Benefits of the Exclusive Millennium Falcon VIP Card

Baby_Yoda · October 2018

Fools! This was a lesson from Lego to teach you all to be less impulsive with your spending. Karma hurts when it comes in the form of a little DJ figure. Wherever you put that polybag, every time you see it, you will be reminded of the anguish you feel as you wait desperately for the meagrest of promotions from Lego...

Bumblepants · October 2018

The simplest fix would be a 3x points offer of some kind. No overhead or expense. They trick us into buying even more stuff and most of us would be happy to do it.

MrJackson · October 2018

@SumoLego and @Hanzo that's correct. And Sumo I actually did work at an LBR store for about 4 years. That's why I got it at that price. 50% employee discount plus VIP dollars. Final price of $29.99. The falcon wasn't available to use my discount on for a long time. The embargo was lifted about two weeks before I left. Pretty convenient.

Hanzo · October 2018

MrJackson said:

@SumoLego and @Hanzo that's correct. And Sumo I actually did work at an LBR store for about 4 years. That's why I got it at that price. 50% employee discount plus VIP dollars. Final price of $29.99. The falcon wasn't available to use my discount on for a long time. The embargo was lifted about two weeks before I left. Pretty convenient.

Ok, spending VIP points makes sense but was omitted from your post, which I am sure you can see why some eyebrows would be raised.

Mr_Cross · October 2018

It's definitely not right and I urge anyone else who thinks so too, to do as I did and contact CS to complain.

There is good reason to feel unfairly treated and the response from CS that I received admits they know that too. I though that was an opportunity for others to get something, and however small that something may be, it would be better than nothing.

Would I have done better to wait for double points? Undoubtedly, but without the benefit of being a soothsayer, all I could really hope for at this point is a gesture of good will from them. I don't think TLG were under any obligation to give me anything at all, but I'm glad that they offered me somethin. As tenuous as it seems, if they do one more promotion before xmas/new year, they will have met their claims, they will have offered a "year" of promotions and whether I think those promotions were 'floaters' and didn't want them is irrelevent.

It sucks that they have behaved this way and it's wrong that they cancelled stuff rather than produce more of whatever it was to meet demand. They've had ample time now to rectify the situation but haven't.

Holding out for 650 retroactively applied VIP points or some magical end of year exclusive is (I think) going to end in disappointment, I took a pragmatic view and am happy with what they offered me.

CCC · October 2018

oldtodd33 said:

CCC said:

Maybe a fiver off your second purchase of the UCS MF. :-)

Little did he know it, but this was being optimistic!

I didn't know, but it was a pretty good prediction after all.

I was never sure about how this would pan out but it did end up (at least so far) even lamer than I thought it would.

I expected something like an exclusive minifigure (even if made form existing parts, so regular fans could make one if they wanted) in a nice little polybag that was not available elsewhere. Not really exclusive but exclusive enough if you keep it sealed.

Not doing something like that was probably poor on LEGO's part, but what is really poor is that response from CS. I know it is just one cog in the wheel and not the official corporate response, but they really shouldn't be putting things like out there. Sometimes it is better to remain quiet.

omnium · October 2018

Mr_Cross said:

It's definitely not right and I urge anyone else who thinks so too, to do as I did and contact CS to complain.

There is good reason to feel unfairly treated and the response from CS that I received admits they know that too. I though that was an opportunity for others to get something, and however small that something may be, it would be better than nothing.

Would I have done better to wait for double points? Undoubtedly, but without the benefit of being a soothsayer, all I could really hope for at this point is a gesture of good will from them. I don't think TLG were under any obligation to give me anything at all, but I'm glad that they offered me somethin. As tenuous as it seems, if they do one more promotion before xmas/new year, they will have met their claims, they will have offered a "year" of promotions and whether I think those promotions were 'floaters' and didn't want them is irrelevent.

It sucks that they have behaved this way and it's wrong that they cancelled stuff rather than produce more of whatever it was to meet demand. They've had ample time now to rectify the situation but haven't.

Holding out for 650 retroactively applied VIP points or some magical end of year exclusive is (I think) going to end in disappointment, I took a pragmatic view and am happy with what they offered me.

So it sounds like complaining directly to CS is the only way to get anything "exclusive".

exciter1 · October 2018

obi_g said:

I like the part of the comment that says "due to it not being fair if only some members would get them". that had me laughing the most...

Wasn't this the point of the whole promo? LOL

colay · October 2018

exciter1 said:

obi_g said:

I like the part of the comment that says "due to it not being fair if only some members would get them". that had me laughing the most...

Wasn't this the point of the whole promo? LOL

Yes, and not only that, they produced X amount of MFs in timeframe Y. Therefore, in my logic, should have produced the same X number of exclusives/related products.

As I think I explained in another thread, I was told exactly how many they thought they could sell, what was forecast, and that, that forecast was reduced, but they could have sold nearly 4 times what they forecast.

And Im sorry for getting peoples hopes up when I re-ignited this thread :)

SumoLego · October 2018

Hanzo said:

MrJackson said:

That's why I got it at that price. 50% employee discount plus VIP dollars. Final price of $29.99.

Ok, spending VIP points makes sense but was omitted from your post, which I am sure you can see why some eyebrows would be raised.

Ah. VIP points. I supposed if I used a gift card, that would make it 'free'. Except somebody had to pay cash for the giftcard.

Legoboy · October 2018

^ Exactly. Always weird when someone thinks they got something for free or vastly reduced when using any other currency than cash.

I once spent £800+ worth of VIP points (soon to expire) and got a shed load of LEGO for ‘free’, apparently.

Stvoyager04 · October 2018

I still think the simple way around this would have been to take deposits, it’s not like it’s never been done before (i.e. Death Star).

It it would have been fairly easy then to say, if you pay a deposit (and actually buy the Falcon), you’ll receive a year of exclusive benefits.

Do that a couple of months before release, a little marketing (not too much - you wouldn’t want everyone intending to buy a Falcon getting the additional benefits) and state that delivery may not be day one, but you are guaranteed to get the Falcon and, in my opinion, problem solved.

Lego would have known ahead of release how many people wanted the set badly enough to pay a deposit and therefore how many would receive the black card promos.

None of the promos so far have interested me and my black card is still exactly where I put it once I had received it - gathering dust on top of a chest of drawers.

Dissapointing!

Muftak1 · October 2018

I just realised this morning that I'm not sure where I put my Black card...

I know it was somewhere safe...

Frick!

CCC · October 2018

Stvoyager04 said:

It it would have been fairly easy then to say, if you pay a deposit (and actually buy the Falcon), you’ll receive a year of exclusive benefits.

You still wouldn't know what the benefits would be though. And they could be just as lame once LEGO realises that lots of people want the set and that they don't need to give too much away for nothing.

Brainslugged · October 2018

What it boils down to is false advertising. Running a promo to get sales then not fulfilling on that promo due to the success of the promo at generating sales. Very very shady. If Lego hadn't promised a year of offers, sales would have been considerably less.

Stvoyager04 · October 2018

CCC said:

Stvoyager04 said:

It it would have been fairly easy then to say, if you pay a deposit (and actually buy the Falcon), you’ll receive a year of exclusive benefits.

You still wouldn't know what the benefits would be though. And they could be just as lame once LEGO realises that lots of people want the set and that they don't need to give too much away for nothing.

True, but at least Lego would have had a definitive number to plan around and those who missed out on the black card, due to stock shortages, would have had no cause to complain (yeah right) as they would have had the same opportunity to order within the “deposit” period as everyone else.

SumoLego · October 2018

Brainslugged said:

If Lego hadn't promised a year of offers, sales would have been considerably less.

This isn't necessarily true. The 'freebies' is not why you would spend $800.00 on a LEGO set. I'm sure most purchasers would have purchased regardless of the ancillary benefit.

CCC · October 2018

Brainslugged said:

What it boils down to is false advertising. Running a promo to get sales then not fulfilling on that promo due to the success of the promo at generating sales. Very very shady. If Lego hadn't promised a year of offers, sales would have been considerably less.

I don't think that would stand up in court.

They promised this ...

Card holders will still receive all standard VIP benefits, in addition, they’ll be eligible for a full year of special Star Wars-themed offers throughout 2018.

Special offers will include points promotions, special events, gifts with purchase and more! The offers will be shared directly with applicable VIPs throughout 2018.

They have delivered what they promised (at a very minimal level), simply because what they promised was so vague. The full year bit is yet to be completely fulfilled as the year is not yet out.

SumoLego said:

Brainslugged said:

If Lego hadn't promised a year of offers, sales would have been considerably less.

This isn't necessarily true. The 'freebies' is not why you would spend $800.00 on a LEGO set. I'm sure most purchasers would have purchased regardless of the ancillary benefit.

I agree here, what early buyers have missed out on is getting double points (and got single instead) - so £32.50 / $40 that has to be spent on LEGO. They have got a black card collectable though, which sells for about that or more on ebay. They have also missed out on a dream of what might have been - which could well be a bigger problem longer term for lego, as people see through similar offers in the future. Wy bother buying from them either early or at all on the promise of undeclared offers when you might as well wait and get it at a normal retailer for 20% off.

Brainslugged · October 2018

@SumoLego - I get that, but with such an expensive Lego set, I'm sure a lot of people would have waited until at least double VIP as that represents an additional $40 or £32.50 Lego credit.

Plus we only really know in hindsight how desirable the MilF was. I'm one of those stupid people that would have got it day one regardless as that's how badly I wanted it, so I'm not really as butt-hurt about the offers as I'm making out. However, it would be interesting think of a scenario where they had done this instead for the recent Bespin set.

I'd like Bespin, but not enough to get it unless there are some seriously good freebies to be had, and at least triple VIP points. It may well end up like Assault on Hoth (for me) where I couldn't quite pull the trigger on it until it was about to be retired and was 40% off. If we imagine the MilF debacle hadn't happened though, and if Lego were to suddenly offer a year of exclusive promotions with purchase, then I would definitely snap Bespin up today. Then in 12 months time I really would have been butt-hurt if I'd forgone all the other standard offers and freebies throughout the year just so I could have a miniscule chance to win a platinum R2

Legoboy · October 2018

Although many might have held off for an $80 discount and a freebie or two.

obi_g · October 2018

SumoLego said:

Brainslugged said:

If Lego hadn't promised a year of offers, sales would have been considerably less.

This isn't necessarily true. The 'freebies' is not why you would spend $800.00 on a LEGO set. I'm sure most purchasers would have purchased regardless of the ancillary benefit.

but I'm sure a large percentage of those people would have held off for things like bonus vip points or other discounts at other retailers. I dont think so many would have purchased in that initial "black card offer" period!

I certainly would have held off on purchasing it, were it not for the supposed black card offers.

SumoLego · October 2018

Brainslugged said:

@SumoLego - I get that, but with such an expensive Lego set, I'm sure a lot of people would have waited until at least double VIP as that represents an additional $40 or £32.50 Lego credit.

And LEGO could have exempted the set from double VIP points. I see a lot of hindsight opining on whether they would have 'held off' on purchasing. My point is that nobody has indiciated (even on an anecdotal level) that they would not have purchased the set.

The commitment to purchase is $800.00. We're talking about maybe 5% worth of tangible value in the promotion.

And - please keep in mind - I totally agree with you that no matter how much this promotion motivated anyone to buy the set, it's a colossal failure. I can tell you that any similar promotion in the future won't get me to buy anything.

SithLord196 · October 2018

I probably would have waited to purchase the set if the special VIP card and promotions had not been offered.

That being said, the promotion has been a failure. I did get the Y-Wing poster, but had no idea about the white gold R2-D2. Granted my purchasing power is not as strong as it used to be and therefore I may not have been able to take part in the promotions, but I really expected something better considering TLG has a generally positive reputation.

CCC · October 2018

SumoLego said:

I can tell you that any similar promotion in the future won't get me to buy anything.

Give them time, they still have about 10 weeks. By the end of the year* they will either pull it out of the bag and be the greatest company ever, or suck miserably.

* Although based on that CS email, it might be the end of next year.

SumoLego · October 2018

This is the type of thing where LEGO doesn't put a lot of effort into being consistent.

monkeyhanger · October 2018

It's a pity about the meme ban here. The latter part of the thread with Lego finally saying that they could have given great exclusives but won't reminds me of Vader and Lando's discussion in cloud city from ESB.

Lando (consumer - shouting) - No meaningful perks with the card? That was never part of the deal nor was not getting DJ because you ran out.

Vader (TLG - calmly authoritative): Perhaps you feel you're being treated unfairly?

Lando mutters: no.

Vader: Good, it would unfortunate if I had to rescind your VIP points balance and ban you from [email protected]

Lando mutters: This deal is getting worse all the time.

Now we'll all have to buy the cloud city set to re-enact that scene.

SumoLego · October 2018

(Worse - you can only redeem your VIP points when purchasing an Assault on Hoth...)

560Heliport · October 2018

Which, since it's out of stock, is impossible anyway.

Brainslugged · October 2018

No memes, but how about analogies?

It feels like Lego was dangling a carrot in front of us, but it took us ten months to realise it was just a turd dipped in orange paint.

BooTheMightyHamster · October 2018

I was always buying this on day one. I like the black card because it's always good for a conversation when I hand it over at the till. It makes me feel like I'm in an exclusive club.

As for all the other vapourware offers that were hinted at?

Couldn't care less.

SeanTheCollector · October 2018

After spending many an hour looking at old UCS MF sets on eBay trying to rationalize spending £3K+ on that set, I was always going to buy this set ASAP even at £650. However, I also like my freebies and collectables, and the Black VIP Card built up considerable hopes that I would get some for my day one purchase. The total failure to deliver these has put a major dent in my loyalty to lego as a brand. The benefits to date have been derisory! However, I'm still hopeful that they will deliver something more before they officially declare an end to the scheme. If they don't, I won't forget being cheated by this deal!

The_Rancor · October 2018

I wonder... If they said they planned to make exclusive sets or polys available - but the promo was apparently too popular to be obtained by Black VIP card owners - did the sets or polybags ever go into production at all? Is there a pile of freebies somewhere that have just never been sent out to the consumer? I guess it seems unlikely but they must have had to design them even if they weren't manufactured. Perhaps it'll be a bit of a cover up job now. Although revealing a nice award we didn't get would be frustrating, I still think I would feel better knowing exactly what it should've been, on balance. Basically, I don't like secrecy.

I haven't complained in detail with CS regarding the card, but in previous [email protected] surveys I've made it clear multiple times that the ONLY times I use Lego [email protected] instead of another supplier are 1.) Becuase the set I want is a D2C and 2.) To reach the threshold for an exclusive freebie. Even then I don't go for many freebies. Probably the only other scenario I use [email protected] is on May the 4th but that's closely connected to a freebie too. Surely from a brand loyalty, engagement, and to a certain degree profit perspective, they would rather I didn't go to Argos, Smyths, Amazon etc most of the time?

ryjay · October 2018

Hmmm....maybe, just maybe not enough people actually purchased under the promo to make any special offer or exclusives worth it. And maybe, just maybe each time we saw the set "sold out" it was never really sold out, it was Lego just trying to create a sense of urgency to buy, buy, buy, buy. So in the end...maybe, just maybe they didnt really piss off enough customers for it to matter to them.............or maybe not

BooTheMightyHamster · October 2018

We need a rogue (senior) employee to spill the beans in an anonymous exposé...

“Billund Babylon - the secrets behind the world's most profitable toy company”

- What happened to all the Black card promos?
- The Modular brothel that will never see the light of day!
- The real reason that Bionicles were killed off.
- What's in the secret room under the Lego House?
- The 250,000 Lone Ranger sets buried in a secret desert location

I'd read it...

CCC · October 2018

BooTheMightyHamster said:

- The 250,000 Lone Ranger sets buried in a secret desert location

Secondary market prices have been picking up recently for TLR sets. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on them ...

SeanTheCollector · October 2018

^ I don't regret at all buying the whole TLR range on eBay. Some very nice sets :)

Fireheart · October 2018

samiam391 said:

SMC said:

How much does happiness cost?

In this case, probably too much.

@samiam391 when you have had enough happiness, let me know, and we can see if the “probably too much” + “a little bit more” will make you feel better on passing the happiness on. ;)

CapnRex101 · October 2018

A lot more was planned for this promotion. I presume it was cancelled because of a belief that more exclusive items would cause complaints among those who were not able to get the black VIP card as a result of the set being unavailable.

Personally, I think LEGO should simply have distributed a press release apologising for the delay in restocking #75159 Millennium Falcon and announcing that the period during which the VIP cards were available would be extended, perhaps for another three months into 2018.

monkeyhanger · October 2018

^ As above, extend the promo and everyone who's willing to spend the money gets what was implied (but not promised).

I never buy from [email protected]H or my local Lego shop without a promo, and the MF came with nothing. I would've happily waited 8 months for a Smyths 15/20% off promo given the expense.

Never mind...Next year there'll be a 9000 piece UCS ISD with platinum VIP card and a load of implied benefits that won't materialise.

Due to the uptake of the MF, TLG know now that they need not offer anything for it to sell in huge numbers.

CCC · October 2018

monkeyhanger said:

Never mind...Next year there'll be a 9000 piece UCS ISD with platinum VIP card and a load of implied benefits that won't materialise.

Or fewer people will take them up after the MF black card debacle. And so they will be able to go ahead and do those freebies.

Hanzo · October 2018

Meh, the not wanting to upset people that couldn't get the black VIP is such a cop out. The whole premise was based on exclusivity from the start. Would you rather anger random whiners or people dedicated enough to spend $800 on a single set?

teal93mr2 · October 2018

....and they couldn't even get the black card numbers to line up with the queue numbers. Epic fail Lego! 🤣

Astrobricks · October 2018

teal93mr2 said:

....and they couldn't even get the black card numbers to line up with the queue numbers. Epic fail Lego! 🤣

What? This is an expectation I don’t recall seeing before. The number on my black card is my VIP number.

obi_g · October 2018

The first round of Black cards, given out at the launch day were numbered 1-150 I think. I also believe that they were also not connected to the card until registered!

CapnRex101 · October 2018

@Hanzo - The fundamental principle of public relations is to disappoint as few people as possible. In this instance, there are probably more people who do not have a black VIP card than those who do, hence LEGO's decision to risk upsetting the people with black VIP cards rather than angering those who missed out because of insufficient stock.

Furthermore, I think producing exclusive products which some people cannot access, through no fault of their own, might cause more anger than scaling back the benefits offered by the black VIP card. The distribution of exclusive items at San Diego Comic-Con, among other events, is already a divisive issue among LEGO fans and I imagine those complaints would be amplified greatly if LEGO was to announce an exclusive minifigure, or the like, for holders of the black VIP card.

Legoboy · October 2018

@Astrobricks

The first 100 entrants we’re given ‘entry’ cards numbered 1-100 and they were thought to reflect the set number you were buying at the till ie. the first person in the queue with card #1 would be the first consumer in the world to get his hands on the set.

Once at the till, you showed your entry number to the cashier and in return they’d give you an exclusive black VIP card numbered 1-100. You’d think the VIP cards would have paired with the ‘set’ number but instead they were randomly picked so whereas I had entry/set #23, I walked out with VIP #88.

It bothered some, me included that LEGO couldn’t spend the five minutes it would have taken to sort the VIP cards and pair them up properly. Had I have been first in the queue and stood out in the rain for 24 hours I would have been bitterly disappointed not to walk away with VIP #1, not just locked myself away for a week and sulked. I’m not bitter, much!

Legoboy · October 2018

CapnRex101 said:

@Hanzo - The fundamental principle of public relations is to disappoint as few people as possible. In this instance, there are probably more people who do not have a black VIP card than those who do, hence LEGO's decision to risk upsetting the people with black VIP cards rather than angering those who missed out because of insufficient stock.

Furthermore, I think producing exclusive products which some people cannot access, through no fault of their own, might cause more anger than scaling back the benefits offered by the black VIP card. The distribution of exclusive items at San Diego Comic-Con, among other events, is already a divisive issue among LEGO fans and I imagine those complaints would be amplified greatly if LEGO was to announce an exclusive minifigure, or the like, for holders of the black VIP card.

Sorry Chris, but isn’t that something they could have thought about before making the promises they did? It’s not a particularly honourable thing to do and puts into question the integrity of the brand.

What they’ve done borders fraudulent and certainly mis-description in my book but I suspect they have taken advice and have placed themselves barely on what their lawyers consider legally acceptable. I’d love for a legal mind (sumo) to test it.

SithLord196 · October 2018

From my perspective, as they promised nothing specific but yet did deliver some promotions, they've met their obligation. I think calling it fraudulent is a bit much - it was certainly misleading though.

I have noticed some other actions by TLG recently that have bothered me as well though. The lack of double points for the UCS Y-Wing stopped me from making that purchase that weekend. The handling of the Harry Potter Bricktober set has also been a bit of a mess in my opinion, at least here in the United States. I still think TLG is a better company than most, but my positive opinion of them over the last several years has eroded somewhat.

CapnRex101 · October 2018

@Legoboy - I absolutely agree and am not certainly defending LEGO's running of the promotion as a whole. As mentioned above, I believe that LEGO should have issued an apology for their failure to anticipate demand and extended availability of the black VIP card into 2018.

However, I also think that LEGO's subsequent actions are sensible from a commercial perspective, given their decision not to extend the promotion.

oldtodd33 · October 2018

Without trying to be rude. What you're saying is that money is more important than integrity.

Benefits of the Exclusive Millennium Falcon VIP Card

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