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Worst selling themes and sets.

tmgm528tmgm528 Member Posts: 457
in Collecting
Every now and again I come across a set or theme that had awful sales or a large quantity were produced and not many sold. I am just wondering what some of the worst are/were.

Comments

  • llanowarsoldierllanowarsoldier Ohio USAMember Posts: 357
    the Ben 10 stuff comes to mind
  • tmgm528tmgm528 Member Posts: 457
    Wow completely forgot about that crap. What comes to mind for me is PoP.
  • neomonkeyneomonkey Member Posts: 82
    I have a couple Galidor figures that I got at a steep discount years ago.
  • llanowarsoldierllanowarsoldier Ohio USAMember Posts: 357
    I think that Lego would like to forget about Ben 10 also.
  • BastaBasta Australia Member Posts: 1,259
    "Cars" seemed to have had issues, firstly no Minifigures (for obvious reasons). Not sure on sales of this series but I assume it didn't sell well as there was and is so much stock left a deep discounts.
  • HothgarHothgar Member Posts: 25
    Ben10 did great for us on the resale market.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    I grabbed a bunch of the smaller Prince of Persia sets on deep-discount at local department stores last year. There was a 'market-place' type set that I purchased a few of. Nice elements too incorporate into a market setting, and the camels were a nice addition to my collection!

    How did Atlantis perform? I was not a huge fan, save for the City of Atlantis set itself. If the theme had concentrated more on these type of 'ruins' versus the submarine stuff, I would have been a mark for it.

    Also, that Avatar theme was another bunk seller, if I remember correctly...
  • dneuldneul Member Posts: 369
    Lego clikits
  • VaderXVaderX Member Posts: 220
    Toy's Story Zerg... still comes up every now and then on Amazon for %50 off.. still $7 to much :)
  • teal93mr2teal93mr2 USAMember Posts: 1,006
    World Racers definitely belongs on this list.
  • epyon396epyon396 Member Posts: 268
    dneul said:

    Lego clikits

    o_O
    Somebody remembers that? I had to Google it.

  • BustinBustin Member Posts: 286
    edited March 2013
    My son loves World Racers, I picked up blizzards peak for him for Christmas at 50$ and free shipping.
  • wagnerml2wagnerml2 Belleville, IllinoisMember Posts: 1,376
    Anything made from 1993-1998
  • Lego_Lord_MayorcaLego_Lord_Mayorca H-Town, USAMember Posts: 609
    We probably won't ever know the right answer to this, since Lego is a private company and will not release data on their worst-selling theme or set. We can make smart guesses, like with Galidor, Ben 10, Spybotics, or Speed Racer, but we don't have the numbers to back it up (I post this in case someone makes a heinous statement like, "Welllll, I didn't see a whole lot of Time Cruisers flying off the shelves. Plus, they were ugly!!!").
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    Oh, man...Time Cruisers...

    I wanted to love them, but they were such a mess.
    tmgm528
  • jockosjunglejockosjungle Member Posts: 701
    I would assume tie-ins with movies that weren't popular, POP springs to mind. I'm not entirely convinced by the Lone Ranger to be honest, would have felt Lego would have been better to simply launch a cowboys line to cash in, might have had some staying power.

    IMO they're better off sticking to tie-ins with staying power like LOTR and SW, and not doing them with movies that will be forgotten in six months.

    Presumably Lego are happy with them though, or they'd stop taking risks on them
    StuBoylegoprods
  • ZathrasZathras Member Posts: 70
    I have to agree with the judgment on Avatar, honestly though, I can't even remember actually seeing either of the sets on the shelves. I think it bombed during retail because of a couple things.
    A: the theme's timing vs. the cartoon on Nick. The series didn't really gain it's full following till well past the show's (and sets) original run.
    B: frankly the two sets were/are not that inspiring but fast forward to today - Complete sets (minifigs too) demand hefty prices on ebay/bricklink, well past 2 or 3 times original RRP.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    I think the Lone Ranger sets look pretty darn good. Wish I could say the same for the movie itself...

    That said, I am certainly firmly planted in the camp that would have preferred a return to a non-licensed Western theme. I am not a fan of the 'flesh' colored minifigs that come with licensed themes and it seems we get a Ranger and Tonto with each and every set. I'd much prefer some classic yellow faces and two original western figs in place of that reoccurring pair.

    I've got more Jack Sparrows than I can count...
  • CCCCCC UKMember Posts: 20,294
    edited March 2013
    Everything sells well if it is priced correctly. PoP did sell, maybe not in the quantities lego had hoped, but it sold. Then it sold very well when reduced.

    Non-exclusive lego is discounted so much these days, I never purchase it at full RRP. Why purchase LOTR or Lone Ranger or Batman at full RRP, when you know you can save at least 30% by waiting a few months.

    The really bad sets are ones that don't sell even when reduced by 50%. That is a sure sign of a stinker, or just a massively overpriced set in the first place. I reckon normally the former, as lego tends to charge too much for sets across the board.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    Speaking of horrible themes...what about those NBA basketball players with the spring-legs? Weak!
  • ptericpteric Member Posts: 156
    The problem with Ben 10 was that there weren't any actual sets, they were just the large hero factory style figures.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    Another reason may be, that for a theme to be a real success, it often times needs to appeal to kids and adults...because, let's face it, adult fans do spend A LOT.

    Did Ben 10 have any real appeal to AFOLs? I don't even know what a Ben 10 is...
  • cheshirecatcheshirecat Member Posts: 5,332
    ^Didn't LEGO say that their estimate of what Adult fans spend is less than 5% of sales? Of course that might be hard to gauge correctly, but fairly sure thats the figure I read.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    That could be true. I wasn't arguing one way or another. I just base it roughly off our experiences at the LEGO store.

    I see kids walking out with a set or two. We usually walk out with 3-4 of the 'big yellow bags'.

    Adults may not be as regular or as varied, but when we spend, don't we REALLY tend to spend?
  • CoolsplashCoolsplash Member Posts: 935
    I think with every theme or lets say 'experimental' theme LEGO comes out, they evolve more and more and then bring out better themes.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    I've got a feeling, if that is the case, we're going to have a Roman/Greek mythology theme coming along soon, then.

    They seem to use the CMF as a sort of test market. Nearly all of the characters we eventually saw as minifigs for Monster Fighters (the monsters, at least) had a precursor prototype as a CMF.

    So far, we've had Neptune, a minotaur, cyclops, and now Medusa, as well as a slew of Roman-type soldiers. A harbinger of things to come?
  • CCCCCC UKMember Posts: 20,294
    ^ Who knows? It is something many have been waiting for.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    The 'City of Atlantis' set was promising...
  • jasorjasor United StatesMember Posts: 839
    Why didn't AC go as well as I thought it would? Aliens = Space...integration with City elements, and characters...seems like it should have been a knock out of the park.

    Did it price itself out of the market? I could still pick up like 8 Motherships at my TRU if I were interested.
  • tmgm528tmgm528 Member Posts: 457
    #jasor
    When I originally saw the AC prelims and when they came out I thought and still think they are quite nice. I just don't think that classic alien and the ADU sold well with kids. I can pick up like a hundred motherships at Kmart for $20.
  • jockosjunglejockosjungle Member Posts: 701
    Ancient Greece would be great, Parthenon, Galleys, Greek Myths
  • jasorjasor United StatesMember Posts: 839
    ^^ it was a well thought out idea that could cross over very easily...maybe THAT's why Lego shies away from classic themes these days. Licenses seem to be the future.

    Can you remember a time where there were more licensed sets lining the shelves?
  • dragonhawkdragonhawk USMember Posts: 633
    edited March 2013
    Regarding AC, can someone explain why a single pilot aircraft is called mothership ? In my head mothership should be the big main hubs, like diana's ship in V or the Star Destroyers. Even the Earth Defense HQ can fit multiple minifigs.

    Galaxy Squad seems to be the next set destined to populate the clearance bin. They seem to be everywhere and even TRU is selling them at RRP
  • emmtwosixemmtwosix Member Posts: 80
    edited March 2013
    I wondered the same thing about Atlantis. I thought they were pretty cool and well designed sets. It did last for a year and a half, so that has to say something.

    The Roman/Greek theme with mythological characters mixed in would be awesome from an AFOL standpoint, though I'm not sure how much kids these days know or care about these fables.

    Overall, I'd have to say Galidor was probably the worst offender in this case. They were more like action figures than building sets. Definitely contributed to the brand identity crisis for Lego in the early 2000's IMO.
  • tamamahmtamamahm Member Posts: 1,985
    I don't
    tmgm528 said:

    #jasor
    When I originally saw the AC prelims and when they came out I thought and still think they are quite nice. I just don't think that classic alien and the ADU sold well with kids. I can pick up like a hundred motherships at Kmart for $20.

    My son must not fit the norm for what sells.

    He adored AC, especially that alien clinger.
    He enjoyed Atlantis as well.

    Yes, I've been desperate (whining) for ages about a Greek/Roman theme, that by goodness better include female characters, and not just 1 or 2.
    Medusa is the one I am looking forward to with series 10.
  • LegoBrickSteveLegoBrickSteve Member Posts: 43
    I think the Mythology stuff would fare well if they pulled a Monster Fighters...1 Wave and out.

    To make it work, or to justify it, they may have to introduce 'human' characters and some story, as well. Just like with Monster Fighters.

    Personally, I could have done without the 'fighters' themselves; the humans perusing the monsters. I think they had to bring those humps in so there would be a 'story'; crafting foils for the monsters themselves.

    They could pull something like that off with a Mythology theme...time travelers, explorers, etc... in search of the gods and gorgons.
  • CoolsplashCoolsplash Member Posts: 935
    For me and Alien Conquest, Atlantis and Pharoah Quest theme didn't do much as I bought the whole range only to build, play and resell it all in Used :) and I do agree the CMF series is creating new branches for LEGO themes and we might just see some exciting new themes. But I would like to see a better Castle theme, a redo on old Classic Space theme (please no more good vs bad TLG), and more interesting City sets :)
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