Alpinemaps

I know there was some question about that PowerPoint that showed Assembly Square info. One question was about the Modular Buidlings graphic that was displayed in one corner. The graphic was missing the Brick Bank. The newest catalog showed up today and I noticed the same graphic (no Brick Bank) was in the catalog.

You and I couldn't be any further away on our feelings on this subject. I accept that and will move one, but will continue to argue some points with you. It's not out of fear. If that were the case, people would be "fearful" of MegaBloks, K'NEX, Lite Brix, etc. I don't have a problem with Lepin (or any other brand) creating their own product. That's not the issue. Having bricks isn't an issue. It's the design. That's why you and I disagree on this topic. You have no problem with a fake Rolex. I do. Someone is profiting over someone else's effort. In this country, we have laws that stop people and other companies from doing that sort of thing. If it wasn't a thing, why would Disney fight so hard to defend their ownership of Mickey Mouse? To prevent people from copying it? From using it illegally? From profiting from their efforts? To extending their copyright on the Mouse? Because it has value to them. It's flat out illegal to profit from someone else's intellectual property without their permission; whether it's a zero cost or at a great cost. This holds true for photographs, artwork, anything that is designed (and not built). It seems like people that are okay with Lepin's practices can't separate bricks from design. (That's how it appears to be, if you can, I haven't anyone do it). Lego's copyright on building bricks is over, and companies are free to use that design to sell competing products. What is not kosher is copying the design work of someone else and selling it as their own, without an agreement with the rights holder. Now, if Lepin wanted to go to a MOC designer, and buy the design so they could produce it themselves; that's fine. Great for them. And great for the designer. And great for the community, too.

That's not the rule change. The rule change was that once an IP has been approved in the Ideas process, then no more Ideas submissions from that IP will be accepted. You can still submit Star Wars, or Ninjago, or Super Heroes, because there has never been an Ideas set based on those. However, you can no longer submit a Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, or Back to the Future Ideas set because they have already had a successful Ideas submission.

And I will never understand why people are so willing to ignore how supply and demand works, and how IP works. On your first point - it has nothing to do with being a reseller, or brand loyalty. It does have everything to do with IP. Someone (in this case, LEGO), has spent time and money to develop, market, and bring to market sets. An then another company comes in, spends very little in time and development, and bam! They're now making money hand over fist. Whether it's a current selling set, or a set that's retired, the bottom line is that Lepin is stealing designs without paying the rights owners for the rights. A 500% increase on a $10 set would be $5,000. So let's stop being ridiculous about the numbers we're throwing around. That dovetails nicely into the second point. Let's be a little more realistic here. Let's take the Fire Brigade, since that's no longer available. Current pricing on eBay, if I'm generous, puts it at 250% of the original RRP ($350 vs $150). And let's say that LEGO took home 50% of the original price ($75) and the other $75 went to the retailer (Amazon, Walmart, etc). So, on resell, the reseller is making $200 (before fees, shipping, etc). After 10% eBay fees ($35), 3% Paypal Fees ($10), and shipping ($20), the reseller is taking home $135, about 90% of the original payout for the item. Lepin steals this item. They don't invest the time and energy to develop it in-house. They're total cost per item is probably about 10% of what it's selling for. Quick search of eBay says the Lepin close of 10197 is trending about $100. So, about 90% of the money they are earning is free and clear to them. Supply and demand says if people want to pay $350 for a Fire Brigade, then they will. No one is forcing anyone to sell at the price or buy at that price. But there are other people willing to spend the money that you aren't willing to spend, to obtain the good. That drives the price up. Meanwhile, we have a company over here that is stealing designs, stealing IP, and paying no restitution to the rights holders. And you're rather throw your money at them? At least the reseller bought the item from LEGO and supported the true rights holder.

I saw somewhere (maybe on /r/lego), that it was the Poe's X-wing polybag that was the giveaway.

It's no arrogance. It's just that when you have something ingrained in you from the time you learn it, you only "see" it that way. It's no different than you seeing the date and thinking it's written "the right way." In America, there is literally no exposure to dates being written any other way. Just like temperature or distance or weight. I work for the military, and even though we general write out our dates (so it would be day/month/year, but expressed as: 4 January 2017), we don't use a shorthand for our dates (we don't write 4/1/17). I'm trained in a disciple that "makes" me think of multiple units of measure, so I'm always thinking about it. I'm "bilingual" that way. But it's not the norm here in the States. It's not right or wrong, it just is.

Don't we have a Killer Moth in the Scarecrow Harvest of Fear set?

I'm just going to quote my 8 year old daughter, when I showed her the DC Superhero Girls pics this morning: LOL It's a win with the 8 year old girl demographic. Who is *kinda* think is the target demographic for this, but maybe I'm wrong. (Of course, the amount of DC Superhero dolls, McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, and Youtube views that have originated from my house makes me think otherwise).

Not a HP fan, so I had to look it up. But that's a nice nod.

Try calling in. The Yularen poly wasn't showing up in your cart at S@H, but if you called in (which is what I did this morning), they would add it.

1 January is a Sunday. Which means means that 2 January is the "official" workday holiday (at least in the US). If you figure Tuesday is the first "regular" day and people are just getting back to work, then Wednesday, 4 January, is going to be the first real "productive" day of 2017. So that day makes sense to me, too.

I saw on another forum that people were still able to get Revan with their orders around 6 AM EDT this morning, but he was sold out shortly after that. Yes, FO General is GWP after $30 SW purchase this week at TRU in the US.

I kept it small. I bought a C-3PO keychain last night so I could get Darth Revan. I bought a Chewbacca keychain this morning for Admiral Yularen. S@H is sold out of Revan, and they are replacing it with Yularen. Since I had neither, it was a good pick up for me. Plus, new keychains!

I've only ever seen it at Walmart here in the states. S@H has all of the store exclusives as well as whatever store is carrying them. I've never seen it in Target. I live in a metro area with about 30 different Targets and Walmarts (and other stores) and haven't come across it. A quick search on Target's website does not turn up the set. @rob-ot5000 are you sure it was the Ra's set that you picked up at Target, and not Dr. Strange? Dr. Strange is the Target exclusive. Or maybe you did pick up the Ra's set at Walmart?

Just speculating, but I wonder if Wave 10 is going to be a Supergirl / Green Arrow team pack for general distribution? Hopefully after the exclusive period for Supergirl is over. Maybe there are other properties that get included at that time, too.

It's been out for a couple of months now (August 1 release?). It's a Walmart exclusive.

~39" Roughly a yard (3 feet)

This should be the element you are looking for: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=47458&name=Brick, Modified 1 x 2 x 2/3 No Studs, Wing End&category=[Brick, Modified]#T=S&C=11&O={"color":"11"}

Those types of promos are always both In Store and S@H.

Pretty sure what you're looking for is in 70592, but it hasn't been inventoried on Bricklink yet. I remember one in the set when my son built it a couple weeks ago. I can't remember the part name, and can't find it on Bricklink quick. I'll try to look for it later.

Is that...Paelleon?

I was having that problem today, too. I went back to the screen just before "Place Your Order", and then opened a new tab and went straight to shop.lego.com. Clicked on the Cart, and my order was in the cart. My problem today was that I forgot a couple items, went back to add to my order, and it started my order all over. Luckily I kept a copy of what I intended to order, but now I've got to rebuild the order.

I spent some time on B&P today, and was pretty disappointed at the selection. Pretty much, if it's even a hint of a license piece, it's gone. Also gone is every cape imaginable. About the only things of interest I found were the Big Ben clock face, the different baby dragons and their eggs from the Elves line, and a hourglass that's from an Elves set (I think?).

As a Bricklink seller, I'm interested in what you find difficult about the payment system. A customer orders from me, I sent them an invoice, they pay it via Paypal. From what you wrote, I'm guessing you want to pay for the product as soon as you put in an order. Is that right? That's problematic, because a seller might have an incorrect inventory, or may not know the weight of what you are buying until they assemble everything. I also sell on eBay, and use free shipping (to allow my buyers to immediately pay), but I also charge a higher price to make sure I'm not losing my shirt on shipping.

Airship = Insta-buy from me.