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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or are Lego taking the piss?

96 replies

trashcanjunkie · 09/12/2015 02:12

Ds has asked for a medium sized Lego Star Wars set for one of his Christmas presents. It's not his 'main' present, just a stocking filler.... Except it looks like anything above a squiddly little thing is coming in around the forty quid mark. I mean.... it's plastic ffs! I wanted to spend around half that amount. There was a couple of things on the Smyths website for twenty quid - a Jedi interceptor - but they've sold out nationwide, and are on Amazon for twice the price. I'm aware that's not Lego's fault, but I feel a bit humped by the whole thing. Either I disappoint ds with no Lego, a small Lego thing, or shell out £25 for the next size up thing, which is already low stock.

Aargh. Rant over. I'll almost be grateful to be told aibu. Then it'll be me being a nobhead, and I'll wind my neck in.

OP posts:
BarbarianMum · 09/12/2015 09:57

Will he really be that disappointed? In the fun and excitement of Christmas, is he really going to be sat there sobbing that he didn't get X? He probably won't even notice - and if he does, well getting them used to the fact that they don't automatically get everything on their Christmas lists is a good idea.

JeSuisUnaStubbs · 09/12/2015 10:17

I love Lego myself, so don't mind buying it for DD. Also I think it's good for her both to follow instructions to build the set and then do the creative mixing-it-up thing.

In the past we've had family club together to buy her a big set. I got a great deal at Argos on Black Friday, and I tend to double up my Tesco vouchers to buy Lego too, so it doesn't actually cost us that much. It is something she constantly returns to and plays independently with it for hours. Very good VFM in my opinion.

KittyLovesPaintingOhYes · 09/12/2015 10:24

If you buy a 'used' lego set on ebay, already constructed, you can get it quite cheap as the premium prices are for bnib. There are loads of sites to download the building instructions from.

My ds loves lego, builds them himself (he's 7) then plays with them daily so they are good value for us. He also mixes them up which drives me mad (I'm a Kragle sort of mum...).

Don't, however, get into Lego Friends if you can avoid it, my dd has unfortunately been started with these (and loves them, sigh) and you get an awful lot less for your money, and that's before you even consider the nature of the kits (beauty parlours etc). They have the advent calendars this year and her little collection of bits is pitiful compared to what is coming out of the 'regular' Lego one. Today he got to build a throne for Santa, she got three bricks to hold a saxaphone Shock

Shame on you, Lego, for shortchanging the girls Angry

MrsDeathOfRats · 09/12/2015 11:35

My mums neighbour recently donated a ton of MegaBlocks to me. His grandkids had grown out of it. 2 different sizes. I was so chuffed.

When I saw him to say thanks he went on to tell me he had almost filled his wheelie bin with Lego as my kids were too young and he didn't think I'd be able to store it!!!! I was ShockShockShockShock
May even have cried a little when I went inside. Gutted.

munkisocks · 09/12/2015 11:47

YANBU! Took my MIL to toys r us and she wanted to get some lego for her nephew. Came out with a small box which cost her about £25. It's ridiculously expensive for plastic crap. DH wants some. I told him to sod off. He's now onto smart watches so I don't think I'm better off tbh!

nauticant · 09/12/2015 11:49

It's very expensive and so it's worth searching around for deals:

brickset.com/buy/country-uk/vendor-amazon/order-percentdiscount

There can be bargains from the other European Amazons:

brickset.com/buy/amazon

TheSpottedZebra · 09/12/2015 11:55

My DS isn't that bothered by the actual star wars sets (yet?), but he loves making his own worlds out of random lego bricks, and playing with the mini figs. So I've got him whatever sets that aren't tie ins, and I buy star wars mini figs from ebay. So far this has worked...

icanteven · 09/12/2015 11:59

When MIL asked what to get the girls for Christmas we asked for Minecraft Lego, so that's that out of the way, but re. My Little Pony - take a look on ebay - we have bought them two huge bundles of MLP's there, Generation 3, I think, and it worked out at £2.50 per pony. We have A LOT of My Little Ponies and they are hands down (hooves down!) the best toy every. HOURS of play, nearly every single day.

Closely followed by Lego.

I don't mind the cost of the Lego (well, esp when MIL buys it!), given that it is one of the two toys genres they play with and we genuinely don't have to buy them anything else.

CinnamonStar · 09/12/2015 12:16

It is expensive, especially for the smaller sets - of course big sets cost more but you get far more pieces in one £80 set than you would in 8 sets that cost £10. I do think the little sets are a bit of a rip off - as are the sets of minifigures. 2.99 for a blind bag Simpson's lego figure Hmm.

It does last though, and it is really well made, and I have shelled out for a medium sized set for DD for Christmas, because I know it will get played with, won't break, doesn't take up too much space, and will probably still be in good nick in 2050.

HopefulHamster · 09/12/2015 12:39

Best thing to do is whack a few sets in your saved basket on Amazon. The prices do change frequently.

Lego can be expensive (partic if retailers are charging over rrp which some do), BUT it keeps a big chunk of its value if you resell later on, it keeps much of its value over DECADES and doesn't degrade in quality. My kids are playing with the stuff my mum and dad bought second hand thirty years ago.

The sets may seem fiddly/pointless but my husband is a fan of building it and says there is a lot of fun in 'the build' itself, and you can always add bits (if creating a building for example) or modify. Afterwards you can break down and reuse the bricks for anything. And you can still get just the brick boxes if you fancy.

We spend WAY too much money on Lego in my house, but it's a better spend than most of the other toys that pass through the door.

Jessesbitch · 09/12/2015 14:04

I can't be bothered to read whole thread but on lego.com in the shop section theres a big choice of starwars lego for £20 ish including AAT, speeders, troopers, watch and a number of cheaper items.

SquirrelledAway · 09/12/2015 14:06

Lego Star Wars is a good investment - keep the box and instructions in pristine condition and you can flog it for twice the price on eBay a few years down the line. You can generally replace any bits that have gone missing from Bricklink.

DS has made himself a tidy profit doing this.

YellowTulips · 09/12/2015 14:13

As someone whose had to fork out for the Lego Star Wars Death Star for Christmas you have my sympathy Smile

Apparently nothing else will do and DS has -and I quote "worked very hard to be exceptionally good this year mummy" (and yes I am a sucker)...

shop.lego.com/en-GB/Death-Star-10188

madamginger · 09/12/2015 14:31

I bought the Lego Death Star last Christmas, in September Smyths toys have a 20% off sale and we bought it then but it still cost over £200!

ALemonyPea · 09/12/2015 14:39

YANBU.

You know what I think is a rip off, the Lego Dimensions game. £70-80 depending on the console, then £15 upwards for additional characters. Skylanders/Disney Infinity are cheaper, don't see why Lego has to be so much more.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 09/12/2015 14:42

I feel for you, Lego is extortionate. Surely medium sized boxes aren't stocking fillers though? They're expensive enough big enough to be a main present.

bedelia · 09/12/2015 14:43

If you have a Netto store within a reasonable distance, pop in first thing tomorrow (Thursday) morning. They're having a Lego Special Buy event - three different Star Wars sets featured on the brochure for only £10 each. Perhaps not quite the "interceptor" your son was hoping for, but pretty substantial (by Lego standards) for the price.

Nataleejah · 09/12/2015 15:09

What about a different lego -- like Creator or City series? They arent that extortionate

MigGril · 09/12/2015 18:12

I was looking for a small set for DS if you have a big Tesco near you they had quit a few smaller sets reduced. I was surprised as couldn't get them anywhere else.

Chilledmonkeybrains · 09/12/2015 18:31

Think how much work it takes Lego manufacture one of those sets. They have to think of an idea, do the deal with the licensor (such as Marvel or Star Wars), they have to design the build, test it, create the instruction booklet, test it again, design and manufacture the bricks/pieces, test them again, then assemble the kits perfectly without missing any bits, check it, then box it, distribute etc. It's expensive for a reason!

Rowgtfc72 · 09/12/2015 18:56

Just bought dh the new Lego technics mercedes Benz truck. £170 in most places but got it for £150 on Amazon with free delivery. It's his only present and I'm hoping wth a 600 page instruction book and 8000 pieces Im buying myself some quality time with the tv remote Xmas Grin

lljkk · 09/12/2015 19:06

I thought same PaulaAnka, maybe the solution is smaller stocking.

HighwayDragon1 · 09/12/2015 19:51

I bought dd a Lego advent calander for 20

Original poster
trashcanjunkie · 09/12/2015 20:52

Wow, some fantastic responses here Grin

Excellent argument for the case of Lego, and equally satisfied with the rage and outcry from others.

I'm going to check out the Lego shop a pp suggested. He's an incredibly reasonable chap, and also has a birthday on January 9th, so we'll have a conversation.

OP posts:
northern78 · 09/12/2015 21:35

Actually I found Amazon cheaper than Lego Store. £130 in Lego £99 amazon. This is for dh not ds! I think it is overpriced but it does seem to increase in value. Good 2nd hand market I believe.