One of LEGO’s recent initiatives to drum up sales in specific markets around the world has been regional exclusives. These special sets would only be available for purchase in the markets they’re targeted to release in. That means avid collectors often had to jump hoops to get LEGO sets only available “there but not here.”
Needless to say, some of these customers are not pleased and have brought their concerns to LEGO. The LEGO Group has considered this and announced that pretty soon, regional exclusives sets need not remain exclusive forever. It will only be so for a given period before becoming generally available elsewhere.
To be specific, LEGO intends to implement this new regional exclusivity rule after May 1. That means all market-exclusive LEGO sets coming out after that date will stay regionally exclusive anywhere from 3 to 6 months. After that, they become fair game for collectors worldwide.
From this ruling, a number of LEGO regional exclusives earlier this year won’t make the cut. These include the Star Wars Celebration-only Darth Vader Bust (75227), plus the Chinese-market New Year’s Eve Dinner (80101) and Dragon Dance (80102). There’s a third Chinese set, the Dragon Boat Race (80103) that’s coming May 3. That could well fall under the new rules.
If so, collectors the world over can expect the LEGO Chinese Dragon Dance (80103) between August and November, once the regional exclusivity period runs out. Here’s hoping it is included, seeing as it was marketed with the earlier, non-eligible, two.