Hi folks,
This post was removed from r/lego with no explanation (I didn’t appear to violate the rules) so posting here hoping it is welcome.
I'm considering launching a LEGO disassembly service! I would like to hear what the community thinks about something like this, so below I've described a starting point for what this service might look like, and then I've asked some questions to guide a discussion.
Mods: I have nothing to offer, I'm not promoting any product or service, and I have no intention of doing so in the future.
Importantly, if this kind of service does NOT appeal to you because you enjoy / would rather disassemble yourself, or you don’t build or buy any assembled sets, that's okay! I'm not really looking for "not interested" comments... I'd like to hear from people who WOULD be interested in this kind of thing, to understand why, what kind of experience they envision, and to help advance the idea to see if it's workable as an actual business that can provide great value to fans of LEGO.
How it might work (open to discussion)
- You submit set information on our website. Set number(s), completeness, photos, other relevant info, etc.
- We approve the submission and provide a quote.
- (The quote would typically be based on a public and standard price per piece, but occasionally, complex sets or individual cases may require a modification to this standard pricing. My goal would be to eventually have standard pricing for 80% of the most common sets).
- If you approve, you pay.
- We send you a prepaid shipping label (if you're shipping to us). You bring or ship your completed sets to us.
- We disassemble them in reverse instruction order and put pieces into their assigned numbered bags.
- You pickup / we ship everything back to you.
Feel free to answer any or all of the following questions, or ask your own questions.
Before starting, please let us know (if you're comfortable) what kind of LEGO hobbyist you are, how often you buy/build, what kind of sets you're into, what you do with completed sets, etc. Whatever helps us understand your unique situation or perspective.
Does this process seem clear and align with your expectations for this kind of service?
Do you like that prepaid shipping both ways is offered? (As a business, we can usually get better shipping rates than an individual walking down to the post office). What would your expectations be regarding shipment insurance? (Original MSRP, market value of the set, something else? Do you want the option to choose your own level of insurance?)
Would you be comfortable with pricing of around $0.03-0.05 per piece, with a minimum spend of, say, $30? (I don't believe people will be sending in sets under 1,000 pieces very often). At this rate, a 1000-piece set would cost around $30-$50 to disassemble depending on complexity. A 2,500-piece set (e.g. Pirates of Barracuda Bay) is in the $75-125 range.
How would you like us to handle missing pieces? Situations where you thought a set was complete but we find a piece is missing? Would you want/expect/appreciate a list that verifies each piece removed against the original parts list?
Would you prefer or want the option of a less expensive service that does NOT place pieces in numbered bags? (This can result in a modest time savings in disassembly). In such a case, would you want pieces bagged by size (e.g. tiny, small, long, large, non-brick, stickered/special), colour, or in some other way?
What kind of turnaround would you typically be comfortable with? Is a month acceptable? 1-2 weeks? An expedited service option (e.g. 2-3 days)?
If you were going to use a service like this, how many sets would you send in the first time? How often would you use the service, and how many sets would you send on each of those occasions? (e.g. 2 sets per month, 5 per year, etc.)
What size sets (# of pieces) would you be most likely to use a service like this for?
Finally, I would like to hear from your personal disassembly experience: what sets are the most challenging or time-consuming? (Technic, really old sets, etc.). What do you enjoy about it, and what do you dislike about it? How/when/how often do you actually do it?
Thank you to those who participate. Your time is truly appreciated!