A regular over at Brickset.com gave me the following insights into a policy change at the LEGO store, affecting all Retailer Exclusives (my question was in reference to Bionicle, which is now a TRU exclusive):

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The online LEGO Shop will continue to stock Bionicle, apparently, but Toys 'R' Us is now going to be the exclusive brick-and-mortar location for Bionicle in the United States, at least for this wave. Furthermore, I have heard that LEGO Brand Retail stores will also not be stocking other store-exclusive sets for this summer, such as http://brickset.com/sets/76056-1/Batman-Rescue-from-Ra-s-al-Ghul or many of the summer LEGO Friends sets, which makes me think that the LEGO Group's other retail partners got mad at them for stocking supposedly "exclusive" sets in other retail stores.

This is in line with what I've heard in the past about LEGO Brand Retail having a testy relationship with other retailers. In fact, the LEGO VIP program basically exists because just having regular "sales" on new sets tends to bring LEGO under fire for undercutting the prices of other retailers, and thus pulling business away from them.

As for other concerns about the state of the Bionicle line, I don't really know anything really specific. But Bionicle now being a Toys 'R' Us exclusive is the reason you're no longer seeing new sets at other stores.

Curious to see if this indeed pans out. Discuss

Edited July 6, 20169 yr by Phil B

6 minutes ago, Phil B said:

A regular over at Brickset.com gave me the following insights into a policy change at the LEGO store, affecting all Retailer Exclusives (my question was in reference to Bionicle, which is now a TRU exclusive):

Curious to see if this indeed pans out. Discuss

This aligns exactly with what I saw with the R'as al Guhl set on July 1.  Since it's a WM exclusive (as an aside, this is kind of a big deal that hasn't been talked about much), it's not being offered in Lego Stores, only at Shop at Home.

Bionicle going the way of Toys R Us does not seem surprising as the theme is one that usually finds its way into the clearance aisle of Wal-Mart & Target mostly to make room for other stuff over actually being on sale (unless you count $0.03 to maybe a dollar off retail a discount). I imagine altogether the Technic line to be better received & appreciated yet still I wonder how long that former Toys R Us exclusive theme will continue being available from every retailer. I don't think I see Technic in Wal-Mart anymore (did for a little while) and Target's selection is small now.

No one likes having their shelves filled with non sellers.

Assuming that retailers are generally required to purchase the full line of LEGO themes (if they want to sell LEGO), removing it from the general distribution is likely a workaround to please the retailers (without needing to change that requirement).

TRU has more space, has a larger mark-up, and can benefit from the exclusive aspect.

10 minutes ago, KShine said:

No one likes having their shelves filled with non sellers.

Assuming that retailers are generally required to purchase the full line of LEGO themes (if they want to sell LEGO), removing it from the general distribution is likely a workaround to please the retailers (without needing to change that requirement).

TRU has more space, has a larger mark-up, and can benefit from the exclusive aspect.

I wonder what percentage of sets are truly shelves warmers.  I have been doing this long enough to notice barren LEGO aisles every Christmas season

I'm surprised about the Friends Amusement Park line too - so that line won't go into LEGO stores now? Is that a retailer exclusive in the US, and if so, which retailer?

2 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

I wonder what percentage of sets are truly shelves warmers.  I have been doing this long enough to notice barren LEGO aisles every Christmas season

You still want to have a product that sells. I doubt that many retailers are looking to stock more non sellers (just to avoid having empty shelves at Christmas).