OT sets cheaper than PT and CW?

[Werlu Ulcur]

Is it my impression or are the more "modern" sets more expensive ?

By modern I'm referring to Episodes 1, 2 and 3 and Clone Wars. At least here in Brazil I was looking around and it seems that almost everything from the classic SW line (ep. 4, 5 and 6) is relatively cheaper then the more recent stuff.

I'm new to collecting Lego so maybe this is just my (wrong) impression but down here the newer sets are a bit more expensive then something relatively the same size but from the original trilogy.

Is that so or just my ignorant-newb impression ?

[KimT]

We've got a topic to discuss prizes and availability.

I'll close this and link you there.

Welcome aboard

Well your question is completely different now that I reread it

I'll try to edit your title to suit the question better.

[Legoman]

Very intresting point you've raised..

I had never really thought about it, But I can kinda see where it's coming from.

Perhaps it's due to the new molds and printing Lego feels it needs in the PT/CW sets to Sell at their target audience? I'm in no way sure, and this may all be total gargbage But it could be possible? Good question though. I might go compare some PPP ratios

[Mr Man]

I Don't think they are really, I'll compare some but I'm not sure that's the case.

[382nd Legionnaire]

Lemme take a look based on what's available right now. I'll take a few sets to make my point. If you take a look at my list below, Lego wants to divide the sets evenly for specific price points. That way if a person is a fan of the Clone Wars and doesn't have much cash, Lego makes it so that person can afford the sets in both categories rather than waiting for next year for cheaper sets.

Prequel/Clone Wars:

7913 Clone Trooper BP ($11.99)

8091 Republic Swamp Speeder ($29.99)

7962 Podracers ($89.99)

10195 Republic Dropship with AT-OT ($249.99)

Original Trilogy:

8084 Snowtrooper BP ($11.99)

8089 Hoth Wampa Cave ($39.99)

8038 The Battle for Endor ($99.99)

10212 Imperial Shuttle ($259.99)

[StoutFiles]

They're both equally expensive.

[Werlu Ulcur]

If this is a fact, and not just "an impression", could it be because Lucas & Co. already milked the original trilogy enough but still think there's (a lot?) milk to be had from the newer series ?

From an economical stand point that sounds logical, since the original stuff will appeal more to us old farts (= less people interested in spending money on an older theme) and the newer stuff will cater to a more fresh audience (= more people interested in spending money specially on the "current" themes).

But I'm just conjecturing here, this would only make any sense if there is a difference in prices. Again, my vision is a lot limited, maybe it's just a coincidence that here and at this time of the year I'm finding newer sets at a relatively higher price point.

Lemme take a look based on what's available right now. I'll take a few sets to make my point. If you take a look at my list below, Lego wants to divide the sets evenly for specific price points. That way if a person is a fan of the Clone Wars and doesn't have much cash, Lego makes it so that person can afford the sets in both categories rather than waiting for next year for cheaper sets.

Prequel/Clone Wars:

7913 Clone Trooper BP ($11.99)

8091 Republic Swamp Speeder ($29.99)

7962 Podracers ($89.99)

10195 Republic Dropship with AT-OT ($249.99)

Original Trilogy:

8084 Snowtrooper BP ($11.99)

8089 Hoth Wampa Cave ($39.99)

8038 The Battle for Endor ($99.99)

10212 Imperial Shuttle ($259.99)

You posted your answer while I was writing mine. If that's the case, then there's no difference at all, Lego basically sets prices based on parts and complexity, and not on what Lucas charges them in terms of fees & licenses.

Reading and learning. Thanx!

[Blondie-Wan]

The question is interesting to me, since I'd actually thought about this very topic, only from the opposite position - I've often wondered whether they tend to price the OT sets higher than ones from the prequel era. Certainly I think it's true if one simply breaks down all sets by era and then figures out the price ranges and average prices, simply because the most expensive sets in the whole theme are all UCS monstrosities from the classic era - the top six most expensive sets by MSRP (in USD; I trust the order is similar for other countries) in the history of the theme are the 10179 Millennium Falcon ($500), 10188 Death Star ($400), 10221 Super Star Destroyer ($400), 10143 Death Star II ($300), 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer ($300), and 10212 Imperial Shuttle ($260). Only upon reaching the seventh spot do we get a single prequel-era set, 10195 Republic Dropship with AT-OT Walker ($250), and then the next several top slots are more OT sets.

Moreover, even ignoring the UCS stuff (which is naturally aimed more at adult fans, who probably tend to favor the OT in their passion), the release patterns for the first few years of the theme struck me at the time as putting a slight premium upon the OT. For those first several years, when the then-current product lineup at any one time tended to be a mix of sets from a single prequel (whichever one was most current) and sets from across the overall OT, typically the "flagship" set of each year's primary retail assortment (as opposed to LEGO Direct exclusives and such) was something in the $90-$100 range, and of these, the prequel sets (7171 Mos Espa Podrace, 7163 Republic Gunship, 7161 Clone Turbo Tank) were all $90, while the OT ones (7190 Millennium Falcon, 4504 Millennium Falcon, 4483 AT-AT) were all slightly more at $100. Additional sets during this time that cost $100 or more included 10123 Cloud City, 7194 Yoda, and so on - all OT sets, save for 10018 Darth Maul Bust ($150) - I think that was the only prequel-era set above $100 for several years.

Since then, of course, the theme has really exploded, and there have been scads of sets from across the two trilogies and The Clone Wars, plus a handful of miscellaneous EU things, at all sorts of price points, and I haven't really compared the price differentials between groupings. But in the early years, at least, it certainly appeared to me that there was (occasionally) a slight premium associated with the OT; whether it was purely the pricing, or also the sets / models themselves (and the things they represented), I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't say the prequel stuff cost more, at any rate.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Blondie-Wan

[Werlu Ulcur]

Interesting points, Blondie .

Something that is fairly obvious is that you'll only see UCS models from the OT, and I really doubt that we'll ever have an UCS from "The Phantom Menace", for instance. Using the logic that basically every OT fan if not hated the prequels at least didn't like them much, and these fans are mostly adults, and usually adults have deeper pockets then children and teens, it doesn't make economical sense to make UCS sets from the PT. Despite the fact that I'm in the adult category (even though my wife says that's debatable) and that I didn't like much the PT, I at least would like to see a few select UCS from the PT, like a Republic Gunship or one of the big walkers.

I just checked our local eBay and again, the PT sets are a bit more expensive then the OT sets. Even though these prices are not MSRP it's an intersting trend.

[StoutFiles]

Interesting points, Blondie .

Something that is fairly obvious is that you'll only see UCS models from the OT, and I really doubt that we'll ever have an UCS from "The Phantom Menace", for instance. Using the logic that basically every OT fan if not hated the prequels at least didn't like them much, and these fans are mostly adults, and usually adults have deeper pockets then children and teens, it doesn't make economical sense to make UCS sets from the PT. Despite the fact that I'm in the adult category (even though my wife says that's debatable) and that I didn't like much the PT, I at least would like to see a few select UCS from the PT, like a Republic Gunship or one of the big walkers.

I just checked our local eBay and again, the PT sets are a bit more expensive then the OT sets. Even though these prices are not MSRP it's an intersting trend.

They have made prequel UCS sets, including two from Episode 1. I agree though that PT sets are a much harder UCS sell right now, although that could change as kids grow up.

The OT doesn't use as many new molds as the PT/CW does, so it would make since if the price per part ratio was slightly skewed. However, if there is a difference it's hardly noticeable.

[Hollander]

They have made prequel UCS sets, including two from Episode 1. I agree though that PT sets are a much harder UCS sell right now, although that could change as kids grow up.

The OT doesn't use as many new molds as the PT/CW does, so it would make since if the price per part ratio was slightly skewed. However, if there is a difference it's hardly noticeable.

Not to mention the ridiculous price of the UCS Jedi Starfighter..

[Blondie-Wan]

Not to mention the ridiculous price of the UCS Jedi Starfighter..

I keep seeing the price of that set brought up, but I don't get it. It seems to me fairly typically priced for a set of that size and complexity. Are people judging it on a straight price-per-piece basis? If so, doesn't it have a number of largish elements that one would normally expect to cost a little more in quantity? Or is there something else about it that makes it so "overpriced"?

[Brickmamba]

They're both equally expensive.

i agree

[Rocketbilly]

Personally I think it changes from year to year - some years sets based on the Original Trilogy may be the more expensive (larger) ones of their wave, the next the more expensive sets may consist mostly of Prequel Trilogy or Clone Wars ones.

In general though, it does tend to lean more towards the Clone Wars sets at the time being to me; maybe that's because The Clone Wars is currently "bigger" than the live action films amongst the target audience, so LEGO feels they can charge just that little more for them. Maybe when the £D releases roll around to the Original Trilogy, and the Clone Wars has been going for a long time ( or even finished, depending on when these 3d releases come) then we'll be seeinga great amount of Original Trilogy sets, a resurgence in popularity, and thus the sets produced will be more costly.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Rocketbilly

[Blondie-Wan]

Personally I think it changes from year to year - some years sets based on the Original Trilogy may be the more expensive (larger) ones of their wave, the next the more expensive sets may consist mostly of Prequel Trilogy or Clone Wars ones.

In general though, it does tend to lean more towards the Clone Wars sets at the time being to me; maybe that's because The Clone Wars is currently "bigger" than the live action films amongst the target audience, so LEGO feels they can charge just that little more for them.

I don't know that they are charging more for them, though. The thing is, it's tough to do a direct comparison since different sets are different sizes and have different pieces and so on.

However, they clearly are doing more sets based on The Clone Wars right now, and it simply makes sense - after all, it's the most current Star Wars production, and it also happens that there's simply more of it - since it's a weekly TV series, even with episodes being "only" a half hour, it's taken just a couple seasons or so for the total running time of The Clone Wars to surpass the combined total running times of all six live-action feature films released over a period of twenty-eight years. At this point, in fact, I believe Star Wars: The Clone Wars all by itself comprises the majority of all screen-produced dramatic narrative set in the Star Wars universe - that is, I think there's more of it in terms of sheer volume (measured in running time) than there is of two live-action movie trilogies, the made-for-TV Ewoks movies, the other animated TV series (the first Clone Wars plus the Ewoks and Droids shows), the Holiday Special, etc.