think for a lot its always been sales / business.   Never really understood the flippers vs long term used on here.   

Its just buying and selling.  Some do hold and sell way down the road which would be more investing.  Then some just collect and never sell at all.

some are very conflicted and do all 3

If you have a target selling price (say, 3x buy-in) then sometimes that can be achieved right at the beginning (RI), after some years (Dino) or maybe never all (Prince of Persia) - there don´t seem to be fixed rules.

Recently we have seen that some popular sets have dipped/stagnated in resale value.  Wary of a remake and happy with the price, I sold my 7965´s but held on to 10224´s even though it had reached my target get-out price  because my expectation was that there was more growth to come there. Maybe it would have been smarter to do the other way around, or have sold everything to be coherent with the 3x strategy or have kept everything for 3 more years and enjoyed the ride.

Sticking to the get-out price whilst jettisoning sets that don´t show good growth prospects is probably the safest and least stressful option, even if it means you will sometimes sell sooner than is optimum - the problem is we get greedy and want more from certain sets than is perhaps reasonable.

Looking at the new box sizes, the Mini now looks like the bigger (read more expensive) set. I wonder if it will get a new smaller box as well.

Looking at the new box sizes, the Mini now looks like the bigger (read more expensive) set. I wonder if it will get a new smaller box as well.

If Vw is using the 42029 box then it is quite a bit longer and can fit on shelves mor easily being lower. I guess they are just standardising their packaging and eliminating unusual boxes (I don´t recall T1 original box being used for much else).The Mini box is the same or very similar to Tie Fighter, isn't it?

T1 original box was used for numerous sets. For example 10226 Sopwith Camel.

T1 original box was used for numerous sets. For example 10226 Sopwith Camel.

Thanks, and 75020 and current AT-AT too.New Vw one would seemingly be the Horizon Express box. I guess that they are better for low shelves.

Thanks, and 75020 and current AT-AT too.New Vw one would seemingly be the Horizon Express box. I guess that they are better for low shelves.

Yeah... maybe I can take back my old T1's and exchange them for new T1's? It will save me alot of space in my storage room.

Maybe just take them back, full stop. Problem is it will proably retire the day after.....

i wouldnt be surprised if all the large box sets were being phased out or redesigned into smaller packages especially now that fedex/ups and perhaps other shippers focus on dimweight to make their sharehoarders happy.

Edited September 15, 201510 yr by jerryherb

I think it's really more about shelf space then freight...

 

 

I think it's really more about shelf space then freight...

 

that is also a good factor however, dont know whether SAH does more sales than BMs, but i would assume their cost with mail order retail/freight would be greatly reduced. im sure they pay maersk in triple-e's, but those are not worth that much nowadays...

Edited September 15, 201510 yr by jerryherb

T1 original box was used for numerous sets. For example 10226 Sopwith Camel.

that is also a good factor however, dont know whether SAH does more sales than BMs, but i would assume their cost with mail order retail/freight would be greatly reduced. im sure they pay maersk in triple-e's, but those are not worth that much nowadays...

I'm not speaking just about B&M stores. This could allow for Walmart, Target, TRU etc to carry in stores...

I'm not speaking just about B&M stores. This could allow for Walmart, Target, TRU etc to carry in stores...

exclusives (10xxx) are usually either BM or SAH only in US. big box stores already do carry sets with same size boxes (batcave, spaceship, rescue helicopter, at-at, etc...)

Maybe LEGO is holding on until January.. an official with VW revealed that they'll be revealing the next-gen camper van with an electric drive alternative in Janaury at the Las Vegas auto show. One last kick at the sales can I imagine!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-ces/volkswagen-microbus-campers-return-be-officially-confirmed

 

I wonder if the T1 will get an unplanned retirement sooner than later with the uproar that VW has caused lately. Lego has been known to keep their distance from controversy...

Oh man I wish.

Plot twist........the controversy makes the T1 worth absolutely nothing in the secondary market.

Plot twist........the controversy makes the T1 worth absolutely nothing in the secondary market.

The new box has lower emissions, right?

Plot twist........the controversy makes the T1 worth absolutely nothing in the secondary market.

What if I told you that was already going to be the case, controversy or not?

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I wonder if the T1 will get an unplanned retirement sooner than later with the uproar that VW has caused lately. Lego has been known to keep their distance from controversy...

The controversy over 9516 seems to have neither sped up that set's retirement, nor helped its performance post-EOL.

Also, unlike with 9516, which was disliked by crazy people who thought George Lucas modelled Jabba's palace after a mosque (the building was a church before the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, but never mind history), the VW scandal actually is a big deal.  The company is almost certainly guilty of serious health/environmental crimes, and that is likely to hurt its image in the eyes of the mostly liberal fans of the T1.  In other words, some publicity IS bad publicity.

It most certainly sped up the retirement.......lego said so themselves.

The controversy over 9516 seems to have neither sped up that set's retirement, nor helped its performance post-EOL.

Also, unlike with 9516, which was disliked by crazy people who thought George Lucas modelled Jabba's palace after a mosque (the building was a church before the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, but never mind history), the VW scandal actually is a big deal.  The company is almost certainly guilty of serious health/environmental crimes, and that is likely to hurt its image in the eyes of the mostly liberal fans of the T1.  In other words, some publicity IS bad publicity.

I can't tell if this post is an agreement or argument...

But in any case, I wasn't thinking about 9516 and as you alluded to, the most important factor is that this is a licensed product covered in the branding of a company that has been caught engaging in some serious criminal acts. 

The controversy over 9516 seems to have neither sped up that set's retirement, nor helped its performance post-EOL.

Also, unlike with 9516, which was disliked by crazy people who thought George Lucas modelled Jabba's palace after a mosque (the building was a church before the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, but never mind history), the VW scandal actually is a big deal.  The company is almost certainly guilty of serious health/environmental crimes, and that is likely to hurt its image in the eyes of the mostly liberal fans of the T1.  In other words, some publicity IS bad publicity.

lego is least environmental friendly toy around. It is made entirely of plastic that doesn't biodegrade. So i don't think the green peace consumers are fans of lego to begin with

So i don't think the green peace consumers are fans of lego to begin with

It most certainly sped up the retirement.......lego said so themselves.

The opposite is true.  Lego's press release on the topic said the set was always slated to retire at the end of 2012.  In fact, it was available through LEGO Shop at Home well into 2013.  All the controversy achieved was forcing Lego to announce its retirement date well in advance.