10188 - UCS: Death Star

[Miami Bomb Squad]

hey guys, im sorry if this has been answered before but I have a serious problem with my sealed death stars.  they ALL WEIGH DIFFERENTLY!  one from 2011 weighs 8.2 kilograms, another weighs 5.4, 5.6, and 6.8 kilograms!  is this normal?

Return all those from Walmart back to Walmart and get a full refund. ($2000 + tax)

Call Lego and explain your case with them and ask them if you can buy 5 with the refunded $$ from Walmart.  

I think this is your quickest and best way out of this problem.

Maybe call Lego first to see if they will sell you 5 at once.

 

[toycrazedchris]

Maybe call Lego first to see if they will sell you 5 at once.

 

I'm not sure about the rest, but don't do this if you want to keep your LEGO Shop at Home privileges. : )

[vexxet]

I appreciate everyones input on the subject and I have been following this closely.  I am currently talking to walmart as I have found 2 reciepts from 2 years ago.  They told me to go into a store today and meet with a CS rep with a case on file.  They are trying to get all the information as it was 2 years ago it may take some time (I think that means they deleted my order info from the computer since it was so long ago but I have a two packing reciepts so that may help.)

[popalzai]

what happens if we order more than 2 Death Stars from Lego shop @ Home.. do they block or cancel?

[Mos_Eisley]

what happens if we order more than 2 Death Stars from Lego shop @ Home.. do they block or cancel?

They produce the set for an additional number of years equal to the quantity you order.

[diablo2112]

So sorry for this mess.  I just spent an hour weighing my inventory, and all my large sets were within 10-15g of each other (Harbor Freight scale with +/- 5g resolution).   

 

Shipping weights will be your best way out of this.  (un)fortunately, your weight variance is very large, many pounds.  This will appear in your shipping weights.  Do your packing slips have weights recorded?  Even without this data available to you, I would ask Walmart to try and recover shipping weight info from their system or UPS/Fedex.  Obviously, the tracking number will be of immense help here.  If shipping data shows a discrepancy of a few kg, then you've got everything you need to prove to Walmart that they shipped sets with many missing pieces/bags.

 

At some point, if Walmart hasn't yet resolved this, I'd open the underweight sets and inventory what bags are missing.  Its possible - possible - that someone pilfered a complete set from 2 or more other sets.  In this case, the missing bags from your set would be telling.  The lego bags will be marked with numbers.  If I was thinking deviously and wanted to short a few sets to make a complete one, I'd simply take all the #1 bags from one set, all the #2 from another, and so forth.  Practically, there's no other way to do that; trying to discern individual bags would be a nightmare.  Anyway, knowing what bags are missing is additional evidence for you with Walmart that someone shorted your sets on their end, perhaps to steal a complete set of their own.  

 

Good luck, and keep us posted.  From now on, I'm weighing every set I receive for which I have other sets to compare to.  And not a bad idea to weigh outgoing-sets, with perhaps a photo of the outgoing shipping info + the set on a scale as a bit of proof of what you're sending.  I'd also *not* tell buyers I have this info recorded.  Would be very handy for counterevidence against shady buyers looking to skim parts or some other scam in the future.

Edited February 3, 2015 by diablo2112

[Heart Juggler]

Heads up guys. There are 4 on ebay (uk) brand new for

[Mos_Eisley]

You may as well open your PayPal case now.

[Heart Juggler]

Cant link at the moment but looks genuine

[lego rules]

I appreciate everyones input on the subject and I have been following this closely.  I am currently talking to walmart as I have found 2 reciepts from 2 years ago.  They told me to go into a store today and meet with a CS rep with a case on file.  They are trying to get all the information as it was 2 years ago it may take some time (I think that means they deleted my order info from the computer since it was so long ago but I have a two packing reciepts so that may help.)

Hopefully it will get resolved and you are able to get some of your money back.   Could you see any tampering of the seals of the light ones?

[stephen_rockefeller]

Cant link at the moment but looks genuine

That's the point.....and what keeps scammers in business.

[Huskers1236]

Heads up guys. There are 4 on ebay (uk) brand new for

[Heart Juggler]

Someone just listed 4 DS on ebay uk for

[stephen_rockefeller]

Same seller as this one I presume.

When they arrive I will weight all boxes to check first. Was planning on opening one anyway, so I will see if it is genuine or not then. If I have been burnt, I will just open a case

Lol @ "when they arrive".

[Heart Juggler]

Guess I shall wait and see!

[ravenb99]

All this practice does is hurt the legitimate ebay sellers including most of you on here, yet every time one of these type auctions comes up of $50 Death Stars or half price this and that people bid on them with the hope they are going to get something that will never come.

 

It affects ebay sellers as a whole as ebay then takes proactive measures like restricting additional accounts a legitimate user may have or putting harsher monthly limits on sellers to protect them from getting more damage from hacked accounts.

 

If something is over 50% off on a hot item you know its not legitimate so why bother!!!!

 

The attitude that I am covered by paypal and ebay so it doesn't matter is the wrong one to have.  It still have repercussions on the site as a whole.

 

Just report these type auctions instead of purchasing them and hoping for the best.

[stephen_rockefeller]

I'm not trying to bust your you know what but your attitude is precisely why scammers are so successful. Your logic is if it's a scam oh well ebay or paypal has got my back. Meanwhile the scammer got away Scott free with your money. Who do think reimburses you? The thief? It comes from PayPal or ebay who have to foot the bill, and then people wonder why the fees they charge keep going up and up.

[terrymc4677]

[Heart Juggler]

Point taken  I shall see if I can get in touch with ebay regarding a possible scam. In the future I will be a lot more careful not to be taken in.

[ravenb99]

image.jpg

Is that the guy waiting on his Death Stars to arrive or waiting on them to retire LOL?

[stephen_rockefeller]

Point taken  I shall see if I can get in touch with ebay regarding a possible scam. In the future I will be a lot more careful not to be taken in.

It's hard to resist I know!

[ISO8T0]

Where can I find what a Lego set weighs / should weigh? This is a tragic eye opener.

BP Price Guide:

http://www.brickpicker.com/bpms/set.cfm?set=10188-1

[terrymc4677]

Point taken  I shall see if I can get in touch with ebay regarding a possible scam. In the future I will be a lot more careful not to be taken in.

Not a problem. Everyone makes a buying mistake from time to time, myself included when I first started out. What's important is to learn how to recognize these false listings and don't give the scammers the satisfaction. Better yet, report them.

[Heart Juggler]

Thanks for your help guys. Really appreciate it

[Grynn]

On the subject of avoiding online sales scams, I would simply like to add that a tracking number means nothing in terms of validity.

 

In my early days I bought an older rare Star Wars set from China (yeah, yeah) at a low, but believable price.

 

Two weeks later a tiny padded envelope arrived with a long, complicated, grammatically butchered note apologizing for the item being temporarily out of stock, but offering the "wonderful" free jewelry (some handmade cloth/bead junk) included - as compensation until my order could really be shipped.  I immediately filed with eBay and had my money back the instant the timer for the seller to reply to the case ran out.