The Damned Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 In Canada, at least. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200802051608DOWJONESDJONLINE000583_FORTUNE5.htm I wondered why I didn't see any at the local Wal-Mart the last few weeks. I know there are quite a few LEGO fans here, and I know some of them are from Canada as well, so I'm just spreading the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XZero Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I was a big Lego fan when I was young (I remember building a replica of Super Mario 3's 1st Doom Ship out of Legos with hidden wheels underneath to allow for it to 'fly'), so I can imagine that this would make it more difficult for Canadians to acquire the toys. That having been said, I have a question for you or any other Canadians: are there any other major companies in Canada that have amended their business practices in such a way as to render Lego (or any other company) unable to market through their stores due to exchange rate issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinewav Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 "We were very clear with all of our suppliers that we would not tolerate unfair pricing for our Canadian customers." Wal-mart is out to defend the people. How noble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Damned Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 I was a big Lego fan when I was young (I remember building a replica of Super Mario 3's 1st Doom Ship out of Legos with hidden wheels underneath to allow for it to 'fly'), so I can imagine that this would make it more difficult for Canadians to acquire the toys. That having been said, I have a question for you or any other Canadians: are there any other major companies in Canada that have amended their business practices in such a way as to render Lego (or any other company) unable to market through their stores due to exchange rate issues? Toys R Us is still selling LEGO. I doubt that they will break any ties with each other considering that there are special Toys R Us only sets that come out. Then there's Zellers (think Target for all you Yanks) and the various little stores here and there... we're not hurting, but Wal-Mart had a decent selection, and if you live somewhere that doesn't have a Toys R Us nearby, this means you can't get it now. I can only hope that such people have some other store in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devyn Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Good. Hopefully WalMart will quit selling everything, and then they can disappear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Damned Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Hey, if you google "walmart not selling lego", this thread is the first hit. Awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamoh Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Good. Hopefully WalMart will quit selling everything, and then they can disappear.I'd rather blow them up one-by-one, forcing people to flee as Wal-Mart suddenly becomes terror target number one.That said, QFE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vivi22 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I might care if I shopped at Wal-Mart, but since I value my soul... Anyway, Lego did make a comment in the article that they are based in Europe and that Canadian pricing based on U.S. pricing isn't fair in that case. Makes sense to me if they actually make all the lego blocks over there. The Canadian dollar may have appreciated against the U.S. dollar, but that's mainly because the U.S. dollar is in the crapper right now. I don't believe the Canadian dollar has really strengthened against other currencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devyn Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I'd rather blow them up one-by-one, forcing people to flee as Wal-Mart suddenly becomes terror target number one.That said, QFE. Fight the power! (Just make sure that no people are in the building - wait, WalMart never closes does it?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I played with Legos religiously until my mom brought home my first box of K'NEX, whose awesomeness proceeded to utterly dominate the remainder of my childhood. So for me, the world is safe as long as K'NEX still line Wal*Mart shelves. Good. Hopefully WalMart will quit selling everything, and then they can disappear. Unparalleled low prices and convenience, and now this Lego thing...those bastards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgx Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Lego Technics were the shit. I made all kinds of stuff like cars with four wheel steering and suspensions. K'nex were ok, just seemed pretty flimsy often. Did anyone play with Construx? Those were pretty badass - often had glowing parts. My bro and I would make weapons out of Construx, put the glowy parts on them, turn out the lights and beat eachother until the weapons fell apart. There were many cuts and scrapes, yes, but it hurt so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devyn Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Unparalleled low prices and convenience, and now this Lego thing...those bastards! Don't forget killing off countless local businesses, killing off other chains, manipulating suppliers, treating workers like crap, having a terrible shopping experience, and treating the environment like crap. By the way, how do you think those prices get so low anyway (hint: someone has to be pay for it). Also, I don't know where you got the 'convenience' part from. They're almost always low on cashiers, and you can barely navigate the isles with all the people there. Okay, I'm going all PPR on you guys. I'll back off. Also, legos are cool, but lincoln logs are where it's at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimgak Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Whew...just in Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsideways Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Did anyone play with Construx? Those were pretty badass - often had glowing parts. My bro and I would make weapons out of Construx, put the glowy parts on them, turn out the lights and beat eachother until the weapons fell apart. There were many cuts and scrapes, yes, but it hurt so good. Dude! I haven't played with those for years. I loved them! My parents never got me anything more than the simple boat set, but I loved it. They rocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Pretty funny that the article tries to make the point that lego is more expensive in Canada with our rising dollar. Well, that's true, but news flash to walmart, so are most things. Ever tried buying, say, a book? Maybe a 1000+ page computer book or a university textbook? Retailers sell based on the cover price, which is always significantly higher in Canada than in the US, and, since it's hard-coded on the book, can't be adjusted to compensate for our rising dollar. There's a lot more things that are cheaper in the US too, things like food. I'm in Alamaba right now for work, sitting in the airport, and even though I didn't do any real shopping besides food, a few boxes of breakfast cereal and some shampoos and soaps that my wife wanted that aren't available here, the price differences were pretty obvious. Add another reason to my list of why I don't shop at Walmart. This'll probably have a significant impact on Lego. Also, construx were awesome. We had some lego and some construx. Not sure which I liked more, but all the glow-in-the-dark pieces of construx were a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Don't forget killing off countless local businesses, killing off other chains, manipulating suppliers, treating workers like crap, having a terrible shopping experience, and treating the environment like crap. By the way, how do you think those prices get so low anyway (hint: someone has to be pay for it). Also, I don't know where you got the 'convenience' part from. They're almost always low on cashiers, and you can barely navigate the isles with all the people there. Right, I've heard all of the reasons that Wal*Mart supposedly sucks, but I just don't get it. They are convenient because they are everywhere and have everything. They have low prices because...well...I don't particularly care why they are charging me less than anyone else for the same products. The worst shopping experience I've ever had at a Wal*Mart isn't any worse than the ones I've had anywhere else. And Wal*Mart was once a local chain and I don't recall Sam Walton whining about bigger competition edging his stores out. This is America, suck it up small business owners!Lego Technics were the shit. I made all kinds of stuff like cars with four wheel steering and suspensions.K'nex were ok, just seemed pretty flimsy often. Never got into Technics, but they always looked cool. I still doubt that they could handle the beating that I put the K'nex through though. Because they were based on rods and connectors, rather than bricks, I think K'nex were much better suited to building vehicles, and that's pretty much all I built...especially the K'nex rubber band racers. Those were the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJT Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 lemme just contribute to the thread derail here: @Harmony: it doesn't bother me that stores that walmart succeed because they have a large infastructure, more products, and/or lower prices. it bothers me when said corporations get huge tax breaks / a cut of the local sales tax to move in. that gives them a HUGE advantage over local small businesses. wish i had some good citations, but all i have to offer is an interview withttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4807184h greg leroy on NPR: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleJCrb Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 And yet, anywhere that there is NO Wal-Mart is where small business dries up. Wal-Mart may be huge competition for small stores, but they do stimulate the economy in areas where they build one. Not that I care to shop there, but they're not as detrimental as some make them out to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamoh Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Fight the power! (Just make sure that no people are in the building - wait, WalMart never closes does it?)Yes it does...And yet, anywhere that there is NO Wal-Mart is where small business dries up. Wal-Mart may be huge competition for small stores, but they do stimulate the economy in areas where they build one.Not that I care to shop there, but they're not as detrimental as some make them out to be. I was thinking about this a little earlier (after making the QFE post), and it's probably true. They stimulate the economy, yes, but by doing so they impoverish a lot of people along the way while still making large sums of money. WalMart is a leading cause of the class disparity seen since the 1980's (Reagan and Bush are the others), IMO, and while a complete removal of the entity from many Shitville, USAs and Bumfuck, Canadas would probably screw over the towns, it's the fact that they were there in the first place that really bothers me.A town that's worth it's salt would find a way to survive without WalMart. Otherwise, to the cities you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC Ricers Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 K'nex were flimsy but their main advantage over Lego is that they stay in one piece. If you wanted to build large, sturdy structures K'nex is the way to go. But Legos were always my most favorite toy. I was pretty creative with them, building transformable robots and whatnot. They were ugly looking but they transformed Did anyone play with Construx? Those were pretty badass - often had glowing parts. My bro and I would make weapons out of Construx, put the glowy parts on them, turn out the lights and beat eachother until the weapons fell apart. There were many cuts and scrapes, yes, but it hurt so good. Construx were like the perfect offspring from mating Legos and K'nex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Damned Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Guys, this is a LEGO thread. Take your talk of other connecting toys somewhere else. By the way, it's "LEGO", not "Lego" or "lego" or "legoes/legos". LEGO is both singular and plural, and the name is properly in all caps. (someone was going to do it eventually) Anyone got any MOCpages or Brickshelf accounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenobio Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 This thread is now about Milhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam_Slight Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 That's the worst. I bought a bunch of sweet LEGO the past few years just because I never got any of the huge ones as a kid. I was close to picking some up at LEGOland at Disney this Christmas and now I think I should have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnsalot Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 On the other hand, they stopped making their best products a few years ago. Anyone played BrikWars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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