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| | | Author: | SDF_Bricks  | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 10:40 | | Subject: | Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 250 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
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| | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 10:42 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 67 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| I've definitely not found PAB prices comparable with BL prices. BL is usually
cheaper. And yes, BL has a far better selection - PAB doesn't carry nearly
as many parts - not even new parts - as stores on BL.
In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
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| | | | | Author: | wildchicken13 | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 10:51 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 70 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
|
BL and PAB are not really direct competitors. Even if PAB prices are lower, I
generally prefer to buy from BL for MOCs since BL has more variety.
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| | | | | Author: | axaday | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 11:05 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | Is TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
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Yes. Allowed by whom?
| | If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
|
I had this fear a year or so ago when they ramped up more selection, but it doesn't
seem to have had much effect.
Have they gotten the American warehouse running where you can get as much from
there as from Europe? Ordering from Europe takes over a month to deliver. You
can get a Bricklink order from Europe much faster, not to mention you might get
overnight from a seller in your own state.
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
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| | | | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 11:13 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, axaday writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
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I think the reference is to TLG running BrickLink - if, the OP seems to theorize,
PAB becomes "the" source for new parts, then BL will be a used-parts only site.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | SDF_Bricks | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 11:56 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 58 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, peregrinator writes:
| | In General, axaday writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
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I think the reference is to TLG running BrickLink - if, the OP seems to theorize,
PAB becomes "the" source for new parts, then BL will be a used-parts only site.
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Thank You. Yes, that's exactly my point. If PAB prices are as good/low as
BL, then most likely there is no incentive to buy sets and part them out (non
sustainable business), and BL would become a 'used parts' only avenue.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | rtzx9r | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 12:22 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | In General, peregrinator writes:
| | In General, axaday writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
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I think the reference is to TLG running BrickLink - if, the OP seems to theorize,
PAB becomes "the" source for new parts, then BL will be a used-parts only site.
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Thank You. Yes, that's exactly my point. If PAB prices are as good/low as
BL, then most likely there is no incentive to buy sets and part them out (non
sustainable business), and BL would become a 'used parts' only avenue.
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My last order from pick a brick was slightly cheaper than prices on BrickLink
per part. It was for a 96x96 mosaic with company logo for the office.
BUT.... it took over a month to come and they didn’t have everything I needed.
As such, BrickLink still fills a huge gap on speed and selection.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SDF_Bricks | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 13:00 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, rtzx9r writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | In General, peregrinator writes:
| | In General, axaday writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
|
I think the reference is to TLG running BrickLink - if, the OP seems to theorize,
PAB becomes "the" source for new parts, then BL will be a used-parts only site.
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Thank You. Yes, that's exactly my point. If PAB prices are as good/low as
BL, then most likely there is no incentive to buy sets and part them out (non
sustainable business), and BL would become a 'used parts' only avenue.
|
My last order from pick a brick was slightly cheaper than prices on BrickLink
per part. It was for a 96x96 mosaic with company logo for the office.
BUT.... it took over a month to come and they didn’t have everything I needed.
As such, BrickLink still fills a huge gap on speed and selection.
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It seems many of us are 'skipping' the title of this thread.
Granted, today BL fills a very well needed 'niche'. However, my post
is about the Future of BL, not what it stands for today.
Live Long & Prosper ... 
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | axaday | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 21:44 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
It seems many of us are 'skipping' the title of this thread.
| |
Granted, today BL fills a very well needed 'niche'. However, my post
is about the Future of BL, not what it stands for today.
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The subject is new to the original poster, but it isn’t new. A bit over a year
ago Bricks and Pieces merged with Pick a Brick bringing a much greater variety
to PAB and a lot of us were alarmed. But that was like a year and a half ago
and the sky never fell. And it wasn’t exactly new then. Bricks and Pieces had
had those pieces all along. It was just kinda lower profile.
So it feels like the future and the present can be treated as a group, because
nothing just changed and there is no indication of something about to change.
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| | | | | | | Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 13:01 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, axaday writes:
| | In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | Is TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
|
Yes. Allowed by whom?
| | If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
|
I had this fear a year or so ago when they ramped up more selection, but it doesn't
seem to have had much effect.
Have they gotten the American warehouse running where you can get as much from
there as from Europe? Ordering from Europe takes over a month to deliver. You
can get a Bricklink order from Europe much faster, not to mention you might get
overnight from a seller in your own state.
| | If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
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I don't think TLG has a lot of used parts.
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Ordering within Europe also takes over a month to deliver 
BrickLink is usually faster and cheaper, but not always.
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| | | | | Author: | rab1234 | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 13:55 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 67 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| I believe Bricklink revenue is around $50 million while Lego revenue is around
$7.5 billion.
Bricklink seems to sort of be independently sustainable while providing a valuable
AFOL service which leads to good will and growing of a community with disposable
income for buying things from Lego.com.
There wouldn't seem to be a financial benefit from Lego putting Bricklink
"out of business" with PAB. But then again, companies often do seemingly strange
things.
In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
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| | | | | Author: | runner.caller | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 14:20 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 61 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
|
Lego employs around 20,000 people that are focused on a few main goals within
the company.
Bricklink has 15,000 stores with each store operator focusing on their own personal
goals and carving out micro niches.
IMO, More competition for common parts would good for the market overall as it
will make MOCs more desirable / affordable.
Heck, we've been seeing it trend that way for a few years now. Remember all
that "race to the bottom" whiny paranoia in the forums? HOGWASH with HOSE WATER
There was a lot of belly aching from the old timers that couldn't flip a
set for 10X partout value any more, but look at the overall Lego collector's
/ buyer's market from 10 years ago to now.
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| | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 14:54 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
| | While browsing the Lego PAB website and comparing prices on BL, I noticed the
following:
1. Most PAB prices are comparable to those on BL
2. On PAB, parts with different colors often have different prices - Why? Is
TLG also allowed to play the supply&demand game and charge high costs for rare
colors?
If 1 is true, then this'll make it difficult for BL shops to 'survive'
especially for new parts, as most people would rather buy direct from Lego.
3. Does this mean that ultimately BL shops would survive onle on rare/used parts
no longer available from Lego PAB?
If 3 is true, would TLG still have interest in running a business for 'used'
parts only?
Thoughts?
|
PAB has been around a long time and not threatened BL. Plus not everyone can
get to a store, and online some people their orders in a reasonable time, not
6 weeks.
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| | | | | Author: | macebobo | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 16:04 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 65 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| In General, SDF_Bricks writes:
IMO, the future of BL has nothing to do with PAB and everything to do with serving
their customers (the sellers who generate revenue) - BL will die a slow and painful
death if they do not get 1) customer service in order and 2) support and listen
to the community more, these are a minimum.
They do and will have competitors in this market for the foreseeable future,
some who even listen and provide excellent support to their communities.
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| | | | | Author: | jonwil | | Posted: | Nov 22, 2022 16:28 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 78 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| BL isn't going anywhere. There are many things you can only buy on BL (including
licensed parts, sticker sheets and old stuff LEGO no longer makes) and there
are plenty of parts that are cheaper to buy on BL and therefore make little sense
to buy on PaB.
On the flip side there are definitely parts that are easier to get on the online
PaB (especially in quantity e.g. the 10 Jane Goodall torsos I am about to order)
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| | | | | Author: | Sadler_Bricks | | Posted: | Nov 23, 2022 02:12 | | Subject: | Re: Lego PAB Prices ... and the future of BL ? | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | General | |
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| I dont see prices better then bl stores. And the parts on the lego site are random
pieces while some stores on bl deal in more choices. And lego group will never
do a used style too much time for them.
Sadler_bricks
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USA, Illinois
Netherlands, Zuid-Holland
United Kingdom, England
Australia, Queensland