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.

[romoore245]

 

Well asking for proof that I am a seller and telling them their due diligence was a joke must have stuck a nerve. I got this today, seems a little excessive. think i will forward each one to the individual I was emailing before.

Edited January 31, 2015 by romoore245

[TheOrcKing]

Well asking for proof that I am a seller and telling them their due diligence was a joke must have stuck a nerve. I got this today, seems a little excessive. think i will forward each one to the individual I was emailing before.

Wow. Even LEGO is guilty of double posting.

[Jules_K]

It is ironic that I get the official ban letter and a package from Lego on the same day. Tempted to order something else just to see if the final account has been banned as well.

Can I ask why you set up 3 different accounts?

[romoore245]

Can I ask why you set up 3 different accounts?

I went to the Dallas Lego stores and they both gave me a VIP card so I was gonna use one for there and another for online. Funny thing the store guy said I wouldn't be able to use the card online site. Guess he was right. 

[Ed Mack]

I had a conversation with a senior lego public figure. Legos policy is to ban if you are buying multiples of large products, there may be exceptions but that's the rule.

They admit they can't stop you buying from target etc but they really want to kill the secondary market, because they want tk make models available to all.

The caveat though is before action takes place they need to tie your purchases to an online reselling business. Note the word business.

Additionally the high level visible lego employee was pleased when we started discussing The Tumbler. They alluded to that being an experiment for them, in terms of announcing online that jt would not be in stock until after Christmas, all the time knowing that it would be. Essentially they leaned towards suggesting that they enjoyed watching 'investors' panic buy and then for themselves to reflood the markets, lowering the secondary market values.

UCS MF....no specifics.....but that model came up as an example of something that they would like to correct, as they are pissed that people hoarded that one and are 5x msrp minimum.

Well, their experiment failed. Many regular consumers failed to get the product online and had no access to a LEGO store and many resellers took advantage of this shortage and sold their Tumblers for a profit and restocked after the holidays.

As for a new Falcon, bring it on. It will be a different version, with different characters and a whole new investment opportunity.

[Ed Mack]

They are ruthless when it comes to taking down the secondary market for items they are still currently producing and selling. From conversations I have had they have no problem with the aftermarket for their retired sets and will gladly refer you to bricklink or ebay. IMO the original minecraft debacle (which was very damaging to their brand) really pushed them to clamp down in the USA.

LEGO is targeting new customers with a particular buying pattern or older customers with excessive purchases that go against their set limits. As you have stated, LEGO does not like direct competition when selling non retired sets. Retired sets are another animal altogether. They love seeing their product appreciate as a collectible.

[stoltzjl77]

Why argue with Lego about being a reseller when you are? I don't get that. It's not going to work anyway (no one here has gotten *out* of a ban that I know of). I don't like the policy either, but if Lego decides to ban me for being a reseller - even though I've got 8 Lego-loving children so as good of an excuse as anyone for why I buy multiples of any set, I'll take it like a man. There's very little in this world worth lying about, neither Lego nor money make the list.

[MartinP]

Wow. Even LEGO is guilty of double posting.

That's a little more than double posting.

[TheOrcKing]

That's a little more than double posting.

Yeah, it's more like double posting to the 25th power! Or maybe infinitum posting. :O

[romoore245]

Why argue with Lego about being a reseller when you are? I don't get that. It's not going to work anyway (no one here has gotten *out* of a ban that I know of). I don't like the policy either, but if Lego decides to ban me for being a reseller - even though I've got 8 Lego-loving children so as good of an excuse as anyone for why I buy multiples of any set, I'll take it like a man. There's very little in this world worth lying about, neither Lego nor money make the list.

I'm not arguing with them about anything. I was accused of being involved with "various online auction sites" as I said before I want to know where else I should be involved selling as far as I know eBay is the only place. They claim to have tied me to more. I simply asked for the information they used to ban me, for all I know they could have found my one item I have on the BP sell site. The more information they will give the easier it will be to work around. As a result I received 16 emails telling me they don't sell to resellers. Seems very unprofessional. There has to be something that sets them off, this particular ban was all for sale items mostly magnets and movie sets. Also the address, and name is not the ban method because two accounts that got shut down had different addresses, but the third one has the same address and name as the first banned account. The ip may be the only thing I am going to try in the future behind a IP changer to see what happens. Say what you want against me, but this has drove everyone crazy the entire year I have been reading the forums and I just want to know all the ways around it I can.

[Darth_Raichu]

I'm not arguing with them about anything. I was accused of being involved with "various online auction sites" as I said before I want to know where else I should be involved selling as far as I know eBay is the only place. They claim to have tied me to more. I simply asked for the information they used to ban me, for all I know they could have found my one item I have on the BP sell site. The more information they will give the easier it will be to work around. As a result I received 16 emails telling me they don't sell to resellers. Seems very unprofessional. There has to be something that sets them off, this particular ban was all for sale items mostly magnets and movie sets. Also the address, and name is not the ban method because two accounts that got shut down had different addresses, but the third one has the same address and name as the first banned account. The ip may be the only thing I am going to try in the future behind a IP changer to see what happens. Say what you want against me, but this has drove everyone crazy the entire year I have been reading the forums and I just want to know all the ways around it I can.

 

I am not sure why they are obligated to tell you all the dirt they thought they found about you.  They only needed to associate your account with 1 selling venue for the ban.  The rest was just noise for them.

 

Plus, why would they want to waste their time helping a non-customer (ie. someone who was banned) ? i.e What is the upside for them in helping you ?

Edited January 31, 2015 by Darth_Raichu

[djim]

Why argue with Lego about being a reseller when you are? I don't get that. It's not going to work anyway (no one here has gotten *out* of a ban that I know of). I don't like the policy either, but if Lego decides to ban me for being a reseller - even though I've got 8 Lego-loving children so as good of an excuse as anyone for why I buy multiples of any set, I'll take it like a man. There's very little in this world worth lying about, neither Lego nor money make the list.

 

i talked my way out of a ban...  haven't bought many legos from LEGO Shop at Home since. 

[romoore245]

I am not sure why they are obligated to tell you all the dirt they thought they found about you.  They only needed to associate your account with 1 selling venue for the ban.  The rest was just noise for them.

 

Plus, why would they want to waste their time helping a non-customer (ie. someone who was banned) ? i.e What is the upside for them in helping you ?

Why would they waste their time sending 16 emails. 

[Darth_Raichu]

Why would they waste their time sending 16 emails. 

Perhaps those were "thank you for wasting our time" gifts ?     

 

Or the guy forwarded you the wrong emails trying to answer your question on proof ? 

[caltech]

Hi,

How can you tell if you are banned form lego VIP? I have 2 large orders, but when I log into lego.com, it logs me in, but still says on top right ARE YOU A VIP MEMBER (Signup or SIGN IN) even though im logged into lego.com shop.

Or is there a bug at their site today? I havent received any banned email or messages when I log into the lego shop.

Also, can they ban you from buying or just fromt heir VIP program?

I cant even view my past orders on their site or check order status right now whether they are canceled or not.

thx,

lc

Edited February 2, 2015 by caltech

[Ciglione]

I am experiencing the same problem today. I called Lego and the CS told me they had some problems cause they were doing maintenance on the site. 

 

Wondering what will change!?

[I am Niko]

The LEGO Shop sells and ships products to end-user consumers only.*

*Unless you live outside the US.  Then we have a very high tolerance.

[caltech]

I am experiencing the same problem today. I called Lego and the CS told me they had some problems cause they were doing maintenance on the site. 

 

Wondering what will change!?

 

Thx, i got worried my orders got canceled.

lc

[Ciglione]

The LEGO Shop sells and ships products to end-user consumers only.*

*Unless you live outside the US.  Then we have a very high tolerance.

 

I did not know Tabbyboy had his own online tv-show!

[Miami Bomb Squad]

Let talk about a remedy for this banned thing.

Bypass the vip program? (try using the same info but just don't take the points, sign in as a guest.)

Use new info?...Use your wife, girlfriend, kids, mom, dad, friends etc. 
I wonder if they ban your name, email, cc, ship to address, ip address.
Has anyone that has been banned tried any alternatives?

The simple solution is to have your friends and family members buy it for you and you just go pick it up at their home.

The key is to receive the goods at your house without getting others involved.
There's got to be a way where you can still receive the goods at your house.
Whats the solution?

[Bold-Arrow]

They will ban any order placed via the same IP address, CC card, home address , ect.... Hardcore ban

[Guest TabbyBoy]

 

I did not know Tabbyboy had his own online tv-show!

 

I thought my ears were burning.  LEGO haven't said a thing about my back-to-back orders of RI sets.  LOL - I've also been ordering lots of those half-price Friends phone holder sets.  A great-value set that accommodates a smartphone can only explode in value, don't you think?

 

BTW... Are you Italian or German?

[minicoopers11]

Let talk about a remedy for this banned thing.

Bypass the vip program? (try using the same info but just don't take the points, sign in as a guest.)

Use new info?...Use your wife, girlfriend, kids, mom, dad, friends etc. 

I wonder if they ban your name, email, cc, ship to address, ip address.

Has anyone that has been banned tried any alternatives?

The simple solution is to have your friends and family members buy it for you and you just go pick it up at their home.

The key is to receive the goods at your house without getting others involved.

There's got to be a way where you can still receive the goods at your house.

Whats the solution?

Let's not give the ban enforcers more ideas.

[romoore245]

Let talk about a remedy for this banned thing....

 

Whats the solution?

I hear you!  My third account was banned. The 16 emails I received were Auto generated according to *****, not very likely. I did a few searches and came across a blog that someone claiming to work at Lego was a member on BP warning against *****. I think my big mistake was the lack of anonymity. I am considering a few ideas to try, mostly for fun, just how many man hours a week does Lego want to spend turning away customers. Since I am already blocked I have nothing to lose and much to gain to find the combination that works. I'm curious if anyone has ever transferred a banned VIP card to another address and managed to get an order.

Edited February 3, 2015 by exciter1
edited for content

[xeeeej]

Mods - I would suggest removing references to the LEGO employee's name in this thread.  "Adversary" or not, he shouldn't be named.