Lego V.I.P. special invite card

[that guy]

Not sure if this was posted here yet but I got a special invitiation in the snail mail that said I was number 1 of 'xx' people (less than 30 but I prefer not to say exactly lest I be pointed out at my particualr location) chosen to attend a before hours event on the 19th. No mention of the actual discounts yet but it said I had to RSVP before the 17th. Here's what the note said.

“As one of our most valued LEGO VIP Members, you are cordially invited to an exclusive Holiday shopping event just for you at the LEGO Store!  We are opening your local LEGO Store early for an invitation-only event that will allow you and one guest the opportunity to take advantage of all of our extraordinary “Brick” Friday offers before they are available to the public!”

The card says the VIP Card and photo ID are required for admittance.  One free limited holiday set per person with $99 purchase. Spending limit is $5000 pre sale prices and may not purchase more than 5 of one item.

When I called to RSVP they wouldn't give me really any more info than that but I got the feeling they really didn't know yet either. They said they just got their list of VIPs a few days ago. I guess we will wait and see.



The card itself was a really cool old school parchment looking envelope with a giant rubbery wax seal like the old days. I like it for that alone.

[bjozwiak]

I received one of these invites also for the store in Schaumburg il.
Cool invite. Seems weird it is the Friday before black Friday though.
Probably better as the the crowds will be less.
mine was 4 out of d

Bryan

[that guy]

It's the Saturday before Black Friday. And I suspect it'll be busier than all get out with 30-50 Lego nut jobs (myself included) trying to spend thousands in less than an hour. I just don't see how logistically they could even ring up that many people for a single item in an hours time let alone countless items. I'm expecting a Charlie Foxtrot that morning for sure.

[bjozwiak]

Yeah sorry. Saturday before black Friday.

[kibosh]

I'm curious, how much do you think you spent through the VIP program this year to qualify for this? I'd really like to get an invite, too!

[that guy]

I'm curious, how much do you think you spent through the VIP program this year to qualify for this? I'd really like to get an invite, too!

It was allegedly a gross accumulation starting from 2009 when they rolled out the V.I.P. program to YTD. If we're counting that number I can assure you it's in the mid 5 digits, if not a little more for me personally. But I do know people who were invited that were only in the 4 digits so I'm not sure exactly what the criteria was since I read some other forums where people who spent more than their friends weren't invited but the friends were.

[Mister Ed]

I hope for your sake that the "Brick" Friday offers really ARE extraordinary this year. Last year I remember feeling that they were exceedingly lackluster and restrictive, enough so that there was absolutely no way I was the least bit tempted to brave the crowds to hit their store. There were better LEGO deals to be had pretty much anywhere else.

[that guy]

Yeah I totally agree Ed, it was really really sad last year. I am excited to go for no other reason than the to say I could and cross my fingers that deals will be had. I think everyone here recognizes that Lego isn't widely known for dropping the hammer on sales very often (save last day after Xmas). If I remember right, the only things REALLY marked down last BF (minus any card savings) was the Technic Front Loader, Pizza Planet Truck, and the Wind Turbine Transport (maybe a couple others but I can't remember). I'd really like to see some open box or damaged boxes like the con/fest show sales they do. If nothing else, they succeeded in making me feel warm and fuzzy for a few minutes of my life.

[fredjh]

I got an invite; I can assure you that, while I probably spent 5 digits on LEGO since starting, it's only barely - and roughly only half from the LEGO Store and S@H. I haven't checked recently, but it's well under $10k.

Despite the "lackluster" sale (to date, we don't know anybody who got more than a 10% scratch off), there are other perks I'm interested in: set 2 of the holiday series (and the ability to buy another set 1... so I may stretch it and have my "guest" get another set 2), plus the pick-a-brick box; if it's like last year, you'll also get pick a brick boxes for every $75. Actually, that depends on who you're dealing with... my wife bought all my Christmas LEGO last year and came home with 6 boxes; when I try that they say "limit one!" Guess you have to be a lot cuter than me.



side1 by FredJH, on Flickr


side2 by FredJH, on Flickr


ticket by FredJH, on Flickr

I read my wife what the front page post says about why certain people got invited and got yelled at for spending so much on LEGO.

[VonCork]

Cool looking invitation but it makes it seem like you need that ticket to get your part 2 of 2 Holiday set. It's just for show - right?

[fredjh]

Don't know... perhaps just to get it early; perhaps they want to limit the early buyers to two (it comes with two of those cards; I suppose one is for the "guest").

[1brickshyofcrazy]

I won't be holding out as I haven't seen anything in the mail yet so I'm guessin' with my luck and deals - there will be no invite.

But that's OK I look at other great deals online and at stores...

[TK-949]

I recieved mine today for the Lego-Store Oberhausen/Germany...

[MShiels]

Well I can say that 6 digit vip points gathered is not enough to get an invite as far as I can tell. Contacted the 2 stores where I buy alot, and neither had me on the list.

[Brainslugged]

Anyone know if you still get the pick a brick box when ordering online?

[hansok49]

Even if it does stack you cannot add discounts you must multiple the percent of the price you pay and subtract it from 100% So 10% scratch card plus 10% off $149 becomes (1-(.9)(.9))100= 19% close to twenty but as the initial discount increases the combined gets further from the sum Just wanted to point this out so people didn't start calculating prices and then were upset when they had to pay more the day they got it anyways there's your math lesson for the day. Hope it stacks!
25% becomes 32.5%
50% becomes 55%

[onions]

they don't stack.

[Gooker1]

I never check my mail bc nothing fun ever comes in, but after reading this post I decided to check it. I was pretty excited to see the envelope in the mail. I dont think I spent that much on Lego over the past year and a half or however long the VIP card has been around, but I am not complaining. Haha. Like everyone else said, their bf deals aren't that great, so I will be there to mainly grab the holiday sets and a few other things. I highly doubt i will be breaking the bank for some sets unless they are too good to pass up. Glad i am on the left coast, so i hope all you east coasters will post your findings for us. . cant wait til next Saturday now!

[fredjh]

Well I can say that 6 digit vip points gathered is not enough to get an invite as far as I can tell. Contacted the 2 stores where I buy alot, and neither had me on the list.

I don't think they counted people they knew/think ran stores.

[frohgurt]

I received the invite about a week ago and called in this morning to RSVP. I asked what the event entailed but the person I spoke with didn't seem to have the information already posted here. I gave him my name, but I got the impression he didn't look it up or write it down. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to taking my son this weekend.