No More Brickshelf?

[Mr. Lego-builder]

First heard on Lugnet:

The instruction and catalog scans have been removed. Kevin posted the following:

"Due to the loss of our major sponsor, Instruction and Catalog scans are no longer available at Brickshelf.com. We are working to find them a new home. When we do, we will post a link here. We apologize for any inconvenience."

I also see there is a message asking users to transfer their files to maj.com.

Kevin (or anyone), can you give us some more information? Is Brickshelf going

away immediately? If so, what timetable do we have before our galleries disappear?

When I heard this, I immediately went on the Brickshelf website. Here's what I found:

Below the Brickshelf logo:"All users are encouraged to migrate their files to maj.com"

And at the intruction scans portal:No more scans! (Loss of sponser?)

----------------------------------

What does this mean for Brickshelf? Is it going away for sure? I don't have any Brickshelf files, but I know many people who do, many of which who post in the Eurobricks forum. First Mocpages.com and now Brickshelf.com? I can feel the end of the ability to share MOCs. (But fortunately we still have this forum.)

PLEASE POST IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO!

[gylman]

Prediction:

The Lego Company will sponsor brickshelf. TLC is already working with brickshelf, impliciitly or explicity I don't know, given the copyright issues.

My impression is that TLC Is much more attuned to AFOLs now than they were a few years ago, and for the chump change it would cost them to support brickshelf, the good will would be enormous.

Gyl

[Mr. Lego-builder]

Good prediction.

TLC should work more closely with AFOLs, having the color incident happen a few years back. :/

[The Middleman]

A TRAGEDY! WHAT'LL HAPPEN TO ALL MY PICTURES!? :'(

Oh.

Oh wait...

I use Photobucket. :-D

[Mr. Lego-builder]

What is your Brickshelf Username, Bloody Jay? All this time has past and I still don't know where everyone's pictures are stored on Brickshelf. It's sad, I know.

[The Middleman]

What is your Brickshelf Username, Bloody Jay? All this time has past and I still don't know where everyone's pictures are stored on Brickshelf. It's sad, I know.

See above. I use Photobucket. I can, however, link you to my Photobucket account.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v351/bloodphoenix9/

[snefroe]

this is disturbing news. i was just going to open a brickshelf account to post some pics of the lunchbox... perhaps i'll post those here instead...

i've always thought that lego has an excellent catalogue of reference websites, where you can practically find everything about lego. Brickshelf has always been a flagship among those... one of the very best, even of vital importance to the community. I do hope that they will be able to arrange something with TLC. by the way, this is not just about afols... everybody uses brickshelf for all sorts of reasons...

in the end i hope it all sounds worse than it is in reality...

[Jipay]

Well you would be amazed on how much lego is ignorant about fan websites :|

[snefroe]

yes i know... it's almost impossible to believe, but very often it seems tlc doesn't care...

might that be a difference with American companies? i very often have the impression that American companies are more open to new things, like the internet,...

[Jipay]

Well it's more a problem of people who are taking care of this matter in the company 8-| *twisted*

[WesternOutlaw]

Profit/market share seems to drive most companies (I think this true regardless of the country of origin). Lego use to have higher standards but this has really diminished in the last few years (maybe since they've had financial difficulty) and with the company's size and product diversity, it may be getting more difficult for them to manage.

But agree with Jipay, it's those responsible for listening to the customers. I remember reading in one of the last Lego surveys, the question, "what can we do to get more $ out of our sets"? This is really a sad statement and relay's the priorities of the company - to make money, not to really find out what their customers want.

[Mr. Lego-builder]

Having missed the survey, how surpirsed I am that TLC would ask such a question. Having read this, I have doubts about TLC's future. Just when I thought they were actually improving, they drop to their lowest point yet... :(

[gylman]

Profit/market share seems to drive most companies (I think this true regardless of the country of origin).  Lego use to have higher standards but this has really diminished in the last few years (maybe since they've had financial difficulty) and with the company's size and product diversity, it may be getting more difficult for them to manage.

But agree with Jipay, it's those responsible for listening to the customers.  I remember reading in one of the last Lego surveys, the question, "what can we do to get more $ out of our sets"?  This is really a sad statement and relay's the priorities of the company - to make money, not to really find out what their customers want.

Bah! Lego needs to make money just like any other company. If they go out of business we are all out of luck. They were asking what would it take for us to willingly pay more for the sets.

I want TLC to be profitable.

If you go to legofan.org, and bricksinmypocket (google it), you will see that TLC is waking up to the fan base. It's slow, but it's definitely there. Very different from 5 years ago.

I am not so pessimistic about the future of TLC. Their main problem is making a high end product in a world where nearly everything has become a commodity.

[Mr. Lego-builder]

Yes. It's these problems and more, along with its competitors (mainly MEGA BLOKS) producing products with horrid quality, having them cost less, and therefore having it drain away LEGO's profits like a leech, when in reality, LEGO is the superb company and more people should realize this. I always say: Quality over quanity. And MEGA BLOKS against LEGO is a perfect example.

[snefroe]

i'm not questioning TLC's nature as a company; my point is that it's simply not accepteble that even designers of lego models have never heard of any lego fanside. it's not about policy/attitude of the communications/marketing department, it's about the fact that people of the company who are doing exactly the same thing we do, don't seem to care what we think of their models. those people are not communicating with us directly, even tho there are many channels to do so...

to me, it's also not acceptable that TLC hasn't even volanteered to take over the brickshelf scan department (as far as i know, anyway)... that would be a great gesture to the community, and it wouldn't cripple their budget.

guys, could we by the way, keep this thread more or less limited to websites and TLC? i mean, we've got lots of other threads on TLC as a company... no need to repeat that here again... i do apologize if i was the first to go off topic here ...

[Jipay]

I think TLC is having troubles with fans. Most of the people at TLC are aware of Lugnet. The designers in charge of the Lego line never heard of fbtb. We are lucky enough, because they heard about Eurobricks many times because of "leaks". But they still dunno how to use their fanbase. Legofan is a perfect example : no news, only news about train sets (that are all base don Jake's models). I think they could have done so much more than this. So many website are doing a better job without being payed for it.

In one way, we promote Lego, but we never get any single little thing. lego seems to care only about 'real' events. I don't think they like virtual things.

[Norro]

I think TLC is having troubles with fans. Most of the people at TLC are aware of Lugnet. The designers in charge of the Lego line never heard of fbtb. We are lucky enough, because they heard about Eurobricks many times because of "leaks". But they still dunno how to use their fanbase. Legofan is a perfect example : no news, only news about train sets (that are all base don Jake's models). I think they could have done so much more than this. So many website are doing a better job without being payed for it.

In one way, we promote Lego, but we never get any single little thing. lego seems to care only about 'real' events. I don't think they like virtual things.

Personnaly I would say lego should support brickshelf... and for fianancial reasons... I've introduced a lot of people to lego through my folder and I'm sure many others have done the same...

God Bless,

Nathan

[snefroe]

there must be something wrong with us as well... i mean, TLC only had 60 candidates for the ambassador program. that's not much, is it?

i think they would have better communication with us if they would actualy post messages on a regular basis on the main websites; i think a lego rep. could easily answer quite a lot of our questions on all sorts of lego related subjects... still... Jake and jan beyer are they only guys who seem to post on lugnet from time to time... and normally they don't really discuss things, they just announce the latest decision...

conclusion: there's a real communications problem between us and TLC, even tho we've got an ideal instrument to talk: the internet

[jonfett]

I really hope Birkchslef don't shut down.. it really would be dreadful for everyone in the Lego community who love to share pictures. If it does happen though I will probably upload all my pictures to Moc pages.com

Jon.

[Mr. Lego-builder]

Um...Jon, Mocpages has already shut down. It has been down for about 2 1/2 months now....

[WesternOutlaw]

Bah! Lego needs to make money just like any other company. If they go out of business we are all out of luck. They were asking what would it take for us to willingly pay more for the sets.

I want TLC to be profitable.

If you go to legofan.org, and bricksinmypocket (google it), you will see that TLC is waking up to the fan base. It's slow, but it's definitely there. Very different from 5 years ago.

I am not so pessimistic about the future of TLC. Their main problem is making a high end product in a world where nearly everything has become a commodity.

I'm not saying I don't want them to be profitable. No company could survive without financial profit. My point is that Lego needs to LISTEN to its fans to find out what they could do better vs. just driving up the price to make more profit. The old Lego philosophy stated that building a quality product would bring more customers, not making more money off each set they sell (this sounds like something Megablocks would practice). Low Manufacturing $ + Higher Sales Price = More Profit (quality and customer satisfaction are low priority in this equation.

I don't want to get on the soap box, but I think the Star Wars models are a good example of trying to get more and more money out of sets. How many kids/parents want to spend $300 for a Lego set. I'm sorry but I don't care how nice the model, sets over $100 are steep in my book and I've only bought a few as an AFOL.

Based on the rising number of AFOL, numerous web sites, conventions, clubs, and new web forums, LEGO needs to do a better job at learning about customers like us, what WE want in sets, and how can they support fans like us. We're all sold on Lego, if we weren't, we would not spend our time on Forums such as this, but Lego needs to learn about us and these web sites. If not, they will continue making bad business decisions that have terrible financial consequences. One of the worst mistakes any business can make is not knowing their customers.

In the last two years, I haven't seen a big difference. And Lego needs to definately recognize fan sites such as this, Brickshelf, and many others. This is the best FREE advertising for a company. It's time they realize this.

[gylman]

I'm not saying I don't want them to be profitable. No company could survive without financial profit. My point is that Lego needs to LISTEN to its fans to find out what they could do better vs. just driving up the price to make more profit. The old Lego philosophy stated that building a quality product would bring more customers, not making more money off each set they sell (this sounds like something Megablocks would practice). Low Manufacturing $ + Higher Sales Price = More Profit (quality and customer satisfaction are low priority in this equation.

I don't want to get on the soap box, but I think the Star Wars models are a good example of trying to get more and more money out of sets. How many kids/parents want to spend $300 for a Lego set. I'm sorry but I don't care how nice the model, sets over $100 are steep in my book and I've only bought a few as an AFOL.

Based on the rising number of AFOL, numerous web sites, conventions, clubs, and new web forums, LEGO needs to do a better job at learning about customers like us, what WE want in sets, and how can they support fans like us. We're all sold on Lego, if we weren't, we would not spend our time on Forums such as this, but Lego needs to learn about us and these web sites. If not, they will continue making bad business decisions that have terrible financial consequences. One of the worst mistakes any business can make is not knowing their customers.

I am not sure AFOLs are the best judge of what keeps TLC going.

The best example may be Bionicle. 99% of AFOLs hated it on sight, myself included. 95% of AFOLs still hate it (myself NOT included - I rather learned to like it, and my kids are mad about it).

Yet, I understand it is their single biggest money maker.

I don't believe the people at TLC are idiots. I believe they were a bit insulated from their fan base, but are correcting that - legofan.org, and the work of Jake McKee (did I get his last name right?) being good examples.

What percent of lego sales go to adults? Probably FAR FAR less than those that go to kids. Otherwise Jack Stone would be 6 feet under by now. Yet he lives on, curse his <insert that tiresome argument> heart.

Personally, I would rather pay $100 for a great set than buy buckets of bricks. I just finished building the Airtech Claw Rig again. OMG what an amazing model. The people who made this are pure geniuses. I would pay $150 for something as complex and functional as that in an instant.

Personally, I have no use for Star Wars and Harry Potter sets except as part packs.

So, AFOLs are not a monolithic mass of buyers who all like the same stuff.

Anyway, this is an old debate. I see it in every single Lego forum. I just hope people from TLC are reading these forums and come up with a balance that keeps all of us happy and Lego profitable.

Gyl

[jonfett]

Um...Jon, Mocpages has already shut down. It has been down for about 2 1/2 months now....

Really? Where have I been? *wacko*

Jon.

[xwingyoda]

Can someone explain why do we have to migrate our mocs folders to Maj.com ?????

I went there and its exactly looking like brickshelf, your user name is the same - you only have to migrate pics !!!!!!

This is weird !!!!!! oh well, i'll migrate it anyway.

[Jipay]

there must be something wrong with us as well... i mean, TLC only had 60 candidates for the ambassador program. that's not much, is it?

i think they would have better communication with us if they would actualy post messages on a regular basis on the main websites; i think a lego rep. could easily answer quite a lot of our questions on all sorts of lego related subjects... still... Jake and jan beyer are they only guys who seem to post on lugnet from time to time... and normally they don't really discuss things, they just announce the latest decision...

conclusion: there's a real communications problem between us and TLC, even tho we've got an ideal instrument to talk: the internet

People didn't apply because basically it was offering your time and efforts to Lego without getting anything in return ! I dunno who is the megablock that told them that the Information on the market on the Internet was free, but they should really rethink their logic there.

And also people knew that this program would be a huge flop. Have you heard about any ambassador ? naahh :|

Honestly, we are not the problem, we want so much to do things with Lego, but it's their job to control and find solutions to communicate with us. Honestly, we (fan webmasters) already do much more than what should do for our passion. And lego seems to find this legitimate. *sing*