2010 Set Discontinuations

[brickzone]

I do wonder about the legality of those special deals - as some of them appear (in Argos particularly) as "half price" from the very first day of release. I was under the impression the product has to be on sale at the "full" price for a period of time beforehand to be allowed to advertise in this manner - i.e. this is to specifically stop such practices as "fake" discounts.

[merman]

From what I've heard 10185 Green Grocer will last all the way to the end of 2011.

where did you hear this? And how about 10197 Fire Station... but that one has only been available for 2 months...

[Lord Admiral]

I could be wrong, but I think the fire station mentioned is 7945.

They have a completely new fire station for 2010. I mean, the old one shouldn't be around when the new one comes out (though the new one has been in TRU in the States next to the old one for the past few weeks now).

[lightningtiger]

*snip snip*

That's not really the reason. LEGO produces a number of sets each year which are *intended* to be discounted heavily, and which don't have the regular run of 'normal' theme sets. Rick has listed a few of these. In the UK some of them were even cheaper, with a 'retail' price of GBP35 but a 'reality' price of GBP17.50 (such as the 2007 Green Truck). Last year's Coast Guard track was an example of this mid-sized City 'special deal'.

K-Mart in Australia has been particularly aggressive with its sales, yes, but most other retailers are still holding the fort on retail prices (apart from the usual % off sales).

Having a good knowledge of retailing and it's history, tells me that if a product does not sell enough to cover the cost of stocking it, a retailier will reduce it's price then quit it. To make room for more profitable products, example though unrelated to Lego is tubed TV sets gone in favor of LCD TV's, why ?

It's what people want, hence people will buy, thats cash flow and your money is not tied up in old stock that nobody wants.

Mr Jones has been a slow mover this year, look at the shelves full of harvesters and dozers that the dust collects on them.

Kmart must turn over stock at a high rate to make sales targets in general, if not peoples jobs are at risk, simple - it's about making lots of money.

There Lego only has so much space to be displayed and it's a hand full of people at these retail giants whereever they are in the world who decide what the average shopper at their store can buy.

[Mirandir]

where did you hear this? And how about 10197 Fire Station... but that one has only been available for 2 months...

Can't tell you more than it's a very reliable source. And I haven't heard anything about set 10197. It's existance wasn't even known when I was told the end-dates of a few exklusive sets.

[The Who]

mania3 works for LEGO, so I imagine he has seen a list of stuff to be marked down.

where did you hear this?

All you have to do is read the thread.

I really hate to see some of the Indy sets go, I need a few extras of things like Shanghai Chase. Sales and discounts here go by pretty fast.

[knuclear200x]

if the pirates line is going, I hope they hack off a half off the Brickbeard Ship before theyre gone. A lotta cheap people out there like me yknow...