What is up with Lego sales this season?
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- Knight
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:16 am
- Location: boston
What is up with Lego sales this season?
I'm seeing nothing. Usually by this time I would have been able to buy a discounted larger set at Toys R Us, or gotten an Advent Calendar on sale from Amazon. I've been waiting to buy an AT-AT for around $90 and I figured Pre-holiday I'd get my chance, but no.
This coincides with other news I'm reading about retailers beginning to exclude Lego from their coupons (Target, B&N, Toys R Us) so what's the deal? First Lego stops offering catalog coupons, then restricting sales on exclusives, now stores themselves are really throttling Lego sales. Is this coming from above or do the stores themselves just see Lego selling well enough to keep it at full price?
This coincides with other news I'm reading about retailers beginning to exclude Lego from their coupons (Target, B&N, Toys R Us) so what's the deal? First Lego stops offering catalog coupons, then restricting sales on exclusives, now stores themselves are really throttling Lego sales. Is this coming from above or do the stores themselves just see Lego selling well enough to keep it at full price?
- SpaceViking
- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:49 am
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
I agree that sales have been fewer and far between. Past years, Target has had good sales that usually stacked with a coupon. This year, all of the "sales" have been 'as advertised' at MSRP.
What I've been reading is that LEGO has been running their production at full capacity, but still haven't been able to meet demand. Their strategy to raise prices has worked in some ways (no discounts on exclusives), but not others (most of the new City sets have been selling at 20%off all year long).
In spite of that, I think I've spent more in the past 2 months than I have all year. :-P Watching so many big sets EOL hasn't helped on that front.
Good deals can still be found, but it takes a bit more effort than just looking at the weekly ads.
* watch for discounted gift cards. for example, with the Amazon visa card sale this past week, one could get a few lego sets + gift cards at 25% off. Target will have 10% off gift cards during black friday. giftcardmall regularly has TRU gift cards at 10-20% off.
* rewards points. Kmart has been pretty generous with these, but you need to sign up with the shop-your-way rewards program
With these methods, and the occasional sale in with the mix, I've been able to get most of my 'must have' sets at a discount this season.
My sense in the fall was that the economy was softening. So I was expecting to see blowout clearance sales in Dec, much like in 2010. I'm not so sure that will happen now (gas prices have fallen, which appears to have strengthened retail demand), but it may still happen.
In the meantime, happy hunting.
What I've been reading is that LEGO has been running their production at full capacity, but still haven't been able to meet demand. Their strategy to raise prices has worked in some ways (no discounts on exclusives), but not others (most of the new City sets have been selling at 20%off all year long).
In spite of that, I think I've spent more in the past 2 months than I have all year. :-P Watching so many big sets EOL hasn't helped on that front.
Good deals can still be found, but it takes a bit more effort than just looking at the weekly ads.
* watch for discounted gift cards. for example, with the Amazon visa card sale this past week, one could get a few lego sets + gift cards at 25% off. Target will have 10% off gift cards during black friday. giftcardmall regularly has TRU gift cards at 10-20% off.
* rewards points. Kmart has been pretty generous with these, but you need to sign up with the shop-your-way rewards program
With these methods, and the occasional sale in with the mix, I've been able to get most of my 'must have' sets at a discount this season.
My sense in the fall was that the economy was softening. So I was expecting to see blowout clearance sales in Dec, much like in 2010. I'm not so sure that will happen now (gas prices have fallen, which appears to have strengthened retail demand), but it may still happen.
In the meantime, happy hunting.
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
It's a relief to know that I'm not the only one noticing this trend.
I was thinking the same after getting LEGO exclusions on 3 TRU coupons and 3 Target coupons; plus reading about the other LEGO exclusion from other retailers.
The only coupon I have is 15% off entire purchase from TRU valid on this weekend (11/14-11/16) Wow! I remember when TRU will include their 25-20% coupons with every flyer that came with the Sundays newspaper.
It seems that most sales are happening online only and the brick and mortar stores are offering very little.
Of course you can always try to price match but most of the sets that have the offers are not available at stores. Beside I find price matching to be a hassle and uncomfortable, too many management inquiries. I don't have time to waste waiting for 3 people to figure out price matching policies when I go to the stores.
What will happen to the B&M stores LEGO sales if this continues? Maybe more clearances after Christmas?
I hope this will change....
I want my in-store BOGO!!!
I was thinking the same after getting LEGO exclusions on 3 TRU coupons and 3 Target coupons; plus reading about the other LEGO exclusion from other retailers.
The only coupon I have is 15% off entire purchase from TRU valid on this weekend (11/14-11/16) Wow! I remember when TRU will include their 25-20% coupons with every flyer that came with the Sundays newspaper.
It seems that most sales are happening online only and the brick and mortar stores are offering very little.
Of course you can always try to price match but most of the sets that have the offers are not available at stores. Beside I find price matching to be a hassle and uncomfortable, too many management inquiries. I don't have time to waste waiting for 3 people to figure out price matching policies when I go to the stores.
What will happen to the B&M stores LEGO sales if this continues? Maybe more clearances after Christmas?
I hope this will change....
I want my in-store BOGO!!!
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- Noble Citizen
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:27 pm
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
Yes, here in Canada the only "sales" TRU has are 10x Air Miles points, which most of us don't have. The only good deals we kinda had this month is the AT-AT on sale at Target/Canadian Tire.
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- Peasant
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:23 pm
- Location: USA
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
I too have noticed this trend. Sadly this means my favorite hobby is no longer going to be a hobby. I depend on the sales to afford collecting LEGO. The only full price LEGO set I will buy is a LEGO exclusive when the promotional items are good, free shipping, 2x VIP points, free Christmas set, etc. it is a shame to see this trend slowly take away one of my passions.
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
Usually my bread and butter deals were from Target, when you got BOGO40% off even with already discounted sets, leaving you anywhere from 30-40% off.
But this time, nothing close. I grabbed a Ghostbusters set from my local TRU with the 15% off coupon + free batwing poly, which is pretty decent considering the set hasn't been marked down at Amazon ever.
There is a $10 free GC when you spend $30 at TRU coupon, but it conveniently excludes LEGO.
You can always buy a Jabba's sail barge for $86 on Amazon and return it at a Lego Store for a AT-AT, basically spending $86 for an AT-AT.
But this time, nothing close. I grabbed a Ghostbusters set from my local TRU with the 15% off coupon + free batwing poly, which is pretty decent considering the set hasn't been marked down at Amazon ever.
There is a $10 free GC when you spend $30 at TRU coupon, but it conveniently excludes LEGO.
You can always buy a Jabba's sail barge for $86 on Amazon and return it at a Lego Store for a AT-AT, basically spending $86 for an AT-AT.
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- Knight
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:16 am
- Location: boston
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
So the Sail Barge is a good example. Last year it was on sale pre-holidays at Toys R US for around $65, that's when I picked it up. I was hoping for something like that this season on the AT-AT so I've been holding out. I missed the one day it went on sale at Amazon.
If I was going to pull one of the exchange tricks at Lego which I've done a few times to be honest (but you really can't abuse it because they track your returns), I would have done it recently when I found a stack of Sail Barges for $49 at Walmart, but I didn't feel like dealing with it, I'm not a reseller. Ended up getting Cragger's Command Ship and the Star Wars At-TE for about 50% off though. That night and the whole Walmart Star Wars Rebels Ghost fiasco for $20 were the only luck I've had in quite a while.
If I was going to pull one of the exchange tricks at Lego which I've done a few times to be honest (but you really can't abuse it because they track your returns), I would have done it recently when I found a stack of Sail Barges for $49 at Walmart, but I didn't feel like dealing with it, I'm not a reseller. Ended up getting Cragger's Command Ship and the Star Wars At-TE for about 50% off though. That night and the whole Walmart Star Wars Rebels Ghost fiasco for $20 were the only luck I've had in quite a while.
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- Noble Citizen
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:27 pm
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
At least that's better than Canada, all our sales are under 20% off minus the AT-AT.
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
I haven't bought any LEGO in a long time let alone this season. My last purchase was in Sept when I picked up the Mr Burns minifig. (going to give my brother all the Simpsons minifigs) I was hoping to end the dry spell, but I don't see any great buys.
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- Knight
- Posts: 376
- Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:08 am
- Location: SC, US
Re: What is up with Lego sales this season?
Lego is perennially popular. Then they went and made a movie, and that movie happened to be really really good. 1 + 1 = 0 sales.
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