jaisonline Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE 10256 Taj Mahal Ages 16+. 5,923 pieces.US $369.99 – CA $449.99 – DE 329.99€ – UK £299.99 – DK 2699.00 DKK Discover the architectural wonder of the Taj Mahal! Build and discover the Taj Mahal! The huge ivory-white marble mausoleum, renowned as one of the world’s architectural wonders, was commissioned in 1631 by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, the Empress Mumtaz Mahal. This relaunched 2008 LEGO® Creator Expert interpretation features the structure’s 4 facades with sweeping arches, balconies and arched windows. The central dome, subsidiary domed chambers and surrounding minarets are topped with decorative finials, and the raised platform is lined with recessed arches. The model is finished with ornate detailing throughout and intricate tilework around the base. With more than 5,900 pieces, this set is designed to deliver a rewarding building experience and makes a great display piece for the home or office. LEGO® interpretation of the real-world architectural wonder, the Taj Mahal. Relaunched 2008 model, featuring 4 facades with arches and arched windows; central dome, 4 subsidiary domed chambers and 4 minarets, all topped with decorative finials; raised platform lined with recessed arches; ornate detailing throughout; and intricate tilework around the base. Divides into 7 modular sections for easier transportation. Put your LEGO® building skills to the test with one of the largest LEGO models ever created Special elements include 6 blue 16×32 baseplates, white 1x5x4 bricks with bow, lots of transparent elements, ‘Erling’ bricks and ‘jumper’ plates. Measures over 16” (43cm) high, 20” (51cm) wide and 20” (51cm) deep. 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shewie Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 2 minutes ago, oneknightr said: Just think of the people who aren't aware of this news and pick up 10189 in the next few days thinking they got a deal. a guy purchased just days ago one from BL for 3000USD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sfcommando14 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 The greedy hoaders have had plenty of time to offload at a vast profit and it was only a matter of time before LEGO bit them on the arse. It wouldn’t surprise me if all the old modulars get resurrected too. It also wouldn’t surprise me if all the Harry Potter sets were rehashes too. LEGO were once the biggest toy company in the World, they soon won’t be anymore!The people selling now are not, primarily, greedy hoarders. It is the collectors who see their asset falling precipitously in value over the next three weeks. They aren't stupid. They saw what happened with 10179. If I owned one I'd be selling right now too. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold-Arrow Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I bet you there are way more fans that would like Harry Potter sets than the Taj Mahal 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrToes16 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 6 minutes ago, Shewie said: a guy purchased just days ago one from BL for 3000USD. 3 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inversion Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 (edited) I am not a fan of exact re-releases, but I would not ring the doomsday clock because of this one. LEGO will obviously not remake every set, not even every successful one. For every re-release of an exclusive there will be at least 10 that will never see a new release. So, what do we see here? The timing indicates that this does not take a place of a new exclusive, and since no designers spent unnecessary time on it, it can be considered as an extra in the release schedule. Thus, the complaints about LEGO losing its creativity are not warranted, like in the case of Winter Toy Shop. I would also say that it likely will not stop a new landmark from being released, as this is clearly for the fans only, as otherwise LEGO would not try to attract new customers with dated looks and building techniques. Then, what kind of exclusives are usually re-released? From what I see, they need to be either: Core elements of licensed franchises that are evergreens, and without any alternatives in the same franchise that have iconic enough status to make a large set sell well. Right now these are mostly SW vehicles. Sets that are iconic due to collectibility status and historical rarity, but they also need to be great on their own terms. Taj Mahal is one of these. About Winter Toy Shop: it did not fit any of the above criteria. Plus, it came instead of a new set. And accordingly, it caused an outrage. LEGO admitted that they made a mistake, and based on this, it can be said that LEGO will be afraid of releasing old sets that would take the place of a new one in a series or a release schedule. Any re-release that is not of a highly hyped set without any significant updates must only come as an extra in the release schedule. Then look at Taj Mahal. For LEGO, it must be an easy and cheap to produce sets due to the relatively small number of unique pieces. If it had lots of unique elements and minifigs, it might not have been re-released like this. I think its homogeneity was a huge factor when 10256 was considered. What does all of this mean to us? Well, due to the current market conditions, it is obvious there will not be new sets as desired in the long run as Taj or the Falcon. Therefore, they will not get a re-release due to some iconic collectibility status. So what is left is core franchise sets. If you avoid those, you can make a moderate profit if you play well. Edited October 30, 2017 by inversion 7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCD_Chad Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 18 minutes ago, Ed Mack said: Once you take resellers from the mix, demand will lower. Don't let the fake demand surrounding the new Falcon fool you. It was underproduced and/or undersold on purpose. The fans should be complaining about dated ideas and models. Without perceived values, people might as well buy counterfeits to save money. Three different representatives told me at one point they were getting 400 orders per minute. I'll buy whatever has the license from LucasFilm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Raichu Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 6 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said: I bet you there are way more fans that would like Harry Potter sets than the Taj Mahal Are you predicting the next batch of remakes ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold-Arrow Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 5 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said: Are you predicting the next batch of remakes ??? That theme would keep the "fans" excited about Lego while preserving the status of the iconic sets . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcaster Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 (edited) So, LEGO is deciding to release their greatest hits album rather than head into the studio. For a band that is when they admit to themselves that they are entering a nostalgia phase. The most recent fans will buy that album because they don't have the originals, but with the lack of quality new content they will fail to bring in a new audience. The ride over the last 15 years has been fun, but we're clearly over the hill. Edited October 30, 2017 by pcaster 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micbelt Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 So, LEGO is deciding to release their greatest hits album rather than head into the studio. For a band that is when they admit to themselves that they are entering a nostalgia phase. The most recent fans will buy that album because they don't have the originals, but with the lack of quality new content they will fail to bring in a new audience. The ride over the last 15 years has been fun, but we're clearly over the hill. Lego puts out hundreds of sets a year, you can’t make that statement based off of one line of sets. There have been plenty of great new sets this year so far. I think the hyperbole in this thread is a little crazy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inversion Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 1 minute ago, pcaster said: So, LEGO is deciding to release their greatest hits album rather than head into the studio. For a band that is when they admit to themselves that they are entering a nostalgia phase. The most recent fans will buy that album because they don't have the originals, but with the lack of quality new content they will fail to bring in a new audience. The ride over the last 15 years has been fun, but we're clearly over the hill. Sorry, but I do not think you are reading the signs correctly. I have the firm belief that this set is an extra, you have the band releasing the new album and also selling remastered copies of the old one. The latter take no work. Look at the November releases: when did LEGO release sets with so high piece count at the same time? It never did, actually it does not even tend to release exclusives in November at all. The Joker Manor is the obviously on-schedule release, the Taj Mahal is the extra thrown in for the missed-out fans and some quick cash grab. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregpj Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 20 minutes ago, OCD_Chad said: Three different representatives told me at one point they were getting 400 orders per minute. You can't seriously believe what some schmuck answering the phones says about the demand? I wouldn't personally say the demand for 75192 was fake, but people go apeshit for new Star Wars stuff all the time and it certainly was hyped in the small circles of the internet LEGO and SW fans congregate. LEGO has their head in the sand if they think "Demand for 75192" is an indicator of demand for other re-releases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KShine Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 18 minutes ago, inversion said: What does all of this mean to us? you can make a moderate profit if you play well. And if you are selling Lego for a living - someday soon, you just might find yourself applying for a job, at a car wash in NJ. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TANV Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I get the frustration and outrage over this re-release of the Taj Mahal. I can see why it seems to portend a shift in LEGO's business strategy and how it hurts re-sellers. Hell, we think we've seen the trend lines for this coming though from back when they decided to update 10188 Death Star with a new Death Star. It's been building towards this for a bit now. Maybe this is a one-off or maybe it's not and a sign of what the future holds. Honestly, we don't really know... This is what movie studios have been doing the last few years with the series of reboots and remakes. Eventually, they'll need to come up with new ideas since you can't always rely on franchises. That's how the cycle generally works. That being said, am I the only one looking forward to getting this set in the future? It's a great centerpiece for any room! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazuli16 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 12 minutes ago, micbelt said: Lego puts out hundreds of sets a year, you can’t make that statement based off of one line of sets. There have been plenty of great new sets this year so far. I think the hyperbole in this thread is a little crazy. 6 minutes ago, TANV said: Maybe this is a one-off or maybe it's not and a sign of what the future holds. Honestly, we don't really know... Normally i would agree, but this isn't the first time it happened, or the second, or third.... LEGO is a expensive hobby which I justify by knowing that I can probably get some or most of my money back once it retires. That's no longer the case. I was buying some of the older Star Wars UCS set that I missed out on at the secondary market price, because I knew supply was limited and that's how supply and demand work. I think this re-release put that on hold. No need in paying $500 for a used set when I can wait a couple more years to get a newer version from LEGO. If I feel that way, i'm sure others do to. I would expect prices to come down on most UCS going forward. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaisonline Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 1 hour ago, gregpj said: Sets like the Taj Mahal are clearly aimed at collectors... pretty sure it's not something most 7 year olds want under the Xmas tree or for their birthday. And what demand? The 2 or 3 sold each month on eBay? That's not demand... Besides all the "collectors" are just going to be bitter about the price increase for 1 extra part. LEGO is cashing in on an easy release, simple as that. Lazy and short sighted .. short term gain, long term nothing. what greg typed above is " spot on" - plus - I think Lego sees decent counterfeit demand and their "suits" think, "hey, if AFOLs are are willing to pay $200ish for a fake 10189, we def get $350ish if we re-released it. plus our R&D cost will be cheap while time to market is super duper fast". 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Raichu Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 17 minutes ago, inversion said: Sorry, but I do not think you are reading the signs correctly. I have the firm belief that this set is an extra, you have the band releasing the new album and also selling remastered copies of the old one. The latter take no work. Look at the November releases: when did LEGO release sets with so high piece count at the same time? It never did, actually it does not even tend to release exclusives in November at all. The Joker Manor is the obviously on-schedule release, the Taj Mahal is the extra thrown in for the missed-out fans and some quick cash grab. Actually, this new quick cash grab strategy is exactly what kills the investment values for these sets. You can't even plan to sell these sets a few months ahead of re-release, you only have 3 weeks top to crash and burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthBall Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 That being said, am I the only one looking forward to getting this set in the future? It's a great centerpiece for any room!You must have a large room. I wouldn't know where to put UCS MF and TM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenb99 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 well it does make sense how they hid such a big release and made it on such short notice... Because they didn't make anything new at all! Oh and it is a 3 year run for now. Exits 2020. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedingman5 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Up on LEGO Shop at Home now; limit 5... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Raichu Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 3 minutes ago, ravenb99 said: well it does make sense how they hid such a big release and made it on such short notice... Because they didn't make anything new at all! Oh and it is a 3 year run for now. Exits 2020. And about 8 months break before re-release a la DS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauro23 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 13 minutes ago, lazuli16 said: Normally i would agree, but this isn't the first time it happened, or the second, or third.... LEGO is a expensive hobby which I justify by knowing that I can probably get some or most of my money back once it retires. That's no longer the case. I was buying some of the older Star Wars UCS set that I missed out on at the secondary market price, because I knew supply was limited and that's how supply and demand work. I think this re-release put that on hold. No need in paying $500 for a used set when I can wait a couple more years to get a newer version from LEGO. If I feel that way, i'm sure others do to. I would expect prices to come down on most UCS going forward. The only question is, will they do rerelease for every iconic set from teh past? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonr Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 1 hour ago, biking_tiger said: And there's that brand damage... I don't know guys. I don't post often here but I do own two businesses. Out of curiosity, after buying over 100 Lego sets, I bought a couple of those "cheap knock offs" as they are described here. I won't say which, but it starts with an L. I wonder if people who are critical of them ever bought one? They are exact duplicates, down to the books. There is NO difference at all. The pieces fit exactly the same, which is what I was concerned with. I have the Ultimate Batmobile, Monster's House (because it was retired) and the Grand Carousel (same reason). However, I was patient and just got a Saturn V last night on line from TRU. Here's my point: anyone describing those as cheap knock offs doesn't understand the problem, in a realistic sense, this must be causing Lego. Rumor is they are going to lose their lawsuit in China, as that is the way all the copyright infringement cases end up going. The only way I see Lego battling this is to rerelease the popular sets. People like me would have bought those sets from Lego had I been able to. I only got the Batmobile to see if the quality was continuing. It is. I read these posts and laugh. Lego is in no way looking out for, not is interested in, anyone doing this to make money. I briefly considered it, and for many reasons decided not to. This definitely confirms that the long term hold is now a very risky proposition, and one I would never consider getting into. From a business standpoint, Lego is very smart to go back to the well and bring the big sets back. And the overwhelming success of the MF is going to gurarantee that they are going to start putting out the higher end, more expensive sets. Remember, Lego is a business. What a fantastic discovery on their part: $350-$800 sets that sell out! We're going to see more of this. And what I think will happen is the party will be over when they put too many of them out. But, we'll see. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inversion Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said: Actually, this new quick cash grab strategy is exactly what kills the investment values for these sets. You can't even plan to sell these sets a few months ahead of re-release, you only have 3 weeks top to crash and burn. That is right, but there is a clear pattern for which sets will be likely remade, anything else is low probability (only precedent is Toy Shop, which bombed). If you want to invest, just do not buy those. The era of skyrocketing CAGR of any half-decent set is over, and was over way before the re-releases. This happens to every market, it is called competition, and would have still happened if there were no re-releases ever. Still, people who choose wisely are making money everywhere, on every market. If you look at the stock market, there are lots of stinkers, and lots of good opportunities. The stinkers do not make the good value stocks go away. The challenge is to find a new fresh market untouched by competition, or adapt. Edited October 30, 2017 by inversion 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazuli16 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 15 minutes ago, mauro23 said: The only question is, will they do rerelease for every iconic set from teh past? seems like they will if the re-sale price is high enough and enough people "want" it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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