Alldarker Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 The Lego Ambassador Mahjqa seems to have had contact with Steve Witt who has given an explaination (of sorts) for the sudden price raise. I checked into this today and reality is that they just listed the prices wrong initially. it wasn't meant to be a promotion, it was just a mistake. They now have the prices where they were supposed to be from the beginning. The reasons for the differences across borders are the same as they always are in that the cost of business in every country is drastically different from one another. I do agree that its a bummer the way it happened, but this is more inline with the way pricing works on every other set across the board. Linky Sorry, site is mostly in Dutch... My order status page is back in working order after I made a complaint to S@H about not being able to see any older orders than the most recent one... I can now see that my order for the 10188 DS is still at the original price of €299, so no problems there. What I am slightly irked about is the fact that S@H did make a change in my order of the discounted 7211 ISD, which I ordered when it was on back-order until the 22nd of October, but which will now be dispatched on the 24th of November! Quote
Doctor Sinister Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Just got back from LLW to see a scribbled 'phone note on the pad - apparently LEGO rang whilst I was out and confirmed the order I placed would be honoured at the price it was listed at the time. Dr. S. Quote
trooperdavinfelth Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 The Lego Ambassador Mahjqa seems to have had contact with Steve Witt who has given an explaination (of sorts) for the sudden price raise. Linky Sorry, site is mostly in Dutch... My order status page is back in working order after I made a complaint to S@H about not being able to see any older orders than the most recent one... I can now see that my order for the 10188 DS is still at the original price of €299, so no problems there. What I am slightly irked about is the fact that S@H did make a change in my order of the discounted 7211 ISD, which I ordered when it was on back-order until the 22nd of October, but which will now be dispatched on the 24th of November! Typical... Well, I expected this to happen but I'm not worrying too bad. I'll get the figures and be happy. Quote
Navy Trooper Fenson Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Wait a moment! Every catalogue has got a catalogue code, or? What is, when we put the catalogue code in the order? This could possible change the price. Quote
Fluyt Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 The Lego Ambassador Mahjqa seems to have had contact with Steve Witt who has given an explaination (of sorts) for the sudden price raise. Linky Sorry, site is mostly in Dutch... I really hoped they had finally gotten a better (but still way off) currency converter, I seriously don't believe this was a "mistake". With stuff like this (no or ,in worse cases, even negative currency conversion (as in: a set for more €'s than $'s, even though the $ is worth 1/3 less), and sudden price increase of 100€ (33% in this case) it's no wonder if sales in Europe suck when it comes to Lego. 300€ to 400$ was already unfair (but a hell of a lot better than other sets), but raising it to 400€ is just plain ridiculous. Quote
CopMike Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Hi all! It´s like Alldarker has quoted here from Mahjqa - Steve Witt has posted this on our ambassador forum: I checked into this today (7/7 - my remark) and reality is that they just listed the prices wrong initially. it wasn't meant to be a promotion, it was just a mistake. They now have the prices where they were supposed to be from the beginning. The reasons for the differences across borders are the same as they always are in that the cost of business in every country is drastically different from one another. They (TLG S@H - my remark) let me know that they would still honor any order made at the lower price and asked my advice on how to communicate it. I asked them to send a mail to all those who would retain the original price as they didn't deserve stress over our mistake. otherwise we're simply caught between a rock and a hard place. CopMike Quote
Klaus-Dieter Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) I really hoped they had finally gotten a better (but still way off) currency converter, I seriously don't believe this was a "mistake". With stuff like this (no or ,in worse cases, even negative currency conversion (as in: a set for more Edited July 8, 2008 by Klaus-Dieter Quote
Zzz Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 I really intended to buy it and I was happy it came for this price. I was looking forward for this since 10 years. That I didn't preorder it already, that I thought "oh well, I will get this for christmas, walk into the lego store and carry it out what is so much more fun than using lame internet" will keep me awake a few nights. I am not going to buy it anymore and I am not going to spend the 300€ on any other lego sets. I am strict with this cause you all cannot believe how pi..ed off I am about this. Whatever, life goes on. I will keep my eyes open when the Tantive IV comes out (if), but I don't think they're going to make the same exact mistake ever again. me out, still angry Quote
Klaus-Dieter Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) I really intended to buy it and I was happy it came for this price. I was looking forward for this since 10 years. That I didn't preorder it already, that I thought "oh well, I will get this for christmas, walk into the lego store and carry it out what is so much more fun than using lame internet" will keep me awake a few nights.I am not going to buy it anymore and I am not going to spend the 300 Edited July 8, 2008 by Klaus-Dieter Quote
Derek Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 (edited) Does this apply for the US too? I was considering buying it, but not if its more expensive. I'ma wiseass. Edited July 8, 2008 by darthperson8 Quote
CopMike Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Does this apply for the US too?I was considering buying it, but not if its more expensive. I'ma wiseass. I´m not sure what you mean - the price increase was euros and australian dollars etc - the price in the has been $399 from the start. No increase there.CopMike Quote
Svelte Posted July 9, 2008 Author Posted July 9, 2008 Yay for having a Eurobricks Ambassador! Thanks for letting us know what's going on, CopMike. I don't know if they'd email people though as they may not wish to draw attention to their mistake. They didn't do this with the Green Grocer Aus pricing mistake either, but I guess the difference there was that those sets weren't for preorders. It's such bad PR, TLC made the set of the year and had a lot of fans excited, but now they've put a sour taste in a lot of people's mouths by upping the price. Whether this will impact their sales remains to be seen. Quote
Morten Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 I am so happy to read all the post, about TLC being so unfair with this price thing. I called many times to LEGOdirect and they tolled me it was a PR thing, strange. Why did they not, like earlier PR things, write that it was a reduced price for a limited period? For once I thought that the price was fair compared to the US-price, but that was ofcourse not ment to be. Shame on you TLC shame on you!!! That has got to be the baddest way to treat good AFOL costomers, right? Morten Quote
Shadows Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Ok folks, seriously, it's time to reign in this price discussion. Yes, the price changed. Those of you who ordered early are going to be rewarded with a better price, but otherwise, the prices are consistent with standard LEGO pricing. The situation has been explained and is now being rehashed for no good reason. If you don't think it's fair, well, you don't think it's fair. Nothing you say here or anywhere else about the matter is going to change it. Welcome to the real world where things don't always cost what we hope they will. Go buy a tank of gas and complain about that, it'll get you just as far. If you think the US price is good enough, pay someone to ship it to you and see if you can save a few bucks, but remember that you may have to pay import duties to your government, the same kind that TLG has to pay every greedy government on the planet to do business. Suddenly, it isn't all about exchange rates anymore, and I'm sick of TLG being blamed for things that are out of their control. The point of this thread is to discuss the set itself, which does not include long rants about exchange rates and "unfairness", real or perceived. So let's get back to the original topic, ok? Quote
Hinckley Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Copmike has started a thread in the embassy in which the price can be discussed. Please continue discussion of the price there and leave this thread for the discussion of the set, if possible, please. Thank you. Quote
Karto Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Ok folks, seriously, it's time to reign in this price discussion.Yes, the price changed. Those of you who ordered early are going to be rewarded with a better price, but otherwise, the prices are consistent with standard LEGO pricing. The situation has been explained and is now being rehashed for no good reason. If you don't think it's fair, well, you don't think it's fair. Nothing you say here or anywhere else about the matter is going to change it. Welcome to the real world where things don't always cost what we hope they will. Go buy a tank of gas and complain about that, it'll get you just as far. If you think the US price is good enough, pay someone to ship it to you and see if you can save a few bucks, but remember that you may have to pay import duties to your government, the same kind that TLG has to pay every greedy government on the planet to do business. Suddenly, it isn't all about exchange rates anymore, and I'm sick of TLG being blamed for things that are out of their control. The point of this thread is to discuss the set itself, which does not include long rants about exchange rates and "unfairness", real or perceived. So let's get back to the original topic, ok? Just a little side note if I may: Denmark (Billund) is member of the European Union, and more importantly, from the Schengen zone. This means that there are no 'borders', no customs duties, no taxes at all. People and goods are free to move all over Europe excluding some countries such as the UK. The Czech republic, were you can find another major production plant (with 'cheap' production costs), is also part from the Schengen since 2007. Next to this, both countries are also member of the ERM II (European Exchange Rate Mechanism). This means that they are not currently member of the Eurozone, but their monetary system is linked to the Euro to avoid any changes in the rates. The exhange rates are fixed. If you take into account that shipping a parcel of 30kg across Europe costs less than 10 Euro for a major company such as TLG, without having to pay any duties or taxes to the country of destination, I might understand that people have some questions about TLG's price policy. I'm personally not against the pricing. TLG is a company and is there to make business. They know, for example, that the German market is by far the most important and the most 'interested' in Lego. Which explains easily that their prices are in some cases way higher as in mine (Belgium). But still, the price differences are a result of business choices ONLY and have nothing to do with third party costs. So it's totally in their control Quote
Zzz Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 .... well, but in germany there is 20% VAT, not so much in Belgium I guess... whatever, back to topic: did someone notice that the Stormtroopers on the group photo (everyone smile please) are not the new one from the dropship? Or am I wrong? And this shouldn't be a preliminary picture since we got th dropship in january already.. (sorry if this has been mentioned already, don't remember at least) back to topic / price battle in own topic ON! Quote
Karto Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 .... well, but in germany there is 20% VAT, not so much in Belgium I guess... Germany has 19% VAT, Belgium has 21%... So, yes some sets are way cheaper in Belgium while the VAT is even higher Quote
Svelte Posted July 10, 2008 Author Posted July 10, 2008 Steve Witt posted in an fbtb thread that C3P0's hands had been corrected, so we can all breathe easy that we won't receive freakish fleshy human hands as seen in the S@H pic... that would just be disturbing Quote
Ctrl+Alt+Esc Posted July 12, 2008 Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) Looks like someone got the Death Star early? http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=329042 (They are making it from scratch and doing a damn fine job) When it's done would this be able to count as a Review? Edited July 12, 2008 by Ctrl+Alt+Esc Quote
trooperdavinfelth Posted July 13, 2008 Posted July 13, 2008 Nah, not really. It doesen't have the new figs and new bricks and it doesen't have... It. But it's cool that someone is courageous enough to attempt this. How, I wonder. Are the instructions up? Or did he snag a booklet or two? Quote
I Scream Clone Posted July 13, 2008 Posted July 13, 2008 Nah, not really. It doesen't have the new figs and new bricks and it doesen't have... It. But it's cool that someone is courageous enough to attempt this. How, I wonder. Are the instructions up? Or did he snag a booklet or two? He's most likely studying all the pics on the net, and trying his best to replicate it. Looking good so far. Quote
trooperdavinfelth Posted July 13, 2008 Posted July 13, 2008 He's most likely studying all the pics on the net, and trying his best to replicate it.Looking good so far. Yeah, but that's certainly a magnamimous task alone. He doesen't need any close ups, really, of the structure in the center, seeing as it's an endless chasm without the elevator. Quote
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