LEGO Star Wars VIP Card
Posted by CapnRex101,
75192 Millennium Falcon was released, under chaotic and controversial circumstances, on the 14th of September. Those who have been lucky enough to purchase the set since then, or who are able to do so before the 31st of December, shall receive an exclusive Star Wars VIP card entitling the holder to various offers in 2018.
These VIP cards were manufactured in Germany and began to arrive there a couple of weeks ago, as reported by Christian from PROMOBRICKS. They are now being delivered in the UK so we have taken this opportunity to have a closer look at the card as well as engaging in a little speculation about what kinds of promotions might be available next year.
The card is delivered in a glossy black envelope which features the LEGO VIP program branding so looks suitably enticing!
Opening the envelope reveals a card printed with past models of the Millennium Falcon on one side and some information about how the VIP rewards will work next year. There are no details of exactly what we can expect but the card suggests that the first offers will be revealed via email in early 2018, reading as follows:
'Congratulations on joining an elite group of VIP members who will be eligible for special LEGO Star Wars themed VIP rewards throughout the coming year! Enclosed you will find your limited-edition, collectable LEGO Star Wars VIP Card, which also entitles you to all of the standard VIP rewards and benefits.
'We hope you enjoy piloting this special new program with us, and we invite you to send us your feedback on your new benefits and rewards directly. You can do so by emailing us at [email protected].
'You will be notified of your special LEGO Star Wars VIP Offers via email, so please ensure that you've subscribed to LEGO VIP emails. You can check your subscription status on your VIP account page at VIP.LEGO.com.
'Happy LEGO shopping!
'You are now eligible for special LEGO Star Wars themed rewards throughout the next year. We'll notify you of these offers by email, so be on the lookout for more details in early 2018.
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!'
Removing the VIP card from the flyer is very easy as a hot melt adhesive had been used, like that one might find on a magazine or debit and credit cards. A metallic finish has been applied to the card which looks rather nice and the name of the VIP card holder is printed along the bottom. The reverse features the standard terms and conditions as well as a card number which should match that of your usual VIP card.
The Star Wars VIP card is undoubtedly impressive but I am more interested in the aforementioned 'LEGO Star Wars themed VIP rewards' which will be available next year. Percentage discounts and bonus VIP point incentives seem very likely as both are relatively easy to implement in LEGO brand stores and at shop.LEGO.com.
Exclusive polybags are also a possibility given demand from fans for a few more characters seen on board the Millennium Falcon, some of whom have not yet appeared in minifigure form. Nien Nunb is perhaps the most notable of these, although the Sullustan pilot is a popular character and restricting him to an exclusive polybag which can only be acquired by those who own 75192 Millennium Falcon would be a mistake.
The precise number of VIP cards which have been distributed remains a mystery, although I expect the total number will not exceed about 30,000 given the issues surrounding availability of the set. That being the case, I can envisage LEGO creating a small exclusive set like those released at past Star Wars Celebration events. This might include members of the scanning crew that boards the freighter in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope or something from The Last Jedi to complement the Ultimate Collector's Series model.
Finally, the Millennium Falcon will making an appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story next year and its design is rumoured to have been altered to reflect the role of the famous vessel in the movie. Depending on the extent of these changes we might receive an expansion pack for 75192 Millennium Falcon, perhaps allowing us to update the appearance of the model or simply including some minifigures from the film. Such a promotional item could be produced to coincide with the annual May the Fourth event as Solo: A Star Wars Story will be released just a few weeks later.
Have you been able to acquire a LEGO Star Wars VIP card and what kinds of offers would you like to see it unlock in 2018? Let us know in the comments.
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53 comments on this article
I'd love to have one, but I have no idea when it will become available again
As someone who did not want the UCS falcon, i really hope these promotions are what you predict as "expansions" or special discounts. To give out exclusive figures and sets only to owners of a $800 set seems really unfair and a smack in the face to other loyal LEGO fans who just can't drop $800 (or can't afford to). If they do release free polybags to owners of the set, they should at least also sell them to people without the special VIP card for retail price.
Lack of availability is going to make this tricky for LEGO. I'm guessing the promos will tend towards discounts or double points, rather than exclusive sets. A lot of people who never would have bought 75192 will be complaining that they cannot get the promos because they could not buy the Falcon.
I received my VIP card yesterday. I have to say the design is really nice and worth the wait. I really hope the exclusives are worth it, my guess is they will relate to The Last Jedi, Solo, and hopefully the UCS Falcon itself, bearing in mind the prominent role the ship will play in those movies. Accessories for that would be awesome.
Neat little idea.
My VIP card also arrived yesterday :-) It does look very nice. I am looking forward to a great 2018 Lego SW year with hopefully nice surprises. The first two sets I am planning to buy next year are two huts: Yoda's hut and Luke Skywalker's hut (or however they call the place he is living in on his island).
l would love to get one but the MF isn't available and hasn't been since it came out. l want to give Lego my money
Very very cool! I’m jealous! Wish there were a way for non-buyers to get this, though I know that’s the whole point...
I take it then that the Falcon will be available at some point before the end of the month? I plan to buy it soon and would also like the card if possible!
On the other hand (in response to datsunrobbie) it looks like people who would happily put down $800 for a copy of 75192 right now if it were for sale also may not get the opportunity to do so.
This is going to be a tricky situation for LEGO if they don't open up orders for 75192 soon (regardless of when they may actually be delivered) or simply extend the promotion. Otherwise, if the rewards on this card are good, they're going to have some justifiably annoyed fans who were expecting to be able to buy the set and get in on this deal before it expired. Personally, I didn't see the need to rush when general orders were supposedly going to be available in October.
Let me get this straight:
They're making a VIP club within the VIP club for the few (thanks to LEGO's own lack of vision) who were able to buy the UCS Millennium Falcon, while all those who weren't able to get ahold of one get absolute nothing.
Oh...kay...
I was in my local LEGO store a few hours ago and asked about the availability of UCS Millennium Falcon. The employee confirmed that they have been receiving regular shipments and the store has worked their way through the hold list created at the time of the original release. Every Falcon they receive from now on will be available in the store first come first serve. Hopefully the store will continue getting regular shipments so those that are truly interested and motivated will be able to get one before Christmas without having to buy from the scalpers.
@Graysmith - LEGO evidently underestimated the potential popularity of the set. I would not be at all surprised if they extend the duration of the promotion in order to meet demand and mitigate the frustration of fans, depending upon how many VIP cards LEGO intended to give away in the first place, of course.
I would expect that those people that have ordered a 75192 MF prior to 31st Dec 2017 would qualify for the black VIP card even if delivery/payment for the set is taken post 2017... for TLG to do otherwise would be churlish and counter-productive.
I've said before that I have neither the money nor the display space to get the UCS MF, but creating a Platinum-VIP-Club - even if those customers forked over €800 or more - is not something I'd call fair. Really hoping they just get more points, or some %-discounts. I imagine the backlash would be quite intense if they gave out certain characters in polybags only to that "Elite Club". I know I'd be pissed.
"Hey, if you a bought one of the few of the sets we made, congrats! Otherwise, too bad!"
I'm done with this.
Anyone in Canada get their's yet? I was sent an email over a month ago and still haven't seen mine. I don't like the idea of the envelope being branded; any non-honest person who works for Canada Post knowing what to look for could pocket these and Canada Post would see this as just lost in mail/delivery.
Also from Canada and while I'm happy to see some people get their cards, I too am worried it will get lost in the mail. hope a picture or a receipt of the MF purchase will be a proxy of the card when the promos start in 2018
I bought on release day and i feel i should get something for buying then. Hope for something unique.
On the first release day, I sat there behind my computer on a busy day when I had a lot of other things I had to do so that I could get the MF straight away. Everyone said I was crazy, wait for double VIP points. But i treated it as if getting concert tickets for a popular act. You have to put in the effort and get lucky.
So too bad for the people who also tried then but did not succeed, but tough luck form those who figured they would wait till double VIP days: I WILL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IF I DON’T NOW GET SOMETHING VERY EXCLUSIVE WITH MY SPECIAL SW VIP CARD. TALK ABOUT FAIR.
I was number 70 on the waiting list at my local store in Toronto and received my Falcon this week. Seems the store is now getting large shipments every other week.
‘Elite Group’. Haha. We would all have been in the ‘elite’ if we could have actually bought the damn thing.
The tension is getting higher and higher now the end of this year is getting closer, I can' wait any longer!
I wonder how this special VIP card works or if I will even be able to get one because there are no brand stores in The Netherlands and LEGO doesn't hand out regular VIP cards over here either.
If I don't get a Falcon for Christmas, I will throw myself on the ground and scream until Lego sends me a copy! Don't you dare me! I totally mean it. There will be some thrashing around, as well.
In other parts of life, endless favours can breed an over inflated sense of entitlement. It's ironic that exclusive benefits to the privileged few are traits of a society that a rebellion might fight against. That masonic card may as well carry an imperial symbol.
This whole set release saga is fascinating. Its fun to be sarcastic and scoff but we all as humans are too often guilty of pushing exclusivity that step further to forge elitism.
Congratulations to our new 'inner circle' of fans, I hope its all enjoyable! Personally I would trade that membership for a completist interior. Lets all remember: somewhere there is a kid whose mum could only afford one set. That kid probably loves that set more than all the Lego in the world.
Wondering if anyone from the states has gotten the VIP exclusive card yet? Pretty excited for it as it’ll be a nice thing to throw in people’s faces that won’t get it, especially when I go to TLS to pick up all my exclusive stuff next year. Haha just kidding. But seriously, any US peeps gotten it yet?
Maybe TLG should have an exclusive Ninjago VIP club and all their other themes. etc.
SW
DC
Marvel
Ninjago
City
Technic
Friends
Expert/Advanced
Architect
Minecraft
Forcing AFOL's to spend £6500 per annum on the right sets, just to gain access to all the promo's for 2019.
Wouldn't that be great? Not!
I managed to pick up the UCS Falcon in the London Leicester Square store around a fortnight ago. I am so hoping that I will get one of these cards as when I tried to get it around Sept14 it kept crashing the website and then getting error messages then got told it was out of stock. I have the set haven't made it yet as still trying to work out where I will put it once built or will I just keep admiring the box. I would say to anyone wanting the set to just keep checking back at your local stores. I was supposed to get an email when it came in but that didn't happen. We just happened to be passing - I saw the big box and went no way they have it in. The box was empty but a store assistant came up and said they still had some. Viola it was purchased their and then. We did have to get a taxi home as they didn't get a shipment of the handle and wheels with it and believe me its real, real heavy. I couldn't make it to the bus or the tube with it. It was easier to grab a cab. Im looking forward to whatever they give be it polybags or a discount or more figures to go with the set. I have a midi falcon the large one and now the UCS they will all look good together.
@vjfromnj. In the U.S. and didn't get mine yet. I got my e-mail on 11/11 that it's on its way.
I think some people are slightly overthinking this - TLG are just acknowledging the fans who were willing to pay up to £650 on a single set and keeping them sweet to try and get them to come back and buy more.
The result is perhaps to prevent a retreat back to Amazon/Argos etc. which always have better monetary deals, but less 'exclusive' deals. I very rarely use LEGO.com when there ISN'T an exclusive polybag or set promo on that I'm interested in, because full price Lego isn't particularly manageable, so exclusive polys would work for me from a business perspective to keep using LEGO.com.
I think it would be a little rash to say "Lego wants me to pay a certain amount on sets specifically to get the deal" - in this instance I just wanted the fantastic set. The VIP benefits are collateral. I didn't purchase the set 'because' I would get the VIP benefits.
I sympathise with all the people out there that would buy a MF is they could actually get their hands on one - we can only assume the VIP card deadline will be extended if more are actually still available. Don't forget, this is a 'pilot' scheme so there is a chance it'll get rolled out to other parts of LEGO.com in the future if owners of the card are happy. Not sure whether those without cards will be taken into account...
I wouldn't mind having the card but there's no way on Earth I'm EVER giving 800€ for a Lego set. I refuse to send LEGO the message that "it's OK to overprice sets like this" by buying it.
There are lego sets and rewards at all price levels. Buy the mf is a lot like business class on the plane. You get treated special, you get special perks, others are jealous. Limited supply is rather norm.
You aren't going to be able to aquire / afford everything Lego produces. Get over it. Let those who are willing and able to spend more money on their hobby enjoy it. (like the first class ticket holders)
And this from someone who can't /won't buy the mf. I still love looking at the pictures and celebrating others joy with the perks. Be happy for others, let lego produce super awesome sets, and be happy!
I bought a Falcon at a brand store about 6 weeks ago. No email from Lego and although I've spoken to Lego customer services they couldn't (or wouldn't?) tell me if I was definitely going to get a card. Getting one of these cards seems as much of a lottery as getting to purchase a Falcon
These would be nice had Lego kept the MF in stock...it would seem there is no shortage at their stores but they purposely faked an online shortage...
^ A very fantastic conspiracy theory but it's been very hard work buying a Falcon from a physical brand store. There certainly hasn't been lots of stock in any brand stores as far as I'm aware
So I am getting punished for not being able to buy a set because they did not produce enough? Way to alienate your customers!
This sounds like microtransactions in videogames. Buy the game at full price, but please do pay some more for other stuff for the same game.
My card arrived this week. Very nice it is too.
Is there still a problem getting hold of this set? I was in the Leicester Square store the other day and they had them in stock.
Lego, what are you doing? What do you think you could possibly achieve with this, besides alienating loyal customers?
I sincerely hope your sets for 2018 are better than some of your business decisions of 2017.
The VIP card is simply LEGO saying "Thank you"for buying the Falcon. The promtions linked with it probably won't be all that spectacular and those that wait to purchase the Falcon (once its back in stock) will benefit from other GWPs, double and triple VIP points and no doubt up to 20% off RRP once it's no longer a D2C. I don't think it's punishing or alienating fans any more than the exclusive sets that LEGO produce for other fan events and LEGO insist on doing this year after year. The cold hard facts are that LEGOs marketing strategies work otherwise they wouldn't repeat the same strategies. The blurb with the card does indicate that it's a pilot scheme - if it doesn't work in 2018 they'll bin the concept. However, it is extremely frustrating for those that have been waiting a long time for the arrival of the set and haven't been able to buy one and whilst this is a massive fail of the LEGO group, I would imagine it's difficult to anticipate the demand for a £650 toy!
Great, so because I couldn't purchase the set on day one through no fault of my own (The LEGO website crashed as my order was being sent through) I am now further excluded from this special Star Wars VIP card. Maybe I need to find a new hobby...
^955561976 - Every hobby has it's exclusive items that are price prohibitive. I love my LEGO hobby even more after talking to my brother about his 4x4 Toyota crawler club. That club has a $20,000-30,000 price of entry just for purchasing a vehicle! Puts an $800 toy set into perspective.
I bought one a couple weeks ago but they didn't even mention this VIP card. Is it only in the UK or something?
A neat card but I hope it gives access to buters to expansion packs for the UCS set as I will be very mad if it gives people access to polybags of characters such as Trawn and by the way, Niem Numb is already an elusive figure.
Just another reason to get pissed off at Lego. Hey here's a VIP card, that you will never get, to go along with the Falcon, which you will also never get.
Yes! Perfect! Give these out to people who bought the set, so no one else can, only to turn around and sell it for double its price, to those who couldn't get there hands on one before! Im so sick of Lego making exclusives that are not readily available to most customers.
@mroper295 My point isn't that it's expensive, it's that I couldn't order as the LEGO website went down at the moment of purchase. What is annoying is the many scalpers who've managed to get these sets and flog them on ebay are now going to get the VIP cards to go with them...
Just like mentioned before, Lego could of never guessed on the demand for this set. And if you have seen the size of the boxes, you can understand why they do not want to have a warehouse stocked with them try to sell them. Now with that, the VIP card was already established and an incentive to buy the set, so numbers for those would of been on par with the total number of made sets. Everyone here knows that when Lego has new released exclusives there website crashes, I spent 3 hours of refreshing, loading, error this and error that, but stayed persistent and eventually got it. Should Lego of produced more, sure. Should they possibly extend the card promotion, maybe. But Lego has been around a lot longer then most of us and I'm sure they know what's going on and most likely have a plan for this situation. Getting bent out of shape or swearing off Lego because of this isn't the right way to go, patience is key, so people just relax for a while and see how this plays out.
I know i posted before saying i hope I get one as I managed to now purchase the set and they still have them available for purchase at Leicester Square store in London. I know that doesn't help everyone. If you actually would stop the constant, oh look LEGO pissing people off again and go to the VIP section of the store online LEGO provide full terms and condition of the offer. Like someone said before I am sure they will extend it. I could be pissed that I didn't get a card from the store on my purchase as I know they are able to print the cards like they did on Sept 14 for the first few customers or was this just rumour? I don't know. I also can remember reading somewhere not sure if it was the website or a forum that they produced 10,000 cards.
When I picked up my set they gave me on of those VIP Polybags for free with my purchase as they guy in the store said they had so many of them left. That promotion was more than a month old at that point.
I could get pissed that every year COMIC CON get exclusive sets that I would love and not being able to go to COMIC Con, I don't get them unless I want to pay over the odds prices to others. I am now at the stage that if I get a set I get it, if I don't then it wasn't mean to be.
Got an email today to say I could order my falcon.
So I did. £650 for a special VIP card they saw me coming!!
Saying that....
So can’t wait to get my Star Wars VIP card.
Maybe next year they will actually give me something for my Star Wars related birthday!!
@djlegobear tried and failed to get tickets to comic-con at the weekend. Been wanting to go since before it got “trendy”
I can stop sulking now. I also got an email saying back in stock and managed to acquire one before they sold out. (although I've just had another email telling me "Unfortunately, the item(s) listed below are currently out of stock and it will be a little longer before we can ship the out of stock item(s) to you."...
"Those who have been lucky enough to purchase the set since then, or who are able to do so before the 31st of December, shall receive an exclusive Star Wars VIP card entitling the holder to various offers in 2018."
There must be some other conditions since I didn't get one while buying a Falcon in December 2017 in an Austrian Lego store.
I just got my card, today. Pretty sweet!
US AFOL here. Just got my black VIP card today. Now to wonder what it will do for us...