Fighter Tank?

[chris2chris]

I noticed today that the Republic Fighter Tank set was on Lego S@H again and i was wondering if this meant that it was available agian because i thought it was discontinued? if so is it also available in stores too?

[Draykov]

I guess folks don't remember 7666 Hoth Rebel Base. It seems like in the old days, a store exclusive set was available for 6-9 months, then gone for good...the end...that's it...(see 7264 Imperial Inspection and 7283 Ultimate Space Battle). These days, it's not so cut and dry. Store elusive sets (whoops...Freudian spell-check)...store exclusive sets are harder to come by than your average set, sure. But it seems more common these days for exclusive availability to come in spurts. So, 7679 was available before Christmas sometime, then it wasn't (probably because the existing North American stock got bought up for Christmas)...then just after Christmas it came back briefly (probably because of a limited re-supply from some other region, or maybe to save a few bucks they were just waiting to ship more tanks until the new stuff slated for Jan. 2009 release was ready to be sent from production facilities), then it was gone again. Now it's back again. I think it's just a matter of supply distribution.

The other possibility is that the set has undergone a subsequent production run, though I find that pretty unlikely because a) it's a store exclusive and the retailer probably doesn't want to have to worry about selling more than one production run of the same old set and b) the set is still retailing for $49.99. And ironically, the status of the set has changed, even as I type, from "Available" to "Call to check product availability".

[Teekay]

I guess folks don't remember 7666 Hoth Rebel Base.

I do. Far too well. I really wanted it for Christmas in 2007. My dad, being the great dad he is, chased it down on eBay, and got it at a really inflated price. A few months later, I had to tell him it was back on S@H.

I'm not too surprised that the TX-130 is back. Y'know, the Twilight was supposed to be limited edition. It never disappeared from S@H. So so much for that.
I can see TLG's thinking here:

1. Pull something off the shelves and get everyone to buy it.
2. Bring it back later to get even more sales.
3. ???
4. Profit!

~Sam (Teekay)

[Draykov]

Pull something off the shelves and get everyone to buy it.

No, I don't think you'd want to intentionally remove a set that's in high demand from the market. There isn't some dark, sinister LEGO employee waiting for the greedy meter to hit 100% before he smacks the button to release more bricks to the little boys and girls of Gotham City. If that were the case, I think we'd see it more often. Not to mention that a scheme like that would be a huge pain in the tuckus to orchestrate.

I'm pretty sure it's just a distribution issue and it might not even be on LEGO's end. Maybe Target is taking their sweet time putting in orders to restock...LEGO probably won't put any on Shop@Home until Target's orders are filled.

[Teekay]

Alright, well then, say it's in limited quantity, which sparks everyone to buy it.

"Limited Edition" definately was created to increase demand and therefore increase sales. Then, later, reintroducing it will generate even more sales and even more profit. However, also, someone saying that its sold out at their Target on, say, FBTB, gets everyone else into panic mode and generates more sales from the online scalpers.

~Sam (Teekay)

[BigBenKenobi]

There isn't some dark, sinister LEGO employee waiting for the greedy meter to hit 100% before he smacks the button to release more bricks to the little boys and girls of Gotham City.

No, I like that idea...let's go with that whenever lego decides to pull a set off shop@home, and then puts it back up again . But in all seriousness, I totally agree with you that it is probably just a matter of supply distribution...even though it can be frustrating.

[chris2chris]

Ive been away from lego for a awhile and this set is pretty much the reason i got back in. ever since it first appeared in the Clone wars video game years ago i wanted one so im not too up to speed on how lego does it anymore. was it just available at S&H and Target?

[Draykov]

Alright, well then, say it's in limited quantity, which sparks everyone to buy it.

"Limited Edition" definately was created to increase demand and therefore increase sales.

I think you're looking for a conspiracy where there isn't one, but I don't judge you. Limited availability by its very definition dictates that there is a limited quantity and that it is only available exclusively at a single retailer (and Shop@Home of course). But the motivation to create and market exclusive sets is not something LEGO does to drain our pockets. It's what they do to appease retailers who demand an exclusive set for their store. If Target says to LEGO "we want an exclusive set for Christmas" LEGO is probably gonna do it because LEGO wants Target to continue to buy and sell LEGO (not because LEGO wants its customers to scramble for some hard to find item).

so im not too up to speed on how lego does it anymore. was it just available at S&H and Target?

Yep. TRU seems to be the main perpetrator of LEGO exclusive sets, but to a lesser degree Target (particularly in Q4) and Wal-Mart do as well. I think those are the only stores that have enough pull with LEGO to request/demand exclusives.

[Teekay]

However, they could just as easily make a set a Target exclusive and NOT have it be limited edition. I think that limited edition is a gimmick that they (not just LEGO, but a ton of other companies, use to increase sales. They want people to think that the set will be gone soon, so that makes them buy it. Also, the people who buy a bunch of them to sell them for a higher price later a fooled into thinking that they'll be making a 300 dollar profit, so they buy up a bunch. And why would they not want to drain our pockets? It's just more profit for them. They're a company; they need revenue to continnue to exist.

(By the way, Draykov, this is just a fun debate, I'm not like angry at you or anything like that. But although this has been fun, I've gotta go.)

~Sam (Teekay)

[Draykov]

No harm, no foul Teek. I ain't mad atcha. I don't disagree that someone somewhere thinks it's a hot marketing ploy to drum up sales...I just think the retailer is the primary source for this situation, not LEGO. LEGO is just trying to stay alive. (This message brought to you from the LEGO Can Do No Wrong and I Want To Have Their Babies Association).

[meeotch]

Well, I just got off the phone with the S@H rep. When I started to place my order, there were maybe 2 available, when I got done giving her my info, they were gone. So according to her, when a set is "Limited Edition," it's the retailer that decides in the contract how exactly to limit the run. Sometimes it's limited to being made through a set date, other times, it's just a limited number that they can make. But it is up to the retailer to limit it.

[DarthMC]

Sometimes however, S@H availability status changes quite a bit. The UCS Tie set has cycled from 'available' to 'call for availability' to 'sold out' at least three times since they dropped the price. And the UCS Star Destroyer appeared in the sales and deals section (I think just today) and is sold out already. So I guess just check again and it might be back in stock.

DarthMC

[Darth_Marcon]

I called my order in yesterday and she said they were listed as "limited" quantities and depending on other orders being processed at the same time as mine I might get one or not. Got the email from lego confirming the order was recieved but it doesn't look like it was "processed" yet. Keeping my fingers crossed. I ordered via the Canadian website so not sure if they have different warehouses to pull inventory from. I'm pretty sure the UCS Falcon I got (The only other set I ordered online) came from Toronto, but I could be wrong. Either way I ordered the AT-AT as well so at least I'l get something. (Aside from grief from my wife when she sees the bill. So much easier on the marriage when I can buy these cash at a local store. )

[Darth_Marcon]

A few hours after I placed my order it was listed as sold out. Just got the email this morning saying my order was shipped. Sweeet So if the salesperson says they are showing as "very low quantities left" and says it may or may not get processed, give it a try. Wouldn't let me place he order online though. I had to do it by phone.

[lordjacobi]

get it from Tesco

[legomd]

It has been mentioned by a few other members, but I think this is going to be re-released like the Hoth Base and the Dwarf Mine as a non-exclusive. I have seen up to the 18th episode of the Clone Wars series and I do not believe this ship has even made an appearance. It is recognizable to the fans of EU, but I do not think the average kid who is being targeted knows what it is... yet. So I could see TLG bring this back. Maybe TLG could slightly modify the set into the context of its appearance on an episode with an exclusive minifig since clones are becoming more abundant with the battle packs.