42056 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS

[Phil B]

Let's not forget the fact that not only are these available in B&M Lego Shops where they shouldn't have been, they are not available at LEGO Shop at Home where they should have been. I'm with those who think that LEGO found out about this issue several weeks ago when the reviewers built there sets and provided feedback, changed tactics (I wanted to write "changed gears" ) and deployed all early stock to Lego B&M stores, opting to make a fix (manuals or physical or both) and roll out those fixed versions to LEGO Shop at Home in the next few weeks.

[Pomodoro]

8 minutes ago, Phil B said:

Let's not forget the fact that not only are these available in B&M Lego Shops where they shouldn't have been, they are not available at LEGO Shop at Home where they should have been. I'm with those who think that LEGO found out about this issue several weeks ago when the reviewers built there sets and provided feedback, changed tactics (I wanted to write "changed gears" ) and deployed all early stock to Lego B&M stores, opting to make a fix (manuals or physical or both) and roll out those fixed versions to LEGO Shop at Home in the next few weeks.

That's exactly what I'm thinking, they just don't want to lose face admitting there was a mistake on their much awaited Ultimate Technic set, especially after bragging about how long and how hard they worked on it. 

[yang]

6 minutes ago, Phil B said:

Let's not forget the fact that not only are these available in B&M Lego Shops where they shouldn't have been, they are not available at LEGO Shop at Home where they should have been. I'm with those who think that LEGO found out about this issue several weeks ago when the reviewers built there sets and provided feedback, changed tactics (I wanted to write "changed gears" ) and deployed all early stock to Lego B&M stores, opting to make a fix (manuals or physical or both) and roll out those fixed versions to LEGO Shop at Home in the next few weeks.

I doubt it's really because TLG found out the mistake in the instruction. I think it's highly possible that TLG just messed up the inventory distribution! They just simply mistakenly shipped the sets to stores instead of the warehouse for online orders.

Seems like there's lack of communication among departments within TLG. Quality control group don't talk to designers, inventory distribution group don't talk to press release group, etc.

[Pomodoro]

4 minutes ago, yang said:

I doubt it's really because TLG found out the mistake in the instruction. I think it's highly possible that TLG just messed up the inventory distribution! They just simply mistakenly shipped the sets to stores instead of the warehouse for online orders.

Seems like there's lack of communication among departments within TLG. Quality control group don't talk to designers, inventory distribution group don't talk to press release group, etc.

I really don't think you can send a product all over the world by mistake. Just imagine the costs compared to sending them to the distribution hubs. This was clearly a deliberate decision.

[Val-E]

TOOS is usually indicative of some issue or other. Interesting that SOH is also down (new box, maybe).

 

 

[Phil B]

4 minutes ago, Val-E said:

TOOS is usually indicative of some issue or other. Interesting that SOH is also down (new box, maybe).

 

 

42056 is #1 best seller on LEGO Shop at Home, even though it is only available as "pre-order". Also interesting to note is that some other June 1st releases are 15/30-day TOOS as well - Vacation Getaway, Fun in the Park, Lighthouse Point.

[TomOOO]

6 minutes ago, Phil B said:

42056 is #1 best seller on LEGO Shop at Home, even though it is only available as "pre-order". Also interesting to note is that some other June 1st releases are 15/30-day TOOS as well - Vacation Getaway, Fun in the Park, Lighthouse Point.

I wonder if they have over stretched themselves, they have a few big sets coming out in June (42056, big-ben, the, mine-craft village etc) and will have 3 major technic sets in August - that is a large volume of new and large box sets to produce at the same time.  I do think 42056 is withdrawn though for a fix on the stiff gearing.

[Frank Brickowski]

The German product page has gotten an official note:
"Aufgrund unvorhersehbarer Umstände ist der LEGO Technic Porsche GT3 RS auf shop.LEGO.com vorübergehend nicht verfügbar. Wir arbeiten daran, das Set schnellstmöglich in unserem Online Shop zu lancieren!"

-> "Due to unforeseeable circumstances (aka our very own, ever-growing incompetence - personal annotation) the LEGO Technic Porsche GT3 RS is temporarily not available on shop.LEGO.com. We're working on making the set available in our online shop as soon as possible."

Edited June 2, 2016 by Frank Brickowski

[TomOOO]

And just appeared on the UK site...

Due to unforeseen circumstances the LEGO Technic Porsche GT3 RS is temporarily unavailable on shop.LEGO.com. Please keep an eye on our website for updates to online availability.

[gregpj]

7 minutes ago, Frank Brickowski said:

The German product page has gotten an official note:
"Aufgrund unvorhersehbarer Umstände ist der LEGO Technic Porsche GT3 RS auf shop.LEGO.com vorübergehend nicht verfügbar. Wir arbeiten daran, das Set schnellstmöglich in unserem Online Shop zu lancieren!"

-> "Due to unforeseeable circumstances (aka our very own, ever-growing incompetence - personal annotation) the LEGO Technic Porsche GT3 RS is temporarily not available on shop.LEGO.com. We're working on making the set available in our online shop as soon as possible."

I'm giving that a like for the personal annotation, not LEGO's statement. In development for 3 years and they couldn't foresee the complaints about the friction problems, the 1,3,2,4 gearbox and inadequate supply out the door. Yup, that's incompetence.

[Pomodoro]

6 minutes ago, gregpj said:

I'm giving that a like for the personal annotation, not LEGO's statement. In development for 3 years and they couldn't foresee the complaints about the friction problems, the 1,3,2,4 gearbox and inadequate supply out the door. Yup, that's incompetence.

Total speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the line we learn that Lego knew about the problems but Porsche didn't want to reschedule. Now in this situation it seems only Lego is at fault and has to do the damage control and Porsche is on the victims side. The set is fine for Porsche enthusiasts, but not up to Lego standards.

You don't wake up on the launch day of one of your most anticipated products of the year only to discover you have a faulty set and no stock. 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Pomodoro

[oneknightr]

7 hours ago, Val-E said:

...It is correct that the gears in this model are not sequential as in the real Porsche PDK. This is however, a deliberate decision taken to ensure that we make the best possible LEGO version of this amazing car that both meets our design requirements and gives everyone a great building and product experience.

It was a considered decision taken during development that the gears running in the correct order meant that it did not result in a great experience when driving the car. Too many gears are engaged at the same time and smooth running with all those tolerances is just not possible....

This is the biggest load of BS that I've ever heard them say. Deliberate incorrect gearing? That's a big smack to the Lego and Car enthusiasts that this set is supposed to appease. I don't see how Porsche would be ok with it either.

Edited June 2, 2016 by oneknightr

[Kenxxx]

Here in the States, we all drive automatics...so... "gearbox, schmearbox... why fix it? We're too lazy to shift that thing anyway". Out of stock, but will ship in 30 days   They were selling out fast at my Lego store yesterday, but it seems one manager thought they were getting more in next week.

[Val-E]

499-550 euros seems to be the price people are willing to pay on Ebay and 350 or so on Bricklink (no listings left).

At those prices it is taking maybe 6h to sell.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the price if it remains unavailable for let´s say more than a week.

[kd123]

B/O on day 1 could mean:

Demand was way higher than what LEGO planned. Unlikely imo.

LEGO did not have the capacity to build enough to meet supply ... maybe due to building way too many white bricks for another ucs set. 

Or they have all the supply to meet demand but are releasing in limited quantities to drive up overall demand.  

I missed out on day one and have seen some go as high as $700 cdn and as low as $350 on CL. I am waiting for the next double vip.  

 

[yang]

2 hours ago, Pomodoro said:

I really don't think you can send a product all over the world by mistake. Just imagine the costs compared to sending them to the distribution hubs. This was clearly a deliberate decision.

Why not? The inventory distribution team might never get the message that this is for online only, so they just distributed it as regular Lego sets, they don't know that is a mistake.

Also I just don't understand the connection between finding a mistake in product and intentionally selling it in local stores instead of online. How does that solve anything or do any good? If anything, I would tend to keep all products in one warehouse instead of sending them to all over the world if I find something wrong with the product, it's easier to deal with it in the future if I ever decide to retrieve or modify the product.

[Pomodoro]

5 minutes ago, yang said:

Why not? The inventory distribution team might never get the message that this is for online only, so they just distributed it as regular Lego sets, they don't know that is a mistake.

Also I just don't understand the connection between finding a mistake in product and intentionally selling it in local stores instead of online. How does that solve anything or do any good? If anything, I would tend to keep all products in one warehouse instead of sending them to all over the world if I find something wrong with the product, it's easier to deal with it in the future if I ever decide to retrieve or modify the product.

It would be way cheaper to send a fix to people who already have the set than recall all the stock and ship it again. As a bonus you get to keep your deadline, the set is on the hands of thousands of people now. 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Pomodoro

[yang]

14 minutes ago, Pomodoro said:

It would be way cheaper to send a fix to people who already have the set than recall all the stock and ship it again. As a bonus you get to keep your deadline, the set is on the hands of thousands of people now. 

Not fully follow your logic, but never mind.

To me, the simplest explanation usually is the right explanation.

Anyway, I think we are way off topic now...I appreciate your discussion though.

I changed my mind and actually ordered it online yesterday. I saw on EB that many ppl already come up with good improvements. Hopefully when my set finally arrives we already have a perfect solution to solve all issues, I will then build it the "correct" way from the beginning. That's the bonus of waiting, :).

[Silburned]

3 hours ago, citymorgue said:

It blows my mind that Lego stores in the US are selling these.  Lego had made it pretty clear that it was an online exclusive only and it wouldn't hit stores until August.

That's fantastic for those that have received one, but it blows my mind that Lego can have SNAFU after SNAFU, and can't even hold their own word.  I can't help but shake my head every time Lego screws up a launch that is always anticipated.

FOR SHAME LEGO!!!!!

I was able to pick one up at my Lego Store yesterday.  They still had it in the shipping carton.  On the top of the carton was a big sticker that read "DO NOT SHELVE before JUNE 1st. 2016". The sticker makes me think that the distribution wasn't a mistake.  I tried to buy 2 but the manager wouldn't let me.

My store manager also said they only got a small stock and are expecting a larger shipment next week, but take that with a grain of salt.

 

 

 

[Pomodoro]

8 minutes ago, yang said:

Not fully follow your logic, but never mind.

To me, the simplest explanation usually is the right explanation.

Anyway, I think we are way off topic now...I appreciate your discussion though.

I changed my mind and actually ordered it online yesterday. I saw on EB that many ppl already come up with good improvements. Hopefully when my set finally arrives we already have a perfect solution to solve all issues, I will then build it the "correct" way from the beginning. That's the bonus of waiting, :).

In TLG's situation, you can either:

A. Delay the launch to modify all packaged sets (meaning shipping all the sets to the factory and back to the distribution centers, i.e. not sell one set and triple your expenses in shipping and handling so far.

B. Send the sets to brick and mortar stocks and sell them while you fix the new production in the factory and send a parts pack/leaflet later. This solution is cheaper than A, you get exposure and don't have to delay your release (with the legal implications it has with a licensed set, the licensor might not like that at all).

 

To get back on topic, I'm now building box 2, and it's still an absolute pleasure. I really like this set despite its (temporary?) limitations.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Pomodoro

[Phil B]

2 minutes ago, Pomodoro said:

In TLG's situation, you can either:

A. Delay the launch to modify all packaged sets (meaning shipping all the sets to the factory and back to the distribution centers, i.e. not sell one set and triple your expenses in shipping and handling so far.

B. Send the sets to brick and mortar stocks and sell them while you fix the new production in the factory and send a parts pack/leaflet later. This solution is cheaper than A, you get exposure and don't have to delay your release (with the legal implications it has with a licensed set, the licensor might not like that at all).

 

To get back on the topic, I'm now building box 2, and it's still an absolute pleasure. I really like this set despite its (temporary?) limitations.

As owner of an original Wall-E (pre wobble fix, pre final fix) I can tell you there is nothing wrong with a set that needs a fix, and LEGO will take good care of you once the solution is out there. All it takes is a call to Customer Service when a fix is ready.

[Pomodoro]

Just now, Phil B said:

As owner of an original Wall-E (pre wobble fix, pre final fix) I can tell you there is nothing wrong with a set that needs a fix, and LEGO will take good care of you once the solution is out there. All it takes is a call to Customer Service when a fix is ready.

Yes, it's a small inconvenience but it makes total economic sense to ship first and fix later from a company's point of view.

[lego rules]

14 minutes ago, yang said:

Not fully follow your logic, but never mind.

To me, the simplest explanation usually is the right explanation.

Anyway, I think we are way off topic now...I appreciate your discussion though.

I changed my mind and actually ordered it online yesterday. I saw on EB that many ppl already come up with good improvements. Hopefully when my set finally arrives we already have a perfect solution to solve all issues, I will then build it the "correct" way from the beginning. That's the bonus of waiting, :).

I have it at home and have also decided to wait until some good builders have built it and make corrections.  Blackbird has found something very early on which may solve the gearbox issues.

I will happily continue building the Ferrari F40 by jorgeopsi and wait for the Porsche build to work out the issues.

[lukiepete]

58 minutes ago, Val-E said:

499-550 euros seems to be the price people are willing to pay on Ebay and 350 or so on Bricklink (no listings left).

At those prices it is taking maybe 6h to sell.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the price if it remains unavailable for let´s say more than a week.

I've definitely got one eye peeled back following this. It's a scary thing to behold. 

[kobus]

17 minutes ago, Pomodoro said:

In TLG's situation, you can either:

A. Delay the launch to modify all packaged sets (meaning shipping all the sets to the factory and back to the distribution centers, i.e. not sell one set and triple your expenses in shipping and handling so far.

B. Send the sets to brick and mortar stocks and sell them while you fix the new production in the factory and send a parts pack/leaflet later. This solution is cheaper than A, you get exposure and don't have to delay your release (with the legal implications it has with a licensed set, the licensor might not like that at all).

 

To get back on topic, I'm now building box 2, and it's still an absolute pleasure. I really like this set despite its (temporary?) limitations.

But why not:

C. Stick to the original release plan (LEGO Shop at Home) only till august 1st. And send the fix part packs/leaflet later.

That way you dont have to break any promise