Buying from LEGO Brand Stores and shop.lego.com ([email protected])

CCC

Yes, you can return it if the package is damaged. Don't call it minor, just say the packaging is damaged, and you want it perfect.

andhe

I'm aware that people order things from PAB that aren't available from the website. Would anyone who has done this be able to tell me how they went about this; if there is any additional cost; and whether you are restricted to PAB type items or whether you can order specific pieces eg. Castle armour etc.

Thanks!

Matthew

Give customer service a call, tell them the part numbers and they'll get you a price. You can order up to 15 different parts and up to 50 quantity of each. £2 shipping to UK. No licensed parts/figs/stickers though.

dsdg88

@andhe:
I recently use the "Customer Service" : "Replacement parts" area of the website. I selected a number of parts and described them as "lost."
A few days later I received the email with a price quote. The email also suggested using PaB, but a number of the parts that I could get as replacement parts were not in PaB.

andhe

Thanks guys. For £2 postage, it seems better to get newer parts direct than bricklinking. Where can I find official parts numbers? The number on the mould is the design ID isn't it? Which is different I believe.

CCC

Also if you know which set they are from, you can say you have that set, and it will give you a list of pieces to choose from that you have "lost".

BrickDancer

^^Not always, I just made a couple orders this week and some parts are much cheaper on Bricklink as 'new' than getting it direct from TLG. Just look at 1x1 plates as an example, $0.10 from TLG and about $0.07 on BL. The hard part is Lego doesn't have a published list of costs for all their parts, so you won't know until you call and ask for it. So can't do the price shopping ahead of time in an efficient way.

MinifiguresPlus

Hi, everyone, I'm wondering if anyone has news on the upcoming LEGO exclusive figures or polybags, etc. I'd especially be interested to know when there will be free shipping again.
Thanks!

gdelahousse

Hello,

I have been buying sets from LEGO [email protected] for a very longtime. In the past years I had maybe an damaged box every 30 shipment or so. Recently I had 3 in the past 5 orders. Usually the root cause is because they packed too much "air bags" that crushes the box inside or shipping a polybag/small set with a large set making damage to the smaller set. I just received town hall with the box badly pressed/damaged by the air bags and the mini sopwith camel tear open... Anyone has experienced those lately ?

Thanks,

Pitfall69

Yes. Probably due in part of the last 2 promotions and trying too hard to get shipments out fast. I had a few damaged boxes the last shipment. I would rather Lego take their time. I am never in a hurry for my Legos.

Modeltrainman

I'm aware that people order things from PAB that aren't available from the website. Would anyone who has done this be able to tell me how they went about this; if there is any additional cost; and whether you are restricted to PAB type items or whether you can order specific pieces eg. Castle armour etc.

Thanks!

I've gotten extra Emerald Night pieces in this way. Just the wheels and axles.

monkeyhanger

Andhe: If you go to the customer services missing pieces section of the website and fill in the online form for lost pieces, identifying them from the inventory of a specific set (it will ask you what sets you lost pieces from, then bring up a piece inventory for those named sets). You will then send the form and somone will respond with a price and tell you if any of your pieces are unavailable. They won't let you buy licensed minifig compinents this way, just other parts.

Brickarmor

They won't let you buy licensed minifig compinents this way, just other parts.

Bummer. All I'm missing is Obi Wan's head from Cad Banes Speeder... Was seriously going to call Lego for it when I got the chance. May still try, you never know.

LegobrandonCP

They won't let you buy licensed minifig compinents this way, just other parts.

Bummer. All I'm missing is Obi Wan's head from Cad Banes Speeder... Was seriously going to call Lego for it when I got the chance. May still try, you never know.

Was it missing from a new set or used? If it was new and has never been opened before, LEGO will gladly send you a head free of charge. :) I don't know about a used set though, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Renny

Just some advice. NEVER order the Star Wars planet sets along with any other set. I had ordered some along with some battle packs and all of the battle pack boxes have "planet" indentations all over.

Brickarmor

Bummer. All I'm missing is Obi Wan's head from Cad Banes Speeder... Was seriously going to call Lego for it when I got the chance. May still try, you never know.

Moron. You're missing Obi Wan's head from the Jedi Shuttle and a Commando helmet from Cad Bane's Speeder. The force is not with you, alas...

And no, I still haven't called for it yet. I'm trying to get a comprehensive list together, but I'll post here when I do try to get the mini fig parts.

seonadancing

I love [email protected] but their packing skills needs improvement. I once bought PaB and they had all the items inside a box half the size of a shoe box and that was great, BUT, they put 4pcs of brick separator, and 4pcs of Lego Logo magnet inside a box that was twice the size of the other one! When I went to claim the package, i thought the lady gave me a shoe box with nothing but air inside. And also, the brick separator they sent me was the green one, when I ordered for the orange one. As compensation, they sent over 2 orange brick separators, which was oddly sent over from Australia. My recent May the 4th purchase was but inside a box that was the size of a wedding gown box but 1/4th of it was just airbags. Amazon is a much better packer.

monkeyhanger

I'd rather have a box too big and have everything inside immaculate ([email protected]) than a box that was battered too hell as there was no cushioning between the shipping box and the item box (Amazon). [email protected] boxes are generally a thicker guage than recent large boxes I have received from Amazon.

seonadancing

I spoke too soon, I just received delivery of a Sith Infiltrator and a Cars V8 cafe set and it was in a box that is even bigger than the wedding gown box I mentioned earlier. I understand that there's a fix number of box sizes so just have to live with it.

Draddog

I feel like I should know the answer to this but I don't. I want to put in an order on the UK version of [email protected] and have it sent to my cousion in London (its a gift for her son). I only have a CC tied to the US. Has anyone placed an order like this before with any luck?
My intent is to not have the international shipping charges ordering it from the US. Also there is a time consideration involved - I need it there sooner rather than later.
Thanks
Draddog

Bumblepants

I would call them, they are quite helpful and can probably sort it out for you.

Draddog

Draddog said:

I feel like I should know the answer to this but I don't. I want to put in an order on the UK version of [email protected] and have it sent to my cousion in London (its a gift for her son). I only have a CC tied to the US. Has anyone placed an order like this before with any luck?
My intent is to not have the international shipping charges ordering it from the US. Also there is a time consideration involved - I need it there sooner rather than later.
Thanks
Draddog

As a follow up, I was able to place the order no problem. It shipped on Monday.

CCC

^ I've done it the other way around. I'm in the UK, ordered from US [email protected] and had it shipped to a hotel in the US when I was there.

stoneboi

What are the good reasons for buying at [email protected]?
it seems to me, shipping and tax , deals double whammy to sales at [email protected] other major online retailers offer free shipping and no tax.

for example, a larger box at 99.90 having shipping at $27 not including tax yet. evening with double VIP point deducting $10 off the shipping, you are still losing $17 and tax.

Amberyl

Taxes depend on where you live (at least for the US). If an online retailer has a physical presence in your state, they are required to collect sales tax. For instance, I have to pay sales tax for Target, TRU, and Walmart's online sites. Even Amazon collects sales taxes in some states. Free shipping is also a 'sometimes' at many online retailers.

[email protected] has some exclusives, so that's the primary reason for using them. You have to calculate total cost, including the value of your VIP points, to know where you'll get the best deal.

Shipping in [email protected] is temporarily free for orders over $75, by the way.

stoneboi

yep, free shipping now, thats why i bought from [email protected] after the purchase, i only realised that there is tax included, and other online retails offer free shipping and no tax...regrets...

cbaker1974

Best times to purchase from [email protected] are:
- Special sales like May the 4th and Black Friday
- Times when exclusive bonus add-ons are offered with certain sets or order minimums (exclusive minifigs, pick-a-brick boxes, etc)
- Clearanced items
- Combining the above with credit card or cashback site bonuses...last year Discover had like 5-10% back during 4th quarter, for example

On a normal, day to day basis you are right, other places will have better deals

lulwut

Only when the moment is right. I was on the fence for the Haunted House but was tipped because I had a 10% coupon, free zombie polybag, and 5% VIP in points.

LegoFanTexas

stoneboi said:

yep, free shipping now, thats why i bought from [email protected] after the purchase, i only realised that there is tax included, and other online retails offer free shipping and no tax...regrets...

I know that almost no one pays it, but keep in mind that you still owe the tax, regardless of where you buy the item. You're just cheating the system when you don't pay the tax.

Yes, I know you probably don't care, and that is ok, but keep that in mind before you bash [email protected] for doing what they are supposed to be doing.

BTW, it won't last, within the next few years we're bound to have a national system in place to fix this issue, to level the playing field. I don't like it, but I understand it.

stoneboi

lulwut said:

Only when the moment is right. I was on the fence for the Haunted House but was tipped because I had a 10% coupon, free zombie polybag, and 5% VIP in points.

how do you get coupons for S&H?

stoneboi

LegoFanTexas said:

stoneboi said:

yep, free shipping now, thats why i bought from [email protected] after the purchase, i only realised that there is tax included, and other online retails offer free shipping and no tax...regrets...

I know that almost no one pays it, but keep in mind that you still owe the tax, regardless of where you buy the item. You're just cheating the system when you don't pay the tax.

Yes, I know you probably don't care, and that is ok, but keep that in mind before you bash [email protected] for doing what they are supposed to be doing.

BTW, it won't last, within the next few years we're bound to have a national system in place to fix this issue, to level the playing field. I don't like it, but I understand it.

the tax is automatically added at checkout. how can anyone avoid that?

stoneboi

just check the sales section of [email protected] four items only .....

LegoFanTexas

stoneboi said:

the tax is automatically added at checkout. how can anyone avoid that?

No, when you buy other places such as Amazon.com that don't add the tax, you still owe it directly to the state. Most states that have both a sales tax and an income tax have a place on the income tax form to pay it at the end of each yet.

So that $99 set from Amazon.com still has tax owed, Amazon just isn't collecting it for you.

khmellymel

^ Having a friend or family member in another state that doesn't have tax buy the item is one example. I would imagine that circumventing tax is a bit more of a pain than anything, though.

LegoFanTexas

Of course, you really aren't "saving" money... The state has a budget and has to meet it somehow, if everyone suddenly stopped paying sales tax, the state isn't going to say, "oh well, tough luck to us".

If you want lower taxes, tell your government to spend less money. :)

stoneboi

LegoFanTexas said:

stoneboi said:

the tax is automatically added at checkout. how can anyone avoid that?

No, when you buy other places such as Amazon.com that don't add the tax, you still owe it directly to the state. Most states that have both a sales tax and an income tax have a place on the income tax form to pay it at the end of each yet.

So that $99 set from Amazon.com still has tax owed, Amazon just isn't collecting it for you.

heard that amazon is going to collect tax for california soon or is it in placed already. think there are folks in california rushing their purchasing before the deadline...

LegoFanTexas

^ Of course the flip side is, "if you want more public services, be prepared to pay more in taxes to get them".

This is why I continue to be amazed at how many Canadians complain that because the Canada Dollar and US Dollar are about equal, then Lego sets should cost the same on both sides of the border. This is nuts, they never will because of taxes, which are higher in all respects in Canada and this is reflected in the price. But it is also reflected in the higher level of social services Canada provides its citizens.

LegobrandonCP

^ Good and bad. Good= Social services, Bad= Expensive LEGO.

LegoFanTexas

But you can't have one without the other.

Right now, I have no health insurance. If I wanted to buy a decent policy to cover myself and my family, I would have an out of pocket cost of $1,000 a month, and an annual max out of pocket cost if we actually use all the services of about $26,000 (including the cost of the policy, plus deductible).

But I get cheap Lego! :)

monkeyhanger

@LFT: ^ Stay healthy!

dougts

LegoFanTexas said:

BTW, it won't last, within the next few years we're bound to have a national system in place to fix this issue, to level the playing field. I don't like it, but I understand it.

If you are talking a national system which forces retailers to collect all sales taxes according to the location of the buyer - the administrative expense could be quite burdensome, especially on small-time sellers. Imagine everyone on Bricklink having to collect taxes according to the different rates and regulations for all 50 states, then having to dispurse that money back to said states. talk about a commerce killer...

I agree something will likely happen, but file it under one of those "careful what you wish for" kind of things. (not saying you want this, just that you recognize congress will eventually act). I have no doubt whatever they come up with will be worse than the status quo. My preference would be for congress to require big/sophisticated online stores to collect the taxes for all customers (amazon, target, tru, wal-mart, etc), but that small-time operators would still be allowed to continue as is, and the self-reporting mechanism would be maintained for buyers who frequent those merchants. Just hitting the big guys with these regulations would catch the biggest piece of the pie, without killing small businesses with administrative hassles.

However, if you meant some sort of national sales or VAT, then I say hell no!!!

mressin

^ What would be the problem with a change to a nationwide VAT?

stoneboi

LEGO fans in the states enjoy good prices! damn cut throat prices in the east!

LegoFanTexas

mressin said:

^ What would be the problem with a change to a nationwide VAT?

If they did this by removing state income and sales taxes, fine... but they don't ever do that, they only add taxes.

Keep in mind that America exists because of British taxes, we went to war to free ourselves of excessive taxation. (or really, taxation without representation)

Of course, the grand irony in this is that the taxes of the day in 1775 were nothing compared to today, but then again we live in a very different world today so you really can't compare the two.

Our national income tax was never supposed to be over 6%, if you actually go back and study the original law, you'll see that was the promise. Ha!

I trust our government with our money about as far as I can throw it. Tax and spend, tax and spend, that is all they know how to do. Grr... And both sides are just as guilty...

LegoFanTexas

monkeyhanger said:

@LFT: ^ Stay healthy!

No kidding... :)

dougts

mressin said:

^ What would be the problem with a change to a nationwide VAT?

right now my state has no sales tax - but we do have the highest income tax % in the country (or maybe 2nd highest). If a national VAT were added, you can be sure my high income tax wouldn't be lowered to compensate.

Also, our federal system (at least prior to the 1930s, but let's not go too far down that road) was historically set up to only empower the federal government the responsibility of providing very specific and limited things, leaving the rest to the individual states to handle separately according to their own local wishes. We've gotten further and further away from this federal system over the past century, and more and more control of things is being done at the national level - some think this is a good thing, some think this is bad. Truth bet told, there's probably some good and bad, depending on just what is being regulated or managed.

To circle back, if a national VAT were introduced, there is no constitutional authority that would prevent states from keeping and adding to their individual sales' taxes as well. and since the national VAT would go to Washington, and most states are in the red already, they certainly aren't going to just give up all that revenue to be nice. Everyone would essentially be hit from both sides. And it doesn't help the retailers either, who now have to collect both national and state sales taxes.

cheshirecat

I love america but sometimes I just don't get it. Half the population think that some kind of free health care provision would be a bad thing whilst at the same time arguing to their last breath that their right to own multiple fully automatic assault rifles is key to their existence due to a document written over 200 years ago. Some of them insist on teaching kids something as fact that clearly is false whilst preventing what is generally regarded as being the closest thing to true from being taught. Others are living by the sea, men marrying men and women marrying women. You drive out of a city full of glass skyscrapers and private helicopters and go through areas of deprivation and depression that chill you to the bone. Yet you pass a public school for 10 year olds with sports facilities that would put most UK towns to shame. Like I say I love america and always thought I might end up there, indeed as a family we nearly moved to Texas when I was about 12 - got as far as looking at possible houses. I know its always been described as a melting pot of human existence, but damn how you stick together I'll never quite understand. And don't get me started on Alaska - one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen but boy are the people there strange...

The simplicity and (in this online world) necessity of a unified single sales tax rate across all states will be clear for all to see, but it won't happen. So a system will be left that increases the administrative burden, leaves much tax unrecovered and remains baffling and uncertain even to those that work in retail. (See some of the US shopping threads for examples of that).

Having said all that - I'm an outsider looking in and have no real say or perhaps even right to say and I'm 100% sure that someone looking in at how almost any country operates would find things just as strange (well almost anyway).

CCC

^ And they get cheap lego.

streeker

LegoFanTexas said:

monkeyhanger said:

@LFT: ^ Stay healthy!

No kidding... :)

@LFT, isn't your wife a doctor?

dougts

cheshirecat said:

Half the population think that some kind of free health care provision would be a bad thing whilst at the same time arguing to their last breath that their right to own multiple fully automatic assault rifles is key to their existence due to a document written over 200 years ago. Some of them insist on teaching kids something as fact that clearly is false whilst preventing what is generally regarded as being the closest thing to true from being taught.

This is not a criticism of you, just some points to ponder:

- Don't buy into all the media-driven propaganda you read, see, or hear. EVERYTHING you see/hear from the media about US politics represents the extremes of both parties - the 15-20% on each end. the middle 60% are generally pretty reasonable, agree on most things, and where they differ is often on those types of issues (fiscal, social, defense, etc) that are more important to any certain individual. But the fringe elements on the left and the right frame the public debates, so that presents a pretty skewed and extreme image of both "sides"

I'd also like to add in regards to healthcare - nothing is free. There are VERY few Americans who don't believe our healthcare system is a mess. it very much is, and 90%+ of Americans know it. There are just very different ideas on how we should go about fixing it, and how of course it all gets paid for. This means we end up with time and money wasting debacles like the ACA, which don't really solve the problem at all, but attack a few hot-button items that appeal to people.

In regards to guns, again very few people believe fully automatic assault weapons should be easily accessible, just like few people believe all weapons should be banned and confiscated. Most Americans believe in pretty sensible gun regulations.

Lastly, in regards to teaching, the general arguments in this country center more on the proper role of government-run schools in teaching potentially controversial subjects, or whether those should be taught at home according to individual parent's beliefs. Many of us have a good and healthy fear of having our children be propagandized by state-run education systems. Especially when so many of our kids aren't even being taught to read or write...