Country restrictions.

[Chosen One]

Hi Steve,

Can I please have some clarity on the following. Presently I live in South Africa, and Lego here is only second to the PS3, Wii and Xbox in toy stores. In fact, adults and kids crowd up before the store's morning opening to snatch the fresh batch of SW Lego.

My question is why are there restrictions to certian sets and lines in SA? Example. The first lot of Indiana Jones was only made available to ToyrUS at ultre limited numbers, and the rest, including what's schedule for 2009, will not arrive in SA. Same story with various SW sets. When I ask the Lego reps about this, their response is that we fall under European lines (SA collapses beneath all EU regulations), but yet the European stores I've visited in Holland, Italy, France, and etc, still carry the US lines. To this, why is it that alot of other nations are allowed to pruchase from Lego.com store, yet SA which is rated number 2 in cell phone infrasture globally, yet we can't?

Lego here sells like hot pan cakes on a Saturday morning. In fact, my friend in a Toy retail store, finished off 300 units of the Clone Walker battle pack in a few days, so I do have some doubt about it's popularity questioned in SA. The only store that carries the full ranges, doesn't order from the local rep, so his numbers are also limited.

Thank you, and hope to hear from you soon.

[The Jinja Ninja]

I suppose my question relates to this (certain sets not available in certain countries), so I'll stick it here: Where are the City Farm sets on the UK S@H page? Unless I'm being incredibly stupid, they don't appear to be on there. I'm not aware of any country restriction on Farm (as in Spongebob, Avatar...), so why isn't it on there? I would check the local stores, but we don't actually have any - the recession's managed to close down every (good) shop that carries LEGO within sensible driving distance.

Sorry for the hassle, but I need a horsebox set. Luv dem ponies, y'know.



Sad smiley face.

[onions]

FYI, the Farm theme is, so far as i know, a Toys'R'Us exclusive here in the states. not sure if that gives you a different perspective or not, but to me it seems like there has been an increase in TRU exclusives.

[Skafte]

Here in Sweden, the Farm sets are scheduled for a March release. Perhaps it's the same for UK and that TRU will only be exclusive in America until then.

[Chosen One]

The farm sets in South Africa are scheduled around March/April. (Need to check home with catalogue) And usually we get the stuff the same time as UK stores...

[The Jinja Ninja]

Yep, definitely March:

Thanks for getting in touch with us.

Thenew Farm sets will be released in March! As we have two LEGO brochures every year (spring and autumn) these sets are already depicted in there.

[speaknspell]

I only have a basic response for you Chosen. South Africa isn't next I'm afraid, and there's a lot that goes into expanding shop@home into a new market. There would have to be a distribution point closer to you guys as shipping costs would destroy it if we currently shipped to SA from Europe or the US. Market size is the other consideration. The LEGO Group is working its way through its biggest emerging markets and will then begin expanding to smaller ones.

Steve