Subject:
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Re: Non-TLG Parts
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 11 Feb 1999 01:55:10 GMT
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Viewed:
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1074 times
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Todd Lehman wrote in message ...
>
> > > > * I wish that all imitation brands would drop off the face of the
> > > > earth**, and I believe that imitation brands such as MegaBloks are
> > > > just as much responsible for the decline of LEGO quality as well as
> > > > price in recent years.
> >
> > Economic theory would suggest that competition improves quality and reduces
> > price.
>
> Only when the competition is (a) competent and (b) putting out superior or
> nearly superior stuff. If the competition puts out junk, is that an
> incentive to improve?
One man's trash... Seriously, while the piece quality of other brands is
inferior, some of the sets they are offering are at least as good if not
better--especially when you consider the price. I'm not saying I'd buy them,
I know better (plus Lego is a way of life, right). But Mrs. Smith looking to
buy Johnny a building toy birthday gift probably doesn't know better.
> Early LEGO Town and Castle sets were incredible, for example, and TLG
> created these without any competition from imitation brands like Tyco and
> MegaBloks (AFAIK).
>
> When TLG's competition puts out poor-quality stuff that people actually go
> and buy, I believe it hurts TLG -- or at least it fails to push TLG's
> envelope. What's worse, these lesser-quality toys by TLG's competitors cost
> significantly less, putting pressure on TLG to lower prices, which hurts
> them as well.
>
>
> > I actually think the current set designers at TLG could learn
> > something from MegaBloks. I noticed they had a model of a big racing boat
> > with a hull constructed out of 2Xn bricks. What a concept. Granted, lots • of
> > MB stuff is poor, too (like the bricks themselves).
>
> But aren't they just moving in on territory that TLG abandoned? TLG showed
> boats like that as alternative models in late 70's Universal Building Sets
> and in Idea Books...
Of course they are. The question is, why did TLG abandon this "building toy"
section of the market? It's not even that all current Lego sets are poor; I
happen to like many of them. But for a "building toy" for a 6 year old there
aren't many current sets I would recommend (once they reach 7-8 Technic
becomes an option, and the choices are somewhat better there).
I wonder if it's really the clones that have hurt TLG as much as the video
game mentality of many kids today. This is what I try to fight by getting
kids I know interested in Lego, and it's not easy.
-John Van
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Non-TLG Parts
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| (...) Only when the competition is (a) competent and (b) putting out superior or nearly superior stuff. If the competition puts out junk, is that an incentive to improve? Early LEGO Town and Castle sets were incredible, for example, and TLG created (...) (25 years ago, 11-Feb-99, to lugnet.cad.dev, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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