VIP Rewards/Sales Tax

SithLord196

Odd question, but if I use VIP Rewards on a Lego purchase, does that reduce the total price of the item prior to tax calculation or is tax calculated first and then the rewards applied?

Just wondering, as I've seen it done both ways.

rocao

Rewards points reduce the subtotal before tax is calculated.

SithLord196

Thanks,

By that assumption, let's say I have $90 in rewards points, and I use them on something that's $300, then since it reduces the subtotal prior to finalizing the purchase, I would only get 210 points from the transaction (420 if double points), correct?

weevin

Correct.  Spending saved points during double points month somewhat defeats the purpose.

SithLord196

I can see that point, but considering I'm making a big purchase it's still okay to an extent.

I have about $130 in birthday/holiday money, and $80 in rewards points, and with my nice raise I figure it's time to bite on the Sandcrawler, so I can get it for about $100 out of pocket and get 440 points for it (and the residual points after using these puts me right back at 500 points/a $25 reward).

Basically I'm spending $100 out of pocket and will have $25 in rewards points after it's said and done. Seems like an okay deal to me.

piratemania7

^do you feel better? :wink:

blarghiflargh

I'm terrible about spending my points.  I keep thinking I need to increase the total, like "If I buy a Parisian Restaurant I'll get 318 points during the double points promotion!  That's an extra $15 to my VIP points total!" but really I should just use it whenever, it's not like there's one set that's better to use them with than another.  

I'm the same way with gift cards, where I'll dither over spending $25 free bucks more than I would over spending $25 of my own cash.

Real trouble is there's not much I want in terms of exclusives and I always feel it's a bit of a waste to spend it on retail sets when they'll go down 20% or more eventually at a different store.

dragon114

will double vip point start at midnight.  i want to make sure i get the Easter set and the trash chomper. plan on using the points on road plates later

mathew

Just a head's up for those wanting The Lonely Mountain.  Lego Stores have them at 20% off ($103 before tax).  My store did not have them tagged and the employees were oblivious to the sale.  

dougts

thanks @Mathew.  been holding out on that one waiting for a deal.  i think this will be as good as it gets.  no one else has even ever stocked the set

77ncaachamps

BOO!

No VIP points for the "Painting Easter Eggs" sets!

Poochy

^ I just bought one at the LBR and got double VIP points.  It also showed the same in my basket at [email protected]

matticus_bricks

mathew said:

Just a head's up for those wanting The Lonely Mountain.  Lego Stores have them at 20% off ($103 before tax).  My store did not have them tagged and the employees were oblivious to the sale.  

Does anyone know if this is a widespread sale? I'm thinking of calling my Lego store to ask but I don't want to sound like an idiot over the phone babbling about imaginary discounts. 

Poochy

Sale was on at both of the two LBRs around me (SoCal), so I suspect it is a widespread one.  I'd say saving $26 or so is worth sounding like an idiot :).

77ncaachamps

Poochy said:

^ I just bought one at the LBR and got double VIP points.  It also showed the same in my basket at [email protected]

I wonder then if it was because I used some VIP $.

Probably...

mathew

matticus_bricks said:

mathew said:

Just a head's up for those wanting The Lonely Mountain.  Lego Stores have them at 20% off ($103 before tax).  My store did not have them tagged and the employees were oblivious to the sale.  

Does anyone know if this is a widespread sale? I'm thinking of calling my Lego store to ask but I don't want to sound like an idiot over the phone babbling about imaginary discounts. 

Not imaginary.  But if you really want this set then call first because my store only had two left on the shelf (unless there were more in the back).

Chubbles

I wish they'd advertise those sales with a sign up front or something, they just had the price adjusted on that small sign underneath the set.  Almost forces you to look at every listed price when you go in on the off chance there's a sale.  Regardless, happy to have snagged one at that price.

Odindusk

mathew said:

Just a head's up for those wanting The Lonely Mountain.  Lego Stores have them at 20% off ($103 before tax).  My store did not have them tagged and the employees were oblivious to the sale.  

I don't suppose [email protected] customer service would price match this deal, would they? Aggravating. I really want this set and I'd totally bite at this price. But the nearest store is 2+ hrs north and with the time/gas involved I would have been better off just ordering from home for full price.  >:(

mathew

^ There's always the chance that the deal will go online.  It's kind of odd actually that it's not.  

Final_Sign

I went to the Lego Store in Cincinnati OH today and they did not have any of those sets marked on sale.  I asked one of the workers and he said they were not on sale.  I explained that other stores had them on sale and he didn't really seem to believe me.  He allowed me to cash in all three minifig coupons since they still had the Jan/Feb ones in stock so I didn't want to give him a hard time about it.

Chubbles

They also had the pirate ambush on sale in my store but I didn't see how much, it just had the red sale sticker on it

mathew

Final_Sign said:

I went to the Lego Store in Cincinnati OH today and they did not have any of those sets marked on sale.  I asked one of the workers and he said they were not on sale.  I explained that other stores had them on sale and he didn't really seem to believe me.  He allowed me to cash in all three minifig coupons since they still had the Jan/Feb ones in stock so I didn't want to give him a hard time about it.

Did you have him scan it?  In my case (St. Louis store) when I first called the employee said that it was not on sale.  I then called the Schaumburg IL store (a better run place from my experience) and was told that it was indeed on sale.  I called the St. Louis store again  and told them that I called the Schaumburg store and to scan it.  He didn't believe me but then checked and indeed it was on sale.  Even the girl who rang me up didn't know.  Kind of dumb that employees were not informed of this.

Chubbles

Probably just a reflection of some stores having better management

mathew

Chubbles said:

Probably just a reflection of some stores having better management

True.  I've only been to the Schaumburg store a couple of times but I just liked how it seemed to be run.  For example I easily got an additional 500 VIP points for a damaged box R2-D2 that I purchased there last year (when it was sold out everywhere else).  The St. Louis store doesn't give extra VIP points for damaged boxes.  The manager and a couple of employees also seem a little uptight.

77ncaachamps

mathew said:

Chubbles said:

Probably just a reflection of some stores having better management

True.  I've only been to the Schaumburg store a couple of times but I just liked how it seemed to be run.  For example I easily got an additional 500 VIP points for a damaged box R2-D2 that I purchased there last year (when it was sold out everywhere else).  The St. Louis store doesn't give extra VIP points for damaged boxes.  The manager and a couple of employees also seem a little uptight.

Someone needs to unleash some unholy children to smash and rip open boxes.

j/k!

Sethro3

Too bad i didn't live closer to a LEGO store. I have been wanting that Lonely Mountain set also. I've heard some stores will ship to home?? Is that true?

Jenni

@Sethro3 yes, but they charge shipping. The sale may be over now, they often run Friday to Sunday.

ColoradoBricks

@Jenni, that was also my belief from previous experience, but it was still running today when I stopped by.

The didn't have a sale price on the box, but the shelf had a "Sale" tag.

Jenni

That's what made me think it was one of the weekend sales, at my store they just change the shelf tag for those as it's easiest to just change it back on Monday.

Now I'm annoyed, I braved the mall on the weekend for nothing :).

Odindusk

@Jenni so I just call a LEGO store until I find one that will ship to me? I've never heard of this as an option. How great.

Jenni

@Odindusk maybe. Now that I think about when I last did it they checked that what I was buying wasn't available at [email protected] I don't know if they'll do it for sale items. It was the Potomac Mills store.

matticus_bricks

According to The Brick Fan, this sale will run until the 27th. I'm hoping to check my local store sometime this week. 

gmonkey76

Just picked up lonely mountain for $103.99 and bike shop & cafe for 71.99 from my local LEGO Store.

Sethro3

I called a LEGO store and they had it on the current sale, but after shipping and tax, I'd end up saving less than $4 from buying from LEGO/Amazon at MSRP...so I'll have to just bite the bullet and buy it full price I guess. It really sucks not living near a LEGO store at times like these.

novicebuilder101

@Sethro3 I would think about waiting for Lego [email protected] to have it on closeout. I'm sure they have pallets of them in their warehouse as nobody wanted the set at full price. You'd miss out on double VIP but it should still be cheaper.