A Brick Buyer’s Guide Volume III: The Big 5

Amazon - As said before, I absolutely love Amazon. They seem to have the lowest prices among all online retailers, except on a few LEGO exclusives. I have also found that they match other retailer’s online prices, such as Target, within 24 hours. The fact that they throw in free shipping over $35 makes them my preferred online retailer. After all, I never spend less than $40 at a time on LEGO so I usually get free shipping from Amazon.

Target - Target’s online store isn’t quite as nice as Amazon’s and can sometime be frustrating to navigate at peak travel times. I just don’t like the ease of use. Unless they offer free shipping, I rarely shop here. Besides that, my items have always arrived in great condition. There ship to store works great except for their disclaimers. I once got 79109 Colby City Showdown for $31.99 online and chose in store pick up. The next day I get an email saying I have to pick it up by the end of the day. The order slip said I had until the end of the week, so I wasn’t happy about that. Anyway, I ended up getting to my local store in time and I got the set. It was in perfect condition except for TWO stickers, one being a security seal? Anyway, I got them off fine and the box is in perfect condition.

Wal-Mart – Wal-Mart online is hit or miss with many sets. I have heard so many bad things about their shipping service concerning damaged boxes, so I always choose site to store. The shipping ends up being free and I get the item undamaged. I haven’t used this service regularly, so I can’t say how often items get damaged in transit. They rarely have many deals online but do stock a few exclusives.

ToysRUs – ToysRUs is one of the largest toy retailers in the United States. This may seem like the ideal place to shop for LEGO, a toy store. However, everything is never as it seems. ToysRUs will usually mark up almost all LEGO sets about 20% above MSRP. Due to this fact, they are usually not the primer choice when brick shopping. They will, however, run interesting specials that actually make the LEGO a good deal. Examples include spend $75 get $20 off or BOGO 50% off all sets. The main strategy with this e-tailer is to make sure you can get your purchase for below MSRP at the very least.

Shop@Home - Finally, we have Shop@Home, the official LEGO online shop. For obvious reasons discussed above, I tend not to shop too much at Shop@Home. The only items I get are exclusives like CUUSOO items that are the same price everywhere else and power functions that aren’t sold officially anywhere else. I always make sure I order more than $75 worth to get free shipping and usually wait until a month with a free offer such as an exclusive polybag. I got a kick out of the September 2013 VW Camper Van polybag. In addition, VIP points are only redeemable here. LEGOLAND offers a flat 10% discount just for mentioning the program since they are owned 70% by Merlin Entertainments Group. This helps offset the cost of full priced sets. The only thing that drives me up the wall is when I order 16 Collectible Minifigures for $47.84 and only get 32 VIP points. $2.99 = 2 points: See my point?

Our next installment will discuss in store shopping at The LEGO Store.

A Brick Buyer’s Guide Volume II: Online Shopping

 

Once you gathered your materials, you’re ready to start shopping. You have two paths to choose. Shop online or in store. Both of these offer perks and drawbacks, so it basically comes down to your skills and lifestyle. In store shopping is a great way to go if you can provide your own transportation. Besides, some stores will occasionally offer outrageous deals. I once ran into LEGO at Wal-Mart for 75% off! No, it wasn’t a mistake, but I’ve never seen it since. If you are willing to put the effort into checking your local stores daily, in store shopping is the way to go. If you live far away from a shopping center or any big box stores, then you will want to shop online. Online shopping can be risky and there are several drawbacks, but the only effort you need to put into it is time and research skills.

The #1 rule with online shopping: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. An easy way to protect yourself from drop shipping or other funny business, is to only buy from established sellers or mega online stores. eBay can be great, but drop shipping is a serious problem. You may find yourself easily swindled if you stray too far from reputable websites.

The other drawback is my biggest pet peeve with online shopping and the word that makes me cringe: SHIPPING! Ahh! Why should I pay more money for shipping? Duh, it’s because I don’t have to do any work besides sit in front of a computer and move my fingers. I avoid shipping costs whenever possible. This is why I love Amazon. There is free shipping on their items over $35, formally $25. In addition, Shop@Home now offers free shipping on $75, not hard to get too when you’re buying bricks at full price. 

If you can get free shipping, online shopping offers some great deals. You can regularly find sets for 25% off or more. I personally prefer online shopping because there tends to be better deals than in store. I tend to buy from Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, and Shop@Home. I have never received a damaged item from Shop@Home or Target, but I have received a damaged book from Amazon and a beat up box from Wal-Mart. I was willing to forego the Wal-Mart issue since I got the set for 60% off. The offer was a mistake, but my savings were real. Some of you may remember the $39.97 City Mine from Wal-Mart in 2012. I was satisfied, although it was a hassle to try and get the set. Please note that I am not affiliated with any of these companies, but I have found several ones that have made some my favorites.

Our next installment will focus on several major e-tailers.

A Brick Buyer’s Guide Volume I: The Essentials

 

How to get the best deal possible on LEGO; it has long been the pinnacle of questions every LEGO fan asks his or her self. Do I buy for investment purposes, resale value, or personal preference? Do I buy before it’s out of stock or do I pull an all-nighter on eBay? Well, I personally try to do a little bit of everything to get the best deal possible. By varying my purchasing habits across themes and always looking for deals, I end up being a pretty happy LEGO fan.

What you need: 

* Credit Card – This basically is the only way to go if you plan on purchasing online, which you will be doing. The only problem is you have to be 18, at least in the states. If you’re under 18, ask your parents if you can use theirs with the promise you can pay them by cash or check.

* VIP Card – This is the official LEGO rewards program. Every $100 USD you spend, you get a $5 store credit. This basically works out to a 5% discount if you use it regularly. Occasionally there are even double and triple VIP points during special events. LEGO also offers many other perks to VIP members. So get one. It’s free and there’s no reason not to.

* A solid job – As you will quickly find, LEGO is expensive. There is no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If you don’t have a significant nest egg ear marked for LEGO, you can quickly find yourself in debt and therefore in trouble. If purchasing with a credit card, now your limit and set a budget. Taking these precautions will ensure a successful trip through the LEGO retail world.

* Vigilance and Time – Finding LEGO for 50% off or more is not an easy task. It takes time and patience to find these deals hidden in the bowels of the internet. This might mean staying up all night to place the final bid in EBAY. The bottom line is that if you are committed to this job, you will succeed. If you fail to remain committed throughout the entire process, you will be unsuccessful in your endeavors.