efferman

[POLL] What would you Pay for Instructions?

  

161 members have voted

  1. 1. how much would you pay for an instruction?

    • nothing
      45
    • 5 €uros
      50
    • 10 €uros
      56
    • 15 €uros
      10


Recommended Posts

On this webpage, Nico71 presented the results of his questionnaire about how much AFOLs are willing to pay for Building Instructions:

2.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

what would you pay for it?

Nothing. I don't see the fun in doing other peoples MOCs :sceptic:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nothing. I don't see the fun in doing other peoples MOCs :sceptic:

It is possible to learn new things though. It seems most everyone uses each other's ideas in some form anyways.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Nothing. I don't see the fun in doing other peoples MOCs :sceptic:

You never built models designed by Lego Designers (aka "sets") ?

Cause actually, they are MOCs ! Yes, they are !

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not always, sometimes they're co-designed :wink:

Sure, I've build hundreds of TLG designs. But this is not what is being discussed here ..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

€10 for jurgens instruction for the zorex or backhoe instructions is a good price to pay IMO.

considering the time take to make those instructions, the author have to be compensated for their time making it .

also i really want to build them badly. :grin:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think the problem is the price, but whether there is actually a market for MOC plans? I'd happily pay 20€ for an awesome moc of respectable size, If I had a lot of spare parts lying around.

What I mean is; since TLG don't have Technic part-packs readily available, most people only have bricks that are already tied up in models. So the thought goes: "Should I use my €, tear down a model, and build this MOC?", rather than: "I have all these bricks, what to do? Oh... what an awesome MOC! I'll buy!". That's, imo, why people are not willing to shell out the cash.

As an example: Since I have kids, and like lego, I naturally told grandparents, uncles, and friends that where going to buy gifts to go for Duplo, specifically bricks (because you only need so many lions and police cars). We now have a "ton" of bricks (and eight lions and five police cars), sufficient to build a house of duplo big enough for one toddler to crawl into. That's pretty awesome. And every time we take out our Duplo we ask: "What should we build today?". If I could browse for awesome duplo builds, I'd probably pay... Only problem is that I would also be able to replicate whatever is shown from one picture, at least something that's close enough.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting to see on Nico's page that 27% consider 'free donations'. Can hardly believe this will turn out in reality, because my MOC's are downloaded in total > 10.000 times.... and the number of free donations within 2 years are less then 15 (whereof some people donate twice! So actually ~ 12 unique ones)... with a total of € 245. It will just cover my website hosting :classic:

So, I assume that more then 99% of the downloads are just for 'want to have it', rather then 'I want to build the MOC'.

This makes me consider to change my policy for 'free downloads', because I reach my download capacity at my hosting vendor frequently and don't want to invest again in another upgrade. Options are: store the BI's elsewhere on the web. Or ask just as small amounth of money for those who really want to make the MOC.

Still I think everyone has to decide if they want to pay for MOC's yes/no.... I don't have an opinion about that.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I read this forum many times a day and somehow this thread eluded me so sorry about the delayed post.

There is a guy on ebay (and he has posted twice on EB) that has successfully sold 20+ copies of his 3450 pedestal base instructions for 65-100 dollars. (I was one of the buyers....)

Yes, I am creating MOCplans but I really want nothing to do with what people will charge for their stuff. That being said, I can tell you that anywhere between 5-10% of the total cost of the MOC is starting to become an acceptable range. Who would be unwilling to pay 50 dollars to build a model when they are spending 1k on the parts??

I have built most of HAN's stuff and can say that I would happily pay for it now that I know how good it is. (HAN, I will gush to you about how much I love your models in a PM rather than spilling out all over this thread). Frankly, I can't believe he has kept it free this whole time. Clearly his stuff is VERY popular since his 6x6 created shortages on so many parts for so long.

And perhaps thats the key to all of this. Having a designer prove their worth via a free instructions or at least being able to read a review of someone building it reassures the potential buyer that they will receive the enjoyment they are expecting.

On that note...expect an update about MOCplans very soon!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I read this forum many times a day and somehow this thread eluded me so sorry about the delayed post.

There is a guy on ebay (and he has posted twice on EB) that has successfully sold 20+ copies of his 3450 pedestal base instructions for 65-100 dollars. (I was one of the buyers....)

Yes, I am creating MOCplans but I really want nothing to do with what people will charge for their stuff. That being said, I can tell you that anywhere between 5-10% of the total cost of the MOC is starting to become an acceptable range. Who would be unwilling to pay 50 dollars to build a model when they are spending 1k on the parts??

I have built most of HAN's stuff and can say that I would happily pay for it now that I know how good it is. (HAN, I will gush to you about how much I love your models in a PM rather than spilling out all over this thread). Frankly, I can't believe he has kept it free this whole time. Clearly his stuff is VERY popular since his 6x6 created shortages on so many parts for so long.

And perhaps thats the key to all of this. Having a designer prove their worth via a free instructions or at least being able to read a review of someone building it reassures the potential buyer that they will receive the enjoyment they are expecting.

On that note...expect an update about MOCplans very soon!

Yup, I would only buy instructions from a builder if I have seen some earlier models from him/her either in form of instructions of any kind or in a CAD model.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think building lego is an interest and I think exchange of ideas should not be charged. The world today judge values of nearly all things with a price tag. As I play with technic just to learn from it.

Edited by darkboy101089

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think building lego is an interest and I think exchange of ideas should not be charged. The world today judge values of nearly all things with a price tag. As I play with technic just to learn from it.

Well then I got ripped off at the university I went to for my degree.

I think that you are highlighting a very specialized world of people looking to merely extract ideas for their own purposes. When I build someones model I am not looking to see how I can apply it elsewhere rather I am looking at the circumstances that led them to draw their (often brilliant) solution. Plus, I am usually interested in displaying the model more than anything. Hence, I stick to larger 2000+ part models.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wrote a really long reply to this and hit post before realising I hadn't logged in yet and lost the lot... so this is the abridged version of it ;)

There is another alternative that in many ways is more lucrative than selling the plans itself which also supports the free exchange of information at the same time. You could start a website or a blog and release free-to-download instructions so that the volume of traffic through the website becomes the more valuable product that people are willing to pay to be part of by way of advertising. People searching for Lego related material online generates enormous amounts of traffic and you might find yourself able to contact businesses to either purchase advertising space on your website or on the plans that you produce. As people come to realise that you have quality material for free your traffic will increase dramatically and the value of your advertising will also increase. This way the financial burden is directed away from your grass-roots fans and towards the groups that have more substantial financial means. The advertising would be Lego themed, of course, and you might find that people would actually appreciate the advertising if it promoted products and news of value to them.

This is just food for thought. Feel free to take it with a grain of salt (a sip of Tequila and a bit of lemon ;) ). This is a path I have been down many times in other non-Lego areas over the last 20 years and I can assure you it has far greater income potential and is far less limiting than just selling a product.

Edited by TasV

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Most guys that sell instructions also have tons of pictures of their models on their own websites or on Brickshelf, so it is pointless for them to even do instructions right? What would be the incentive of spending God knows how many hours doing instructions if the average builder could just build it from the pictures that they have already provided? I certainly don't mind paying a few dollars for someone's hard work, especially if the model I am paying for is very good. And it's not like anyone is hiding the parts required for their model. Just about everyone has their stuff at rebrickable, so you can see what you need before even deciding to buy instructions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that i will never buy instructions for a simple reason:

more than half of the fun is hitting your head on the wall to find a solution for your moc... I mean i downloaded the sheepo 7+R just to see how the concept worked... Then i started going crazy to find my own way to make a gearbox :P

And about selling instructions... Ill always give them for free so someone smartr than me could improve my designs and teach me something...

To me knowledge has to be Free :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that i will never buy instructions for a simple reason:

more than half of the fun is hitting your head on the wall to find a solution for your moc... I mean i downloaded the sheepo 7+R just to see how the concept worked... Then i started going crazy to find my own way to make a gearbox :P

And about selling instructions... Ill always give them for free so someone smartr than me could improve my designs and teach me something...

To me knowledge has to be Free :)

Why do I always agree to everything you say in topics like this... :wacko:

Anyway yes, I prefer the challenge of thinking up your own solution than buying instructions. I will use free instructions to help with ideas, and to be perfectly honest, I'd prefer to buy more pieces than spend money on instructions...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought many instructions to learn, only that they came with pieces (Lego sets), now if I see something good I will pay again to learn more, the concept is the same, always there is someone who knows more than me :laugh: .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought many instructions to learn, only that they came with pieces (Lego sets), now if I see something good I will pay again to learn more, the concept is the same, always there is someone who knows more than me :laugh: .

Yes, very true :grin:

Edited by legomuppet9

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

yeah i totally agree with legomuppet...ill spend all my money buying pieces :D

some days ago i've been in westfield (london) to buy a second lipo battery to power my lancia fulvia....oh god i love that shop so much!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry for bumping this old topic but i was just wondering if you were gonna make instructions as i would really love to make your unimog

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I voted "nothing" at first and now I reconsider and selected "EUR 10". I really could pay it but only for something absolutely exceptional and extraordinary. And easy to get parts for. There are two scenarios I can see:

1. Some official sets alternative models instructions. Or, what may be a great idea, from two recent sets.

2. It must be a small set(s), something like that very cool (except the last ones) Creator small sets, for which it is easy to get parts right from one seller on the Bricklink.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Most of the time I'm only interested in a particular solution they used in their MOC. So I can learn from that solution and use that knowledge in my own MOC's. When your only interested in a few steps of the building instructions 10-15 is quite a lot of money, I think. Especially when you also could reverse engineer the solution from some good photo's. But I still think up to 15 (depending on how big/how complex the MOC is and the quality of the instructions) is a reasonable prize for building instructions. Because of the effort someone putted into making them.

All in all I think it would be nice if the building instructions are fairly cheap and the money would come from the mass. (By that I mean a lot of people buying cheap building instructions instead of a few people buying pricey building instructions. Surely 2 x 12 is 12 x 2). But I don't know how many people buy these instructions, so can't really predict if it would work that way, but I think it would for me.

To me knowledge has to be Free :)

Totally agree with this :grin:

Sorry for commenting on such a old post :tongue:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Personally it all depends on the instructions quality anything half as good as blackbirds renders 10/15 euros I would never pay anything for the photo files used by builders like madocca with the exception of maybe 1-2 euros on some better models and LDD files i have never used but based on other people speculations 5 euros at the most :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.