Why 7731 failed

[Klaus-Dieter]

Whether looking into the regular Lego catalogue, the S@H catalogue or at S@H directly - the 7731 Post Van has gone this year.

It seems that TLG did decide to not produce this post van after the end of last year any longer.

This set was - surely not only in my opinion - a great little City set for a raisonable price: a nice minifig, a mailbox, two letters and a nice car - the only thing which regrettably was missing were car doors.

So why was its production stopped?!

Of course it might be that TLG decided at the end of last year to release a post office with a new post van in 2010. But this would imo be only a very faint reason since if so they could at least sell it until summer this year.

Imo the answer to this question is very simple: the lack of a post office!

When we got the information about the post van and the post plane being released in April 2008 many of us betted that there then will be a post office in summer 2008 - or at least at the last in this year's summer. But our hopes got destroyed: there's no new post office until now. And that is surely the reason why 7749 was perhaps not that demanded and so was consequently stopped producing.

Whereas the post plane does not necessarily has to belong to a post theme since it can be easily added to all the airport sets as an additional set, the post van does not make much sense and does not offer enough playability and realism without a post office.

So let's hope that TLG will offer a post office next year!

What do you think? Comments are welcome!

Klaus-Dieter

Edited March 30, 2009 by Klaus-Dieter

[MetroiD]

Well, correct me if I'm wrong here, but there hasn't been a post office since 1982, so I very much doubt that this was the reason. Lots of mail delivery sets and vehicles have been produced throughout the years without LEGO feeling the urge to release a post office set. However, since TLG are obviously expanding their City line with more complex sets and buildings, you might as well be right about that! We can only wait and see, but I'd surely love it if they were to release a post office!

One thing's for sure: the post minivan was an excellent set and seeing as it's been cancelled I'm happy that I did get it on time ;)

[Hinckley]

It's still listed on the US Shop@Home site, but as "sold out." Sometimes, they replenish those stocks. I'm never clear on what "sold out" menas.

[Eilif]

Too bad about the Post Van. I think that the post van and plane both ceased production in '09 and the post van just ran out of stock earlier. This is because they are both listed as "hard to find" which usually occurs only occurs for low production sets (which these were not), new sets, or sets that have ceased production (which these likely are). Whether this is because they didn't sell well, or were only planned for one year of production I do not know.

If they were pulled for lack of sales in the US, it might be partially that United States Postal Service (USPS), colors are white, with red and blue accents. DHL and their red and yellow trucks do have a presence in the USA, but they lag behind UPS (Brown) and Fed Ex (white with purple and green). While LEGO could not have directly copied USPS logos, a more familiar color scheme might have greatly increased sales in the USA.

As for a post office, while I do think that a post office could have prolonged the shelf life of these sets, history doesn't suggest that a LEGO post office is, or will be, in the works.

Moral of the story: if you want a mail plane get it NOW!!

[brickzone]

It's a cute little set, and I'm disappointed if it indeed didn't sell well. The US situation maybe is a factor, but that is even more disappointing - it's not as though I'd really want Lego's range of products to be dictated by US tastes! Besides, I think the yellow and red is far more attractive than USPS colour scheme.

I've a vague notion of making a post van in green - the colour used here in Ireland (unsurprisingly enough). However, I'd need to get some parts off bricklink, and even then the part selection in green may complicate matters. The local postman uses a small Peugeot van that could be approximated using those curved roof parts (such as used for the police car roof).

A post office would have been nice, but realistically, I don't expect to see one from Lego anytime soon. Maybe one of the modular buildings could be a GPO - that would be great!

[The Bricksmith]

I bought both sets and to me they were a great addition to a small and fledgling town. But who is there to delivery mail too? With a Lego population consisting of almost nothing but Police, Fire Fighters and Criminals there is not a large civilian population that would need things like mail delivery. While most sets do include some sort of mail box there is almost no place in Lego cities as of now for the simple things in life. But it seems to be that the tide is changing and in the upcoming years we will see more people based city sets.

[Legoist]

I have no idea, all I know is that I never liked this set. I really think the van has an ugly shape. More square or more round would have been ok, but a van with an aerodynamic sporty front is ridiculous IMHO.

OTOH I liked the mail plane, I think that there is still room for tiny aircraft (Cessna-sized) even alongside the new big ones.

[5150 Lego]

NO one else want to say it? Ok i guess i'll be the "black sheep" so to speak. IMO, the set just wasn't all that great to begin with. Dare i say, it was even a poor design. While i do like the design of the mail van, for a postal van, it was way to small. I mean com'on,... who ever heard of a postal van that only could only hold ONE package? Lame. The van should have been longer, and at least 6wide so to carry a multitude of packages. The mail box was a nice touch, but over all the set still lacked.

Edited March 30, 2009 by 5150 Lego

[Eilif]

I think that you two are right about the set design. I assumed that other folks liked it, but I guess I was wrong there. I didn't mind the size (most LEGO stuff is pretty small), but to me, it looked more like a "Smart Car" than a post vehicle. IIRC, I kept mine "stock" for less than a day before I modded it into the more jeep looking shape seen here.

[Klaus-Dieter]

It's great to see so many being interested in this topic!

About the car itself:

I think that it wasn't too small since it should supposable only be a post van which brings mails to people. And these little post vans which most of the time don't transport big packets are e. g. here in Germany not very big, too.

TLG could - and that was which I even thought and really hoped when I saw this nice post van the first time - release a post office with a big six stuck wide post van (in size similar to the last ambulance) which then could deliver packets, too.

It's still listed on the US Shop@Home site, but as "sold out." Sometimes, they replenish those stocks. I'm never clear on what "sold out" menas.

Thank you very much for that information, Hinckley!

That's odd - in Germany this set is not yet on the list. If I remember right it was sold out already short after Xmas.

Too bad about the Post Van. I think that the post van and plane both ceased production in '09 and the post van just ran out of stock earlier. This is because they are both listed as "hard to find" which usually occurs only occurs for low production sets (which these were not), new sets, or sets that have ceased production (which these likely are). Whether this is because they didn't sell well, or were only planned for one year of production I do not know.

If they were pulled for lack of sales in the US, it might be partially that United States Postal Service (USPS), colors are white, with red and blue accents. DHL and their red and yellow trucks do have a presence in the USA, but they lag behind UPS (Brown) and Fed Ex (white with purple and green). While LEGO could not have directly copied USPS logos, a more familiar color scheme might have greatly increased sales in the USA.

I don't live in the US and so I'm even not very familiar with Lefo fans' likes and dislikes there. Nevertheless I'm very sceptic about whether the post van would have sold better there when it would have been designed in typical for US post colors.

I think that TLG decided to use yellow/red for the post vehicles since 1. there are many countries in which post vans are in yellow color, 2. because they wanted to sell one unique generic version and not to sell different designs and 3. simply because this is a nice color combination which mainly kids like (and be aware that JFOLs are the main audience for TLG's regular sets).

As for a post office, while I do think that a post office could have prolonged the shelf life of these sets, history doesn't suggest that a LEGO post office is, or will be, in the works.

I know that there have been only two minifig-scaled post office in TLG's past - which is really a shame! (Sorry to say that but it's like that.)

But I don't think that this must necessarily mean that we won't get a post office in the next years:

1. There has been only one pizzeria before 7641. Did anyone think that we'll get a new pizzeria this year?! There have been only a very limited number of cycle shops before 7641. Did anyone think that we'll get a new cycle shop this year?! So why shouldn't TLG surprise us with a post office next year or the year after next year?! At that since TLG seems to offer some civilian sets to us - which is a great direction!

2. Last summer TLG asked the AFOL community (and so even us here on EB) which future City sets we want. And they wanted only to get either completely new ideas or ideas of sets which haven't appeared for a very long while. And since a post office is one of the very demanded sets (which are bank, mall, family house and zoo, too) it would be unwise if TLG doesn't release a new post office.

Klaus-Dieter

Edited March 30, 2009 by Klaus-Dieter

[Hinckley]

I talked to a friend who works at the Chicago LEGO store and he said that it was a limited edition set that kids ask for several times a day. He doubts it'll be back in stock but said it was an extremely popular product.

I agree with 5150, though. It's kind of wimpy.

[Shadows]

Maybe they stopped making it because that big mysterious "?" in the background is a Modular Post Office with it's own vehicle and a different colour scheme.

I'm not saying anything though...

[The Green Brick Giant]

It was part of the TRU exclusive line, those are never made as long as other themes. Plus they were hugly overpriced (the mail sets).

The same will most likely happen to the Farm sets this year, they are just no produced for long and they are also HUGELY overpriced.

[Er!k]

When I picked up my LEGO hobby again last year the first set I bought after a long time was the mail van. Simple but beautiful design, 4 wide and a mailbox included. In my opinion one of the better sets from last year! Too bad it is not available anymore.

[simonwillems]

The mailvan might be out of the catalog and seems to have vanished from SaH, but its availability is, here in Amsterdam, still widespread.

Moral of the story: go to Amsterdam!

[brickzone]

Yes, I forgot to mention that one of the local shops here, "Art & Hobby" just stocked the mail van this year. The main toy chain Smyth's has had it since last year. No problems with availability "on the ground" here in Ireland yet.

[Eilif]

I talked to a friend who works at the Chicago LEGO store and he said that it was a limited edition set that kids ask for several times a day. He doubts it'll be back in stock but said it was an extremely popular product.

I agree with 5150, though. It's kind of wimpy.

I guess that shoots down my color scheme theory. However, as it's a "limited edition" set, I guess we know why it is not available anymore.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Eilif

[Lockt]

The van is a nice set and I doubt it was impopular. I therefore (sure like to) believe the OPs theory about a post office release. Of course I dont like half dreams... so I think it will be a modular post office with van ;-)