I have a few WVM I was going to hold onto until Christmas season 2015 (retired at that point). Seeing how Santa'sW is almost constantly TOOS, would you unload the WVM this year and start loading up on Santa'sW for Christmas season 2016? (assuming historical retirement schedule of course)

 

Santa's Workshop seems like it will be a massive score EOL.

 

Thoughts?

Depends if the pattern with these winter sets continues.  If so, Santa's Workshop should be widely available at Lego as well as Target, Amazon, etc... next year and Winter Village Market will be retired after this year.

 

I suppose it's possible Lego does a limited run with Santa's Workshop and retires it after this year, in which case it would be great to have now.

I personally like WVM infinitely more than Santa's Workshop.  The functional carousel is beyond cool!  A customer service person at lego informed me that they do still have tons of stock of WVM but that they will not be restocking it.  Once the stock is gone, that's it.  Per that person, WVM eol is this year.

 

I also think Santa's workshop would look funny on display alongside the other winter village buildings simply because Santa lives in the North Pole and not next door to the village baker unless of course your village is in the north pole in which case the lego people would be better dressed as Eskimos to make that plausible.  I do not have it yet and am not particularly interested in acquiring it at present.  I may pick up a couple to flip but I would think focusing on WVM is the way to go at the moment.

Fair enough. I see Santa's Workshop as a potential 'gateway drug' (Merry Christmas?) to new kids and AFOLS who haven't cared or even known about the WV line. Santa is loved by and appeals to tons of people where little lego buildings that appear to have snow of them may not? I don't know. I can see Santa'sW being bought up by non LEGO fans.

Fair enough. I see Santa's Workshop as a potential 'gateway drug' (Merry Christmas?) to new kids and AFOLS who haven't cared or even known about the WV line. Santa is loved by and appeals to tons of people where little lego buildings that appear to have snow of them may not? I don't know. I can see Santa'sW being bought up by non LEGO fans.

From what reviews and things I read, fans of the Winter Village sets don't like Santas Workshop because it is smaller and doesn't fit in. Therefore the target group is going to be other consumers that aren't already interested.

Agreed they do not go together well.  WVM is still a very slow seller for myself.  WVC was a homerun and Santa's Workshop has been very popular and I have sold over 15 units for a profit already so a little discouraging for WVM.  I have a good stock of them for retirement but not expecting much this season.

From what reviews and things I read, fans of the Winter Village sets don't like Santas Workshop because it is smaller and doesn't fit in. Therefore the target group is going to be other consumers that aren't already interested.

 

That's a far bigger target group than people who like to collect the holiday sets.

That's a far bigger target group than people who like to collect the holiday sets.

 

I agree.  I think most people buying WV sets are looking to complete the collection.  Santa's Workshop makes a great stand alone Christmas set.  I think more people would be willing to dish out the big bucks for Santa's Workshop than for something like the Post Office.  This is why I like the WVC and Cottage as well, they both make good stand alones.