I had my Lego account blocked today. I have been ordering a fair amount in the last couple of weeks.... 4 or 5 of a couple of sets.  Other than than, nothing to speak of?  Did I do something wrong? why was I blocked?

You bought too many exclusives too fast. I think they will continue to ban you. Try opening another account with a different credit card and address.

 

So it's better to sneak around and resort to something like that?  Maybe it is, but I hate to think of me being that kind of person, that is trying to manipulate the system by being deceitful. Its too bad if one has to deal with that.  Im not sure if it would be worth it to me for the inconvenience and the deceitfulness.

Was this your first time ordering? If your account is very new it seem you get more attention compared to older accounts. 

I say if anyone disagrees with TLG policies or business practices they should just boycott them totally.

 

I think you are absolutely right.  Truth is, i wish there were some warning procedures in place, before that acted.  That is what bothers me.  I most likely will boycott them if things turn out bad for me.

So if it clearly benefits them they will not ban you, but if you use to much savvy and pick and choose your purchases of exclusives they will block or ban you without warning?  What a great company philosophy!

Apparently. One thing we have all noticed with LEGO Shop at Home is that there is no rhyme or reason to how they enforce their unwritten rules. Don't let it get you down. As others have mentioned, it's not as big of a deal as you might think. Other retailers have much better sales anyway. A couple of years ago I made a $2k order from them with no issues. About a week later I placed a $700 order and it was cancelled. I made the same call and had the same conversation as you did. They accused me of reselling. My VIP account was frozen. I took it in stride and said oh well. A couple of months later my account was unfrozen and I have been using it ever since with no issues. I am just smarter with my ordering like others have mentioned. Consider it a badge of honor.

Was this your first time ordering? If your account is very new it seem you get more attention compared to older accounts. 

my account was brand new.  less than 2 weeks.

Oh, and does anybody here remember the phone specials back in the day?

my account was brand new.  less than 2 weeks.

This was the reason. You need to ease into it.

Apparently. One thing we have all noticed with LEGO Shop at Home is that there is no rhyme or reason to how they enforce their unwritten rules. Don't let it get you down. As others have mentioned, it's not as big of a deal as you might think. Other retailers have much better sales anyway. A couple of years ago I made a $2k order from them with no issues. About a week later I placed a $700 order and it was cancelled. I made the same call and had the same conversation as you did. They accused me of reselling. My VIP account was frozen. I took it in stride and said oh well. A couple of months later my account was unfrozen and I have been using it ever since with no issues. I am just smarter with my ordering like others have mentioned. Consider it a badge of honor.

 

A badge of honor!  I like that. lol.  Kind of like being thrown out of a casino for counting cards at blackjack.

A badge of honor! I like that. lol. Kind of like being thrown out of a casino for counting cards at blackjack.

Sort of, but that implies that what we do is illegal, which it is not.

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

This was the reason. You need to ease into it.

May be too late now.

Sort of, but that implies that what we do is illegal, which it is not.

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

Supreme court says it is not illegal to count cards.  But casino has the right to not deal with that type of customer.

Supreme court says it is not illegal to count cards.  But casino has the right to not deal with that type of customer.

 

I think that is it.  Lego doesn't really want to deal with "our" type of customer.  It is a very small percentage of their sales, and they probably don't care if they lose it.  After all, people like us are just trouble makers.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I am saying I hope you will be banned, but rather that they probably will ban you. Who knows though, they are not consistent on these things. Either way I would not let it keep you from investing in Lego. 

Totally hear what you're saying Neocacher.

 

I hate the feeling like we're sneaking around bending rules, buying in small quantities and from other sources. I believe LEGO ideally wants everyone buying directly from them, and yet they push us to other stores in fear of being banned. I would much rather buy Grand Emporiums from LEGO Shop at Home, but the fear of being banned has me fighting for the Walmart stock that poofs in <15 mins.

I still don't understand why counting cards would be illegal?  If the casinos don't like how players have figured out their game, then they should switch to another game.

obviously a spasm o' spending like that will get attention but it seems like the GE is the item that is being watched here.

i have ordered 10 since the beginning of the year one at a time over 5 months, but looks like i will have to continue to drive to get them and give up the VIPs.

I still don't understand why counting cards would be illegal?  If the casinos don't like how players have figured out their game, then they should switch to another game.

It's not illegal. They just don't want you to have any advantage. Heck, if you go a little win streak, just by pure luck, a few extra pit bosses will come over and keep an extra eye on you.

 

Lego is turning out like all other retailers. If you buy enough they will ban you, even though what you are doing is completely legal.

 

Before last year you could order multiple orders of 99 on LEGO Shop at Home and nobody would blink an eye. Before that they had phone specials once a week where you could call in and get that weeks specials. Often times I would take whatever they had...sometimes it was 3, 25, 100, 300, etc. No matter the number they had no problem selling it. Now that they are getting so much attention they are trying their best to keep it in the hands of the end user.

5 tower bridges   1 winter village,  4 VW, 3 grand emporium.  Ordered over a 10 day period , one per order.  I got blocked on my 4th Grand emporium.  I also have a haunted house that is pending, and I don't know If i will get that.  I lost over $50 in points.

 

Again, is there any chance they may unban me ? does anyone know of anyone that has been unbanned?

 

So you made at least 13 orders (but sounds like 15) over 10 days?

 

Each one of those orders includes a balloon cart, I'm sure.

 

Lego is going to wonder what you're planning to do with all of those.  And with 13 different balloon carts.

 

Just focusing on the balloon carts, those are promos.  They know people are selling them for $15-20 each on eBay.  They can only assume you're planning on doing the same.  Why else would you need 13 balloon carts?

I think you are absolutely right.  Truth is, i wish there were some warning procedures in place, before that acted.  That is what bothers me.  I most likely will boycott them if things turn out bad for me.

So you boycott them and lose potential future earnings yourself?  Doesn't make sense.  Swallow your pride, learn from your mistakes, read the forums and learn from other veterans on this site and buy LEGO sets at cheaper prices than LEGO S@H.  I have thousands of LEGO sets and over 95% are bought from sources other than LEGO S@H.  Good luck...

I still don't understand why counting cards would be illegal?  If the casinos don't like how players have figured out their game, then they should switch to another game.

 

Counting cards is completely legal.  However, casinos can kick you out for whatever reason they want.

 

As for getting banned, I've purchased 4 SSD's, 5 GE's, 5 HH's, a bunch of clearance desert skiffs. vampyre hearses, palpatine's arrests, all from LEGO Shop at Home and I have not been banned.  The difference is that I purchased them over nearly a year and a half time period.  I also bought some from a B&M Lego store, and some online. 

 

Ordering as many exclusives at one time as the OP did will get you flagged for sure.  They probably suspected fraud at first, like a stolen credit card, not reselling.  Anything that's different from normal buying habits will get you looked at.

They also might be looking to see if it's someone that was recently banned,back with a different account.

5 tower bridges   1 winter village,  4 VW, 3 grand emporium.  Ordered over a 10 day period , one per order.  I got blocked on my 4th Grand emporium.  I also have a haunted house that is pending, and I don't know If i will get that.  I lost over $50 in points.

 

Again, is there any chance they may unban me ? does anyone know of anyone that has been unbanned?

Not crazy amount I have to say.

 

I think we have people here doing similar things during Nov-Dec last year.

Nope.

wrong on this one. I was banned and went into a Lego store and used $230.00 in points no problem. Even gave me multiple promos.

Not crazy amount I have to say.

 

I think we have people here doing similar things during Nov-Dec last year.

It is for a brand new account.

wrong on this one. I was banned and went into a Lego store and used $230.00 in points no problem. Even gave me multiple promos.

It differs by store then because one of my local stores wouldn't do it.