Due to recent concerns over the drastic price hike of LEGO’s online Pick A Brick prices, the company has slashed the overmarked price tags while keeping the increased selection. Here is the official word from LEGO:
Dear LEGO fans,
Based on all the feedback over the past week regarding our new Pick A Brick elements and pricing we will reduce the pricing on LEGO Pick A Brick elements.There were good reasons behind our decision to raise prices of this relatively operationally complex Pick A Brick service. However, over the last week we have realised, thanks to you, that it was unacceptable to raise the prices so steeply without notice. We have acted quickly and have taken the decision to reduce the pricing on LEGO Pick A Brick elements. The prices cannot return to the original 2008 level but the increases are now much smaller. We are pleased to now offer you the biggest, most comprehensive assortment ever including:
– More colours
– Most recent doors and windows are now available in PAB and MOD
– More longer beams to enable larger constructions
– More accessories (such as hats, wigs and mini figure tools)
– More mini-figs (now with girl and child (short legs))
– More cool tires and rimsWe hope to welcome you back to Pick A Brick soon.
Your LEGO team
And with that, it’s time to shop!
Great, our complaints actually had a positive effect. Thank you LEGO for listening.
Yes, I’m very relieved. I now feel as though I can immerse myself in Lego Digital Designer and have fun with the new pieces, safe in the knowledge that I can afford to place an order!
Cherry went back down from 1.00 to 33 cents. Not that I really wanted one but… makes you wonder what kind of research went into the original switch.
Woot! Way to go LEGO. Thank you!
The cynical part of my mind is working overtime at the moment about this whole affair…
1) Company plans small price increase.
2) Company knows there will be long-term backlash.
3) Company “accidentally” triples the price.
4) Company admits a mistake and lowers price to a level slightly higher than the original price.
5) Company appears heroic and pro-active, but has its planned price increase with no long-term issues.
?
Dr. S.
Ha! Not totally happy (OK, about 99.9% happy)… The 1×2’s, priced at 0.28 at the start of this debacle, is now 0.35.
Haha, actually the heroism aspect goes to the complaining fans and not to the company! Still, it’s great to have a company that actually listens to it’s consumers.
Still not impressed. I checked what 100 1×2 bricks would cost. Turned out to be 35.00.
I’m glad they listened though, nevertheless.
“…it’s great to have a company that actually listens to it’s consumers.”
I agree. Even if Dr. S is right and it’s all a trick, it’s still nice to be included in the process. And I’m only half joking.
Hooray for the greasy wheels!
Still, the pricing seems a bit cuckoo compared to Bricklink. The 1×2 bricks V-Cat mentions are FIFTY TIMES as expensive as the cheapest examples on Bricklink, and forty times at the old price. It’s hard to wrap my head around.
And on that note, here’s this: after I was at a Legoland building challenge in 2006, the staff swept up the bricks that had fallen off tables so they could be tossed in the trash. Not worth it to sort them out. Oddly enough, they were very keen to get our brick separators back…
I have to admit to a bit of cynicism, too. I found the letter sent to me slightly ominous; it suggests that the company plans to institute regular price increases until it reaches the prices posted April 1.
But I’m making the best of it. I’m happy that the prices have been lowered, and as I stated above, I feel that I can continue building projects in Lego Digital Designer without fear that I cannot afford the final design.
And just a note about the current prices list on Pick a Brick—they’re not all correct. Most of the bricks carry a 35¢ price, no matter the size. Lego Digital Designer appears to have the correct pricing, though: A 1×2 brick is 22¢.
That’s still not great, but the larger size bricks are considerably cheaper now!
One 1×2 should cost 14 cents (2 1x1s at 7 cents).
According to LDD, a 1×1 brick is going to cost 11¢. On the other hand, a 1×16 brick will be just 48¢, so I guess the larger the brick, the better the value.
amazing…
can some of you please complain about apple computer prices?
The line that gets me is “There were good reasons behind our decision to raise prices of this relatively operationally complex Pick A Brick service.” which I translate as “we never set this option up correctly, and wanted you, the public, to pay for our mistake”. Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, new CEO of LEGO, needs to get his head out of his butt, realize how profitable this company is in this economic climate, and not push away us loyal fans for a few more bucks.
On the other side, I am extremely proud of our little community. In a peaceful show of disapproval, we managed to change a mega corporation’s mind about pricing. A good day for the little guy!
Doctor Sinister is 100% right, the same thing happened with Pluto.
The space people tried to make Pluto not a planet over a decade ago, but had to reverse that. Then a few years ago they went “We will have to name 210 things in our solar system planets if Pluto is one”. End of the day there are only 8 known planets and several dwarf planets.
I never have any issue with LEGO slightly increasing costs every year (they seem to only up date it once a year), but the whole thing is a setup.
I’m sputtering with disbelief over here. Having to name 210 planets is a PROBLEM? That would be awesome if we had 219 planets! Can we re-open that discussion?
Can you imagine being a ten year old trying to remember all the planets for a science test if there were 219 of them?
As for the 1x’s, it seem contrary to LEGO arguments that those bricks would be so pricey. Those are the oldest molds they have. They do not need to use more expensive new molds for these pieces. I think they are still trying to slide one under our noses. They should have learned that the community is way more knowledgeable than they give us credit for.