Subject:
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Re: Nicely now. What do you think of the new colors?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego, lugnet.general
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Date:
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Thu, 15 Jan 2004 09:10:54 GMT
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Viewed:
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13420 times
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Here are my current concerns about the color changes.
Note, I define the isssue as ‘replacing existing core colors with slightly
different colors’, so my opinion would be very different about new colors that
clearly differ from existing ones. Also this is not about the question if the
new colors are ‘looking better’ by themselves. It’s a system compatibility
issue.
1 It poses a sorting burden uncalled for
After a large MOC project I often spend many nights in my LEGO room sorting and
storing the pieces for the next project. This is not the most satisfying part of
the hobby, however I have established a fairly efficient method. I am severly
discomforted by the fact that I will have to sort out the four grays and two
browns an extra time and on close inspection. Actually I will have to change
the lighting in my room. I now have incandescent (yellowish) lights. To quickly
distinguish the new shades, I will need bright fluorescent lights. I’d hate to
discover some unwanted color differences in a MOC only after I built it and
taken it elsewhere (specially given the differences make the old grays look
they’ve been degraded over time, while my parts are actually in well kept
condition.) Ironically, Consumer Service at lego.com warns that fluorescent
lighting is known to yellow LEGO bricks over time.
2 It poses a storing burdon uncalled for
I store my pieces in rows and columns bins along a wall; ten core colors make
ten columns of bins (black, dark gray, gray, white, yellow, blue, red, green,
brown, tan). I planned on having those bins all equally fully filled over the
years (storing excess elsewhere). Due to the color change I’ll have to drop this
plan. First, some of the old gray and brown bins will never become filled from
buying new sets. Secondly, in time I will have to add three new columns for the
three new shades. (Or I might just mix old and new, once I give up the struggle
of issue 1).
3 It’s hard to know what you will get
When we buy a set, from now on you will have to note the production date to know
which colors you will get. Besides being cumbersome, the date is not always
known before you buy. For example a spare parts pack from shop@home. Also some
items are not determined by their set year, e.g. when do the old-grey rail
tracks - or wire connector- run out and do we get the new shade? Are TLG’s
inventory systems prepared to track these kind of changes and inform us before
we buy?. Also, production dates are not mentioned in printed retail catalogs.
For this year’s catalog ‘new’ means ‘new shades’. In next year’s catalog this
will not suffice as a distinction mark. The general public will not be aware of
the differences altogether, hence second-hands sets will be a random mix of
shades. You can’t tell the difference from the building instructions.
4 It may cause bad publicity
Many buyers may want to return sets if they discover the colors don’t match,
without knowing this is actual TLG policy. Consumer organisations and tv-shows
may want to have a bite at LEGO suddenly producing ‘off-colored’ bricks, even if
it were deliberately. Do your call agents know what to tell people when they
want a refund because ‘the colors don’t match’? Is there a policy? Are retailers
being informed so they can answer questions from their customers? (‘Does this
set contain the old or the new greys?’ ‘The colors are off, I want a new one’).
5 It’s irreversable
Although plenty of us ask for a reversal, the damage is already done. Even if
TLG would ‘change back’ next year, there would be a full year’s production of
different shades around, causing the same above issues next year for consumers
who bought the 2004 sets.
6 TLG is wasting effort
Even before the published loss over 2003, I found it uncomprehensible that in
these difficult economic times for TLG, some product developer was lend an ear
at all by management when he or she raised this issue. Remember ZNAP, GALIDOR
and the name change of the DUPLO brand. All those were major strategic failures
based on some optimistic marketing belief, and TLG had to discard product lines
or change back. While I don’t doubt the sound intentions of TLG designers and
marketeers individually, and their valid arguments, recent history shows how
changes can backfire because certain effects (such as mentioned above) were
overlooked or underestimated.
At the moment I just don’t know what to do with the new shades. I sort the grays
and brown of 2004 sets into a quarantaine bin until I get to grips with all of
the above. Likewise, it will probably take some years for us and TLG to
evaluate the enduring impact of these color changes.
Eric
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Nicely now. What do you think of the new colors?
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| It's only a couple of weeks in the new year, and it looks like it's going to be an interesting 2004! I have a request, but before I go any further, let me say that personally, I understand the concerns surrounding the color changes. I know many of (...) (21 years ago, 15-Jan-04, to lugnet.lego, lugnet.general, FTX) !!
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