LEGO S@H "Black Listing": Did you ever receive this re-sale warning from Shop at Home?

[LowestFormOfWit]

Wow. This thread exploded.

While I don't think anyone here works for LEGO, nor would speak up if they did, I believe this kind of reseller witch hunt strategy they are pushing has more to do with brand protection than sales threats. LEGO has vwry strict terms for its authorized retailers. They likely view these mass orders as people attempting to circumvent this established system.

Aside from the main topic, I would like to point out that this community is becoming increasingly hostile. I, like emes, have taken a couple steps back for now. While I can definitely say there is a wealth of valuable information here, there is an equal and increasing number of posts where people are trying to either outdo each other or segregate the user base by one criteria or another.

Let me remind everyone that we are all fans of LEGO here, to one degree or another. This site is a tool to help investors, be they small time, big time, part time, full time, young, old, retired, whatever. I kindly ask anyone here that if you are not going to be conducive to a respectful and mature environment, to leave, or at the least, be silent.

There are enough devolved, immature cesspools where you can be elitist on the internet. This forum does not need to be one of them.

[Guest eightbrick]

Let me remind everyone that we are all fans of LEGO here, to one degree or another. This site is a tool to help investors, be they small time, big time, part time, full time, young, old, retired, whatever. I kindly ask anyone here that if you are not going to be conducive to a respectful and mature environment, to leave, or at the least, be silent.

There are enough devolved, immature cesspools where you can be elitist on the internet. This forum does not need to be one of them.

Well said. Me and several other members have also noticed increased hostility. The inevitable result of the special and diverse population of this site is that we will all end up comparing our bottom line at the end of the day, and if we didn't invest in this or don't do that we aren't as good. The lego investor has often seen a sort of segregation on other Lego sites, and now we are all in one big melting pot. These are our stomping grounds. Let's stick together.

[emes]

Hey emes whenever I hear this proverb I add something to it and it might be worth thinking on it

 

 

"give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime, instead sell him the fish"

LOL...trust me, I've considered this

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Wow. This thread exploded.

While I don't think anyone here works for LEGO, nor would speak up if they did, I believe this kind of reseller witch hunt strategy they are pushing has more to do with brand protection than sales threats. LEGO has vwry strict terms for its authorized retailers. They likely view these mass orders as people attempting to circumvent this established system.

Aside from the main topic, I would like to point out that this community is becoming increasingly hostile. I, like emes, have taken a couple steps back for now. While I can definitely say there is a wealth of valuable information here, there is an equal and increasing number of posts where people are trying to either outdo each other or segregate the user base by one criteria or another.

Let me remind everyone that we are all fans of LEGO here, to one degree or another. This site is a tool to help investors, be they small time, big time, part time, full time, young, old, retired, whatever. I kindly ask anyone here that if you are not going to be conducive to a respectful and mature environment, to leave, or at the least, be silent.

There are enough devolved, immature cesspools where you can be elitist on the internet. This forum does not need to be one of them.

 

This is exactly what I was about to write and you said it. Lol plus 1 for that.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

 You are an amateur troll.  Quality trolls know how to insult people without them knowing it.  

 

This is pure wisdom. I love it.

[Alcarin]

 

Wow. This thread exploded.

While I don't think anyone here works for LEGO, nor would speak up if they did, I believe this kind of reseller witch hunt strategy they are pushing has more to do with brand protection than sales threats. LEGO has vwry strict terms for its authorized retailers. They likely view these mass orders as people attempting to circumvent this established system.

Aside from the main topic, I would like to point out that this community is becoming increasingly hostile. I, like emes, have taken a couple steps back for now. While I can definitely say there is a wealth of valuable information here, there is an equal and increasing number of posts where people are trying to either outdo each other or segregate the user base by one criteria or another.

Let me remind everyone that we are all fans of LEGO here, to one degree or another. This site is a tool to help investors, be they small time, big time, part time, full time, young, old, retired, whatever. I kindly ask anyone here that if you are not going to be conducive to a respectful and mature environment, to leave, or at the least, be silent.

There are enough devolved, immature cesspools where you can be elitist on the internet. This forum does not need to be one of them.

 

 

Thing is this and what emes wrote is what I pointed out in a different manner anyway. 

 

Why would people like emes, emazers etc. want to give the best info out so that newbs and less intelligent people make easy cash?(not trying to be disrespectful just saying that information cost!... I dont listen to them anyway because my market is specific only to me and limited to my country)

 

The irony is that when people like emazers tell us the info they are effectively punishing themselves with potential slow growth or stagnation of sets. 

 

Its like throwing a boomerang that hits you in the face on the way back (when selling) 

 

So anyone smart here stopped saying what is great investment because telling everyone for a great investment (even if its only 5000 people) makes it far less great. 

 

Actually I think anyone smart will do like this:

 

- vote for counter good investments (or what you think is worste) 

- buy stuff everyone thinks (by polls and topics) a less good investment.

 

If all investors think set XXXX is worst investment the best people will buy it cos it will be far more rare.

[Darth_Raichu]

I am actually questioning the effectiveness of this S@H ban in curtailing resellers. If TLC is really serious about destroying secondary market, they should just rerelease old sets (ie make lego less "valuable"). There are less people investing in beenie babies now due to rereleases. Of course this will create a tremendous ill will from the AFOL and collectors community. But hey, some of these collectoes resell their items down the line and they probably already black listed anyway.

If TLC is really serious they should start by cracking down exclusives market like SDCC minifigs. All they need to do is releasing these exclusives to general public 1 month after the SDCC introduction, effectively killing any market for SDCC exclusives.

This ban on S@H is laughable since any serious investors/resellers use other sources to get cheaper inventory.
 

What I would like to discuss at some point is. Would not that be better for all of us overall

I think both sides of this discussion (potential one) could have pros and cons.

I personally could care less if secondary market COMPLETELY crashes (read GG re-release and similar especially the non-licensed sets remakes all over the place)

I am a FAN of LEGO first investor second, and personally have no remorse for those who are investors in LEGO first (or only) and fans second.

Instead of waiting for someone to create a thread for this, I encourage you to start one yourself. I am curious to see the differing opinions on this IN A DIFFERENT THREAD.

[Diabolos80]

I refuse to believe there are forums out there where people are respectful and nicey-nice all the time. This is real life, not Yo Gabba Gabba, and people don't work that way. People are brash, opinionated, and loud. I'm not defending hostile behavior, of course, I'm merely observing that it's a fact of life, especially when you have a forum based on a mildly competitive economic system. As Ed said, anyone who chooses to give up on these discussions because of a few contradictory or trollol posts is not going to make the situation better for those who stay behind. That said, I feel there's more than enough quality, variety, fun, and wisdom floating around here to saitisfy anyone willing to ignore or play along with the bits of weirdness. As we say, no point in missing out on account of a bit of butthurt, right? You guys stick around, don't leave us alone here with the braggarts and naysayers B)

[Maverick2k1]

Sometimes when reading these forums I feel like I'm reading a screenplay to a soap opera haha. I love it.

[Alcarin]

 

This ban on LEGO Shop at Home is laughable since any serious investors/resellers use other sources to get cheaper inventory.

 

 

Indeed it is... but as far as I recall are there not some sets that are more or less exclusive to LEGO shops or shop at home?

[stephen_rockefeller]

Indeed it is... but as far as I recall are there not some sets that are more or less exclusive to LEGO shops or shop at home?

There are a few.

[Diabolos80]

Indeed it is... but as far as I recall are there not some sets that are more or less exclusive to LEGO shops or shop at home?

Hey we're on topic again yay! I mentioned earlier, it would be interesting if we could figure out whether there are particular sets that trigger Lego's Ban Stamp. The Funhouse would make a good litmus test because it can't be found cheaper anywhere else unless TRU is slipping during a bogo sale. Basically, are you more likely to get noticed for buying 50 Funhouses rather than 50 VCs?

[Alcarin]

Hey we're on topic again yay! I mentioned earlier, it would be interesting if we could figure out whether there are particular sets that trigger Lego's Ban Stamp. The Funhouse would make a good litmus test because it can't be found cheaper anywhere else unless TRU is slipping during a bogo sale. Basically, are you more likely to get noticed for buying 50 Funhouses rather than 50 VCs?

 

The thing is 

 

I think buying same set 20+ (and not being a battle pack type of thing) puts you on some sort of potential reseller radar.

 

I mean lets be honest why would anyone in the world want 50 Funhouses to open and build?

 

Parts sure but thats one expensive way to get a few parts you want lol

[Darth_Raichu]

Hey we're on topic again yay! I mentioned earlier, it would be interesting if we could figure out whether there are particular sets that trigger Lego's Ban Stamp. The Funhouse would make a good litmus test because it can't be found cheaper anywhere else unless TRU is slipping during a bogo sale. Basically, are you more likely to get noticed for buying 50 Funhouses rather than 50 VCs?

I am sure the algorithm takes into consideration a mix of quality (which sets) and quantity over time as well as othe factors as emes pointed out.  The best thing to do for the forseable future is to avoid high quantity purchase from S@H.

[Alcarin]

I am sure the algorithm takes into consideration a mix of quality (which sets) and quantity over time as well as othe factors as emes pointed out.  The best thing to do for the forseable future is to avoid high quantity purchase from LEGO Shop at Home.

 

Exactly...

[StarCityBrickCompany]

Hey we're on topic again yay! I mentioned earlier, it would be interesting if we could figure out whether there are particular sets that trigger Lego's Ban Stamp. The Funhouse would make a good litmus test because it can't be found cheaper anywhere else unless TRU is slipping during a bogo sale. Basically, are you more likely to get noticed for buying 50 Funhouses rather than 50 VCs?

Being back on topic - I know that I have mentioned to LEGO that I am a reseller and I have never been banned or warned of being banned. I am always buying, but I never would buy 50 of a set in one shot (unless there is some crazy deal). I assume that the banning policy is an option that they have available, but they only choose to use it in extreme circumstances.

[What_does_the_future_hold]

So glad we're back on topic. So yes in and of itself the LEGO Shop at Home ban could be seen as laughable, irrelevant, or a non-issue to many people. And granted in the grand sceme of things I would agree since even for me what I buy (or now I should say bought) there is a fraction. But it's a fraction of a lot which still makes it a decent amount and yes to the points above it's usually on items that are exclusive to LEGO Shop at Home. From a paranoid standpoint it's easy to say that Lego instituted limits and the big boxes followed, now Lego bans some people, and potentially the big boxes follow (i.e. Target's latest efforts). It's a natural progression in most people's minds. Will it happen everywhere, I doubt it but it reminds me of the old adage that goes something like this...

 

"Put a mouse in a pot of boiling water, the mouse will do everything in it's power to survive, but place that same mouse in tap water and slowly raise the temperature and the mouse will simply accept it's fate and die without a struggle."

 

I had written Ed and Jeff about this topic before it even posted because I refuse to the later of the two mice. While I agree with some of the other posters in stating that I'm not in the business of creating my own competition (and yes I see the irony here), I do feel that as a group we have more to lose or gain than any one individual and if bringing this topic to the front inspires many an impassioned responses that we have at least put it in everyone's mind that no matter to what degree this ban affects you, it DOES affect you and that requires action of some kind. What that action is will obvioulsy depend on what you do and how you do it but even the most cocky of resellers who claim they never bother with LEGO Shop at Home will still feel that tiny ripple wash up on their shore at some point.

[legopocalypse]

Thing is this and what emes wrote is what I pointed out in a different manner anyway. 

 

Why would people like emes, emazers etc. want to give the best info out so that newbs and less intelligent people make easy cash?(not trying to be disrespectful just saying that information cost!... I dont listen to them anyway because my market is specific only to me and limited to my country)

 

The irony is that when people like emazers tell us the info they are effectively punishing themselves with potential slow growth or stagnation of sets. 

 

Its like throwing a boomerang that hits you in the face on the way back (when selling) 

 

So anyone smart here stopped saying what is great investment because telling everyone for a great investment (even if its only 5000 people) makes it far less great. 

 

Actually I think anyone smart will do like this:

 

- vote for counter good investments (or what you think is worste) 

- buy stuff everyone thinks (by polls and topics) a less good investment.

 

If all investors think set XXXX is worst investment the best people will buy it cos it will be far more rare.

I know we're all thankful for Emazers info, I've wondered why he shares all that as well as one would think it would hurt him in the long run. But I agree with his philosophy

in buying the larger sets and some medium sets and turning each $1.00 invested into $1.50-$2.00 on large sets instead of turning $1.00 into just $1.25-$1.30 on average from selling smaller lego sets, makeup, chapstick, hot wheels, etc. Everyone's selling philosophy is different and whatever works for each person is great. There is no right or wrong way and both can be very profitable. I have almost 40k invested in just Lego alone but even still its only a small % of my investment portfolio. And if people want to give out free info on what they think will sell well, there certainly is no harm is asking about it and researching it to see if it might be profitable for yourself as well.

[LowestFormOfWit]

I refuse to believe there are forums out there where people are respectful and nicey-nice all the time. This is real life, not Yo Gabba Gabba, and people don't work that way. People are brash, opinionated, and loud. I'm not defending hostile behavior, of course, I'm merely observing that it's a fact of life, especially when you have a forum based on a mildly competitive economic system. As Ed said, anyone who chooses to give up on these discussions because of a few contradictory or trollol posts is not going to make the situation better for those who stay behind. That said, I feel there's more than enough quality, variety, fun, and wisdom floating around here to saitisfy anyone willing to ignore or play along with the bits of weirdness. As we say, no point in missing out on account of a bit of butthurt, right? You guys stick around, don't leave us alone here with the braggarts and naysayers

Posting on a forum for LEGO investors should not entail as much of this kind of behavior. I like to think on average that we are an older crowd, yet some posts are clearly showing the disconnect between age and maturity. Being opinionated is not the problem. Being a complete **** about it is. Believe it or not, having disagreements and being respectful are not mutually exclusive.

I will not buy into the notion that you should just ignore the jerks simply because you feel it's an inevitability.

[Darth_Raichu]

So glad we're back on topic. So yes in and of itself the S@H ban could be seen as laughable, irrelevant, or a non-issue to many people. And granted in the grand sceme of things I would agree since even for me what I buy (or now I should say bought) there is a fraction. But it's a fraction of a lot which still makes it a decent amount and yes to the points above it's usually on items that are exclusive to S@H. From a paranoid standpoint it's easy to say that Lego instituted limits and the big boxes followed, now Lego bans some people, and potentially the big boxes follow (i.e. Target's latest efforts). It's a natural progression in most people's minds. Will it happen everywhere, I doubt it but it reminds me of the old adage that goes something like this...

 

"Put a mouse in a pot of boiling water, the mouse will do everything in it's power to survive, but place that same mouse in tap water and slowly raise the temperature and the mouse will simply accept it's fate and die without a struggle."

 

I had written Ed and Jeff about this topic before it even posted because I refuse to the later of the two mice. While I agree with some of the other posters in stating that I'm not in the business of creating my own competition (and yes I see the irony here), I do feel that as a group we have more to lose or gain than any one individual and if bringing this topic to the front inspires many an impassioned responses that we have at least put it in everyone's mind that no matter to what degree this ban affects you, it DOES affect you and that requires action of some kind. What that action is will obvioulsy depend on what you do and how you do it but even the most cocky of resellers who claim they never bother with S@H will still feel that tiny ripple wash up on their shore at some point.

And what would that action be? This has been a good discussion ripe with great information (for the most part), but the fact is our response will be different based on our volume of lego reselling. What can be done as a group to response to this challenge ?

[justafrog]

And what would that action be? This has been a good discussion ripe with great information (for the most part), but the fact is our response will be different based on our volume of lego reselling. What can be done as a group to response to this challenge ?

 

I think emes last night before the silly season posts started was right   - "unusual buying behavior" algorithms tracked (definitely) through the VIP program and (possibly) through credit card and/or ship-to address are the ways that Lego will go with this.

 

So, while it hurts my penny-pinching soul to leave freebies on the table, I'll be purchasing from LEGO Shop at Home with circumspection, and that is the only place I think I'll "out" myself by using the VIP program.

 

In my local stores, they'll get to know me but I'll spread out my purchases, no VIP, and pay cash. My goal is to be seen as "fan not seller" (both are true, I'll just wear the fangirl emblem front and center, whipping out photos of our personal collection and creations like an overly-enthusiastic grandmother and cornering store employees to force them to look  ).

 

(And re the forum in general, I appreciate the line drawn by the moderators/owners in the difference between disagreement - even strong disagreement - and outright useless trolling. I know the site is growing and maybe having some pains that go with that growth, but the moderation here appears to me to be very good.)

[Alcarin]

I think emes last night before the silly season posts started was right   - "unusual buying behavior" algorithms tracked (definitely) through the VIP program and (possibly) through credit card and/or ship-to address are the ways that Lego will go with this.

 

So, while it hurts my penny-pinching soul to leave freebies on the table, I'll be purchasing from LEGO Shop at Home with circumspection, and that is the only place I think I'll "out" myself by using the VIP program.

 

In my local stores, they'll get to know me but I'll spread out my purchases, no VIP, and pay cash. My goal is to be seen as "fan not seller" (both are true, I'll just wear the fangirl emblem front and center, whipping out photos of our personal collection and creations like an overly-enthusiastic grandmother and cornering store employees to force them to look  ).

 

(And re the forum in general, I appreciate the line drawn by the moderators/owners in the difference between disagreement - even strong disagreement - and outright useless trolling. I know the site is growing and maybe having some pains that go with that growth, but the moderation here appears to me to be very good.)

 

 

Good... their effect is working.... next polybag freebie will double the value for those not avoiding and having low purchase on lego stores.

 

But yeah I agree with you.

[Darth Lego]

I don't want to bring this off-topic again, but I wanted to make some comments on some posts on here.

Glad Ed came in to squash this horrid idea. If this place became a "paid" site, I'd be done here. Not that the big spenders would care, but there are a few of us who remain "small time" for a reason - in my case I invest in many other things and like to diversify, which is why you won't ever see me buying 50 funhouses, though I have the money to do so. I don't necessarily agree with Diabolos in that your buying power should be limited - hell I don't really care because I'll figure something else out, I've been doing that and doing it well for the past 15 years. But I feel that this is moving in a direction of many of the larger investors simply "assuming" that the rest of us are dealing in chump change and that they should be reserved some sort of golden mecca of topic discussion.

Further, I feel like that would take this site in a direction different than what the Mack's vision for this place was. I don't want to speak for the teeny-boppers who frequent this site, but kids like Comicblast and Darth Lego have learned alot about not only investing, but life in general from listening to the advice of some of the big dogs around here. I think that's something you guys should be proud of...seriously. Do you really want to throw up walls and leave those kids out to talk in private? Is it that big of a deal? Those guys are learning alot from you, and if we could get more kids to learn to be fiscally responsible and smart like they are, we probably wouldn't have the problems with welfare and other government assistance that we do. This next generation needs the mentorship that YOU can provide. Just my two cents.

Very well spoken post, JoshTX. I have learned a lot from you and from many other members on here. Even though my investment portfolio is quite small in comparison to some members on here, I still have learned a lot in the last 7 months. I keep track of my monthly expenses not just on LEGO, but on everything I purchase. (I also keep track of my monthly income from chores, gifts, etc.) I've created a spreadsheet documenting my purchases and sales. That is just the tip of the iceberg of some important and real-life skills I have acquired from listening to the "big dogs" on here. (I would like to thank everyone who has helped me in any way, shape, or form. I truly appreciate it.) A paid/exclusive section of the forum would not only hurt Comicblast, Brianl3, myself, and other teens, but it would hurt the site as a whole in my opinion.

+Over 9000.

Well said. I don't think anyone could have said it better. I think I speak for both DL and I, that we have learned so much from everyone here at BrickPicker, not only about LEGO's and fun and games, but about managing my money, what to do with it, and how to spend it. Before this, I would have spent all my money on Clone Troopers and Jedi minifigures...for $5 a pop. Not exactly what you would call responsible nor "money-smart". I think that you guys have also learned from us teens, how we suck at grammar, and how people can change for the better if they are given the right circumstances and people to work with. Gosh, this is turning into some mushy adult thing isn't it....

Before joining this site I hardly ever got LEGO on clearance and I just bought the sets at retail. I now look for deals on the sets I want and I've saved lots of money doing that. I'm a lot more fiscally responsible than before.

[Diabolos80]

Posting on a forum for LEGO investors should not entail as much of this kind of behavior. I like to think on average that we are an older crowd, yet some posts are clearly showing the disconnect between age and maturity. Being opinionated is not the problem. Being a complete **** about it is. Believe it or not, having disagreements and being respectful are not mutually exclusive.

I will not buy into the notion that you should just ignore the jerks simply because you feel it's an inevitability.

You're right, you shouldn't put up with it just because it's inevitable. But should you put up with it because there's a lot of quality here, too? Should you put up with it because your contributions will help to mature the forum? I think so. Just look how far Darth Lego has come jk Darth

[willy431]

Lego store was sold out of funhouse and minecraft today. I bet this is the main thing they are trying to stop. They had limit signs up for a few items. Tower bridge, camel, and haunted houses were all 1. Halloween accessory packs were 3. Bought 3 for 12 bucks each. I would have had the wife grab another 3....but this thread is making me nervous! I asked if the haunted house was ever going to be 20% off like the other sets in theme...he said never...they sell ~12 a week at that location and have to limit qtys.