Do LEGO Stores sell Power Function and Mindstorms?

brickbrett

I will be visiting the USA next week from Australia. We do not have a Lego store at all and I would like to know if the USA Lego stores or any other stores sell Power functions and minstorm motors, cables and controls seperately? I am also after the train motors.

Could someone help me by letting me know if these are available instrore?
I don;t think I can oredr from lego and have it delivered to my motel as they wont deliver to an address that isn't the card holders address will they?

Please help.

Brett

ereiamjh

Liverpool store sells some Power Functions stuff, but it's often not out on display. So it's worth asking if you can't find anything.

Jenni

The Nashville store carries mindstorm and power functions. If they're not in the store they will offer to ship them to you but I don't know if they'll send them to Australia. Last I heard they will ship to an alternate address in the US, that's how drop shipping works. [email protected] France ships to my current address even though I pay with a card with a US address.

Good luck Brett.

brickbrett

Thanks Guys, I am going to Hawaii and California so if anyone knows of a store there that sells them please let me know.
The trouble with sending them is in Australia I can order them but they are double the US pricing.

Jenni

Try to go to the big stores to get more choice. I believe there's only one in Honolulu but there are quite a few LEGO stores in California, see if you can figure out the largest. If you're in LA my guess would be that the store associated with Disneyland is the largest but I don't know for sure. LEGO has a rating system for the stores based on their size, the bigger the store the more variety it gets.

What I meant with the shipping is that if I go into a LEGO store in America and they have run out of a set they will sell it to me and ship it to my house for free. If you end up in that situation I would at least ask if they can do that, though I doubt that they will it's worth a try.

brickbrett

Thanks Jenni
Looking forward to visiting an actual Lego store

dneul

If you looking for individual components then you won't find them. There is the power funtions set with the motor and battery pack but nothing is sold as just a cable or just a motor.

FollowsClosely

Make the purchase on the US site and have the components shipped to a friend in Honolulu.

Poochy

brickbrett said:

I don;t think I can oredr from lego and have it delivered to my motel as they wont deliver to an address that isn't the card holders address will they?

Not sure about a motel address, but I have Lego delivered to my office, and that address is not my billing address. You could always call your CC company to let them know about the proposed arrangement.

ColoradoBricks

I reside in the US and recently made an order from [email protected] in France to be delivered in France, was not an issue (even got VIP points & freebies). I had my US address as my billing address but a French address for the delivery.

Jenni

@dneul I haven't really looked at it because we're a 9V family, but I think I've seen all the parts they're selling to power up the HE in individual bags on a shelf under the HE. I've seen it in Paris and at least one of the UK stores. They might not be what Brett's looking for either though.

@brickbrett You will love the store and then you will miss it dreadfully when you go home, I'm six hours away now vs 15 minutes last year, it's very hard :(. I do think they will expand into Australia in the not too distant future though.

dneul

It is a boxed power function kit but individual components I have never seen.

flecski

In the UK I think I have seen power functions in all the stores I have been too. The individual components are usually in a perspex tray and sometimes this can easily be overlooked as it can be between larger shelves. Ive purchased motors, train motors, lights, iR receivers and extension cables myself, but I know they had battery boxes and iR transmitters.
I have not seen mindstorms sold as individual items though.

Flec

graphite

The likelihood that one store will have all the PF and train stuff you're looking for is probably low. You're probably best of trying to find someone in one of the locations you're going to be in that would be willing to order for you from [email protected] and have it ready when you're there.

cheshirecat

In the UK individual PF components are available in most/all stores. Theyre in little clear perspex boxes with about six compartments kept with the technic. Manchester has two of them. Seems odd that they wouldn't have the same in the US.

brickbrett

It is individual pf and mindstorm parts I am after. I don't know anyone in the USA at all. Lego will not send to a motel, I asked and pleaded.
Time to find a online trustworthy friend in Las Vegas or San Diego as they are my last places to visit before heading back downunder.
Does the legoland store sell these? I am going there!!
Thanks
for the help people, but it's not looking great:(

graphite

How long will you be here? If you confirm that one of the hotels you're staying at will allow you to have a package sent to you there and you are willing to pay the shipping, I'd be willing to order for you and ship it to the hotel. If you're doing over $75 [email protected] shipping will be free so it would just end up being the shipping from me to the hotel.

brickbrett

Hi Graphite are you in California?

graphite

No, Iowa.

brickbrett

Thanks Graphite. I will get back to you once I check out the lego store in Honolulu.

graphite

^ Depending on how long you'll be in the US there might not be time at that point but feel free to message me once you find out.

brickbrett

Generally how long does a Lego delivery take to reach you once ordered?

chromedigi

Have you tried Lego Education? A bit pricey, but you can get a variety of Technic/pneumatic/PF/Mindstorms-related paraphernalia there. I have no idea if they'll ship to Australia, but it's worth looking into.

LegoFanTexas

The LEGO stores I've been in only carry the orange power functions box, no separate PF parts, you have to buy those from [email protected]

The larger stores do carry Mindstorms, but don't count on it being in stock, it sells out often.

Based on what you're trying to do, you're really shooting yourself in the foot if you don't have an order with [email protected] ready before you arrive, anything else is unlikely to have a happy outcome.

chromedigi

^ He's right... it just got through my thick head that what you're trying to do is to avoid shipping charges. Duh.

Re: The Ev3, it seems to be in plentiful stock out my way, anyway. Not in danger of selling out yet.

nonex

Why not just call the store?

dfurn

@brickbrett I'd suggest placing an order from US [email protected] now and getting it shipped to the last hotel you will be staying with, assuming it's 2-3 weeks away. I was quite surprised when visiting the US that hotels quite happily accept packages on behalf of guests; even with a non-US credit card. You could call your last hotel just to check. You'd probably write Your Name (guest) on the address and they'll keep it for you. As the PF is likely to be over $75 you should get free shipping and a free mini VW camper van as well. Often US post can be somewhat slow so when I've ordered from Amazon in the past I usually give it 2-3 weeks or so before the date I'll be at the place.

LegoFanTexas

^ Yes, Hotels don't care, they are happy to do it.

Just make sure you know your room number and the front desk will take it.

I've shipped many sets to hotels for just this reason, usually there is a note attached to the order saying, "need it between x and y date as that is when I'll be there".

Knock on wood, I've never had a problem with it.

graphite

chromedigi said:

^ He's right... it just got through my thick head that what you're trying to do is to avoid shipping charges. Duh.

Re: The Ev3, it seems to be in plentiful stock out my way, anyway. Not in danger of selling out yet.

It's not just shipping he's trying to avoid. The parts themselves are like 50% more expensive in Australia and I think just getting them at a store here is easier than arranging for someone to order and get them to him so he was attempting to do that.

brickbrett

The parts are 100% more expensive in Australia that's right double. I may have a contact in Vegas and that's my last stop in 4 weeks time.

brickbrett

Oh and Lego say they won't send to a hotel.

SirKevbags

@brickbrett I don't know if these pf parts are available from Amazon.com but they will ship to Vegas hotels. I had two packages and at least one of them arrived before I did and there was a notification waiting when I checked in.

dfurn

brickbrett said:

Oh and Lego say they won't send to a hotel.

Hmm they might say that but if you type the address in as a delivery address on their system it probably would work. Or ship it to a friend/contact in the Vegas area. US people correct me if I'm wrong but I understand you can ship items to collect at any US post office. So a few options there.

brickbrett

Hi guys just to let you know I was able to order them and have them shipped to a friend of a friend of a friend in Las Vegas so I can pick them up when I'm there. And even better tax free as NV has not a Lego store.
Thank you all for your advise.