Is anyone experiencing a lackluster sales season?

[mudcatsfan]

While many Lego products are purchased as Christmas presents for children, the items i have are mostly for collectors, and likely purchased BY collectors for themselves. I'm actually anticipating a large influx of business AFTER christmas once everyone has received their gift cards, cash, etc.

 

Anyone else hoping / planning for that angle?

 

(fill in expensive set name here) isn't going under the tree for Timmy, it's going to be a gift from 37 year old Fred to Fred for surviving the holidays, and maybe funded by his Christmas bonus (or a month or two later funded by his tax refund).

Edited December 10, 2014 by mudcatsfan

[KShine]

While many Lego products are purchased as Christmas presents for children, the items i have are mostly for collectors, and likely purchased BY collectors for themselves. I'm actually anticipating a large influx of business AFTER christmas once everyone has received their gift cards, cash, etc.

 

Anyone else hoping / planning for that angle?

 

(fill in expensive set name here) isn't going under the tree for Timmy, it's going to be a gift from 37 year old Fred to Fred for surviving the holidays, and maybe funded by his Christmas bonus (or a month or two later funded by his tax refund).

 

You are correct - Many collector's stop buying for themselves around Christmas, and Timmy mostly wants what they show him in commercials. This is why the Christmas boost isn't the same (% of annual sales) for LEGO collectibles as it is for other products. Jan, & Feb are always strong, as the collectors start buying for themselves again.

[minicoopers11]

Collectors and resellers are my typical customers. Not very many sets go from my store directly to little Johnny. My upticks in sales aren't really related to the season. Once the set reaches the right price, they all vanish.

[Young_Gun21]

How do I make sure my products are available internationally? I have GSP but is there something else I need to do.

[minicoopers11]

How do I make sure my products are available internationally? I have GSP but is there something else I need to do.

You can ship internationally yourself too (edit the shipping portion of the listing). But you're good with GSP. I think the next good option is selling some of your stuff on Bricklink too.

[Spartikis]

Dont have much listed right now, i didnt clear out 17 Kingdoms chess sets in the last 2 months for nearly 100% ROI in 1 year.

[nolanfan34]

Way too early to be dumping Quinjets IMO. 

 

Happy with my sales overall. Only learning - don't book a vacation the first week of December. Vacation was great, but that was a whole week of not listing anything. :-) 

 

We just moved after being downsized in an apartment for 7 months, so next year I'm expecting a bigger year with a better plan.

[redcell]

Way too early to be dumping Quinjets IMO. 

 

Happy with my sales overall. Only learning - don't book a vacation the first week of December. Vacation was great, but that was a whole week of not listing anything. :-) 

 

We just moved after being downsized in an apartment for 7 months, so next year I'm expecting a bigger year with a better plan.

 

Good luck with your Quinjets...it's barely budged off of MSRP since retiring compared to most other super hero sets that have, at the very least, doubled.  It will rise, but it is going to be a slow burn that will keep all of the capital sunk into it tied up.  There were few sets that I was happier to dump than those.

[exciter1]

Good luck with your Quinjets...it's barely budged off of MSRP since retiring compared to most other super hero sets that have, at the very least, doubled.  It will rise, but it is going to be a slow burn that will keep all of the capital sunk into it tied up.  There were few sets that I was happier to dump than those.

 

When you bought them at $40 - $45 each, it doesn't sting as bad.

[cladner]

i sold my only quinjet last saturday on ebay bin for $99.99 with free shipping.  paid $48 from target.

i wouldn't call that a dump.

Edited December 10, 2014 by cladner

[exciter1]

i sold my only quinjet last saturday on ebay bin for $99.99 with free shipping.  paid $48 from target.

 

I'm holding onto all my Two-Face Escapes, so why not hold onto my Quinjets too?

[Achilles]

Quinjets were avail AT LEGO.com through most of last holiday season, and avail in some retail stores in early 2014. There are a LOT of these out there (170 sellers on Amazon), this is a set people should be looking at selling holiday season 2016. 

 

I am not sure how folks have gotten so spoiled that they expect doubling their money on a set that hasn't been retired a year yet! 

[cladner]

I'm holding onto all my Two-Face Escapes, so why not hold onto my Quinjets too?

 

 

i think people are worried that the new quinjet set will deflate the value?

i sold mine because i only had 1 and it was taking up the space where i wanted to put another batcave.

[Ciglione]

I can double my money already on my quinjets. I bought 6 of them really cheap at the start of the year (50% off). Flipped 3 right away so the remaining 3 are at no cost. I am holding the remaining 3 for at least another year. Patience is the key!

[Young_Gun21]

Honestly I think what is happening with the Quinjet happens more often with other products and on a larger scale. I think people think they are getting a nice quick profit when in all reality it is not that great compared to what it COULD be. People selling Haunted Houses for $200-$325 shortly after retirement was the same thing except they made a little more money. I understand some people have a lot of stock and like to sell some early to recoup costs but a lot of these are just small time sellers based on what I have been able to figure out. Grand Emporium, Town Hall, etc., had the same thing. It's just a part of the LEGO investing environment that has become quite popular these days. If you hold out you will beat the profits of these Early Flippers (EF).

[Ciglione]

Honestly I think what is happening with the Quinjet happens more often with other products and on a larger scale. I think people think they are getting a nice quick profit when in all reality it is not that great compared to what it COULD be. People selling Haunted Houses for $200-$325 shortly after retirement was the same thing except they made a little more money. I understand some people have a lot of stock and like to sell some early to recoup costs but a lot of these are just small time sellers based on what I have been able to figure out. Grand Emporium, Town Hall, etc., had the same thing. It's just a part of the LEGO investing environment that has become quite popular these days. If you hold out you will beat the profits of these Early Flippers (EF).

 

I agree 100%. But I also think... what is the problem? Everybody does as he wishes. If everybody would keep them for the same time period the value would go up to then suddenly flood the market and collapse. So let them sell. I hold. 

[nolanfan34]

I agree 100%. But I also think... what is the problem? Everybody does as he wishes. If everybody would keep them for the same time period the value would go up to then suddenly flood the market and collapse. So let them sell. I hold. 

 

Yes, this is a good and fair point, and sorry for derailing the topic. :-)

[justapilgrim]

quinjets will look nice w the helicarrier

[stoltzjl77]

I go back and forth between assuming that the guys undercutting me must be losing money like crazy and assuming they must have gotten way better deals than I did. Just something to keep in mind, you can never be sure exactly what the other guy paid for his inventory. I bought at least 1, maybe 2 or 3 (can't remember) Quinjets for $25 off a clearance rack at Wal-Mart last winter. I think I flipped 1 or 2 at $60 or $70, something like that, and parted out the other one (IIRC it was a pretty badly damaged box). It was a pretty killer return and because I didn't hold on to them I now have things like GE that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to purchase.

 

Anyway, just food for thought.

 

As for the question from the original post, I sell very little on eBay so can't speak for that market - but Amazon sales seem to be doing fine for me. I'm moving less volume this year (which is according to plan - have been able to build inventory of larger sets through reinvestment after lots of work as a QFLL last year) but revenues are about the same and Amazon has picked up a *lot* this week. No question, competition is stiffer this year and if this was my first year I'd be pretty discouraged.

 

BrickLink has been good to me lately as well and is generally strong through Feb-Mar. I also expect Amazon to continue to be strong through late winter for the reasons others have listed above.

[Sozial]

I sold some Quinjets for 2,7 x I payed for, I know they will rise more but to be fair you have to keep the cash flowing.

[redcell]

 

I am not sure how folks have gotten so spoiled that they expect doubling their money on a set that hasn't been retired a year yet! 

 

For me, it's not a question of being spoiled, but a question of wanting to put my money where it will be most productive.  As I indicated earlier, I think that the Quinjet will climb in value, but, so far, its price appreciation has been lackluster, which, to me, is an indication of lack of consumer demand for it.  IMHO, the reason that it lasted in stores so long after EOL and the reason that it hasn't popped in value like Two-Face Chase or Loki's Cube or Catcycle Chase is because there wasn't and still isn't sufficient consumer demand to hoover up the available inventory at a rate that gives the price of the set room to breathe and inflate.  So, for me, that money is better put into sets for which I think there is greater demand and greater profit to be made.  

[justafrog]

I go back and forth between assuming that the guys undercutting me must be losing money like crazy and assuming they must have gotten way better deals than I did. Just something to keep in mind, you can never be sure exactly what the other guy paid for his inventory. 

 

Or, based on the news, IF he paid for his inventory.

 

With all the gloomin' and doomin' it looks to me like smart long-time investors should be liquidating, cutting their losses, and moving on to the next big thing... but they're mostly not. Now either they enjoy pain, or their psychiatrists haven't moved them past the "denial" stage, or there's still money to be made.

 

The reality appears to be that the LEGO market is still big enough for the big dogs here to keep buying and selling.

 

It's useful to keep in mind that almost everyone offering advice on this site has a vested interest in seeing demand outstrip supply - some may be nice enough, naive enough, crazy enough, dumb enough, to give their true best advice and opinion anyway. Some aren't.

 

My advice from a nearby branch of the field but not in direct competition with many here: if you're an inexperienced investor keep your own records, make your own decisions, and DO look gift advice in the mouth, just in case it has big, sharp teeth.

[Veegs]

 

 

 

My advice from a nearby branch of the field but not in direct competition with many here: if you're an inexperienced investor keep your own records, make your own decisions, and DO look gift advice in the mouth, just in case it has big, sharp teeth.

 

Jaws is on the loose!

 

On topic, my sales are fine. When I am getting a little undercut on things like Rovers or other sets I simply shrug. I don't have enough free time to micromanage my listings, so I set prices and wait. It helps that I am very patient and don't need the cash flow. I know (or at least believe) that my list prices reflect where I realistically think the set will sell, and I trust myself over other opinions.

[Deez_Brickz]

For me, it's not a question of being spoiled, but a question of wanting to put my money where it will be most productive. As I indicated earlier, I think that the Quinjet will climb in value, but, so far, its price appreciation has been lackluster, which, to me, is an indication of lack of consumer demand for it. IMHO, the reason that it lasted in stores so long after EOL and the reason that it hasn't popped in value like Two-Face Chase or Loki's Cube or Catcycle Chase is because there wasn't and still isn't sufficient consumer demand to hoover up the available inventory at a rate that gives the price of the set room to breathe and inflate. So, for me, that money is better put into sets for which I think there is greater demand and greater profit to be made.

I agree with this. Plus it looks like another quinjet set is coming in 2015.

[matt1147]

This article mentions retailers learned from last year and ordered twice as many lego sets in anticipation of christmas. Don't know if that's totally accurate but could explain some of the lack of sets going OOS and (perceived?) lackluster reseller sales.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/money-may-already-too-hottest-130000467.html