Is anyone experiencing a lackluster sales season?

[TheBrickClique]

This was my first quarter to sell Legos that I've been acquiring all year.  Did well with advents (except the two Friends that will have to wait until next year), unloaded my readily-available tumblers for a small profit and will restock towards EOL, and sold all of my Riding Camps for a tidy profit each.  Other Friends did not sell, but they did not sell out and/or were not retired.  I think next Christmas should be better when more of my sets are retired and gone.  I didn't even bother listing City, Technic, or Star Wars this year (not retired long enough and waiting for episode 7).

 

CL brought out the weird and insane this season.  Two people trying to offer below MSRP claiming I should give it to them for X or less because "it's available at TRU for X but is sold out."  And despite "cash only", I've had people try to barter for ammunition, a Wii, and tattoo services.

[Deez_Brickz]

true fact. Of note the collapse was caused by the big players . Found that to be interesting .' Some prices were slashed by 20% or more. I'm curious how the weekend will unfold

What sets are you referring to? Retired or temp OOS sets?

[Bold-Arrow]

What sets are you referring to? Retired or temp OOS sets?

oos stuff mostly Few retired. Not judging anyone. Just an observation that I found interesting as I'm still learning the ways of fba and trying to observe trends and behaviors

[Migration]

This was my first quarter to sell Legos that I've been acquiring all year. Did well with advents (except the two Friends that will have to wait until next year), unloaded my readily-available tumblers for a small profit and will restock towards EOL, and sold all of my Riding Camps for a tidy profit each. Other Friends did not sell, but they did not sell out and/or were not retired. I think next Christmas should be better when more of my sets are retired and gone. I didn't even bother listing City, Technic, or Star Wars this year (not retired long enough and waiting for episode 7).

CL brought out the weird and insane this season. Two people trying to offer below MSRP claiming I should give it to them for X or less because "it's available at TRU for X but is sold out." And despite "cash only", I've had people try to barter for ammunition, a Wii, and tattoo services.

Ink is pricey.

[Bold-Arrow]

I'm thinking the Frozen craze is coming to an end . I've really scaled back on buying , parents and kids are losing interest , and retailers are coming out with plenty of variations

Disney store just released a new backpack for crying out load .

[Bold-Arrow]

Now the Frozen Lego is a fresh product and I expect it to do well . It is different from what's out there .

Lego + Elsa = $$$

[Mos_Eisley]

Now the Frozen Lego is a fresh product and I expect it to do well . It is different from what's out there .

Lego + Elsa = $$$

Eh, I don't think the gravy train will last long at all with this set. Other than the figures, it really isn't that great. Plus, so many will stock up this year thinking this will be huge next Christmas, but it won't be.

[Bold-Arrow]

Eh, I don't think the gravy train will last long at all with this set. Other than the figures, it really isn't that great. Plus, so many will stick up this year thinking this will be huge next Christmas, but it won't be.

the minifigs are the only things that will drive the set.

[Ciglione]

Eh, I don't think the gravy train will last long at all with this set. Other than the figures, it really isn't that great. Plus, so many will stick up this year thinking this will be huge next Christmas, but it won't be.

 

My wife sees alot of potential in that new Ariel mermaid set. I think she is right. 

[TheBrickClique]

I wouldn't hold any The Little Mermaid merchandise past 1991.

 

Frozen is going to be popular for awhile.  Not "trampling people down for an Elsa dress"-level, but it's got staying power.  Annd and Elsa are not even official Princess/Queens yet and look at them.

[redcell]

Eh, I don't think the gravy train will last long at all with this set. Other than the figures, it really isn't that great. Plus, so many will stock up this year thinking this will be huge next Christmas, but it won't be.

 

Thumbs up on this observation...it will be just like Cinderella's Castle this year.

[cladner]

Thumbs up on this observation...it will be just like Cinderella's Castle this year.

not quite.  frozen is the #5 world-wide highest grossing motion picture of all time netting $1,277,048,028.  

cinderella - not so much.

 

qfll may or may not be disappointed - like any commodity, its an equation between supply and demand.

no one has the gauge on lego frozen demand because this is the first one.

seeing newspaper articles showing adults buying this set has me optimistic that demand may surpass what we expect given that the average citizen has no idea this is even on the horizon.

Edited December 18, 2014 by cladner

[Dbroncoboy]

oos stuff mostly Few retired. Not judging anyone. Just an observation that I found interesting as I'm still learning the ways of fba and trying to observe trends and behaviors

 

FWIW- I remember unloading inventory on the sunday before christmas. Prices weren't at their peak, but they did crawl back up some at the end of the day. 

 

Plus side this year: An extra day before Christmas. 

Down side this year: There are definitely more FBA sellers than last year, and Amazon keeps spoiling "price gouging" by getting stock in. 

[Darth_Raichu]

What a difference 1 day made.  By this time yesterday I was looking at 15 orders.  Right now I have 5.  On the bright side, I can use the nap zzzz

[justafrog]

My sales are fewer but for bigger dollar amounts the past couple of days. I'll take shipping less and making more.

 

Sunday at about 2 a.m. my time I'll get emails from about three buyers freaking out and wanting to know if I'll have what they just bought out in the mail in the next half hour. When I don't answer immediately (because I'm like, you know, asleep...) I'll get five emails each from the same people to wake up to on Sunday morning, just to tell them no, I can't ship on a Sunday.

 

Then on Monday and Tuesday I'll have half a dozen desperate people who just realized that Christmas is on Dec. 25 this year begging for overnight delivery. I'll put on my fake serious-sad face that I learned from TV anchormen and tell them sorry, we don't offer overnight shipping.

 

On Dec. 24 at 6pm I'll hear from three people who purchased books to go by media mail in the past 5 days and want to know why the hell they aren't there and do I realize I've RUINED CHRISTMAS?! (I do it every year... I should change my handle to justascrooge).

 

And then, a blissful silence will fall on Dec. 25 precisely at midnight. I consider it a Christmas Miracle. A series of small orders will occur on Dec. 25 and 26 from remarkably sane people and sales will increase nicely for the remainder of the month as people spend their Christmas gift money or realize that their lame relatives, once again, failed to get them what they wanted so they have to buy it themselves.

 

'Tis the Season.

[Migration]

My sales are fewer but for bigger dollar amounts the past couple of days. I'll take shipping less and making more.

 

Sunday at about 2 a.m. my time I'll get emails from about three buyers freaking out and wanting to know if I'll have what they just bought out in the mail in the next half hour. When I don't answer immediately (because I'm like, you know, asleep...) I'll get five emails each from the same people to wake up to on Sunday morning, just to tell them no, I can't ship on a Sunday.

 

Then on Monday and Tuesday I'll have half a dozen desperate people who just realized that Christmas is on Dec. 25 this year begging for overnight delivery. I'll put on my fake serious-sad face that I learned from TV anchormen and tell them sorry, we don't offer overnight shipping.

 

On Dec. 24 at 6pm I'll hear from three people who purchased books to go by media mail in the past 5 days and want to know why the hell they aren't there and do I realize I've RUINED CHRISTMAS?! (I do it every year... I should change my handle to justascrooge).

 

And then, a blissful silence will fall on Dec. 25 precisely at midnight. I consider it a Christmas Miracle. A series of small orders will occur on Dec. 25 and 26 from remarkably sane people and sales will increase nicely for the remainder of the month as people spend their Christmas gift money or realize that their lame relatives, once again, failed to get them what they wanted so they have to buy it themselves.

 

'Tis the Season.

On the evening of the 20th I set my store on vacation and have a large Apple pie moonshine.

[redcell]

not quite.  frozen is the #5 world-wide highest grossing motion picture of all time netting $1,277,048,028.  

cinderella - not so much.

 

qfll may or may not be disappointed - like any commodity, its an equation between supply and demand.

no one has the gauge on lego frozen demand because this is the first one.

seeing newspaper articles showing adults buying this set has me optimistic that demand may surpass what we expect given that the average citizen has no idea this is even on the horizon.

 

You're missing the point.  The reason that Cinderella didn't turn into a QFLL's dream set this year is because it was such an obvious candidate that three things happened.  First, TLG produced a s*** ton of the set.  Second, retailers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Third, resellers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Put the three together and what could have been a reseller's dream turns into just another set that was generally available at retail and never sold out.  If that happened with Cinderella, what do you think is going to happen with the first Frozen Lego set?  It's not like everyone and there mother is going to be surprised by this set.  It is coming out at the very end of 2014/very beginning of 2015...that gives every reseller or wannabe reseller nearly 12 full months to stock up on what is going to be viewed by many as the surest of sure things.  There is little to no chance that TLG or any other retailer is going to be caught off guard by the popularity of this set next year.

[Darth_Raichu]

You're missing the point.  The reason that Cinderella didn't turn into a QFLL's dream set this year is because it was such an obvious candidate that three things happened.  First, TLG produced a s*** ton of the set.  Second, retailers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Third, resellers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Put the three together and what could have been a reseller's dream turns into just another set that was generally available at retail and never sold out.  If that happened with Cinderella, what do you think is going to happen with the first Frozen Lego set?  It's not like everyone and there mother is going to be surprised by this set.  It is coming out at the very end of 2014/very beginning of 2015...that gives every reseller or wannabe reseller nearly 12 full months to stock up on what is going to be viewed by many as the surest of sure things.  There is little to no chance that TLG or any other retailer is going to be caught off guard by the popularity of this set next year.

 

Agreed...

 

but how do you know Pacific493 and I are not doing reverse psychology tricks on you ? 

Edited December 18, 2014 by Darth_Raichu

[justafrog]

On the evening of the 20th I set my store on vacation and have a large Apple pie moonshine.

 

I don't know, I think I'm addicted to the excitement by now. And I do get some decent sales and rational buyers even during the height of the nuttiness, so I have a hard time denying myself those sales.

[ravenb99]

My sales are fewer but for bigger dollar amounts the past couple of days. I'll take shipping less and making more.

 

Sunday at about 2 a.m. my time I'll get emails from about three buyers freaking out and wanting to know if I'll have what they just bought out in the mail in the next half hour. When I don't answer immediately (because I'm like, you know, asleep...) I'll get five emails each from the same people to wake up to on Sunday morning, just to tell them no, I can't ship on a Sunday.

 

Then on Monday and Tuesday I'll have half a dozen desperate people who just realized that Christmas is on Dec. 25 this year begging for overnight delivery. I'll put on my fake serious-sad face that I learned from TV anchormen and tell them sorry, we don't offer overnight shipping.

 

On Dec. 24 at 6pm I'll hear from three people who purchased books to go by media mail in the past 5 days and want to know why the hell they aren't there and do I realize I've RUINED CHRISTMAS?! (I do it every year... I should change my handle to justascrooge).

 

And then, a blissful silence will fall on Dec. 25 precisely at midnight. I consider it a Christmas Miracle. A series of small orders will occur on Dec. 25 and 26 from remarkably sane people and sales will increase nicely for the remainder of the month as people spend their Christmas gift money or realize that their lame relatives, once again, failed to get them what they wanted so they have to buy it themselves.

 

'Tis the Season.

Pretty much sums it up.  The last 15 years of my life have have gone pretty much like that the week before Xmas.  

 

I love the "ruined christmas" emails.  

[asharerin]

Double VIP yet again for LEGO Shop at Home and brand stores this time Sunday December 21st. Lackluster indeed.

[cladner]

You're missing the point.  The reason that Cinderella didn't turn into a QFLL's dream set this year is because it was such an obvious candidate that three things happened.  First, TLG produced a s*** ton of the set.  Second, retailers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Third, resellers stockpiled a s*** ton of the set.  Put the three together and what could have been a reseller's dream turns into just another set that was generally available at retail and never sold out.  If that happened with Cinderella, what do you think is going to happen with the first Frozen Lego set?  It's not like everyone and there mother is going to be surprised by this set.  It is coming out at the very end of 2014/very beginning of 2015...that gives every reseller or wannabe reseller nearly 12 full months to stock up on what is going to be viewed by many as the surest of sure things.  There is little to no chance that TLG or any other retailer is going to be caught off guard by the popularity of this set next year.

you're missing the point.

no one like's cinderella.

everyone loves elsa.

[Mos_Eisley]

you're missing the point.

no one like's cinderella.

everyone loves elsa.

It doesn't matter. It can be the greatest set anyone has ever seen, but if stores have it and every reseller on ebay and Amazon has it in quantity, the price won't go anywhere.

[TheBrickClique]

Hopefully they overproduce elsa. That means they'll underproduce others :)

[Migration]

I don't know, I think I'm addicted to the excitement by now. And I do get some decent sales and rational buyers even during the height of the nuttiness, so I have a hard time denying myself those sales.

Pretty much sums it up. The last 15 years of my life have have gone pretty much like that the week before Xmas.

I love the "ruined christmas" emails.

You want to ruin Christmas? Try kicking people out of a Target store on Christmas Eve. "What do mean you're closed? I haven't bought anything for my son/daughter/wife/mother/cousin/dog/mannequin". One year I had a woman show up at the register 15 minutes after we locked the doors and cut the lights to 25%, she didn't seem to understand that we had already dropped the registers and could not ring her up. I ended up having to call the cops on her and have her escorted out. To this day she is not allowed in a Target store. I never did figure out how we missed her when we hearded the rest of the shoppers up to the registers. Edited December 18, 2014 by Migration