I'm not a big fan of super heroes and I don't normally buy super heroes sets. But they seems to be really popular. Normally for all the other sets I "understand" why they are cool and why they can gain value. But for super heroes I just don't get it. (except for Asylym) Explain to me why you (or your kids) like them Example: why the dynamic duo funhouse is so popular, it's only because it's an exclusive or it's something really cool? I'll start to buy some slowly because I'm curious and because my kid will probably like them when he'll be older.

Comic book and superheroes will always be popular, see some of the highest grossing movies of recent times - Batman, Spiderman, Avengers, etc. Big crossover appeal into legos as well. Not sure about this set in particular except its exclusiveness?

There are lots of fans of these superheroes (old and young) and many of the super hero sets are made to look like actual scenes and vehicles from the comics. Joker's funhouse for instance is a nod to both the 90s cartoon and the recent Arkham series games on ps3, xbox, pc, where the Joker's evil base is a twisted funhouse.

There has been comparatively less fan of superheros which are young. But kids still find them very interesting. Kids do have special attachment to these fantasy men which make them feel like they can rescue them from all the problems.

As long as there are cartoons, Super Heroes will always be loved. The Dynamic Duo Funhouse is a Toys R Us exclusive which adds to the rarity. People who want it have to actively seek it out.

I decided to check Funhouse's value on brickpicker as its been a set that's been doing well even though its available through Lego and Toys R Us at regular retail price.

 

I was shocked to see that it was pretty much at RRP when I remembered it being close to $50. From the charts that displays number of units sold, there was a huge spike last month, about 261 units, compared to the 116 sold the previous month.

 

I'm new to the investing game, so any seasoned investors possibly might be able to explain why?  Thanks.

I decided to check Funhouse's value on brickpicker as its been a set that's been doing well even though its available through Lego and Toys R Us at regular retail price.

 

I was shocked to see that it was pretty much at RRP when I remembered it being close to $50. From the charts that displays number of units sold, there was a huge spike last month, about 261 units, compared to the 116 sold the previous month.

 

I'm new to the investing game, so any seasoned investors possibly might be able to explain why?  Thanks.

 

funhouse is not a good investment .. almost every single person thinks its good so they bought up thousands .. if you want to turn a profit on this set .. you will have to wait 3-5 years after EOL

I decided to check Funhouse's value on brickpicker as its been a set that's been doing well even though its available through Lego and Toys R Us at regular retail price.

 

I was shocked to see that it was pretty much at RRP when I remembered it being close to $50. From the charts that displays number of units sold, there was a huge spike last month, about 261 units, compared to the 116 sold the previous month.

 

I'm new to the investing game, so any seasoned investors possibly might be able to explain why?  Thanks.

 

You've answered the question - it's available at regular retail price, and enough people found them at a discount that a large number were flipped in sales last month for a small, quick, profit.

 

The only time you're going to see significantly more than retail paid on a currently available set is when it's scarce for some reason (i.e, Minecraft at one time, when not near enough sets were available for the demand).

funhouse is not a good investment .. almost every single person thinks its good so they bought up thousands .. if you want to turn a profit on this set .. you will have to wait 3-5 years after EOL

I wouldn't say it is not a good investment, but I do think that there are better investments that are "under the radar". Like Iketart87 said, since people bought up dozens of copies, it almost seems like too many are out there to make a great investment. 

I'm afraid this scenario will repeat itself again this fall.

This set is odd too...since it gets parted out alot more than most sets.  Many people list it as "new" on ebay when it's just the Funhouse with no minifigures.  In my opinion this throws off the brickpicker values and skews it down. Like this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-DC-Super-Heroes-JOKERS-FUNHOUSE-ONLY-6857-No-Figs-NO-BATBIKE-BATMAN-/121160912748?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item1c35c0cf6c

 

 

I am not sure if minifigures get picked up in the algorythm that Jeff and Ed use to determine set values.  I mean I have seen the minifigures listed as "new" with the set number in the title.  If that is what the algorythm searches for (I have no idea) then the number will get skewed even further down.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Super-Heros-JOKER-loose-Minifigure-from-set-6857-Jokers-Funhouse-New-/251321821382?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item3a83f2a8c6

 

 

 

If you just type in "Funhouse Lego" and search completed listings, you'd see plenty still selling for $60.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-6857-Dynamic-duo-Funhouse-Escape-380pcs-5-Rare-Figures-BNIB-Ships-Fast-/321172995524?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item4ac766fdc4

 

These were on the first page of my search...so while i did cherry pick examples...it's not like I had to look hard.

This set is odd too...since it gets parted out alot more than most sets. Many people list it as "new" on ebay when it's just the Funhouse with no minifigures. In my opinion this throws off the brickpicker values and skews it down. Like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-DC-Super-Heroes-JOKERS-FUNHOUSE-ONLY-6857-No-Figs-NO-BATBIKE-BATMAN-/121160912748?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item1c35c0cf6c

I am not sure if minifigures get picked up in the algorythm that Jeff and Ed use to determine set values. I mean I have seen the minifigures listed as "new" with the set number in the title. If that is what the algorythm searches for (I have no idea) then the number will get skewed even further down.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Super-Heros-JOKER-loose-Minifigure-from-set-6857-Jokers-Funhouse-New-/251321821382?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item3a83f2a8c6

If you just type in "Funhouse Lego" and search completed listings, you'd see plenty still selling for $60.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lego-6857-Dynamic-duo-Funhouse-Escape-380pcs-5-Rare-Figures-BNIB-Ships-Fast-/321172995524?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item4ac766fdc4

These were on the first page of my search...so while i did cherry pick examples...it's not like I had to look hard.

El Guapo is 100% correct on this one - the part out values do bring down the average sales price for this set.

That said, justafrog is correct too. This set is available at RRP @ Lego S@H and TRU, so sales at TRU and Lego coupons can lower the price of this to offset this set's "exclusivity" that have provided higher sales prices seen in the past. I've noticed that many exclusives "depreciate" a little slower from their release spike price than sets that are available at retail everywhere.

This set has been available from TRU's ebay store for $39.99 for about three weeks now, too. I know, I know, hard to believe TRU is selling an exclusive for retail price, but it'll be hard work selling one for $60 in the meantime.

I sold one for $60 but I kind of wish I'd held it till eol. I'll probably buy a couple more because I still think this will be a winner.

Quick flipping items that are still on the market is really tough. You have to get them at a big discount, or they have to be scarce.

Do people realize how big Walmart is?  And Target?  This set didn't appear in either place...Vampyre Castles? They were in all of those stores (by the way there are about 7,000 Walmarts and 1,700 Targets).  Lets not even count KMart, and all of the "mom and pop" retail locations that don't get the opportunity to sell this set.  I would say that are over 10,000 Lego authorized dealers that CAN NOT sell this set.  Included are their two largest distributors (Target and Walmart).    I am willing to bet that Target.com and Walmart.com are also in the top 5 in Lego sales.   

 

I believe Lego is a good investment.  If a certain set can only be found in 5% of the locations that Lego is sold (probably less, there are only 800 or so Toys R Us and Babies R Us)...well you can make your own decisions of course. 

El Guapo is 100% correct on this one - the part out values do bring down the average sales price for this set.

That said, justafrog is correct too. This set is available at RRP @ Lego LEGO Shop at Home and TRU, so sales at TRU and Lego coupons can lower the price of this to offset this set's "exclusivity" that have provided higher sales prices seen in the past. I've noticed that many exclusives "depreciate" a little slower from their release spike price than sets that are available at retail everywhere.

 

I think you're right that it's a little of both. I had a look on ebay at the sold listings I get when I search for "lego 6857" and noticed the following:

 

1. This is a pretty popular set to part out. For every listing of a complete set, I see about 6 or 7 listings of an individual figure, the motorbike or the main structure. I assume brickpicker's data extracter has a method for keeping these out of the equation but some are bound to slip through.

 

2. It's not just investors/resellers selling stuff on ebay but also retailers like Toys R Us. I see numerous sales of the TRU ebaystore at $ 39.99 which not surprisingly have helped bring the value (new) down to it's current point of $ 41,32.

I think you're right that it's a little of both. I had a look on ebay at the sold listings I get when I search for "lego 6857" and noticed the following:

 

1. This is a pretty popular set to part out. For every listing of a complete set, I see about 6 or 7 listings of an individual figure, the motorbike or the main structure. I assume brickpicker's data extracter has a method for keeping these out of the equation but some are bound to slip through.

 

2. It's not just investors/resellers selling stuff on ebay but also retailers like Toys R Us. I see numerous sales of the TRU ebaystore at $ 39.99 which not surprisingly have helped bring the value (new) down to it's current point of $ 41,32.

 

The fact that this set has been above retail for some time now means it's going to do well once EOL comes around, IMO. 

The fact that this set has been above retail for some time now means it's going to do well once EOL comes around, IMO.

I think that itself is a pretty good indicator. It isn't like these sets get heavilly discounted due to it being a TRU exclusive, which sees the value hold better.

People who part out these (or any) sets, sell them as incomplete, and still have the intestinal fortitude to list them as "new" are douchetards. I'm sorry.  

People who part out these (or any) sets, sell them as incomplete, and still have the intestinal fortitude to list them as "new" are douchetards. I'm sorry.  

 

There are a fair number of opinions on this. Some feel that any time you get into the secondary market at all, including complete unopened items, it's no longer "new" because it's a mystery source -- if I buy a designer bag at Nordstrom's, I know its pedigree. If I buy the same bag on eBay from SellerSomebody, I have no idea how many times the bag has been bought and sold before through how many stores and closeouts and storage lockers and garage sales and thrift shops, even if it ends up in my hands "new with tags" and in new condition, is it still really "new"? Some say yes, some say no.

 

It's problematic for those of us selling things like minifigs - we have two condition options, new and used. Everyone and their second cousin uses NEW, any of us stupid enough to list our new, just removed from packaging figs as "used" would see our sales plummet, because Lego fig buyers know what "new" and "used" mean in the accepted terminology of the site and search accordingly.

 

The folks in the links above are being very clear what is and isn't included and using new as a condition. I don't think that makes them douchetards, but maybe that's because I don't consider myself one, either.

People who part out these (or any) sets, sell them as incomplete, and still have the intestinal fortitude to list them as "new" are douchetards. I'm sorry.  

 

So anyone who sells "new" parts on Bricklink is a douchetard, I take it?

I would say like any investment that unless you are a day trader of Lego so long as they are still being sold at msrp their current brickpicker price isn't very relevant.

So anyone who sells "new" parts on Bricklink is a douchetard, I take it?

That's not remotely what he said. He is talking about people who take part of the set, say the Funhouse no figures, and sell it as new, which is misleading because the set has been opened (possibly even built) and is incomplete. At least that is how I read the comment.

That's not remotely what he said. He is talking about people who take part of the set, say the Funhouse no figures, and sell it as new, which is misleading because the set has been opened (possibly even built) and is incomplete. At least that is how I read the comment.

 

How exactly is it misleading when the sellers tell potential buyers, in both the title AND description, what is and isn't included?

 

And, josh said "part out" - that encompasses a great many things when it comes to Lego, including most definitely Bricklink sellers (like me) who list our removed-from-sets parts as "new".

How exactly is it misleading when the sellers tell potential buyers, in both the title AND description, what is and isn't included?

 

And, josh said "part out" - that encompasses a great many things when it comes to Lego, including most definitely Bricklink sellers (like me) who list our removed-from-sets parts as "new".

 

Exactly. I don't see why things that are new on Bricklink aren't supposed to be new on ebay.