Playmobil Spares Service vs Lego Pick-a-Brick

[Martin Milner]

LEGO pick a brick is not what you thing...

You have 2 way to order parts:
1. Pick a Brick: Few parts and few colors
2. Parts Replacement: Few sets inventoried, you have to search the parts in a unofficial web site (www.peeron), and order by email or phone.

I have used LEGO service many time, and they make a lot of mistakes with parts and colors...

True. Having had a bit more of a play with it, I realise that although LEGO boast 900+ parts on the database, they're mostly the standard shapes. If you want a dozen replacement minifig heads, or some bows or swords, or an unusual shaped brick to augment a set, tough, they're probably not in the database.

So LEGO has the surface right, but the substance is lacking. Playmobil have the substance (if it's still in their warehouse you can have anything for a price) but the presentation and process is lacking.

All the more reason for Playmobil to create a proper spare parts ordering program for their website, it'd show up LEGO and really boost sales, I think.


I'm wondering if with LEGO it's a deliberate ploy only to offer very basic parts with their pick-a-brick option, and I think it must be. It can't be hard to add stuff to the database, so NOT doing so MUST surely be intentional?

[Richard]

Hello, Martin ...

For what it's worth ...

I heard once (awhile back ... maybe three or four years) that Geobra's dream was to have their entire operation fully automatic and internet accessible.

In other words, you could essentially create your own Playmobil sets on-line. When you pressed the "submit order" button it would tell you if all the parts were available (if not, when they were expected to be produced again). If all the parts were available it would calculate your cost (with shipping). When you checked out (with your credit card) you would be given the shipping date with tracking numbers.

As far as all parts being always available ... The idea was to also have this fully automated, so that only in the event of a malfunction (or other problem) all parts would always be available as there would be a continual replenishing that would also be done automatically.

As you can imagine, to set up such a fully automated system (considering the number of different parts, in different colours, now with different printing, that have been produced over the past thirty plus years) would be a gargantuan undertaking. Just the amount of space to stock such a variety of parts is almost mind boggling.

So, until the machines can be developed, that can actually produce (on demand) any Playmobil figure (or accessory) that you can imagine, we probably won't see this vision of a fully automated system become a reality.

However, there is new technology available (albeit in its infancy) that can reproduce 3D objects in plastic ... much like a printer copies a 2D image on paper.

So, who knows ... someday you may actually be able to retrieve your Playmobil order from your own 3D fax machine ...

All the best,
Richard

 

[surfergirl]

WOW, all this automation would be great...i'm happy to wait

I just placed a rather long parts order with DS in the UK and they did get back to me pretty quickly with a price and a short list of parts that were not available...but it was a long and labourious process to type out the whole order so any improvement that could be made by way of internet ordering would be a huge help

that said, i can't see me stopping collecting playmobil any time soon so i will keep ordering in the current way for as long as it takes

claire

[Timotheos]

Hi Martin

I agree with your assement of Lego spare parts service vs. PM.

A Duplo set we bought for our kid was missing some pieces.  I was able to go on-line, click a few buttons, and I received the parts within a week.

I don't think such a service would be hard to implement for PM USA, and the fact limited service exists in Germany, but hasn't been exported to the US or UK, is proof of concept enough.

I suspect the parts service is enormously man-power intensive (which is why our orders tend to take a month).  PM USA seems to have separate facilities for parts and mainline orders--you can't combine parts and sets orders--so maybe there is some internal bureaucracy / logistics they have to wrestle with over here.

[extjmv]

But, you have to know that LEGO web site is a "business" and Playmobil web site is a Service. I'll explain.

LEGO, has ads in google, they do marketing (exclusive sets, releases sets months before other shops can do, etc..)  LEGO website is a competitor to retailers.

But Playmobil web site, is a service to Playmobil Fans and Collectors.

[Martin Milner]

I can't accept that Playmobil's website isn't run as a business - it sells complete sets in direct competition with retailers, as well as accessory sets that retailers don't get.

I do accept that the Playmobil spare parts service is more of a service than a profit making exercise, but maybe it's time they got with the programme and got better organised. I really think it'd benefit them, increasing sales of all their products, not just spare parts, for the small investment of building a proper system into their website.

Edit - I just noticed that the Customer Services page has been updated on the UK website, to make it more obvious.

[extjmv]

I'm a retailer, and Playmobil always says that is not our competitor, and have a good policy with retailers.
But LEGO web site is the biggest competitor we have, they do almost illegal makerting.....

[Martin Milner]

Playmobil may say they're not a competitor, but if I buy a set from Playmobil I'm not buying it from a retailer, so from a customer's viewpoint that's still competition...

My biggest problem is that I have no local shops selling Playmobil. There's one TK Maxx store that occasionally has sets in, but not reliably and nothing like a full range - more like the bits nobody else could sell. ARGOS don't carry Playmobil at all, but do carry a limited Lego range. My town is woefully supplied for Toyshops generally, and I'm glad I'm not a kid anymore.

To buy Playmobil from a retailer, I have to travel at least 5 miles by bike, or ten by bus, and then lug it all home again. I've done that a few times, and will again, but if I'm in no hurry for a set, Playmobil's website works for me, and if I order enough I don't even pay postage.

Lego is comparatively easily available, as it is stocked in ARGOS, though only a limited range. If I buy from Lego's website I still pay postage, and prices are the same as elsewhere if not more expensive for some sets, so if I can get it elsewhere I will.

[arab warrior]

O.K. But if it's a crummy service, it isn't really a service.

[Timotheos]

But, you have to know that LEGO web site is a "business" and Playmobil web site is a Service. I'll explain.

LEGO, has ads in google, they do marketing (exclusive sets, releases sets months before other shops can do, etc..)  LEGO website is a competitor to retailers.

But Playmobil web site, is a service to Playmobil Fans and Collectors.

Hi interesting idea, but given that Playmobil recently required all on-line vendors to match its web prices, the Playmobil website would appear to be competing with them.  Also, Playmobil offers discounts (pick of the month, best buy, and discontinued) that by inference compete with online retailers who don't match the discount.

I think Playmobil is just less business savvy than Lego in some regards.  Not that I miss the adverts.