How LEGO landed on the 20 points reward for scanning old sets
The LEGO Group’s decision to reward customers with 20 Insiders points for scanning old sets was met with criticism. Here’s how it came about.
In August 2023, the LEGO Group rebranded its loyalty program from VIP to Insiders, bringing with it a number of changes that solidified its evolution from a simple points program to a more all-round membership. One element that changed was a new ability to scan sets you already own for bonus points, rather than simply earn points by buying from the LEGO Group.
This included LEGO sets bought from third-party retailers, rewarding customers with a flat rate of 20 Insiders points for every set. Here’s how to go about doing it if you haven’t already given it a go. For those that did give it a go, there were some complaints that 20 points wasn’t worth the effort. However, the number was carefully considered, as explained by the ex-head of loyalty and the VIP program at the LEGO Group Jason Whiting while speaking to the hosts of A Couple of Brickheads podcast.
“We wanted to give something to people who [already] have sets,” Jason explained. “Let’s come up with a number that you can get something for. A lot of these sets are in the hands of kids, they’re the ones using the apps. So what’s a number where we can give something digital or they can save up and get something better – and also not be at the point where we have to worry about giving away so many points that it’s going to destroy the program.
“At the same time, my team is looking at what we can make that fits within that realm. Say a kid gets a LEGO City set, the parent gets a few points for buying the set, then a few more points for registering the set. Then can they get something that’s City related, like a colouring book.”
This way of thinking is perhaps different to a lot of adult collectors’ first reactions, for whom points are typically associated with saving up for discounts or larger rewards. However, boosting customers’ points balances was never the goal, but rather to provide an extra cherry on top of the brick-built cake.
“The intent was never to double the points that you buy,” Jason said. “If you buy the set from us, you’re going to get the points anyway. This meant that you would at least get something.”
Why aren’t UCS sets worth more?
Another area of criticism was that the flat rate of 20 Insiders points didn’t change depending on how much you had spent. Whether you spent single or triple figures on set, you got the same amount of points back when scanning it. Once again, the logic came back to rewarding all builders, with a focus on the youngest.
“The intent is to reward you for the sets you own and not alienate a child whose parents can’t afford the most expensive sets,” Jason explained. “You’re already getting some benefit when you buy the sets and if you choose not to buy from the LEGO Group, you’re probably buying for a different reason.”
Jason touched on various other areas of the inner workings of the LEGO Group, including why the company switched from VIP to Insiders in the first place, and the lack of Star Wars minifigure-specific gifts-with-purchase in recent years. Check out the full interview here.
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