Black Friday 2016

[exciter1]

Town Square brings 2 bills.

[Deadfraggle]

32 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

48$ Batcaves can be sold now for ~ $130

on Amazon .

 

Just for frame of reference, those were one of the Target BF 2015 2014 sets. In most cases, don't expect to flip the items you're picking up this BF during this Holiday season.

Obvious exceptions might include: Walmart creator boxes, LEGO Christmas promos (I'm looking at you Gingerbred House), etc.

[Super Dad SC]

Do most people wait until the set is retired to start selling it? Sounds like that could be years in some cases. Thanks for the help everyone.

[Poly 30286]

I picked up LOTR Lonely Mountain for a good discount at The LEGO Store, along with Heartlake Mall for my girls. Target sold out too quickly for me to grab anything there.

[Bold-Arrow]

12 minutes ago, Deadfraggle said:

Just for frame of reference, those were one of the Target BF 2015 sets. In most cases, don't expect to flip the items you're picking up this BF during this Holiday season.

Obvious exceptions might include: Walmart creator boxes, LEGO Christmas promos (I'm looking at you Gingerbred House), etc.

Fair enough  

 

2 minutes ago, Super Dad SC said:

Do most people wait until the set is retired to start selling it? Sounds like that could be years in some cases. Thanks for the help everyone.

It depends on the set really , sessional items can be flipped , so can hot new items ( dolphin cruiser , Santa worship )  but for the most part , your statement holds true regarding retirement . 

[exciter1]

Just for frame of reference, those were one of the Target BF 2015 sets. In most cases, don't expect to flip the items you're picking up this BF during this Holiday season.

Obvious exceptions might include: Walmart creator boxes, LEGO Christmas promos (I'm looking at you Gingerbred House), etc.

2014.

[Deadfraggle]

16 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

2014.

Fixed it. I knew that too. Last year was the Creator Bike shop for $55

[Super Dad SC]

From what I've gathered already, the majority of Lego sets hold their value unless we're talking about Simpsons, scooby doo, etc..so if I'm buying A popular theme like Star Wars, would it be safe to say that at least you'll make a little if you hold them awhile but you might make a lot?

[exciter1]

From what I've gathered already, the majority of Lego sets hold their value unless we're talking about Simpsons, scooby doo, etc..so if I'm buying A popular theme like Star Wars, would it be safe to say that at least you'll make a little if you hold them awhile but you might make a lot?

You might want to read the forums a little deeper. There are certain threads here that paint a different picture for LEGO investing and it's future opportunities.

[Super Dad SC]

You might want to read the forums a little deeper. There are certain threads here that paint a different picture for LEGO investing and it's future opportunities.

Am I reading the CAGR correctly? Legos on average increase in value at around 8%. More popular themes at a higher rate with some sets such as Simpsons decreasing in value. That would lead me to believe i at least make money on popular themes but may hit a home run with certain sets. thanks for taking my questions and helping me understand. You've all been very helpful thus far

[Deadfraggle]

45 minutes ago, Super Dad SC said:

From what I've gathered already, the majority of Lego sets hold their value unless we're talking about Simpsons, scooby doo, etc..so if I'm buying A popular theme like Star Wars, would it be safe to say that at least you'll make a little if you hold them awhile but you might make a lot?

A few thoughts as you begin your journey:

1. research. research some more.then do some more research before you really start buying.

2. buying is easy, selling is hard (and honestly, not nearly as much "fun" for most people). try selling some sets before going really heavy on buying. Nothing worse than dropping 10 thousand on inventory to discover that you literally hate and/or suck at the selling experience.

3. a set needs to increase about 40% over what you pay to cover ebay/amazon/bricklink/brickclassifieds/paypal fees, shipping, etc. so modest CAGRs of 8-10-15% look good on paper, but maybe only tell half the story.

[Super Dad SC]

A few thoughts as you begin your journey:

1. research. research some more.then do some more research before you really start buying.

2. buying is easy, selling is hard (and honestly, not nearly as much "fun" for most people). try selling some sets before going really heavy on buying. Nothing worse than dropping 10 thousand on inventory to discover that you literally hate and/or suck at the selling experience.

3. a set needs to increase about 40% over what you pay to cover ebay/amazon/bricklink/brickclassifieds/paypal fees, shipping, etc. so modest CAGRs of 8-10-15% look good on paper, but maybe only tell half the story.

Great points. My plan is to start small with flipping things I find cheap on CL, garage sales, etc...to build up money and learn the selling process. I usually only buy something if I can double my money. It's been a blast hunting for things and I've flipped a few used sets so far.

I bought a used 8019 republic attack shuttle, 10192 medieval market village, and a few smaller sets for for $40 and my local flea market. boxes, instructions included and they were only missing a few pieces.

[lazuli16]

9 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

Fair enough  

 

It depends on the set really , sessional items can be flipped , so can hot new items ( dolphin cruiser , Santa worship )  but for the most part , your statement holds true regarding retirement . 

Santa worship was a really appropriate title two years ago.  I think most of us are now Santa-atheist now.

[fossilrock]

Last year, some of my better buys were from lego.com in October and later on in december at Books-a-million.  That lego promo holiday train set was an easy 35.00 discount due to the profit of the set once december hit.  Then the Gingerbread House was even better.  So, i'll definitely buy in october, and november during 2xvip periods, just to pick up those promos. 

I remember Black Friday being a bit of a big overblown bust for me last year (actually it's been that way for a few years now).  Instead, last year, we spent our time running around to multiple Toys R Us' and Walmarts scooping up the last AT-AT's, ISD's, and Lonely Mountains that we could find on our way back from a long holiday road trip.  This year, i'll probably just do the same, but instead target 3 or 4 sets that are going end of life that I like as investments for the next few years.  I'm not even going to attempt to find those big creator boxes this year.  Just not worth the hassle...

[cladner]

10 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

48$ Batcaves can be sold now for ~ $130

on Amazon .

 

yeah but that's not giving a newbie hope when there is no chance they will be able to sell on amazon given the turn of events of the last month.

 

10 hours ago, Super Dad SC said:

Any success stories on investing to give us newbies hope? Anyone turn a good profit on these investments?

not to rain on the parade but in the last month  Amazon has put up essentially impenetrable barriers for new LEGO sellers.

this limits your options to selling (which is the more important, harder part of investing) to ebay, craigslist, and facebook groups.  maybe a few other places too but all of these markets combined likely will be less than a quarter of what moves on amazon.  Also amazon commands a price premium that makes it easier to profit.  With ebay, you can also do well but you will have to wait longer for the price to rise to a level seen on amazon (if it ever does).

 

My advice for a newbie would be to buy 1 or 2 sets that you like with the intent of building 1 and saving one to sell.  

I have to believe there are many brickpickers who are silently agonizing over being gated out of amazon while sitting on thousands of dollars of inventory that they must now move through another market which is much much smaller and less lucrative.

Edited September 9, 2016 by cladner

[ISO8T0]

48$ Batcaves can be sold now for ~ $130

on Amazon .

 

For the big classic boxes of bricks it's Walmart

Target tends to select 3-4 specific sets and move them on a pallet or end cap at a really nice price. 

Last year I picked up both deals online and didn't fight the masses.

They were $42 on Amazon.

[Jeffrey_Dollars]

not to rain on the parade but in the last month  Amazon has put up essentially impenetrable barriers for new LEGO sellers.

this limits your options to selling (which is the more important, harder part of investing) to ebay, craigslist, and facebook groups.  maybe a few other places too but all of these markets combined likely will be less than a quarter of what moves on amazon.  Also amazon commands a price premium that makes it easier to profit.  With ebay, you can also do well but you will have to wait longer for the price to rise to a level seen on amazon (if it ever does).

 

My advice for a newbie would be to buy 1 or 2 sets that you like with the intent of building 1 and saving one to sell.  

I have to believe there are many brickpickers who are silently agonizing over being gated out of amazon while sitting on thousands of dollars of inventory that they must now move through another market which is much much smaller and less lucrative.

Wait what happened with Amazon? I must not have been paying attention lately. Why can't new sellers sell Lego?

[Bold-Arrow]

1 minute ago, Jeffrey_Dollars said:

 

Wait what happened with Amazon? I must not have been paying attention lately. Why can't new sellers sell Lego?

 

Lego is now gated . Check the Amazon thread for a more detailed and in depth discussion 

[odysea11]

Anybody hear any news on the Lego Black Friday VIP invitation only event this year? My local store said they hadn't heard anything yet. Manager was clueless....

[Will 4]

1 hour ago, odysea11 said:

Anybody hear any news on the Lego Black Friday VIP invitation only event this year? My local store said they hadn't heard anything yet. Manager was clueless....

Or were they throwing you off the scent?

Edited November 6, 2016 by Will 4

[Mos_Eisley]

The store calendar shows the weekend before Thanksgiving being exclusive early access to Brick Friday deals for VIPs so that sounds like the special event has been replaced with a special weekend for everyone. I'd say they're in need of some revenue.

[odysea11]

6 minutes ago, Mos_Eisley said:

The store calendar shows the weekend before Thanksgiving being exclusive early access to Brick Friday deals for VIPs so that sounds like the special event has been replaced with a special weekend for everyone. I'd say they're in need of some revenue.

That is along the lines of what one employee suggested...may be correct.

[Bold-Arrow]

in the meantime :

 

[Neonkid]

First timer here and a newbie collector. Im just wondering which stores should I go to on Black Friday. Which stores usually give the best deals

[jay4e]

12 minutes ago, Neonkid said:

First timer here and a newbie collector. Im just wondering which stores should I go to on Black Friday. Which stores usually give the best deals

the online ones... nothing else is worth going in person...

but seriously I only went to LEGO stores last year ($66 AT-ATs plus promos).  There was nothing else that I saw for in store deals that were not available online, or later in the season.