I understand the SSD is a cautionary tale here, but there is also a (conflicting) precedent with the GE in late 2011.  At that point the GE had been in production for about 20 months, and this was before the shenanigan days where sets retired on a regular cadence (Death Star and Fire Brigade had begun to buck the trends).  Unexpectedly, the Grand Emporium showed up as Sold Out on LEGO Shop at Home due to high demand.  It was already gone from TRU and Walmart, only Target had it in stock.  Within one day the stock at Target was wiped out.  Investors swarmed the Lego B&M stores and the set was gone.  LEGO Shop at Home representatives over the phone said it was no longer orderable and told buyers that it was not coming back.  Lego Store Employees told customers that it "looked like it was gone".  This sold out panic lasted for about 10 days to 2 weeks...resellers/investors tore their hair out and prices started climbing on eBay and Amazon.  

 

Well, it ended up coming back on Lego's site in a backorder situation.  Other retailers didn't get any new stock until after the new year, but it did come back.

 

SSD - we expected this set to go in the timeframe it did.  Many predicted it would not last through 2013, so there was anticipation out there that it was going to retired.

HH - This set was accurately predicted to retire in 2014.  No surprise except that it didn't make it to late October.  Still, this was a forecasted retirement.

 

TH - This isn't fitting in with expectations, and we are getting mixed messages from some "sources"...hard to tell if this is an out-of-order EOL (seems strange), or a panic buying situation (more likely?)

Attack? Seems more like they are throwing resellers a HUGE bone if they truly are EOL'ing so many sets. At least the resellers that have a plan. I cannot see how consumers would benefit.

It was a joke.  And yes, it is a bonus to those who were prepared.  Sets have to retire at some point.  Production runs are changed all the time.  Do people believe that the 10188 Death Star had a 7 year run planned?  Doubt it.  It must be a very profitable set for LEGO to keep it around.  Sets retire in less than 2 years all the time and most people never notice, so why can't an exclusive retire in two years or less?  Maybe the **** **** was a dust collector.  Who knows?  

It was a joke. 

 

 Totally missed that.. 

 Totally missed that.. 

Usually when one uses "LOL" in a sentence, it is considered one.  LOL.  Only busting on you...

Usually when one uses "LOL" in a sentence, it is considered one.  LOL.  Only busting on you...

 

Yeah, but didn't know what you were laughing at! LOL

 

Gotta love trying to read between the lines on them there Internets.

I am switching from discounted Lego sets to more exclusive sets.

Too sad. I only had some SSD, DS, TB, GE, T1, SC, 3E, WVM and HH.

No budget to start even a single PS or TH.  

So, that morning appearance at Amazon was all that Amazon had held up?  kinda sad little number. 

Edited October 6, 201411 yr by No More Monkeys

I would think at least 200?

I was going to guess 250.

 

I bet it was not a lot.

I haven't posted in awhile, but I notice people are still asleep at the wheel.  All of the indicators of retirement are there for the Town Hall and Pet Shop and people insist they will be around for another year.  Didn't the SSD and HH teach people anything?  These two sets are OOS everywhere(Pet Shop is still at Lego LEGO Shop at Home, 30 days out for now) and there are no indications they are coming back for a prolonged stay.  Sure, they might come back in and out of stock for awhile, but they are toast.

 

Time to move onto some other exclusives that are two years old or more or lose out on them also.  

If the PS isn't coming back, why is there still a limit of 5?  I'm pretty sure some of the OOS issues are seasonal demand coupled with double VIP.  Not a good combination for LEGO to try to keep up with production on their wide array of themes and exclusives.

Edited October 6, 201411 yr by zskid00

I haven't posted in awhile, but I notice people are still asleep at the wheel.  All of the indicators of retirement are there for the Town Hall and Pet Shop and people insist they will be around for another year.  Didn't the SSD and HH teach people anything?  These two sets are OOS everywhere(Pet Shop is still at Lego LEGO Shop at Home, 30 days out for now) and there are no indications they are coming back for a prolonged stay.  Sure, they might come back in and out of stock for awhile, but they are toast.

 

Time to move onto some other exclusives that are two years old or more or lose out on them also.  

But what are really the chances that so many sets are getting close to EOL? VIP double points day, and other juicy promos do have tendency to wipe out inventories of exclusives(since it is the only official way of getting discounts), with domino effect on other retailers. Unless TLC is  making some sort of large business move...  Still curious if they are planning to extend the ban on discounts for exclusives in US...

But what are really the chances that so many sets are getting close to EOL? VIP double points day, and other juicy promos do have tendency to wipe out inventories of exclusives(since it is the only official way of getting discounts), with domino effect on other retailers. Unless TLC is  making some sort of large business move...  Still curious if they are planning to extend the ban on discounts for exclusives in US...

How do you explain those two sets being OOS on every other retail site?  Is it possible Lego is changing up their retirement order and strategy to screw with resellers?  Yes it is.  Where is it written that there is a limit to exclusives being retired in a year?  I guess it is written in some BP's little black investment book of rules and regulations.  

How do you explain those two sets being OOS on every other retail site? Is it possible Lego is changing up their retirement order and strategy to screw with resellers? Yes it is. Where is it written that there is a limit to exclusives being retired in a year? I guess it is written in some BP's little black investment book of rules and regulations.

I knew we should have kept that black book a secret....

I knew we should have kept that black book a secret....

You're the one who wants to write a blog about it.

lol wait till WVM goes OOS

It's LEGO's secret plan to make us all buy Chima this Christmas because it will be the only thing left in stock.

You're the one who wants to write a blog about it.

You must be talking about a different Me

It's LEGO's secret plan to make us all buy Chima this Christmas because it will be the only thing left in stock.

Don't worry about Chima...the kids are buying them.

It's LEGO's secret plan to make us all buy Chima this Christmas because it will be the only thing left in stock.

We'll have to buy chima or ninjago on Black Friday to get holiday set 2 of 2 because everything else will be cleaned out.

It's LEGO's secret plan to make us all buy Chima this Christmas because it will be the only thing left in stock.

Lol imagine a 3xVIP event with promo when only Chima is in stock. That would be the end of all things.

Don't worry about Chima...the kids are buying them.

 

I hope so, because I have some Chi Temples to unload this Christmas.  The new sets do look fantastic and I can see the appeal if I were a kid.  It's like Battle Beasts on steroids.

Don't worry about Chima...the kids are buying them.

 

I was at Legoland California with a friend from out of town the other day.  His 6 year old is all over Chima.  That's all the kid wants.  He found the TV show, and he eats it up.

I hope so, because I have some Chi Temples to unload this Christmas.  The new sets do look fantastic and I can see the appeal if I were a kid.  It's like Battle Beasts on steroids.

I watch what kids look at in the LEGO isles and they look at Chima sets.  

and then parents go....what the heck is that thing? Are you sure you don't want this set with captain America in it, or a police station?  What about this benny spaceship?