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I had a good offer yesterday from someone on a Jabba's Palace with no minifigures (listed for $55 which is honestly not bad considering people are paying $120 now for the full set) "I am offering you $35. I don't think you are going to be able to get your price of $55 for this as I have seen you haven't sold any. Without the figurines included, it makes it worth much less in my experience." Yeah - because the person who calls them "figurines" knows more about Lego selling than I do. My Response with a decline: "Unfortunately I need 55$ or I will not be able to feed my family massive USDA steaks. $35 only buys the cheap stuff and we would rather die than eat that. Please understand my families needs." Even better, I sold it for $55 2 hours later.

Build this

Here's what I use for my stuff. Any column in red needs the information added manually. Any column header in black has a formula that does the calculation: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f7k5czfn704cuu8/LEGO%20Template.xlsx Couple things...far to the right hand side is where I keep track of individual sales (I have mine broken up 2012, 2013 and 2014). It's very important to enter each sale individually because every time you add a sale to a set's row, the "count" function is used to deduct exactly 1 from remaining inventory. So if you sell 2 same sets in one transaction and try to enter it that way, your final numbers will be off because the spreadsheet thinks you only sold 1 item, not 2. Hope that makes sense. After you've entered in sales data, the profit, etc will also be updated automatically in the middle columns. The tabs near the bottom are used for: ROI keeping track of $ amount spent to purchase sets on a specific date (I used to just update the Main tab's cost column, but it's easier to track this way) quantity of sets purchased on a specific date (again, same as above...Main tab's columns will adjust based on info entered here) supply and operating costs storage unit info (my way of knowing what I have on hand when selling) and finally Brickpicker data which can be manually copied and pasted into that tab from the export of your brickfolio. The only thing you have to do is take out the "-1" after each set number to allow the brickpicker columns on the Main tab to find the info under the Brickpicker tab and calculate them correctly (unrealized gain, etc)....or if you don't want to do that each time, you can add a -1 (or -2, etc...whatever the number is for the brickfolio export) to set #'s in the rest of the spreadsheet...that way would make more sense since it results in no extra work like I currently have to do everytime I update the brickpicker tab to the newest month's numbers Again, LEGO Set # is the ID that connects all the information across the different tabs, so they all need to be exactly identical (whether that's with a -1 or without) for the formulas to work correctly.

After seeing a post on The Brother's Brick, I got inspired and decided to create my own small scale THE LEGO MOVIE logo. Because of my lack of pieces, I had to construct a cube and build the words over it. I know that grey is not the ideal color, but that is what I had. I still want to buy some pieces on Pick-A-Brick to finish off the texture on the front. Here's the back: Comments, criticisms, and suggestions welcome!

Do members appreciate? What's the thinking these days - double the money in 2 years?

If anyone is looking for a great deal on a 9490 here is your chance... http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEGO-Star-Wars-Droid-Escape-9490-Free-Shipping-New-/111162080065?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item19e1c6bb41

let's try a hypothetical, with big round numbers. Feel free to substitute your own numbers if you have better info. Either way the formula is the same. X + y = z True demand for lego is 1 million sets per year. Demand = x Investors start buying up sets to save until after retirement and lego does more production runs to keep up. Let's say 1 million. Investors inventory =y Eventually lego is producing 2 million sets (x+y) some consumed by true demand, some going into storage for investors. Few years later investors put their million sets on ebay, Amazon, etc, and lego puts their 2 million out each year because they think that's the true demand. New demand = z There are now 3 million sets for sale with true demand at 1 million. Z+ y = 3 million If investors keep buying their inventory every year (y) no problem. If investors keep their asking prices high, no problem. What if investors stop buying? What if they decide to liquidate? See the potential risk to lego? When you say lego can control their production runs, how fast can they react to a huge change in demand? How much might that Cost them? Even if they could handle it, Why would they want that risk to exist?

So, you guys are not using Google Sheets? as long as you keep it simple, it has all the functionality you need, with an added plus that you can access it (from smartphone) while staring at all those 50%+ off deals in target trying to remember how many of the set you have already... (I know Excel spreadsheets could be pushed to Microsoft's cloud, but it is more cumbersome I think to access from some of the phone platforms)

2x VIP should be coming up soon, so that's probably the best discount you'll get.

That Hxckid88 is a jerk. Starting a thread about his kindness will just boost his ego.

Which means it almost certainly wont retire in the next 6 months.

I've read some blogs and have some very basic Excel spreadsheet experience. But, my spreadsheet looks pretty awful and isn't very user friendly. It would be awesome if someone with a really nice, Lego specific, Excel spreadsheet wanted to share their blank template for those on this site........ I really like the way you can export the brickfolio data to Excel, but I like to customize my spreadsheet and add sales data, which makes importing new data impossible.

Yes there is news, but I'm sorry,... its Classified! BOOM:

Am I the only one that has to search set numbers in order to answer questions? Buy it.

I want all of them! I mean um my daughter wants all of them...

I am a comic book fan, but I was never a Guardians of the Galaxy fan. Honestly, I'm rating this below 'meh.' It holds no interest for me whatsoever.

I would buy one now since you are thinking about getting one for a personal set. With TRU being the only place that has it left it will most likely never get marked half off from them. We might get lucky and get them at 25% off msrp sometime in the near future.

Slick collection of used Aqua Raiders. $70 got me: 7771 Angler Ambush 7773 Tiger Shark Attack 7774 Crab Crusher 7775 Aquabase Invasion 7776 The Shipwreck All instructions and stickers sheets are included and in great shape. Debating whether to sell them all or give 1 to my boy...they are really cool. Also nabbed x4 SB Flying Dutchman @ $17 each, and two McDonalds Lego Movie cups on the way home ($.99 each). My kids now have four of the eight - Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman and MetalBeard. I can't believe how excited they get about these plastic cups - almost more than the sets themselves!

I'm beginning to like that the sales at Amazon are better than using the VIP at the Lego Store.

Definitely a good move if it's really happening. Would help reassure us that we are actually getting a sealed set with all of its contents.

I have been wondering about this myself. I sold all of mine during the holidays, and don't regret it one bit. There will be plenty of time to stock up again. My concern is will lego recognize the shortage they had this past holiday season and try to avoid a similar situation in 2014 by producing more friends sets to meet the holiday demand, especially the dolphin cruiser? No matter what, this set will be a big winner once eol, so I guess if the market is saturated during Christmas we will just have to hold them longer. It should be interesting to watch play out.

My TB came in a nice sized box - no additional packing material, but the box was ok so I got lucky in the "walmart shipping roulette". ---Keep it secret. Keep it safe.---

After much contemplation on how to make "T" "****," and "E" "unstuck," I decided to put a 1X8 plate at the top followed by a 1X10 and a 4X10. After that, I put a 2X6 and a 2X2 to make a 2X8 at the bottom. If that did not make sense, here's the picture: And here's a picture of the whole thing:

I think the moc looks great, but if you look at the minifigures, it honestly looks like a bunch of guys sitting in recliners...

You can melt all the plastic and sell it as hot glue.

Recently I began exploring building sets virtually to determine if the set is worth the build value for my own desire and potentially reading into my buyer base. Here is what I do: I downloaded LEGO Digital Designer and found some instructions from sets. I have built all the Star Wars potentials and the DC and Marvel items and have found something interesting. I have discovered bricks that are new and kind of exclusive! It is fun to see that Lego has many custom bricks which has in my opinion increased the desire in the set. I also decided to design some CUUSOO projects and looked over the CUUSOO sight and what is in the works. They have some very cool ideas out there and it's great to read LEGO's comments on the sets. I also have been playing Chrome Builders Academy on LEGO.com and have been having a lot of fun. Learning about the macro world of bricks, color selection and how the builds are thought through. All of this is pretty educational and best of all FREE if you don't mind spending some time and learning this world. So my .02 cents of worth for today from a designer stand point and looking at sets without cracking open the boxes! Happy virtual building.

and moms too)) Welcome to the forum LegoMason!

Don't get too enamored with flipping it next years Christmas. It could just magically disappear and then you would wish you kept them. lol.

to me its pretty simple. if the set has anything to do with the original film - episode 4, i would stock up on it. there never would have been 5 films if episode 4 didn't kick so much a$$. x-wings, tie fighters and millennium falcons are 2 years out now are especially attractive because they are in the sweet spot price point to easily double or triple for both parents buying for kids and adults in the future when the new trilogy comes out and the old trilogy is rediscovered by a new generation. y- wing fighters which are out of stock on lego.com can be had for less than retail by a few dollars at TRU. i think this is also a pretty good target for appreciation. i have a hard time believing there are loads of people ready to drop 800 or 1000 on a death star but still all it takes is a few to make it worth it. i think x-wings and tie fighters will triple in 3 years. stuff from episode V and VI also will be popular. episodes I-III i'm getting for my own collection or for rare minifigs. not really into the clone wars cartoons. maybe i'm missing something here, but i'm more than willing to double down on stuff from episode 4.

Seriously? I think many will be disappointed going forward then. I don't see the deal star selling for more than 1200.00 or r2d2 selling for more than 500.00. I'm as greedy as anyone on lego investing but I'm also realistic.

I came across this site with a number of modular MOCs: http://modularsbykristel.com The majority of them require payment for instructions but he has a couple free downloads. I'm currently working on Bricklinking pieces to build the White Picket Fences townhouse. It's fairy simple, but should fit in nice with my other modulars, plus it doesn't have many unique/expensive pieces.

Apologies if this is posted elsewhere, I could not find anything. Does anyone think the Dolphin Cruiser will be hot again for Christmas 2014? Or will the focus be on a newer item such as the Shopping Center. Thoughts?

I've heard on NPR that Amazon has publicly stated that they're lobbying for a federal law requiring sales tax be required for all online retailers, regardless if they have a presence in the customer's state. Basically right now, nearly all (if not all states) actually require the customer to track and pay the tax (when they file their state taxes) on goods that they order from out of state when the retailer did not collect the tax up-front. The vast majority of people simply ignore that law. Additionally because of Amazon's affiliate program, many states have argued that the presence of people in their state providing those affiliate links and Amazon paying those people -- means that Amazon has a "presence" in the state and therefore Amazon should be collecting the sales tax. Amazon has always argued that the presence in state requirement is based on having a *retail* presence where customers could visit. The end-result is usually some kind of deal where Amazon gets favorable tax rates or credits for a distribution center or two and then agrees to start collecting taxes for the state. California did something like this a few years ago, basically the state bullied a few counties into giving Amazon a break on property taxes, Amazon agreed to collecting taxes for California after 2 years -- and everyone declared victory. Amazon for getting property to build, I think, 3 new distribution centers in the state -- with reduced property taxes -- and the state closed the loop whole on the thousands of customers that were skipping out on paying their usage taxes (that's what Cali calls their state taxes when a resident files them on their state taxes.) The side effect of this is, some of Amazon's competitors haven't been targeted by the various states, so they're continuing to ship to them without collecting taxes even though they may have distribution centers or affiliate programs similar to Amazon. So Amazon is lobbying to level the playing field, by just getting the Feds to pass a universal law requiring it from all online retailers. If this will ever succeed though, is anyone's guess.

I'd like to see themes that aren't licensed so that there can be huge discounts at the end of their lives like monster hunters I suggest. Space Pirates Steam Punk World Victorian England world Atlantis with a greek theme

A process that is likely to take a half hour or more at most Walmarts. :-)

What a scam of a chart, even the article says its BS! Its funny how you can adjust the scale on a chart and make it show whatever you want it to show. Notice the great depression area DJIA chart is over a one year period, the current DJIA chart is over a 2 year. Notice how the great depression area chart rises from 200 to 400 points, thats 100% growth in one year!!!! while the current chart goes from 13,000 to 15,000, barely 15% growth in a two year period, so roughly 7.5% per year. They are comparing 7.5% growth with 100% growth in one year. Historically the DJIA grows 8% per year.

The poll options cracked me up.

I doubt collectors or fans will care because they know the story. It will be some butt hurt parent that has too much time on their hands, if it ever becomes an issue.

Yeah, Indiana Jones had the same potential issue, but they seemed ok on that. Could be the same for this, although it only takes a few stupid complaints and a rabid media to pick up on it just like Jabba's palace and we could have a situation.

Tune in next time to see what happens in the adventures of Ed and Jeff Mack. I'm not sure why, but the last few sentences sounded like they needed this. I think this will have a short term positive effect, long term neutral effect.

The only people who no when the Exclusives are retiring are only about 4 people if that, but on any set that I can get info on about retiring I will list it

I have 4 for investment at this point going for 10 minimum. I'm buying at least one a month regardless of discount (which don't exist anymore). I'm also mixing in some Pet Shops to try to get ahead of the game. If it doesn't retire until the end of the year I should have 15+ but I just have a feeling it's going to retire this summer? I think the Modulars are no brainers along with large scale models, Seasonal(Winter Village) etc... I believe unless you have unlimited funds there are to many large sets to own(for the collector) or really to invest in for the reseller. I think this bodes well for most investors its a natural limiting factor for the average collector or investor where in sets retire before they have obtained them. At this time LEGO has(and has had recently) so many good large sets($100+) to invest in it diversifies the pool of investors which is why I believe the FB is doing well. Even for those that didn't invest in the FB they may have just put those funds towards another winner. At this time I just can't imagine someone investing and losing unless all they are buying are $5-$25 sets and even then they might make money in 5-7 years. Now fast flipping is a whole other thing. For the most part I'm on a 2-3 year cycle from retirement to sale. I won't be selling my FB's for another 2-3 more years. After your in that cycle is where you make much bigger $ with much less work. I just don't have the time or interest to make 5-10-20 $ a set, I realize that it works for some but I make to much at my regular job for such a low return on my time. Wow...I rambled oh well just my 2cents Nothing ground breaking or unique

the death star retired?.....what other jokes you got?

Not surprising. All the KMarts in Lincoln closed years ago. The nearest to me is Omaha, and it's not worth it to drive up there to find deals, and honestly, they generally make Walmart look good as far as cleanliness.