Black Friday at LEGO.com: what to expect
Posted by Huw,
Did you know that Black Friday was not a thing in the UK until 2010? According to an article in The Telegraph, Black Friday first came to the UK that year when Amazon saw an opportunity to replicate the success of the event in the US. A few years later, other retailers like John Lewis and Currys jumped on the bandwagon and now there is no escaping the shopping extravaganza, which seems to begin earlier and earlier every year.
LEGO's event runs from Friday, 29th November to Monday, 2nd December, or 'Cyber Monday' as it's been called since 2005, apparently due to office workers taking advantage of their company's high speed internet to do online shopping on returning to work after Thanksgiving.
Anyway, enough of the history lesson: what can you expect at LEGO.com during the event? Much the same as last weekend, as it happens, with the addition of the release of 10335 The Endurance and accompanying GWP:
- 40700 Winter Holiday Train free with orders exceeding £155 / $170 / €170
- 40699 Retro Record Player free with purchases over £225 / $250 / €250
- 5009045 Chronometer and 5008897 Tic Tac Toe will join 5009044 Barracuda Seas in the Rewards Centre, each available in exchange for 2,400 points.
- 10335 The Endurance released, with 40729 Shackleton's Lifeboat as the GWP if you buy it during the event
The 20% off sale continues until the 2nd, although the most desirable sets have sold out already.
Additionally, 30679 Venom Street Bike and 30658 Mobile Music Trailer will be GWPs on Cyber Monday on orders over £45 / $50 / €50.
Find out more at the Black Friday deals page at LEGO.com.
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43 comments on this article
Boooooring
There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives.
What can I expect? A queue.
@Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
How will this work with the new system, when vouchers aren't used anymore? They've been replaced with the slider
So just like last week but worse? Am I missing something?
The Insider Rewards Weekend seems to kinda spoil the potential here since half the website will be on backorder or out of stock.
@fakespacesquid said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
How will this work with the new system, when vouchers aren't used anymore? They've been replaced with the slider"
I assume that if placing an order during Black Friday, you will simply need less points when applying the discount. But unlike in previous years, it won't be possible to profit when not instantly placing an order. Last year, I got the discount vouchers for cheap and redeemed them not before January 1st (for the new year's releases). Probably won't be possible anymore.
@Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?
Interesting how Black Friday exists now overseas, but without the accompanying Turkey fest holiday. I don't think I could have one without the other. How do you all do it raw-doggin' black friday like that?
@Huw said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?"
It was advertised last weekend on lego.com, stating it would start on 29th.
I really want the Endurance but this deal isn't good enough, so i'll wait for a sale, and then acquire the lifeboat separately.
@Sethro3 said:
"Interesting how Black Friday exists now overseas, but without the accompanying Turkey fest holiday. I don't think I could have one without the other. How do you all do it raw-doggin' black friday like that?"
Well, the Pilgrims came to North-America from England, after spending time in The Netherlands, so only fair we all get to celebrate this capitalist holiday, right? ;-)
Concerning LEGO: their Black Friday offerings are nowhere near as interesting as their Insider Weekend's, but I've seen a lot of other retailers put LEGO sets on discount, so still plenty of savings to be had.
I kind of expected another unique GWP... I miss getting the blankets on Cyber Monday, I still use them to this day!
I'm torn between keeping the two Christmas trains or putting one on eBay, like both retro record players will be.
@Huw, in the US it obviously started with Black Friday (traditionally the biggest, but not most profitable, shopping day of the year, and the day that most retailers could finally switch from red to black ink in their ledgers, indicating a positive balance). Five years after Cyber Monday became a thing, AmEx came up with Small Business Saturday, but you don’t really hear about that as much.
@Huw said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?"
It's listed on Lego.com on the Black Friday Preview Page as part of the New LEGO Insiders Rewards, along with the Chronometer and Tic Tac Toe sets.
Black Friday - shopping big chains
Small Business Saturday - shopping local
Cyber Monday - shopping online
Giving Tuesday - donating to charity
Weeping Wednesday - after checking your credit card statement
You can also get 30670 in store if you spend £35.
Funny to read the name Currys in that context. I always associated them with this:
https://youtu.be/M9Q3xRsZY00?si=GXEN2PrgBI8sW2sm
;-)
@Maxbricks14 said:
"I really want the Endurance but this deal isn't good enough, so i'll wait for a sale, and then acquire the lifeboat separately."
A 294 piece set (40700), a 310 piece set (40699), a 232 piece set (40729), AND $13.50 in reward points aren't a good enough deal?
More than a dozen "pre-orders" for 40729 have already sold on eBay, with the cheapest for $80 USD plus shipping.
I would argue that for people who want 10335 AND 40729, now is likely the best deal you'll ever see.
I'm currently in New Zealand time zone, but want to have something shipped from the American site to my family in the eastern US. Would the sale start at midnight Eastern US time in this case, or New Zealand time?
@Joce1275 said:
" @Huw said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?"
It's listed on Lego.com on the Black Friday Preview Page as part of the New LEGO Insiders Rewards, along with the Chronometer and Tic Tac Toe sets."
I'm more curious where it be at? rewards area? when you buy... which seems weird doubt can cash out hundreds $$.
Guess we see.
wish they post it... but state not active till 29th..
Interesting to note that 75313 UCS AT-AT has gone from 'Sold Out' to 'Temporarily out of stock' in the U.S.
@Zackula said:
"I'm currently in New Zealand time zone, but want to have something shipped from the American site to my family in the eastern US. Would the sale start at midnight Eastern US time in this case, or New Zealand time?"
It will start at midnight Eastern U.S. time.
Am I missing something? I know Insiders Weekend was last weekend, but does that negate the Double Insiders Points typically offered on Black Friday?
@Huw said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?"
I scrolled down on your final link and it was there. Along with the points sweepstakes etc. “New Lego Insiders Rewards”
@missedoutagain said:
" @Joce1275 said:
" @Huw said:
" @Jabba_the_Taff said:
"There’s the 75% reduced points rate for £5 discount voucher too.
Probably limited the number of times you can use it, like last year but still useful for exclusives."
There's no mention of that at LEGO.com yet, though, is there?"
It's listed on Lego.com on the Black Friday Preview Page as part of the New LEGO Insiders Rewards, along with the Chronometer and Tic Tac Toe sets."
I'm more curious where it be at? rewards area? when you buy... which seems weird doubt can cash out hundreds $$.
Guess we see.
wish they post it... but state not active till 29th.."
The description on lego.com says "Redeem 75% fewer points for a $5 discount voucher." so my guess is that it will be the same as last year... you can select it in the rewards area and they will send you a code for a $5 discount that you can apply at checkout. Last year the amount of discount codes you could get was limited per insiders account.
@FuddRuckus said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"I really want the Endurance but this deal isn't good enough, so i'll wait for a sale, and then acquire the lifeboat separately."
A 294 piece set ( 40700 ), a 310 piece set ( 40699 ), a 232 piece set ( 40729 ), AND $13.50 in reward points aren't a good enough deal?
More than a dozen "pre-orders" for 40729 have already sold on eBay, with the cheapest for $80 USD plus shipping.
I would argue that for people who want 10335 AND 40729 , now is likely the best deal you'll ever see."
I don't have $450 to spend on it at the moment, which was why I was meaning that I would rather have a discount.
@SithLord196 said:
"Interesting to note that 75313 UCS AT-AT has gone from 'Sold Out' to 'Temporarily out of stock' in the U.S."
In Canada this set is not even visible anywhere on the site and even if you do a search for it, it does not tell you that the set is retired or anything, the site tells you that it encountered an error. That was the only set I wanted from the Insider weekend 840$CDN plus double points seemed ok. Alas it was not available anymore...
What can we expect?
People saying it's amazing how these sets are reduced, when they never go on sale, even though they were reduced in price the week before.
@HOBBES said:
" @SithLord196 said:
"Interesting to note that 75313 UCS AT-AT has gone from 'Sold Out' to 'Temporarily out of stock' in the U.S."
In Canada this set is not even visible anywhere on the site and even if you do a search for it, it does not tell you that the set is retired or anything, the site tells you that it encountered an error. That was the only set I wanted from the Insider weekend 840$CDN plus double points seemed ok. Alas it was not available anymore..."
same for US. either @SithLord196 was mistaken or they have since removed from the site entirely. OR maybe they temp pulled it and will surprise drop it at a discount again on Black Friday! :)
@Sethro3 said:
"Interesting how Black Friday exists now overseas, but without the accompanying Turkey fest holiday. I don't think I could have one without the other. How do you all do it..."
Woah, woah, woah! Woah. I don't care what the kids these days think that means, that's _NOT_ what that means.
Not sure what everyone here is complaining about- Black Friday is always the same GWPs as the Insiders weekend, with less stock (because everyone snapped stuff up the weekend before). Oh, and one large exclusive with a GWP will go on sale as a double or bust for those who didn’t grab the other GWPs.
@Sethro3 said:
"Interesting how Black Friday exists now overseas, but without the accompanying Turkey fest holiday. I don't think I could have one without the other. How do you all do it raw-doggin' black friday like that?"
It is very bizarre - in the UK there is zero context to ‘Black Friday’ - none of the brands that hype it up here have ever explained what it is explicitly other than an American consumerist bonanza (obviously most of us know the real story because the internet exists). There are no public holidays around this time in the UK and Thanksgiving events in the US get very little mainstream media coverage, so superficially it’s just some random time before Christmas when some products are suddenly cheaper from our perspective. Historically a lot of retail was more about January sales here, and those still exist, but I think they’ve been stifled a lot by Black Friday.
I might wait to see if something slightly different for Lego is offered on ‘Cyber Monday’ but I’d guess nothing groundbreaking. I’m more excited for January releases now.
@Maxbricks14 said:
" @FuddRuckus said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"I really want the Endurance but this deal isn't good enough, so i'll wait for a sale, and then acquire the lifeboat separately."
A 294 piece set ( 40700 ), a 310 piece set ( 40699 ), a 232 piece set ( 40729 ), AND $13.50 in reward points aren't a good enough deal?
More than a dozen "pre-orders" for 40729 have already sold on eBay, with the cheapest for $80 USD plus shipping.
I would argue that for people who want 10335 AND 40729 , now is likely the best deal you'll ever see."
I don't have $450 to spend on it at the moment, which was why I was meaning that I would rather have a discount."
You'll give your money to Lego and be grateful they take it!
Do the GWP's stack if buying the endurance? - i.e you'd get the lifeboat plus all the other black friday GWPS as well for spending £230 GBP?? Seems to good to be true.
@dunbarbricks said:
"Do the GWP's stack if buying the endurance? - i.e you'd get the lifeboat plus all the other black friday GWPS as well for spending £230 GBP?? Seems to good to be true."
Yes, should do.
@RavenOne said:
" @HOBBES said:
" @SithLord196 said:
"Interesting to note that 75313 UCS AT-AT has gone from 'Sold Out' to 'Temporarily out of stock' in the U.S."
In Canada this set is not even visible anywhere on the site and even if you do a search for it, it does not tell you that the set is retired or anything, the site tells you that it encountered an error. That was the only set I wanted from the Insider weekend 840$CDN plus double points seemed ok. Alas it was not available anymore..."
same for US. either @SithLord196 was mistaken or they have since removed from the site entirely. OR maybe they temp pulled it and will surprise drop it at a discount again on Black Friday! :)"
I ordered it last weekend (although it's still on 'Backorder' which has me concerned until it ships), so I'm able to access the product page by viewing my order and clicking on the link for it.
The link is:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/at-at-75313
However, it has indeed gone back to the status of 'Sold out'.
@The_Rancor said:
" @Sethro3 said:
"Interesting how Black Friday exists now overseas, but without the accompanying Turkey fest holiday. I don't think I could have one without the other. How do you all do it raw-doggin' black friday like that?"
It is very bizarre - in the UK there is zero context to ‘Black Friday’ - none of the brands that hype it up here have ever explained what it is explicitly other than an American consumerist bonanza (obviously most of us know the real story because the internet exists). There are no public holidays around this time in the UK and Thanksgiving events in the US get very little mainstream media coverage, so superficially it’s just some random time before Christmas when some products are suddenly cheaper from our perspective. Historically a lot of retail was more about January sales here, and those still exist, but I think they’ve been stifled a lot by Black Friday.
I might wait to see if something slightly different for Lego is offered on ‘Cyber Monday’ but I’d guess nothing groundbreaking. I’m more excited for January releases now."
It appeared in the UK as Amazon started doing it online, then Argos followed suit and then it snowballed. Yes it's a USA origin event, but like a lot of culture in the UK we follow the Americans as we do have that "special relationship" with them.
I scored the LEGO Dune set this week at Argos, was just 89 pounds instead of the usual 159 pounds. I should have bought more.
@ickis said:
"What can I expect? A queue."
I'm not so sure. Outside of the Endurance, there really doesn't seem to be anything new or interesting beyond last week. And as others have mentioned, many of the interesting things last week are over, gone, or backordered.
That was more succinct and informative than anything on Lego's website. Thanks for the summary!
It really sucks that the digital €5 Insiders vouchers were "out of stock" already this morning.
I don't understand why companies advertise only to disappoint customers.