Over the previous decade, the recognition and demand for LEGO has soared. What was as soon as a constructing toy for youngsters has expanded its viewers to incorporate teenagers and adults. And the units themselves have expanded intimately, utility, and variance.
Some units are constructed for play. Others are constructed for show, as dioramas or costly collectibles. And a rising variety of units are life-style equipment – wall decorations, vegetation, and flowers – that combine themselves into the residing area.
There are a whole lot of LEGO units at the moment obtainable for buy, throughout all kinds of piece counts, themes, and costs. And patrons may run into two main issues: not discovering the set they need, and in the event that they do, not discovering it at an affordable worth.
The commonest cause for both drawback is that the precise set is “retired.” LEGO retires all its units – even its widespread ones – to make room for brand spanking new ones. And this has created a rampant resell tradition, during which retailers mark up their stock as much as 2-3 instances their unique worth.
It’s additionally a tough actuality that LEGO is pricey, interval, and has been getting extra so for the previous a number of years. Take, for instance, the huge, 7541-piece Star Wars Millennium Falcon that launched in 2017. At the time, it price $800, which was already effectively above the everyday ’10 cents per piece’ fee of most LEGO units. Today, that very same set prices $850.
You can alleviate these issues by being a sensible, meticulous client. Here are the very best locations to buy lego units in 2025, together with the very best instances to search for offers.
Where to Buy LEGO Sets Online
The first, most blatant place to buy LEGO on-line is the official LEGO Store, which has the widest choice obtainable and is definitely sortable by theme, worth, launch date, and buyer score. LEGO has responsive customer support in addition to a LEGO Insiders program. It’s free to enroll, and it comes with quite a few perks.
You should purchase units earlier than they launch to most people. You can obtain free units as incentives for spending cash. And there are a number of sets that are exclusive to the LEGO Store, which can’t be purchased from a third-party retailer.
The most interesting facet of the LEGO Store is its point system. Every greenback you spend converts to six.5 factors. 130 factors is the equal of $1. That works out to five% of no matter cash you set into the system, which you save up and redeem in direction of a future buy.
There are additionally particular instances through the 12 months the place you’ll be able to earn double the factors, which maximizes this system’s worth. More on that later.
Your different greatest on-line choices are Amazon and the net storefronts for Target and Walmart. While they don’t have the purpose system or the exclusivity of the official retailer, they provide modest reductions for many of their units. The LEGO Store, in the meantime, sometimes costs full retail worth besides on choose events, like when it is attempting to eliminate stock close to the top of a set’s run.
Thus, it turns into a matter of doing the mathematics and weighing your choices. Would you reasonably get a set with a ten% low cost at Target.com (which does technically settle for LEGO Insider factors, however at an trade fee that defeats the aim)? Or would you reasonably pay full retail worth on the on-line LEGO Store, however obtain a future low cost and an unique small set totally free?
Where to Buy Retired Sets Online
Lastly, there are the unofficial on-line marketplaces on Craigslist, EBay, Facebook, and extra. If you are searching for a retired set, that is your solely choice, and be warned: your acquisition will come at a steep worth. Definitely get in contact with the vendor immediately, positively haggle, and positively store round to get the absolute best deal.
Where to Buy LEGO Sets in Stores
Brick-and-mortar shops are your different choice. It is unlikely you will discover a wider range of units in individual than you’ll on-line, however many individuals favor customized consideration and wish to bodily deal with a set earlier than buying it.
The in-person LEGO Store is a superb selection for a similar causes that the net LEGO Store is a superb selection. The LEGO Insiders program and its level system carry over to both choice. LEGO Stores additionally present interactive enjoyable. They usually include a LEGO constructing station and a LEGO minifigure station, the place you’ll be able to select from a whole lot of physique elements and equipment to create your personal Mini-Me.
Target and Walmart have devoted LEGO sections of their shops, and once more, must be evaluated in opposition to the LEGO Store’s stock on a case-by-case foundation. Gamestop often sells gaming-themed LEGO units. Barnes and Noble sells LEGO as effectively: life-style units, impulse buy smaller units, and Harry Potter units (which is smart, since Harry Potter is without doubt one of the greatest promoting e book franchises in historical past). It is unlikely that smaller shops might be providing reductions. But it does not harm to look.
When Do LEGO Sets Go on Sale?
Aside from common reductions on the box-stores (that are the baseline default, reasonably than the exception), LEGO units hardly ever obtain reductions. The demand is excessive, and LEGO would reasonably retire a set than low cost it. But there are particular instances of the 12 months when LEGO units go on sale to be careful for.
LEGO sometimes celebrates May 4 (Star Wars Day) by providing double the Insider factors for buying Star Wars units. LEGO additionally celebrates March 10 (Mario Day) by partnering with Nintendo and providing comparable offers. So be careful for notable anniversaries, significantly as they relate to third get together franchises.
Always search for clearance offers on the box-stores, that are extra widespread in the beginning of the 12 months. That’s when LEGO retires scores of previous units and launches scores of recent units. This requires the third get together retailers to refresh their stock.
Lastly, the vacation season is right for deep reductions, significantly on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Amazon Prime Days, which run in July and October, are additionally strong alternatives. Keep an eye fixed out for any upcoming gross sales occasions for potential LEGO offers.
Kevin Wong is a contributing freelancer for IGN, specializing in LEGO. He’s additionally been revealed in Complex, Engadget, Gamespot, Kotaku, and extra. Follow him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
