Subject:
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Re: LD's Auctions (Re: Going once, going twice, sold!)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Tue, 9 Apr 2002 00:16:48 GMT
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Reply-To:
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jrclark@nospam.aol#saynotospam#.com
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Viewed:
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720 times
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Allan Bedford wrote
> The auctioned sets now come with the very cool display setting. Couldn't
> the company have offered that item as a separate set? Isn't is feasible
> that they might have sold a display stand to 25% or maybe even 30% of those
> folks who bought one of the locomotives? Wouldn't that have made them more
> money than whatever amount will be brought in on eBay?
First, as has been said, it's unlikely that the eBay offering is about
money.
Second, I'm not sure LEGO does production runs of anything for less than
10,000. Your suggested production run of 3,000 is way too small, I'd wager.
> As it is now, the other Santa Fe sets now seem almost incomplete without the
> possibility of even ordering the background for them.
Er, incomplete? What? It's a great model, but too bad it doesn't have a
two-dimentional background? I would'a given it a 10, but as it is, it's
a 4...
> I'm sure the eventual
> 10 owners of the eBay sets will really enjoy displaying (or storing for
> later resale) their Santa Fe's. But wouldn't it have been better to open up
> an item like this to the entire market, thereby making thousands of LEGO
> fans happy.... not just 10?
I rather like the idea of the custom background being unique. I could
certainly build my own similar background if I were so inclined. Tan
bulk bricks are currently available.
> If it were truly a 'Limited Edition' product, wherein the materials,
> resources or time needed to make it were in short supply, then I can see
> some sense in auctioning them off. As it stands, this is purely a marketing
> gimick. The perceived collectability is entirely artificial.
Hm. what about limited edition, numbered lithographs?
http://www.doors.com/door_mem/museum/litho.html
Limited edition DVDs?
http://www.dvdcc.com/cgi-bin/reviews/reviews.pl?action=showit&rev=miblimited
Limited edition Macintoshes:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/1997/q2/970319.pr.rel.mac.html
Limited edition Barbie dolls:
http://www.wowdolls.com/limited.htm
How about limited edition, "collectible quality" phonecards?
http://www.phonecardworld.co.uk/
I don't think the materials, time, or resources to make any of these
products were in particularly short supply. That doesn't make them less
collectible. To my mind, the designation "collectible" can be applied to
anything, can't it? I mean, cards, marbles, rocks...
The entire premise of collectibility (IMO) is that a thing can have
value beyond its intrinsic worth. Whether that value comes from
sentiment, rarity, or some other source has no bearing on the matter.
Someone who has no collections of anything may not be able to understand
this. But if you do have a collection (of anything), how is its
perceived collectibile value not artificial?
> > Not sure I see what you find disturbing. My take on it is that it's a
> > more fair way to distribute a one-of-a-kind, collectible model. The
> > alternative is that some Joe Schmo randomly receives number 0001. He
> > either gives it to his 7 year old, who promptly loses the numbered tile;
> > or he never opens the box, and we never find out who has #0001; or he
> > opens it, destroying the collectible value of it. I don't really like
> > any of those options.
>
> Then the easiest option was the one that LEGO didn't use. Don't number
> sets. Don't create artificial demand for what was already an amazing set.
> They didn't need to pretend that these were limited, they just need to make
> sure that they follow up the Santa Fe with an equally well designed set.
I don't know. I would say that the quick sellout of the 10,000 numbered
sets shows pretty clearly that there is a demand for LE numbered sets.
You seem to be suggesting that LEGO not try new innovative ideas, for
which there is a strong demand. I would disagree with that. I would
encourage LEGO to continue persuing new and innovative market opportunities.
Rick Clark
Happy owner of two numbered (and as yet unregistered) Santa Fes, and
envious non-owner of the very first Santa Fe unit.
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