41999 - 4x4 Crawler Exclusive Edition

[Diabolos80]

I have my three, and only 3. I sold one, I'm keeping one long term, and every day I struggle not to open the other one. I did build 9398 a few months ago, so that helps.

I can't say I'd turn down a chance to get one or two more at retail, but I wouldn't risk my standing as a good customer over any set. Well, maybe R2-D2. Thank Lego there's no limit 2 on him. Is there?

[TheDarkness]

I have my three, and only 3. I sold one, I'm keeping one long term, and every day I struggle not to open the other one. I did build 9398 a few months ago, so that helps.

I can't say I'd turn down a chance to get one or two more at retail, but I wouldn't risk my standing as a good customer over any set. Well, maybe R2-D2. Thank Lego there's no limit 2 on him. Is there?

 

Not as yet.....

[legofreeman]

I've been banned along with 23 other people from buying any Lego exclusives from the four Lego Stores closest to me.. The big resellers in my area. I can only buy one of each exclusive for myself now apparently. They will check photo ID at the managers discretion and will not allow me to buy the sets if my name appears on the list (which it is on) Both me and my partner and Rich B along with several others I know are on that list hah. 

 

I got a phone call today telling me. It sucks because I definitely contribute a lot of money to keeping at least one of the stores going hah.

 

What?! Wow TLC...way to dive face first into the next potentially viral, corporate PR backlash.  The one-sheet on this story practically writes itself:

 

1. First TLC agreed to sell you a product and a legal transaction of goods took place.

2. Then they decided they sold you more than they wanted to...

3. So their solution was to track you down and call you at home, to accuse you of some sort of nefarious activity, and inform you that they've put you on "their list" and will demand you to show legal ID to any employee who asks you, should they catch you trying to buy certain products from them.

 

Bwahahaaa! It's only a matter of time before one of the banned customers gives TLC a very good reason to apologize and offer a potload of VIP points to make up for their mistake.

[legofreeman]

Sorry for back-to-back posts on this, but the more I think about TLC banning customers, the more I see how out-of-line they are

[Quacs]

Sorry for back-to-back posts on this, but the more I think about TLC banning customers, the more I see how out-of-line they are

[Alcarin]

What?! Wow TLC...way to dive face first into the next potentially viral, corporate PR backlash.  The one-sheet on this story practically writes itself:

 

1. First TLC agreed to sell you a product and a legal transaction of goods took place.

2. Then they decided they sold you more than they wanted to...

3. So their solution was to track you down and call you at home, to accuse you of some sort of nefarious activity, and inform you that they've put you on "their list" and will demand you to show legal ID to any employee who asks you, should they catch you trying to buy certain products from them.

 

Bwahahaaa! It's only a matter of time before one of the banned customers gives TLC a very good reason to apologize and offer a potload of VIP points to make up for their mistake.

 

 

Dont you udnerstand... TLG has the RIGHT to not sell to ANYONE on this world... its the basic right they have....

 

learn to live with it!

[c666187]

I'm confused in the direction this is going.. Getting too personal for business.  In any case, I'm just glad to be able to buy 3 at retail today.  Its damn hard when you live in freaking Kansas with no lego stores around (closest one was 3 hrs away... and it was OOS...)..  I had to get my cali friends to buy them, and they all have busy lives lol... If I had a lego store nearby that had these, I would re-enter every 20 minutes with a different costume and pick up every single one with ca$**** money

 

Im sorry, I got the last two in Kansas Monday morning!  

[Ed Mack]

Sorry for back-to-back posts on this, but the more I think about TLC banning customers, the more I see how out-of-line they are

[Diabolos80]

I agree with legofreeman. If TLG wants to crack down on resellers, the best and fairest way to do it is BEFORE the rules are broken. But that would mean actually enforcing buy limits, which apparently they are incapable of convincing their own store employees of doing.

[legofreeman]

While I understand your thoughts, Lego does have a reseller program in place.  Their answer to the interviewer's question would be that the banned reseller(s) should have signed up and complied with the Lego reselling program.

 

It's interesting you say that, because the store manager at my local LEGO store gave me the number to call, so that I could sign up.  I left a message for the lady who supposedly represented my area.  I got a call back from someone (I don't remember what she said her position was, but she was clearly a superior to the rep) and she said, "LEGO has never had anything like that in place

[Darth_Raichu]

I agree with legofreeman. If TLG wants to crack down on resellers, the best and fairest way to do it is BEFORE the rules are broken. But that would mean actually enforcing buy limits, which apparently they are incapable of convincing their own store employees of doing.

They might not consistently enforce the limit in the past. However, based on the anecdotal evidence on this very own thread, the "new" TLG is getting very serious about enforcing purchasing limits in store.  It may take a few months for this policy to be adhered by every store, but if you think they are not serious about it, you are in for a big surprise.

[legofreeman]

I agree with legofreeman. If TLG wants to crack down on resellers, the best and fairest way to do it is BEFORE the rules are broken. But that would mean actually enforcing buy limits, which apparently they are incapable of convincing their own store employees of doing.

 

Whoops, I missed this one...multi-quote fail on my part.  Thanks, and you're right Diabolous80.  Plus, seriously folks, all of the VIP purchases are tied together in their system (store and website).  It would take a skilled programmer less than a day to write a safeguard in to the system that limits purchase amounts for each VIP card number.  When they swipe my card at the LEGO store, they instantly have a complete record of my entire purchase history.  I know, because they told me how much I've spent and the largest historic total they've ever seen on a card (it wasn't mine).

 

They are blowing hard-earned trust points by refusing to take responsibility and treating their best customers like some sort of shady criminals.  It's not about the 500 or so people they will end up banning.  The point is, those 500 people are people...and people share stories like these with their friends, families, and all over the Internet.  Not the way to build brand loyalty or trust on a broader scale.

[Alcarin]

 

Sure they do, and I respect that right.  My post had nothing to do with that.

 

 

How ?

 

 

 

What?! Wow TLC...way to dive face first into the next potentially viral, corporate PR backlash. The one-sheet on this story practically writes itself:

1. First TLC agreed to sell you a product and a legal transaction of goods took place.

2. Then they decided they sold you more than they wanted to...

3. So their solution was to track you down and call you at home, to accuse you of some sort of nefarious activity, and inform you that they've put you on "their list" and will demand you to show legal ID to any employee who asks you, should they catch you trying to buy certain products from them.

Bwahahaaa! It's only a matter of time before one of the banned customers gives TLC a very good reason to apologize and offer a potload of VIP points to make up for their mistake.

 

 

Thats their right... IF LEGO wants to really crack down on resellers they will enforce VIP card purchase ONLY in their stores.... 

 

Basically thats the easiest way to them...

 

''CANNOT purchase anything in any LEGO official store without LEGO VIP CARD'' 

 

then you have to show identity also next to the card to be same names and picture and you're done for.

 

Then they can easily keep track of all your purchases ANYWHERE... and if you surpass limit simply the sale is blocked for you through the program. 

[Diabolos80]

They might not consistently enforce the limit in the past. However, based on the anecdotal evidence on this very own thread, the "new" TLG is getting very serious about enforcing purchasing limits in store. It may take a few months for this policy to be adhered by every store, but if you think they are not serious about it, you are in for a big surprise.

Yeah i get that they're serious about it now. Too bad they weren't serious about it for the last 12 years when guys like Kerrmando were buying, and now they feel it's fair to rectify their mistake by banning him.

A much more polite way to handle it would've been to acknowledge the fact that until recently, buy limits were not published, consistent, or enforced.

[Alcarin]

Whoops, I missed this one...multi-quote fail on my part.  Thanks, and you're right Diabolous80.  Plus, seriously folks, all of the VIP purchases are tied together in their system (store and website).  It would take a skilled programmer less than a day to write a safeguard in to the system that limits purchase amounts for each VIP card number.  When they swipe my card at the LEGO store, they instantly have a complete record of my entire purchase history.  I know, because they told me how much I've spent and the largest historic total they've ever seen on a card (it wasn't mine).

 

They are blowing hard-earned trust points by refusing to take responsibility and treating their best customers like some sort of shady criminals.  It's not about the 500 or so people they will end up banning.  The point is, those 500 people are people...and people share stories like these with their friends, families, and all over the Internet.  Not the way to build brand loyalty or trust on a broader scale.

 

 

I agree with the first part... but for the second?

 

Do you ever think LEGO might also get positive feedback from people WHO WILL ALSO SHARE stories like those 500 (or more) banned?

 

You only account the negative feedback, but as we can also see from this site there were also some positive comments (not only me) from INVESTORS regarding these moves. And thats investors... now just think about people how good they will feel when LEGO tells them that they banned 200 people who purchased ALL STOCK and that was why they could not get any and now they will easily find them in stores...

[M4x18]

Again, this is on Lego's side for not making sure that their employees follow the rules/limits.

 

People that go around those limits, it's on them.

[Darth_Raichu]

Yeah i get that they're serious about it now. Too bad they weren't serious about it for the last 12 years when guys like Kerrmando were buying, and now they feel it's fair to rectify their mistake by banning him.

A much more polite way to handle it would've been to acknowledge the fact that until recently, buy limits were not published, consistent, or enforced.

TLG did not need to acknowledge anything and they can institute any policy they want.

 

The only problem I had with the ban was the lack of warning given to the banned individuals.  A single warning would have soften the ban and given an impression that TLG cared about loosing business from this group of big spenders.  I have to acknowledge though, from TLG's point of view, an immediate ban was the only way to send the message loud and clear.

 

To MODS: This thread has become widely OT.  Perhaps, every post starting from post 1336 should be moved to the TLG ban thread ?

[mayor]

Wow! this is quite a long list of varied comments. And it's not over yet. One could make a book out of this one. Everyone who got banned should start their own web site or a least their own club and start adding a "S" to Lego. In America it's OK to add a "S" to a noun to describe more than one item. It's legos. 

[Diabolos80]

"TLG did not need to acknowledge anything and they can institute any policy they want."

True enough, I suppose. But is IS their responsibility to ensure that every customer is informed of said policies, BEFORE punishment is enforced.

[pkieu87]

Im sorry, I got the last two in Kansas Monday morning!  

 

In Kansas City?  That's alright, I'm actually in Wichita, I'm not gonna drive up 3+ hrs for that set (unless they let me buy like 5+, and no, none of my friends are willing to drive up there on a Sunday/Monday just for legos lol).  Gas money alone is like 50 bucks and my time is far more valuable.  I'm not as hardcore as a lot of these investors. This is like a side project just to see how much I can make with only a certain amount of money used.  Main goal is to make more than 6% (which is my student loans)

[gregpj]

You will probably need a different shipping address and credit card as well.

 

I can see them tracking by anything in your VIP account or by shipping address for non-VIP members, but if Lego is tracking by credit card then they are breaking their own "rules" by storing credit card data.

 

http://aboutus.lego.com/en-us/legal-notice/privacy-policy-full#DataSecurity

 

"Credit card information is directed to one or more approved and certified service provider(s), and will not be stored by us for longer than it takes to process the data."

 

Systems that process credit cards for single transactions (or other forms of payment with card #s) often log a "masked" card number but unless the system needs to do regular payments from that card (i.e. subscriptions) then they usually forget the number immediately after the transaction is approved to avoid the legal hassles if their systems are ever hacked. That's why it's usually the companies who process those transaction on behalf of the merchants who get hacked.

[Rankedu]

I bought 6 crawlers using the same VIP account and I already spent the points.

 

I did this on Friday, let's see if I get banned.

 

Other than the crawlers, I haven't made multiple purchases before and I've bought a large variety of sets.

[willy431]

How ?

 

 

 

Thats their right... IF LEGO wants to really crack down on resellers they will enforce VIP card purchase ONLY in their stores.... 

 

Basically thats the easiest way to them...

 

''CANNOT purchase anything in any LEGO official store without LEGO VIP CARD'' 

 

then you have to show identity also next to the card to be same names and picture and you're done for.

 

Then they can easily keep track of all your purchases ANYWHERE... and if you surpass limit simply the sale is blocked for you through the program.

I have 4 VIP cards now--different names and address.

If that doesn't work--my son had a suggestion from his gabba gabba show. Make a disguise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXrs5tIi6AQ

[glucapg]

I wrote an email to Lego asking if the 41999 could be back and they answer  this (in italian, but I'm sure that google translator will make the miracle !)

 

 

Gentile Gianluca,

 

La ringraziamo per il suo interesse nei prodotti LEGO

[Peteparker]

It's interesting you say that, because the store manager at my local LEGO store gave me the number to call, so that I could sign up.  I left a message for the lady who supposedly represented my area.  I got a call back from someone (I don't remember what she said her position was, but she was clearly a superior to the rep) and she said, "LEGO has never had anything like that in place