LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[FinalFeature]

I just wish bar codes were never added into them in the first place. I agree with the removal of them in series 3. There has been enough bar code abuse in series 1 already and it has not even finished being released yet :/

Not everyone can by lots and lots of packs for the figures they wanted.

Every time i go to he Lego store lately i dont see kids with barcodes. I see the kids are feeling each bag. I hope they dont change it into a box for each figure.

I hope there is another way on identifying the figures and hopefully it wont end up like the kid robot collectables.

LegoGalactus

[winbrant]

Or if TLG made it possible to get a whole set (16 minifigures) for those who just want to complete a set without paying for extras.

[Joebot]

I don't care about the barcodes going away. As people have said, they were never meant to help AFOLs; they were just for tracking. From the beginning these minifigures were meant to be random.

And to those who think getting rid of the barcodes is a bad business decision, be sure to call up all the leading trading card companies and tell them that they're making a mistake by not listing the contents of each random booster pack. And prepare to be laughed at for your poor understanding of the business of collectibles.

Good points, and well said. I think the problem is that this is TLC's first foray into this sort of blind-packaged collectible. For people who collect baseball cards, Pokemon cards, Magic: The Gathering cards, etc., they're used to the way those products are packaged and marketed. Collecting and building a set is part of the fun.

For Lego fans, we've always simply bought what we wanted, so there's a disconnect going on here.

And yes, the barcodes have been abused, just as I predicted when the news first broke of their presence. The well-informed collectors may buy up all the zombies or forestmen. So the next innocent child who walks up might buy five packs, hoping to get a zombie. They're not cheating; and so there's no way for them to know that there aren't any zombies left. Thus selfish AFOLs are delighting in the barcodes at the expense of LEGO's real target audience, who collects the figures the way it was originally intended.

Not so sure about this part. I have thousands of dollars in my Lego collection, and you're telling me I'm not the "real target audience," simply because I'm 36 years old and not 10 years old???

I stood in a Toys R Us yesterday for 15 minutes, painstakingly going over my barcode list to the find the 6 mini-figs I was still missing. I found exactly the 6 that I wanted. To characterize that as "abuse" is off-base in my opinion. I simply want to buy the things that I want. TLC intentionally tried to prevent that with their packaging. The fanbase found a work-around. I don't see that as "abuse." If anything, TLC is abusing their consumers' good will with the blind-packaging nonsense.

[vexorian]

Not everyone can by lots and lots of packs for the figures they wanted.

I know, and I can't either. But the only way for me to purchase these figs will probably make me unable to use bar codes at all even if I wanted. That's asymmetry. Anyway, the whole point of these figs is to be random and so that it is difficult for you to complete it. That's the whole point. If you do not like it, you can just buy something else. If you get duplicates, you can always go and try trading. In series 1 the differences in odds were not extreme and before the bar codes were known, people were able to get all the minifigs.

It is very hard to assume the success of series one was at all related to the bar codes, we all know that only a small minority know about them. Predicting this will cause series 3 to sell worse is quite adventurous, for what I know it will force AFOLs to buy more packs ...

I will probably get about 10 of series 1, hoping I get a robot, will not be able to complete the series and will probably have plenty of duplicates. It still sounds fun and it is still a minifig so I guess that even the scuba diver has a use for an AFOL :)

[Zenox]

Yes! I managed to get Space Man/Astronaut!

Well, i think i was little im patient with checking the barcode as

i thought the bag had ninja in it..

But this guy with his blaster makes up for it!

[captainsamus]

I'm really happy the barcodes are being removed. I won't lie and say I haven't used the barcode trick, but this honestly is what they intended all along: completely random figures. Just like trading cards, GoGo's, vinyl figures, etc.

These type of things aren't geared toward making it easy for you to collect them all; it's a moneymaking tactic, and a good one. I personally love the "random grab" type things (Random Shirts from woot, the Star Wars Real Mask magnets,) but obviously not everyone does.

[blueandwhite]

I'm really happy the barcodes are being removed. I won't lie and say I haven't used the barcode trick, but this honestly is what they intended all along: completely random figures. Just like trading cards, GoGo's, vinyl figures, etc.

These type of things aren't geared toward making it easy for you to collect them all; it's a moneymaking tactic, and a good one. I personally love the "random grab" type things (Random Shirts from woot, the Star Wars Real Mask magnets,) but obviously not everyone does.

I suspect the real issue here is that there is a distinct difference between people who are genuine collectors and people who are traditional builders (ignoring for the moment the group that consider themselves both). Traditionally LEGO has been a building toy. Consumers have purchased what they want, when they wanted it. Fans have even focused on specific themes (Castle, Town and Space all being quite popular). For the traditional builder, these minifigs are simply valuable assets for building. As I understand things, for a collector the fun is in completing the collection. Collecting is typically cost-prohibitive so it doesn't necessarily fit within the plans of many builders. A dedicated builder probably is more likely to hord a single type of figure from a specific theme, primarily for MOCing purposes. This of course infuriates the completist collector who is simply looking to complete his or her collection. The current series clearly favours the traditional builder who is more interested in purchasing what he wants when he wants it, whereas series 3 is aimed squarely at a collector market.

As somebody who looks to LEGO as a building toy, I have very little interest in series 3. I have no intention of spending $100 to get 1 or 2 figures that I will actually use, nor do I wish to pay heavy inflation on bricklink. I have no problems admitting that I have been using the barcodes to amass theme-relevant figures or I will be doing the same thing for series 2. Series 3 I will leave to kids and collectors; folks who have lots of cash to spend blindly on these figures.

[Mac-K]

And yes, the barcodes have been abused, just as I predicted when the news first broke of their presence. The well-informed collectors may buy up all the zombies or forestmen. So the next innocent child who walks up might buy five packs, hoping to get a zombie. They're not cheating; and so there's no way for them to know that there aren't any zombies left. Thus selfish AFOLs are delighting in the barcodes at the expense of LEGO's real target audience, who collects the figures the way it was originally intended.

Also, guess what? Those people who sell overpriced collectible figs on Bricklink or eBay? They're just as likely to use the barcodes as you are! Again, they're making a profit at the expense of people who don't know about the barcodes, and can't get the figs they want most on a whim.

And Lego is making profit using a fairly underhanded marketing tactic at our expense. I refuse to believe in this idea that Lego implemented that decision based on the benevolent hope of providing children with the excitement of a surprise. It's a company, and they try to make money, plain and simple. And if people found a totally legitimate way around it? Good on them, I say.

And obviously there are people who hoard these things to sell on eBay and Bricklink, but you know what? For every one of those people, I'd confidently bet that there are twenty AFOL's who just used the barcodes to obtain the minifigs they wanted, and did not plunder a box of one particular figure. I didn't even have the barcodes when the minifigs showed up in my area. I just felt the bags to determine what was inside, and I got the four figs that I wanted. Does that make me a selfish AFOL who ruins an experience for innocent little children?

I stood in a Toys R Us yesterday for 15 minutes, painstakingly going over my barcode list to the find the 6 mini-figs I was still missing. I found exactly the 6 that I wanted. To characterize that as "abuse" is off-base in my opinion. I simply want to buy the things that I want. TLC intentionally tried to prevent that with their packaging. The fanbase found a work-around. I don't see that as "abuse." If anything, TLC is abusing their consumers' good will with the blind-packaging nonsense.

Hear, hear!

[Wildblue]

Anybody else finding out that the minifigs are sold out? I was at the Lego Store near Baltimore the other day, my one and only chance to try to get the collectible minifigs, (I'm enroute my travels, headed to Iraq for a year) and they said they sold out right away when they got each of their two shipments. They said they're getting one more shipment, and then Series 1 is done. ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH... it would be nice if actual COLLECTORS (ahem... i.e. ME) had the chance to collect these!

Even through the online Lego store, if you wanted to just buy a crapload of them to make sure you get all 16, you can't. Limited to 5? Really? Come on.....

[The Green Brick Giant]

Yeah, it is selling better than they expected, what a disaster for LEGO ...

It just shows what a disaster the LEGO Company is. It's also a disaster for the fans.

The barcodes should go. If I was able to find the minifigures (great job again LEGO) I would like to think I have a chance at any of the 16 minifigures. However with people taking all the zombies and cheerleaders all I would have left to get "randomly" would be divers and crash test dummies.

[WesternOutlaw]

I just went to my local TRU and bought up all the zombies and forestmen :)

Save some Forestmen!

Even through the online Lego store, if you wanted to just buy a crapload of them to make sure you get all 16, you can't. Limited to 5? Really? Come on.....

Legoland California is limiting the purchase to 10 and they won't let you touch them or look at them (per the store's policy).

[Lego_Hero]

Save some Forestmen!

Legoland California is limiting the purchase to 10 and they won't let you touch them or look at them (per the store's policy).

It's probably because of the congestion it would cause. I recently visited a Lego Store while on holiday (okay, I'm American and we say vacation, but I couldn't help it) and a boy was rummaging through the bags with his mother. I didn't think to bring my barcode sheet on vacation, so I asked to borrow his while he was looking. It wasn't even his sheet! he said it was some guy before him and I think that one of the cashiers handed it to him (he nodded to the cashier, so I'm making an assumption there).

While I do admit to using a barcode sheet, I don't think that's abusing the system. Especially since I only bought 19 total and probably won't buy more of this series unless I need more skater hair (sounds funny to say out loud). I DO think it's not fair to others for people to buy all of the zombies or forestmen or whatever, but only because there seems to be a limited quantity of this series in general. All of the TRU's in my area have been sold out since the first week and have no idea if they'll get more. Keep the zombies, though. I have no use for them.

[vexorian]

I stood in a Toys R Us yesterday for 15 minutes, painstakingly going over my barcode list to the find the 6 mini-figs I was still missing. I found exactly the 6 that I wanted. To characterize that as "abuse" is off-base in my opinion. I simply want to buy the things that I want. TLC intentionally tried to prevent that with their packaging. The fanbase found a work-around. I don't see that as "abuse." If anything, TLC is abusing their consumers' good will with the blind-packaging nonsense.

Well, the thing is that these minifigs are meant to be collectibles with blind packaging. With these things, If you want to know what you are buying, then the way to do it is buying them from some person, paying more. Yes, it is not exactly the perfect way if you just want a specific fig, but such was the way they designed this set.

It is meant to be a game. You try some luck and since the objective is to complete the whole set, you go and trade with people. That's how these games are supposed to work. That's the reason there are question marks in the packaging.

If you don't like blind packaging. LEGO already sells figs without any blind packaging in those collector series and magnet sets, you can just buy those. But some of us (actually most of the people that bought them since not everybody knew about the bar codes or was actually able to feel the contents of the bags) do enjoy this game.

I don't want to think anybody in this forum actually used the bar codes heavily with any ill intent. But it did cause some asymmetry.

Edited June 12, 2010 by vexorian

[squiz]

Well, the thing is that these minifigs are meant to be collectibles with blind packaging. With these things, If you want to know what you are buying, then the way to do it is buying them from some person, paying more. Yes, it is not exactly the perfect way if you just want a specific fig, but such was the way they designed this set.

It is meant to be a game. You try some luck and since the objective is to complete the whole set, you go and trade with people. That's how these games are supposed to work. That's the reason there are question marks in the packaging.

If you don't like blind packaging. LEGO already sells figs without any blind packaging in those collector series and magnet sets, you can just buy those. But some of us (actually most of the people that bought them since not everybody knew about the bar codes or was actually able to feel the contents of the bags) do enjoy this game.

I don't want to think anybody in this forum actually used the bar codes heavily with any ill intent. But it did cause some asymmetry.

But you cant buy these minifigs in any other set so you saying " go buy a magnet set" is a waste of time. If i want a cheerleader or zombie or what ever im not going to go and buy a construction worker from a magnet set am i.

You say its the way lego "wants the game to be played" and i can see where they are coming from. It makes good business sense but just seems a bit immoral. The figures are already expensive, charging a kid 32 quid for 16 minifigs is quite steep. But with the blind packaging your forced to spend more. Im not going to do the maths, but the odds of buying 16 figures and getting a complete set are horrendous! Fair enough if the kids want to buy blind and trade, they can. But im not going to go into a playground and ask kids if they want to swap lego am i ? I would be arrested and probably put on a register..... Thats why i see the barcodes as the perfect solution. You can still buy blind if you want to, but if you want ones of a certain type, you can do that too.

Anyway, lego havent put enough in production for the game to be played properly anyway. The boxes sell out so quickly and most shops only got one or two boxes so there arnt many minifigs in circulation anyway.

The way i see it there are two key differences between these minifigs and other collectable games (trading cards etc)

1. These minifigures are produced in the same numbers to ensure equal distribution (i assume). With trading cards there are different distributions of cards to make certain cards rarer. Thus when you buy a cards pack you are taking a gamble that you will get a card thats rarer than other more common cards.

2. Numerous people have mentioned that you can feel whats in the packets anyway. With trading cards you wont know whats in them until you open them, but the minifigs you can make a pretty good fist of getting the one you want anyway!

So if you can guess whats in the packet anyway, why remove the bar codes ?

When series 2 comes out im going to rake every spartan and surfer out of all the boxes i come accross. I wont feel guilty for doing this, im spending my money on what i want. Its no different to me standing there and feeling all the packets. When series 3 comes out, i will either buy the ones i want off ebay/bricklink or even buy a whole box, pick out the 16 and then flog the rest on ebay for a small profit.

[Zenox]

I bought Ninja today, and got an extra katana in it!

Next: Forestman!

Then: Magician, Zombie or Skater...

[jdebitjr]

I bought Ninja today, and got an extra katana in it!

Next: Forestman!

Then: Magician, Zombie or Skater...

I've received a few extra parts in my minifigures. Did receive a robot with no head. LEGO's site allows you to order replacement parts, but I received an e-mail from LEGO customer service saying they do not provide replacement parts for these items. Simply return the packaging to the retailer for a replacement. Easier said than done!

[liquidcross]

Check your local Borders stores, people. Mine had a nearly full box of Series 1 figs near the register, and everyone was ignoring them. (Which made it easy for me to rifle through them with my cheat sheet, and get the ones I wanted!)

[ILikePi]

Check your local Borders stores, people. Mine had a nearly full box of Series 1 figs near the register, and everyone was ignoring them. (Which made it easy for me to rifle through them with my cheat sheet, and get the ones I wanted!)

Were they at normal price? If so, I'll have to check mine out soon!

[Lego_Hero]

BORDERS?!?! NOOOOO!!!

I passed up a Borders on my last business trip b/c I wanted to look for Lego sets at the toy stores. I thought Borders was a bookstore. You must have a very special Borders.

Question: Has anyone in the US seen these at Wal-Mart? I saw someone mention Wal-Mart somewhere, but here in Texas Wal-Marts aren't great with Lego.

[Raphy]

'Sup guys.

Here in Corvallis, Oregon, they simply aren't here. I don't know whether they haven't shipped yet (doubtful, it's the twelfth and they shipped on the first), or if they aren't being shipped at all or if they've been all snatched up. What should I do? Wait? Give up? Act fast and raid all stores to see if they have them?

[angel1802]

It's funny to read people criticizing the bar codes when at the begining everybody wanted to know how to figure out which figurine was in what bag... Now that everybody realize how hard it is to get the one they want... Everybody complains !! I personnally used the barcodes to buy one of each, because I don't have the money to buy 60 bags to get one of each ! The problem comes from people buying 20 of just 1 figurine, THAT is abuse. I say keep the barcodes for the future, but please to everyone, try not to be so greedy !!

[The Brick Rat]

Were they at normal price? If so, I'll have to check mine out soon!

They are $2.99 at Borders.

[---Vertea---]

I checked my local TRU and they were all sold out within two weeks.... Looks like I might have to bricklink this one

[vexorian]

I just wonder if by November (the time of the year new LEGO things ship to my local toy store) there would actually be any series 1 box left at all. Really need to think of a way to get some bags early just in case the guys at the store decide not to bring them :(

1. These minifigures are produced in the same numbers to ensure equal distribution (i assume). With trading cards there are different distributions of cards to make certain cards rarer. Thus when you buy a cards pack you are taking a gamble that you will get a card thats rarer than other more common cards.

Some of the minifigs are rarer than the others , I don't remember well but I think the spaceman and other two figs are the rarest.

2. Numerous people have mentioned that you can feel whats in the packets anyway. With trading cards you wont know whats in them until you open them, but the minifigs you can make a pretty good fist of getting the one you want anyway!

Hopefully, this will get fixed as well. It does not really work too well though.

Edited June 13, 2010 by vexorian

[Artanis I]

Still haven't read an acceptable answer on what the barcodes were "intended" for (and therefore "abused" when you use them to pick which figure you want). A computer scanner can't read them, as the flap covers the bars that are actually different (someone else has already said this) & also, why would they go around checking each box manually? That'd take forever, so it can't be for Lego to tell how many of each they're putting in a box. Besides, surely boxes would be filled the same as when a factory makes those boxes of assorted wrapped chocolates/sweets/lollies/candy/whatever you say: machine in factory puts some from this conveyor belt, some from that etc or similar.

Or are there Oompa Loompas working in Lego factories sorting the pieces into bags?

I see no purpose in having barcodes on there, other than the one some people have used: to buy what they want with the money they want to spend. I'm NOT saying they were put on there FOR THAT REASON, but I'm yet to hear a different (& valid) reason. Anyone?

I'm talking logic here, not opinion.