There are plenty of places to buy LEGO products from, but there are pros and cons to each. Some are best for bargains, some are best for a wide selection, some are best for bulk bricks. This quick guide lists the various places to buy LEGO from, including both physical and online shops.
LEGO.com
The official online LEGO shop is great as a one-stop shop for buying LEGO products. It has the full range, include lots of exclusive sets for adult fans that aren’t available anywhere else. Orders generally come quickly and there’s a fast shipping option for when you need LEGO sets in a hurry. Perhaps the best option at LEGO.com though is the one to buy brand new loose bricks. There’s also a loyalty card, which allows shoppers to accrue points, and those points can be used later to spend on products.
Amazon
It’s not everyone’s most beloved conglomerate, but the global company offers some real LEGO bargains from time to time and tends to ship them fast. Amazon is also handy for third party sellers offering retired LEGO sets, although they can be on the expensive side.
Bricklink
Owned by the LEGO Group, Bricklink is basically ebay for LEGO fans. Independent sellers list sets, bulk bricks and even empty boxes for sale. Buyers are purchasing from the sellers, with Bricklink providing the platform for the transaction and an unrivalled catalogue of LEGO elements. It’s great for bulk bricks for big projects.
Local toy stores
They may not be the cheapest place, but most of us have fond memories of visiting smaller, independent toy shops as children. It would be a shame for them to disappear entirely and ethically there are some good reasons to patronise them. There’s a practical reason too though, which is that they are likely to have a broader range of LEGO products than supermarkets.
Supermarkets
Like Amazon, supermarkets such as Asda, Wal*Mart, Sainsbury’s, Target etc sometimes offer LEGO bargains. It’s easy to check if there are deals available when you need to go grocery shopping anyway, but obviously these harshly lit retailers lack the ambience of a proper toy shop.
LEGO Stores
Official branded shops are found all around the world, servicing some coutnries better than others. They are the perfect place to shop the full range and, like LEGO.com, earn VIP points. What makes them a bit special is the opportunity to buy loose bricks, build custom minifigures and get special personalised products like the Mosaic Maker.
Smyths Toys
A big presence in the UK and parts of Europe, Smyths Toys is essentially a slightly smaller versions of Toys R Us, a big box toy store that offers a big range of LEGO sets. There are occasional in-store activities and the big exclusive sets sometimes turn up at Smyths.
Argos
One of the UK’s biggest toy retailers is the catalogue shop that has switched over to online shopping and touch screens. The bargains are variable and the boxes aren’t always in the best condition, but Argos is worth checking out when the retailer has a decent sale on.
Have we missed a good resource for LEGO buying from this list? Get in touch and let us know!
To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.