Thanks for the words of encouragement Mak-K, i will call my local Toys R Us up. Whats the harm if they have them i will know if not oh well, at least I'm lucky enough to have some.

Nope, called both and as soon as i got to "Do you have any Lego min-" the answer was "no sorry out of stock"

Edited July 1, 201014 yr by MrTools

So just to put these ridiculous statements to rest o scanned the barcode are Walmart and it came up invalid.

At target it surprisingly came up and was listed as lego minifigure for $1.99 but for the aisle it said N/A and in stockroom: No

So not sure what to think of that.

It appears that The Netherlands got their share too since I found these minifigs in 2 Intertoys stores yesterday so my guess is that all of their stores got supplied to some extend. Could not prevent hoarding a few more of series 1.

I sent an E-Mail to Lego asking about the availability of series 2, and a got a reassuring answer.

  Quote

It's great to hear that you're so fond of our new collectable Minifigures line. I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that the first series of Minifigures was way more popular than we had imagined. They sold out very quickly almost everywhere - we were blown away. Since Series 2 is already in production, there's no way we can garantee that they'll be more widely available, though I sure hope so as it would make things alot easier on our fans. At the very least, we should be able to apply the lessons learned from the first release of this new type of product to ensure a better and fairer distribution so that fans like you will have a better shot at completing their collections. Series 2 will be available at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, and of course LEGO Shop At Home and LEGO Brand Retail stores.

It seems that there may still be a limited amount though not as bad as the first wave. However they will be available in more stores. By the looks of things series three will be very easy to get.

If only I wanted figs from series 2 as much as I want the figs from series 1. There's no fig in series 2 that's really interesting for my intentions.

I just wish my retailer is somehow immune to shortage and somehow manages to have them in October when they order the 2010 stuff o_O.

I know what you mean, series 1 had really good ones in it that i didn't get, while series 2 just has good ones, nothing worth too much fuss. (excluding the roman)

In Canada Mastermind Toys still have Series 1 online. I found a shelf-full at their local store yesterday. They weren't there the previous week. They are limiting 6 online or in-store purchases.

  On 7/3/2010 at 4:18 PM, MrTools said:

I sent an E-Mail to Lego asking about the availability of series 2, and a got a reassuring answer.

Thanks so much for finding that out! You just made my life a lot less stressful. I'm glad that Walmarts and Targets will have them. Perhaps this means more will be sent to the US?

  On 7/3/2010 at 6:05 PM, Inconspicuous said:

Thanks so much for finding that out! You just made my life a lot less stressful. I'm glad that Walmarts and Targets will have them. Perhaps this means more will be sent to the US?

That seems like a lot to take out of "a reassuring answer. I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, or you will be disappointed...

  On 7/1/2010 at 1:43 PM, grogall said:

Well,I just happened to be at my local Woolworth today and they usually have a sad selection of Lego.but as far as Minifigures are concerned.... Judge for your self!

>SNIP<

Woolworths is open?! It shut down last year I thought, unless you're outside the UK.

The new figures look great. The Spartan and Surfer are the best in the line IMO, but the extra head with the Pantomimer are neat too.

I can only dream what Series 3 will bring!

Edited July 3, 201014 yr by Jammiedodger714

Well I'm just hopeful that i will be able to find them somewhere other than the Lego store since it an hour drive. But i have a good feeling the availability problem will be fixed b series 3.

  On 7/3/2010 at 6:40 PM, darthperson said:

That seems like a lot to take out of "a reassuring answer. I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, or you will be disappointed...

I realize they'll still be tough to get, but there aren't many Toys R Us or Lego stores around me, so Targets and Walmarts are at least another possibility. Regardless of how much stock is released here, I think it will be easier.

Also still available at Toys R Us and Argos in Newtownabbey (Belfast) in Northern Ireland. At the checkouts in both.

Does anyone know when series 3 will be released? I can see them being released around Christmas time or with the January sets. Or maybe they will even wait until the spring...

I would imagine we would get some pictures/info within the next month or so...

  On 7/3/2010 at 9:26 PM, darthperson said:

Does anyone know when series 3 will be released? I can see them being released around Christmas time or with the January sets. Or maybe they will even wait until the spring...

I would imagine we would get some pictures/info within the next month or so...

No idea when series 3 can be expected. Fact is that - at this time - there are no pictures around and no rumours about the type of figs that are part of that series. Production of series 1 was completed at the end of March while series 2 was done at the end of May. Based on that schedule, series 3 should be in preparation right now but I have not seen nor heard any news about that. It was only mentioned that there will be a series 3. Maybe we can expect a third series at the end of this year. Just keep on checking the news on eurobricks and brickset and go from there.

I think it is quite weird that the Americans are complaining about the lack of figs while the Europeans still have no problems acquiring them. They are admittedly quite easy to find while I thought that The Netherlands would not even get them (they were not announced in the January catalogue while they actually were advertised in the German catalogue). I found a bunch of them in my home town yesterday when I was cycling around to do some shopping. They were available at 2 toy stores (Intertoys and Bart Smit) and the Blokker store has them too.

I suspect that the shortage in the US is due to a number of factors:

1.Many retailers electing not to stock the figs (due to the idea being unproven and the retailers not wanting unsold stock)

2.TLG deciding not to import large quantities into the US (again due to the idea being unproven and previous reluctance of retailers to stock fig packs, impulse sets, advent calendars etc)

3.Retailers like TRU that ARE stocking the figs being unable to get supplies in fast enough

And also 4.The fact that people in the US are buying whole boxes (either for themselves to ensure they get the ones they want or to resell on Bricklink one by one or as a sealed box).

The fact that LEGO (Shop @ Home and LEGO stores) had a quantity limit whilst TRU (the only major LEGO retailer to actually carry them IIRC) did not meant that they sold out even faster at TRU.

If Series 2 is available from more retailers (Wal-Mart, Target etc) and if TLG both produces more supply and allocates more of that supply to the American market, some of these problems wont happen.

Retailers limiting the number you can buy at any one time would also help stop the scalpers. Although I cant see the likes of TRU, Target or Wal-Mart limiting the quantity.

Unfortunatly series 2 release is so close upon series 1 that I don't think it will be that much different in availability or quantity. I'm prtyy sure tha series 2 is already manufactured and just waiting to be distributed. Series 3 on the other hand...

  On 7/4/2010 at 2:51 PM, jonwil said:

I suspect that the shortage in the US is due to a number of factors:

1.Many retailers electing not to stock the figs (due to the idea being unproven and the retailers not wanting unsold stock)

2.TLG deciding not to import large quantities into the US (again due to the idea being unproven and previous reluctance of retailers to stock fig packs, impulse sets, advent calendars etc)

3.Retailers like TRU that ARE stocking the figs being unable to get supplies in fast enough

And also 4.The fact that people in the US are buying whole boxes (either for themselves to ensure they get the ones they want or to resell on Bricklink one by one or as a sealed box).

The fact that LEGO (Shop @ Home and LEGO stores) had a quantity limit whilst TRU (the only major LEGO retailer to actually carry them IIRC) did not meant that they sold out even faster at TRU.

If Series 2 is available from more retailers (Wal-Mart, Target etc) and if TLG both produces more supply and allocates more of that supply to the American market, some of these problems wont happen.

Retailers limiting the number you can buy at any one time would also help stop the scalpers. Although I cant see the likes of TRU, Target or Wal-Mart limiting the quantity.

You could be right there.

Do not expect retailers to limit the number you can buy. America has a liberty-based trading policy and limiting numbers i.e. a refusal to sell things to a customer will not be accepted (imagine children and parents getting quite angry) and these people will most likely never return to the store ever again. Furthermore, it will be hard to pull off to begin with and the staff at the store can not execute such a measure as it will result in a lot of bad things happening on the spot and other customers being affected by people starting arguments about $2 a piece merchandise.

It's unfortunate but I don't think there will be any changes for series 2. I'm not sure that the US received a smaller share of figures per capita either. When you consider that US buyers pay considerably less for these figs, purchasing a box or two on impulse is considerably easier than it might be in Europe. Americans earn more and pay less for things than almost anybody else in the developed world so it only makes sense that these things might sell like hotcakes there. With items that are limited in availabilty great pricing can actually make them even more difficult to nab.

Demand far outweighed supply in the US. Apparently that isn't the case elsewhere.

I never got my hands on the first minifig series, because of 2 reasons

1. I finally heard they came out about 3 weeks ago.

2. Never got the time to buy a set.

So I think on the second and third time around I better get a set as soon as they come out. Best theme so far this year.

  On 7/4/2010 at 4:12 PM, jamtf said:

You could be right there.

Do not expect retailers to limit the number you can buy. America has a liberty-based trading policy and limiting numbers i.e. a refusal to sell things to a customer will not be accepted (imagine children and parents getting quite angry) and these people will most likely never return to the store ever again. Furthermore, it will be hard to pull off to begin with and the staff at the store can not execute such a measure as it will result in a lot of bad things happening on the spot and other customers being affected by people starting arguments about $2 a piece merchandise.

Though I do remember at least a report of limiting series 1 buys per costumer in an American store in this same thread, it should be somewhere in the 1000 pages that came before this one.

  On 7/4/2010 at 4:12 PM, jamtf said:

You could be right there.

Do not expect retailers to limit the number you can buy. America has a liberty-based trading policy and limiting numbers i.e. a refusal to sell things to a customer will not be accepted (imagine children and parents getting quite angry) and these people will most likely never return to the store ever again. Furthermore, it will be hard to pull off to begin with and the staff at the store can not execute such a measure as it will result in a lot of bad things happening on the spot and other customers being affected by people starting arguments about $2 a piece merchandise.

At first TRU didn't place a limit but towards the end they were imposing a 5 per person limit like LEGO stores were and the online site was(which opened the limit at the end.)

Making things hard to get, is part of the marketing strategy! (Think of Apple and the iPhone 4 or iPad)

And it usually proves to be very successful.

I'm not sure if series 2 will be easer to get then series one.

I have also heard that the Minifigure® series was not such a big hit at the New York toy show

and that American retailers didn't order as strongly as European retailers.

I'm sure that TLG decided to supply Europe with more stock for this reason and that it will only get better when series 3

is released. which i'm sure will not happen until sometime in the spring of next year!

but we should hear or see pictures before the end of the year.....

Edited July 4, 201014 yr by grogall

  On 7/4/2010 at 4:50 PM, Asterios said:

At first TRU didn't place a limit but towards the end they were imposing a 5 per person limit like LEGO stores were and the online site was(which opened the limit at the end.)

false. as late as last week's BOGO 50% off sale, TRU still weren't limiting anyone to 5 per person. maybe where you live they were doing so but i kinda find that hard to believe seeing how you were the one claiming wallys and targets to also carry them hence do not think a shortage is at hand. if there were no shortages, why limit the few buyers that actually want them... duh.

Once again, I'd like to remind people that there are opportunities to buy the Series 1 figures in US stores that aren't Toys 'R' Us, Target, Walmart or any other huge retail chain. From my personal experience, aside from my local Toys 'R' Us, I know of two different small, operator-owned stores near me that carry them, and at least one of them appears to keep them in stock quite a bit longer than TRU (the other may as well; I'm not sure).

  On 7/4/2010 at 5:40 PM, grogall said:

Making things hard to get, is part of the marketing strategy! (Think of Apple and the iPhone 4 or iPad)

And it usually proves to be very successful.

I don't think this was part of an intentional marketing strategy; I think LEGO just really didn't anticipate how phenomenally well these would do. I suspect Walmart and Target and other major retailers didn't either, and for that very reason didn't order many if any; that fits the lack of availability at those stores. I'm sure LEGO would love to have known of the demand for these; they'd probably have produced longer runs, so they could sell more.

  On 7/4/2010 at 5:40 PM, grogall said:

I'm not sure if series 2 will be easer to get then series one.

I have also heard that the Minifigure® series was not such a big hit at the New York toy show

and that American retailers didn't order as strongly as European retailers.

I'm sure that TLG decided to supply Europe with more stock for this reason and that it will only get better when series 3

is released. which i'm sure will not happen until sometime in the spring of next year!

but we should hear or see pictures before the end of the year.....

That makes sense. I do think they'll ramp up production on later series, so anything from Series 3 on should be much easier to get hold of in the US (and remain widely available in Europe).

Edited July 4, 201014 yr by Blondie-Wan