be: (URL) must admit I'm mildly interested. I'd be more interested if they were blue, and much more interested if they were black. As it is, I have tons of low slope red and I'm not sure the expense of getting European parts packs (...) (26 years ago, 18-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Well, was that 100 minimum of EACH piece, or 100pc minimum for the TOTAL ORDER? -- | Tom Stangl, Technical Support Netscape Communications Corp | | Please do not associate my personal views with my employer | (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) would (...) lower (...) that (...) commun (...) depending (...) brown, (...) orders (...) was a 100 (...) ORDER? (...) Would be 100 minimun each type of piece. Would you like to count 83 1x2 black, 253 1x4 red, 1252 1x4 white etc... Martin (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) My understanding (from someone in RTL long ago) was that it was 100 minimum of each type of piece ordered. You couldn't get 10 of one thing and 20 of another and 5 of another and have it add up to 100. This makes sense, too, because of the (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
Rob Farver wrote in message <36cca02d.3189366@lu...et.com>... (...) on (...) blue, (...) would (...) off (...) That is indeed the box I was refering to. As I recall, the box had four corner pieces in it. Mike (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) Maybe they were old parts packs? I have one or two roof parts packs from before my Dark Ages, and I happen to have 8 or so, I think, 3 * 3 low corner slopes (in red). Not the reverse slopes, unfortunately :) Jasper (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Just like counting out coins: Just weigh 'em. HTH. Jasper (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Jasper Janssen wrote in message <36d93a07.86778262@l...et.com>... (...) black, (...) Something tells me trying to tell the difference between pieces that small and light would really suck. HTH? Jesse ___...___ Jesse The Jolly Jingoist Looking for (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
I am not sure if anybody has made this comment regarding bulk prices yet so here goes. In order to make this worthwhile I think you have to look at the auto part industry example. Car X retails for $Y. The part price for all parts in Car X would (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) Isn't that how QA works in the LEGO factories? Each baggie of parts is weighed as a check that it contains the right pieces (because the correct total weight is known). If weighing small, heterogeneous bags works, weighing large, homogeneous (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) And if they only sold in set increments, say a 500 brick minimum order with any given brick obtainable in increments of 50 only, they could have the proper size quantities easily preweighed and handy. I'd also love to see all the old minifig (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
John Battcock wrote in message ... (...) Consumer Reports says that a Pathfinder costs $77,000 piece by piece. It also quotes Henry Ford as saying he'd give cars away free if he could have a monopoly on replacement parts. Jesse ___...___ Jesse The (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
(...) NOTE, however, that if TLG sold more parts packs, or sold in bulk, our total dollar purchases *DIRECTLY TO TLG, rather than third parties* would increase an enormous amount. AFOL purchases would become a larger percentage of total sales. I'd (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
Yeah, what Tom said! My sediments exactly;) -John (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
I inquired about bulk parts many years ago and the minimum order was 100 pieces and you had to increment in 100 pieces. The prices they quoted for common bulk bricks was extremely cheap, but specialty pieces were another matter, but considering I (...) (26 years ago, 20-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: TLG investigation
 
On Fri, 19 Feb 1999 21:23:18 GMT, Tom Stangl uttered the following profundities... (...) I'll do this. Just send me an e-mail entitled "Black roof bricks." I will post the results in a few days. If someone could tell me the price as well....... (26 years ago, 20-Feb-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) It's too bad that TLG doesn't make a 1x2 low slope (half pyramid) roof peak piece that would be used in conjunction with these low sloped corner bricks, like they do with the regular sloped bricks. Is that a possibility, or would there (...) (26 years ago, 22-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
On Mon, 22 Feb 1999 16:57:49 GMT, Gary Istok <gistok@umich.edu> wrote: <3*3 low slopes> (...) Good question... looking at my 2*4 low slope peaks, I have a feeling you may indeed be right about too little clearance :( You could use regular (medium (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) Hmm - It *should* be possible - unless I'm horribly mistaken (won't know for sure until I get home and do some comparisons), the area for a single stud on a pyramid roof peak should be the same as the area for a stud in the "corner" of a (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) James, if you want a low-slope gable connector, then I'd want (most assuredly Rob Farver too) a low-slope INSIDE CORNER 3x3 brick, which also doesn't exist, because that is the piece that would give a low-slope gable connector a reason to (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) It was always my understanding that the reason that roof pieces have a lip (i.e. the small vertical edge before the slope starts) was to provide a standard way, independent of slope angle, to keep the interior side of the slope from "crashing (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) ^^^...^^^ (...) Rob (...) because (...) exist (...) Yup, I said that first, I just neglected to use accepted terminology :) I'm not sure that the concave (or inside corner, if you prefer) would give enough area to attach to a stud at the (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
(...) by adding a 1x3 slope to each side) it would increase attachable area, and stabilize the piece. This could also be done with the medium slope (increase to 3x3 with 1x2 slope area added to each side.) Of course, If they went and did all of the (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Low Corner Slopes in Roof Parts Packs?
 
<36D449DD.58F405FA@umich.edu> <F7oAsz.C6z@lugnet.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit (...) I'll just use logic. Consider the convex... if it works, then the concave has to as well, as the edges must be (...) (26 years ago, 24-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Steep Corner Slopes.
 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Now that we've analyzed the Low Corner Slopes, how about Steep Corner Slopes. Granted Steep Slopes don't come in Service Packs (too bad), and are therefore much much scarcer (...) (26 years ago, 25-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Steep Corner Slopes.
 
(...) Yup! I was/am working on a keep that has one side going down into water, and the steep slopes work great as a flared base, except that it looks kinda funny where it meets in the corner. :-( How am I ever going to realize (one of) my dreams - (...) (26 years ago, 25-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)
 
  Re: Steep Corner Slopes.
 
(...) De Haar? The Dutch castle? Wow.. You must be the first non-Dutch person I've heard of that knows it exists... Jasper (26 years ago, 26-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)

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