No more tape seals? Opening box now damages it.

CathyVT

I noticed first on my Bonsai Tree set, and now on a new Creator 3-in-1 set, that there are no longer tape seals on the boxes - they're glued shut. I guess it helps with theft, where maybe people cut the seals, took out pieces, then retaped them and returned items, claiming it's unopened. But it's a bummer if you tended to keep the boxes, flattened or intact - opening them now rips the cardboard a bit. I don't usually keep boxes, but I assume people who do are not thrilled about this change. Thoughts?

CCC

I haven't seen them yet, but can't you cut them with a craft knife like normal glued end boxes?

CathyVT

CCC said:

I haven't seen them yet, but can't you cut them with a craft knife like normal glued end boxes?

Not really. The way things are tucked and glued, the only "flap" you can lift up is the entire back side of the box. Which would make a tray out of the box. I mean, I guess you could probably get a knife in to cut that whole side of the end in this photo, but the end is a flap that is tucked under the back of the box, so you'd have to cut around or under those thumb flaps. AND that end flap is also glued to the two little flaps under it.

The boxes are built totally differently than previous boxes. It's not as if the boxes are the same but with glue holding down the flap where the tape was. 

Coolguy5000

This is the norm for most European boxed sets. I always thought the tape seals in the US contributed to the high reports of people opening "sealed" boxes only to find contents missing or replaced. 

Huw

These are common in Europe and the majority of small- and medium-sized sets are packaged this way. 

I'm guessing that some sets packed in Europe have made their way to the US.

gratefulnat

Like others have said this is absolutely the norm here in Europe, and has been for the 20 years I've been buying LEGO. Pre year 2000 (wild guess :)) boxes were different, with windows, slide in trays and so on.

Pretty much all sets with less than (another wild guess) 700/800 parts are packaged this way. Large sets, D2C, UCS, IDEAS, some GWP, etc etc are taped liked the releases in north America.

Cutting them open with a nice sharp carpet/craft knife does the job pretty well. The amount of glue used certainly plays a factor in how 'clean' you can slice the end of the box open. I have certainly cut numerous side flaps off the box and they remain glued to the large tab. Oh well...

But usually it works out fine like below. The 'push tabs' have never been an extra complication for me.

autolycus

I noticed this with 2 of my 3 SW helmet sets. In the US it’s been quite common to have battlepacks and slightly larger sets done with the punch holes like that, but these were the first time I had seen them on a set box as big as the helmets. They were definitely US boxes, with the piece count printed rather than added with a sticker.

As noted by others, I just used a knife to slice through the glue to flatten the box. I did tear some of the inside of the cardboard, but nothing visible on the outside. 

Funny enough, I’ve been seeing more and more brickheadz boxes using taped edges instead of the punch holes. This seems to be mostly with the seasonal sets, which I really appreciate because it’s nicer putting the set back in the box for keeping until next year.

MeganL

I complain about those thumb tabs constantly!  I don't like them at all as if you use them as intended it ruins the box.  I second what everyone else says about a sharp knife.  One tip I received was that glue on the opposite end of where the tabs are doesn't seem to be quite as strong, so when first opening the set I often find it easier to open that end first.  

But yes, knives.  I keep one on hand at my LEGO building table (as well as any place where I build regularly).  When people see my building space that's usually the first thing they ask about - "Why do you have a knife there?".  It can lead to all kinds of interesting answers....

bricktuary

Ah yes, one must always keep one's Sword of Exact Zero close to hand.

CCC

Like gratefulnat has done, I can cut behind the tabs quite easily with a craft knife. Slow and steady does the job. Or do it on the other end, where there are no tabs.

Fauch

I don't cut the glue. I just insert a knife near a glue patch and twist it.

SumoLego

I normally open boxes like a rabid spider monkey, so isn't much left to tape back together.

Speedman29

Unless its a big set box, its gets opened however it needs to be and then recycled once the set is built. Modular buildings or Ideas sets get carefully opened and the boxes stacked and stored in one of the lofts.

MaffyD

SumoLego said:

I normally open boxes like a rabid spider monkey, so isn't much left to tape back together.

I believe you, but how do you know the manner in which rabid spider monkeys open Lego sets? Where do you get them from? :-)

560Heliport

SumoLego said:

I normally open boxes like a rabid spider monkey, so isn't much left to tape back together.

Can you put a video on YouTube? I'd love to see this!

Astrobricks

560Heliport said:

SumoLego said:

I normally open boxes like a rabid spider monkey, so isn't much left to tape back together.

Can you put a video on YouTube? I'd love to see this!

Stop motion and speeded up versions please! ;-)

The_Rancor

I just tear open and recycle pretty much all my boxes & bags, only making exceptions for occasional larger sets like UCS that have taped seals anyway - which makes maybe 5-6 boxes a year on average. Glad this is a ‘problem’ I don’t have to worry about.

Let’s be honest, TLG package their goods to adequately protect the contents and make it more difficult for shoplifters to get into them - not to make it easy for AFOLs to open it without too much glue on one edge.

MaffyD

I see we all jumped on the Rabid Monkey post like rabid monkeys, eh? Thanks @SumoLego

Overall I'm happy with how Lego package their sets. Shoplifters and 'replace with tat and return' people are the worst.

Astrobricks

The_Rancor said:

I just tear open and recycle pretty much all my boxes & bags, only making exceptions for occasional larger sets like UCS that have taped seals anyway - which makes maybe 5-6 boxes a year on average. Glad this is a ‘problem’ I don’t have to worry about.

Let’s be honest, TLG package their goods to adequately protect the contents and make it more difficult for shoplifters to get into them - not to make it easy for AFOLs to open it without too much glue on one edge.

Or for Amazon to ship them without an outer box 🙄

SumoLego

Astrobricks said:

Stop motion and speeded up versions please! ;-)

- Time for an OnlyFans account -

Astrobricks

SumoLego said:

Astrobricks said:

Stop motion and speeded up versions please! ;-)

- Time for an OnlyFans account -

Maybe you can make $3M like Bella Thorne. ;-)