Different way to sell Lego: Self-pick!

Norlego

A while back I bought a couple of 80/90s job lots that contained 3 train sets I wanted to build. Once that was done I tried to dispose of the said lots. This proved to be tricky. I got a lot of interest, but as the lots were quite mixed, with Castle/Pirate/Town/Space sets, nobody wanted it all. I kept getting requests for parts of the lot that people wanted, which I declined until one guy made a suggestion. He asked to pop round to build the sets he wanted himself, after thinking about it, I thought why not? You can pick your own fruit, why not the same with Lego?

I then advertised people could build their own sets and 3 people turned up to build sets. One wanted Classic Space, another Town and the last guy wanted Blackthron/underwater sets. It turned out to be quite fun to build with total strangers. It took a lot longer than first thought, so they came back the next few days.
Price-wise I had agreed prices beforehand, but of course the sets where not complete, so they all haggeled. Bear in mind they had spent a lot of time building the sets, I did have the upper hand so they where easy to deal with.
After sorting out Castle/Pirate bricks/figures for a customer, I sold the rest to a guy whom wanted a pile of building bricks. So I got rid of it all, in an unusal way.

Of course a bit risky to invite strangers to build with you, but it was great fun. The buyers helped each other rather than consentrate on their own builds. We discussed sorting technics and what sets we liked. A guy turned up to buy a train set I was selling and he brought his older brother along whom looked at the Lego spread out over the floor and us building. I could see he was unsure what to do. Half of him wanted to join, but the other half thought he was an adult and could not build with Lego... It must be an instict grown up men have, to sit down and help out sorting or building.

While none of us shared the same interest/themes in Lego, there was no disrespect. Even the guy whom turned up to look through my Star Wars figures, was left to it without anybody sticking their noses up. (He was into modern Lego, while the rest of us were into vintage...)

TheBigLegoski

@Norlego
Thanks for sharing this story. Nice experiment. Very interesting to read.

Pitfall69

Pitfall69

Seriously, this is very interesting. If I were single, I might consider doing something similar, but it still would creep me out to have perfect strangers in my house building Lego. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see who walked through the door :)

Norlego

What does being single or not, have to do with any of this???? I doubt your partner cares much for what you do with your Lego...

You dont have to do this from home, you could rent a hall that or similiar. I was thinking of doing that rather than have to work from the floor. Which is hard on your knees after a few hours...

Pitfall69

^Rent a hall to invite people to pull and build Lego sets out of your job lot box? I guess things are just done differently in the US :)

I was assuming you invited people into your home to build Lego yes? That is why I said "If I was single". I also have children. You said yourself that it was risky to invite strangers to build with you; I wouldn't put my family into a risky situation.

Again, it is an interesting idea. I suppose it is no different than placing a Craigslist ad and having someone go through your stuff.

Norlego

The "risky" bit is more about spending 5-6 hours with a stranger building, not that the stranger would harm you. Maybe I was lucky and got "normal" people. It would have been different if a buyer had poor social skills and ruined the experiance for the rest.

If you feel it is risky (or prefer not to) to invite strangers into your home, then renting a village hall would be an option. I cant see what sort of danger your offspring would be exposed to in that situation.

I suppose you have a point that things are done differently in the US and it might not be possible over there.

Pitfall69

^Yeah, renting a "small hall" in my area would cost $100's of dollars. It wouldn't be worth the trouble, especially if you were wanting to make a profit. 

SuperTramp

It costs that where I am, we don't call it the village hall though.

It's called upstairs in the pub.

madforLEGO

Pitfall69 said:

^Yeah, renting a "small hall" in my area would cost $100's of dollars. It wouldn't be worth the trouble, especially if you were wanting to make a profit. 

Wonder how much renting a a VFW hall costs for a day?

Sethro3

I agree. Anytime a stranger is present, you bring a lot of trust into the situation. If I don't know you, I'm not going to automatically trust you. Especially around young children and my family. And also around LEGO.

I'm sure it was fun building with other people since no one was trying to build the exact same thing. But I'd be really hesitant doing it. I'd rather just sit on the LEGO until it sold or keep it and not worry about it a profit loss.

natro220

What happens when two randos you invited want the same thing, is there some kind of rock paper scissors to decide who gets it? Or do things get violent?

Pitfall69

No, "Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock"

SumoLego

^ Paper disproves Spock...

mrfuture

As one of the people that turned up on the Norlegos sale. I'm the guy with the Classic space stuff. This was a new experience for me to. This was a fun thing to do.

I aimed for just the Classic parts and in the end i ended up with 20 space sets when building at home and still got a lot of extra parts. Some parts missing but mainly since they was in a different colour that the Classic Space (Blue, Grey, white and trans parts) + space parts.

Some of the people if i'm right was not complete strangers. Some of us had been in contact before the meeting. But I had not met any of the other visitors before.

This is something i may do again. With Norlego definite :)

Norlego

Maybe I was a bit unclear. People replied to ads I had put out. They did not turn up without prior arrangement. I also agreed a price for the sets they wanted to build. (They had seen the manuals in the ad.) When they turned up, they did build a lot more than just what they had planed as they found more sets.

Not sure I should mention this, but I and mrfuture did a bit of skip-diving for Lego. I had seen some 80s Lego in a skip nearby, so we went back. Not a vast amount, but there were a couple of figures, classic space parts, 2 doors for a 12V train and some Technic wheels. I should of dug around as I am sure there was more Lego in the skip, but I only took what I could see.

mrfuture

 I have to add that I did not plan for those 20 sets. I bought the space lot only as parts.
I had seen pictures of the lot with the Classic space parts and reconized a few sets. I was planning to only build one or two sets and have the rest as parts for MOCs.

But when I was back home and started to sort trough the parts I got. I started to see more sets. So i just continued to see how many sets I ended up with. :D
At one time i felt a bit like Benny in the Lego movie when hr finally build his ship :D

https://flic.kr/p/thkzPb

Pitfall69

What the heck is a "skip"?

cheshirecat

CCC

Pitfall69 said:

What the heck is a "skip"?

It's a container where people hide their My Little Pony collections. If you ever come to Europe and see one like that^, you have to start chucking all the material out over the street and there is a chance you will find a haul of vintage My Little Pony.

cheshirecat

Although the smell might not be quite right!

Norlego

Not all skips are for rubbish. I walked past one and people were throwing timber in it. One person stood guard so nobody nicked anything. The timber was to be reclaimed and sold, as there was value in it.
A skip like the one on the photo above is purely rubbish, but a skip outside a private home is a different matter. (The skip I dived in was full of 80s toys, sadly all just chucked in so a fair bit broke in the process.) This is less common now, as people are better at selling stuff online.

Pitfall69

Oh man, I think I draw the line at "skip diving" (dumpster in the US). 

TheBigLegoski

                               

Pitfall69 said:

^Rent a hall to invite people to pull and build Lego sets out of your job lot box? I guess things are just done differently in the US :)

I was assuming you invited people into your home to build Lego yes? That is why I said "If I was single". I also have children. You said yourself that it was risky to invite strangers to build with you; I wouldn't put my family into a risky situation.

Again, it is an interesting idea. I suppose it is no different than placing a Craigslist ad and having someone go through your stuff.

Seems they only had a weeee bit of innocent brick fun at Norlego's lodgings. No need to worry about the family, and certainly not when you are not in the sheep herding business.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoMdC2i0OXY&index=8&list=RDC69ldwv4-BM
But he might want to keep the Celtic and Ranger fans apart. That is in case Norlego happens to dwell in Glasgow. Though in that case they are usually pie-eyed anyway, so he can always dump them in a skip.

SirKevbags

It's known as skip ratting from my part of the world, can't think why ;-)

mrfuture

I did not know what skip was ether but since I knew from what Norlego was writing, it must have been the container we looked in and picked some Lego parts. 

Not my normal Activity, but since we found something interesting we did it.

Pitfall69

Istokg

Is a Skip something that a "dust bin lorry" (garbage truck in the USA) would pick up?   @Pitfall69 watching BritComs here on the US on PBS helps gives us the latest UK vernacular!   :p

This may make it more understandable....   :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0v6fhrfGsI

TigerMoth

Istokg said:

Is a Skip something that a "dust bin lorry" (garbage truck in the USA) would pick up?

No. It's what a skip lorry would pick up. In LEGO terms, that's #42024.

#4432 would he a dust bin lorry, although I don't think you're allowed to call them that anymore but have to talk about refuse collection vehicles.

CCC

^ and operated by refuse disposal officers.

TigerMoth

CCC said:

^ and operated by refuse disposal officers.

They've obviously all been promoted - I remember them as simply being "waste removal operators".

SumoLego

Pitfall69 said:

Where's my paaaants?

KiwiLegoMeister

Pitfall69 said:

Seriously, this is very interesting. If I were single, I might consider doing something similar, but it still would creep me out to have perfect strangers in my house building Lego. I would love to be a fly on the wall to see who walked through the door :)

I'm in agreement with you #Pitfall69 - although not necessarily for the same reason! 

I can see a new form of speed-dating. Table of 8 stuff - 4 single men; 4 single women; all strangers, all with a love of Lego. 

Sit at a table and build. Spot your compatible partner - do they like the same themes? Are they too competitive? Are your builds complementary? Do they have good eye for detail? colour co-ordination?

Do they sort their loose bricks out? Ppick up and put away their spares? Do they build only from plans, or can they think outside the square? Do they dictate or consult? Do they cut corners; do a half-ass job of construction?  Do they get frustrated? Angry? Heaps of psychology coming through here.

And at the end of it all, you could find a mate who won't deny you or berate you your true love - Lego.

GallardoLU

this could be a great community event, (and might already be in some places) it would be fun to organize a group of people each one brings a donation set as payment, and then all bags and boxes are dumped into a pile. each person picks from the instruction books which set they would like to take home and then you all start building. at the end of it all each person now has a new set (already paid for) and likely new friends, all the extra parts can be divided amongst those that want them :)

Norlego

Rather than bringing a donation, a group could just buy one large joblot and then build up the sets. (Or 2-3 lots of different age to get a varity of sets/age/themes.) The cost per person would not be much. Then divide everything at the end of the day/evening. (If this is held in the US, there would have to be a strickt no-fighting rule....)

Pitfall69

Americans wouldn't fight. We have lot's of guns. If a fight did happen to break out, the fight would be over quickly. Then we would put our cowboy hats on, pick up the loose Lego and drive away in our very large convertible Cadillacs with big steer horns on the front. After all, we are Americans and all Americans fit that stereotype.

pvancil27

You forgot to mention screaming yeehah while driving away.

SumoLego

Since when are all Americans from Texas?

And there would be five police cars haplessly trailing behind.  And the Budweiser Clydesdales following as well...

I'm thinking nobody would understand our New Yawk or Jersehey accents where we would fight over the bottle of bronzer, a Bud Light Lime, and hop into our louvered rear-window Camaro yelling fuhgettaboutit!

Norlego

The thing about Americans is that they sterotype themselves far to easily... No-one else needs to do it!

I dont have fear for humankind, so let strangers into my home to pick up Lego or items they have bought. Never have my children been put in harms way. Often my girls have been very curious when the buyers have come round.
Likewise, when I sell Lego at my carboot stall, I often leave it unattended while I go walkies. Maybe I lead a careless lifestyle, but I just cant worry about what might happen if I do something.

Pitfall69

It is obvious that you have an issue with Americans and that is fine...I found your comment about Americans interesting and was having a little fun with the stereotype, but if that is what you truly believe, so be it.

No, you can't worry about everything, but you have to have show some caution in certain situations; especially with your family. 

What I have learned from this thread is that I now need to put "Lego comes from a Pet, Smoke and Dumpster(Skip) Free Home" in my Ebay listings ;)

Pitfall69

Dumpters, trust issues and stereotypical Americans aside; I do like the idea of renting a hall and having people come to build and what not. I would love to host an event where people can bring their Lego for sale and have LuG's set up displays. It would be very much like a Comic Con, but all about Lego. There could be building competitions and seminars on building techniques. 

Norlego

I dont have an issue with Americans, but I do have an issue with seeing danger where there is none.

Somebody further up suggested a pub, and I think that might be a better place than village halls. You do get thirsty after building for a few hours and most pubs have function rooms to hire for a cheap rate. So all you have to say to your wife is that you are going to the pub for the evening, she does not need to know you are going to be playing with Lego. It could be your little secret...

GallardoLU

and now I feel like I should open a bar somewhere and call it "The Toy Store" standard bar up front (possibly an arcade too)  with a secret Lego club in back, no one would ever guess that its actually a front for an organized Lego gang, Muhahahaa! AFOLs by day MAFOLs by night B)

mrfuture

Pitfall69 said:

I would love to host an event where people can bring their Lego for sale and have LuG's set up displays. It would be very much like a Comic Con, but all about Lego. There could be building competitions and seminars on building techniques. 

Sound a bit like some of the LUG events I have been to. But it could be interesting to see how that one turned out.

SumoLego

There was a bar named "The Office" in my town.  

"I'm staying late at 'The Office' this evening." 

Probably only worked once before it caught on.. 

ricecake

There was a bar near my university called The Library.

mrfuture

I recently bought a small Classic space lot (again) that the seller had found thowed in the backyard garbage. it was 928 and 2 other medium size sets and a few smaler sets.
Overall good looking. But some was missing parts.

xiahna

Norlego said:

I cant see what sort of danger your offspring would be exposed to in that situation.

Are you serious? No way would I put my kids in that situation! I agree with Pitfall69 If I was single I may think about it. Unfortunately renting spaces where we are isn't really a viable option with community areas costing a fair bit, but it is an interesting idea. I can see it now tho, the next reality show...  

Pitfall69

xiahna said:

Norlego said:

I cant see what sort of danger your offspring would be exposed to in that situation.

Are you serious? No way would I put my kids in that situation! I agree with Pitfall69 If I was single I may think about it. Unfortunately renting spaces where we are isn't really a viable option with community areas costing a fair bit, but it is an interesting idea. I can see it now tho, the next reality show...  

Well, we have American Pickers here, so they can have British Self Pickers there :)

Bosstone100

People who refuse to see danger where there is none will also not see danger when there IS some. I'm not willing to risk my family. 

Norlego

I suppose I am fearless. Tomorrow I am going to enter a strangers home to buy some Lego. If my children had been around, they would of joined me. (Would of been difficult to stop them as I am buying Hogwarth castle amongst others...) It is a 3 hours drive from where I live, so of course the lady might turn around and say no she wont sell. Never happened before, but there is a risk of that. What I am not fearing is to come in harms way. (The lady had a sexy voice if anything...)