Q&A: Spring and Fall waves for City

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

Ok.....so I got a question from a personal friend of mine. Should they add spring and fall waves to the City theme? By that, I'm going to assume he meant as in adding them to the already made system of winter and summer. 

I kinda have mixed feelings about this. Please don't correct me. This is a personal feeling. I'm not stating facts. To me, it sounds bad because I do believe that while they already know what works and what doesn't, the City division of Lego does have to plan this stuff out and they need time to think and do tests. So adding spring and fall waves to summer and winter waves would put too much pressure on the staff. But I do think it's good in a way as that'll give other City subjects a chance. Perhaps a line of work that City has not done subtheme for before. Though I do think that pretty much every line of work has been shown in City - even real estate at one point if you could believe it. They just haven't gotten subthemes. Thats all. 

Anyway. Lemme know what you think. Sound off through the forum. 

[Asajki]

I’d be all for that! More city sets means more opportunities for things they can make! 

This year and 2017 are tied for most city sets, we’ve also had more interesting sets in the above years 

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

37 minutes ago, OwenMistika said:

I’d be all for that! More city sets means more opportunities for things they can make! 

This year and 2017 are tied for most city sets, we’ve also had more interesting sets in the above years 

That is true. 2009 to 2011 were awesome too though.

Tbh, they'd have plenty of time to think. That is....if they were to do it this way.

• Winter Wave - December 1
• Spring Wave - March 1
• Summer Wave - June 1
• Fall Wave - September 1 

Edited September 29, 2019 by pooda

[meliander]

I'm both for and against. Part of me wants to get excited from new sets more often during the course of the year. But then again, being honest with myself, I don't need more variety than is currently presented nowadays. My wanted list on brickset is enormous, much bigger than I can ever be able to afford. I wish the products had longer life, as they did in the 90s (or 80s I guess).

Seeing it from the business perspective, I doubt Lego wants more sets. More sets -> more production costs, which doesn't necessarily translate into more purchases. And that's not only pure production costs, but it's also hiring more people, spending more on marketing (2 new waves is a big deal). According to Brickset, 2017 was the year with the highest amount of new sets - 839. It grew from roughly 150-250 in the 90s. But now it seems to be on decline 2018 - 788, 2019 (732 so far). I think their goal should be to make each set as attractive to the customer as they can so that they can produce and sell more of that set, and sell that set longer. Of course, assortment and variety are important, but I think that 700 new items each year is pretty huge variety already.

Edited September 29, 2019 by meliander

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

Just now, meliander said:

I think their goal should be to make each set as attractive to the customer as they can so that they can produce and sell more of that set, and sell that set longer. 

I think they've already got that under control. Otherwise, police wouldn't be a thing. 

Just now, meliander said:

Of course assortment and variety is important, but I think that 700 new items each year is pretty huge variety already.

I wouldn't say the variety is huge. Then again, I count variety by subtheme. Not by the sets themselves. 

[KotZ]

I think the waves for each quarter would need to be smaller (and still kept on shelves for essentially the same amount of time, even if they're not in the "right" season), but it's a cool idea, especially for foliage parts and parks for sets.

[Aegis1984]

My heart says yes but my wallet says no. 

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

2 hours ago, Aegis1984 said:

My heart says yes but my wallet says no.

Both say yes for me. When I have the money that is. 

Edited September 29, 2019 by pooda

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

6 hours ago, KotZ said:

I think the waves for each quarter would need to be smaller (and still kept on shelves for essentially the same amount of time, even if they're not in the "right" season), but it's a cool idea, especially for foliage parts and parks for sets.

That or they'll need to plan ahead. But I think smaller waves would be a better idea. Or make the amounts of sets in a subtheme smaller. 

[Driver Brandon Grumman]

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