An Open Letter to The LEGO Group: SDCC Exclusive Minifigures

[m0dulo]

If the characters didn't test well, LEGO is being VERY generous with this. I don't know if that's the reason, but there has to be some reason.

Economics.

Collectors are different from regular consumers because collectors demand at least one of every kind of good that they collect. Limit the supply of just one thing (i.e. exclusive item at an exclusive event), and the demand will be higher which drives up the price. It will also continue the demand for less-exclusive goods.

How do you get a non-collector, perhaps someone not even interested in LEGO, to stand in line for hours, at a comics convention? Make an exclusive version of a comic book character! Voila! There isn't much character testing needed. SDCC attendees are probably going to like comic books and superheroes. The collector might not be into comic books and superheroes but they don't really care — they would collect it even if it was just all one simple color, like gold. ;)

Why give this opportunity to someone not interested in LEGO? Now that person is holding something in high demand that they actually like and worked for to acquire. It might convert that person into a collector or even just a regular customer. Maybe this person keeps it and buys a few more minifigs, or just a set or two from the superhero theme, and after a while starts thinking about the Tumbler, and remembers how cool all his/her old sets were, and thinks about the sets he couldn't get before when too young and didn't have a job and money. We all know where that goes. :)

Even if they aren't converted and decide to sell, it keeps the existing loyally collecting customers on the hook to continue collecting. LEGO won't get any revenue directly from the reselling of the minifig by the SDCC attendee to the collector, but they will down the road.

Economics is really fascinating. There is more to it but you can see how it gets deeply intertwined and everything is related.

(I don't speak for LEGO. I have no knowledge of how they handle this or why. I just have a slight interest in economics.)

Edited August 16, 2014 by m0dulo

[TotallyNewLegoFan]

Hope you both feel that my attempt to summarize this is at least partly fair so we can end this.

It's all good Superkalle.

Thanks for the response .

Some very good observations Vassal .

[Superkalle]

It's all good Superkalle.

Excellent. Thanks!

[Borador]

Economics.

Collectors are different from regular consumers because collectors demand at least one of every kind of good that they collect. Limit the supply of just one thing (i.e. exclusive item at an exclusive event), and the demand will be higher which drives up the price. It will also continue the demand for less-exclusive goods.

How do you get a non-collector, perhaps someone not even interested in LEGO, to stand in line for hours, at a comics convention? Make an exclusive version of a comic book character! Voila! There isn't much character testing needed. SDCC attendees are probably going to like comic books and superheroes. The collector might not be into comic books and superheroes but they don't really care — they would collect it even if it was just all one simple color, like gold. ;)

Why give this opportunity to someone not interested in LEGO? Now that person is holding something in high demand that they actually like and worked for to acquire. It might convert that person into a collector or even just a regular customer. Maybe this person keeps it and buys a few more minifigs, or just a set or two from the superhero theme, and after a while starts thinking about the Tumbler, and remembers how cool all his/her old sets were, and thinks about the sets he couldn't get before when too young and didn't have a job and money. We all know where that goes. :)

Even if they aren't converted and decide to sell, it keeps the existing loyally collecting customers on the hook to continue collecting. LEGO won't get any revenue directly from the reselling of the minifig by the SDCC attendee to the collector, but they will down the road.

Economics is really fascinating. There is more to it but you can see how it gets deeply intertwined and everything is related.

(I don't speak for LEGO. I have no knowledge of how they handle this or why. I just have a slight interest in economics.)

Frankly, that's brilliant. I see now why they do this whole exclusive thing. It really is brilliant.

But I think my point still stands. I mean, look at how careful they are with this line in normal sets. Most are really popular/mainstream characters. Even with that whole marketing scheme in place, that seems like the perfect way to give some people what they want, while still benefiting LEGO.

I honestly think these last few years have been testing the waters with this line. I mean look at that list over in the DC thread. Compare that to the last few years. LEGO wanted to be careful, and so they came up with the above scheme to get a few people their favorite characters and make a bit of money on it. That's genius.

And just look at this year. We've gotten both Green Lantern and Nolan-Batman (yes,it isn't the same suit) and honestly? If you had the choice between either the 2011 ones or the new ones, which would you choose? (Design wise, obviously, since I know someone is gonna take the old ones because they are worth more). Do you really think we'll never see Arrow or Phoenix? I think we will. Maybe we won't ever see Zurr En Arh Batman or the likes of it. Frankly though, I think anyone who would want something like that would be okay paying such a price it. I mean really, how many people even know how to spell that name?

[agoodfella77]

Hope you both feel that my attempt to summarize this is at least partly fair so we can end this.

Thanks for your input.

As I said before, I'm more interested in engaging in a higher level of discussion and will proceed on that basis going forward.

Edited August 17, 2014 by agoodfella

[Superkalle]

Thanks for your input.

As I said before, I'm more interested in engaging in a higher level of discussion and will proceed on that basis going forward.

Thanks agoodfellow. Appreciate it.

[agoodfella77]

Thanks agoodfellow. Appreciate it.

Don't mention it, and thanks for your input.

[MAB]

I'd considering buying one from someone even if I went to SDCC! I wouldn't want to stand in line for hours every day for a chance to get one.

Based on reports of people standing in line, the chances of getting one was about 60%-70%. So not too bad.

[SMC]

I dont really buy the point that people that get these fig might go out and buy more Lego, these are small numbers, we keep getting told that afols only make up a small number and its all based on what kids buy. Also some people that might be completist might give up as it can't be done. I also really dislike people that say there are more important things to worry about. Yes that is very true but this is a Lego website and although if I could end wars or stop lego exclusives I would stop wars but that's not really the point is it.

Edited August 18, 2014 by SMC

[agoodfella77]

I dont really buy the point that people that get these fig might go out and buy more Lego, these are small numbers, we keep getting told that afols only make up a small number and its all based on what kids buy. Also some people that might be completist might give up as it can't be done. I also really dislike people that say there are more important things to worry about. Yes that is very true but this is a Lego website and although if I could end wars or stop lego exclusives I would stop wars but that's not really the point is it.

Very well put.

I also don't see any compelling evidence that these promos do anything to spur sales. To me they don't really serve any real, tangible purpose except for those lucky few to have some bragging rights. It seems that the most vocal people in favor of this system are those whose bragging rights are in some way going to be diminished or taken away entirely (talk about the tail wagging the dog -- it's an extremely selfish stance for these privileged few if you stop and think about it). In point of fact, it seems pretty clear that any benefits are now being outweighed by the cons.

EDIT:

In fact, come to think of it, the one group of people who really don't want this system to end are scalpers.

Edited August 18, 2014 by agoodfella

[Lind Whisperer]

It seems that the most vocal people in favor of this system are those whose bragging rights are in some way going to be diminished or taken away entirely...

Agreed.

When it comes to collecting, do I "want them all"? Yes. Do I "want them all to myself"? No, I want everyone to have an equal chance to collect them.

For example, take the recent Heroica RPG lottery. Every year, one lucky player draws the Anniversary Medallion. It gives a +(number of years the lotto has been run previously) bonus to all stats(and then keeps adding +1 with every year!).

This year, I drew the lucky number and won the Medallion. It's quite a thing to say that you own one, seeing as how the game has long since passed 100+ players(and keeps growing!), and there are only three in existence. But, just for the sake of argument, let's say that next year, Sandy decided that every player gets a Medallion in celebration of the Anniversary. Would I have a problem with that? Not at all! I'd be glad that everyone else got to have such a nice thing.

[agoodfella77]

Agreed.

When it comes to collecting, do I "want them all"? Yes. Do I "want them all to myself"? No, I want everyone to have an equal chance to collect them.

For example, take the recent Heroica RPG lottery. Every year, one lucky player draws the Anniversary Medallion. It gives a +(number of years the lotto has been run previously) bonus to all stats(and then keeps adding +1 with every year!).

This year, I drew the lucky number and won the Medallion. It's quite a thing to say that you own one, seeing as how the game has long since passed 100+ players(and keeps growing!), and there are only three in existence. But, just for the sake of argument, let's say that next year, Sandy decided that every player gets a Medallion in celebration of the Anniversary. Would I have a problem with that? Not at all! I'd be glad that everyone else got to have such a nice thing.

This is very refreshing to hear.

I just wish most people shared your view.

[robuko]

Being rude about people who don't agree with you does not help your argument agoodfella.

The major "con" to me is that without the exclusive figures, we simply would not get these characters in Lego at all. Please see Polywen's flickr post ti that effect.

[Borador]

Can we have a link to this Flickr page?

Do you all really think that, if not for SDCC exclusives, that we would have EVER seen Zuhr En Ahr Batman, Black Suit Superman, Movie Spider-Man, or Spider-woman? And, by that same logic, do you really think we won't ever see Phoenix, Bizarro, Green Arrow, Shazam, etc? After all, we ARE getting BOTH Nolan Batman AND Green Lantern in just this year alone. LEGO had to test the waters. If not for this, NOBODY would have any of these characters. This way, few people do, and that should be enough until we all can. I don't know why everyone is so mad. Just be patient.

[SMC]

how does giving it out for free test the water?

and saying if its not a sdcc we wont get it at all why not, lego have made it and they could put it in a set or as a lego shop offer

look at the ones you talked about Black Suit Superman, we got 3 superman sets all with the same superman so...

Movie Spider-Man, now this really sucks we have had something like 8 spiderman sets all with the same spiderman why didn't put the same effort into a set for everyone that they did for a few reselers

Phoenix, how much have lego put into x men over the year just 2 sets with 2 of the same figs repeated maybe one could have been phoenix

even Zuhr En Ahr Batman has a new color mold we know this has a cost to lego and how many sets could have used this money spent on them for all of us, I would have like it with the batman 3 game

[Borador]

how does giving it out for free test the water?

and saying if its not a sdcc we wont get it at all why not, lego have made it and they could put it in a set or as a lego shop offer

look at the ones you talked about Black Suit Superman, we got 3 superman sets all with the same superman so...

Movie Spider-Man, now this really sucks we have had something like 8 spiderman sets all with the same spiderman why didn't put the same effort into a set for everyone that they did for a few reselers

Phoenix, how much have lego put into x men over the year just 2 sets with 2 of the same figs repeated maybe one could have been phoenix

even Zuhr En Ahr Batman has a new color mold we know this has a cost to lego and how many sets could have used this money spent on them for all of us, I would have like it with the batman 3 game

They weren't testing the waters with the exclusives. They were testing the waters with the sets. Look at how few obscure characters there are. Just a few in the Spider-man sets. And the list in the DC topic looks like they're shifting gears.

LEGO's Spider-Man sets are based on the cartoons (and a few from the comics). Marvel is telling LEGO what to do. So LEGO had no place to put that figure.

In every scene depicted in LEGO sets from "Man of Steel" Superman wore blue. It made no sense to put him in black.

I did say we would probably get Phoenix, did I not?

Zuhr En Ahr Batman is SO obscure. And it looks just different enough from normal Batman that the name alone might not be enough.

Sure, they could've been LEGO store promotions... But there must have been some reason that they weren't. LEGO rarely does anything without reason. And when they do, they don't repeat it four years in a row. Point is, we don't know why LEGO does these things. I don't, and nor do you. All we know for sure is that LEGO obviously had some reason to do this, and not something else. We can only guess why (as everything I've said has been) but at the end of the day, they must have had some reason to do this four years in a row.

[SMC]

But there must have been some reason that they weren't. LEGO rarely does anything without reason. And when they do, they don't repeat it four years in a row. Point is, we don't know why LEGO does these things. I don't, and nor do you. All we know for sure is that LEGO obviously had some reason to do this, and not something else. We can only guess why (as everything I've said has been) but at the end of the day, they must have had some reason to do this four years in a row.

bad reasoning, lego gets somethings right and some wrong at the moment they are getting a lot right which is why they are doing well but I don't think they are making there fans/customers happy with this as you can see in the 7 pages

[legoman19892]

bad reasoning, lego gets somethings right and some wrong at the moment they are getting a lot right which is why they are doing well but I don't think they are making there fans/customers happy with this as you can see in the 7 pages

I bet the people unhappy enough about this to never buy LEGO again is .0000000001% of the population.

[Borador]

bad reasoning, lego gets somethings right and some wrong at the moment they are getting a lot right which is why they are doing well but I don't think they are making there fans/customers happy with this as you can see in the 7 pages

I didn't say they were right. I said they have a reason. And they do. What said reason is? We may never know. But there must be one. Or else they'd not have done it four years in a row.

[SMC]

I bet the people unhappy enough about this to never buy LEGO again is .0000000001% of the population.

I am sure it is very small, as would be the number of people paying hundreds to resellers when maybe this would have gone to lego in sales

If you look at it this way some of the SDCC fig have been previews not exclusives win win

[Superkalle]

Topic closed due to this

[CopMike]

Last chance for everybody to express their thoughts in a non-abusive, looking-for-a-fight way or troll behavior!

[agoodfella77]

Thanks CopMike, I look forward to engaging with all in a respectful manner going forward (and hope I can expect the same in return).

Edited August 20, 2014 by agoodfella

[robuko]

Can we have a link to this Flickr page?

Sure, here it is. Well worth reading his comments, in my view.

[SMC]

one thing I didn't mention on here before was that a lot of the SDCC exclusives had leg printing and even boot printing when so many SH figs have needed them but didn't get them, it bothers me that it looks like more effort has gone in these figs than the ones in sets