How common are missing pieces?

[CopperTablet]

For Lego, extremely rare, fewer than 1/10000 bricks.   For other companies, it can be pretty common.

[The Stud]

I don’t think I’ve ever had a missing piece from a new Lego set, or at least one that I couldn’t easily find a replacement for in my collection. I buy a lot of Lego sets too, so I’m always dismayed when people complain about getting multiple sets with missing pieces or even entire bags gone.

Edited January 8, 2021 by The Stud

[Maple]

15 years ago I would have a missing or broken peice in 50% of sets, it was insane. Last year I bought a LEGO Movie 2 set, the box was smashed but the plastic bags were fine, three pieces were melted. Lego even wanted them back but never sent me the envelope to send them back. I built a NinjaGo dragon in the fall and it was missing a 1x2 slope piece and in it's place I had a 1x2 clip piece which was the first time I ever had a piece mix up.

[Stuartn]

On 1/8/2021 at 2:34 PM, The Stud said:

I don’t think I’ve ever had a missing piece from a new Lego set, or at least one that I couldn’t easily find a replacement for in my collection. I buy a lot of Lego sets too, so I’m always dismayed when people complain about getting multiple sets with missing pieces or even entire bags gone.

I always think that finally, after several hundred sets, I will actually get a missing piece. I actually look forward to one day getting a missing piece, just so I have the psychological satisfaction of being able to say that I have found a set with a missing piece. I actually hope that with every set, a piece (one that I have dozens of in my collection though) is missing. More often than not I am reading the instructions wrong or it is still in the bag.

I once actually got two sticker sheets in a box, in set 4208. I was very happy to be able to make two fire trucks (I had the parts in my collection) for the price of one! Does anyone ever actually get too many pieces?

What I have had happen though is having the sticker sheet rammed in the corner of a box and all crinkled (TIE Fighter Pilot Helmet).

Has anyone noticed that recently, in small sets, the instruction manuals are all creased in the box and practically unable to be straightened out, so you irritatingly have to hold it down with one hand, only leaving one hand to build?