Big Brother is watching...

[Basteq]

I received a new small Lego - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set as a gift from my family in US.

Since I'm only collecting Star Wars and LOTR i decided to sell it here in Denmark on a local ad site.

(This theme will hit the stores in DK in July.)

Today I received a phonecall from Lego asking me how I aquired the set and why I'm selling it...

Weird...

[RaincloudDustbin]

A bit nosy, huh?

[Vindicare]

That does seem a bit strange. Maybe they thought someone snuck the set out from the factory, since it's not out yet in Denmark?...

[Basteq]

That does seem a bit strange. Maybe they thought someone snuck the set out from the factory, since it's not out yet in Denmark?...

I'm not sure which parts are produced in Billund, but he also asked about other ''regular '' sets I was selling to reduce my collection.

Of course at the beginning he posed as a potential buyer. In further conversation ''stealing'' the stuff was mentioned between the words ;)

[Peppermint_M]

It must be because you are based in Denmark.

I can imagine warehouse leaks are a nightmare for TLG and someone selling unreleased in the area sets looks mighty suspect to a company. That would then draw attention to everything else.

Put it this way: In the UK a supermarket delivery was hijacked and found empty a little while later, it had been full of clothes and LEGO for Christmas stock for a store in the area. A week or so later an eBay seller (or three I think) started selling brand new unopened sets as unwanted gifts (prior to Christmas too!) posting from the county neighbouring the area the lorry was hijacked in. I had put a set or two on my watchlist in the first instance, until things became more suspect I was also happy to believe someone got some sets they did not want and were selling them on.

Before the lots were due to end they all disappeared and the account was suspeneded. Later news report told of the suspects being apprehended.

So sometimes authorities have to keep an eye on things!

[Basteq]

It must be because you are based in Denmark.

I can imagine warehouse leaks are a nightmare for TLG and someone selling unreleased in the area sets looks mighty suspect to a company. That would then draw attention to everything else.

I live 60 km from Billund, so I could also be an employee. I can clearly understand their concern.

[J.V.D.]

Their concern is understandable, but on the other hand this again shows how minimal the awareness is in (big international) companies when it comes to the informations streams on the internet and the global market place.

To many still see the internet just as a marketing/advertising and eventually service tool.

Of course, Lego has S@H, but if you bring out an anticipated product in country A, six moths before the release in country B, and there are no technical issues or restrictions to use that product in country B, of course it will find its way to that market before the official release. The interested public has enough specialised channels for getting it. Many times even at cheaper price then the official local sales price.

Another example: *the weird price differences and availability that sometimes exist between countries. And I am not mentioning the US / Europe price confict now, but between neighboring countries here in europe.

Official retail prices and via S@H are higher here compared to e.g. neighbours Germany and France... while bottom line most comes from the same warehouse. And they just openly show those differences to the users (you only have to change country on their site)

*Superheroes is not in the official belgian Lego catalogue, but can be bought via belgian branches of a dutch toy store chain..

*(non) availabilty of the clubmagazine in some countries.

* the way they try to control leaked pictures.. of course the bigger sites and blogs do cooperate and dont allow them or take them down after a while.. but doesnt TLG realise that seconds after they appear those pics are saved on hundreds of harddrives and spread via personal messages anyway? Besides, "leaked" pictures are an excelent tool for viral marketing and spreading the word for a new product..

I am realy conviced that some executives at TLG urgently need a good introduction modern media information streams and global online market mechanisms.

[Hrw-Amen]

Whilst I do understand the concern that they may have and even maybe wonder at where you got the set from, it does seem a little over the top to accuse you of stealing it even in so many words. I think at the point that was mentioned or even suggested they have gone over what is reasonable in a phone conversation and I would have probably hung up and contacted my local police about malicious calls.

[Basteq]

It was the same situation with movies some time ago. European premieres were 6 months after US.

As an example of weird prices The Hobbit - An Unexpected Gathering costs in UK 60 gpb while in Denmark (home of lego) it costs 750 kr (75 gpb)

Not to mention differences between US/EU. Does anyone know why US lego is minimum 30% cheaper??? (including tax)

For example Rancor's Pit costs in US 60 usd + 25% EU tax = 75 usd

While the same set in UK with tax is 60 gpb = 95 usd

[Ricecracker]

Let's not turn this into a topic about regional price differences.

[Basteq]

Let's not turn this into a topic about regional price differences.

You're right. Was there one before? As I cannot find it.

I would gladly hear more about it.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Basteq

[Ricecracker]

You're right. Was there one before? As I cannot find it.

I would gladly hear more about it.

There have been many. Almost all of them end up being closed, because they devolve into personal attacks against members and simply don't lead anywhere. LEGO sets its prices taking into account various factors, such as standard of living, regional toy market, competition and supply and demand. Ultimately, it boils down to how much they can make out of a certain market by varying the number of units available and the unit price to get the most out of it.

Now, let's get back on topic.

[TheLegoDr]

It does make sense to have someone monitoring local sales and try to plug up any leaks within the company.

I wouldn't even begin to know how to handle that phone call I guess. Especially disguising themselves as a potential buyer. Would they just say, how did you get this set, was it stolen, and yes I'd love to buy it from you... that just seems odd.

Hopefully you won't get into trouble, otherwise you can blame your family

[Jargo]

I'd be wondering how they got my telephone number.

[Basteq]

I'd be wondering how they got my telephone number.

Hehe, It was in the ad ;)

[Hey Joe]

Maybe you should have fabricated some story to twist his noodle a little?

Maybe not though, I wonder what his next step would have been if your story hadn't been perfectly plausible and legitimate?

Joe

[Sam892]

Hmm quite interesting. I wouldn't have thought that lego would go to all the trouble over one set. I can remember when the original Batman sets came out in 2006, the US got them 6 months earlier than the UK. Me and my Dad went to MK shopping complex and there was a big convention. Anyway there was a stool there selling these US bat sets and we picked up the Two-face set. The manager at the LEGO store didn't look to pleased, watching everyone come in with sets that weren't supposed to come out for 6 months HaHa.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Sam892

[AmperZand]

Denmark is part of the EU. It is illegal in the EU to sell products sourced from a channel outside the official EU one(s). So a retailer in Denmark, can sell LEGO sets sourced from TLG UK or a TLG-approved wholesaler in the UK as the UK is an EU country but not from a wholesaler in the US, which isn't.

The ruling came about a few years ago when Tesco was trying to import and sell genuine branded products sourced in Mexico and elsewhere outside the EU. The so-called grey market were ruled illegal. As a result, all branded goods in the EU are more expensive than they should be if market forces alone governed the price.

What almost certainly happened was that the EU officials responsible for the ruling had big, fat Swiss bank accounts set up for them by the companies that were fighting Tesco. Tesco, to their credit, was fighting for consumers (as well as themselves) while the brand owners were acting purely in their own interest.

[Front]

@ AmperZand

You are perfectly allowed to bye from any country in the world as a citizen in EU. But if you buy stuff from a seller outside the EU, you are supposed to pay Value added tax (VAT) of your country (in Denmark 25%), and for many type of products, also Custom.

[1974]

If I got that call from TLG, I'd tell them to stuff themselves! I spend enough on their bricks (and they even spend money in my company to boot), but this is outta line, really

If you bought that item in US (or whatever - outside the EU) AND have paid the apropiate taxes, they have NO business interfering with your private sale (at dba.dk?) at ALL. None what so ever

This is for private citicens though, what TESCO did has nothing to with the OP. TLG is just sticking their nose into something, they shouldn't

It's TLGs own fault. They have different releasedates according to how they think the world is divided. It makes no sense that the EU have to wait eight months to get Galaxy Squad, when it's freely availabe in the US (also see Space Police III)

This is not 1982. We have internet now

Also, would like to add that TLG have the best customer service I've ever encounted, so it's not sour grapes from here, only

TLG, get with the times, drop the different release dates, it doesn't make sense in this globalized world thta we live in

[Basteq]

@ AmperZand

You are perfectly allowed to bye from any country in the world as a citizen in EU. But if you buy stuff from a seller outside the EU, you are supposed to pay Value added tax (VAT) of your country (in Denmark 25%), and for many type of products, also Custom.

If you receive package and it's value is under 20 euro (as far as I remember) its tax free. But if you bring stuff with yourself the tax free value is much higher.

[AmperZand]

1974,

I suspect that TLG was concerned that it wasn't a private sale. They probably wanted to be sure that none of their non-EU distributors were selling to resellers in the EU.

Basteq & Front,

Even if you pay VAT and duty (or don't have to because the intrinsic value is beneath the threshold), you still can't sell grey market goods in the EU.

Edited January 25, 2013 by AmperZand