In Response to (Used Lego Sellers: Important Wake Up Call!)

There's this fellow who runs Jangbricks who does set reviews over on Youtube and recently he talked about issues he's having with buying used sets online.  His examples were a small firetruck and one of the classic 4.5 volt trains.

You can see the video here

As a buyer I want to weigh in on this matter myself and hopefully offer some 'wisdom' where navigating the used brick sellers is concerned.

I've been buying Old danish building toys since 2004...for reasons stemming from the color change, and nostalgia.  I think I'm pretty good at it.

I've had good purchases, ok purchases, and 2 notably ugly purchases...and I've been happy with all of them for one reason or another.

Let's talk about the ugly purchases first, because no one likes getting those, but they can be fun stories to tell.

First up:
Ebay

I picked this set up on ebay from a seller who showed an image of what appeared to be a complete set in beautiful condition, the item was listed as unused old store stock.  Other listings from the seller showed sets with color substitutions and so on...I saw some listings for this set in the $70 range and this seller was listing for just over $20

What I got...
2/3rds of the set and some part substitutions.
The part conditions ranged from perfect to very good with the back doors being the only bits to show some wear.  I was pleased with the condition of the set, but brought up the deficiencies to the seller.  He refunded me everything and let me keep the set.

What ended up happening afterward.
I went to Bricklink and freaked when I saw that I'd have to ship the thin chinstrap helmet from overseas (that ain't cheap!)...I'd received a modern helmet instead...this is when I discovered the differences between thick and thin chinstraps.

Note the line on the chinstrap of the red color...this chinstrap has more plastic and is reinforced.  Thin chinstraps were prone to breakage and are harder to find in good shape.

 

...fortunately thick chinstraps were easier to come by and appropriate to the set's vintage.  I swapped out thick ring eyelet plates for thin ring eyelets...since I was already going to the trouble of wholesale purchasing I figured, why not...I went for pieces in the middle of the bricklink seller lists...I don't buy the cheapest pieces...2 reasons (I'm afraid of cheap listings showing rough wear, higher prices reflect quality...so I assume the sellers think like me)  It worked out and the set came together in a beautiful way.

In the end I was pleased with the set and contacted the seller to pay him in full.  Was that right?  Jang might say no, but I'd made my point, gotten the set I wanted in a condition that...for Classic Space is rare and absurdly good, and wanted to maintain good terms with the seller.  Will I buy from them again?  Probably not, but I might...Remember, sometimes with these old sets pickings are slim, and I've demonstrated what I want to the seller to improve their service, I didn't burn the seller, they might remember my goodwill and strive to do better.  All's well that ends good.

Ugly duckling number 2

This set was an add on to another purchase because it was coming from Denmark.  The set was in the range of 3-5 dollars, and most importantly there was a picture.  My decision to buy was based on seeing the minifig's moon print.  It was intact, so I jumped at it.  I'm kinda prickly about wear and tear on printed parts... what I didn't notice was that the set was featuring some minor yellowing on one side of the set when built...this set probably lived its life on display in some indirect sunlight...

I was going to take a picture for you, but...the yellowing isn't bad enough to show up very well on camera...that's good...anyways...yellowing on white parts is a fact of life...we make do.

What I did: Nothing, the minifig alone would be worth anywhere from 3-25 dollars depending on quantity available and condition...I took the ship to be a bonus...besides, with a little bit of retro bright and a hazmat suit... it should be somewhat reasonable to restore myself...although that retrobright stuff sounds terrifically noxious...if you're a kid reading my blog and you intend to try it at home...get some help from your Mom or Dad, and at a minimum...wear some goggles and gloves.

Some Ok examples...

This was the first set I imported.  It was listed as being in good condition, the shipping was killer, but...there just wasn't a selection available in my country of residence.  I got it and aside from a little roughness, i.e.  what I would call light pleaywear, it was ok.  It was just a bummer that the shipping priced this at a premium, and the condition was less than I had gotten used to...it is now actually easy to get your hands on...ish (is vintage ever easy???)  You might even do better than me,

This set had some vintage part substitutions, a handful of parts with some suntanning lines (noted in the listing), as shown here, and a shirt that was completely tanned to ruin...maybe it's fixable, but I'm risking the print if I try...oh, and the sleeves are white, that's wrong.

This was my first run at a Futuron set, and you should note, the little disappointments didn't impact my desire to keep going.  I sent a message to the seller, thanked him, and mentioned my issues, I told him I'd deal with the replacements myself, he expressed his apologies and we exchanged flickr accounts to share our hobby.  It was a good experience, I'd buy from him again.

I purchased a loose shirt on ebay and bricklinked the bits I was displeased with.  I replaced some of the tanned bits, and left the ones I could bury in the model alone.

Excellent examples.

This set was purchased new on ebay, the tabs had lost their stick so it could be opened, but for all intents and purposes, it was sealed, and I picked it up when demand was down, or not yet present...

I loved it...definitely didn't discourage me.  If you like Exploriens I've noticed that they are in a similar position or were...if you want to repeat my success with inexpensive sealed sets I'd check those out first.  I just don't love Exploriens...so yeah...

meanwhile

This was another ebay bid.  Funnily enough; getting this set stalled out my joy in buying Old sets.  It was dusty and had a mysterious gummy residue on some bits...gross.  I didn't clean it for three years, but when I finally did I realized what I had...a vintage gem...very light wear, slightly overpriced...I got into a bidding war and held on like a bulldog...(trust me on this...if it gets too high, let go of it. You'll be happier for it.)

It was packaged built, wrapped up in old newspaper...no ziplocs...trust me...the packing job was kind of eh?!  hmmm.

It would be 3 years between this and my next vintage Lego set purchase...funny what an ooey gooey mess, questionable packing decisions and a never say die bidding war can do to your enthusiasm.

There is a business term for shining examples of excellence...we call them stars, additionally, there is the term ? in business academia.

? could be a star, a cash cow, or a dog...investing in it is the only way to find out.  The below set was one of the ? purchases I made.

This set was clearly used looking in the ebay listing, the parts were pictured in a ziploc inside the box, but the set was listed as new.  and the price was below average.

I chanced it.

When it got to me I immediately saw that some bits from some other set were in the bag and I began to get a sinking suspicion that I'd been had.

I started the inventory...my concern gave way to surprise.  Everything was there and the set truly did look brand new...it's just...the usual internal packaging was all gone...it might have been built once...but by golly, I was astounded!  I haven't built this yet...it's in such good condition I've put it aside for later.


This is not a complete review of my purchases, just some of the more notable ones.

If you want to buy old Lego sets online, here are my 'tips' to protect yourself.

Don't purchase anything without actual pictures available unless you've developed a good rapport with the seller and trust them.
         E.G. Stock images and no images are a really bad sign.  Look elsewhere.

Verify that the seller is accurate, inspect everything the seller has made available...if elements of the listing don't add up square, run!
        E.g.  Seller lists 100% and you can see that the model is incomplete...use your eyes...move along...I break this rule sometimes...but only when the unique/rare pieces are all verifiably present...and the condition is obviously great.

Take some time to determine what condition you want and what price you're willing to pay.
Look for lisitngs that fit those criteria...be willing to walk away from a listing if it comes with too much ??? for you to be confident.
        Worn and heavily used examples will be cheap...if you want quantity, look for sets with roughed prints, and noted playwear, you can amass a sizeable collection this way without breaking the bank...and if you're going to throw them in a big bucket and swish them this may be the option for you.  I like to take pictures...thus I shy away from heavily worn listings,

If you see a Star listing that meets your expectations and it is obviously legit...attack it...because I could be right behind you!!!
       But seriously...double check everything...too good to be true often is...winning garbage isn't really winning.

I don't dawdle for gems...I bring em down...particularly buy it now options...I haven't been curb stomped by a bad seller yet (Okay maybe 6872 qualifies)...Nailing good listings every time can be done, but as with any other activity...care and diligence are your best tools...use them.

I feel bad for Jang, but he buys a lot...buy less...buy better...all the good listings won't all be available at the same time.

Classic Space sets on Ebay are frequently like Netflix ...tons to buy, but none of it's good.

This is a hobby that is worth taking slow...the rewards of getting a great buy every once in a while far outstrips buying a metric ton of regret.

When all else fails...Ebay and Bricklink have help and support sections...use them.

Sincerely, The Cure-All-Pill