Seriously. What is going on with the trains and the large SW sets from a few months back, specifically 75055 and 75054.

 

WM clearancing what they have and not carrying them any more?

 

Lego B&M in Stl had only a few 60052 and no 60051. Also no 75055 and no 75054. Employee said they won't be carrying them any more in stock. Any of them. He said they moved out all those SW sets for the new sets and he went on to say all the sets I see before me will be moved out late summer/ early fall for the line of ep VII sets. I asked if they were retiring or will they still be available online he said "no idea".

 

Are these retiring already or just going to be only available from Lego LEGO Shop at Home for the next 3 years?

 

Is THIS the chaos? 6 month lifespans?

This! If six months becomes the norm before going EOL, i may have to rethink my collecting habits. There's no way i can afford that much stuff in only six months. Lego seems to be getting a bit greedy if this is the case. And it will bite them in the a$$.

This! If six months becomes the norm before going EOL, i may have to rethink my collecting habits. There's no way i can afford that much stuff in only six months. Lego seems to be getting a bit greedy if this is the case. And it will bite them in the a$$.

 

At the same time though that would mean holding onto stock a lot less time as an investor.

I understand that, but that wouldn't explain why Lego B&M are is longer going to carry them or why Walmart is clearancing them all out and "deleting" them.

I posted a few days ago that Toys R Us here has already removed them as well. (75055 and 75054) We're talking about the place where you can go buy sets that have retired. They never get rid of anything! LOL I can still go buy Batman Funhouse en mass. So unless Lego is going six month EOLs now, or are going to make it available on LEGO Shop at Home only, this doesn't make any sense. Not a good trend. 

Seriously. What is going on with the trains and the large SW sets from a few months back, specifically 75055 and 75054.

 

WM clearancing what they have and not carrying them any more?

 

Lego B&M in Stl had only a few 60052 and no 60051. Also no 75055 and no 75054. Employee said they won't be carrying them any more in stock. Any of them. He said they moved out all those SW sets for the new sets and he went on to say all the sets I see before me will be moved out late summer/ early fall for the line of ep VII sets. I asked if they were retiring or will they still be available online he said "no idea".

 

Are these retiring already or just going to be only available from Lego LEGO Shop at Home for the next 3 years?

 

Is THIS the chaos? 6 month lifespans?

Maybe sets at that price point don't move quickly enough outside of the Christmas shopping season to warrant the large amount of shelf space they require? Just spitballing here.

Remember, both trains are in the current 1st semester catalogue. Why waste 2 pages on them if deleted?

I've been wondering about this as well.  More so for the Star Wars sets than the trains, because Star Wars is what I collect.  Also wondering about the City Arctic sets because I would like to get some of those before they are gone, but those seem to be disappearing from b+m stores.

 

My guess is that actual b+m stores are limiting their inventory of "older" product because of limited shelf space and the new flood of merchandise from Lego every few months.  Stores will be going to more of an online presence because when new merchandise comes in, then stores are likely to clearance out the older stuff.  Online stores can hold the merchandise longer at retail, below retail, or above retail prices (e.***. TRU) until out of stock or they put it on sale.

 

I have no idea if that is correct, but I still find it amazing that people are finding the Star Destroyer on 50% clearance after it being released in the US in August.

Remember, both trains are in the current 1st semester catalogue. Why waste 2 pages on them if deleted?

 

Red 5 was in there too. Also forgot to mention my Lego store had 0 red 5s today. Down from about 15 a few weeks ago. They said they do not expect any back ever.

Interesting times and developments indeed. If only we knew what Lego has in its sleeve. Early retirement of the AT-AT I might understand with the motorized version coming up. Who wants the one unmotorized after that?

 

Lego is changing its policy and way of doing business. That's for sure. And we... as investors have to adapt. Only time will tell what this will lead to. 

My guess is that actual b+m stores are limiting their inventory of "older" product because of limited shelf space and the new flood of merchandise from Lego every few months.  Stores will be going to more of an online presence because when new merchandise comes in, then stores are likely to clearance out the older stuff.  Online stores can hold the merchandise longer at retail, below retail, or above retail prices (e.***. TRU) until out of stock or they put it on sale.

 

 

^^ - There's a lot of new product coming out, and only a few lines discontinuing. Retailers needs shelf space. 

NEW: 1. Bionicle (Replacing HF)

2. DUPLO Sofia (Replacing... Jake)

3. Classic - Not replacing anything as such, but getting more of a shelf presence.

4. Elves - New

5. Pirates - Replacing Castle?

6. Jurassic World - New

7. Scooby Doo - New

8. Speed Champions - New

9. Minecraft stuff is getting much more shelf presence.

10. SEVERAL new city lines coming out.

11. Ninjago TONS of new stuff coming out in March.

12. Technic is getting shelf presence more now that it's a non TRU exclusive. 

 

The only lines really definitely disappearing are the Hobbit/LOTRO by the end of the year. They have new Movie sets, new Star Wars sets, new Ultra Agents sets...

 

The reality is I think sets are going to cycle in and out faster at retail locations, especially slow moving large sets. How long LEGO decides to keep them in production and TRU decides to keep them on the shelf will be very interesting to see.

(Dupe) 

Edited February 11, 201510 yr by Achilles

Red 5 was in there too. Also forgot to mention my Lego store had 0 red 5s today. Down from about 15 a few weeks ago. They said they do not expect any back ever.

That Trek-bus is looking a lot better now though

^^ - There's a lot of new product coming out, and only a few lines discontinuing. Retailers needs shelf space. 

NEW: 1. Bionicle (Replacing HF)

2. DUPLO Sofia (Replacing... Jake)

3. Classic - Not replacing anything as such, but getting more of a shelf presence.

4. Elves - New

5. Pirates - Replacing Castle?

6. Jurassic World - New

7. Scooby Doo - New

8. Speed Champions - New

9. Minecraft stuff is getting much more shelf presence.

10. SEVERAL new city lines coming out.

11. Ninjago TONS of new stuff coming out in March.

12. Technic is getting shelf presence more now that it's a non TRU exclusive. 

 

The only lines really definitely disappearing are the Hobbit/LOTRO by the end of the year. They have new Movie sets, new Star Wars sets, new Ultra Agents sets...

 

The reality is I think sets are going to cycle in and out faster at retail locations, especially slow moving large sets. How long LEGO decides to keep them in production and TRU decides to keep them on the shelf will be very interesting to see.

 

This sounds credible. The question is... if correct... what does it mean for us investors?

That Trek-bus is looking a lot better now though

 

Sometimes you gotta hop on that bus no matter how begrudgingly, I know.

Just expensive items for WM to begin with.  Not big sellers at that level.  $200 Train set was destined for sales failure at WM.  They clearance big sets like that and replace with others.   Last round MF, Chi Temple was clearanced at a lot of stores then others got in those same 2 sets.  

 

Kind of like Target clearancing Fire Station then replaced with Police Station, then clearance Police station and got Fire Station back in.

 

Just a quicker turnover on larger sets.

 

Chi Temple can still be found at Walmarts for $120. MF was on the shelf at WM for like 4 years.

Doubtful. New movie coming- doesn't make sense to retire these big sets

Doubtful. New movie coming- doesn't make sense to retire these big sets

Chima is going too and a lot of the big box sets are now only Lego shop exclusives so in the end the assortment comes down to a bigger choice of small to m

Chi Temple can still be found at Walmarts for $120. MF was on the shelf at WM for like 4 years.

I was saying a lot of stores shift them.   Every area is diifferent.  Here Chi and MF were clearanced out , a couple of states around me got them in at full price right after that.  They bounce in and out for a few cycles sometimes.  They don't have unlimited space and higher dollar sets are always the last ones there for the most part and they do get clearanced out to make way for other sets.

 

Doesn't mean there all going anywhere.  Just means WM isn't carrying them for the next planogram cycle.  

I was saying a lot of stores shift them.   Every area is diifferent.  Here Chi and MF were clearanced out , a couple of states around me got them in at full price right after that.  They bounce in and out for a few cycles sometimes.  They don't have unlimited space and higher dollar sets are always the last ones there for the most part and they do get clearanced out to make way for other sets.

 

Doesn't mean there all going anywhere.  Just means WM isn't carrying them for the next planogram cycle.  

 

Ah, gotcha.

This sounds credible. The question is... if correct... what does it mean for us investors?

Perhaps fewer sales and clearance options if you buy in store and are lucky enough to have a store nearby that has good inventory.

 

If you buy online, then who knows.  Probably fewer deals as we've seen over the last several months.  I mean, Hobbit Lonely Mountain is online only anywhere around my place and it is now 3rd party seller on Amazon over the last few days.  Target has also matched Amazon's price of $150.  Wal Mart online doesn't carry Lonely Mtn and TRU is $139.99.  The only place with it at retail is Lego Shop at Home.

Chaos

That Trek-bus is looking a lot better now though

 

Trek bus?  Look out you can't trust that guy! ROFL

Trek bus?  Look out you can't trust that guy! ROFL

 

He actually knows what he is talking about a good portion of the time, as much as I hate to admit it

He actually knows what he is talking about a good portion of the time, as much as I hate to admit it

 

Thanks mscheaf I hope I am right on Red 5 I may be wrong.

Just expensive items for WM to begin with.  Not big sellers at that level.  $200 Train set was destined for sales failure at WM.  They clearance big sets like that and replace with others.   Last round MF, Chi Temple was clearanced at a lot of stores then others got in those same 2 sets.  

 

Kind of like Target clearancing Fire Station then replaced with Police Station, then clearance Police station and got Fire Station back in.

 

Just a quicker turnover on larger sets.

 

Did a doubletake when I saw fire station back earlier this week/last week.

Can't say I get it unless they had a whole buncha pallets still in warehouse that weren't selling and figured they'd give it one more shot.

Guess if they are missing inventory due to delays/dock/etc maybe they are just filling space.