LEGO Collectable Minifigures General Discussion

[Artanis I]

Hello everyone, just like to apologise to all for crossing the line with inappropriateness if you found my last post to be um... inappropriate. I'm not out to make enemies or score points by taking people down with cheap (or expensive) shots. I don't mind scoring points for making witty comments however. If you find them offensive or humiliating let me know. Obviously I do not believe Canada is a ninjanation, nor that anyone Canadian is a lesser person, nor that anyone with a difference of opinion to mine is necessarily a fool.

I'll apologise for bad behaviour, & express regret for mis-communication if they occur again. I won't stop attempting to make light of a situation with wit, and when you realise I'm not actually swiping at you, or anyone, you'll LOL instead.

And I'll try not to get carried away...

Now, back on topic: I've still only seen these figures in a shop on one occasion. They never returned nor did they appear in any of the other places that stock Lego. Go figure.

[Svelte]

Now, back on topic: I've still only seen these figures in a shop on one occasion. They never returned nor did they appear in any of the other places that stock Lego. Go figure.

Yet in the Australian catalogue, they list both Series 1 and Series 2 for a September release. Sounds like they're planning to reissue Series 1 here.

[lightningtiger]

We can not trust anything the Lego catalogues say, sets sometimes don't come out for months later, sets are printed that retailers can not buy in anymore. Only some Toyworld's down under at the moment have any minifigs left.

I feel that when TRU score their two City ans one SW exclusive they might be the first with these in August/September down under.

I'm a conformist! !

[Still Raindrop]

I hope they do reissue Series 1... I was hoping to pick up the cowboy and the spaceman, but, as I mentioned, the minifigures never even hit stores here in Colorado Springs. I went to the LEGO Store in Lakewood, but they had already sold out a week ago.

[Big Cam]

I got an email from thinkgeek.com. In stock for $3.99 each

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/3-7-years/d587/?cpg=135HT&link

[vexorian]

Can someone tell thinkgeek people about the barcodes ? :/

[Blondie-Wan]

It's quite possible they know about the barcodes already, but don't use them because it would be way too much additional effort and hassle, and therefore refrain from mentioning the barcodes in the FAQ for simplicity's sake.

For them to fulfill requests for specific figures would require that they:

• have someone go through all the baggies one-by-one and identify all the figures
  
• set up a way for customers to specify which minifigure they want (or create a separate listing for each of the sixteen, rather than a single "LEGO minifigure" listing)(yes, I see the "please specify" pulldown, but they'd also have to work out all the back-end stuff)
  
• tune their inventory tracking so it counts not just the total number of minifigs, but the total available of each of the sixteen different ones, and treat them all as separate products even though they all share the same SKU, catalog info, etc.
  
• deal with the different quantities available of different figures, and be prepared to run out of certain specific figures while the overall product, "LEGO minifigures," is still in stock
  

... and so on. It's just a lot more trouble than it's worth for a product they'll be able to sell no matter what (particularly since doing so might mean some of the less-sought-after figures might not sell as quickly), and this will be true for any regular retailer who sells through the mail. I think those of us seeking to cherry-pick specific minifigures will just have to be satisfied with either ordering them from "aftermarket" vendors via Bricklink, other LEGO fans and so on, or shop for them at physical stores where we can sort through the baggies and check out the barcodes before purchase.

That said, if they're going to make snarky digs at liberal arts school graduates, it would probably be smart of them to make sure they've gotten their own facts straight re: a 1 in 16 chance of getting any particular figure (since it's not true if there indeed is a single common display box assortment, with figures variously packed three, four or five to a box). Even a liberal arts school graduate like myself can figure out that much.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Blondie-Wan

[just2good]

Brickset made a news post that someone reported seeing Series 2 at LEGOLAND Billund!

[jerba]

Brickset made a news post that someone reported seeing Series 2 at LEGOLAND Billund!

Oh boy... and heeeeeeere we go! Not again...

[lightningtiger]

I have had word that series 1 for Australian members is over, Lego Australia has no more stock, so what's left in shops is it.

But, now here's a huge but, series 2 might become an exclusive to ONE retail chain only (possibly the one getting two city exclusives) - I try and find out for sure and update you all - if thats the case it could also mean that series 2 might be a exclusive chain store release in the rest of the world too !

I'm a conformist! !

[Carbohydrates]

Oh boy... and heeeeeeere we go! Not again...

Hmm, nothing on Bricklink yet. You'd think as soon as they were available anywhere, they'd start appearing for silly prices.

[Defferwa]

The stores near me have no Minifigures available, and I only want the Zombie, Robot, and Spaceman. For those who have purchased these Minifigures, were you able to feel around the bag for parts like a robot helm, a space blaster, or a chicken wing, and did you get the right minifigure?

[Svelte]

If you've missed the topics on this subject over the last few months either here or on brickset, you were probably asleep

Please refer to the discussion or repost your question in the Collectable Minifigs discussion thread.

Thanks!

[jonwil]

If Series 2 becomes a TRU exclusive here in Australia, I am going to be SO annoyed (Toyworld and Target are a lot more likely to be good places to be able to find the ones I want)

[meyerc13]

Now I have two kids who want a wrestler and clown, with no chance of ever getting them one for a reasonable price.

Update: I should have bought a lottery ticket tonight because it is obviously my lucky day. A few days ago I found a deal on some old GI Joe toys on Craigslist. Tonight I traveled to a nearby City to pick them up, and while there I decided to try a nearby store that I know to stock LEGO, not really expecting to find minifigs but what did I have to lose besides a bit of time and a gallon of gasoline?

Unbelievably, they still had LEGO minifigs in stock! And for $2.49! I didn't have my cheat sheet along, so I grabbed six with different bar codes and purchased them (no purchase limits either!). Got out to the car and opened them and found:

-Skater

-Ninja

-Caveman

-Magician

-Nurse (my favorite!)

-Wrestler (the one my son wanted!!)

I called my wife and she described the Clown bar code to me, and I went in and found the one that seemed to match and I was able to buy the Clown for my daughter. Thanks to all who offered to give/sell/trade a Clown/Wrestler, but patience paid out.

I still think these were too hard to find in the US (in 2 months of searching nearly daily, I have seen these in stock twice, and both times were 30 miles from the large City where I live). I think getting rid of the barcodes will be a huge mistake (if I hadn't used the bar codes, I'd have bought a whole box, instead of the 7 figures I bought tonight). That may be good for LEGO in the short term, but it would mean many parents wouldn't find a single one of these figures and might give up on future waves.

I still think LEGO should make another production run of the first wave. I would bet that would make more people happy than it would upset.

[danim]

my toysrus has an almost full box of series one, I have been going in every few weeks and buying a fig, on friday I went in and bought a cheerleader.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Brickset is reporting Series 2 at Legoland Windsor. I'm surprised they didn't do this last time, making them exclusives at Legoland locations during the summer vacation months to drive visitors there to get the figs. There's some really interesting decision-making processes evident with the marketing of the Minifigs, that's for sure.

[jamtf]

my toysrus has an almost full box of series one, I have been going in every few weeks and buying a fig, on friday I went in and bought a cheerleader.

I was in Eindhoven last weekend and the Intertoys store over there had about 12 - 15 boxes up for grabs, some unopened and some opened. They were stacked on top of each other next to the counter. Some boxes were ripped open by customers, most likely to get an extra portion of the minifigs they liked best.

[BigDumbWookiee]

Has LEGO said anything about previewing series 3 and beyond at San Diego Comic Con this year? They're exhibiting, it'd seem like a no brainer to do so. I'd be more surprised if they didn't, actually.

[MrTools]

I just found something that i think would be unfair not to mention to anyone who still needs a few more or doesn't have any. I was browsing the Thinkgeek website and noticed the just stocked the minifigures at 3.99 per bag. Thinkgeek Minifigures

[Lego_Hero]

I just found something that i think would be unfair not to mention to anyone who still needs a few more or doesn't have any. I was browsing the Thinkgeek website and noticed the just stocked the minifigures at 3.99 per bag. Thinkgeek Minifigures

I think this was discussed earlier in the thread or in another one close by. But thanks for reporting it anyway. That shows good character, MrTools. The world could use a few more of us good guys!

I can't wait for next week! They were in my TRU on May 22nd, so I'm expecting them to be there on July 22nd. The only thing is that they were beiong reported long before May 22nd in Europe, so maybe I have a longer wait this time. We haven't even seen a barcode sheet yet, so I guess I'm twiddling my thumbs for a few more weeks.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Lego_Hero

[Tanotrooper]

I was in Eindhoven last weekend and the Intertoys store over there had about 12 - 15 boxes up for grabs, some unopened and some opened. They were stacked on top of each other next to the counter. Some boxes were ripped open by customers, most likely to get an extra portion of the minifigs they liked best.

Hmm that's a lot of boxes for one store. I went to Intertoys here in Belgium but didn't spot any of the minifigures. (Perhaps because they sold out, I'm gonna have to call them about series 2)

And yes, let's hope a barcode sheet appears soon.

Gaetano

[Big Cam]

I got an email from thinkgeek.com. In stock for $3.99 each

http://www.thinkgeek...?cpg=135HT&link

I just found something that i think would be unfair not to mention to anyone who still needs a few more or doesn't have any. I was browsing the Thinkgeek website and noticed the just stocked the minifigures at 3.99 per bag. Thinkgeek Minifigures

My post is on this same page.

[MrTools]

I aplogize, i have been gone for a while and just recently got back to the forums. I didnt see your post because my computer doesnt show that many posts per page so it was one back.

[jamtf]

Hmm that's a lot of boxes for one store. I went to Intertoys here in Belgium but didn't spot any of the minifigures. (Perhaps because they sold out, I'm gonna have to call them about series 2)

And yes, let's hope a barcode sheet appears soon.

Gaetano

The barcode sheet for series 2 is available through brickset. The person who made it must already have had access to these figs. There is no information on how these barcode ID's got accumulated so soon other than the fact that Legoland Billund supposedly has the figs for sale. Perhaps Legoland Günzburg (Germany) has them for sale by now too.