Why is North America getting the new HF sets so late?

[Zenerius]

As you may already know, the new 2014 Invasion from Below sets aren't getting released until March 3rd in North America. This is a real disappointment, since I was planning on going to the LEGO store this week to get the new sets. Anyone know why we are getting them so late? I think that it has to do with sales or something related to demographics. It is possible the other themes will cannibalize the HF sales, so LEGO is planning on releasing the new sets later.

[arc]

hero factory is the only theme delayed. the star wars sets won't be out in the U.S. 'till I think mid-February or march. I think I heard it had something to do with the lego movie, but I'm not for sure this is why.

[Dorek]

Part of it might have to do with hyping up the actual episode (ignoring that they've already released it in a certain format), which will likely air on television around that time.

Or it could just be a random sales move. Obviously they're shaking things up with the genre and such, and maybe that extends to how they want to market the line.

[Darth Punk]

Lego juniors, 2 batman sets, Star Wars and some others have all been delayed until march in North America. TLG's explanation for the Star Wars delay is so they can focus on the release of the lego movie.

[Gatanui]

I think Chima was also delayed. Pretty sure it's The LEGO Movie's fault. :P

-Gata

[Freddy Bricker]

I think Chima was also delayed. Pretty sure it's The LEGO Movie's fault. :P

-Gata

Not that it's a bad thing though, Lego gets more sales out of the Lego Movie, I get to catch up on retired sets that are still available in stores (so not technically retired), everyone gets to save up money for when the sets do come, and MOCers have the time and money to do what they enjoy most, MOC! So even though it's evidently because of the Lego movie (isn't January usually a slow month for LEGO?) there's still a lot of up-sides to this.

[PenPlays]

It appears that they have been delayed to keep all focus on The Lego Movie.

[Dorek]

Is there any official statement to that effect, or just more speculationfuntimes?

[Vinyl Scratch]

Something I don't get though, if multiple themes were delayed 'till March due to the Lego Movie releasing in February, how come it only got delayed in North America and not worldwide? The movie is releasing the same date around the globe isn't it?

[PenPlays]

I thought it kind of obvious, actually.

I think it will be easier to explain this with a list.

1.The only unisex theme released in January was The Lego Movie (Friends, and Princesses were the others).

2. Ninjago was released a month early (their biggest IP currently). Technic is hard to find currently (TRU currently. Target and Wal-mart will be on the Technic train soon). City actually can help promote The Lego Movie, what with the 2 in 1's the TLM theme has.

3. Star Wars (the number 1 theme), Chima (their current media heavy IP), and Hero Factory (It's not exactly the most popular theme according to the Lego store employees / frequent sales) have been pushed to March.

i.e.

1. Boys are the primary audience of Lego (I know a majority of TLG's sales come from girls as well, so don't get me wrong), so no distractions. Plus TLM has some sets that would otherwise get a girl's attention.

2. Getting their biggest IP out of the way early=no distractions.

3. Number 1 theme= release later? No distractions. Media heavy IP released later=no distractions.

Then there's the last of the third bullet-point: HERO Factory

Again, the theme is not exactly popular. Hence it looks like it got the bottom-end of the deal.

It makes some sense, but, to be completely honest, HERO Factory is probably the only theme on this list that could have been released at anytime.

Just a speculation, of course.

[Gatanui]

Something I don't get though, if multiple themes were delayed 'till March due to the Lego Movie releasing in February, how come it only got delayed in North America and not worldwide? The movie is releasing the same date around the globe isn't it?

I wish. :/

I thought it kind of obvious, actually.

I think it will be easier to explain this with a list.

1.The only unisex theme released in January was The Lego Movie (Friends, and Princesses were the others).

2. Ninjago was released a month early (their biggest IP currently). Technic is hard to find currently (TRU currently. Target and Wal-mart will be on the Technic train soon). City actually can help promote The Lego Movie, what with the 2 in 1's the TLM theme has.

3. Star Wars (the number 1 theme), Chima (their current media heavy IP), and Hero Factory (It's not exactly the most popular theme according to the Lego store employees / frequent sales) have been pushed to March.

i.e.

1. Boys are the primary audience of Lego (I know a majority of TLG's sales come from girls as well, so don't get me wrong), so no distractions. Plus TLM has some sets that would otherwise get a girl's attention.

2. Getting their biggest IP out of the way early=no distractions.

3. Number 1 theme= release later? No distractions. Media heavy IP released later=no distractions.

Then there's the last of the third bullet-point: HERO Factory

Again, the theme is not exactly popular. Hence it looks like it got the bottom-end of the deal.

It makes some sense, but, to be completely honest, HERO Factory is probably the only theme on this list that could have been released at anytime.

Just a speculation, of course.

Pretty sure Chima's still LEGO's biggest IP currently and not Ninjago.

-Gata

Edited January 17, 2014 by Gatanui

[PenPlays]

Pretty sure Chima's still LEGO's biggest IP currently and not Ninjago.

-Gata

Quite the contrary. Last years wave of Ninjago sold out in several stores before any of the Chima sets ran out in my area. Heck, the Ninjago wave in December was completely wiped from every store I went to at least until last week! When sets are on sale at stores, that typically means they aren't selling at a Star Wars/Ninjago rate. Chima is currently on the sale train as many stores (including Shop @ Home) are trying to clearance them off (at 50% off, which is crazy) to make room for other sets.

However, it has been said, that Chima did do above average when it came to sales last year. Ninjago was said to have done better, even with the single wave.

There is a good chance that Germany might be the opposite, as there are different regional preferences when it comes to these sets.

[Aanchir]

Quite the contrary. Last years wave of Ninjago sold out in several stores before any of the Chima sets ran out in my area. Heck, the Ninjago wave in December was completely wiped from every store I went to at least until last week! When sets are on sale at stores, that typically means they aren't selling at a Star Wars/Ninjago rate. Chima is currently on the sale train as many stores (including Shop @ Home) are trying to clearance them off (at 50% off, which is crazy) to make room for other sets.

However, it has been said, that Chima did do above average when it came to sales last year. Ninjago was said to have done better, even with the single wave.

There is a good chance that Germany might be the opposite, as there are different regional preferences when it comes to these sets.

That could just mean that Chima was overstocked and Ninjago was understocked. This is part of the reason anecdotal evidence like this is unreliable. The LEGO Group was promoting Chima very, very heavily, and so it's natural that retailers would have high expectations for it and order sets in large quantities. However, it can still be a knockout success if it didn't entirely live up to those expectations.

I've also heard some statements that Chima has performed better in the UK and Europe than it did in the US, though that might also be purely anecdotal.

[DraikNova]

Ninjago has proven itself to be very, very successful; it is the only LEGO themes that has come back in full force after having been canceled. I have no recollection of this happening to any past theme, but correct me if I'm wrong.

[Gatanui]

Ninjago was immensely succesful and from what I can gather, although Chima isn't doing bad by any means, Ninjago did better. Still, Ninjago is a fairly small theme for LEGO this year. Chima is getting fewer sets than last year, but still more than Ninjago and most likely also more TV episodes. That's what I'm talking about, I'm talking about the current situation.

-Gata

Edited January 17, 2014 by Gatanui

[Aanchir]

Ninjago has proven itself to be very, very successful; it is the only LEGO themes that has come back in full force after having been canceled. I have no recollection of this happening to any past theme, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Well, it really depends on your perspective. All things considered, Ninjago only had a half-year hiatus before returning. In contrast, Adventurers had a two year hiatus between Dino Island and Orient Expedition, and Alpha Team had a full year hiatus between Mission Deep Sea and Mission Deep Freeze (yes, I know it had one set in 2003, but that set was nothing more than a promotional, limited-release polybag containing a single minifigure from the previous year).

Since we don't know the LEGO Group's inner workings, we don't know whether Adventurers and Alpha Team were intended to be finished for good prior to each theme's grand revival, or the LEGO Group planned a hiatus for these themes, like we see for Castle pretty much every other wave.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Aanchir