LEGO from a gumball machine?

[CorneliusMurdock]

So minifigs are 2.5 cheeseburgers each.

Forget Dollars, Euros and Yen! The new standard currency should be cheeseburgers.

I'd say the minifigs are 3 cheeseburgers each here so you aren't getting that bad of a deal but it really sucks that you can't try to feel the bags before purchasing.

[wokajablocka]

I think this is a great idea, expecially for the collectable minifigs. Sure its nice to feel for what your after but somtimes its nice to get a random suprise as well. I loved these as a kid and im sure if they where released in Australia I would find it hard to walk past one with a few spair dollars in my pocket.

[lightningtiger]

Thanks 'F0NIX' for that image from Germany, I thought I had seen it all.....now a Lego vending machine to buy sets wonders never cease !

Could that work in Oz.....theme parks it might....another way to make parents broke !

[Salty]

Well, this is normal:

I would love to see this in the US.

[Vindicare]

Seems like those LEGO vending machines is out in Europe too. In germany at least:

http://www.ulbrich.net/post/10806723782/neu-am-munchner-bahnhof-der-lego-automat-hmmm

That is awesome!

What kid didn't buy all sorts of things from gum ball machines? I remember getting all kinds of collections as a kid from machines. Of course I got doubles, it didn't matter though. The thrill came from opening that chute, grabbing the package and seeing what I got and if it was the one I was hoping for. I'd love to see LEGO vending/gum ball machines in the States.

[GRogall]

Was also going to post pics of this vending machine! but at least I have close ups!

apparently there is one at the airport too......

[-zenn]

That's kewl. I would totally get something out of both machine. Just for the sake it's a lego vending machine, yeah I know that's a weird thought...

[TomRoid]

My sister send me a picture of the minifgures like this.

I didn't ask her to buy me one, but if I was there myself, I would have gotten one just for the novelty.

I'd say the same if they started selling LEGO in such a way here in Aus. I'd do it once (regardless of the price). But only for the novelty of getting it in a different kind of package, and in a different kind of way.

So you'll have to feel balls instead on packets?

[K-Nut]

My sister send me a picture of the minifigures like this.

*snip*

I'd hate to see the Elf's cape after this.

[vexorian]

Messed up instructions are really the only thing I find wrong with these. I'd rather have them than live in this country in which these sets are not even available.

[def]

Summer 2012 update. Series 6 & 7 minifigs have come and gone here, and rather quickly I should say. Last year, I was living in the boonies, and Lego nerds were likely few and far between, while this year, I'm living in one of the bigger cities in Japan, and the minifigs only lasted about two weeks here.

After that though, other series have appeared, and have lasted longer. The first was series two of the mini Star Wars builds.

I had the Republic Cruiser before this machine appeared, as well as a few STAPs. The other two I wanted. As it was, it took only three rolls to get the ones I wanted from the machine. Statistically speaking, four sets in a machine is a hell of a lot better than the one-in-eight from the collectible mini-fig sets (and I got all my series six and seven from Bricklink, for less than half the price they'd cost from machines here, even if I randomly got all 16 perfectly). The random system is a lot less collector-f***ing in the four-per-machine sets.

There was also a new machine today, a Ninjago one.

I haven't followed the Ninjago polypags much. The series is really a so-so one for me (and power to TLG if it was a successful one). I liked the odd set and minifig, plus those delightful brick-cut pieces, but I'm not a fan overall. Still, a chance to get some cheap ninjas is appealing. I bought two today, and got the white and black ninjas. I wanted a black one overall, and wonder if I'll try to pick up a blue one in the future.

Since starting this thread, I've paid a bit more attention to the toy market here, and have noticed a high tolerance for random packaging. When I was a kid in Canada, we accepted it in card series, but otherwise, kids would have called megablocks on it. But in Japan, there are numerous randomly boxed figures from youth faves like One Piece. I think I understand why Lego has approached the market here as they have. It'll always be cheaper to buy these series off Bricklink, but I can see the degree to which Lego tries to approach each market in a way that is most effective for them. Their right to do so

[Darthluke824]

Hmmm! I like that idea a lot! Toys R Us would make hundreds it they put them by the exit. One extra thing to get you to spend more money!

[Tormenter370]

Like you said about having to buy multiples of others to get all of them i think its stupid. I want just to be able to get the ones i want not have to buy more and more until i get all of them. So i don't like it and would not use it or let my kids use it.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Fugazi
removed quoted post

[Bilbo Baggins]

This concept looks pretty fun. Here in Mexico we have plenty of those machines but I've never seen any with LEGO products.

[Greedo24]

I actually like this idea,I wish wish I had them where I live!

[HawkLord]

It's funny, I haven't bought anything from a gumball machine in years, yet everytime I go past a bank of them, I have to look. At TRU, in the mall, wherever, I always check them out to see if there's something interesting I might be tempted to buy. Now if I found one with some Star Wars Legos, I would certainly jump at it. Especially, those bagged Stormtroopers with Speeders...

[Andyroo]

For countries where gum ball machines are only used for really cheap items perhaps they could sell the mini figures in 3 parts.

You could get

1) A head and accessories

2) A torso

3) Legs and a 4 x 4 vase plate

A bit of a let down as a once off purchase but I think it would be really addictive and in effect a little like the mini figures I phone App where you get a random figure.

Put each type in 3 separate machines (i.e. one machine is all pants, one machine all Torsos etc) would be for the best as kids would have a better idea of what they are getting into.

[Fugazi]

Like you said about having to buy multiples of others to get all of them i think its stupid. I want just to be able to get the ones i want not have to buy more and more until i get all of them. So i don't like it and would not use it or let my kids use it.

Please avoid quoting picture-heavy posts unless it's required for the sake of clarity, thank you!

[THENOOB]

Wish they had them here where I live in America.

[HumanPackMule]

For countries where gum ball machines are only used for really cheap items perhaps they could sell the mini figures in 3 parts.

You could get

1) A head and accessories

2) A torso

3) Legs and a 4 x 4 vase plate

A bit of a let down as a once off purchase but I think it would be really addictive and in effect a little like the mini figures I phone App where you get a random figure.

Put each type in 3 separate machines (i.e. one machine is all pants, one machine all Torsos etc) would be for the best as kids would have a better idea of what they are getting into.

That seems like a good idea in theory but I can see a case where the first and second segments become sold out before the third, ruining the novelty of creating a random figure. Especially if there are parts for army building such as armor, helmets, and weapons.