Today is January 29, 2019, and toy stores in Germany (at least a couple that I've checked) still have only some remainders of 2018 July - December catalogues. 2019 January - June catalogues are nowhere to be seen, even though the first month of 2019 is virtually over already. As far as I remember, it has always been like this over here already during my entire childhood.
Why is that? Why do the printed LEGO catalogues not show up in stores at the beginning of the year, at latest along with the first sets released in the new year?
I have heard and thought about various reasonings over the years: That they wait for some toy industry fair before revealing the entire programme for the year (seems unreasonable in light of the complete novelties being visible on the web already), that they hope people will buy a first set in the year solely in order to get to see the included (smaller) printed catalogue (that strategy might work, it's precisely what I used to do as a kid every January ;) ), etc. Is there a publicly known reason for this delay in releasing the printed complete catalogues?
