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2015 UK Prices


Munty

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I had a search for this prior to posting so please point me i nthe right direction if the answer already exists but I can only find the dollar lists fright now. I know people will say "just use a currency converter" but that won't work will it because a $19.99 set in the US doesn't equate to a £12.66 set in the UK. It'll probably be either £12.99 or more likely £14.99 because reasons...

 

So if anyone knows anything about UK prices, or even European (I can only find them in dollars despite them being leaked from Germany and TLG being based in Denmark...) please let us know so we can figure out how much moolah we need to save by the New Year!

Edited by Munty

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I had a search for this prior to posting so please point me i nthe right direction if the answer already exists but I can only find the dollar lists fright now. I know people will say "just use a currency converter" but that won't work will it because a $19.99 set in the US doesn't equate to a £12.66 set in the UK. It'll probably be either £12.99 or more likely £14.99 because reasons...

 

So if anyone knows anything about UK prices, or even European (I can only find them in dollars despite them being leaked from Germany and TLG being based in Denmark...) please let us know so we can figure out how much moolah we need to save by the New Year!

I haven't found an official source for UK 2015 BIONICLE prices yet, but you can probably arrive at a close estimate by looking at 2014 Hero Factory sets with the same US prices. By that measure, the Protectors ($9.99 USD) would be £8.99 GBP, the smaller Toa and Lord of Skull Spiders ($14.99 USD) would be £12.99 GBP, and the larger Toa ($19.99 USD) would be £17.99 GBP. The full collection (about $180 USD) would be about £160 GBP. Of course, the real prices might turn out to be higher or lower. I've heard some rumors that the Protectors might instead be £9.99 and the larger Toa might be just £14.99. Total price works out to be only slightly lower, but the difference in price between sets of different sizes would be considerably smaller.

 

German prices for sets as small as these are usually (not always) the same numerical value as the USD prices but just with a Euro sign in front instead of a dollar sign. So a $9.99 Hero Factory set costs €9.99 in Germany, while a $19.99 Hero Factory set costs €19.99 in Germany. Prices in Euros tend to differ between countries, though, because while the currency is the same throughout the EU, the cost of doing business in each country (local taxes, distribution networks, etc.) can still vary.

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Thanks for your thoughts, those HF prices are just crazy high aren't they?! I was expecting to shell out closer to £120 for the lot of them, why should they be so much cheaper in the US? Surely the UK sets can be shipped cheaply from Europe!

 

I hope these prices turn out to be hi-balls or we-re going to see a pretty low number of new collectors in the UK. Sure the kids will still get one or two sets but at these prices there's no way I would've been able to get all 6 toa as a kid!


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

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Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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Thanks for your thoughts, those HF prices are just crazy high aren't they?! I was expecting to shell out closer to £120 for the lot of them, why should they be so much cheaper in the US? Surely the UK sets can be shipped cheaply from Europe!

Being close to the place of manufacture really doesn't do a whole lot to lower prices. After all, Denmark, where the LEGO Group is headquartered and where a lot of their production is done, has some of the highest LEGO prices in the world!

 

LEGO's regional pricing is influenced by a number of factors. Just to name one, in the UK, I believe retailers have to pay a value added tax for each set sold, while in the United States, sales tax is billed to the consumer as an additional charge on top of the set's marked price (the rate of sales tax in the United States varies by state).

 

Local retailers also play a part in deciding what LEGO sets should cost, which affects even the LEGO Group's RRP for the sets since a lot of retailers might refuse to stock LEGO if the LEGO Group's online shop were to offer the same sets at lower prices.

 

Other factors like medium household income, standard of living, and the cost of living for an average family play an additional role. These factors influence how much money a family has to spend on luxury goods like LEGO. In the United States, for instance, it is normal to pay through the nose for things like health insurance, whereas in the UK, health insurance is provided to all citizens by the government. This does raise taxes somewhat, but it's still much cheaper for many families than privatized health care in the United States (if anybody reading this has strong opinions on the politics of health care in either country, recognize that I'm not trying to start a debate here, just acknowledging one difference between the US and UK that plays a role in how much money an average family has to spend on LEGO).

 

LEGO is hardly the only brand that charges considerably less in the US than in other countries. The same countries that pay the highest prices for LEGO also often pay the highest prices for other products like consumer electronics (computers, smartphones, etc). Compare the UK and US prices for a MacBook Pro — a consumer in the US pays $1299 (roughly £825) for the same product a consumer in the UK would pay £999 for.

 

It's all about maximizing profits in the end. If at some point the LEGO Group decides that they can make more money by charging higher or lower prices in one country or another, then they'll do exactly that. Exchange rates are just one small part of that equation.

Edited by Aanchir
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The prices Aanchir listed are the official GBP prices.

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Meiko - @georgebarnick

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DISCLAIMER: All opinions and contributions made under this account are based solely on my own personal thoughts and opinions, and in no way represent any of the above groups/entities. If you have any concerns or inquiries about the contributions made under this account, please contact me individually and I will address them with you to the best of my ability.

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I hope it does turn out that the bigger toa are just 15 pounds, what happened to the days of just 5/6/8 pounds for a toa?

Well, first and foremost, Toa sets got bigger. A Toa Mata cost five pounds/seven dollars in 2001, but that got you just 36 pieces average. Whereas the three smaller Toa this year have 79 pieces average, and the three larger Toa have 98 pieces average. Even if the GBP price per piece had remained exactly the same as in 2001, the larger three Toa would cost at least thirteen pounds.

 

Inflation is another factor. The inflation rate from 2001 to 2014 is around 33.9% in the UK and around 35.6% in the US. The $7/£5 you spent for the Toa Mata would be $9.39 or £6.70 today. If you make that adjustment, the price per piece for the new Toa is actually slightly lower than for the 2001 Toa, in both GBP and USD!

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LEGO is overpriced in the UK, so I personally think the larger Toa will be aout £20, the small Toa about £16, and the Protectors about £10.

For example, the Cuusoo sets such as the Minecraft micro worlds and the Exo Suit are $35 in the US, but £35 in the UK. They didn't even bother to do a conversion, they just replaced the dollar sign with a pound sign and slapped it on. That's about £21 in the US, and £35 in the UK. If I'm right I'll probably have to get them imported from the US to get them cheaper.

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I hope it does turn out that the bigger toa are just 15 pounds, what happened to the days of just 5/6/8 pounds for a toa?

Well, first and foremost, Toa sets got bigger. A Toa Mata cost five pounds/seven dollars in 2001, but that got you just 36 pieces average. Whereas the three smaller Toa this year have 79 pieces average, and the three larger Toa have 98 pieces average. Even if the GBP price per piece had remained exactly the same as in 2001, the larger three Toa would cost at least thirteen pounds.

 

Inflation is another factor. The inflation rate from 2001 to 2014 is around 33.9% in the UK and around 35.6% in the US. The $7/£5 you spent for the Toa Mata would be $9.39 or £6.70 today. If you make that adjustment, the price per piece for the new Toa is actually slightly lower than for the 2001 Toa, in both GBP and USD!

 

Well thanks for that, I know next to nothing about the economy, all I hear on "BBC news" is "the economy still sucks", then someone blames the EU for all the problems.

It's time to move on.

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The prices Aanchir listed are the official GBP prices.

 

Can you confirm this somehow Meiko? As I've been unable to find any official releases on the subject. 

 

Thanks for the detailed breakdown Aanchir, I appreciate the time you've taken to explain everything! I think I'd rather pay an extra £20 for Lego this year and still benefit from the NHS than the US alternative (especially with 2 accident-prone  kids and a wife with a broken hand!) so I guess I'll suck it up! 

 

Regardless though I'd really like to see official confirmation of these prices somewhere so I know how big of a piggy bank I need :D


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

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Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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The prices Aanchir listed are the official GBP prices.

 

Can you confirm this somehow Meiko? As I've been unable to find any official releases on the subject. 

The last release I read had them alongside the USD and EUR prices. I'd like to assume they haven't changed since then but that I can't confirm.

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Administrator at BIONICLEsector01

 

DISCLAIMER: All opinions and contributions made under this account are based solely on my own personal thoughts and opinions, and in no way represent any of the above groups/entities. If you have any concerns or inquiries about the contributions made under this account, please contact me individually and I will address them with you to the best of my ability.

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Aanchir's answer to the price of Tahu/Kopaka/Onua being £17.99 and Gali/Lewa/Pohatu being £12.99 add up for me. I can even see them slapping a £19.99 price in a lot of shops.

 

 

I wish that I hadn't spent money on the Breez Flea Machine and CHI Mungus now... those prices are hefty.

 

I think that I'll start with the Toa, and then wait to see what comes out in summer, in terms of parts to modify the Toa.

 

(It's times like this that I miss Woolworths and their amazing "Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price" LEGO Deal  :no: )

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I miss Woolworths... Our iron just gave up the ghost this week and it was a relic of Woolworths! Had to buy one from ruddy Tesco's instead now :(

 

ON topic, I've factored the cost of all the new sets into my fundraising but I have other priorities first and that doesn't leave long to raise the money as I seem to have spent most of it last month (all my grail items keep popping up for sale!) We'll see, the good part of being a grown-up is we have a household fund. I think my house would like me to have some new Bionicle so maybe I'll just dip into that!


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

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Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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I haven't found an official source for UK 2015 BIONICLE prices yet, but you can probably arrive at a close estimate by looking at 2014 Hero Factory sets with the same US prices. By that measure, the Protectors ($9.99 USD) would be £8.99 GBP, the smaller Toa and Lord of Skull Spiders ($14.99 USD) would be £12.99 GBP, and the larger Toa ($19.99 USD) would be £17.99 GBP. The full collection (about $180 USD) would be about £160 GBP. 

 

These from Aanchir seem to be most accurate as Meiko confirms them as official. Of course there is still a chance they're inaccurate or could change but I'm basing all assumptions off this right now...


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

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Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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Woolworths was good. 

 

I miss Woolworths... Our iron just gave up the ghost this week and it was a relic of Woolworths! Had to buy one from ruddy Tesco's instead now :(

"Sniff sniff" I want woolworths back, it was the only place where I could find lego on discount  :( .

 

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/e/q/lego.end?_requestid=192208

They make take our stores but they will never take away OUR CHEAP DEALS!!

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It's time to move on.

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Regarding UK prices Frank (sorry buddy I forgot your BZP user name!!!) found these sets listed on Amazon recently and they have slightly lower prices than seen here. I think all si are now listed but we're not sure who they've been listed by so it still doesn't really confirm what the actual prices will be. Anyone interested can check out the link Frank found below. This one is for Kopaka!

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bionicle-LEGO-Kopaka-Master-Ice/dp/B00NVDNUR8/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1417276823&sr=1-1&keywords=kopaka+master+of+ice


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

> > > Bionic Bricks < < <

 

Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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Here are the final prices, direct from Kim Thomsen, the European Community Coordinator for the LEGO Group:

 

All protectors are 9.99 GBP

 

70784 Lewa – Master of Jungle 12.99 GBP

 

70785 Pohatu – Master of Stone 12.99 GBP

 

70786 Gali – Master of Water 12.99 GBP

 

70787 Tahu – Master of Fire 14.99 GBP

 

70788 Kopaka – Master of Ice 14.99 GBP

 

70789 Onua – Master of Earth 14.99 GBP

 

70790 Lord of Skull Spiders 12.99 GBP

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Here are the final prices, direct from Kim Thomsen, the European Community Coordinator for the LEGO Group:

 

*Insert prices and other stuff here*

So the prices listed on Amazon WERE correct after all!

 

Anyway, I'm glad that the most expensive sets for the first wave are £15 instead of £20, chances are I'll probably end up buying more of the sets at this price... :D

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Here are the final prices, direct from Kim Thomsen, the European Community Coordinator for the LEGO Group:

 

*snip*

 

Good man! How on earth did you get these Aanchir?! I'd given up asking people prices as they all gie the same answer! Thanks for the update, makes them cheaper than expected and gives us brits change from £160 which aint bad at all!


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

> > > Bionic Bricks < < <

 

Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

Masks%20footer4_zpspqs4myrt.png

Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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Here are the final prices, direct from Kim Thomsen, the European Community Coordinator for the LEGO Group:

 

*snip*

 

Good man! How on earth did you get these Aanchir?! I'd given up asking people prices as they all gie the same answer! Thanks for the update, makes them cheaper than expected and gives us brits change from £160 which aint bad at all!

 

I sent an e–mail to Kevin Hinkle, who copied it to Kim Thomsen, who eventually got me an answer once he understood what I was specifically asking for. It might have helped that I specifically told him WHY I needed the info (that is to say, for a magazine article I was writing about the BIONICLE theme's return).

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Ireland usually gets similar markup to Britain, so I'm getting a tad annoyed. The US gets the wave for €140 equiv. While GB gets it for €200.

And this is presuming they don't chance their arm at a $20:£20 exchange rate, like some other companies try to pull.

I am really not looking forward to spending all my birthday money on a single wave of bionicles, as I have other hobbies too, and also want to buy up some of the older sets off ebay. However, not buying every single set is heresy.

If the above post has offended you in any way, please send me a PM. It won't help, as I won't respond, but you may feel better afterwards, and keep your frustration to yourself instead of saying something stupid.

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I think it's something to do with taxes isn't it? Pretty sure someone explained it earlier in the thread. I think because we have VAT in the UK the £160 we'll have to pay is all we'll have to pay. Isn't there additional sales tax in the US though or something? So when they checkout with their $120 cart they'll add taxes at the till or something? Ah I dunno, think someone mentioned something similar anyway!

 

Good job Aanchir, I always take the opposite approach and try to explain that I'm NOT from any kind of media asset and the information is for personal consumption only! Perhaps I will try a change of tact in the future, though I don't write many articles these days!


Check out my Bionicle store on Bricklink here!

> > > Bionic Bricks < < <

 

Let me know if you can help me find these last few collectibles!

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Also looking for WILD KRAATA and a VMKK Yo!!!

 

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Ireland usually gets similar markup to Britain, so I'm getting a tad annoyed. The US gets the wave for €140 equiv. While GB gets it for €200.

Doesn't Ireland use euros? I assume it will be the same price as in France and Germany (etc etc).

 

Euro prices actually do vary by country. Even if the countries have the same currency with the same exchange rates, the cost of doing business there (and the amount people are able and willing to pay) varies by country.

 

Just as an example, Battle for Ninjago City costs €107 in France, €110 in Austria/Germany/Belgium/the Netherlands/Luxemburg, €115 in Italy, €120 in Ireland/Spain/Portugal, and €130 in Finland. In the United States it costs $120 (€96.82 by direct conversion, the lowest price in all countries served by shop.LEGO.com), and in Denmark it costs Kr 999.00 (€134.34 by direct conversion, the second-highest price in all countries served by shop.LEGO.com).

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Ireland usually gets similar markup to Britain, so I'm getting a tad annoyed. The US gets the wave for €140 equiv. While GB gets it for €200.

Doesn't Ireland use euros? I assume it will be the same price as in France and Germany (etc etc).

 

Euro prices actually do vary by country. Even if the countries have the same currency with the same exchange rates, the cost of doing business there (and the amount people are able and willing to pay) varies by country.

 

Just as an example, Battle for Ninjago City costs €107 in France, €110 in Austria/Germany/Belgium/the Netherlands/Luxemburg, €115 in Italy, €120 in Ireland/Spain/Portugal, and €130 in Finland. In the United States it costs $120 (€96.82 by direct conversion, the lowest price in all countries served by shop.LEGO.com), and in Denmark it costs Kr 999.00 (€134.34 by direct conversion, the second-highest price in all countries served by shop.LEGO.com).

 

Wow, I thought euro prices were the same in all countries that used that horrible currency (praise mata nui we didn't take it on), do you work in economics or something? 

It's time to move on.

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Wow, I thought euro prices were the same in all countries that used that horrible currency (praise mata nui we didn't take it on), do you work in economics or something?

Nope, I'm just active on a lot of LEGO sites and have seen a lot of discussions about international pricing discrepancies. Even countries that share a currency are still subject to differences in supply and demand, local taxes, distribution costs, and other factors that vary by country.

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