dotmike

Myer are getting good and frequent with their higher percentage sales: some vouchers came through the letterbox today, including a "save $20 on every $75" one which applies to toys. The booklet of vouchers is intended to be used for both MyerOne cardholders (card needs to be shown at purchase) and their "friends" (no card needs to be shown), with one for each. The vouchers can be used as many times as you like between Wednesday 26/Oct and Sunday 30/Oct. If you manage to choose LEGO purchases that fit exactly into the $75, $150, $225, etc multiples, it's a 26.7% discount.

No problem, I did sound snarkier than I wanted to, sorry about that - just get tired sometimes of sifting through noise to see the juicy bargains! The Myer 3 for 2 - 33.3% discount (if you buy three) - on a Unimog is definitely worth talking about!

Hard to say this without sounding snarky, but this forum isn't IRC where what was said just disappears forever... You only had to go back 2 pages: No one expects people to view this thread every day (though some of us bargain hunters do!), but if you don't, at least "catch up" from where you last left it.

I guess that makes The Black Perl (sic) a build only ship. (Sorry, computer nerd joke. Carry on before I start claiming QAR has Ruby sails and that Indiana Jones is scared of Pythons.) Back on the hunt for the elusive boat, this is a definite long shot, but... A few, isolated LEGO items have been available at Costco, both in the US and Australia, and they happen to be the same sets in both countries (one or two recent Star Wars ones and the Harry Potter Hogwarts). Now, just recently, people in the US have reported seeing The Black Pearl in Costco, at a substantial discount of $79.99 vs $99.99 US RRP. If (and only if) Costco happens to pack similar crates for distribution in all their centres, then it could conceivably show up at the three Australian Costcos (Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra). It's a million to one shot, but if anyone here happens to have a Costco membership, perhaps you could check...?

That would be frustrating if so and pretty much a green light to import it. Toyworlds are few and far between in my neck of the woods - metropolitan Sydney. With their previous exclusives, such as the Winter Toy Shop, the only time I ever saw it was on a trip down the coast and not when I actually wanted to see it. Plus their stock levels are low and prices uncompetitive. Target getting its Diagon Alleys and Myer its Imperial Flagships is one thing (though even those I'm not happy about as it restricts competition), but giving exclusives to a distribution network that basically only exists in country towns is not helpful for many of us. I suppose it's the revenge of the Mom & Pop Toy Stores that have been driven out of the big cities by the super chains. Oh well, at least the Aussie dollar is super strong again for an import!

Warning signs: It's Fishpond, notorious for very slow delivery and/or cancelled orders. Ships within 14-21 days, so most likely sourced overseas after you place your order. Artificial RRP of $283 to make the % saving look better. Order at your own risk, you've been warned.

I bet TLG has leaked these pictures on purpose to teach us a lesson: "So, you want a sneak peek of what's coming? Fine, here they are, and they're spectacular." 'Oh, and you can't have them for SEVEN WHOLE MONTHS." Aargh! I just hope it doesn't "Osborne effect" series 6... (Certainly won't for me, I like that series almost as much as this one.)

You could try checking Toys R Us, as that's where POTC originally appeared first in Australia (about two weeks before everyone else if I recall correctly, though only for half the sets). Anyone who knows a staff member or is good with the sweet talk could ask them to check out the back, as it's officially not supposed to be put out until November. It'd be good if it was at TRU, as they have a 20% coupon sale this weekend (there, back on topic!) and at RRP we'd need to raid Isla de la Muerta to afford it.

Sounds a bit disingenuous? They must know that the way distribution works is that they start shipping them out month(s) before release date and they sit in the back for a while with notes on them not to put them on the shelves until a certain date, but sometimes a store or chain breaks embargo and once one does it, others start to. Besides, TLG themselves have been releasing before official date: the recent VW T1 Campervan was scheduled for October 1, but it went up on the US LEGO S@H site on September 23, and the LEGO stores too I believe. And most of us know, if we want we can have Series 6 Minifigures, officially out in January 2012, by the end of November. Release dates are fluid. Anyway, what I really want to know is, have any turned up in Australia yet?! Toys R Us are known to have sets out first here. Even better, a department store that will have inevitably have another 20-25% off sale to get people in the pre-Christmas shopping mood.

I take issue with this... The child who had saved his pennies is really a random example that shouldn't determine whether someone buys sets as an investment or not. The store could have already sold out before a hoarder arrived, or the store could still have 20 more in stock out the back. The child could have finished his saving a week before, or a week after. It's all dependent on inventory levels at a given time. If the store had sold out, the nice mother could easily have taken the now anxious boy to any of a dozen other toy shops in the area who probably still had stock. In the unlikely event nowhere in the city had stock, now's the time for the mother to introduce Johnny to the delights of online shopping. "Oh, and look, we got it for a discount off the RRP because they had a 20% sale, so now you can afford ANOTHER set!" Don't forget, if toys really are that popular with children, the manufacturer makes more. Take the example of Toy Story. Toy shops didn't think the movie would be as successful as it was and didn't order much stock for the Christmas following the movie's release. Big mistake. Massive demand, massive shortages. And it had nothing whatsoever to do with those despicable hoarders. The real reason - unanticipated demand - is even referenced by Barbie in Toy Story 2. But for the following Christmas and every one following, shelves have been overflowing with Toy Story merchandise. They learnt of the demand and made more. For LEGO, the whole reason sets are discontinued is that because they become stale. The line has run its course and the majority of the market is saturated. Time for something new. "Hoarder" is a loaded word, as they're really speculators who are taking a punt that a set will increase in value over time. It may or it may not, and even if it does, the opportunity cost doesn't necessarily guarantee a profit. For example, the Fire Brigade currently costs $150 USD. Say the LEGO hoarder buys a room full and sells them in five years time for $200 each. Profit, right?! No. Here in Australia, simple bank interest will get you 6% per year. 6% cumulative over 5 years results in $200.73... That is, for not speculating that the price will rise, no warehousing a relative fragile product like a cardboard box which decreases in value if it gets bumped or wet or torn. For a hoarder to bother hoarding, he's got to be pretty sure there will be demand in the future. If it doesn't, he's made an loss on the opportunity cost of tying up the money. (Not to mention that just leaving money in the bank is hardly "investment", especially in countries where the economy has crashed and bank's are basically paying no interest. There are better things to speculate on.) I actually think anyone buying Fire Brigade right now to sell at a profit down the road is not guaranteed to be successful, and if they do make a profit, it will be a meagre one. The money from Café Corner and Market Streets was because of a confluence of factors - relatively limited production and a dormant market of collectors who only discovered their interest in them after they were gone. (This thread is an example of that!) However, for Fire Brigade, Grand Emporium, Pet Shop, and the next one (unless you guys are successful in petitioning TLG to abandon it in favour of bringing back the old ones), many more have been produced and bought, and much of the potential market has probably already been saturated. Hoarders may be profitable, or they may not. Either way, there is nothing absolutely wrong with what they are doing. They are not destroying childrens' happiness and it is simplistic to say they are.

Yes, indeed, where does it stop? There are many fans of other discontinued themes and sets too. If the guys in favour of this reissue get their way, then suddenly there are fifty "Support the bricking back of XXXX and YYYY" petitions. And yes, there would be wasted resources: TLG would be spending a chunk of its production on manufacturing and packaging of old sets with what is (although it may not seem it to those who don't have them) limited demand, just so collectors who crave completeness don't have to spend a set or two's worth of extra money to get an older set. Really, guys, if the set means that much to you, PAY the extra money! If you don't want to, then obviously it doesn't. I'd rather you pay $500 than TLG diverts $5 million from new set production. Consider too, if TLG does start remaking already designed sets, then it needs fewer designers... Sorry, Jamie Berard, you're out of a job!

According to another big forum, which I won't mention for fear of being made to walk the plank as a traitorous dog the set is actually in stock in many US Target stores but not yet put on shelves. The crates may have a note on them to not put the set out before a certain date, but apparently the staff have been known not to read it and if you give a friendly one the DPCI number - DPCI: 204 00 0522 - they will go to the back and get one for you. Target even has an online stock finder which will tell you if the Target in your zipcode has stock of the set yet for you to try your luck. (And now I'm going to be made to walk the plank for not crediting this source of information!) I wonder if it's the same in Australia? Time to brush up on the Jedi Mind Trick: "You will go out to the back and see if you have received The Black Pearl yet. What's that? No, I don't want a Star Wars set."

If it's City of Atlantis at $89 which it still was when I was there Wednesday, then it's been at Kmart like that for well over a month and yes, it's been reported multiple times but probably further back then you scanned. About time they further slashed it. Especially as the set's regular price at Myer is now $79. (Kinda funny Myer's regular price is cheaper than Kmart's clearance price but these big price differentials are getting common with LEGO. Toys R Us have a 25% off sale on Pirates of the Caribbean, making their Queen Anne's Revenge down from $199.99 to $150. Except, Big W have always had it for $146.) I'm paying special attention to City of Atlantis as if/when the price drops to $60 I want to buy like 5 or 6. But I just know some AFOL is going to beat me to it and clean Sydney out of them before I catch on! Finishes Sunday, 9 October, but knowing Myer, another sale will start a few days later! (Hopefully a 25% or better.) Thanks for the info on the books - I assume you saw The LEGO Ideas Book that's getting great reviews? Maybe a book sale will start soon - they're often 30% off.

This is the wrong thread for that, and we've been warned against those previous posts. This is an Aussie Sales thread and it's off topic. (Personally, I don't mind, but a moderator will eventually come and get grouchy. It'd be a great shame to have it closed down as there are great local bargains reported.) Back on topic, has anyone mentioned Myer stores currently have a 5 day sale on with 20% off LEGO until Sunday, 9 October? Though these days it's probably more news when they don' have a sale on! And a mere 20% isn't cool anymore.

Did I miss a thread? There have been at least two sightings of the box on European toy shelves and there is one on eBay. So it's out (albeit not officially until November 1). So... Why haven't one of you cheap pirates got on a train to Poland, picked one up, and done a review?!

Hewman's given you his specific response (being on their email list) but here's another, more general way: Toys R Us, and most other major retailers' catalogues and letterbox drops ("junk mail") are placed on Lasoo: http://www.lasoo.com.au/catalogues.html Currently, Toys R Us is up near the top, as its sale starts soon. Clicking on it reveals the actual pages rendered in your browser, virtually the same as if you had the real printed pages in front of you. You can page through by clicking. Lasoo is good enough that you can put a No Junk Mail sticker on your letterbox and still have access to all the current promotions IF AND WHEN YOU CHOOSE. I try to make a habit of checking Lasoo every morning if I have time. I'm not a compulsive shopper (well, apart from the L word) but it's a great way of being efficient about evaluating what might be a useful purchase.

That makes sense, a loss leader to get people in the door. I hope it's very successful for them and they regularly choose a set to do it with in the future. A Big W "set of the month" (week?) would certainly get me in the door! (And no objections at all if they want to loss lead on a Volkswagen Camper!)

I'd really like to know the story behind such a good deal: a $29 price on a product that has a RRP of $79.99. I wonder if Big W are selling it at cost? Basically, a loss leader to get parents & kids into the toy aisles? Or else it's a massive (nationwide) price screwup! I could be cynical and say LEGO Australia has made the RRP high to make any price lower than that seem like a good deal, then offered it to Big W as a sweetener to order a lot of other more regularly priced stuff. That's the daytime TV shopping channel approach: "What would you expect to pay? $80? No! $60? No! $40 No! Order now and pay just $29! And if you phone now we'll throw in a free set of LEGO steak knives!" Anyway, it shows there's a lot of room to manoeuvre on LEGO pricing.

I went this morning. It's a good sale, and if you can triple up 3 of the same item or of equal value, it's basically 33% off. Just to clarify something I learnt during my visit this morning: many of the recent, desirable LEGO sets already have a special Myer price applied to them, and this 3 for 2 offer cannot be used with them. Also, Myer has some useful prices on "slow selling" sets, but again, no deal. For example, I got excited this morning thinking I'd be able to take THREE City of Atlantis sets from the store's big pile of them and pay 2 x $79 (Myer's new price on this set), which would effectively be $52.67 per set. Nope. City of Atlantis does not qualify for 3 for 2 and you'd instead have to pay 2x the RRP of $119, which works out worse than buying just one set. Other items that 3 for 2 doesn't apply to include the Fire Temple at $159, the red train at $235, or anything else in their current toy catalogue. As they have a lot of the current sets already in the catalogue, it makes mixing and matching any of this stuff with other things of equal value a bit hard, especially when you take the fact that other retailers already have good prices on some of these sets, eg Big W sells the Fire Temple for $144, so you'd be better buying it from them unless you wanted 3 of them, if you get my meaning. It's still a good sale. You just have to base your purchasing on RRP values.

Thanks Tiger! Your posts always bring tears to my eyes (or wallet!). I think a trip into the CBD is in order; the suburban stores often don't have enough to make up a triple or three.

Since you're new, Concept, someone should just mention that the mods don't like "off topic" discussion of various methods of importing from overseas in this thread. There's another thread for that. It's fair enough rule, even if it is a valid means of getting LEGO at cheaper prices in Australia and many of us enjoyed learning about them. The thread is about Aussie Sales, so that is what we talk about! Other informal rules: Try not to talk about purchases at RRP, even if you are excited about the set you've just found. Below RRP prices at Australian retailers are what we covet. Talk of non-LEGO brands will probably result in a fate worse than being thrown into a Sarlaac. Everybody here knows how much we're being gouged by local pricing, which is often 150%-200% of US RRP, and even though it's tempting to let off steam about the situation, it's simply not going to change. That's why this thread is so good: it's a way of levelling the playing field. When you've found a sale price, try to give as much detail as possible that would let someone take advantage of it. For example, we've recently been discussing how Big W's clearances are often local to specific stores, so when reporting a Big W find, give the store's location. Other stores, such as Kmart or Myer, generally have nationwide clearances so the same price should be available in all stores. Be prepared to give evidence, say a photo of the shelf sticker or even a scan of a receipt (that someone might be able to use to price match). For something that may require followup, try to revisit this thread within a day or so to see if there are any followup questions you can help with. Hope I've covered everything! Happy LEGO bargain hunting.

Target has a 10-30% off toys sale starting tomorrow, with LEGO as a listed brand. I'm guessing LEGO is 20% again.

I assume you mean nationwide clearance lines like Kmart has? (Eg, City of Atlantis is $89 everywhere.) The sightings reported on the past few pages would suggest that locale based Big W store clearances (and they are called "clearances" on the signs on the racks / trolleys in the stores) are frequent but isolated. For example, City of Atlantis might be $69 in Big W Broadmeadows as a "quit" line for that store but $112 in Big W Miranda at the regular price. On the other hand, you've got the 7207 Fire Boat which retails at $79.99 selling for $29 nationwide. That's not a bad non-clearance special!

Very helpful, thanks! Fills in the blanks about getting clearance bargains from Big W. Good luck to everyone on their Big W visits.

Useful info, thanks! Any tips on how often items are shovelled into these areas? Is it a case of the manager at the beginning of a week going, "Well, this stuff isn't selling, move it to clearance to make room for more Ninjago." How often do you check the Big W trolleys for new additions?