Do the people in Lego marketing department knows how to do maths?

[jawa]

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Leaf.aspx?cn=473&d=70

troll war ship 49.99---- 493 pieces

dwarves mine 39.99 ----575 pieces

I don't know if the troll war ship has a bigger box or what but whatever it is it is not worth the extra 10GBP compared to the DM.

Seriously, fewer pieces and higher prices? come on Lego.

[Siegfried]

It's not that simple. The boat hulls are pretty big, there are sails and two small boats.

[Deinonychus]

It's not that simple. The boat hulls are pretty big, there are sails and two small boats.

There also seems to be quite a few small pieces in the Mine, so that also adds to the seeming disparity.

Then again, we have to remember that every fandom has a default setting that "Company X" is always trying to rip "X Fans" off

[The Cobra]

Sinner is right, but Jawa is right too.

1) If TLCMD people were good on maths, European residents wouldn't have to pay 50% more than U.S. residents.

2) Troll ship costs in the U.K. 25% more than Dwarves mine, right? Check €uro prices on Lego Shop. They are 50 and 70 €uros. That means, Troll ship costs 40% more than Dwarves mine.

[jawa]

Sinner is right, but Jawa is right too.

1) If TLCMD people were good on maths, European residents wouldn't have to pay 50% more than U.S. residents.

2) Troll ship costs in the U.K. 25% more than Dwarves mine, right? Check €uro prices on Lego Shop. They are 50 and 70 €uros. That means, Troll ship costs 40% more than Dwarves mine.

more likely 100%. Look at the imperial landing craft and obiwan jedi SF with hyper ring.

so ridiculous. I mean, Lego originates from Europe, how come now the Europeans are the ones getting ripped off, with the Americans ripping all the benefits?

[larry marak]

more likely 100%. Look at the imperial landing craft and obiwan jedi SF with hyper ring.

so ridiculous. I mean, Lego originates from Europe, how come now the Europeans are the ones getting ripped off, with the Americans ripping all the benefits?

It is incredibly unfair. Maybe its competition for the buyer's dollar...Over in California Lego sit on the shelves next to Megablocks, Best Lock, Knex Bricks, and Revell's new fangled sets that are competing with mindstorms and bionicle.

[Big Pete]

seriously ... how many times must we have this discussion?!?!

Set pricing comparing just on pieces is not really relevant because it does not take into account the size of the pieces, or the cost of production of the pieces

Set pricing comparing one geographic region to another (most specifically Europe vs USA) is EXTREMELY complex subject and not just as simple as comparing it 1 to 1 based on exhange rates.

If you want to read more, just do a search ... :-)

[jawa]

seriously ... how many times must we have this discussion?!?!

as many a time as necessary until the people at LEGO starts to take action with regard to the Europe/US price discrepancy

what would the americans think if one day an american originated product is being sold at a higher pprice in US comparing to the rest of the world?

[Hinckley]

more likely 100%. Look at the imperial landing craft and obiwan jedi SF with hyper ring.

so ridiculous. I mean, Lego originates from Europe, how come now the Europeans are the ones getting ripped off, with the Americans ripping all the benefits?

The term is reaping the benefits.

I'm with Big Pete...

[goggleson]

It is incredibly unfair. Maybe its competition for the buyer's dollar...Over in California Lego sit on the shelves next to Megablocks, Best Lock, Knex Bricks, and Revell's new fangled sets that are competing with mindstorms and bionicle.

Megablocks on :-/

[Deinonychus]

as many a time as necessary until the people at LEGO starts to take action with regard to the Europe/US price discrepancy

what would the americans think if one day an american originated product is being sold at a higher pprice in US comparing to the rest of the world?

Yeah, that's a great idea...LEGO should take the financial hit because the European economy is garbage. I think if you don't really understand the ins and outs of international pricing and trade then you shouldn't really keep complaining so consistently until you have a little more knowledge.

As to what we'd do if one of our home-grown products was cheaper overseas...well we'd invade and take it back for free...so there

[Big Pete]

Yeah, that's a great idea...LEGO should take the financial hit because the European economy is garbage. I think if you don't really understand the ins and outs of international pricing and trade then you shouldn't really keep complaining so consistently until you have a little more knowledge.

not wishing to start an economic argument here, but if it weren't for European loans to the US, then the USA would be in an even worse situation than it is now ... not to mention the fact that the US's previous stance on money lending and the subsequent debt crisis which is impacting the world ;-)

At the end of the day, if a European is *that* bothered about high prices compared to other places, then they should just either wait for a sale (like I do) or buy goods in the USA and have them shipped over, because even with Import Duty and VAT, it may still be cheaper. If they just sit there and whinge, then more fool them for being a lazy megablocks ...

[blueandwhite]

Yeah, that's a great idea...LEGO should take the financial hit because the European economy is garbage. I think if you don't really understand the ins and outs of international pricing and trade then you shouldn't really keep complaining so consistently until you have a little more knowledge.

As to what we'd do if one of our home-grown products was cheaper overseas...well we'd invade and take it back for free...so there

Actually, the US economy isn't exactly flying high right now, which of course has adverse effects on all of it's trade partners. From what little I know about the economy, aren't most economists predicting a major worldwide recession within the next five years? Market pricing and economic well-being don't necessarily go hand in hand. Alot of the time the best deals come on the doorsetps of a recession as businesses desparately try and stimulate buyer interest.

The US has traditionally had better pricing than other markets. European pricing isn't unusually high. American pricing is simply better than anywhere else in the world (on most goods). Whether this continues for the next 20+ years will be anyone's guess. Given that some companies can't find a way to turn a profit in the US, I wouldn't be surprised if US pricing gradually climbs as the US economy gives way to emerging financial superpowers like China and India.

As for set pricing, different pieces are priced differently. Heck, LEGO pricing doesn't even translate on a set by set basis between regions. At the end of the day, LEGO will always charge what they think you and me as consumers are willing to pay. Americans who have come to expect lower prices would probably scoff at paying prices that non-Americans begrudgingly accept. I don't think that there's anything more to it.

[jawa]

Yeah, that's a great idea...LEGO should take the financial hit because the European economy is garbage. I think if you don't really understand the ins and outs of international pricing and trade then you shouldn't really keep complaining so consistently until you have a little more knowledge.

I don't really understand international pricing and should not complain?

so.................what do YOU know about international pricing and trade?

or, is that what you know about international trade?

As to what we'd do if one of our home-grown products was cheaper overseas...well we'd invade and take it back for free...so there

[Deinonychus]

Can't argue with any of that. I pretty much used the term "garbage" just to press home my point. ;-)

That does make me wonder though...if the worldwide economy takes a general downturn, will LEGO have to drastically cut back on production through less new sets or lower numbers of units per set...or will they raise prices to cover costs sothat everyone feels the pinch? 8-|

[Deinonychus]

or, is that what you know about international trade?

As to what we'd do if one of our home-grown products was cheaper overseas...well we'd invade and take it back for free...so there

Well of course. I'm a brutish ham-fisted American, and as an American I'm predisposed to solve all of my problems with military might and economic conquest. LEGO sells us sets cheaper because they know that if they don't we'll turn Billund into a parking lot. Then there will be nobody to complain when we steal the patent on all their parts and start producing USAGO sets which we will then export around the world at increased prices. >:-)

[Big Pete]

Can't argue with any of that. I pretty much used the term "garbage" just to press home my point. ;-)

That does make me wonder though...if the worldwide economy takes a general downturn, will LEGO have to drastically cut back on production through less new sets or lower numbers of units per set...or will they raise prices to cover costs sothat everyone feels the pinch? 8-|

I would think that like most manufacturers, increased costs will be passed onto the consumer ... until such time the consumer decides they can no longer afford it and stops buying the product. Should that happen in the large majority of cases, then the parent company will be forced to find cheaper suppliers or cut back on production and/or overheads. If they can't do that, then they'll most probably go bust ... survival of the fittest and all that.

[jawa]

Well of course. I'm a brutish ham-fisted American, and as an American I'm predisposed to solve all of my problems with military might and economic conquest. LEGO sells us sets cheaper because they know that if they don't we'll turn Billund into a parking lot. Then there will be nobody to complain when we steal the patent on all their parts and start producing USAGO sets which we will then export around the world at increased prices. >:-)

I see, so this is what the great-international-pricing-and-trade-knowledge is about----ham fisted american and military might.

surprisingly true though

[Siegfried]

This conversation is tiresome... and it has been done many times before. Honestly, as an Australian I don't like it either, but it is not just a simple matter of comparing prices and exchange rates between countries. If you want Lego to listen, just don't buy their product. That is always the best way to make a company know that you don't like what they are doing. I personally have decided to buy less full price sets this year. But discussing the issue over and over achieves little... so I'm closing this.

[Hinckley]

jawa, I'd like to add I'd like to see you play nicer. This is a site about our favorite toy. No need to take things so seriously. Lighten up. Thanks. :-)