Question on last Christmas gift with purchase (40338) Christmas Tree

[LegoDW]

2019 Holiday season held off TLG purchase till 40338 was available.  Unfortunately by 11/30 was sold out both on line and at my local Lego store. Was able to get 40337 a few days later.

This got me thinking.  Did  TLG intentionally under stock the 40338 last year?  I have never seen my local Lego store run of our gift with purchases, definitely not as fast as the 40338 was unavailable.  Also it kind of didn't make a lot of sense why the mini gingerbread house gift with purchase ( 40337) was available so quickly after 40338.  Why was 40338 (valued at $20 US) available for only 3 days and a $120 purchase minimum where as 40337 (valued at $20) was available for 12 days and a minimum purchase of $100 US. Also why was the Christmas Tree given a production number 1 greater then the mini Gingerbread house?  Was the Gingerbread house designed first?  Then why did TLG come out with 40338?  They didn't need it and appears under stocked it for some reason.

 

Free Exclusive Mini Gingerbread House (40337) offer is valid for purchases online at LEGO.com, in LEGO® Stores and LEGO Catalogue telephone orders from 6/12/2019 to 24/12/2019, or while stocks last.

Christmas Tree (item 40338) offer is valid on LEGO.com and at LEGO Stores on 11/29/19 through 11:59pm EST, 12/02/19 or while supplies last only.

Anyone have any inside information on these gift with purchases?  

 

 

 

 

[Vindicare]

I don’t have any insider info but it could be that the Christmas tree was simply a better seller than they anticipated. It could also have had a lot to do with being available on Black Friday. There were some killer deals that day that I’m sure lead to multiple purchases, whether intentional to get more of the GWP or unintentional due to second guessing & buying. 

[TeriXeri]

I normally don't just buy sets for GWP alone, especially not at €100+ like the current train.

But with the timing for the Christmas Tree, the combination of good % discounts (For LEGO.com standards) and using my VIP points, made it worth it.

Also the Christmas tree being fairly substantial ~400 parts by itself.

Edited March 11, 2020 by TeriXeri

[wooster]

If I recall correctly, the Christmas Tree GWP was available to VIP members the weekend before Black Friday (11/29).  That's when I received my first Christmas Tree set.  

Also, this past year they had very large and exclusive sets on very good sales during Black Friday weekend, with different sets on sale each day of the weekend.  For example, I purchased the Disney Train on one day, and Ninjago City on another day.  So I ended up with 3 of those Christmas tree sets just because I had to make multiple orders on different days.  So it was probably an artefact of how Lego structured their sales (in the U.S., at least).

[LegoDW]

Maybe it was just a US thing?  Don't recall multiple GWP sets during the last holiday season.  

6 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

I normally don't just buy sets for GWP alone, especially not at €100+ like the current train.

 

I was not going to get the train but caved.  It is a very nice set and glad I got it. 

[TeriXeri]

26 minutes ago, LegoDW said:

I was not going to get the train but caved.  It is a very nice set and glad I got it. 

I have gotten several GWP as well, but this year I just don't have a long list of sets to buy right now at full price, with other sets/themes on the horizon that might change.

Most of the time when I buy sets from LEGO directly is because they are only sold by them, so in the case of the Chinese New Year Temple/Lion Dance getting the Rat GWP was a nice bonus.

As for the Train, it's actually a pretty nostalgic item, similar to another 1980 train we had in the family. (7710), I know this one is based on 7810, so I can see the appeal.

Just for me, after getting the Christmas Tree last year, and the Rat earlier this year via the Temple/Lion sets, I don't have any urgent must-haves to spend €100 at LEGO.com right now. 

Edited March 11, 2020 by TeriXeri

[LegoDW]

Update: This week was traveling and was able to visit a alternate Lego store.  Amazing how similar the store are, even the pick a brick walls.  I struck up a conversation with one of the clerks.  He said they ran out of 40338 early the first day!  It was the fastest they had ever run out of a GWP.  Was due to low stock.

This makes me feel better and worse at the same time....