Disclaimer: Do note that this guide is meant mainly for buyers within singapore. Some information may be outdated or incorrect. Do alert me if you have spotted such discrepencies.
Date: Jun 2016
Basic Jargons
RRP - Recommended Retail Price (can also be SRP - Singapore Retail Price)
MOC - My Own Creation: a LEGO structure not in any set. usually fan designed.
LCS - LEGO Certified Store
LCP - LEGO Certified Professional
Timeline of a LEGO set
The trick to buying a LEGO set at a good price depends largely on when do you buy it. Some of you may have already noticed that there is a pattern to it.
Period
|
Production
|
Initial Launch
|
Waves
|
EOL
|
Off Shelf
|
Stock
|
NA
|
Low
|
High
|
High
|
NA
|
Price (secondary market)
|
NA
|
Up
|
Down
|
Down
|
UP
|
Comments
|
During this time, Parts are being produced. Factory Leaks are possible.
|
Low Stock as everyone are rushing to get thier own set. Scalpers will go in during this period to create a further perception of limited stock and drive prices higher.
|
This will last for at least 6 months as more sets flow into the market.
Due to abundance stock, ppl will stop buying high from secondary market and prices will go down.
|
Items has stopped production. However, stock level is still high on retail outlets.
|
Items are no longer sold in retail store. Prices are decided by secondary market.
|
This is a basic timeline of a LEGO set’s life span. so, as a consumer, you get to pick WHEN you buy. :)
Types of LEGO
Regular
|
Common LEGO sets that you see in almost every shop
|
Monostore Exclusives
|
Exclusive sets that are only found in LEGO Monostore. They used to be called 5-digit sets until recently LEGO changed the numbers system. However, Exclusive sets still retain the starting number of 1. example, for 2015, 10246: Detective's Office , 10247: Ferris Wheel.
71006: Simpson house has proven not to be an exclusive. so….
76023: The Tumbler is a ? only time will tell.
|
White Tags
|
These sets usually comes prediscounted. They do have a RRP, but they were never released at that price. These sets have a very good price/part ratio. examples will be 60026: Town Square and Advent Calendars
Robinson will indicate these sets with a price cancellation.
Metro indicate by white tags.
Some places never indicate at all, but will sell at the discounted price.
|
Lifestyle
|
LEGO Related products - Keychains, KeyLights, Lamps, etc, etc
|
TRU/ Target/ Walmart Exclusives
|
As the name implies, these sets are exclusive to these stores.
|
Clearance
|
Sets that has gone off the shelf in order to make space for new sets and has returned with a high discount in order to encourage clearance.
Recently examples are Lone Ranger, Galaxy Squad, Ninjao Final battle Arc, Chima Insect Arc.
Latest clearance as of apr 2015 is TMNT at bricksworld.
|
White Tags
| ||||
2014
|
41056
|
44.9
|
34.9
| |
2015
|
60070
|
49.9
|
39.9
| |
60071
|
74.9
|
59.9
| ||
70228
|
74.9
|
59.9
| ||
2016
|
41133
|
59.9
|
74.9
| |
60111
|
49.9
|
59.9
| ||
60131
|
39.9
|
49.9
| ||
70324
|
34.9
|
44.9
| ||
70327
|
44.9
|
59.9
| ||
75141
|
39.9
|
54.9
| ||
76056
|
49.9
|
64.9
| ||
Where to buy
LEGO Mono - Shops that are authorised by LEGO to use thier Brand name as signboard. these shops are only allowed to sell LEGO Products
Chapalang - They sell LEGO and a whole range of other stuff
Dept Store - Department Store that carries LEGO. LEGO usually do not give 20% discounts. However, during these store’s storewide sales, MIRACLES happen.
Name
|
Type
|
Location
|
PAB
|
Discount / Membership
|
Comments
|
Bricksworld
|
LCS
|
Ngee Ann City (Flagship)
|
LEGO PAB
|
$300 in a single reciept / $25 for 3 years.
10% Discount.
| |
RWS
|
LEGO PAB
| ||||
Vivo City
|
LEGO PAB
| ||||
Suntec
|
LEGO PAB
| ||||
LEGO Mono
|
JEMS
|
NIL
| |||
Plaza Sing
|
NIL
| ||||
Toyshunt
|
LEGO Mono
|
Great World City
|
PAB
|
$300 in accumulated reciepts / $30 for 1 years.
10% Discount.
| |
Novena Square
|
PAB
| ||||
Century Square
|
PAB
| ||||
Secret Chamber
|
LEGO Mono
|
Thomson Plaza
|
PAB
| ||
Holland Village Shopping Center
|
PAB
| ||||
Causeway Point
|
PAB
| ||||
The Brick Shop
|
LCS
|
Jurong Point
|
PAB
| ||
LEGO Mono
|
NEX
|
NIL
| |||
Bedok Point
|
NIL
| ||||
Brick Station
|
General Toys & Games Boutique
|
Serene Center
|
ONLINE PAB
|
No Membership. 15% Discount all year round.
| |
MLBS
|
Chapalang
|
Bugis Junction
|
Standard PAB
|
$300 in a single reciept.
10% Discount. 20% off one receipt birthday month.
| |
Gift Greetings
|
Chapalang
|
GWC
|
NIL
|
$10.
5% discount
|
Tanglin Mall Outlet does not carry LEGO
|
NEX
| |||||
Toys’R’us
|
Toy Store
|
Forum
Paragon
Vivo City
City Square Mall
The Centrepoint
Tampines Mall
United Square
Suntec City
|
NIL
| ||
Metro
|
Dept Store
|
Paragon
The Centrepoint
Causeway Point
|
NIL
| ||
Robinson
|
Dept Store
|
Raffles City
Hereen
JEMS
|
NIL
| ||
Isetan
|
Dept Store
|
Shaw House
Wisma Atria
Parkway Parade
Tampines Mall
Nex
Westgate
|
NIL
|
Do note, some of these store carry little to no LEGO
| |
Takashimaya
|
Dept Store
|
Ngee Ann City
|
NIL
| ||
Hamley’s
|
Toy Store
|
Plaza Singapura
|
NIL
| ||
Simply Toys
|
Toy Store
|
Plaza Singapura
Bugis Junction
|
This is a guide to LEGO buying, not a street directory. go use your google map or whatever.
Ebay, Carousell should always be used only as a last resort. otherwise, you are just feeding scalpers.
What kind of Fan you are
Knowing yourself will enable you to better plan for how you would like to purchase. I for one, have spent years to figure out my own pattern. I do hope this will shorten yours.
Buyers
|
Set / Box Collector
|
Buyers who just collects for personal reasons but never build due to various reasons.
| |
Opportunist
|
Buyers who only buys when there is a good sale or clearance.
| ||
Scalper
|
Buyers who intentionally buy out items on the shelf in order to create demand.
| ||
Investor
|
Buyers who buys for investment.
| ||
Builders
|
MOCer
|
Purist
|
MOCer who only use pure LEGO parts. Even if they have to stick to the very dim light brick. However, these ppl are usually very creative with LEGO elements and different methods to work ard.
|
Creator
|
MOCer who are open to any options to make thier lego creation look better. Wireless lightning, LED strips.
| ||
Digitizer
|
MOCers who first do thier designs on software and proceed to procure the parts to bring them into the physical world. Advantage: unlimited parts/colours at your disposal to create your design
| ||
Instruction Builder
|
Builders that only build according to instructions and wont take the step further into MOC. Why? from my understanding, these ppl finds building LEGO sets very therapeutic, relieving thier stress as the pieces goes into its proper place without fault. MOCing will take up time and create un-neccessary brain activity which neutralise the stress-reliving effect.
| ||
Additional Bonus
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ETc28u1LBhUIgBd63ija_RRPLQ2nRqQ-KlPdulKw57g/edit?usp=sharing
