LEGO Bans - Open Discussion

[TheBrickClique]

As for operating with a single account to stay within the vendor’s technically-enforced limits, I believe this is the current state of things.
 

Cliff notes: you’ll be fine as long as you don’t go on a spending spree at Target.com, and try not to bring attention to your buying patterns by dealing with online customer service for small gripes that can be dealt with in store instead.

Target - the easiest place to get banned based simply on purchase volume online and the most aggressive against resellers in store — employees trained to identify resellers loading up carts for example.  Can still use red card in store after online ban, but using with a new email account will result in repeat ban — start receiving auto cancellations and email about possible issues including payment purchase method.  Some people have bans lifted after a period in timeout. Others indefinitely. The amount of purchases that may identify you as a reseller and get a ban? One data point: I have been unable to purchase online going on 18 months now after two months of $5k purchases on the red card. Same red card still works fine in store.
 

LEGO shop at home — with the purchase limits mechanics implemented a few years ago, it is much more difficult to get the SAH ban hammer. If you exceed a limit on any item based on past purchases of the same item, they will cancel your entire order. Be warned that if they cancel an order with a VIP Rewards purchase, the reward is not automatically credited back to your account. Also, if they cancel an item due to inventory issues, the system still tracks it as qty purchased. Qty purchased in brick and mortar stores that are purchased with VIP accounts are not counted towards SAH limits and and limits in store are done at the individual store’s discretion. If you do have to call customer service to resolve an issue, they do have easy visibility to all of your previous orders and will make comments about you “really liking LEGOs”.  No indication that that is how the ban process starts, but unless you really have an issue that needs CS, might be best to just let the small things go. 
 

Amazon — shop away. Their limits are tracked to the second on a 168-hour FIFO.  Limits apply and are tracked in that window only to items sold and shipped by Amazon.com. Buy as many third party items as you wish. Anecdotal stories of bans for excessive returns, but no clear information on the metrics used. Generally, probably best to save the returns for the really bad boxes.  Creating multiple accounts will get noticed and is the quickest way to get the warning shot emails. 
 

Barnes and Noble — similar to LEGO, has a five qty per item lifetime limit online. Exceed that amount and just that item will be cancelled from the order. No reports of bans. In store purchases do not appear to be tied to online memberships as far as adding to your 5-count quantity.  
 

Walmart — most LEGO are limited to two per order, but they won’t say how often that limit is reset.  Doing a couple of multiple limit orders in the same day has worked.  Doing dozens has resulted in order cancellations of those specific items but no bans that I am aware of. Generally, I have found one limit order per day has never resulted in a cancellation. 
 

ShopDisney — some items have limits but they are selectively enforced. If you put in multiple limit orders at the same time, they might cancel those items. If you space them out, they will be fine. I ordered a dozen castles (limit one per customer) last year and they all went through. Sometimes two in two consecutive days. 
 

Costco — has item limits on some items, but I haven’t seen any on LEGOs. Even with items with limits, possible to space them out without issue.  In store limits are usually “per day”. 
 

Best Buy — unsure on LEGO as I’ve never pushed the limits on them. In the past, I would make 50 purchases at a time of 2-dollar items that had limits and they would all go through.  I have tried to make multiple purchases of Xbox consoles and those were cancelled.  So YMMV. But no reports of bans.

Anyways, those are my observations.

[Val-E]

9 hours ago, Reddwarf4ever said:

 

think will I’ll end this now...on this final note.....Lego have the right to sell to anyone they like and refuse to sell to others, that’s their right.....I just feel a proper explanation, and a chance to discuss it would be fairer, also the ban FOREVER has got to be harsh in anyone’s books.....won’t even let me BUY Lego sets or parts from them........just leaves a bad taste in the mouth........

 

this topic can  be closed now,.......

 

35 minutes ago, Reddwarf4ever said:

If you want me to say I did something terrible I will, but I didn’t, I couldn’t order the four bricks, due to auto banning, then sent an email and the parts were sent to me......so really don’t understand.....they don’t even ask where the sets were purchased....

 

So they did send you the parts in the end? I guess this story is indeed closed then.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I'd tell them that I bought it off eBay from Mrs Reece Ella Skumm and that the set was incomplete with uneven colours unlike the perfect L***N set that I bought at the same time.

 

Edited January 15, 2019 by TabbyBoy

[Reddwarf4ever]

.???

[redcell]

1 hour ago, TabbyBoy said:

I'd tell them that I bought it off eBay from Mrs Reece Ella Skumm and that the set was incomplete with uneven colours unlike the perfect L***N set that I bought at the same time.

 

Weren't you going to retire at the end of last year and spare all of us this constant useless drivel?

[KShine]

Just now, redcell said:

Weren't you going to retire at the end of last year and spare all of us this constant useless drivel?

I believe that must have been one of his other seller accounts.

[redcell]

15 hours ago, Reddwarf4ever said:

I am really really livid with Lego, I have recently bought some expensive sets from other retailers and one set had 4 pieces missing, different parts. I used their online form, received a lovely jolly email from them, confirming my request, which was followed by the email I have entered at the bottom of this post.....I emailed them about this, but just received the reply that they stand by their decisions etc etc.....but these are made by an Auto Bot, I am certain.....apparently the lifetime ban extends to the email I used the address and name....

 

Were you buying product from Lego for resale?  If so, there is no reason to be mad about this...it sucks, but is a part of engaging in the business of resale.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

4 minutes ago, redcell said:

Weren't you going to retire at the end of last year and spare all of us this constant useless drivel?

 

2 minutes ago, KShine said:

I believe that must have been one of his other seller accounts.

If you both want to have ago, have the courtesy to use PM. I don't agree with slagging off a fellow member in a thread as this is certainly drivel and of NO USE to anybody here. Anyway, your sarcasm detectors need a little maintenance ?

[Guest TabbyBoy]

2 hours ago, TabbyBoy said:

I'd tell them that I bought it off eBay from Mrs Reece Ella Skumm and that the set was incomplete with uneven colours unlike the perfect L***N set that I bought at the same time.

The above was a J-O-K-E if anybody is confused. I forgot to put the ? at the end of the message. May I humbly apologise and forever hang my head in shame?! For the record... I do, in fact, have a L***N Haunted House (solely for Hallowe'en display) which was extremely well made with no missing pieces (unlike the black gates my 10228) and consistent colours (unlike the green in my 10228). It may well be a knock-off, but a very good one - BTW... it was given to me so I broke no ethics. LEGO are right to be worried.

Back to the subject... I was banned from SaH a couple of years back after setting up a new account for keeper sets  (that I didn't really need in hindsight) which was only because I tried to order twice at the limit (2 at the time). I just called up and reinstated immediately and the thing was that those sets weren't for resale. As I said, I'll take it on the chip if I am banned in the future as there's always a way around it.

[carini26]

2 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

The above was a J-O-K-E if anybody is confused. I forgot to put the ? at the end of the message. May I humbly apologise and forever hang my head in shame?! For the record... I do, in fact, have a L***N Haunted House (solely for Hallowe'en display) which was extremely well made with no missing pieces (unlike the black gates my 10228) and consistent colours (unlike the green in my 10228). It may well be a knock-off, but a very good one - BTW... it was given to me so I broke no ethics. LEGO are right to be worried.

Okay well in 2019 can you at least make your posts slightly more universal?  Some self-awareness to recognize responding to a post with your personal story reminding you of a time when you bought X amount of X for X in the UK adds little to zero value to most on the board.  

The bold text above is prime example of what, at least, I do not enjoy reading daily.  Zero relevance to discussion and just another post where Tabby can't help but make it all about him.

 

[exciter1]

I'm just more disappointed that the last 9 months were filled with false hope.

[fuzzy_bricks]

22 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

I'm just more disappointed that the last 9 months were filled with false hope.

Dude, PM him on one of his 15 user accounts that he connects to through his super VPN or he’ll have his enforcer buddy shipped to you in one of his custom double wall cardboard boxes, wrapped in a custom sign he made, to beat you up with some leftover bike parts from his bike selling days.

[Ed Mack]

Maybe it’s just me and my bitter and disingenuous personality, but I believe there is something more to this story. Maybe I’m wrong so I will apologize ahead of time.

[Mgip21]

50 minutes ago, TabbyBoy said:

 

If you both want to have ago, have the courtesy to use PM. I don't agree with slagging off a fellow member in a thread as this is certainly drivel and of NO USE to anybody here. Anyway, your sarcasm detectors need a little maintenance ?

Doesn’t this pertain to all your post?

[Val-E]

3 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

Maybe it’s just me and my bitter and disingenuous personality, but I believe there is something more to this story. Maybe I’m wrong so I will apologize ahead of time.

It´s a no story. Received automatic ban message then complained by mail and received requested parts. In other news, 75144 Snowspeeder has retired in Europe.

 

Edited January 15, 2019 by Val-E

[exciter1]

3 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

Maybe it’s just me and my bitter and disingenuous personality, but I believe there is something more to this story. Maybe I’m wrong so I will apologize ahead of time.

There is a story of a lovely kitty, who's multiple accounts were much more than a hunch...

[roxio]

17 minutes ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

Dude, PM him on one of his 15 user accounts that he connects to through his super VPN or he’ll have his enforcer buddy shipped to you in one of his custom double wall cardboard boxes, wrapped in a custom sign he made, to beat you up with some leftover bike parts from his bike selling days.

....stored for free in mate's warehouse 

[Phil B]

Dude, PM him on one of his 15 user accounts that he connects to through his super VPN or he’ll have his enforcer buddy shipped to you in one of his custom double wall cardboard boxes, wrapped in a custom sign he made, to beat you up with some leftover bike parts from his bike selling days.

... 99 times from multiple accounts

[Guest TabbyBoy]

14 minutes ago, roxio said:

....stored for free in mate's warehouse 

Correct, but I'll soon be moving what's left into mine.

33 minutes ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

Dude, PM him on one of his 15 user accounts that he connects to through his super VPN or he’ll have his enforcer buddy shipped to you in one of his custom double wall cardboard boxes, wrapped in a custom sign he made, to beat you up with some leftover bike parts from his bike selling days.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

1 minute ago, Phil B said:

33 minutes ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

Dude, PM him on one of his 15 user accounts that he connects to through his super VPN or he’ll have his enforcer buddy shipped to you in one of his custom double wall cardboard boxes, wrapped in a custom sign he made, to beat you up with some leftover bike parts from his bike selling days.

... 99 times from multiple accounts

Maybe 98, I'm not one to exaggerate.

[KShine]

1 hour ago, redcell said:

Were you buying product from Lego for resale?  If so, there is no reason to be mad about this...it sucks, but is a part of engaging in the business of resale.

Yes, we all check that box during checkout

But when the hammer falls, that doesn't help you from feeling like you've just been thrown in jail (and sentenced to life) for jaywalking.

[ravenb99]

out of all this drivel the folks over at the Royal Horticultural Society must be all out of sorts being called the British Horticultural Society.  

[redcell]

1 hour ago, TabbyBoy said:

 

If you both want to have ago, have the courtesy to use PM. I don't agree with slagging off a fellow member in a thread as this is certainly drivel and of NO USE to anybody here. Anyway, your sarcasm detectors need a little maintenance ?

Tell you what, I'll have "ago" by PM as soon as you start limiting your drivel to PM.  Deal?

[mizeur]

4 minutes ago, ravenb99 said:

out of all this drivel the folks over at the Royal Horticultural Society must be all out of sorts being called the British Horticultural Society.  

You might say they soiled themselves.

[Reddwarf4ever]

Will find a way to unsubscribe from this thread, had 16 emails.....thanks to all the useful replies

[thebrickdad]

What's with all the Tabby bashing?  It's not as if we don't have enough to concern ourselves with in the UK today!

[KShine]

2 minutes ago, thebrickdad said:

What's with all the Tabby bashing?  It's not as if we don't have enough to concern ourselves with in the UK today!

The Tabby situation is just like the UK - If you say that you are leaving, you are supposed to leave!