New Zealand: "Where to find Lego"

[David Thomsen]

Toyworld have them already on their shelves, and other stores should soon follow. I'm beginning to think the X-Men Vs. Sentinel set just won't be available in New Zealand.

Fishpond had it available for about $86 with free shipping, not bad for a set Lego list at $99.99, but they've now raised the price to $101, bah. Should have taken the opportunity while it was there.

[Alternator]

Based on what I read on another forum it looks like the "free postage" threshold for Shop @ Home for NZ has been increased to $400.

Looks to be the case - shipping seems to be punitive in price: A few years ago they ran a fairly long promotion where the threshold was $120, then its $300, now it's $400...

Given the shipping cost seems quite punitive, buying from the website with its lack of good prices is going to be a very unlikely scenerio - I had sent quite a bit of money that way in past too.

Heck I even have $90 worth of VIP points on the site from previous purchases - but using it at the $400 mark means at best I'm getting a 22.5% discount at this point (of course a lot of money was spent full price to get that).

Disappointed.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Alternator

[Bricktrain]

and with the way prices are going on the new sets it is cheaper to buy them on BL and pay shipping than buy them with free shipping at S@H

[nzkiwiman]

I'm (sorta) back

The Lego Movie sets brought me back into the Lego fold, after getting a few sets in 2010/2011 I had to stop while I was unemployed mid 2011/early 2012

I then resisted Lego due to space issues, but thanks to the school holiday sales at the Warehouse I brought some Movie Lego sets via layby and today cleared them.

Have already built 1.5 sets and can't wait to build the rest.

My question to keep this post on topic - I stuffed up the cop 'car' build from set 70808 and stuck one of the clear red missile tips into the part used for the lightbar on top of the roof. For the life of me I can't remove it anymore. Does anyone know any place in NZ to get replacement parts - I don't really want to cheat the system by getting Lego to send me 'missing parts', but I don't want to pay $20NZ postage to order parts from the Pick a Brick

Cheers

[jonwil]

Assuming you really cant get the trans-red part out of the other part, your best bet would be www.bricklink.com

Because you only need a few parts, if you order from a New Zealand (or Australian) bricklink store, your postage will likely be much lower than the $20 you talk about for ordering from LEGO directly. (especially if you are able to get the parts sent as "letter" postage)

[nzkiwiman]

Turns out I was using Bricklink incorrectly, and now having modified my settings I have found a seller in New Zealand who has both parts I need.

Edited August 27, 2014 by nzkiwiman

[Jern92]

Toyco has the LEGO® Star Wars™ 10227 B-Wing Starfighter™ for 40% off.

http://www.toyco.co.nz/toys/construction-and-blocks/lego/lego-star-wars/lego-star-wars-10227-b-wing-starfighter-5702014846739

[nzkiwiman]

Having seen the full range of Agents at Farmers and The Warehouse, I must say the large truck is a must purchase next time it is on sale with a minimum of 20% off.

Looking at the price of what our friends across the ditch pay, we are getting ripped off on pricing for even these non licensed sets (Roughly $155NZ RRP in Australia for the truck and cheaper in Big W)

[Jern92]

If we buy Lego from the NZ Shop@Home, will we get charged at customs for duties/taxes when it arrives?

Alternatively, if we buy it from the US site and use YouShop to get it to NZ, will there be charges?

The second alternative works out a lot cheaper if there are no import charges for both of them.

[harmacy]

Ive noticed something recently with S@H orders. I got an order valued at approx $450 last week, but the senders address on the box was from Lego NZ - PO Box xxxxx, Auckland.

Despite the fact that I know very well it came from overseas. Maybe that has something to do with the lack of import / tax. I seem to remember reading a while back that the Lego website stopped saying that all taxes and import duties were included.

So - I assume that via S@H means no import duty, but via YS and above $400, then you could be liable.

[nk4002r]

I wonder, if Lego Shop@Home uses some sort of bulk container shipment - so that the orders are then possibly packages or at least distributed by the Lego NZ? I haven't ordered from them lately, but I'd try to stick to the $400NZD limit unless it is otherwise guaranteed or confirmed. They might have sorted some logistics out, I know that in the first years the items would travel from the Netherlands via DHL.

I don't think you can order from the USA shop@home due to credit card fraud issues, official Lego statement: "In an effort to protect personal consumer information, LEGO Systems, Inc. has elected to no longer process shipments to Third Party Shipping Vendors."

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=82234

Besides, the YS volumetric shipping would make it prohibitively expensive, Lego packaging itself is already large, but then the Legos in an oversized box are a recipe for disaster. Your shipping costs will negate all savings. In the worst case scenario, Lego would ship multiple packages which are then treated separately. YS will charge you customs fees up front, I don't know, whether they've got any clearance fees, but Prezoom also used to charge extra fees for acting as an import agent - allegedly passing a cost that Customs charge them. I've got hit by that once and the Legos ordered were more expansive than local mrsp...

[djm]

If we buy Lego from the NZ Shop@Home, will we get charged at customs for duties/taxes when it arrives?

Alternatively, if we buy it from the US site and use YouShop to get it to NZ, will there be charges?

The second alternative works out a lot cheaper if there are no import charges for both of them.

From the NZ Shop @ Home terms and conditions web page (http://shop.lego.com/en-NZ/Terms-And-Conditions) under the heading Prices, "All prices are stated inclusive of all applicable taxes.". That kind of makes sense to me, since as they are selling to the NZ audience, my understanding is that the requirement is for prices to be inclusive of GST unless stated otherwise.

With regards to using YS to order from the US S@H website, you need to be very lucky to slip passed their ordering/payment system. If they recognise the address as a freight forwarder's address, they will cancel the order. An order may initially be accepted but will likely subsequently get cancelled. I hadn't appreciated this restriction existed but found out about it when an order that I had placed was accepted but subsequently cancelled. From the Shipping & Returns page (http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Shipping-Returns) under the Shipping Restrictions header. "Please note: In order to protect our consumers and maintain our commitment to service excellence, we do not ship to Freight Forwarding Services."

A few observations;

#1 The limit is not NZD$400. Refer to the NZ Customs calculator here http://www.whatsmyduty.org.nz/. You will find it is less than NZD$400 and they will also include the shipping cost when assessing the duty/GST

#2 The US S@H site prices do not show a roughly 7% sales tax. This is added to the cost at checkout.

#3 Depending on what it is you are after/how long you are prepared to wait for it to come on sale somewhere, my rule of thumb is that if somewhere was it on sale for a 25% discount of the list price on NZ S@H, that is fairly close to what the total price would be if you were somehow able to buy it from the US, get it shipped to a US address and then on-shipped to NZ. For example, ToyCo seem to do 25% off selected sets quite frequently, though it is rare for them to include the expensive sets in the discounts (expensive = Mindstorm, Modular, the bigger Star Wars, ...).

Note, this is only representative of my experiences. Others may have a different view.

HTH.

David

[Jern92]

Thanks for the info guys! I was looking at the Haunted House set and it cost $180 in USD and $300 in NZD, which makes sense if you include all the applicable taxes and import duties. Still a pretty hefty price to pay, considering that shipping will cost an additional $80, making it $380 in total. I've checked most toy stores and they don't appear to have it anymore, so there really isn't a chance of getting it on sale. I came out of the dark ages a bit late so am now scrambling to get my hands on some of the older sets, and have been buying the modulars whenever they came on sale here in NZ.

If I got a friend in the States to buy it then ship it to me, will there still be import charges? How about buying secondhand sets off Bricklink, and will that depend on whether it's MISB or already opened and built before?

[djm]

...

If I got a friend in the States to buy it then ship it to me, will there still be import charges? How about buying secondhand sets off Bricklink, and will that depend on whether it's MISB or already opened and built before?

At US$180 + sales tax + shipping cost, you would probably just squeeze under the duty/GST requirements, assuming your friend in the US was happy to do this for you. You might want to consider getting them to place the order and ship it to themselves in the first instance and then on-ship it to you. As the set is more then US$75, it should qualify for free US shipping. The shipping cost to NZ would need to be no more than US$60. Use Bricklink to gain a rough size indicator, add a couple of centimeters to each dimension to factor in the shipping box and use the USPS website for shipping cost estimates.

NZ Customs doesn't care whether something is new or used. The item value + shipping cost is what will determine whether or not you are liable for duty/GST. Having just done a one-time glance at the price of the set on BrickLink, I think using a friend in the US may be a cheaper option.

Regards,

David

Edited September 14, 2014 by djm

[djm]

Almost on cue, Toyco.co.nz are having a 20% off (or more?) on Lego. It looks like it's one of the "everything is discounted" sales rather than the exclusion of the more expensive sets. e.g. Mindstorms EV3, Tower Bridge, ... are discounted.

Sale ends Wednesday Sept 17th.

Regards,

David

[harmacy]

Almost on cue, Toyco.co.nz are having a 20% off

Thanks for that! Just picked up the Red Five X-Wing for $239.

[MagPiesRUs]

Toyworld has got a 15-50% off sale that goes until tomorrow. 20% off City and Ninjago, but what's most interesting is that Castle is 50% off. I've held off on buying any of the new Castle sets, but they look pretty tempting at that price.

[Alternator]

Almost on cue, Toyco.co.nz are having a 20% off (or more?) on Lego. It looks like it's one of the "everything is discounted" sales rather than the exclusion of the more expensive sets. e.g. Mindstorms EV3, Tower Bridge, ... are discounted.

Sale ends Wednesday Sept 17th.

Regards,

David

I just noticed that the b- wing is discounted 40% again if you missed it... Sadly i'll be skipping it, star wars is proving too costly for me at the moment, and id love that sandcrawler.

I did get some other good deals though :)

[Jern92]

The number of modulars on sale on TradeMe seems to have increased dramatically since the sale, and those same modulars have disappeared from the stores. It's frustrating when things like Lego go to resellers rather than actual fans, simply because resellers have way more money most of the time. I've been saving up for the Grand Emporium and now they're all gone.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Jern92

[harmacy]

The number of modulars on sale on TradeMe seems to have increased dramatically since the sale, and those same modulars have disappeared from the stores. It's frustrating when things like Lego go to resellers rather than actual fans, simply because resellers have way more money most of the time. I've been saving up for the Grand Emporium and now they're all gone.

I remember the same thing happened in the US when the UCS B-Wing went on sale for $99USD. The market got flooded and many 'real' fans missed out. I guess its the name of the game - some are in it to make a few $$. And thats their business.

I see there are a few Exo-Suits on TM for a fair bit higher than the RRP - more than likely because its sold out on Lego.com. I wonder how many X-wings will show up after Toyco had 40% off. I got one, but its now built and proudly sitting next to my other UCS sets.

[Jern92]

I wish I had the money to buy Lego every time they went on sale. It takes me several months to even save up for one, let alone buy more than one. Only got the Fire Brigade, Pet Shop and Parisian Restaurant so far, and at this rate, I won't be able to get any of the others.

I know it's pointless to complain because there's really nothing anyone can do, but guess I just need to vent every once in a while. :-P

[Legoman]

It was a shame that Toyco disallowed giftcards to be used during the sale - I still have a couple that I'm waiting to use on sets on sale.

None the less, I caved in and bought the new Volvo front end loader at 20% off. It's going to be a reward for when I finish exams.. if I can hold out that long! I had to open the box just to see inside - mate, the wheels and bucket are huge! Very exciting.

That X-wing was a very good deal! I'm surprised they seem to be going on sale so frequently, I would have expected it to be a popular set, but perhaps not so much.

[Jern92]

I was informed that the Warehouse is selling the new At-AT for $170, discounted from $219.

[Jern92]

Quick question. If I've never purchased from the Lego Shop@Home store before, and I do it in October, will the Double VIP points promotion apply, and will it apply to the purchases I make considering I'm not yet a Lego VIP member (they won't let me officially join until after I make a purchase)? Plus there was mention of a Lego VIP card which you have to get at a Lego store but seeing as there aren't any in NZ, I figured this wouldn't be possible. So do we still get to be VIP members as soon as we make a purchase and collect points etc?

Oh, and in terms of the monthly promotional free stuff that is advertised to be free with purchased on the Lego calendar, do we get them, or are they limited to US citizens?

[Alternator]

Quick question. If I've never purchased from the Lego Shop@Home store before, and I do it in October, will the Double VIP points promotion apply, and will it apply to the purchases I make considering I'm not yet a Lego VIP member (they won't let me officially join until after I make a purchase)? Plus there was mention of a Lego VIP card which you have to get at a Lego store but seeing as there aren't any in NZ, I figured this wouldn't be possible. So do we still get to be VIP members as soon as we make a purchase and collect points etc?

Oh, and in terms of the monthly promotional free stuff that is advertised to be free with purchased on the Lego calendar, do we get them, or are they limited to US citizens?

It's been a while since I signed up for VIP so can't remember all details but roughly this applies:

- As we're in NZ you do it online, from memory you create an account on the store like most sites... And then after that somewhere online there is an opt in to make it a VIP flagged account, I'm not aware of VIP being run through any stores in NZ so for us it's online only.

- Once signed up as a VIP then you should get VIP points, and obviously if purchasing during October it sounds like there will be double points (which I think works out at roughly a 10% equiv discount when double points... important when weighing up where you buy from)

- Important! Just making an online purchase from the online lego store does not make you a VIP, I got caught out by this as I didn't know about it during my first purchases from their store... You have to specifically flag that you would like to sign up for the VIP treatment (stupid in my opinion, but I guess jokes on me in that regard ), I'm not certain whether or not the option is available only after your first purchase (I wonder whether asking them online they may just flag you for it regardless).

- the online store you see should be the one for New Zealand (if not change the region to NZ), it will show NZ $ prices, and provided your region is set correctly it will show promotions that will apply - so provided you see the promotion advertised on the NZ version of the site you will get it, but if it is on the US version then probably not. I can't speak to the Lego Calendar you're looking at, but I suspect that if there is any NZ localised info on it then probably any promotions it mentions will apply here (but I'm not certain)

My advice would be to contact them online to get some answers regarding signing up for VIP before making a purchase if you can't find where to flag your online account with them for VIP... The postage costs for under $400 can be punitive.

Hope that helps