LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[jerba]

Where does Borders usually keep these? Near the register or in the kids section?

[CMP]

Where does Borders usually keep these? Near the register or in the kids section?

Near the register.

[posades]

It's my hope that LEGO will have plenty of boxes in their retail stores come the official release date (June 21st in the US?). Because frankly this is starting to wear thin. I ask a TRU employee everytime I go whether or not they have them in stock and they never know; the one time I did see a box of them on sale, they were all gone. I was hoping these would make their way to Target and Walmart, but I guess time is running out considering Series 2 is almost here in a couple more months and they're already sold out in Europe.

[Asterios]

It's my hope that LEGO will have plenty of boxes in their retail stores come the official release date (June 21st in the US?). Because frankly this is starting to wear thin. I ask a TRU employee everytime I go whether or not they have them in stock and they never know; the one time I did see a box of them on sale, they were all gone. I was hoping these would make their way to Target and Walmart, but I guess time is running out considering Series 2 is almost here in a couple more months and they're already sold out in Europe.

LEGO stores already released their stock.

[Big Cam]

Wow. Was at a local drug store (Schlecker) today here in Munich, and there sitting in the shelf where 3 unopened boxes

of Minifigures so I took one to the cash and asked if she could open one for me, very rude and stupid lady says that

she can't open the box before I purchase it, A little buff I then asked here how much for the box?

Takes the box runs it over the scanner and says €1.99, So I'm thinking ok I can play stupid too and paid for the box and then left

Wen't back into the store and purchased the other two as well! not a bad deal 180 figs for €5.97

I usually tell people that they make a mistake, but if the give me rude answers its there own fault!

Also wander why Lego prints the same barcode on the box as well as the individual bags!?

This is very hard to swollow.

I believe you but only based off of legit posts you as a member have made in the past.

I officially don't give a crap about these anymore. Thanks TLG having their head up their *** on this one.

Too bad for them, because I had funds set aside to get at least two boxes of each series. I'm sure many other customers are pissed like me and had money to spend, but now will not.

[Big Cam]

So talk about ironic, I left work right after making that post, and I drove by Toys R Us, so I figured, I'd go in and check, I mean why not.

Turns out they just got some in today.

I got 67, it was all they had. I figure I'll get at least one set, and I'll sell the rest.

Even though they were 2.50 instead of 1.99, I can deal with that. I'll break even when I sell the left overs.

[lightningtiger]

Australian TRU stores might not be getting their stocks till next week, all the major Lego retailers are planning their mid-year toy sales right now. So like Toyworld's 3 for 10 bucks - TRU have slotted 2.99 AU as their sale price. I'll just have to keep check my two local TRU's for these yellow bags or might they be the new blue one's ?

I'm a conformist! !

[jerba]

So talk about ironic, I left work right after making that post, and I drove by Toys R Us, so I figured, I'd go in and check, I mean why not.

Turns out they just got some in today.

I got 67, it was all they had. I figure I'll get at least one set, and I'll sell the rest.

Even though they were 2.50 instead of 1.99, I can deal with that. I'll break even when I sell the left overs.

The saddest thing about the small distribution is that everyone is hoarding them and I can't say I blame you. If I had a chance I probably would too. The lack of info is killing us because we don't know if we'll ever see these figs again and so we buy them like crazy. I wish we could find out if LEGO is done making this set, if (in the US) Target/Wal-Mart stores may start getting these in the next month or so, if LEGO will be getting more at S@H or their stores. Until we know whats going on these things will never stay on the shelves and people are going to keep getting angry.

[Big Cam]

The saddest thing about the small distribution is that everyone is hoarding them and I can't say I blame you. If I had a chance I probably would too. The lack of info is killing us because we don't know if we'll ever see these figs again and so we buy them like crazy. I wish we could find out if LEGO is done making this set, if (in the US) Target/Wal-Mart stores may start getting these in the next month or so, if LEGO will be getting more at S@H or their stores. Until we know whats going on these things will never stay on the shelves and people are going to keep getting angry.

I'll be honest, I felt a little bad, but I did step back and let a kid and his dad grab a few because he seemed excited about them. Once they were gone and no one else was looking at them, I started looking at barcodes but my phone battery was almost dead, so I said screw it and I bought them all.

[Carbohydrates]

I'll be honest, I felt a little bad, but I did step back and let a kid and his dad grab a few because he seemed excited about them. Once they were gone and no one else was looking at them, I started looking at barcodes but my phone battery was almost dead, so I said screw it and I bought them all.

When I bought my first ten, I got to TRU right about when it opened so I had first crack at 'em. I used barcodes to grab a couple zombies and left the other 8 to chance. I didn't want to take all 60 (though I was tempted) because I figured there were some kids who had been waiting as long as I had. I later found out that someone walked in and cleared them out shortly after I left. I bet an awful lot of kids are going to have almost NO chance of getting a full set of these.

[blueandwhite]

When I bought my first ten, I got to TRU right about when it opened so I had first crack at 'em. I used barcodes to grab a couple zombies and left the other 8 to chance. I didn't want to take all 60 (though I was tempted) because I figured there were some kids who had been waiting as long as I had. I later found out that someone walked in and cleared them out shortly after I left. I bet an awful lot of kids are going to have almost NO chance of getting a full set of these.

Well as some other posters have kindly pointed out, these are collectables. As collectables they are destined to be purchased in bulk by obsessed adults, scalpers and other secondary-market sellers, ready to be resold at inflated prices on ebay and Bricklink. Series 3 will probably move even faster without barcodes as many AFOLs simply grab all that they can in a mad dash attempt to complete the series. At the end of the day I suspect that the majority of these figures have actually found their way into the hands of AFOLs, not children who don't have the same amount of disposable capital to throw around.

Next time you'd probably be better off just taking the box.

[Carbohydrates]

Next time you'd probably be better off just taking the box.

Sure. I just don't think I would have been able to walk out with the entire TRU's stock of a particular sought-after toy without feeling like a jerk, though.

Perhaps I got good karma from that anyway, since I was able to get in on the LEGO site's no purchase limits thing.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Carbohydrates

[vexorian]

I think that ultimately if you buy a whole box the joke is on you anyway. Sure around 30 of them would be cool. But then again you are spending 120+ dollars on made in china figs that are lower quality than usual. There are so many cool LEGO sets you could get with all that money :/

The way I see the figs is as an extra something I would buy every time I go to a store but nothing more. Of course, if it is as hard to find I may not actually bother.

[natelite]

I think that ultimately if you buy a whole box the joke is on you anyway. Sure around 30 of them would be cool. But then again you are spending 120+ dollars on made in china figs that are lower quality than usual. There are so many cool LEGO sets you could get with all that money :/

The way I see the figs is as an extra something I would buy every time I go to a store but nothing more. Of course, if it is as hard to find I may not actually bother.

made in china isn't the problem here. the problem is cheap plastics. another thing i noticed is that the hands are less saturated in color than the heads. ghostly hands... yuck. let's just hope that series 2 is better quality. series 2 will be sold out of 1 figure faster than others. no prize for guessing which one!

[squiz]

made in china isn't the problem here. the problem is cheap plastics. another thing i noticed is that the hands are less saturated in color than the heads. ghostly hands... yuck. let's just hope that series 2 is better quality. series 2 will be sold out of 1 figure faster than others. no prize for guessing which one!

the cop ?

[Commodore Hornbricker]

I am so disapoint at TLG for under producing these figures. They should sack whom ever was responsible. Selling out in the US in two weeks. What a stupid stupid stupid stupid move!

[Artanis I]

Wow. Was at a local drug store (Schlecker) today here in Munich, and there sitting in the shelf where 3 unopened boxes

of Minifigures so I took one to the cash and asked if she could open one for me, very rude and stupid lady says that

she can't open the box before I purchase it, A little buff I then asked here how much for the box?

Takes the box runs it over the scanner and says €1.99, So I'm thinking ok I can play stupid too and paid for the box and then left

Wen't back into the store and purchased the other two as well! not a bad deal 180 figs for €5.97

I usually tell people that they make a mistake, but if the give me rude answers its there own fault!

Also wander why Lego prints the same barcode on the box as well as the individual bags!?

wow... I would call that a profitable day.

Sure. I just don't think I would have been able to walk out with the entire TRU's stock of a particular sought-after toy without feeling like a jerk, though.

Yeah gotta leave something for someone else. Unless there was only a handful of bags there, that would be okay to take them all - no jerky feelings.

[Carbohydrates]

I think that ultimately if you buy a whole box the joke is on you anyway.

Someone hasn't been checking Bricklink prices!

the cop ?

That is actually my favorite of Wave 2. Love the aviators.

I am so disapoint at TLG for under producing these figures. They should sack whom ever was responsible. Selling out in the US in two weeks. What a stupid stupid stupid stupid move!

Keep in mind, they wanted these to be a fairly exclusive rarity from the start. Sure, they found that demand was higher than they expected, but wave 1 was the test case for these, so they'll learn from that.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Carbohydrates

[blueandwhite]

I think that ultimately if you buy a whole box the joke is on you anyway. Sure around 30 of them would be cool. But then again you are spending 120+ dollars on made in china figs that are lower quality than usual. There are so many cool LEGO sets you could get with all that money :/

The way I see the figs is as an extra something I would buy every time I go to a store but nothing more. Of course, if it is as hard to find I may not actually bother.

How so?

I'm pretty sure that the secondary market is such that you'll be able to move the unwanted figures for a good profit in six months. Even now people are complaining about unavailability and being forced to buy from Bricklink. Realistically I can see a lot of figures going for $3.99 to $4.99. That would pay for a box minus the sixteen or so figs you keep for yourself.

I've only purchased figures that I intend to keep, however I can certainly see how buying a box or two could be beneficial.

[Asterios]

How so?

I'm pretty sure that the secondary market is such that you'll be able to move the unwanted figures for a good profit in six months. Even now people are complaining about unavailability and being forced to buy from Bricklink. Realistically I can see a lot of figures going for $3.99 to $4.99. That would pay for a box minus the sixteen or so figs you keep for yourself.

I've only purchased figures that I intend to keep, however I can certainly see how buying a box or two could be beneficial.

the problem is two-fold:

1: LEGO has sold short before then ended up flooding the market with the same item they sold out of and killing the item

2: the problem about these figs is the only ones who will buy are collecters and such and most will have their sets and only a few of the minifigs will go up in value, in fact on bricklink right now some figs are reducing in value due to no one wants them.

[Carbohydrates]

Realistically I can see a lot of figures going for $3.99 to $4.99.

Cheerleaders, zombies, and ilk have already hit this and then some. The average price for a cheerleader is over seven dollars, and the average price they're actually selling for is $4.38.

[Commodore Hornbricker]

Someone hasn't been checking Bricklink prices!

That is actually my favorite of Wave 2. Love the aviators.

Keep in mind, they wanted these to be a fairly exclusive rarity from the start. Sure, they found that demand was higher than they expected, but wave 1 was the test case for these, so they'll learn from that.

I do realize that and that's fine but this is stupid. TLG is a billion $ company and they look like total amatures on this. They have pissed off tons of loyal customers who are screwed and the price gougers are laughing all the way to the bank. This entire thing is one of the stupidest things I have seen a company as classy as Lego do. So I am stcking with stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

[Asterios]

think Carbo needs to recheck BL since plenty of figs below $2 ea. and only a few over that and mostly by scalper sellers and such which I never buy from anyway.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=M&catID=746

[blueandwhite]

I do realize that and that's fine but this is stupid. TLG is a billion $ company and they look like total amatures on this. They have pissed off tons of loyal customers who are screwed and the price gougers are laughing all the way to the bank. This entire thing is one of the stupidest things I have seen a company as classy as Lego do. So I am stcking with stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

With LEGO moving into the collectables market this really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Collectables by their very nature attract price gougers, scalpers and adult consumers who quickly hoard anything and everything they assume to be rare or sought after. This isn't really an unexpected turn of events. I'm not big on collectables, but I certainly appreciate that they bring out the nastier side of consumers. I don't expect to see a second run of these figures and I'm fairly certain that a lot of fans will be bitter about this for a looooonng time. That being said, I don't things are going to get any easier with future series.

Unless LEGO decides to rethink its approach on these figures, collecting a complete set for each series is going to give a lot of us nightmares.

[Commodore Hornbricker]

With LEGO moving into the collectables market this really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Collectables by their very nature attract price gougers, scalpers and adult consumers who quickly hoard anything and everything they assume to be rare or sought after. This isn't really an unexpected turn of events. I'm not big on collectables, but I certainly appreciate that they bring out the nastier side of consumers. I don't expect to see a second run of these figures and I'm fairly certain that a lot of fans will be bitter about this for a looooonng time. That being said, I don't things are going to get any easier with future series.

Unless LEGO decides to rethink its approach on these figures, collecting a complete set for each series is going to give a lot of us nightmares.

I am suprised that Lego would engage in a business practise so distasteful and extremely unfriendly and unlike Lego. As for the rest I agree. This is a great example of great idea but horrible execution. They deserve to have a lot of hurt and angry fans!