LEGO VIP - general discussion

[inversion]

31 minutes ago, Blake3741 said:

I like the speculation that the new supposed DS will be connected with the new movie. No matter what this set is, I will get at least two copies for my collection. I'm already saving my VIP points for them. 

Saving money is no different from saving VIP points by the way. I read it a lot on this forum that people are regarding VIP points as some freebie, so they can buy expensive sets that would be out of their budget. It is just a 5% purchase rebate. It does not matter if you use them up with your continuous purchases or all at once, except if you plan on getting out of buying LEGO and want to avoid not using up the rebate from a money purchase.

[Sfcommando14]

Saving money is no different from saving VIP points by the way. I read it a lot on this forum that people are regarding VIP points as some freebie, so they can buy expensive sets that would be out of their budget. It is just a 5% purchase rebate. It does not matter if you use them up with your continuous purchases or all at once, except if you plan on getting out of buying LEGO and want to avoid not using up the rebate from a money purchase.

Yes, but most people's spouses have no access to their VIP points.

But seriously people have different mental and physical record keeping practices. To each their own.

[Lordoflego]

6 minutes ago, inversion said:

Saving money is no different from saving VIP points by the way. I read it a lot on this forum that people are regarding VIP points as some freebie, so they can buy expensive sets that would be out of their budget. It is just a 5% purchase rebate. It does not matter if you use them up with your continuous purchases or all at once, except if you plan on getting out of buying LEGO and want to avoid not using up the rebate from a money purchase.

Yes, but for many it feels good to go to the store and walk out with a nice, big set with 'no out of pocket money', paying with points.... that could as well not exist, so yea, I barely ever go over $30-40 in VIP points because I'm impatient but but its nice to 'lower the price' this way.

[inversion]

6 minutes ago, Lordoflego said:

Yes, but for many it feels good to go to the store and walk out with a nice, big set with 'no out of pocket money', paying with points.... that could as well not exist, so yea, I barely ever go over $30-40 in VIP points because I'm impatient but but its nice to 'lower the price' this way.

Exactly, it is purely emotional. No free sets. Almost as if LEGO prices were 5% lower, but you have to spend that saved money on LEGO too. I could actually math it out that in theory best strategy is always using up VIP at next purchase and store money on an interesting bearing savings account. VIP points don't give interest... Too bad that they are low as hell these times.

Edited March 6, 2016 by inversion

[Deadfraggle]

1 hour ago, inversion said:

Exactly, it is purely emotional. No free sets. Almost as if LEGO prices were 5% lower, but you have to spend that saved money on LEGO too. I could actually math it out that in theory best strategy is always using up VIP at next purchase and store money on an interesting bearing savings account. VIP points don't give interest... Too bad that they are low as hell these times.

I would argue that LEGO is not obligated to offer a VIP points program, so any points I'm given back are indeed free money.

The key is not buying items from the LEGO store or LEGO Shop at Home that can be readily purchased at other retailers for discounted prices that exceed the 5 to 10% points back reward.

If you limit yourself to large exclusives, holidays/special edition items and free gift promo periods, then you're probably doing okay.

Redeeming your points as you go, or banking them to treat yourself with a special set are both valid strategies.

1 hour ago, inversion said:

 

[jal4u2c]

25 minutes ago, Deadfraggle said:

I would argue that LEGO is not obligated to offer a VIP points program, so any points I'm given back are indeed free money.

The key is not buying items from the LEGO store or LEGO Shop at Home that can be readily purchased at other retailers for discounted prices that exceed the 5 to 10% points back reward.

If you limit yourself to large exclusives, holidays/special edition items and free gift promo periods, then you're probably doing okay.

Redeeming your points as you go, or banking them to treat yourself with a special set are both valid strategies.

I agree. If i can find a smaller set at retail discounted $5-10, it makes more sense to buy it that way instead of trying to get VIP points as you'd have to spend $100 just to get $5. It only makes sense to buy larger exclusive sets at double VIP points as that is the only discounts for those sets, excluding gift card type promos. I'm planning n picking up several large sets from Lego tomorrow when the double points start. I will use the points to pick up several smaller sets i need. I'm waiting for sales for the rest of the smaller sets i need for this year. 

[Dark Helmet]

1 hour ago, Lordoflego said:

Yes, but for many it feels good to go to the store and walk out with a nice, big set with 'no out of pocket money', paying with points.... that could as well not exist, so yea, I barely ever go over $30-40 in VIP points because I'm impatient but but its nice to 'lower the price' this way.

I couldn't agree more. I saved up enough to walk out with a Death Star 10188. Greatest feeling ever!

[Blake3741]

6 hours ago, inversion said:

Saving money is no different from saving VIP points by the way. I read it a lot on this forum that people are regarding VIP points as some freebie, so they can buy expensive sets that would be out of their budget. It is just a 5% purchase rebate. It does not matter if you use them up with your continuous purchases or all at once, except if you plan on getting out of buying LEGO and want to avoid not using up the rebate from a money purchase.

Well, when I purchase a lego from The lego store or LS@H, I track my purchase price as the amount I pay. All the points I accumulate are free money which I use to discount what I pay on sets in the future. This is better than treating the VIP points as a continual discount on every purchase, which I could use it for, simply by applying some points to every future purchase that equal the points gained by the purchase. But some sets don't need the discount to accumulate in value. Since the vast majority of my sets are SW sets, I don't have to buy any set on discount for it to increase in value. They just might take time before they go up. 

Now, I would say, any set I'm planning to build and display, I strongly consider and often use VIP points and discount coupons on.  That helps to balance out the depreciation, so I don't lose money. I'm very happy with my system for collecting. My goal is somewhat different from someone who might be trying to make money. I'm just trying to not loose money while collecting by trying to keep what I pay relatively close to the products value, which will increase for almost all of them in time. 

 

[Blake3741]

4 hours ago, Dark Helmet said:

I couldn't agree more. I saved up enough to walk out with a Death Star 10188. Greatest feeling ever!

That's awesome. 

 

[HandyHand]

On 07/03/2016 at 3:28 AM, Blake3741 said:

Well, when I purchase a lego from The lego store or LS@H, I track my purchase price as the amount I pay. All the points I accumulate are free money which I use to discount what I pay on sets in the future.

Yup, that's exactly the same way I book my purchases in LEGO Shop at Home as well. Though if I receive a free promo together with a purchase of a set, and I sell that promo, I retro-actively subtract the profit made with the promo from the purchase price of the set I received it with. I consider the promo as a (delayed) discount on the set if I sell it.  

[Blake3741]

1 hour ago, Haay said:

Yup, that's exactly the same way I book my purchases in LEGO Shop at Home as well. Though if I receive a free promo together with a purchase of a set, and I sell that promo, I retro-actively subtract the profit made with the promo from the purchase price of the set I received it with. I consider the promo as a (delayed) discount on the set if I sell it.  

Oh man. I have so many promo packs sitting at my house, I'd have a project on my hands to try and connect any profit from one with the set I purchased with it. Besides, I often purchase several sets at once, so the discount from the sold promo for each set would be minimal. But, it's a good idea though, and might just work for some. 

[rmendol1]

Definitely a cool feeling walking out with a 10188 with VIP points even if took a minimum of 4000 dollars (Double VIP) to get there 

[Alpinemaps]

Please go ahead and use this thread for general discussions about VIP points, including the infamous "do I spend VIP during 2x VIP?" debate, whether LEGO should offer a VIP program, how you might apply it to your "cost" of an existing good or future good, etc.

[aaronwinship]

Hi all - just a general question and I assume it has been answered countless times so I apologize in advance.

With the double vip ending on Mar 22, if I buy an item that is marked as 'out of stock, will ship mar 23', do I still get the double vip?

 

my understanding was that you only get the vip points when your payment is credited, so if they dont charge me until the shipment date (which is after the promotion), then do i only get regular vip points?

 

Cheers

[BrickLegacy]

Hi all - just a general question and I assume it has been answered countless times so I apologize in advance.

With the double vip ending on Mar 22, if I buy an item that is marked as 'out of stock, will ship mar 23', do I still get the double vip?

 

my understanding was that you only get the vip points when your payment is credited, so if they dont charge me until the shipment date (which is after the promotion), then do i only get regular vip points?

 

Cheers

From my experience you get credit for the 2x VIP even if it doesn't ship before the promotion period ends. I've ordered several out of stock items on the last day and awarded double points.

[gregpj]

Hi all - just a general question and I assume it has been answered countless times so I apologize in advance.

With the double vip ending on Mar 22, if I buy an item that is marked as 'out of stock, will ship mar 23', do I still get the double vip?

 

my understanding was that you only get the vip points when your payment is credited, so if they dont charge me until the shipment date (which is after the promotion), then do i only get regular vip points?

 

Cheers

Your points aren't credited until you are charged, but the amount of points you get is based on when your order was placed and confirmed.

So if you buy an OOS item before 2x VIP and it ships during the 2x VIP you only get single points.

[aaronwinship]

Many thanks gents!

[rcdb1984]

I like having vip points stored and going in and buying something without using the points. Seeing the faces on the employees is priceless.

[thoroakenfelder]

3 hours ago, rcdb1984 said:

I like having vip points stored and going in and buying something without using the points. Seeing the faces on the employees is priceless.

Wasn't there someone who got flagged because of how many VIP points they had on file?