Important Update: 7979 Castle Advent Calendar

[Munchy]

Which begs the question: If TLC was not planning to sell this in NA, then why did they already have a bunch of this sitting in their inventory?

I think that is an excellent question.

Josh

Why is that an excellent question?

[Handar]

Which begs the question: If TLC was not planning to sell this in NA, then why did they already have a bunch of this sitting in their inventory?

While this doesn't beg any questions, it certainly does raise the question you mentioned. The least sinister answer is that they didn't initially have a bunch of sets sitting in North American inventory. I would suspect that they shipped a 'very limited number' of these sets to their North American facilities, and only once this was completed did they announce that said 'very limited number' would be sold in North America. In my opinion, that's the simplest explanation, especially since it doesn't require us to posit any conspiracies on the part of LEGO.

[SavaTheAggie]

Which begs the question: If TLC was not planning to sell this in NA, then why did they already have a bunch of this sitting in their inventory?

They didn't. Steve Witt was able to pounce on a small shipment sent to the US by mistake. It would have either been shipped back to Europe, or worse yet destroyed, but instead he was able to get the green light to sell it to the AFOLs here. Heck, from a business standpoint it's a smart decision - it's cheaper on LEGO's end. Otherwise LEGO would have to eat the cost of not only shipping it from the US to Europe, but from Europe to the US from the start, or the cost of the lost product.

While the LEGO Company did throw us a bone, don't think that this was done specifically for us on our account - this was serendipity. If it weren't for the LEGO Community team looking out for us (and a lot of prodding by Ben looking for a source for this set), this wouldn't have happened.

--Tony

[Munchy]

They didn't. Steve Witt was able to pounce on a small shipment sent to the US by mistake. It would have either been shipped back to Europe, or worse yet destroyed, but instead he was able to get the green light to sell it to the AFOLs here. Heck, from a business standpoint it's a smart decision - it's cheaper on LEGO's end. Otherwise LEGO would have to eat the cost of not only shipping it from the US to Europe, but from Europe to the US from the start, or the cost of the lost product.

While the LEGO Company did throw us a bone, don't think that this was done specifically for us on our account - this was serendipity. If it weren't for the LEGO Community team looking out for us (and a lot of prodding by Ben looking for a source for this set), this wouldn't have happened.

--Tony

Ah. An explanation. Thank you.

[Username]

They didn't. Steve Witt was able to pounce on a small shipment sent to the US by mistake.

I like those kind of mistakes!

[ELMAS]

Thanks Tony,
I guess maybe even if we really object again in the future we won't have our cake and eat it too as we did in this fortunate mistake.

Hey, I'm happy. Not complaining... just curious...

[speaknspell]

Thanks Tony,
I guess maybe even if we really object again in the future we won't have our cake and eat it too as we did in this fortunate mistake.

Hey, I'm happy. Not complaining... just curious...

heh, it is what it is I suppose. sometimes things just work out and others not.

Steve

[ELMAS]

Thanks Tony,
I guess maybe even if we really object again in the future we won't have our cake and eat it too as we did in this fortunate mistake.

Hey, I'm happy. Not complaining... just curious...

heh, it is what it is I suppose. sometimes things just work out and others not.

Steve

Yep! Still big Kudos to Ben and all that made this happen.

[Aharown]

I just ordered mine this evening. I haven't been on CC for a couple of weeks, and at first I thought "Eeek! I missed out!" I then skimmed through the posts and checked out TBB for the code.

I called Lego and was immediately connected with a nice young man named William. He instantly recognized the offer, and asked me where I had heard about the offer. I mentioned CC and TBB, both of which he was familiar with, being somewhat of an AFOL himself. Mindful of tying up the phone lines, I ordered one copy of the calendar, and nothing else, although we ended up chatting about such things as Peeron, and that the Lego Master Builders had been setting up "downstairs", according to him. He even asked me about what I had built, saying that he liked to ask customers that so he could get to know them and relate to them better. I was even able to direct him to my Brickshelf account over the phone, and he complimented me on my work! He thanked me for my order, and hoped to hear from me again soon.

Now THAT'S customer service!

I think I may order over the phone more often! It's so much more personable than Internet ordering, especially with such friendly customer service as I received.

I just wanted to say Thank You to Ben, Lego, William from Lego Shop at Home and everyone else for making this possible!

Merry Christmas, indeed!

[Metatron]

Steve Witt was able to pounce on a small shipment sent to the US by mistake...If it weren't for the LEGO Community team looking out for us (and a lot of prodding by Ben looking for a source for this set), this wouldn't have happened.

I find this information very disappointing. It's great that Ben and the Lego Community team were there to take advantage of this mistake, but I am saddened to have confirmed yet again how little the adult Lego community factors into any of their marketing decisions.

To the lego corporation we are just faceless consumers. I likewise treat Lego as the faceless, soul-less corporation that it so obviously is.

Thanks for allowing us to give you money Lego corp! And thanks for not gouging us over the price of your mistake.

Oh wait...

16.99 EUR = 23.4870 USD

[Gumby]

Thanks for allowing us to give you money Lego corp! And thanks for not gouging us over the price of your mistake.

Oh wait...

16.99 EUR = 23.4870 USD

I find it... funny (for lack of a better word)... when someone complains about the US price being too high. US prices have been among the lowest out of all countries in most, if not all, LEGO products.

I just found out that the City Advent Calendar is priced as follows:
16.99 EUR / 29.99 USD / 34.99 CAD / 196 pieces

As for the Castle Advent Calendar:
16.99 EUR / 29.99 USD / 39.99 CAD / 176 pieces

Now THAT is something worth complaining about! I'm pretty upset about this, actually. :evil:

[RocketSeason]

Interesting indeed. Well, accident or not, I hope LEGO doesn't second guess the U.S. and our love for Castle next time they produce new sets.

[Metatron]

Lego is an international company that should have a sensible response to its international consumer base.

While I do care about what happens in the U.S. as my own primary area of concern, I also support the concerns of others in other places. The longer post I made on page 5 of this thread could be taken as an exhortation for lego to take care of its loyal consumer base on an international basis - but yes, I do write as a person in the U.S.

I just can't see why Shop@Home cannot be the service to fill in the gaps for all of us regardless of what country we are in. Any online store is easily made into an international one. Maybe a special shipping rate would have to apply to countries not well covered by lego, but I can't see the point of gouging another $6.50 USD on the MSRP of a set just because they can demand that price in a different market. I can't see why Lego's prices couldn't reflect a more even-handed approach internationally.

Complaints of Lego under-serving the Canadian marketplace go way back - back to the heyday of Lugnet and even back to RTL IIRC. So I am not unaware of the problems internationally, it's just that all I can do is complain about it here - the same as you.

Lego will doubtless continue ignoring us.

[Munchy]

Thanks for allowing us to give you money Lego corp! And thanks for not gouging us over the price of your mistake.

Oh wait...

16.99 EUR = 23.4870 USD

This debate has been regurgitated many times. There are price differences between countries and there are reasons for them. There are several threads in these forums alone. If a particular price doesn't agree with you, you have the option of not paying that price. I think it was reasonably priced as I have purchased them. You obviously agreed as you have stated your purchase as well.

Do you honestly think that LEGO is going to reprice their sets when people continue to purchase them at their current price points? Come on. It's simple. If you want LEGO to down price, don't buy anymore sets.

Personally, I think the current sets are priced a bit high but not so much that I would not buy those I really want. It just means I won't buy those of marginal value to me.

[carole]

Although I'm a Lego collector, I didn't pay much interests on Castle series. And, I didn't open an account on CC either. I just came across this news, 7979 is available in NA.

BTW, am I too late? Are there still available stocks? I should have checked this regularly.

Thanks, though!