Best Place to Live When it Comes to Buying Lego?

[Deathleech]

People seem to complain about Lego prices all the time. This is especially true in some countries where the prices can get pretty outrageous like Australia. In other countries Lego has very limited availability. I know a lot of people think the U.S. has it best when it comes to Lego due to the cheaper prices on sets and wide availability, but what benefits do other countries have? Are they actually better?

For instance in the U.K. they seem to have relatively equal pricing to the U.S. (for the most part, on non-licensed themes..), but then they have the free Lego polybag give away with the news paper. Half a pound for a Lego set that should cost $4? Yes please! Meanwhile some other countries seem to stock sets much longer than in the U.S. so you can get a set cheaper when it has long been sold out elsewhere. It seems like on BrickLink sets and minifigures can usually be founder cheaper from other countries than from people selling in the U.S. too (which makes little sense if the U.S. has the best prices, but that's another discussion in and of itself...).

So with all of that in mind, my question is what benefits do other countries have when it comes to Lego? Is the United States really the "best" place to live when it comes to Lego, or are there other countries that actually have it better?

Edited May 9, 2015 by Deathleech

[AFOLguy1970]

I am beginning to think the US has it better with sets due to the prices and exchange rate. However, if you are looking for individual parts, then Europe may very well have the advantage. When ordering on Bricklink, the more uncommon the part is, the more likely it is that European shops will have it in decent quantity and at a better price. This is my experience so far.

[dr_spock]

USA. There are places in the USA with no local sales tax. Those would be the places to live and buy LEGO for the best prices.

[Blondie-Wan]

I do think we easily have it best here in the US when it comes to buying LEGO in general; we have what have got to be the best MSRPs in the world on average, plus possibly more than our share of promos, freebies, etc.

However, no place is perfect, and in particular there have been multiple sets that simply haven't been released here at all. I also get the impression sets generally tend to remain available longer elsewhere than they do here in the US, where many sets seem to have terribly short windows of availability.

[zux]

In EU I think that would be Germany. This country has lowest RRP for new sets (most of the time) and huge resale market. You can get new set cheaper online.

[SMC]

In the UK sales are not hard to find, Argos 3 for 2, amazon price matching, smyths 20% off, toys R us 2x £10 gift card, Tesco direct 1000 club card points, very £25 off £50. Tesco, asda, Sainsbury 25%, 50%, 75% off. Hotukdeals. I buy most of my sets when they hut 40% off or more.

[Mott the Brick]

I don't know here in the UK. In the US it was seemingly cheaper when you compare the dollar with the pound, but I noticed several retailers would take the liberty to increase the prices a little bit at first and then when I stopped going to toy stores, I returned to one some other day to discover most sets would be raised by up to $10 its original value! My home country of Costa Rica is particularly awful because they raise the prices to more than double of what they're worth (even in the lego store)!!! I think in theory Denmark should have cheaper prices as they are where the Lego company is located, but this is just me speculating... anyone know of the prices up there in Denmark???

[ProducePrincess]

In terms of MSRP Canada tends to fall right in the middle. Significantly more expensive than the USA but still not as ridiculous as some countries.

Within Canada I've had the most luck getting good deals in small towns. Less people and even fewer people that are seriously into Lego. Can get some decent sales when stuff sits on the shelf for a long time. In one tiny town I found original harry potter sets years after they went out of production in a pharmacy.

[L@go]

I don't know here in the UK. In the US it was seemingly cheaper when you compare the dollar with the pound, but I noticed several retailers would take the liberty to increase the prices a little bit at first and then when I stopped going to toy stores, I returned to one some other day to discover most sets would be raised by up to $10 its original value! My home country of Costa Rica is particularly awful because they raise the prices to more than double of what they're worth (even in the lego store)!!! I think in theory Denmark should have cheaper prices as they are where the Lego company is located, but this is just me speculating... anyone know of the prices up there in Denmark???

Denmark is among the most expensive countries in Europe when it comes to LEGO. As are Norway and Sweden, right next door. So that logic doesn't work :)

I converted a few prices just now, and got some interesting results, though - the pound is very weak against the dollar at the moment, so the UK is right up there with Denmark and in some cases more expensive:

Kwik-E-Mart: Denmark DKK 1699 ($254.85), Germany 199.99€ ($201.11), UK £169.99 ($262.86) and the US $199.99

Detective's Office: Denmark DKK 1399 ($209.85), Germany 149.99€ ($167.90), UK £132.99 ($205.64) and the US $159.99

UCS Sandcrawler: Denmark DKK 2799 ($329.85), Germany 299.99€ ($335.81), UK £249.99 ($386.56) and the US $299.99

Which means the price on S@H is always cheaper in the US, but not by much compared to Germany. Denmark is more expensive for the Detective's Office, but the other two are more expensive in the UK at the moment...

(All three are still more expensive in Norway, though: Kwik-E-Mart $266,93, Detective's Office $213,52 and Sandcrawler $400,46. Which is why I'm going to fill an extra suitcase when going to Brickworld next month...)

[Wodanis]

I've done a fair bit of shopping from various countries.

The U.S. is the best in terms of pricing and availability. (Read the above posts) The UK was excellent for finding sales around various retailers and used to find older sets still around. I once got the excavator transport (City) for £12 at Tesco! (unfortunately it was later stolen) I always loved the free poly bags with the newspaper. I had fun trying to hunt them all down. Spain was definitely the best for deals on large sets through Amazon. In terms of parts, I found the Netherland was the best for buying pieces through Bricklink. Germany was the best for buying pieces in bulk.

Living in Canada is middle of the road for Lego. We are overpriced but can locate most items. Sales are only ever about 20% off. Have access to PaB and BnP from Poland and Denmark while sets shipped through S@H from the U.S. Amazon hopefully will improve for Canada as Amazon in Europe has far better service. We are definitely in need of more Lego stores too. Another good point is that our postal service is quite fair for shipping prices.

[LAKAbricks]

Luckily, here in Denmark, at least a couple of times per year, it is possible to buy LEGO at discounts of 20-30%. Especially at the yearly offer at the supermarket Bilka, you can save 35% (used to be even 40%). Unfortunately, they do not sell the Modulars, but they have a wide selection. Otherwise it is correct that LEGO is not exactly cheap here.

[Mott the Brick]

Denmark is among the most expensive countries in Europe when it comes to LEGO. As are Norway and Sweden, right next door. So that logic doesn't work :)

I converted a few prices just now, and got some interesting results, though - the pound is very weak against the dollar at the moment, so the UK is right up there with Denmark and in some cases more expensive:

Kwik-E-Mart: Denmark DKK 1699 ($254.85), Germany 199.99€ ($201.11), UK £169.99 ($262.86) and the US $199.99

Detective's Office: Denmark DKK 1399 ($209.85), Germany 149.99€ ($167.90), UK £132.99 ($205.64) and the US $159.99

UCS Sandcrawler: Denmark DKK 2799 ($329.85), Germany 299.99€ ($335.81), UK £249.99 ($386.56) and the US $299.99

Which means the price on S@H is always cheaper in the US, but not by much compared to Germany. Denmark is more expensive for the Detective's Office, but the other two are more expensive in the UK at the moment...

(All three are still more expensive in Norway, though: Kwik-E-Mart $266,93, Detective's Office $213,52 and Sandcrawler $400,46. Which is why I'm going to fill an extra suitcase when going to Brickworld next month...)

Those prices are insane!!!! Well it ain't cheap to live here in Europe but I'm quite surprised! I thought that since Denmark produced them, they would have them cheaper. No luck, Jose!!!

Seriously what's the logic behind making the prices that expensive on a local product? I understand the value of their coins being more powerful than the dollar, but I wouldn't exactly charge people that much for a local product.

Either way my home country is BAD when it comes to buying Lego. Prices are more than double what they are in the U.S. for a Lego set and the choices are VERY limited. I think its safe to say that the U.S. takes the cake for best place to buy Lego.

Luckily, here in Denmark, at least a couple of times per year, it is possible to buy LEGO at discounts of 20-30%. Especially at the yearly offer at the supermarket Bilka, you can save 35% (used to be even 40%). Unfortunately, they do not sell the Modulars, but they have a wide selection. Otherwise it is correct that LEGO is not exactly cheap here.

Around what time of the year is the Bilka offer, out of curiosity?

Edited May 11, 2015 by Mott the Brick

[Deathleech]

I converted a few prices just now, and got some interesting results, though - the pound is very weak against the dollar at the moment, so the UK is right up there with Denmark and in some cases more expensive:

Kwik-E-Mart: Denmark DKK 1699 ($254.85), Germany 199.99€ ($201.11), UK £169.99 ($262.86) and the US $199.99

Detective's Office: Denmark DKK 1399 ($209.85), Germany 149.99€ ($167.90), UK £132.99 ($205.64) and the US $159.99

UCS Sandcrawler: Denmark DKK 2799 ($329.85), Germany 299.99€ ($335.81), UK £249.99 ($386.56) and the US $299.99

I hadn't really been keeping up with how strong currency in every countries was. I had no idea the pound was so weak right now. It's worth almost 2/3 the U.S. dollar? If you look at the only non-licensed set you listed, the Detective's Office, it would be the same in the U.S. as the U.K. if not for the pound being so weak right now. Licensed sets seem to be a whole nother story. It seems in most other countries they have a huge mark up which I guess is why we hear about licensed sets being so expensive in other countries.

[glendo]

The USA, because the rest of the world is subsidizing their lower prices and larger product stocks and ranges.

[dr_spock]

Denmark is among the most expensive countries in Europe when it comes to LEGO. As are Norway and Sweden, right next door. So that logic doesn't work :)

I converted a few prices just now, and got some interesting results, though - the pound is very weak against the dollar at the moment, so the UK is right up there with Denmark and in some cases more expensive:

Kwik-E-Mart: Denmark DKK 1699 ($254.85), Germany 199.99€ ($201.11), UK £169.99 ($262.86) and the US $199.99

Detective's Office: Denmark DKK 1399 ($209.85), Germany 149.99€ ($167.90), UK £132.99 ($205.64) and the US $159.99

UCS Sandcrawler: Denmark DKK 2799 ($329.85), Germany 299.99€ ($335.81), UK £249.99 ($386.56) and the US $299.99

Which means the price on S@H is always cheaper in the US, but not by much compared to Germany. Denmark is more expensive for the Detective's Office, but the other two are more expensive in the UK at the moment...

(All three are still more expensive in Norway, though: Kwik-E-Mart $266,93, Detective's Office $213,52 and Sandcrawler $400,46. Which is why I'm going to fill an extra suitcase when going to Brickworld next month...)

Did you remove taxes from those prices? I sort of recall that some countries have to show prices with taxes included. While others like the USA do not. For those countries taxes are added at checkout.

[SMC]

Look again without the tax and you can see its not far off at all.

Kwik-E-Mart: without tax £140 ($213) and the US $199.99

Detective's Office: without tax £106 ($167) and the US $159.99

UCS Sandcrawler: without tax £200 (314) and the US $299.99

and

MetalBeard's Sea Cow: without tax £136 ($213) and US $249.99

[BrickG]

I live in the UK.

I used to live in the US.

First off, the majority of the time sets are cheaper in the UK. What's the use of saying what the £ is without tax? When the heck do you not have to pay taxes here?

So the Sandcrawler you'll pay £250 for which is about $392. The Sandcrawler is $300 in the US. Several states don't have taxes but EVEN WHEN YOU DO you'll pay less. Maybe $330 max.

This theme goes for most sets. The UK prices are higher.

You can argue about average salaries and compare the economies but really, for people like me this is 100% a more expensive Lego country lol. I moved so I could get ripped off on my Lego buys :P. I also pay higher taxes so it just costs me more to live here.

Then if you live in a big city like LONDON which is the most expensive place on Earth you won't have enough room for your Lego collection unless you pay an obscene amount of money for a place. Everything here is squished and smalI.

If I were to choose a country for Lego specifically it would be the US 100%.

Stop arbitrarily taking tax off lol. Include the taxes! And you'll find that since the US has much lower taxes it won't matter. Most things are still cheaper in the US.

Edited May 12, 2015 by BrickG

[SMC]

I get your point but you pay tax on Lego which pays for things like free heath care that you would other wise have to pay for. Its not a Lego tax so to speak and you cant compare lower tax as straight forward thing as you end up paying one way or another.

But yes the US is probably the best place to buy Lego but I don't have real trouble getting cheap Lego in the UK, in fact when I when to the US I didn't come back with anything because I could get it cheaper at home.

[BrickG]

I get your point but you pay tax on Lego which pays for things like free heath care that you would other wise have to pay for. Its not a Lego tax so to speak and you cant compare lower tax as straight forward thing as you end up paying one way or another.

But yes the US is probably the best place to buy Lego but I don't have real trouble getting cheap Lego in the UK, in fact when I when to the US I didn't come back with anything because I could get it cheaper at home.

Now we're just getting into politics ;).

Really, when you point out things the taxes go towards like free healthcare it matters how your finances in life are. I'm in the position where I pay at a rate that would absolutely never be made up for with the "free" healthcare compared to in the US. At every area for me it costs MORE to live here (not that I'd want to move!). Saying you get free healthcare and stuff doesn't really count for as much as you'd think since the taxes in the US are so low in most areas that it doesn't come close to making up for it. Of course this means naturally that the US has crappier social services.

But that's all politics and stuff. It doesn't exactly even itself out for everyone. :P If I lived in the US still I'd have 5-10% more disposable income and stuff would cost less (well, than London which is the most expensive city in the world lol).

[SMC]

^ Yep I agree but you can probably earn more in London and Lego in London cost the same as the rest of the UK so London is not a bad place for Lego.

Sorry for moving off the question the answer is that the US is the best place to buy Lego overall.

[Deathleech]

Stop arbitrarily taking tax off lol. Include the taxes! And you'll find that since the US has much lower taxes it won't matter. Most things are still cheaper in the US.

Right, but I think the point he was making was the disparity isn't quite as big as a lot of people make it seem. When people quote prices in places like Europe, that price also includes the VAT where as the U.S. price NEVER includes taxes. Only 5 states don't have sales tax, and they usually have it made up somewhere else. So really the numbers look more like this:

Detective's Office: Denmark DKK 1399 ($209.85), Germany 149.99€ ($167.90), UK £132.99 ($205.64) and the US $175.19

This makes a fairly significant difference. The set is actually cheapest in Germany when you factor in sales tax in the U.S. price (at least in my area where it's high and nearly 9.5%). Of course if you want to get into tax rates and health care there are so many aspects to look at that make it near impossible to compare.

[Risgrynsgrot]

(at least in my area where it's high and nearly 9.5%).

This is quite funny to read - in Denmark, Sweden and Norway VAT is a staggering 25 %. Tax is probably one of the biggest effects on the different pricings.

[MAB]

US is normally cheaper than UK for most retail sets, even after tax. However, we occassionally get crazy sales such as the whole of Hobbit Wave 3 at 50% off over the last few days (so Lonely Mountain at £50 / $75). That makes it worth it.

[Deathleech]

This is quite funny to read - in Denmark, Sweden and Norway VAT is a staggering 25 %. Tax is probably one of the biggest effects on the different pricings.

Yes, but that is just sales tax. I pay another $300 a month for health care coverage, $420 a month in property taxes, 15-20% of my paycheck in taxes before I even can spend the money I make, etc. Really about 60%+ of what I make goes to some sort of tax or another and that's pretty average here.

This is why I said it's too hard to just look at specifics in each country without the whole picture. I know in some countries they pay higher taxes but health care is covered by said taxes. In others there are really low property taxes, or college is paid for with taxes. The U.S. has EXTREMELY high prices when it comes to anything medical (operations, prescription drugs, etc.) and college tuition (most private colleges run you about $100k nowadays for a 4 year degree, and even public state colleges are nearly half that).

[fred67]

While I often complain about LEGO prices, the fact is that I understand that we in the U.S. have the overall best prices.

The USA, because the rest of the world is subsidizing their lower prices and larger product stocks and ranges.

That's actually quite a load of B.S.. I realize some LEGO person said it once, but that doesn't make it make sense. TLG makes a huge amount of profit in the U.S.. They price things to maximize profit. If they weren't happy with the profit they were making in the U.S., they wouldn't sell here. I doubt there's an individual country that makes more profit for TLG than the U.S.. Germany may sell more per-capita, but we're a lot bigger than Germany.

What they meant to say is those countries are subsidizing LEGO's profit margins more than the U.S., because that's a much more accurate way to phrase it.