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Dear Jake,
I'm sure you have likely had your fill of AFOLs micromanaging TLCs business, but
I really can't resist here. There are two things off the top of my head that I
hope that you and TLC will consider:
1. Master Builders get any part in any color, so should we.
I am under the impression that the builders of Miniland and Sculptures fill out
a form for any part with an extant mold in any color, within their alloted
budget. That makes sense. What doesn't make sense is that major Bricklink
vendors are unable to do the same exact thing.
You have offered to continue producing some parts in the old colors. This is a
sales risk for TLC and I appreciate that. But why not allow custom, bulk orders
and let major Brinklink stores assume the risk for you? No need for you to spend
weeks navigating how best to address the hundreds of suggestions of parts here.
Not only does this solve the color issue, it can solve nearly every AFOL
complaint about the unavailability of parts (blown molds excepted ;) It's
simpler packaging reducing packaging costs, higher revenues per order, profit
would of course be built in your pricing - this is a no-brainer business-wise.
Offer this service with old and new colors and you've reversed the damage done
and offered something new and exciting to AFOLs as well.
2. Focus groups can not make major decisions for you.
I'm sorry, but the way this decision has been described makes me really worried
about the business viability of TLC. The fact that a focus group contributed
strongly to this change is horrifying - totally amateurish marketing behavior. A
focus group will tell you strongly that they would really like a pony - despite
the fact that they do not have the money, the time to care for it, anywhere to
put it or know how to ride it. Focus groups are ideal for making sure business
decisions are not adverse to consumers or whether there is confusion about your
product. Focus groups will cheerfully run your company into the ground if they
are leading your decisions. This goes for any focus group, AFOLs included.
Furthermore, I am completely terrified by this "universal color" talk, as it
only seems to include the new colors. My apologies in advance Jake, but I'm
thinking the cynicism here about your promise about there being AFOL input in
any further changes is because you already know the answer will be. AFOLs will
say no to any further color changes and we're guessing TLC will be as stubborn
as they are being now.
Further color changes are going to force even more of us exclusively into the
secondary market. If TLC insists upon doing it, why not supply it?
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Color Change - Final Update
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| You’d think I would have learned my lesson by now about the color change and just taken refuge in a concrete bunker. Nope, not that bright I think! I come to you with a final update, and some good news, as well as bad. Bad news first – After much (...) (20 years ago, 5-May-04, to lugnet.general, lugnet.announce, lugnet.lego) !!
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