Subject:
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Re: LEGO... are you out there? Do you care? (WAS: WHY SO LONG ON BULK BRICKS?)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Tue, 11 Dec 2001 04:59:52 GMT
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Viewed:
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1537 times
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Allan Bedford writes:
> > In lugnet.lego.direct, Tim Courtney writes:
> As I mentioned in another follow-up to this thread... the website is already
> there, why not at least collect *some* free data? To not do this is simply
> a wasted opportunity.
Agreed. Its still not an accurate cross-section of the entire LEGO customer
base ;-)
Nonetheless, it would only benefit them to make more surveys available.
> > How many of us on LUGNET make it a point to visit LEGO.com regularly?
>
> Why go there, when they make big product announcements on LUGNET? They
> don't seem to realize that LEGO.com should be the internet portal to their
> company... not this site.
Good point. I don't know so I can't say - what product announcements have
they made on LEGO.com? Maybe a better way of announcing products would be
to write it up on LEGO.com, and for Brad or someone else to post a link to
the writeup here??
> > They would be much better served to conduct surveys for new products in
> > places like toy stores where their product is sold. Then they could get a
> > good cross section.
>
> I agree 1000%. They need to connect with ALL their customers, not just
> those who can attend a Brickfest, or a theme park or have a home computer...
> but ALL their customers.
And do they? I don't know. Does anyone? Is this even LD's
responsibility?? I would imagine that Futura in Denmark would be ordering
these surveys. Then again, it would better suit the company to survey
people about the whole range of what LEGO does with their products and with
other ventures like the club, theme parks, retail outlets, COMMUNITY
STRATEGY, etc...and form a more unified approach to marketing their product.
My impression (and the impression of others) is that LEGO is very
disorganized internally. Sure, Direct has good intentions, and I believe
the individuals at Direct are doing a good job, but to get anything done
with LEGO (from my experience and perceptions) requires this department
talking to that department talking to the other department, etc... Hardly
focused.
But this 'insider's' an outsider when it comes to how the company really
works. I only look through a small window which is each specific
interaction I have with them.
> Are they willing to spend the bucks to do this? I'm not sure. I was only
> offering a costless suggestion to better utilize a resource they already
> have available to them. I'm on their side... really I am.
Well, the only cost being the employee(s) time to create the survey and
analyze the results...
> > LD representatives have stated in the past that more promotion of S@H,
> > especially in literature in sets they sell retail, would upset retaliers.
>
> A very real possibility. But why not discuss this publically? This is not
> something new, or surprising, if it's true. This is a problem faced by
> companies around the world thanks to this crazy new fad called the Internet.
Why not discuss a lot of things publicly? People like you and me, who are
'on their side, we really are...' have shown over and over we're very eager
to discuss these things. Heck, we've shown we're eager to discuss these
things despite being largely ignored - spare a few announcements - on the issue.
I can say for myself I have had several private email conversations with
them, and I know of a few others who have some as well. But, aside from us
few, how many others can say that? And where is private email getting all
of this, besides those 'in' in further?
It would be a Good Thing (TM) for one or several LEGO Direct employees to
devote some time of their work day dialoguing (sp?) publicly with us here in
the lego.direct newsgroup. I have it from the horse's mouth several of them
read many, if not all posts here. How many times have we asked for simple,
honest dialogue?
Sure, a lot of the things they work with are classified and they can't
openly discuss them. But, the things we are talking about here - seriously,
what's the harm in these topics?
> > On the flyer for S@H / shop.lego.com , there would
> > be a code linked to the particular retailer the set was sold at. When
> > someone calls S@H, or orders online, they would be prompted for the code.
>
> Honestly? Way too complicated. What LEGO needs are simpler solutions, not
> ones with more new things to learn. They are already having a tough enough
> time understanding marketing in the new economy.
Yeah, I admit, complex. But, what's a simpler solution that can have the
same effect? I'm at a loss for thinking of something simpler, any ideas?
Its a difficult problem, but one that clearly needs to be addressed if LEGO
wants to fulfill its goal of 'strongest brand among households with children
by 2005.'
> > If they're smart, on LEGO.com (even on the shop section) they'll promote the
> > international building and collecting community, raising that awareness to
> > the general public.
>
> Given the current state of the LEGO product line and its inability to
> communicate with any of its customers, it's not entirely clear that LEGO is
> interested in making money at the moment. I doubt they are concerned about
> raising awareness of the range, depth and possibilities of their product to
> the general public.
But they *should* be, on both counts.
Makes me think - I spend most of my energy (when discussing LEGO policy)
focusing on the user community as a means to an end, but does that really
matter when there are larger issues at stake? Does that means mean anything
when as you put it, 'its not entirely clear that LEGO is interested in
making money at the moment.' ??
Still, as far as I understand, LEGO Direct only has influence over a small
portion of what the company does, and that is largely the website and
community interaction. There's not a whole lot 'us fans' can do to
influence the larger entity which is the LEGO company, the only point of
contact we have is the folks at LEGO Direct who post here.
It should be clear by now that 'us fans' really do have LEGO's best interest
in mind, and we're offering our honest criticism of their actions for their
benefit. I am on one side totally jazzed about all kinds of community ideas
I have, full of eagerness to act on them, but on the other, totally
discouraged by an apparent loss of organization - loss of focus as Kjeld put
it - regarding the core of what LEGO is all about. I believe in the
fundamental concept of LEGO - a system of play which enables creativity and
endless possibilities.
Add a decent handful of other vocal people here (like you, Allan), who
believe the same and would like to discuss this with LEGO, and have been
making our opinions known (for free) here, you would think LEGO would be
more than eager to talk on a more in-depth level with us.
How many years have we been harping out the same message, though? Gets
kinda repetitive. I wonder why I still have the energy to write long posts
like this and express my honest opinions and hear little back.
Somehow I feel its not the guys (and gals) at LEGO Direct 'not doing their
jobs,' but its the company not acting in (what at least to me seems
obviously) their best interest. Its the whole company with the problem, not
just the small portion we interact with.
> We can see the potential of LEGO bricks in LEGO-generated propaganda like
> 'The Ultimate LEGO' book. And yet they have no interest in making those
> quantities or selection of bricks available. It makes me wonder why they
> bother with a book like that in the first place.
And I just pulled that off my shelf to read the foreword by Kjeld. Its
wonderfully written, but I wish LEGO's current product offerings reflected it.
Remember 'Only the best is good enough??'
> They say one thing, but do another. They preach about the multitude of
> building possibilities using LEGO bricks, but won't let anyone else but
> themselves have access to them. They haven't learned to play nice with the
> rest of the kids. Shame on them.
Exactly. Its a bigger problem than LEGO Direct, though. LD is doing their
job with the website and the community, with little control over what
products get offered (aside from maybe bulk, legends, and sculpture).
I wish LEGO would consciously hear us out. An incredible resource like
LUGNET should be used to generate many focus groups for the company. Fans
this dedicated deserve to have a voice not just with Direct but with the
whole company. The fans and LEGO are a symbiotic relationship, and the ones
who have chosen to post well developed thoughs here really do in my view
have their best interests in mind. So, LEGO, where are you?
LEGO should either remain true to its mission, or change it and stop fooling
themselves and us. Wait, we're not fooled.
So, I am on one hand incredibly excited about the potential I see with
developing the LEGO community and increasing the awareness of the hobby (and
how that can truly benefit LEGO) and incredibly frustrated at the same time
with their lack of focus and how they've strayed from their core values.
Only the best is good enough, right?
-Tim
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