LEGO official website have instructions uploaded too, but I don't think they have old instruction.

The playability is getting worse but some set are able to match the old one.

Does anyone here think that LEGO is considered a niche product in Malaysia like other speciality hobby (Magic/boardgame/Gundam etc)

Well, it is certainly true that there are far lesser people who are interested and willing to spend on Lego compared to other toys like 1/6 figures, action figures (Figmas, Revo, etc.) and Gundams. But it's also true that retail prices for Lego here are insane. That alone throws a lot of people off since they don't see how plastic bricks can be of a higher cost than a fully articulated 12-inch figure.

Here's my Lego city layout:

wow, your city are getting better.

well at the price it comes with the quality and also warranty. Which other toy company willing to replace broken or even missing parts for free!

This post has been edited by NasiLemakMan: Jan 20 2011, 10:07 PM

I wish more people realized that too. But I have to say, after buying hundreds and hundreds of sets for the past 16+ years, I've never had any problems regarding missing or damaged pieces. Not even a single time.

Check this out, Lego Minifigures Series 3 =p
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1725475

starting of with this hobby now, begin with 8051 Motobike & 8041 Race Truck...looking forward to purchase the badass 8258 Crane truck & 8053 Mobine crane!.. other fav will be 8265 Front loader, 8069 backhoe & 8043 Motorized Excavator...guess all this item are hard to come by

In regards to LEGO being a niche market product, I think we have to consider the viewpoint of the average parent who purchase the product for their children or younger children without disposable income who obtain LEGO through means such as good grades or birthday present,

For us hobby collectors, we would have a skewed viewpoint since we are in a way have the intention to actually get as much as we can, kena "poison", so we keep track of the price, compared to other country, follow the news on new set or theme.

Seeing how LEGO are being marketed I get the feel that they are more producing with the intention of mass marketing the toy like any other toy, if we look at it that way then are LEGO prices "fair" to the intended consumers, since they won't be buying a lot of LEGO in the first place ?

Do you know anyone or many parents who buys LEGO with a deeper understanding of the whole LEGO system (the whole creativity and endless play aspect etc) other than "there the toy with the bricks one, ah boi like to play one so we will get him 1 box for christmas"

This may answer another query which is "Will LEGO products sell more if they lower the price here in Malaysia ?" - Obviously we collectors will buy more, but will it make a difference to LEGO balance sheet at the end of the day to lower price and increase the production run ?

Any thoughts on this ?

p.s. I should have started out with this question instead

Is LEGO a niche market product and what does it means to us collectors ?

This post has been edited by djay16: Jan 21 2011, 01:25 PM

You're spot on on some of your points, bro. But I believe if the prices were lower, it'd definitely do two things; the first of which is that us collectors will definitely buy more (as you mentioned) and two, there will be a much higher possibility for new collectors to want to try this hobby out (most are reluctant due to the price anyway). Hence, it will without a doubt prove to be an easier decision as is the case always for us collectors. Nice item + good/reasonable price = Win! Haha. Or maybe it's just me.

My order from bricklink reach today.



If the price are lowered, no doubt parents will buy for their children since it is educational toys.

Now the "no doubt" part is where it get's blurry, I agree to in a way that they are educational toys but do the parents see's them so and basic economic will deem that lower price will lead to more sales, but would it be enough, is lego a famous brand in Malaysia like it is in Denmark (i assume they are lol ironic if not) ?

What's confirm is if the price is lowered, WE (collectors) will buy more

Some parents will prefer LEGO as some theme are not violence at all, like technic, & toy story just to name a few. Plus it can help their child in creativity, and with the priced lowered they will buy for their children la.

I am a mother to two boys, 7 and 9. We started investing in Lego since my children were only about 3. We started with duplo (was given by relative), then went on to bricks (mainly city) and then lead on to nxt ( got it at a great discount from ebay). Then we went back to basic like using manuals to build technic and other sets.

I figured for us, it's more to interest. Mummy is interested in Lego, and initially, my children watched me build them and they got the idea that they can build anything with lego. As we started off without manuals, so creativity was our main focus initially.

Then after learning more about the various parts, we wanted to get more into details hence more complicated sets with manuals.

At the moment, we are focusing on the hardware part of lego, ie the building aspect and the various functions. All our parts are separatedly sorted for a reason. We need to know every function of every parts to maximise the benefit of lego. This is important if in future they are into manufacturing or engineering, they need to know that being organised and knowing all little parts are vital.

Once my children are ready (they will ask), we can then progress to the more detail programming aspect of things. We are into robotics but at the moment, they are more into looking at manuals when using nxt rather than making their own programme.

Cost is a huge concern. Hence i buy only when there is a discount and i will use Parkson, Jusco and TRU vouchers. Occasionally i get good deals from ebay. We are lucky we get some hand me down from relatives.

Most parents however see lego as mere toys to keep their children occupied. Many don't even know what Lego Education is. They can't differentiate between retail lego and lego education. Some do not even know that nxt are actually from technic parts. Well, they didn't even know that lego comes in various themes!!!! So how can lego reach a mass market??? Only if there is serious marketing and product knowledge campaign going on. Though lego robotics classes are held in schools, parents do not know what their children learning and how they are learning in school. In school, robotics classes are like computer classes, the children are not learning about creativity but only the step by step use of the nxt programme.

In actual fact, the NRC competition are monopolised by a number of schools who are being helped by individuals to gain honour for the schools. Many of the robotics projects are not made by the sudents themselves but are made and designed by adults (especially the primary level).

I think for lego to hit mass market, we need to have more competitions for all levels, be it MOC competition or sumo robots competition. Have it on tv like a reality show. Let the parents know that lego isn't mere toy for children but it's for alll ages.....

Well, i guess, we probably need to wait another five years ie. once legoland is open, a few more years for parents to realise that there is so much more to lego than just a toy from the departmental stores.

As for the educational aspect, Lego isn't only about creativity. Building lego helps the fine motor skills of a child. Also, the step by step building instruction helps to the child to learn the importance of doing things one step at a time to build a good foundation. Lego also helps problem solving skills ie if one part was wrongly built, then have to retrace steps to find out the problem. Sorting and building lego help to build the child's patience. Sorting helps the child to be organised. Learning the various parts like the gears and axles etc help the child to learn many physics theories like big gears to small gears is for speed, small to big is for power. Watching a child build things from lego can help a teacher to identify learning problems eg, my son is so particular about colours and the symmetrical aspect of the stuffs he is building. From there i know about his learning styles.

If i have the money to only buy one toy, i will definitely buy lego....

This post has been edited by karenleehs: Jan 24 2011, 02:07 AM

yay... I just won all 16 minifig series2 from TRU.







This post has been edited by 3AAA: Jan 28 2011, 11:11 AM

aiya.. i thought can look forward too buying some value for money lego


i do agree that nowadays lego price are dam expensive compare to the older days. for quality wise, i can say their older set was great but can't be said the same for the newer release set. maybe it was just my luck. last year i bought a technic set and had some problem with some of the bricks colour. the problem that i encounter was for the same colour bricks e.g. yellow. all doesn't have the same yellow colour and colour abit off.

i'll give credits to their warranty and after sales service. since with the amount of money that i paid. i expected a better quality product especially coming from lego and it's part of their brand. feeling unsatisfied with the quality so make some complaint through lego.com and they listen. they replied with a nice letter and to my surprise they willing to replace my problem bricks via courier and i'm not require to return back the problem bricks. after few month of waiting as the bricks was courier all the way from denmark. i got hold of the new bricks and got my technic set build up with as a satisfied customer. i guess the way the treat their customer is one of the reason why it still keep me buying lego although it cost more.

wow congrats. wat kind of tru contest?

Wah, so lucky.

Hmmm, you buy a minifig and snap a picture of that minifigs with that TRU card in d most creative way you can.

Thanks.
Thats right, we just need to email them creative photo of minifig from series2 and TRU card.
I did it with my little brother. i didn't thought I can win it