41999 - 4x4 Crawler Exclusive Edition

[willy431]

Catalogs are laid out at least 2 months before they are printed--then probably another month before they are disrtibuted.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

So willy and the rest of you who sold to Mark:

 

He left me a note about damage to the box - not worried because I will pack that sucker like crazy. However, he told me to value the package very low because of import costs. I want to insure it through USPS, so wouldn't that not allow me to insure the package for the right rate?

[asharerin]

Up until 2 years ago it was supremely easy to make more than 100% net profit in one year when ebay was all about auctions. With the demise of ebay I now settle for 100% thru fee free channels. The days of making big $$$ in this sport are long gone.

[asharerin]

So willy and the rest of you who sold to Mark:

 

He left me a note about damage to the box - not worried because I will pack that sucker like crazy. However, he told me to value the package very low because of import costs. I want to insure it through USPS, so wouldn't that not allow me to insure the package for the right rate?

 

You will not be able to insure it for greater than the declared value on your shipping label through USPS.

[Fcbarcelona101]

Up until 2 years ago it was supremely easy to make more than 100% net profit in one year when ebay was all about auctions. With the demise of ebay I now settle for 100% thru fee free channels. The days of making big $$$ in this sport are long gone.

Quite honestly, I don't think that's necessarily true. I started flipping sets just a couple months ago and if I had more time on my hands to focus on that I would probably reach those 40k in 5 years as well, even selling on eBay. I know at least one other member that may argue the same.

[cohens714]

So willy and the rest of you who sold to Mark:

 

He left me a note about damage to the box - not worried because I will pack that sucker like crazy. However, he told me to value the package very low because of import costs. I want to insure it through USPS, so wouldn't that not allow me to insure the package for the right rate?

Never ever do this as. I never budge on this. I don't care if the person won't buy. This impacts the insured value and the amount you can get back from PayPal if there is an issue not to mention that it's technically illegal.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

So willy and the rest of you who sold to Mark:

 

He left me a note about damage to the box - not worried because I will pack that sucker like crazy. However, he told me to value the package very low because of import costs. I want to insure it through USPS, so wouldn't that not allow me to insure the package for the right rate?

 

I will not fraudulently re-value a package for anybody and I state this in bold red text on all of my listings where items are on offer outside of the EU.  This is not only unethical but, illegal and may result in customs seizure (where you both lose) or an undervalued insurance payout if lost or damaged.  Sorry but, I'm one of those that covers my butt 100%.  It is was me and he'd already bought the item, I'd refuse to declare a lower value and report him to eBay if he insisted.

[justafrog]

I also will not lie on customs forms, and if a buyer leaves you a neg or neutral for it, eBay will remove it - asking people to lie on customs forms is a violation.

[Ed Mack]

Bought mine for $190 (Discover CB and no tax in my state). Sold for $400 after shipping (no fees). Already on to the next deal. I aim for 100% net profit each year. So after 5 years while this set may sell at $1k I will have already turned my $200 to close to $13k. Started out with $300 5 years ago and already have over $40k in inventory....I did not get there by sitting on sets for 5 years lol.

Good luck with that.  That's over a 6000% return in 5 years.  The market has changed.  

[Fcbarcelona101]

Good luck with that.  That's over a 6000% return in 5 years.  The market has changed.

I actually think it is very likely, as long as the environment does not change radically over the next few years. I started with $350 earlier this year (3 MMVs lol) and have done pretty well since.

[asharerin]

Good luck with that.  That's over a 6000% return in 5 years.  The market has changed.  

 

Really? How so? It is business as usual for me.

 

I could make alot more by constantly flipping but then it would become a day job and I already have one of those.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I will not fraudulently re-value a package for anybody and I state this in bold red text on all of my listings where items are on offer outside of the EU.  This is not only unethical but, illegal and may result in customs seizure (where you both lose) or an undervalued insurance payout if lost or damaged.  Sorry but, I'm one of those that covers my butt 100%.  It is was me and he'd already bought the item, I'd refuse to declare a lower value and report him to eBay if he insisted.

 

I also will not lie on customs forms, and if a buyer leaves you a neg or neutral for it, eBay will remove it - asking people to lie on customs forms is a violation.

 

If he already bought it, you think I should warn him I am not going to do it? My only problem would be if he tried to return it, but I guess that wouldn't make sense because he would still have to pay the customs fees?

 

He wanted to purchase them from me outside of Ebay first, obvious I said hell no.

 

I actually think it is very likely, as long as the environment does not change radically over the next few years. I started with $350 earlier this year (3 MMVs lol) and have done pretty well since.

 

I have made good return on stuff but I just don't see where you could be making this much money flipping. Maybe you are just in a better market. How I flip right now is buying either lots or very low priced items on Ebay, then making a badass listing and reselling. But I don't make this kind of return - maybe 10% per sale.

 

Are you buying stuff locally and flipping it? Parting out? Maybe there is just something I am not seeing. Yes this money could be made if you spend all day doing it, but I spend a decent amount of time now and am around 15% ROI on each sale - clearing 1k a month investment (so $150 profit). And this is somewhere near 20-30 transactions.

 

I know I am not the best (and this is a hobby so I don't really care about the profit much, its more of a game to me) but still...

[willy431]

I sold him 4 outside of ebay--why the fear?  He paid with paypal--and I have tracking with express mail.  Extra $160 in my pocket.

[Fcbarcelona101]

My overall return at this point is 60% (average). I basically do the same you probably do, find underpriced sets and quickly sell them. Not sure I am doing anything special :p

[Ed Mack]

I actually think it is very likely, as long as the environment does not change radically over the next few years. I started with $350 earlier this year (3 MMVs lol) and have done pretty well since.

Let's look at it another way.  There is a cost to LEGO investing, unlike many other conventional forms of investing such as stocks/bonds/gold.  I can buy shares of stock for $200 and see them appreciate to $6000 in 5 years and never lift a finger to do anything, but LEGO investing requires time, money and effort to attain those same levels.  Of course anything is possible, but to say "very likely" is not fair or accurate in most cases if you consider your actual costs in obtaining that inventory.

 

Most people have to pay taxes on the original sale and the secondary sale.  Most people have to pay commissions or fee to sell an item.   Most people have to pay for storage of items(shelves, rent space, etc..).  Most people have to spend time listing and packaging items for sale.  Most people have to pay for shipping materials and gas to go to shipping center.  There are many hidden costs to LEGO investing that must be taken into consideration.  Flipping multitudes of sets is a second job and if you really figure it out, maybe a poor paying one.

 

My point is not to argue about how much people say they can make about flipping sets before they hit maximum value, my point is that when you have an exceptional set like this one, why treat it like another run of the mill set that you can make a quick profit on?  A small $200 investment in this set will easily beat most of the other LEGO sets on the market in annual appreciation 2, 3, 4 or 5 years from now and it will continue to make money for you with no work IMO.   Many people might disagree with me on the surface, but maybe in their hearts, they know I have a point and they should have kept their SE Crawlers.  Sure, banking $200 is nice, but this set might easily bank you $600 in 2 years.  To say you can turn $200 into $13,000 in 5 years is possible, but there are many, many hours invested into that and other hidden dollars as well.  I would rather have my $1000 Crawler and all the extra time and money that was spent flipping sets.

 

I do not want to seem like a Party Pooper, but I don't want people to think returns of 6000% in five years is easy or common.  Flipping enough sets to make this sort of return is effort...a lot of it and should be considered in these discussions.  

[Fcbarcelona101]

Well, I didn't say it was easy, but that it is very likely if he has been doing this for years already to just keep doing it. Since he probably already has perfected the process.

But you are right, every single cost has to be considered and recorded. That's the reason I wrote the article about the costs of Lego investing, and the reason I keep detailed records of all of those that impact me.

I do not doubt the long term prospects of the 41999, I kept one for long term as it was my plan all along!

[Ed Mack]

Really? How so? It is business as usual for me.

 

I could make alot more by constantly flipping but then it would become a day job and I already have one of those.

To yield that sort of return flipping sets is probably already a second job.  Just sayin'....

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I sold him 4 outside of ebay--why the fear?  He paid with paypal--and I have tracking with express mail.  Extra $160 in my pocket.

 

He messaged me about it on Ebay. I am not risking my selling account for $80. Otherwise I wouldn't care

 

To yield that sort of return flipping sets is probably already a second job.  Just sayin'....

 

Exactly. I generally trust people and I don't question things or ask for proof often at all.

 

Making that much money is certainly possible, but I spend hours of my day on Ebay and don't see where thats coming from. Alsharerin, maybe you don't want to spoil your methods, but I am really interested to know how you do this without making it a second job. How many things do you sell a month? Where do you sell on? Do you live in a better market?

 

It's just hard to believe you could do things like that and not spend 4-5 hours a day doing it.

[nolanfan34]

 

Catalogs are laid out at least 2 months before they are printed--then probably another month before they are disrtibuted.

I had thought about this as well, and I think willy is right here. It is strange to me that they didn't mention the 20k limit in the catalog, but they would have had to have this planned out months ago, and frankly they may not have known how quickly these would actually sell.

[asharerin]

To yield that sort of return flipping sets is probably already a second job.  Just sayin'....

 

I spend roughly 100 hrs per year buying and selling. My day job is 20 x that unfortunately. I do not flip constantly. Just buy a set at roughly 25-30% discount online, hold it for a year, and sell it for 100% net profit. Most of those 100 hrs are reading these forums lol.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Let me attempt to liven up this party:

 

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23263636&prodFindSrc=search

 

In stock brochachos

[Quacs]

Let me attempt to liven up this party:

 

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23263636&prodFindSrc=search

 

In stock brochachos

 

Beat me to it, DNIIM...I just got an e-mail from TRU letting me know this was in stock.  Limit one per person.

 

*EDIT* Anyone else chancing availability by waiting for the FRIENDS20 promo code to kick in (I think tomorrow or Friday)?

[asharerin]

I sold him 4 outside of ebay--why the fear?  He paid with paypal--and I have tracking with express mail.  Extra $160 in my pocket.

 

If he paid by Paypal all he has to do over the next 180 days is open a dispute with Paypal and state you shipped him an empty box. He will win this case EVERY time. You do not want to be attempting these types of transactions with people you do not know. In these siutations you use an escrow service or wire transfers. Hopefully this will not happen but going forward you do not want to take this type of risk again.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I sold him 4 outside of ebay--why the fear?  He paid with paypal--and I have tracking with express mail.  Extra $160 in my pocket.

 

So willy, question - did you value them low for him? Did you get insurance on the shipment?

[justafrog]

If he already bought it, you think I should warn him I am not going to do it? My only problem would be if he tried to return it, but I guess that wouldn't make sense because he would still have to pay the customs fees?

 

He can simply refuse to pick it up at customs, file an item not received claim with eBay, and get his money back (and you'll eventually get the set back, can take awhile on refused items, and by "awhile" I mean up to 6 or 8 months, overseas customs sees returns/rejections as low priority).

 

I would definitely clarify with the buyer before shipment. Me, personally, I would send a simple note that I am so sorry, but I am unable to falsify customs forms as it is illegal in the U.S. and offering to refund and cancel the transaction. You can send a mutual cancellation and get your eBay fees back provided he agrees. Or, he may just try this one on with everyone and will still want the item.