Bat Man

The base plates from Lepin are the thicker older lego type. You can find 32x32 green and sand at TRU. 32x32 gray are hard to find by 32x16 are available on eBay. Bottom line, get the lego base plates otherwise they won't link up with the official lego modulars

Price gouging would still continue because a certain quantity of resellers would buy all the key parts to make these. The answer has to be complete sets and not pieces. Exactly, how dare individuals want to buy LEGO sets, which they weren't able to buy originally at decent prices. How dare they not pay 3-4x the MSRP that the 2nd hand market is asking. You can't compare authentic ROLEX to authentic LEGO. The discriminator between these two knock off markets is quality of materials, and craftsmanship. The gap between these discriminators are considerably different between knock off Rolexes and knock off LEGOs. LEPIN is at about 95-98% of LEGO quality (i think the biggest issue they face is clear windows/parts). Where as knockoff Rolexes are nowhere close to matching the quality of material and craftsmanship of legitimate Rolexes. If LEGO used gold pieces, and LEPIN used faux gold -- then maybe you'd have a point. Knockoff LEGOs will only make the artificially inflated second hand market prices depreciate. The actual true value of sets is hidden, and would stay consistent. Why pay $1000 for Green Grocer (originally $129), when I can buy a 99% knockoff for $65. The second hand market is going to feel that squeeze not LEGO. LEGO needs to re-release modulars in a strategic manner to mitigate their opportunity costs from the knockoff market. I think most individuals would buy authentic Green Grocer for $129 over the knockoff. Consider Apple, who was taking on large opportunity costs in China from IP infringing knockoff companies. How did Apple respond? They opened up iPhone sales in China. They have been so successful in squashing the knockoff market, that these knockoff companies had to go thru China's court system to petition for an injunction to stop Apple from selling iPhones in China. And they successfully received that injection last year.

Is anyone suggesting that LEGO keep every set on the shelves all the time? That's the first I've heard anyone say that. But I think most would agree and support what they are currently doing with the Star Ship, re-releasing updated versions every so often. And LEGO CAN compete with knockoffs, they are the price makers, the knock offs are the price takers. TLG can undercut current prices, even if it results in short term losses, as a method of putting a barrier into he market for competitor/knock offs. And finally, the 12 week wait for knock off production of current releases is no longer true, as witnessed by the Spider Man Bridge Set, and a few other super hero sets. My only recommendation for users buying LEPIN modulars is to buy the LEGO 32x32 or 32x16 base thin baseplates. That way if you have any legit modulars they will fit together. LEPIN's modulars come with the 3-4mm LEGO base.

We must get back to simple economics. Why is LEPIN successful in it's clones? Because there is an active demand that is currently not being supplied by the 1st or 2nd hand market. If anything, this says just how superficially inflated the LEGO 2nd hand market values are at the moment. Yes, LEGO is losing sales on retired - cloned products. It's called an opportunity cost/loss. LEPIN's continued market penetration (especially new sets) will force LEGO to take some sort of action to correct the situation. LEPIN operating in China is somewhat insulated from IP protections thru their court system. So if LEGO wants to hurt the clone industry, they need to start re-releasing the products that LEPIN is doing so well on. Supposedly not a 100% clone though, I don't care though. I love LEGO's pirate line, I've had one since I was a boy. I'm actually kind of shocked the Pirate line isn't a continued set line up for LEGO. The 2nd hand market "scalpers" are in for a shock sooner or later, as LEGO does in fact begin to re-release past products. In my opinion, the entire 2nd hand market is an inflated market that is PRIME to burst. They forget these are TOYS at heart. LEGO retires products, which limits supply naturally. But these 2nd hand scalpers accelerate the supply reductions by buying mass quantities of the product. They then turn to online resell sites and set artificial high prices. Often times they will sit on products for months or years at these artificially raised prices, just waiting for the sucker to come along and pay it.

SMH, just SMH

I am really excited to see this being released, and was really surprised it hadn't already been planned. This is a set that I want to use and enjoy every halloween as decoration around the house. There is no way I'm paying current asking prices on second hand market for a set I'll crack open. LEGO take notice and consider re-releasing please.

What's the difference between in warehouse and in process?

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not available to purchase as of 12am

when does it go on sale online? At 12am or at 8am?

This will be available mid August for VIP right?

James needs to submit to Lego Ideas. This is a winner imo!