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Lego announced today that it has acquired Bricklink. Below is an interview by Brothers Brick. Seems like BrickArms will no longer be sold bc LEGO does not support like views. Wonder what other changes are in the future. Curious to hear thoughts about this news…
I gave an audible groan when I read this.
The Brothers Brick:
There are certainly LEGO builders and collectors who will immediately see a conflict of interest between LEGO producing sets, bricks, and minifigs, while also controlling the main secondary market for its own products. How would you respond to this concern?Julia Goldin:
We actually don’t see a conflict there at all.FLAG ON THE PLAY! Illegal blinders worn by corporate execs.
I see sooooo many ways that they can abuse this platform to easily gain more profits. I do not believe they will let it run as it has for very long. I cannot imagine many changes they make to it actually being for our benefit.
LEGO said for now the current management team at bricklink is left to be in charge and run independently at least
I sighed as well. I was hoping to open my store soon. Like COPPA and YouTube, may need to see how this impacts and plays itself out.
Are you worried about Lego impacting BrickLink or vice versa? Imagine MSRP being double or triple what it is today. You see that a lot on BrickLink set prices depending on the set.
There is always eBay!
I also groaned when I saw that. I can’t help but feel that somehow Lego will find a way to screw this up, even though I can’t even really think of what they could do to ruin it. And we no longer have Kevin Hinkle to complain to.
I read the interview on Brothers Brick. The comments at the end are a long list of complaints echoing what you guys have already posted here. Some pointed out the hypocrisy of eliminating Brick Arms while continuing plenty of other violent themes in their own sets. Somebody asked what I was wondering, does that mean they’ll also eliminate things like chrome bricks or custom printing? And I agreed that she sounds like a typical marketing person, she talks a lot about how great everything is and how much they want to do in the future, but she really says very little and has no real ideas.
(One of Lego’s other big marketing guys has been to BFVA a couple times, and I found him equally unimpressive. I remember he did a Q&A and it was around the time Lego had started gluing the minifigs to the stands in their fridge magnet sets, and somebody asked why that was. He said it was because they had a ‘production issue’ that forced them to do it. He gave no additional detail, but had a very serious tone and expression, that conveyed that it was a big deal. I was pretty sure he was fooling exactly zero people, since everybody knew the real reason they were doing it was because if you wanted the minifigs, but didn’t want to buy the $60 set they came in, you could just buy the magnet set – something I did at least once – and the gluing eliminated that as an option. Unfortunately nobody called him out on it.)
I’ve never used BrickOwl. I’m guessing somebody’s already working on making a competitor, but I don’t know how that will work in terms of color and part names and categories, and if it will result in legal action between different sites. And eBay is the worst (and also not a good source for the kind of buying I do on BL).
But mostly I’m must bummed about the whole thing.
I’ve used Brickowl since before I joined the LUG, and still use it quite a bit today. There are fewer stores, but I’ve found a number of them to be on both Bricklink and Brickowl with the same prices. In general their prices seem to me to be a little higher, and it can be harder to find larger quantities at a single store. The main reason I still use it is that I’ve gotten discount coupons at several of the stores (for making multiple purchases) like free shipping and anywhere from 5 to 15% off on anything I buy. When I factor those in the prices become comparable to Bricklink.
I also like their “cart” feature which lets you select the parts and quantities you’re looking for and it will search for the store or fewest number of stores that have them. I always check this though, because sometimes their software will default to finding the cheapest prices and thereby show you multiple stores to fill your order without taking the added shipping costs into account, when in fact the first store they identify has all the parts, just some at slightly higher unit prices.
And we no longer have Kevin Hinkle to complain to.
Srsly, don’t complain to Kevin…
I’ve used Brickowl since before I joined the LUG, and still use it quite a bit today. There are fewer stores, but I’ve found a number of them to be on both Bricklink and Brickowl with the same prices.
I will guess that there will be a large influx of new stores opening soon. I’ve never used it but will definitely keep that as an option if things start to go downhill with Bricklink.
After reading BrickLink’s comments section on this takeover, there is a lot of fear that LEGO will go after resellers in an attempt to eliminate them, or to adjust their corporate pricing of loose parts to squeeze this secondary market based on the data that LEGO now has access to. Other, less bold moves, include things like research in part demand in order to place these parts into its own sets off the rack and onto PaB walls, as they now have a huge trove of market demand data. This includes AFOL MOC construction techniques through stud.io to adopt into its formal sets and lines, which they’ve already been doing for years now. I’m not worried about any of these things, as in the end, these things will be better for AFOLs *and*, if the market survives, in pricing for the 95% of the market, kids, who want their parents to buy more LEGO, and more cheaply.
Ideally.
However, I cynically trust institutions to be about power first, purpose second, and this includes The LEGO Group. It would be naive to expect a major corporation to own this market completely and to remain in a supervisory or market research role. Already, BrickArms is being removed because that company either won’t play ball or is an embarrassment to LEGO’s aversion to realistic violence, or both. All custom and non-production parts are likely and quite reasonably next in the name of quality control. LEGO *will* take command of their new position as owner of this exchange of sellers and buyers of its product. That’s not a realistic debate to me.
The only question is how much, how fast, how severely, and how much toward its own corporate advantage at the expense of sellers and buyers alike. By definition, BrickLink is no longer independent nor a free market. In my mind, now that BrickLink is a department of this corporation, this, and consequences to follow, are inevitable.
I’m not too worried about this. It’s way too soon in this takeover process to start making assumptions as to what they might do. One thing I do agree with is BrickLink no longer selling BrickArms. No reason, just never made sense to me as to why BrickLink would include things in their marketplace that wasn’t genuine LEGO products.
Perhaps the partnership with bricklink to make those limited edition AFOL made sets in the Spring gave the company some kind of insight into a new way to do business. LEGO could actually get paid preorders for limited edition sets prior to production and gauge how many to produce. This could be an alternative to the lengthy IDEAS approval process.
Another thought: if LEGO tried to compete with part sellers on bricklink, LEGO should be able to undercut everyone, but their online pick-a-brick prices indicate otherwise, https://www.lego.com/en-us/page/static/pick-a-brick and the sets on the LEGO site do not undercut other online distributors like Amazon.
One thing that is sure to happen is application of state sales taxes, as eBay started doing earlier this year.
Perhaps the partnership with bricklink to make those limited edition AFOL made sets in the Spring gave the company some kind of insight into a new way to do business. LEGO could actually get paid preorders for limited edition sets prior to production and gauge how many to produce. This could be an alternative to the lengthy IDEAS approval process.
Another thought: if LEGO tried to compete with part sellers on bricklink, LEGO should be able to undercut everyone, but their online pick-a-brick prices indicate otherwise, https://www.lego.com/en-us/page/static/pick-a-brick and the sets on the LEGO site do not undercut other online distributors like Amazon.
One thing that is sure to happen is application of state sales taxes, as eBay started doing earlier this year.
Didn’t TLG already do this custom set thingy with Forma and Kickstarter? Not sure they needed another platform outside that and IDEAS.
Didn’t TLG already do this custom set thingy with Forma and Kickstarter?
Dunno, but I could definitely see the advantage of knowing the exact market demand for sets prior to producing them.
For a long time, TLG’s official line was that AFOL’s were an insignificant section of the LEGO market. It appears that that perception has changed.
For a long time, TLG’s official line was that AFOL’s were an insignificant section of the LEGO market. It appears that that perception has changed.
Yes, if there is a positive to take from this (and I am not saying there are no other positives – I have not given it much thought yet), is this implied recognition of the significance of the adult market. Lego would not be shelling out what has to be a significant sum of money (although a drop in the corporate bucket I am sure) if there was not a good business case and future profit assumptions for doing so.
I was reading the updated Terms of Service on Bricklink, and a couple of things jumped out to my interests. These are ONLY excerpts, and I highly recommend you read BrickLink’s ToS in full.
“The Site acts as an online platform for sellers to sell LEGO® items and designs for a model or creation using bricks ( “My Own Creation” or “MOC”) and for buyers to buy sellers’ items and MOCs. We are not involved in the actual transactions between buyers and sellers. As a result, we have no control over the quality, safety or legality of the items advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings, the ability of sellers to sell items, or the ability of buyers to buy items.”
This means buyers remain on their own when buying Used parts. Good call there.
“LEGO Brand Only: All items listed for sale must be LEGO brand products unless they fall into either of the two categories listed below – 6. 2.5 (Custom Sets) or 6.2.6 (Non LEGO Items). Other brands of building toys are not permitted.”
“Modified Parts: All parts listed in your store must be genuine LEGO parts in their original, unmodified condition. Custom printed, engraved, chromed, or painted parts are not permitted.”
As predicted. LEGO is being purist here. However…
“Custom Sets: Custom sets or instructions may be listed, provided they do not infringe on any intellectual property rights, including those of the LEGO Group. Custom sets may not contain modified parts or non LEGO parts such as lighting kits or electric motors.”
“Non LEGO Items: Certain non LEGO items that are deemed by BrickLink to be part of LEGO fan culture may be listed. These include literature about LEGO products, LEGO memorabilia, and items used to make custom sets (e.g. stickers, instructions, and boxes).”
In the category of sets, I found this interesting:
“Item Condition (New/Used) and Sub-Condition for Sets (Complete/Incomplete/Sealed) must adhere to their respective Definitions. Sets which have been previously built must be listed as Used. Sets without Minifigs must be listed as Incomplete.”
And for MOCs:
“Designers’ MOCs and Designs. Without written consent of a designer, or except as otherwise permitted herein, you may not sell, reproduce or create derivative works of any designer’s models, images or designs published on the Site, including at moc.BrickLink.com or within the Studio Gallery portion of the Site.”
The fee table for sellers has been listed in the ToS, and it’s worth scrolling all the way down to see it.
As for uploading MOCs, there’s some troubling text here:
“With respect to Your Designs and related content that you submit, post or upload to the Site, you hereby grant to BrickLink an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, assignable, and sublicenseable license for the duration of applicable legal protection of any intellectual property right attached to Your Designs, to use, modify (except as prohibited by applicable law) and translate as necessary, reproduce, communicate, and display Your Designs and related content (including Build Instructions) on the Site and to promote the Site in any media formats and through any media channels. Where applicable by law, you hereby waive your moral rights in Your Designs, to the extent necessary to give effect to the above license.”
There may be a lot more in the ToS that applies to you and your existing store, so read this thing. Seriously.
Just noticed that BL has changed some of the color names. I don’t know if this is a one-time thing or the beginning of changing them all to official Lego names. In this case, they’ve eliminated any name that has the word ‘flesh’ in it.
Flesh -> Nougat
Light Flesh -> Light Nougat
Medium Dark Flesh -> Medium Nougat
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