10211 - Grand Emporium

[justgod]

Oh, you mean there are actually countries OTHER than the US? I always forget about the rest of you guys. Makes sense though.

[Legodog]

I don't understand why everyone is waiting for double VIP. By my math, after double VIP points and tax for me, my net price is $146 (assuming I can use the points towards the same order, which we can't). If I pick this set up at Target with a gift card at 5% off face value and the 5% red card discount, it works out to about a dollar cheaper. AND, no possible red flag at LEGO. Am I missing something?

How do you use gift card and red card on the same order? Does that work if you pay just a portion with your red card?

[redeemed763]

I don't understand why everyone is waiting for double VIP. By my math, after double VIP points and tax for me, my net price is $146 (assuming I can use the points towards the same order, which we can't). If I pick this set up at Target with a gift card at 5% off face value and the 5% red card discount, it works out to about a dollar cheaper. AND, no possible red flag at LEGO. Am I missing something?

Wait, how do you use a target gift card AND your Red Card, both give you about 5% off, but how do you use both of them? Don't you have to use your red card to purchase the set and not a gift card?

[siulon]

How do you use gift card and red card on the same order? Does that work if you pay just a portion with your red card?

couple weeks ago when target had the tower of Orthanc deal, I ordered two online.

What I did is used two gift cards first during check out, then it would subtract that amount from the total, and then I paid the rest of my red card.

[anon33]

Ship date is back to april 6 on shop

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[waddamon]

I just noticed that as well.  Very weird on the dating.  When I saw the 30 days show up I figured it was for sure done, just sooner that I had expected.  I am done on this one so here is to hoping it will be done soon.

[waddamon]

So I have discovered 5 GE that I can pick up for 99 each.  They are sealed but the boxes are beat to hell.  Would these be worth it for holding and selling after EOL. 

[justgod]

How do you use gift card and red card on the same order? Does that work if you pay just a portion with your red card?

What I do:

 

Add item to cart, come back here for referral link, THEN log in to Target website. It automatically takes the 5% and free shipping for RedCard. Then I just pay using gift card and discount stays. I usually pay the entire balance with a gift card. Been working this way for over a year, so it essentially works out to 9-10% off. I thought everyone was doing this. Hope this helps. Now I guess there will be a run on Target gift cards...lol

 

Edit: This only works online, as the store will take one or the other. Nice thing is that the Target ap allows you to store the card numbers on your phone, so you don't have to keep track of a physical card and or e-code.

[Legodog]

What I do:

 

Add item to cart, come back here for referral link, THEN log in to Target website. It automatically takes the 5% and free shipping for RedCard. Then I just pay using gift card and discount stays. I usually pay the entire balance with a gift card. Been working this way for over a year, so it essentially works out to 9-10% off. I thought everyone was doing this. Hope this helps. Now I guess there will be a run on Target gift cards...lol

 

Edit: This only works online, as the store will take one or the other. Nice thing is that the Target ap allows you to store the card numbers on your phone, so you don't have to keep track of a physical card and or e-code.

Crap, I never knew this. I've spent thousands of dollars at Target just this year alone. I just figured if you use the gift card it cancels out the red card. I just purchased a VW Camper and Tower Bridge yesterday too. Thanks for the info.

[justgod]

Crap, I never knew this. I've spent thousands of dollars at Target just this year alone. I just figured if you use the gift card it cancels out the red card. I just purchased a VW Camper and Tower Bridge yesterday too. Thanks for the info.

No problem. I am planning on starting to use your "new" strategy from a few months ago and just picking up bigger, Hard to Find sets. I plan on buying one each of the Camper, Sopwith, GE, and Town Hall every month until they retire. May add TB to that list. I personally think the Town Hall is going to go before the GE. No proof, just my own hunch. And I think that there are a lot less people stocking up on this one versus the GE. And I don't think Target is going to ban me as LEGO previously did.

[Legodog]

No problem. I am planning on starting to use your "new" strategy from a few months ago and just picking up bigger, Hard to Find sets. I plan on buying one each of the Camper, Sopwith, GE, and Town Hall every month until they retire. May add TB to that list. I personally think the Town Hall is going to go before the GE. No proof, just my own hunch. And I think that there are a lot less people stocking up on this one versus the GE. And I don't think Target is going to ban me as LEGO previously did.

 

I have changed my strategy somewhat since I made that statement in January. I've been picking up a lot of the larger sets. Mainly Sopwith, VW Camper, GE and TB but for a couple reasons I have also been buying other sets too. I couldn't resist some of the crazy sales the past few months and the other reason is I have been flipping a lot of sets to reinvest the money in to the larger ones. Some of the smaller sets have crazy ROI so I thought it might be a little silly to ignore them altogether. For example I picked up a bunch of the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest sets last year at $11.70 each (which is high since I think I could have gotten them under $10 if I would have been investing back then) and sold them for almost $50 each so far. I would have loved to have 50 of those. In any case I only buy the smaller sets to make a decent profit to invest in the larger ones which I plan to hold.

 

Back to the GE I think you may be right about another modular going first. I have the same thoughts you do that the Town Hall or Pet Shop could go before the GE. I have a gut feeling that the GE outsells both the Pet Shop and Town Hall and that LEGO might really mix it up and retire one of those instead. Nothing says LEGO has to retire that longest running modular. They might retire the worst selling one instead and I think the worst selling one might be the Town Hall.

[Crustybeaver]

Maybe GE outsells the other modulars because investors are loading up? If your theory was true then Lego are never going to retire exclusives because the oldest sets will keep getting smashed into. Contrary to speculation I still think GE gets retired at the end of the year like all before it because it's the next in line.

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[MartinP]

So I have discovered 5 GE that I can pick up for 99 each.  They are sealed but the boxes are beat to hell.  Would these be worth it for holding and selling after EOL. 

That is a very good discount on the GE. I would buy them and sell them after EOL. When I would sell them, I would sell the sealed bags and not the box.

[Legodog]

That is a very good discount on the GE. I would buy them and sell them after EOL. When I would sell them, I would sell the sealed bags and not the box.

 

I agree with this too. You should be able to easily double your money shortly after retirement.

[Sozial]

I ordered some more now, but I am done stacking now!

You guys encourage me too much!

Gesendet von meinem iPhone mit Brickpicker

[Ciglione]

I ordered some more now, but I am done stacking now!

You guys encourage me too much!

Gesendet von meinem iPhone mit Brickpicker

 

You bought them at Intertoys? 

[waddamon]

I'll go ahead and get them then.  Thanks for the feedback folks.

[TheViralSmile]

I bought 2 more today ... we'll see if this is just a "false alarm" ... or if EOL is imminent!!  

[Sozial]

You bought them at Intertoys?

Yeah, if I were you I would get some aswell. I belive the stock wont last that Long..And the price is quiet good

[Ciglione]

Yeah, if I were you I would get some aswell. I belive the stock wont last that Long..And the price is quiet good

 

I just did. I ordered another GE and a PS.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I've got enough GE now, getting PS during 2xVIP.

[Brickbuilder.g]

What I do:

Add item to cart, come back here for referral link, THEN log in to Target website. It automatically takes the 5% and free shipping for RedCard. Then I just pay using gift card and discount stays. I usually pay the entire balance with a gift card. Been working this way for over a year, so it essentially works out to 9-10% off. I thought everyone was doing this. Hope this helps. Now I guess there will be a run on Target gift cards...lol

Edit: This only works online, as the store will take one or the other. Nice thing is that the Target ap allows you to store the card numbers on your phone, so you don't have to keep track of a physical card and or e-code.

So you're initially buying the gift card with your red card or from sites like cardpool?

[nozomi1230]

I have changed my strategy somewhat since I made that statement in January. I've been picking up a lot of the larger sets. Mainly Sopwith, VW Camper, GE and TB but for a couple reasons I have also been buying other sets too. I couldn't resist some of the crazy sales the past few months and the other reason is I have been flipping a lot of sets to reinvest the money in to the larger ones. Some of the smaller sets have crazy ROI so I thought it might be a little silly to ignore them altogether. For example I picked up a bunch of the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest sets last year at $11.70 each (which is high since I think I could have gotten them under $10 if I would have been investing back then) and sold them for almost $50 each so far. I would have loved to have 50 of those. In any case I only buy the smaller sets to make a decent profit to invest in the larger ones which I plan to hold.

Back to the GE I think you may be right about another modular going first. I have the same thoughts you do that the Town Hall or Pet Shop could go before the GE. I have a gut feeling that the GE outsells both the Pet Shop and Town Hall and that LEGO might really mix it up and retire one of those instead. Nothing says LEGO has to retire that longest running modular. They might retire the worst selling one instead and I think the worst selling one might be the Town Hall.

If LEGO has it's products retired based on this logic, then we should have everlasting exclusives because they have markets.

(I am not going to tease, but really that shouldn't be the case.)

As a producer, I think LEGO would like to have new and fancy products to attract different potential buyers, so they gotta retire the old one.

It's true that we cannot assume the modulars to be retired one by one regularly, instead the sets can be done simultaneously.

So, buy whatever you want / you think it worths before the prices go up.

[waddamon]

People need to think from the perspective of a business.  Not investors or collectors.  Companies produce widgets.  All widgets have a peak in selling volume/customer demand.  Company creates a slightly elastic life cycle to account for anomalies.  LEGO is no different.  There may be a few deviations from this, like 10188.  They may be testing the future markets for more expensive sets etc. but the above always holds true.  Production capacity is limited and products go stale even though some people will always still buy something.  This is business planning 101.  Before I came out of my dark ages I was dumbfounded by how expensive LEGO sets cost compared to what mine cost as a child,  (Thanks Federal Reserve for destroying the dollar).  People were still buying them though.  Don't forget that a few short years ago LEGO was on the brink and have since come back, mainly due to licensing rather than pure LEGO creations.

  One thing I do find interesting is how LEGO in their mobile and regular site rank the modular s when you search for them.  Bottom is fire brigade (retired), GE, TH, PS, PC.  I have stopped at 6 pet shops for now and am trying to decide of I should go after Tower of Orthanc(I have 9) or Town Halls (I have 0).  I have a gut feeling that Orthanc is a better long term investment, but still debating that one.

[redeemed763]

If LEGO has it's products retired based on this logic, then we should have everlasting exclusives because they have markets.

(I am not going to tease, but really that shouldn't be the case.)

As a producer, I think LEGO would like to have new and fancy products to attract different potential buyers, so they gotta retire the old one.

It's true that we cannot assume the modulars to be retired one by one regularly, instead the sets can be done simultaneously.

So, buy whatever you want / you think it worths before the prices go up.

Not necessarily, we have seen loads of sets retire before it seemed like their lifespan should allow. 

 

The 10227 B Wing was retired after 7 months while the R2 D2 had been out for a year, the Super Star Destroyer had been out for nearly 2 years and the Death Star had been around for 4 years. Now, almost a year later, they have released 2 new UCS sets with 2 more on the horizon and we have no idea which one will go next.