TL;DR because Lego maintains extremely high quality standards, domestically manufacturing in Denmark, while treating and paying their employees very well in a wealthy European country. Lego also...
TL;DR because Lego maintains extremely high quality standards, domestically manufacturing in Denmark, while treating and paying their employees very well in a wealthy European country. Lego also does way more licensed sets than they used to, which adds an extra 10-20% vs a comparable non-licensed set.
While all this is true, I don't think it's a true tl;dw, as the point the video makes is completely different. Lego is so expensive because the newer kits are much more complicated and have more...
While all this is true, I don't think it's a true tl;dw, as the point the video makes is completely different.
Lego is so expensive because the newer kits are much more complicated and have more parts, and that's because the company shifted focus to support their adult fans in the 2000s in the face of declining sales/profits.
Millennials with money are such a lucrative market that so many nostalgic companies are milking. 80's and 90's kids are the cash cows of the knickknack world.
Millennials with money are such a lucrative market that so many nostalgic companies are milking. 80's and 90's kids are the cash cows of the knickknack world.
Hey, that is offensive. I NEED the three thousand dollars worth of Lego that are within view of where I'm sitting now. In fact, I think I need to go and order another set to get over the shock of...
Hey, that is offensive. I NEED the three thousand dollars worth of Lego that are within view of where I'm sitting now. In fact, I think I need to go and order another set to get over the shock of this accusation. Maybe I can use this as an excuse to get that Liebherr...
More seriously - it's still a moment I remember when adult me finally got the one Lego model I most wanted for years as a child but could never afford, the original 8880 Technic Super Car. I still want to get an 8480 original big Space Shuttle, but they're up to a significant chunk of $1k USD on the resale market by now >.<
And the added cost is entirely warranted. I'm fairly militant regarding the 'no bootleg Lego' mandate in our household. My son has received some of these cheaper sets, often cheekily advertising...
And the added cost is entirely warranted. I'm fairly militant regarding the 'no bootleg Lego' mandate in our household. My son has received some of these cheaper sets, often cheekily advertising that they're 'compatible with major brands', but the difference in quality is honestly night-and-day, and in every aspect, from manufacturing and fit to presentation and instructions (or lack thereof).
Yeah, I remember even as a small-child, I was so excited to get some cool-looking Megabloks... and then horrified when I tried using them, and had to be very careful and insistent to my family...
Yeah, I remember even as a small-child, I was so excited to get some cool-looking Megabloks... and then horrified when I tried using them, and had to be very careful and insistent to my family that they avoid gifting me any Megabloks, ever! I don't know if they're any better nowadays, but at the time, they were BAD.
For real. I’ve caved and done a bunch of the Mega Pokeballs, but they just fall apart constantly and are so much worse to build. LEGO brand is absolutely worth the cost.
For real. I’ve caved and done a bunch of the Mega Pokeballs, but they just fall apart constantly and are so much worse to build. LEGO brand is absolutely worth the cost.
To be fair, my 3 year old breaks them apart a lot, and buildable figures are never as sturdy as minifigures. But some of the pieces are super weird (as someone who only uses name brand LEGO); I...
To be fair, my 3 year old breaks them apart a lot, and buildable figures are never as sturdy as minifigures. But some of the pieces are super weird (as someone who only uses name brand LEGO); I get why LEGO doesn’t use those shapes. As far as pieces that are the same kind as their LEGO counterpart - they seem to work fine, but feel a little less durable.
I want to highlight one really important part of the video, which I always bring up when people discuss "Why does LEGO seem more expensive nowadays?", and that's the price-per-part ratio. Because...
I want to highlight one really important part of the video, which I always bring up when people discuss "Why does LEGO seem more expensive nowadays?", and that's the price-per-part ratio. Because the surprising answer is... it really isn't more expensive! (The video discusses this starting at 25:54, for reference, but hopefully my own insights are interesting enough to others, or a good alternative for those who can't afford a watch)
I first learned about this ratio around a decade back (when I got into Mobile Frame Zero, which is a whole separate, and awesome, discussion). The "Golden Ratio" is 10 cents per part. Ever since I learned about it, I always evaluate every set I see based on that metric. It isn't enough, alone, to make a set worthy or unworthy of purchase, but it's a useful tool! For example, if a set has a lot of very useful or intricate parts, its price-per-part may go up. On the other hand, if a set has a lot of simple parts, like the LEGO Classic sets, then the price-per-part will go down.
And again, to emphasize what the video said: the price-per-part ratio has remained pretty much the same for more than a decade. (At least in my experience, and based on the data the video uses.) The appearance of "LEGO is getting more expensive" is marginally due to inflation, but mostly just due to a shift in focus for the company, towards making larger, more expensive sets. (I think a part of it may also be that they're more likely to make new parts nowadays that require new molds, but I don't know how much of a 'premium' new parts actually translates to when it comes to the price of a set.) But the important thing is that there are still affordable, accessible LEGO sets!
My preferred sets have long been the mid-size LEGO Creator sets, like my favorite, LEGO Super Robot! Those have consistently remained $10 to $20 for the past 20 years, which is incredible! They're a great impulse-buy when I go grocery shopping, something fun to do in an evening or over a weekend. And the LEGO Creator line has only gotten better over the years at encouraging creative play, by including more interesting and versatile parts, and incorporating ingenious building techniques that spark inspiration in kids. LEGO may be catering to adults more and more, but that doesn't mean they're price-gating kids out of the equation, in my opinion. You just have to find the right sets for them!
Unfortunately, kids will still probably look at the $800 sets and beg for that one... 😅
Of course, this is approaching the question from the angle of "Why does it seem more expensive?" Some could absolutely argue that "10 cents per part" has always been overpriced. Personally, I feel...
Of course, this is approaching the question from the angle of "Why does it seem more expensive?" Some could absolutely argue that "10 cents per part" has always been overpriced. Personally, I feel that's a very reasonable cost, given (as others have noted) the stringent quality-control that LEGO parts go through, the company's dedication to doing good by their employees and children around the world, and their commitment to making the production of LEGO more sustainable. They're a company I've never felt any qualms in supporting, which is quite rare nowadays, I feel like. I'm happy to pay them $10 for a Super Robot that I've easily gotten tens of hours of fun from, and could feasibly pass down to my family someday. 😊
Yes they are expensive, for all the reasons that @largepanda mentioned. BUT, that means they last longer. We have LEGO bricks that have been in our family for decades. They just keep getting...
Yes they are expensive, for all the reasons that @largepanda mentioned. BUT, that means they last longer.
We have LEGO bricks that have been in our family for decades. They just keep getting passed around. They're just molded plastic, so there aren't any moving parts or anything that can break really. Even though the new sets can be pricey, they are still one of the best investments you can make when it comes to toys.
Most of my lego from the 80s is still in good shape and it can honestly be hard to see the difference from the new pieces sometimes, but I've noticed that the big flat pieces are a bit more...
Most of my lego from the 80s is still in good shape and it can honestly be hard to see the difference from the new pieces sometimes, but I've noticed that the big flat pieces are a bit more brittle and has actually broken in some cases. Still, that's some crazy good quality, it's not like anyone has been careful with them or anything.
TL;DR because Lego maintains extremely high quality standards, domestically manufacturing in Denmark, while treating and paying their employees very well in a wealthy European country. Lego also does way more licensed sets than they used to, which adds an extra 10-20% vs a comparable non-licensed set.
While all this is true, I don't think it's a true tl;dw, as the point the video makes is completely different.
Lego is so expensive because the newer kits are much more complicated and have more parts, and that's because the company shifted focus to support their adult fans in the 2000s in the face of declining sales/profits.
Millennials with money are such a lucrative market that so many nostalgic companies are milking. 80's and 90's kids are the cash cows of the knickknack world.
Hey, that is offensive. I NEED the three thousand dollars worth of Lego that are within view of where I'm sitting now. In fact, I think I need to go and order another set to get over the shock of this accusation. Maybe I can use this as an excuse to get that Liebherr...
More seriously - it's still a moment I remember when adult me finally got the one Lego model I most wanted for years as a child but could never afford, the original 8880 Technic Super Car. I still want to get an 8480 original big Space Shuttle, but they're up to a significant chunk of $1k USD on the resale market by now >.<
And the added cost is entirely warranted. I'm fairly militant regarding the 'no bootleg Lego' mandate in our household. My son has received some of these cheaper sets, often cheekily advertising that they're 'compatible with major brands', but the difference in quality is honestly night-and-day, and in every aspect, from manufacturing and fit to presentation and instructions (or lack thereof).
Yeah, I remember even as a small-child, I was so excited to get some cool-looking Megabloks... and then horrified when I tried using them, and had to be very careful and insistent to my family that they avoid gifting me any Megabloks, ever! I don't know if they're any better nowadays, but at the time, they were BAD.
For real. I’ve caved and done a bunch of the Mega Pokeballs, but they just fall apart constantly and are so much worse to build. LEGO brand is absolutely worth the cost.
That's actually a bummer to hear, I was hoping they'd improved over time and had been eyeing some of those...
To be fair, my 3 year old breaks them apart a lot, and buildable figures are never as sturdy as minifigures. But some of the pieces are super weird (as someone who only uses name brand LEGO); I get why LEGO doesn’t use those shapes. As far as pieces that are the same kind as their LEGO counterpart - they seem to work fine, but feel a little less durable.
I want to highlight one really important part of the video, which I always bring up when people discuss "Why does LEGO seem more expensive nowadays?", and that's the price-per-part ratio. Because the surprising answer is... it really isn't more expensive! (The video discusses this starting at 25:54, for reference, but hopefully my own insights are interesting enough to others, or a good alternative for those who can't afford a watch)
I first learned about this ratio around a decade back (when I got into Mobile Frame Zero, which is a whole separate, and awesome, discussion). The "Golden Ratio" is 10 cents per part. Ever since I learned about it, I always evaluate every set I see based on that metric. It isn't enough, alone, to make a set worthy or unworthy of purchase, but it's a useful tool! For example, if a set has a lot of very useful or intricate parts, its price-per-part may go up. On the other hand, if a set has a lot of simple parts, like the LEGO Classic sets, then the price-per-part will go down.
And again, to emphasize what the video said: the price-per-part ratio has remained pretty much the same for more than a decade. (At least in my experience, and based on the data the video uses.) The appearance of "LEGO is getting more expensive" is marginally due to inflation, but mostly just due to a shift in focus for the company, towards making larger, more expensive sets. (I think a part of it may also be that they're more likely to make new parts nowadays that require new molds, but I don't know how much of a 'premium' new parts actually translates to when it comes to the price of a set.) But the important thing is that there are still affordable, accessible LEGO sets!
My preferred sets have long been the mid-size LEGO Creator sets, like my favorite, LEGO Super Robot! Those have consistently remained $10 to $20 for the past 20 years, which is incredible! They're a great impulse-buy when I go grocery shopping, something fun to do in an evening or over a weekend. And the LEGO Creator line has only gotten better over the years at encouraging creative play, by including more interesting and versatile parts, and incorporating ingenious building techniques that spark inspiration in kids. LEGO may be catering to adults more and more, but that doesn't mean they're price-gating kids out of the equation, in my opinion. You just have to find the right sets for them!
Unfortunately, kids will still probably look at the $800 sets and beg for that one... 😅
Of course, this is approaching the question from the angle of "Why does it seem more expensive?" Some could absolutely argue that "10 cents per part" has always been overpriced. Personally, I feel that's a very reasonable cost, given (as others have noted) the stringent quality-control that LEGO parts go through, the company's dedication to doing good by their employees and children around the world, and their commitment to making the production of LEGO more sustainable. They're a company I've never felt any qualms in supporting, which is quite rare nowadays, I feel like. I'm happy to pay them $10 for a Super Robot that I've easily gotten tens of hours of fun from, and could feasibly pass down to my family someday. 😊
Good ole (well, not that old in the grand scheme) Super Robot! I’ve got one on my desk and given a few as gifts.
It's amazing! Really, the perfect Creator set in my eyes. Definitely not biased by being a mecha nut!
I was completely unaware of Mobile Frame Zero until now, that looks fantastic!
Yes they are expensive, for all the reasons that @largepanda mentioned. BUT, that means they last longer.
We have LEGO bricks that have been in our family for decades. They just keep getting passed around. They're just molded plastic, so there aren't any moving parts or anything that can break really. Even though the new sets can be pricey, they are still one of the best investments you can make when it comes to toys.
Most of my lego from the 80s is still in good shape and it can honestly be hard to see the difference from the new pieces sometimes, but I've noticed that the big flat pieces are a bit more brittle and has actually broken in some cases. Still, that's some crazy good quality, it's not like anyone has been careful with them or anything.