Lego CMF Series 18 disappearance too early...

[22kane]

We have a little less than a month to go for the new Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts CMF series but I find it odd that not only has Lego.com been "sold out" of series 18 but so are most big box retailers like Walmart & Target. Typically any time a new series comes out the previous series is still always available for some time and eventually even Lego.com will clearance them out. I've been collecting since series 1 and even though it's become easier to get each series now that they are widely distributed I can honestly say I have never seen a series like 18 sell as well as it has. Lego is usually backed up with old stock by the time a new series is only weeks away however stores like Walmart and Target have recently been getting shipments of the Lego Batman Movie series 2 CMF line. The only thing I can think of is that (1) Lego produced the typical amount of product but series 18 was so well received that it has sold out early (something that has not happened since maybe Disney?) or (2) Lego stopped production early to focus on getting ready for a huge demand for the upcoming Harry Potter CMF series. I am sure Lego is well aware of the demand for anything Harry Potter and the recent release of sets through Lego & Target should at least show them just how much of a demand there is for this line.

I just find it strange that a regular, non-licensed series has disappeared so quickly... any other thoughts? 

 

[MAB]

or (3) LEGO didn't produce as many or the stores near you didn't order as many as the regular sets don't sell so well.

 

Plus it is highly regional. In the UK many stores still have stocks and have needed to discount them to get rid of them.

[Stash2Sixx]

Yeah, there are plenty floating around by me in Chicagoland so...  And no one at LEGO will ever tell you the truth.  If they do, find out why they switched the green on 32x32 baseplates.  Thanks!

[22kane]

43 minutes ago, Stash2Sixx said:

Yeah, there are plenty floating around by me in Chicagoland so...  And no one at LEGO will ever tell you the truth.  If they do, find out why they switched the green on 32x32 baseplates.  Thanks!

That's interesting... I've searched half of Pennsylvania recently with little luck. I have never seen a series vanish so quickly like this (at least in PA).

[Anonknee Muss]

The Disney CMFs disappeared a bit quicker than other series but I think that’s to popular demand. Series 16 vanished very quickly, shame it was a nice series. There is two boxes of Series 18 in a local toy shop.

[koalayummies]

They've been nowhere to be found where I live for a while either. The two Lego stores say they haven't had them for weeks either. Despite some afol not liking the costumed minifigures they seem pretty popular among the target demographic. By comparison TRU was still putting out brand new boxes of Series 16 almost a year after their release, got to build a small Rogue platoon .

[toydad2]

I think there was too much backstock on ninjago and batman at Target and probably walmart to a lesser extent

They also like to keep stuff in the back and a common DPCI at target means they cant easily track sales. This leads to backstock and when they dont put stuff out on street dates, people look elsewhere and then they are stuck with old product

[AmperZand]

On 7/9/2018 at 11:23 AM, MAB said:

Plus it is highly regional. In the UK many stores still have stocks...

Indeed. Benthalls still has loads. I was at the Shepherds Bush/White City LEGO store a couple of weeks ago and they had lots too.

I suspect that the most popular ones from this series have all been sold. So what the stores still have may be the less sought after ones. That's just a suspicion though; I haven't checked.     

[Clone OPatra]

I'm sure it completely depends on a combination of region and luck of the draw. Where I live in Australia I see plenty of Ninjago Movie and Batman Series 2 hanging around and some shops still have Series 17 even, yet I don't see very much Series 18. Perhaps it was just an extremely popular one because the idea of costumed figs appeals to a wide variety of people while in other series some of the figures look appealing while others are either very niche or unappealing, which minimizes the regular consumer's desire to buy a blind bag.

[K_Tiger]

Just my personal observations:

The area Walmarts that I've checked have all restocked at least once. Despite what BrickLink and Target's own computers have said, I have yet to see the series there. TrU's then-impending closure meant that they also didn't get any. One of the area HEBs (regional supermarket chain) got a case, but both stores that carry toys are still sitting on multiple cases of TLNM wave. Also saw a case at Five Below, long after everyone else.

Edited July 12, 2018 by K_Tiger