Alternative Brands and Shops (investing/building)

[Frank Brickowski]

What's everybody's experience building brick sets from non-LEGO brands like Cobi, MEGA, Xingbao, Wange, QMan, Sembo and so forth?

Do you think there's good/any investment potential in these alternative brands' sets? MEGA and Cobi have (already proven) potential for sure, but what those Chinese manufacturers?

Another point I'd like to address and hear your thoughts about here:
In Germany there's this company called Blue Brixx, whose progression and altercations with TLG I've been following very closely over the last months, mainly due to its "David vs Goliath" appeal. They are pretty serious not only about distributing alternative brands (now even being THE official main importer for Xingbao) in Europe but also about establishing their very own product lines, featuring trains (https://www.bluebrixx.com/en/bluebrixxspecials/trains), buildings, space station stuff - they also have made licensing deals (sets for "Kingdom Come Deliverance" coming up), offer their own parts packs, are starting to make their own printed parts and they'll soon be opening their 3rd B&M store. I can imagine TLG has a growing stomach ache with Blue Brixx as they are rapidly growing and gaining popularity (on the Geman market) - already having handed out one or two restraining orders to the company (very interesting topic by the way, since this case could lead to a final clarification on the question "how close" other brands' minifigures are allowed to resemble LEGO's minifigures). Do you think small companys like this can cause TLG serious trouble in the future concerning market share?

Are there companies like this in the U.S., UK or other markets as well that could enlarge the problem for TLG?

Edited August 1, 2020 by Frank Brickowski

[TheOrcKing]

I never heard of BlueBrixx until now but you certainly piqued my interest with that bit about Kingdom Come: Deliverance. For a license the game isn't "old", just an unusual pick perhaps. Well I just saw some of the designs in a video on their YouTube channel and the sets appear to mostly be in a scale akin to LEGO's Architecture line. (I realize BlueBrixx has Castle Talmberg listed under the Architecture category of their own website.) The preview builds seem fine far as a render goes though I imagine better when physically complete.

My own experience with any off-brand would be Best-Lock where in spite of a merger with Cobi years ago, their quality is (or was) quite poor compared to Cobi from what I have heard being actually decent. Speaking of which I vaguely recall Cobi having the license for World of Tanks followed by World of Warships. I have no idea how ongoing either line continues to be. My only other off-brand experience was Oxford under the Hasbro Kre-O branding. The quality was, dare I say, on par with LEGO.

Back to BlueBrixx, I see a long list of brands listed down the left side; a number of which showing product for many well-known properties between Peanuts to Godzilla begging the question are these legitimately licensed sets?

[Alpinemaps]

I can confirm that Peanuts is licensed. I’ve been to Knott’s Berry Farm here in SoCal, and Knott’s has had the license to the characters for the rides.

I’ve seen these sets for sale inside the park. On the surface, they look interesting, but the quality looks suspect when you look at them up close.

[Furious_george]

4 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

I can confirm that Peanuts is licensed. I’ve been to Knott’s Berry Farm here in SoCal, and Knott’s has had the license to the characters for the rides.

I’ve seen these sets for sale inside the park. On the surface, they look interesting, but the quality looks suspect when you look at them up close.

I’ve been to Knotts. That place was fantastic.👍

Anyway , carry on.....😁

[FM]

Remember when TLG opened a factory in China and nearly everyone cried NOOOOOO because it was generally expected that Chinese criminals would use the molds to make 'real' counterfeits? http://www.brickfinder.net/2020/08/30/fake-lego-imprinted-bricks-found-china/

[Jivepicnic]

I like to watch a YouTube channel called Brick Me Up Scottie. He’s out of Hong Kong (from a famous entertaining family there) and reviews both LEGO and alternative brands. He also runs an online store with the alternative brick sets. I think he does a great job with his reviews, and he tries to determine if sets are original designs or stolen from designers who sell their work on Rebrickable and the like. I’ve been tempted to buy some of the Sembo food stall sets to go in an Asian-style city with Ninjago and Lunar New Year sets that I have, but I haven’t pulled the trigger. I’m trying to consider only original designs, and I think most of the smaller sets like that are original. The stolen ones seem mostly to be modular-size and of course the classic “Star Wnrs” and “Super Escort Girls,” which are in a whole other category of IP concerns.

[Frank Brickowski]

On 8/2/2020 at 1:11 AM, TheOrcKing said:

Back to BlueBrixx, I see a long list of brands listed down the left side; a number of which showing product for many well-known properties between Peanuts to Godzilla begging the question are these legitimately licensed sets?

Everything BlueBrixx offers is allowed to be sold in the EU, so all licensing has to be waterproof. They also check themselves and even ask their YouTube followers to tell them if they spot any MOC-related sets from Chinese manufacturers that are listet as "coming soon" and if something doesn't seem right with the set, they won't sell it.

There has also has been an interesting development announced recently that sounds nice for all fans of RobenAnne aka. RA-MT Brick Design:
BlueBrixx are cooperating with the designer of the LEGO Ideas Old Fishing Store, who had all of his latest follow-up IDEAS projects "not approved" by LEGO - and now BlueBrixx will (in some months, I guess) release most of them under their own brand (with Xingbao manufacturing the sets for them, I believe):

The set names und pictures still seem to be a little mixed up at the moment:

Captain's Wharf:
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/architecture/103059/30102-Captain´s-Wharf-BlueBrixx-Pro

Dive Shop:
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/architecture/103060/30104-Tauchshop-BlueBrixx-Pro

"Restaurant"(?):
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/architecture/103058/30103-Schiffswerft-Restaurant-BlueBrixx-Pro

Lighthouse:
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/architecture/103061/30105-Leuchtturm-BlueBrixx-Pro

"Boat House"(?):
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/architecture/103062/30106-Schiffswerft-BlueBrixx-Pro

Edited September 1, 2020 by Frank Brickowski

[Frank Brickowski]

On 8/2/2020 at 1:11 AM, TheOrcKing said:

I never heard of BlueBrixx until now but you certainly piqued my interest with that bit about Kingdom Come: Deliverance. For a license the game isn't "old", just an unusual pick perhaps. Well I just saw some of the designs in a video on their YouTube channel and the sets appear to mostly be in a scale akin to LEGO's Architecture line. (I realize BlueBrixx has Castle Talmberg listed under the Architecture category of their own website.) The preview builds seem fine far as a render goes though I imagine better when physically complete.

My own experience with any off-brand would be Best-Lock where in spite of a merger with Cobi years ago, their quality is (or was) quite poor compared to Cobi from what I have heard being actually decent. Speaking of which I vaguely recall Cobi having the license for World of Tanks followed by World of Warships. I have no idea how ongoing either line continues to be. My only other off-brand experience was Oxford under the Hasbro Kre-O branding. The quality was, dare I say, on par with LEGO.

Back to BlueBrixx, I see a long list of brands listed down the left side; a number of which showing product for many well-known properties between Peanuts to Godzilla begging the question are these legitimately licensed sets?

The first wave of Kingdom Come Deliverance sets is now available to be ordered:
https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/items?q=deliverance

[CosmicSpeed]

This is interesting stuff. Ive seen some of the LOZ models just while looking at random building blocks. Do you have a summary of the BB v Lego?

My only experience with alternate bricks has been with Mega Construx Pokemon line. It is interesting to see how many unique parts and printings that they are willing to produce for that line, but the clutch quality of some of the parts is questionable. And their version of a brick separator is highly laughable.

[Frank Brickowski]

On 8/2/2020 at 1:11 AM, TheOrcKing said:

I never heard of BlueBrixx until now but you certainly piqued my interest with that bit about Kingdom Come: Deliverance. For a license the game isn't "old", just an unusual pick perhaps. Well I just saw some of the designs in a video on their YouTube channel and the sets appear to mostly be in a scale akin to LEGO's Architecture line. (I realize BlueBrixx has Castle Talmberg listed under the Architecture category of their own website.) The preview builds seem fine far as a render goes though I imagine better when physically complete.

My own experience with any off-brand would be Best-Lock where in spite of a merger with Cobi years ago, their quality is (or was) quite poor compared to Cobi from what I have heard being actually decent. Speaking of which I vaguely recall Cobi having the license for World of Tanks followed by World of Warships. I have no idea how ongoing either line continues to be. My only other off-brand experience was Oxford under the Hasbro Kre-O branding. The quality was, dare I say, on par with LEGO.

Back to BlueBrixx, I see a long list of brands listed down the left side; a number of which showing product for many well-known properties between Peanuts to Godzilla begging the question are these legitimately licensed sets?

Captain's Wharf and Boat House Diner by "RobenAnne" are now availabe:

https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/items?q=ra-mt

[CosmicSpeed]

@Frank BrickowskiMaybe limit your comments to this thread. I respect your views, but this would be better than trolling set topics.

[Frank Brickowski]

3 minutes ago, CosmicSpeed said:

@Frank BrickowskiMaybe limit your comments to this thread. I respect your views, but this would be better than trolling set topics.

I don't get it. I should post any comment in this thread no matter what it relates to? Alright, so you'd essentially like to ban me because I have a different opinion.

[Phil B]

I don't get it. I should post any comment in this thread no matter what it relates to? Alright, so you'd essentially like to ban me because I have a different opinion.

Are you also going around Tesla forums posting everywhere that Polestar makes a better EV?

[Frank Brickowski]

Just now, Phil B said:

Are you also going around Tesla forums posting everywhere that Polestar makes a better EV?

I didn't post any other product in the Ferrari thread.

[KvHulk]

18 hours ago, Frank Brickowski said:

I don't get it. I should post any comment in this thread no matter what it relates to? Alright, so you'd essentially like to ban me because I have a different opinion.

We know.

[CosmicSpeed]

18 hours ago, Frank Brickowski said:

I don't get it. I should post any comment in this thread no matter what it relates to? Alright, so you'd essentially like to ban me because I have a different opinion.

I was just saying that if you would like to talk about Alternate brands, this thread you created thats the main topic, so do it here.

You showed the "low ratings" from the German site, of which correlates to your discussion on the Lego vs Alternative brand. Maybe I should have directed you to the other thread that you created on that same subject.

I don't even have the power to ban you and I've stated before I respect your opinion. But in light of this being a forum with specific topics, can you limit your discussion to the right areas?

[Frank Brickowski]

11 minutes ago, CosmicSpeed said:

I was just saying that if you would like to talk about Alternate brands, this thread you created thats the main topic, so do it here.

You showed the "low ratings" from the German site, of which correlates to your discussion on the Lego vs Alternative brand. Maybe I should have directed you to the other thread that you created on that same subject.

I don't even have the power to ban you and I've stated before I respect your opinion. But in light of this being a forum with specific topics, can you limit your discussion to the right areas?

Since my posts will now be approved by a moderator before going live I will leave yourselves alone and let history do the rest. Ignorance is bliss - I wish you all a blissfull future.

[roxio]

So what happened to the Classic NY ambulance at Bluebrixx 🤨

Edited February 12, 2021 by roxio
typo

[iahawks550]

I'm just happy to see a company get the exclusive Toyota naming rights. I've been awaiting the classic "1988 Toyota Corolla"

[Darth_Raichu]

39 minutes ago, iahawks550 said:

I'm just happy to see a company get the exclusive Toyota naming rights. I've been awaiting the classic "1988 Toyota Corolla"

It needs to have hand crank windows otherwise I call it copyright infringement

 

[tyskr28]

On 2/12/2021 at 3:34 PM, Darth_Raichu said:

It needs to have hand crank windows otherwise I call it copyright infringement

 

I would totally buy that...

[Bricklectic]

https://www.promobricks.de/am-stein-der-zeit-bluebrixx-ferrari/117937/

[marcandre]

23 minutes ago, Bricklectic said:

https://www.promobricks.de/am-stein-der-zeit-bluebrixx-ferrari/117937/

Nice car, looks much better than the f40. If a parts list turns up I'll be tempted to make one from Lego. 

[BricksBrotha]

1 hour ago, Bricklectic said:

https://www.promobricks.de/am-stein-der-zeit-bluebrixx-ferrari/117937/

Great read, thanks for the share. Interested what FrankB has to say about the missing pieces, discoloration, big sprue points, misshaped pieces... 

 

I do agree with some of the comments in the article though, was not necessary to throw away extra parts. If anything, bag and donate them.  

 

[$20 on joe vs dan]

I found this part very interesting:

"The classic Italian sports car without an appealing box and without printed assembly instructions costs 39.95 euros (as of February 18, 2021). For this you get 902 parts. If I compare that with the LEGO 10248 Ferrari F40 from 2015, I find that a lot of money. The LEGO Ferrari cost 89.99 euros at the time, had over 250 more parts, a reasonable box and printed instructions."

so my take-away is that it would have costed very similar to LEGO if Blubrixx had paid to use the name "Ferrari" and added a decent box. If not accounting for inflation which may be debatable.

Everyone has their own comfort-level in terms of the amount of plagiarism they will accept; that need not be rehashed after 10 pages of it earlier.