[US] New Discounts at Amazon

LegoFanTexas

^ Yes, I fully expected to get it for $20 at some point, but that will be a lucky catch for a set like this.

I bought 1 for $25, to build personally. For that price, I'll own a copy. :)

The Stage Coach and Train are the only TLR sets I plan to own and build, both are nicely done for what they are. I just wish the train was $69 without track rather than $99 with track. Don't need more track. :)

EKSam

@BoiseState

I found Urak Hai army at FM for 19.99 too, series 3 planets were 4.99$ , the 10% off coupon paid for the sales tax:-))

murphquake

@LegoFanTexas you couldn't be more right about the train track.

LegoFanTexas

:) I get why they did it, it is quite possible that they received complaints with the Toy Story and Hogwarts Express trains, due to lack of track, since those were "kids sets".

EN, MT, and HE are more understandable, being adult sets, but TLR train is clearly a kids set, so it comes with track.

I just have... enough. :)

TheLoneTensor

hoyatables said:

^Agreed on the stagecoach, but don't we think it could go lower?

The thing is, compared to other sets, it's underpriced as is. I'm really surprised, given the number of minifigs and horses, that it's not a $35 set. It's actually surprising that it's only 279 pieces too, because it looks like more.

binaryeye

tensor said:

The thing is, compared to other sets, it's underpriced as is.

It's also underpriced in the US. The price is €49.99 or higher in most EU countries, which is an anomaly compared to the prices differences of the theme's other sets.

Basta

binaryeye said:

tensor said:

The thing is, compared to other sets, it's underpriced as is.

It's also underpriced in the US. The price is €49.99 or higher in most EU countries, which is an anomaly compared to the prices differences of the theme's other sets.

Sure is, $69.99 in Australia which is crazy, even with a close to 30% off Lego sale last week I didn't bite. To put it into context the Constitution Train Chase worked out at $98.10 ($1.90 below US retail) during the sale, the Stage coach $49.50 (Nearly $20 above us retail)

binaryeye

This is going off-topic, but I believe some of the LEGO sold in the US is produced in Mexico. If true, that means the production costs are likely lower than sets sold elsewhere, which are produced in Europe. I'm not suggesting that completely explains away the low prices in the US, but surely it factors in.

LegoFanTexas

^ I think the real costs are with the R&D, the molding machines, and with marketing and promotional support.

The actual cost of what goes into each box is next to nothing. Stagecoach has perhaps $2 worth of materials in the box, so regardless if they charge $30 or $50, the profit margin is huge. The above fixed costs are where the real COGS is.

Moving large volumes is why TLG is profitable, their fixed overhead is huge, but the actual marginal cost of making another 270 plastic bricks is next to nothing. Regardless of where they are molded.

That is my current opinion. :)

graphite

^ I think he may have meant more of physical labor costs and shipping to the US from Mexico are cheaper, not necessarily that molds or the actual materials cost are less.

binaryeye

graphite said:

^ I think he may have meant more of physical labor costs and shipping to the US from Mexico are cheaper, not necessarily that molds or the actual materials cost are less.

Yes, I was referring to labor in production and the cost of shipping to a given market. Specifically, the difference between the US and Australia. If sets sold in Australia are manufactured and boxed in Europe then shipped to Australia, while sets sold in the US are manufactured in Mexico then trucked to the US, some of the price difference has to be from that.

Pitfall69

I need to watch the Amazing Factories episode with Lego. Isn't most of the factory automated? What "labor" costs would there be other than the people who drive the trucks. Lego doesn't actually deliver to all the retail stores other than their own correct? I'm ignorant to the process from ABS to on a store shelf. I think @LegoFanTexas may be somewhat correct. Most of the cost for medication is in R&D, legal fees and advertising.

TheLoneTensor

Lego does have reps that go to retailers and restock on a weekly basis. They are basically there to make sure the marketing is in place, the setup is clean as well as setup (and take down) the lexan display cases. I know this happens at TRU, Target and Walmart at least (well, my stores anyway).

piratemania7

I need to be a rep. End of story.

CircleK

I honestly wasn't expecting much of a sale on any of the TLR sets this soon, which is why I was fine with purchasing the stage coach on release date. Not sure if this is normal practice or not, but Wally World marked down some of their Superman sets to coincide with the opening of The Man of Steel. They may be doing the same with TLR since it is opening soon and Amazon is just following suit.

Basta

binaryeye said:

graphite said:

^ I think he may have meant more of physical labor costs and shipping to the US from Mexico are cheaper, not necessarily that molds or the actual materials cost are less.

Yes, I was referring to labor in production and the cost of shipping to a given market. Specifically, the difference between the US and Australia. If sets sold in Australia are manufactured and boxed in Europe then shipped to Australia, while sets sold in the US are manufactured in Mexico then trucked to the US, some of the price difference has to be from that.

Reality is that shipping on the scale Lego does is still a very small percentage of the actual cost of a set. They would be sending sets on ships by the container load, I would be suprises if it cost more then a couple of dollars per set to ship from EU to Australia in this manor.

The big price differnces of this particular set (and any other) has nothing to do with actual manufacturing/transport costs IMO. It's either heavily discounted in the US or heavily inflated in the rest of the world, you can make your own mind up on which one.

The reason why is the obvious question and I imagine the answer could be one, but not limited to, of the following:
Marketing, because they can, to supplement lower margins on other sets.

TheLoneTensor

piratemania7 said:

I need to be a rep. End of story.

I had asked about the job once. The response was: "The pay sucks, and you get numb to the product." It was one man's opinion, but it makes sense. Once a hobby becomes a job, the sparkle does tend to fade away.

piratemania7

I guess we could lump all LEGO jobs into this theory right? I mean not ALL the jobs are about playing with the bricks to make sure the set works right? right??? Anyways, yeah, I agree I think it being a hobby is good enough, plus I need to earn more to support this hobby.

back on topic, I did buy the MF this morning at 5.00 bucks off, oh well, not a huge discount but with free shipping and being able to check it off my LEGO 2013 purchase list it was worth it.

madforLEGO

The #31009 Creator Small cottage is now at Amazon US for 20.68

legogregors

Urak-hai 9471 is in my amazon gold box for $23.72

cloaked7

^ Buy one for me, will ya? :-)

legogregors

^I should have added, you might want to check YOUR gold box. I have not figured out how amazon programs those. It is still in mine though, even after ordering one. Good luck,

cloaked7

#76009 Superman is in my Quick Pick at the moment, at $16.15. A pretty good deal for a just out set.

Poochy

Jabba's Palace for me at $91.19 (24% off). Tempting as I only have one so far.

madforLEGO

#10227 B-Wing UCS is in my gold box for 148 and change

LegoFanTexas

B-Wing is a tough one at this point, so many were sold at 50% off, will it ever do very well?

madforLEGO

I dunno, that is where the debating on springing on it comes in :-)

mathew

LegoFanTexas said:

B-Wing is a tough one at this point, so many were sold at 50% off, will it ever do very well?

That's true but consider the following. A lot of people have dumped these on eBay already for well below retail. If it really retires this summer I can see it going for RRP this Christmas and possibly 1.5x next year. It won't be another IS but it doesn't have to be if you bought a few at half off.

LegoFanTexas

True,but the question is would you invest at 25%off at this point?

mathew

No because I like doing quick flips and the b-wing will be a slow climber.

gmpirate

Are we there yet?

Pitfall69

Maybe, or is this the calm before the storm?

Tncatsfan

Do we think the discount is coming back anytime soon?

gmpirate

^ it might be . . .

Thanos75

I heard it starts tomorrow but was sold out yesterday.

gmpirate

^ Should I buy one?

starwarfan77

]

CircleK

Weathertop #9472 is currently listed for $44.99. That's about 25% off RRP and the cheapest I have seen it on Amazon since it disappeared from S@H.

gmpirate

Oh well, that was quick.

ckenda1

Weathertop #9472 could have been had for ~$38 during TRU's clearance sale a few weeks ago (with the 30% coupon stacking). I picked one up then.

gmpirate

When is this deal starting again?

Renny

I thought now with your post ;)

Pitfall69

I know. What's wrong with you? I grabbed my credit card and was ready to go.

MathBuilder

Rats! Just for a second I got my hopes up.

gmpirate

Perhaps we should just leave this thread alone else we could have a lot of people "ready to go" in the morning when they wake up and see this thread.

roobix

I thought the same thing "what's wrong with you"a quick search on Amazon would have told you If this deal was "on" haha

ckenda1

Just noticed it's price dropped from $12.99 to $9.99. Nice little set.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ATX7IBM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=brickset-20&link_code=wql&camp=212361&creative=380601&_encoding=UTF-8

krklint

Thanks! Just ordered 4 of them. This set is one that I missed during clearance at local stores this summer, but I love the fact that it comes with one horse, one cannon, three soldiers. 3 soldiers X 4 = 12 soldiers. For my space and needs, that'll be perfect for future MOCs :D

Lego

Doesn't beat the 50% ones I found at Target but a very good price for others

ckenda1

^ My Target didn't have any LR sets on the shelves, let alone on clearance.