GhostDad Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 This is a good point, the sheer number of pieces and amount of shipping cost per transaction would likely inflate the brick-linked cost of this set significantly. How many hours do you spend cataloguing and searching for individual parts before your $/hr cost is greater than a couple extra hundred bucks to buy it pre-boxed, pre-sorted, 100% complete?But if you bricklink it, you can make it all colorful-like. Pimp it out the way Vader never got around to doing. Like the new Friends Star... 2 Quote
DarthBley Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 This is a good point, the sheer number of pieces and amount of shipping cost per transaction would likely inflate the brick-linked cost of this set significantly. How many hours do you spend cataloguing and searching for individual parts before your $/hr cost is greater than a couple extra hundred bucks to buy it pre-boxed, pre-sorted, 100% complete? Not true. There are a sheer number of pieces, but few rare, and those can be substituted as theyre internal. Even with adding 1/8 total price for shipping its still far cheaper. Again it is a hassle, and pretty certain most would rather just have it all there in a box w instructions. But the way I looked at it was, for a couple of hours of "work" not only did i get the ship complete, but i got two modulars as well for roughly the price of the ssd misb I wish this were true for all the other ucs sets i missed out due to my dark ages, but unf that is not the case wo making significant alterations/substitutions (isd, bwing, rebel blockade, snowspeeder, etc). Oh well ill keep trawling thru craigslist ads hoping to score epically one day Quote
Bold-Arrow Posted June 24, 2015 Posted June 24, 2015 Looks like ssd is moving at $979.95 @ Amazon. The seller at that price have moved a couple in the last couple of days. .3 fba Sellers with one each below the $1000 mark 1 Quote
redghostx Posted June 24, 2015 Posted June 24, 2015 Looks like ssd is moving at $979.95 @ Amazon. The seller at that price have moved a couple in the last couple of days. . 3 fba Sellers with one each below the $1000 mark Wake me when it reaches 1500 next Christmas Quote
newbie77 Posted June 24, 2015 Posted June 24, 2015 Someone snagged one NEW for 125 euros on BL this month - got to wonder what the actual content was but if it was complete, more than a few will be kicking themselves for missing out. Growth in Europe is much much more moderate but I suppose we are 5 months behind in retirement date and it is a smaller market to absorb higher priced sets. Perhaps a real sale value of double MSRP will be feasible by the end of the year. difference between lowest ($891.99) vs FBA($979.95) that's about $87... about 9% difference. i think this needs to catch up before we see any appreciation or reasonable increase. this only proves that the FBA (big-sharks) are raising prices . yes, its moving but we still have over 60 sellers and i am guessing that's over 400 SSD's Quote
No More Monkeys Posted June 24, 2015 Posted June 24, 2015 difference between lowest ($891.99) vs FBA($979.95) that's about $87... about 9% difference. i think this needs to catch up before we see any appreciation or reasonable increase. this only proves that the FBA (big-sharks) are raising prices . yes, its moving but we still have over 60 sellers and i am guessing that's over 400 SSD's presumably, FBAs don't ship all of their big slow selling items all at once, due to storage fees Quote
GhostDad Posted June 24, 2015 Posted June 24, 2015 I like dealing with FBA's, since it's easy to return stuff when it's packaged by drunken monkeys (no disrespect, NMM) and arrives nicely pancaked for ease of storage. Aside from that, I've never understood why FBA commands such a premium. Quote
JRandall Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) I will never do FBA, of course what I sell is extremely small, but I see FBA as a big flashing sign that tells the buyer that returns are easy if you change your mind or for any other reason because it's through Amazon and not an individual. Edited June 25, 2015 by JRandall Quote
GhostDad Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I will never do FBA, of course what I sell is extremely small, but I see FBA as a big flashing sign that tells the buyer that returns are easy if you change your mind or for any other reason because it's through Amazon and not an individual.So do I, and I completely understand why that doesn't sound so great from a seller's perspective. However, every large lego set I have ever purchased from an amazon 3rd party seller has been packaged by a moron. FBA ain't so hot either, but they're better than most 3rd party guys, and returns are much easier. As far as I'm concerned, if an amazon item is not FBA or sold by amazon directly, it doesn't exist. Quote
Undercover Boss Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 So do I, and I completely understand why that doesn't sound so great from a seller's perspective. However, every large lego set I have ever purchased from an amazon 3rd party seller has been packaged by a moron. FBA ain't so hot either, but they're better than most 3rd party guys, and returns are much easier. As far as I'm concerned, if an amazon item is not FBA or sold by amazon directly, it doesn't exist.I have gotten tons of free Legos because of the inept packaging from 3rd party sellers. Good thing they were all for personal build. Quote
river41 Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I have gotten tons of free Legos because of the inept packaging from 3rd party sellers. Good thing they were all for personal build. how exactly did you get it for free,when you complained they just let you keep it? 1 Quote
JRandall Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 So do I, and I completely understand why that doesn't sound so great from a seller's perspective. However, every large lego set I have ever purchased from an amazon 3rd party seller has been packaged by a moron. FBA ain't so hot either, but they're better than most 3rd party guys, and returns are much easier. As far as I'm concerned, if an amazon item is not FBA or sold by amazon directly, it doesn't exist.My own personal experience is that Amazon ships the Lego sets in oversized boxes with maybe a strip of large plastic bubble and that's it, the sets have a 50/50 chance they will be damaged, whereas all 3rd party sellers I've ever purchased through used excessive bubble wrap/packing peanuts/packing paper to make sure the expensive sets were protected well. 2 Quote
newbie77 Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I like dealing with FBA's, since it's easy to return stuff when it's packaged by drunken monkeys (no disrespect, NMM) and arrives nicely pancaked for ease of storage. Aside from that, I've never understood why FBA commands such a premium.my experience has been the same. Quote
Sauromosis Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 how exactly did you get it for free,when you complained they just let you keep it?He means that he's one of the worst people in this world, who straight up scams people by complaining about poor packaging. 2 Quote
GhostDad Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 He means that he's one of the worst people in this world, who straight up scams people by complaining about poor packaging.I've never gotten free stuff by doing this (I just return wrecked lego boxes), but is it a scam if the packaging really is terrible? I've had hundreds of dollars in new, formerly MISB sets arrive wrapped in brown paper only (no shipping box), to give just one example. 1 Quote
tacsniper Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I like dealing with FBA's, since it's easy to return stuff when it's packaged by drunken monkeys (no disrespect, NMM) and arrives nicely pancaked for ease of storage. Aside from that, I've never understood why FBA commands such a premium.This liberal return policy already commands the premium because consumer mind sets like this are willing to pay extras for ease of mind. I do believe sellers in FBA should be able to charge more if they cannot control the return process which ultimately will result in more returns and un-sellable inventory, such as due to Amazon's poor packaging process. Quote
GhostDad Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) This liberal return policy already commands the premium because consumer mind sets like this are willing to pay extras for ease of mind. I do believe sellers in FBA should be able to charge more if they cannot control the return process which ultimately will result in more returns and un-sellable inventory, such as due to Amazon's poor packaging process.I agree, and it seems that they can charge a premium. I've always been willing to pay more to any seller in return for better packaging. Most simply don't give you the option. On larger Bricklink orders, you can and should ask for double boxing (two layers of cardboard around the lego boxes) and lots of bubble wrap. Sellers will charge extra for that, but it's more than worth the cost. As a seller, I package items extremely well, and literally about 1/100 of 1% of my buyers report any damage in shipment. This is something sellers can control (packaging that is; rough handling by couriers is a given), and as a buyer I expect them to do so. Edited June 25, 2015 by GhostDad 1 Quote
tacsniper Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I agree, and it seems that they can charge a premium. I've always been willing to pay more to any seller in return for better packaging. Most simply don't give you the option. On larger Bricklink orders, you can and should ask for double boxing (two layers of cardboard around the lego boxes) and lots of bubble wrap. Sellers will charge extra for that, but it's more than worth the cost. As a seller, I package items extremely well, and literally about 1/100 of 1% of my buyers report any damage in shipment. This is something sellers can control, and as a buyer I expect them to do so.But once it goes to FBA, seller no longer have control how the product is packaged for shipping. Which is why FBA is a hit and miss for sellers. Returns can sometimes be the fault of Amazon staff as I have seen pictures on this board that they are shipping items without shipping boxes! Just slap a label on the retail box! If that was my FBA item and it came back as un-sellable and Aamazon will not reimburse for it, there will be hell over the phone with AZ rep 1 Quote
vmnlogan Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I've never gotten free stuff by doing this (I just return wrecked lego boxes), but is it a scam if the packaging really is terrible? I've had hundreds of dollars in new, formerly MISB sets arrive wrapped in brown paper only (no shipping box), to give just one example. (Shameful admission) I bought a Chima set from Amazon (cathartic, but still embarassing) and it arrived with nothing more than brown paper wrapping. The box was not only dented and smashed, it had been ripped open. Two of the bags were missing along with some wheels. I contacted the seller, who said this was how they shipped everything. I snagged pix and they dragged their feet, but I was eventually able to return the set for a refund - about a month later!! Fellow BPers: If this was you, or this is how you ship, please be up front with potential buyers so they can end the transaction before it begins or change your errant ways. 1 Quote
dcdfan Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 (Shameful admission) I bought a Chima set from Amazon (cathartic, but still embarassing) and it arrived with nothing more than brown paper wrapping. The box was not only dented and smashed, it had been ripped open. Two of the bags were missing along with some wheels. I contacted the seller, who said this was how they shipped everything.I snagged pix and they dragged their feet, but I was eventually able to return the set for a refund - about a month later!!Fellow BPers: If this was you, or this is how you ship, please be up front with potential buyers so they can end the transaction before it begins or change your errant ways. Sorry, I would've contacted Amazon directly immediately...Completely unacceptable ever... Quote
GhostDad Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 But once it goes to FBA, seller no longer have control how the product is packaged for shipping. Which is why FBA is a hit and miss for sellers. Returns can sometimes be the fault of Amazon staff as I have seen pictures on this board that they are shipping items without shipping boxes! Just slap a label on the retail box! If that was my FBA item and it came back as un-sellable and Aamazon will not reimburse for it, there will be hell over the phone with AZ repFair point. This is why I don't sell FBA. Imagine a SSD sold for just shy of $1000, shipped with no box; only a shipping label slapped on the front. Yikes! Quote
Brickson Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 (Shameful admission) I bought a Chima set from Amazon (cathartic, but still embarassing) and it arrived with nothing more than brown paper wrapping. The box was not only dented and smashed, it had been ripped open. Two of the bags were missing along with some wheels. I contacted the seller, who said this was how they shipped everything.I snagged pix and they dragged their feet, but I was eventually able to return the set for a refund - about a month later!!Fellow BPers: If this was you, or this is how you ship, please be up front with potential buyers so they can end the transaction before it begins or change your errant ways.That's ridiculous. It's so easy to acquire boxes too. Plenty of places throw them out, Walmart, Shoppers, etc. Quote
marcandre Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Cheapest on amazon is now 900.99. First time I have seen that, usually a few in the 800's. Cheapest fba is $979. Love it 3 Quote
waddamon Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Up up and away, let's hope for 1000k plus on eBay by November. 1 Quote
newbie77 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Cheapest on amazon is now 900.99. First time I have seen that, usually a few in the 800's. Cheapest fba is $979. Love it its a musical chair. nothing has changed in months except that the price has moved up. still 59 sellers. sales rank has slipped to "#100,096"... i would say still too many sellers for the price... need to be less than 20 sellers for it to really hold over $1k Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.