I have had great packaging w TRU but the more expensive the set, the worse shape they are upon arrival. The top is the original and the bottom is the replacement. ..not sure which is worse. I cannot even fathom why someone would even waste the time to ship it in the first place.

Well I did have that thought. This is probably the worst time of year to sell Fire or Police sets.

If you are out of city, I won't ask you about the Coast Guard boat then. ;P

Well I did have that thought. This is probably the worst time of year to sell Fire or Police sets.

If you are out of city, I won't ask you about the Coast Guard boat then. ;P

I have 22 Coast Guard Boats bought for

I think 1/3 filling boxes are a cunning plan by LEGO to attack resellers by making postage more expensive.  Have you fellow Brits noticed that some sets are now thicker than 8cm when boxed so that they now go as a medium instead of small packet?  Or even 1.5cm too long like the Fire Plane and Batcave, etc.

Lego doesn't ship sets in their own trucks. They also either have retailers that should be interested in smaller sets (for transport, but also shelf space), or they use common shipping companies for their own online store. They should, as all here, be interested in smaller boxes. If there wouldn't be this issue with some buyers relating a bigger box with a bigger value - or at least the perception that some buyers think that way.

 Argos are infamous for unchecked customer returns that are placed back on the sheves without checking.  I bought a BluRay player 2 months ago with a porno DVD still inside!  Not only did the player have no remote (probably why it was returned or previous buyer stole it), it was badly scratched.

 

 

Haha, some unintentional comedy.  I originally read this as "i'm morally outraged that Argos sent me a porn DVD.  I'm also outraged that i can't watch it because the disc is scratched."   

 

 

 

They should, as all here, be interested in smaller boxes. If there wouldn't be this issue with some buyers relating a bigger box with a bigger value - or at least the perception that some buyers think that way.

 

I might be wrong, but i believe Lego was reducing the average size of their boxes this year.  

Not just the perception of "bigger must be better" -- but how a product looks on a shelf is very important from a marketing perspective.  Every box is a small billboard advertising not only the contents of that box, but of the brand in general.  

 

Things like amount of shelf space to be dedicated to a product, or if that shelf space is at, above or below eye-level, if it will include end-caps or other highly desirable display locations can be contentious points that are negotiated over between retailers and suppliers  -- for example, a store guaranteeing that they will provide an entire aisle to a product year round and an end-cap for at least 28 weeks of the year may induce a supplier to provide an extra 5% discount -- or might be a requirement the supplier demands before even doing business with the retailer.

 

Changes to packaging is serious business and can have a lot of ramifications.  For example, in my area every Target has a LEGO aisle -- both sides of the aisle, all shelf space is completely LEGO -- plus a small additional space in the girl's toy section for Friends.  During most of the year, there is just enough sets available -- not counting "hard-to-find" or exclusives, to fill that entire aisle.  If LEGO were to suddenly downsize all of their boxes to the smallest possible size needed to contain the parts within, it would not fill the entire aisle any more.  Heck, it likely wouldn't fill one side of the aisle any more.  LEGO looses that exclusive, dedicated aisle.  Children will be able to see other toys that may distract them from the LEGO.  Target might be inclined to put... MEGABLOKS in the same aisle!!!  

I might be wrong, but i believe Lego was reducing the average size of their boxes this year.  

 

They did start going to smaller boxes last year:

 

http://aboutus.lego.com/en-us/news-room/2013/february/smaller-lego-boxes-easier-on-the-environment

I got a HD from Amazon Warehouse that was in better condition than a brand new one shipped from TRU.

Not just the perception of "bigger must be better" -- but how a product looks on a shelf is very important from a marketing perspective.  Every box is a small billboard advertising not only the contents of that box, but of the brand in general.  

 

Things like amount of shelf space to be dedicated to a product, or if that shelf space is at, above or below eye-level, if it will include end-caps or other highly desirable display locations can be contentious points that are negotiated over between retailers and suppliers  -- for example, a store guaranteeing that they will provide an entire aisle to a product year round and an end-cap for at least 28 weeks of the year may induce a supplier to provide an extra 5% discount -- or might be a requirement the supplier demands before even doing business with the retailer.

 

Changes to packaging is serious business and can have a lot of ramifications.  For example, in my area every Target has a LEGO aisle -- both sides of the aisle, all shelf space is completely LEGO -- plus a small additional space in the girl's toy section for Friends.  During most of the year, there is just enough sets available -- not counting "hard-to-find" or exclusives, to fill that entire aisle.  If LEGO were to suddenly downsize all of their boxes to the smallest possible size needed to contain the parts within, it would not fill the entire aisle any more.  Heck, it likely wouldn't fill one side of the aisle any more.  LEGO looses that exclusive, dedicated aisle.  Children will be able to see other toys that may distract them from the LEGO.  Target might be inclined to put... MEGABLOKS in the same aisle!!!  

What you say is true but it did work in the PC game market. In the late 90s most games came in a " large " box containing the disks and manual. By the early 2000s most games came in smaller DVD cases, much easier to display on the shelves.

While lego won't go that far slightly smaller boxes does make sense.

By the early 2000s most games came in smaller DVD cases, much easier to display on the shelves.

While lego won't go that far slightly smaller boxes does make sense.

 

I do believe that was mostly a result of retailers basically telling producers, "we don't have enough room" -- which as you say started in on the DVD case packaging.  Although, in most cases new product will be placed face out -- maximizing box frontage, and nearly all highly anticipated games also have a collector's edition box -- which you may have noticed are just as big as the old game boxes (sometimes larger.)

 

From the marketers prospective, I suspect that move was their worst nightmare -- and as a consumer, I find I'm much less likely to have a random game sitting on the shelf spine out, catch my attention and create an impulse buy.

 

LEGO being, what amounts to a premium / luxury brand, I believe it may well be another decade before they voluntarily downsize their boxes again -- unless absolutely forced to by some kind of outside force -- see post in another section of the forums about South Korea requiring that boxes not have unused empty space inside them and it resulting in plastic containers being inserted into LEGO boxes to meet those new import rules.

Did you at least get to keep the porn?

 

Unfortunately it had to be kept as evidence.  I have a dirty girlfriend that meets my nocturnal needs. ;-)

 

Wait 'til you get married.

I bet your wife feels the same way.

LOL, she even joins in sometimes.  I wish!

Damn, this site does get more and more kinky every day!     

Damn, this site does get more and more kinky every day!

Yeah, you're telling me! Remembe the time TheOrcKing payed justafrog to... y'know, that's a bit too much information.

Damn, this site does get more and more kinky every day!

Yeah, you're telling me! Remembe the time TheOrcKing payed justafrog to... y'know, that's a bit too much information.

No, no, you've got that the wrong way. She bribed me with some cookies and boy were they tasty. Who knew a frog could make the best cookies? I didn't even taste a hint of lilypad to be honest.

Pretty sure you threw around a bunch of 1X2 printed money tiles...

We know what's going on here but the kids sure don't...

Pretty sure you threw around a bunch of 1X2 printed money tiles...

Oh right, I forgot about this one where justafrog learns her stripper name is Skanky McParter. Turns out I still have some bills left. Ha.

 

 

Damn, this site does get more and more kinky every day!     

 

With a site devoted to talking about Lego investing, there's bound to be some pent up sexual frustration. 

OMG... what have I started?  BTW... How about an "Ann Summers" modular with a long pink thing in the window?

OMG... what have I started?

 

Red Light District Modulars?