West End Toys Vendor Experiences

[LegoMan1212]

On 11/23/2022 at 4:19 PM, Ed Mack said:

I can vouch for West End Toys and Evans.  They sold and shipped thousands of sets for me and enabled me to clean out my house and storage unit in less than a year.  Was it always a perfect experience?  No, but I was one of the early consignment customers and they have improved greatly since then. 

Evans has also always been generous when it came to the Brickpicker LEGO raffle/sweepstakes for my son's school.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.  

I hope they read this thread.  I have been using them for a few years now but am honestly really debating on providing more items to them.

It's not because of sales, or returns or the % they take is bad, I don't mind any of those as that is part of doing business and sales through them have been FANTASTIC.  Sure some things sell at a lower price sometimes, but many of the items they sell are much higher and sold faster than any other outlet out there.  The 30% total fee before shipping is nothing when the amount you are getting back is right around or better than what you could do yourself selling on Ebay or Bricklink or locally.  Especially when you take the time factor into consideration.  It is also enjoyable to watch their inventory on Amazon drop day by day as it isn't difficult to track yourself on how a set is selling across all vendors.

But it is the communication.  They don't call me back when I have a question on something which makes me feel like my inventory with them doesn't matter.  Their voicemails don't even mention their names, which makes it seem like they are trying to hide.

There is a schedule where every two weeks we are sent an email of our sales from the last 2 week period.  It has been 3 weeks since that communication has occurred (so 1 week late at this time).  This isn't the 1st time and usually it is because of a system error they are working through, or because of some other reason, but if there is a delay, it should be communicated to all their vendors.  

Also. the last time we did receive out spreadsheets of what we were going to get paid, that money has not been deposited into my account, which is now 3 weeks late.  It is hard to give things to someone else, if schedules are not kept up on and communication doesn't occur.  

And, I realized this year that my inventory numbers suddenly dropped by too much.  I'm told it is wrapped up and not checked in yet to their new warehouse, but we were also told back in August that they were nearly complete checking it all in.  I really hope they realize they sold that inventory already or it appears back in my inventory and is sold, cause it is a substantial amount of inventory to suddenly not have any record of anymore (regardless if it is not checked back in or not, shouldn't there be an inventory list of what is left to be checked in too?)

Anyway... i'm hoping communication picks back up. It used to be wonderful, but really soured over the last few months/year.  I understand to a degree if it was due to their new website they were building and the new location move, but that still doesn't mean that they can't keep up on communications to us.  I have no doubt that many vendors that use them would be feeling the same thing too.  

[LegoMan1212]

On 11/21/2022 at 11:00 AM, Shortbus311 said:

Then you are paying a $1.08/set storage fee for the year until Easter comes back around again for maybe a chance to sell that year.

It's not a lot, but most Easter sets sell for what $20-$30? So it ends up being a larger % out of your profits.

$30 sale... $21 after 15% platform fees and 15% West End fees... -$4 First Class shipping (guesstimate) = $17 Say you bought the set for 20% off of $10 with no sales tax.. $17-$8=$9... $.70 handling fee and $.62 shipping supplies $9-$1.32 = $7.68 profit... storage fees for an extra year would come out to 14% less potential profits you would make in this situation.

That doesn't include the cost of getting the set to them in the first place. Or potential % fee for them to send your profits to you. I always asked them to mail me a check which was free, but to have them wire your payment directly to your bank they do charge a fee.

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You have to put this in perspective though too.  If you had 100 of these though, and the item you send them sells all of them, that's nearly $800 you are getting which is something most of us wouldn't be able to do.  I wouldn't use them if the purpose was trying to make $7 on one set. I use them to try to make $1,000+ profit on a set cause I gave them 20 or 50 of them vs 1-10.  Nothing looks better on the sales sheets when you have 100 items of the same thing sold cause the price was next in line and buyers wiped them out.  

Also, bank fees don't occur anymore but when when they did, $5 wasn't a problem when the total payout was in the $1,000's.  

In the end, it all comes down to ROI which is based on what is bought in the first place.  Not everything is a major winner and sometimes the ones that don't make as much, we just have to be happy they sold to begin with.  

[Cbenioff]

They are reputable and get much better prices than I could (sometimes double) so the fees aren't so bad. They are, however, understaffed and don't communicate great. Certain items won't post on Amazon due to Amazon issues and so your items can sit and not even be posted for sale. No one will tell you so you have to monitor it yourself. They recently did a software change which has caused delays on sales info. If all you are selling is Lego, they are great. They can do other stuff, but you need to check that there are Amazon listings first. They will simply add your item to an existing listing... Amazon doesn't allow a separate listing from what already exists for all the other sellers. I've had success with sets large and small. Cheap, heavy items aren't great because they don't limit who can buy and shipping costs can eat your profit.

[Bricklectic]

Basic Question. If 20 sellers send them stuff to sell on amazon. and they sell say 20 in a month. Does that get divided 1 per seller. Or Pro Rata? Or FIFO?

[RedBaron]

24 minutes ago, Cbenioff said:

They are reputable and get much better prices than I could (sometimes double) so the fees aren't so bad. They are, however, understaffed and don't communicate great. Certain items won't post on Amazon due to Amazon issues and so your items can sit and not even be posted for sale. No one will tell you so you have to monitor it yourself. They recently did a software change which has caused delays on sales info. If all you are selling is Lego, they are great. They can do other stuff, but you need to check that there are Amazon listings first. They will simply add your item to an existing listing... Amazon doesn't allow a separate listing from what already exists for all the other sellers. I've had success with sets large and small. Cheap, heavy items aren't great because they don't limit who can buy and shipping costs can eat your profit.

I can give you pretty long list of sets that the net payment is less than Bricklink prices, especially on large sets, although there is some value to them handling the fulfillment.  Also, your competition is not only the other sellers on Amazon, WM, etc, it's also the other West End vendors.  How they select whose inventory to sell is anybody's guess.  And the hold times are way too long, which kills the ROI, and adds additional warehouse expense.

[Number50]

Another huge factor is time.  West End can move 1000 sets that would take me days to move.  I get that everybody values their time differently but it’s worth a lot to me.

[Bricklectic]

41 minutes ago, Number50 said:

West End can move 1000 sets that would take me days to move. 

days?

[LegoMan1212]

28 minutes ago, Bricklectic said:

days?

I'm sure he means years.  Also, you can target more than just "safer" investments too as a wide range sells on Amazon vs BL/Local.  It isn't even close.  

Since my post, communication has occurred which is great to see.  It literally is as easy as making those quick emails to keep their vendors in the know of what is going on.  It doesn't take much and taking 15 mins out of someone's day once a week or two is all that is needed.  

[Number50]

Maybe not days but many hours to list, pack, and ship a 1000 items

[redcell]

On 1/15/2023 at 4:20 PM, Bricklectic said:

days?

What surprises you about that?  I'm not asking that in a dickish way...just curious.  Once you get the hang of things, it's pretty easy to move really large volumes if you can source the inventory effectively. I'm still a solo operation and moved close to 40k sets last year.

[Bricklectic]

12 minutes ago, redcell said:

What surprises you about that?  I'm not asking that in a dickish way...just curious.  Once you get the hang of things, it's pretty easy to move really large volumes if you can source the inventory effectively. I'm still a solo operation and moved close to 40k sets last year.

Might have been a bit lazy in asking question. I was confused about the time comparison. Was expecting the comparison to end with... "that would take me months/years to sell". Days doesnt seem to be too terrible an outcome for selling on your own. So I figured there was a typo somewhere....

"Another huge factor is time.  West End can move 1000 sets that would take me days to move. "

but his response confused me more, so i think i missed what he was getting at..

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Bricklectic

[Number50]

15 hours ago, Bricklectic said:

Might have been a bit lazy in asking question. I was confused about the time comparison. Was expecting the comparison to end with... "that would take me months/years to sell". Days doesnt seem to be too terrible an outcome for selling on your own. So I figured there was a typo somewhere....

"Another huge factor is time.  West End can move 1000 sets that would take me days to move. "

but his response confused me more, so i think i missed what he was getting at..

 

Let me clarify.  I am not referring to hold time, which is years.  I was simply trying to say that if I were to sell 1,000 items on my own it would take me many hours( if not days) to list, pack and ship those 1,000 items.  I have a full time job and re-selling is a part time effort.  I simply don't have the time do that much selling.  That is where West End comes.  For a fee they will sell the items.  Could I get more if I sold on my own?  Possibly, but I value my time more than a few extra dollars.

 

I hope I cleared that up.

[gmpirate]

1 hour ago, Number50 said:

Could I get more if I sold on my own?  Possibly, but I value my time more than a few extra dollars.

possibly?  you're not sure?

[Number50]

1 hour ago, gmpirate said:

possibly?  you're not sure?

Some sets I could make more but in most cases I still come out better.

That's not the point. The value of time is the point.

 

[LegoMan1212]

On 1/17/2023 at 12:55 PM, Number50 said:

Some sets I could make more but in most cases I still come out better.

That's not the point. The value of time is the point.

 

I honestly don't think it is even close.  West End provides a ROI that is better than what I have the time to achieve myself and even then, $$$'s now and time saved are way more valuable than even trying to figure out what I could have done on my own across everything they have sold for me.  I haven't been nearly as active the past two years due to moving homes and changes in life but West End was there to still provide me a bi-weekly paycheck that was substantial enough to be happy with it.  And with ROIs above 100% and $10,000's of items sold, I'm not going to complain about 5% ROI that I might be missing out on myself, cause that 5% ROI would include listing, packing, shipping, etc... where with West End, all I got to do is greet Rich when he arrives, have a few chuckles and then wave goodbye.  

Again, I think, I hope, they understood the power of communication now as I believe it will improve.  Sometimes it just takes a kick in the butt to remember some of the basics during busier times.

 

I want to add one example.  I'm going through the latest sales sheet and one item I only got a ROI of 15%.  I don't see that as their fault.  I see that as MY FAULT for a) providing a set too early to them, b) not having a great purchase price to begin with (what i paid) and c) possibly buying a set that might not have been a great investment to begin with.   I will learn from it, and take those three things into consideration on the next items.  BUT, I still got 15% and sold 20 of them, so it's not like I lost anything here.  Sure 10 cents per month for a year too can be taken out of that, but that only brings it down to 10% at a minimum ROI.  Still better than most other things, and there is no chance I could have sold the set for a profit anywhere I'm aware of unless some local fool wanted it bad enough in a rush.

Edited January 19, 2023 by LegoMan1212

[RedBaron]

46 minutes ago, LegoMan1212 said:

I honestly don't think it is even close.  West End provides a ROI that is better than what I have the time to achieve myself and even then, $$$'s now and time saved are way more valuable than even trying to figure out what I could have done on my own across everything they have sold for me.  I haven't been nearly as active the past two years due to moving homes and changes in life but West End was there to still provide me a bi-weekly paycheck that was substantial enough to be happy with it.  And with ROIs above 100% and $10,000's of items sold, I'm not going to complain about 5% ROI that I might be missing out on myself, cause that 5% ROI would include listing, packing, shipping, etc... where with West End, all I got to do is greet Rich when he arrives, have a few chuckles and then wave goodbye.  

Again, I think, I hope, they understood the power of communication now as I believe it will improve.  Sometimes it just takes a kick in the butt to remember some of the basics during busier times.

 

I want to add one example.  I'm going through the latest sales sheet and one item I only got a ROI of 15%.  I don't see that as their fault.  I see that as MY FAULT for a) providing a set too early to them, b) not having a great purchase price to begin with (what i paid) and c) possibly buying a set that might not have been a great investment to begin with.   I will learn from it, and take those three things into consideration on the next items.  BUT, I still got 15% and sold 20 of them, so it's not like I lost anything here.  Sure 10 cents per month for a year too can be taken out of that, but that only brings it down to 10% at a minimum ROI.  Still better than most other things, and there is no chance I could have sold the set for a profit anywhere I'm aware of unless some local fool wanted it bad enough in a rush.

I have lost money on sets I bought at 40% off.  Also, some of the larger sets I have received substantially less than if I sold them for on my own.  And the hold time is really problem.  Selling sets that retired 3+ years ago, and have been sitting in the warehouse for 2 years kills any ROI you can imagine.

[Number50]

19 hours ago, LegoMan1212 said:

.... all I got to do is greet Rich when he arrives.....

 

Rich is major asset to West End.

[LegoMan1212]

22 hours ago, RedBaron said:

I have lost money on sets I bought at 40% off.  Also, some of the larger sets I have received substantially less than if I sold them for on my own.  And the hold time is really problem.  Selling sets that retired 3+ years ago, and have been sitting in the warehouse for 2 years kills any ROI you can imagine.

Yeah I've lost like a $1 or 5% on some sets too.  Probably like a dozen sold items total. It happens, not everything is a winner.  Thankfully I only had like 3 of those sets.  Just part of learning on what to send to them vs not to send to them.  And I've lost big on some large sets too.  Two Apocalypse's were returned but thankfully were able to be resold.  That stung a little but that's just part of life too.  Can't win them all. 

[bocastephen]

I have been talking to a few West End Toys vendors through another channel, and they were giving me some very problematic and concerning feedback, so just curious if anyone here recently had similar experiences

1. two people reported not being paid for 3-4 months, even though their sales reports showed they were owed money, they have not received any payments for months, and no one at West End Toys is answering their questions, they just feel completely ignored. To me this is a very serious breach of contract where lawyers should be involved.

2. one of those two, plus another person told me their inventory is completely scrambled - they are being credited with sales (not being paid out) for inventory that does not belong to them, and not seeing sales for inventory they expected would be sold, so they anticipate their annual 1099 will be a complete cluster and they will need to figure out how to dispute the 1099 amount because it's likely wrong

Based on these 3 conversations, I would be very hesitant to do business with them. Are these isolated incidents or are others experiencing the same?

[RedBaron]

21 minutes ago, bocastephen said:

I have been talking to a few West End Toys vendors through another channel, and they were giving me some very problematic and concerning feedback, so just curious if anyone here recently had similar experiences

1. two people reported not being paid for 3-4 months, even though their sales reports showed they were owed money, they have not received any payments for months, and no one at West End Toys is answering their questions, they just feel completely ignored. To me this is a very serious breach of contract where lawyers should be involved.

2. one of those two, plus another person told me their inventory is completely scrambled - they are being credited with sales (not being paid out) for inventory that does not belong to them, and not seeing sales for inventory they expected would be sold, so they anticipate their annual 1099 will be a complete cluster and they will need to figure out how to dispute the 1099 amount because it's likely wrong

Based on these 3 conversations, I would be very hesitant to do business with them. Are these isolated incidents or are others experiencing the same?

I would not waste your time disputing the 1099 unless it is way overstated.  The West End 1099 is usually not correct anyway because they report based on sales date instead of vendor payment date.  You just need to report your sales based on your records.  As long as you can explain the difference, you will be fine.  I report all my sales on a cash basis meaning income is earned when I get paid, not necessarily when the sale occurs.

[keymomachine]

3 hours ago, RedBaron said:

The West End 1099 is usually not correct anyway because they report based on sales date instead of vendor payment date. 

A 1099-K is a record of payment transactions on your behalf WHEN they happen, not when you get paid for them - so that is correct.

[bocastephen]

9 hours ago, RedBaron said:

I would not waste your time disputing the 1099 unless it is way overstated.  The West End 1099 is usually not correct anyway because they report based on sales date instead of vendor payment date.  You just need to report your sales based on your records.  As long as you can explain the difference, you will be fine.  I report all my sales on a cash basis meaning income is earned when I get paid, not necessarily when the sale occurs.

My concern right now based on what I heard isn't the incorrect 1099, but not getting paid what I am owed when my sets are sold, along with losing all insight into my actual inventory. 

If they are selling customer's sets they are warehousing and listing, but not paying those customers the money owed on the sales invoice, that sounds to me like fraud and theft.

[RedBaron]

9 hours ago, bocastephen said:

My concern right now based on what I heard isn't the incorrect 1099, but not getting paid what I am owed when my sets are sold, along with losing all insight into my actual inventory. 

If they are selling customer's sets they are warehousing and listing, but not paying those customers the money owed on the sales invoice, that sounds to me like fraud and theft.

I don't think there is any intent there for fraud.  I think they grew too big too fast and did not invest in the systems and personnel necessary to handle the growth.  And the move they made just added to the issues, which I believe is where some of the inventory and sales mismatches are coming from.  For example, the Target inventory system will allow you to see how many items are at each store.  Vendors should have the ability to login into an inventory system and see their inventory.  They do not need a system as complex as Target, but one that does similar functions.  I don't know their admin setup, but it seems to me their accounting and inventory departments are understaffed.  Fairly simple things like rolling forward vendor's inventory is not being done in my opinion.  However, this does not excuse them for not paying vendors.  That is one of the most important functions of this type of business model.

[Ed Mack]

Hello,

I just reached out to Evans and he stated to me that he would respond shortly on this thread and will ask you to personally contact him.  Being a business owner for years, I know the best way to deal with this is to respond and explain your point of view.  Let's keep it civil.  Thanks.  Ed

[JOEBRICK376]

Gents, a lot of good content here for us to review internally. I've asked Ed to end this discussion here. From what I can tell, most of the speculation on this thread is coming from non-vendors. For the vendors in the program that I can identify, I'm going to be reaching out to you individually for your feedback and to chat through some of these communication issues. 

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to me via DM, or all of you who are vendors, you have my number if you have thoughts  

 

~Evans - WET