As the holidays loom closer, LEGO is set to make it onto the Christmas lists of many kids but with the recent cost of sets, can parents afford it?
The Danish company, LEGO, has been a long-standing star of the toy industry. Themes such as Star Wars, LEGO City, Disney, Marvel, Harry Potter, LEGO Ideas, and more have generated billions of dollars a year. For over 90 years, the company has been a huge force of the toy industry and been one of the most popular brands out there.
But in today’s world where inflation is a rising concern for adults and children alike, concerns around LEGO’s prices have risen too. With the company’s first $1000 set having been released Oct. 1, the LEGO Death Star from the Star Wars franchise, many have complained about the cost.
A reviewer on a popular LEGO information and review site praised the attention to detail. “I think the designer, Cesar Soares, has managed to cover all the areas expected aboard the Death Star, beginning with a substantial hangar bay.” Other critics praised the design, size, and cool play features, suitable for kids and adults alike.
On the other hand, many complain over the flatter shape, compared to the traditional spherical Death Star shape and not being worthy of the hefty price point, a trend seen commonly among LEGO Star Wars critics.
Usually, LEGO sets range from 10 to 12 cents per piece while Star Wars falls off the trend, usually ranging around 19 cents per piece. A comparison of recent sets reflects this well when comparing the LEGO Architecture set, Trevi Fountain with 1880 pieces and the LEGO Star Wars set, Republic Juggernaut with 813 pieces, both at the same price point of $159.99.
Beyond price, fans have critiqued quality. Some sets have seen a shrinking in size, such as the previously mentioned Republic Juggernaut, heavily scrutinized for its dramatic size decrease compared to earlier versions of the set.
But despite the heavy LEGO Star Wars scrutiny, other themes aren’t immune. A recent release, Tropical Aquarium got heated responses for the nearly $500 dollar price point and other themes face similar backlash. These price points, paired with the sale situations for LEGO.com, can be a source of confusion.
To counteract the price points of LEGOs, every parent and kid buying the product will be hoping for sales. Sellers such as Target, Walmart, and Amazon usually have wonderful sales, sometimes dropping sets $30 dollars, but this is flawed. For starters, the LEGO website doesn’t have sales itself, forcing buyers to choose between their LEGO Insider points (a virtual form of non-monetary currency awarded upon purchases on the website that can later be traded for discounts of sweepstakes entries) and a sale.
Furthermore, very expensive sets, usually $200 plus, rarely see sales, making it hard for many parents in America to buy big ticket gifts for their kids during the year and around the holidays.
This combination of high price points and less than ideal sales at times could end up being a bleeding hole in the company as parents struggle to get the newer $600 sets. Is it company greed or inflation? Only time will tell.
