Mod edit after merging threads.

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original post.

I'm a collector first and foremost, as I collect Hot Toys, Sideshow statues, Transformers, etc in addition to LEGO. As a collector, I'm pretty picky about box condition and I'm assuming our potential LEGO buyers may also be quite picky. Therefore, when I purchase LEGO sets in person, I like to pick out the nicest boxes available. Obviously, it is not possible to check box condition when ordering online. I'm getting some of the packages from my double VIP orders and I can't help but get annoyed by the condition of some of these boxes. All boxes are sealed obviously, and none are absolutely crushed or mangled, but 4 or 5 came with deep creases down the center of the boxes and other flaws. I'm wondering if I'm just overly selective here, or if others feel the same. So,

1. What do you consider as acceptable box wear when ordering the big exclusive sets (FB, GE, HH, R2 D2, etc)?

2. How often do you return stuff to S/**** and have they ever given you any issues?

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There is a republic frigate at my local store and its $50, but the box is beaten up. almost like someone sat on the thing. How much does it matter for the condition of the box? is it worth getting you think?

Edited November 8, 201411 yr by jaisonline
Merged all box condition threads.

Yes, I think it is wrong for you to ask for return shipping. One of my buyers did that the other day, too, and I ship better than anyone on eBay. I use 200 PPSI boxes with packing peanuts, inflatables and bubble wrap with significant amounts of great tape. The seller already was kind to allow a return, sometimes it's best to take some of the load off of the seller and just cough up the return money. If the packing was truly awful, then I'd then think it ok to fish for return shipping.

I received 2 other LEGO sets from eBay sellers in the last week that were just wrapped in brown paper. No outter box, just the set itself wrapped in brown paper with postage on it. They also arrived damaged and the sellers were asses about it. Because of this I specifically contacted this seller after I won the auction and asked kindly that she pack these good so they arrive undamaged. She didn't pack then horribly but it could have done it better. Although nothing would have saved it from the destruction it experienced through USPS. I guess because of my horrible experiences on eBay lately I'm not giving this seller any leeway and don't want to spend my own money to send these back.

So the seller refuses to pay for return shipping :(

I need your thoughts on this... I am waiting for the seller to refund my money so I can ship this back and just had a thought. Is it rude or does it sounds like I am trying to scam them if I ask them what they would take for the packages now that they are damaged? For the right price it might still be worth keeping these sets.

I don't see anything wrong with that.....if you don't like his offer no harm done.

I need your thoughts on this... I am waiting for the seller to refund my money so I can ship this back and just had a thought. Is it rude or does it sounds like I am trying to scam them if I ask them what they would take for the packages now that they are damaged? For the right price it might still be worth keeping these sets.

I think that is a good idea. If he gives you a decent discount that you are happy with and a partial refund then you both save the hassle of having to deal with them anymore. It's worth a shot.

Ok, she replied and accepted my offer of $100. Which I think is fair given that these are now in such rough condition. I am either going to just open and build them or try to get the boxes back in to some decent shape (if even possible) and resell them on eBay.

Why can't you just do this? Don't return the item, don't get that refund. Just buy a brand new box of the set at bricklink and just put the contents in that one?

I used to sell silk screen concert posters on ebay, now I just keep them all. I sold a Pearl Jam / Emek for $1000, I bought 3" pvc pipe with thick end covers to ship it in, you could have run it over with a semi and not damaged it. Of course, some moron at USPS must have thought it was something of value and opened it and decided he couldn't steal it and crushed the crap out of it trying to get the poster repacked. Customer gets it and of course immediatley contacts me with attitude, I had him send some pictures along and the poster was completley destroyed. It looked like someone tried to fold it instead of roll it. He sent it back to me and there were USPS stickers all over it reading package ends burst open, pretty impossible, one end cap was missing and covered with brown paper and tape. Needless to say the USPS wrote me a $1000 check on that one. Moral of story, there is no foolproof packaging.

Today, I just received two 9476 Orc Forges with the 40078 Hot Dog Cart.  One of the Orc Forges was on top of the poly-bag.  The pieces from the Hot Dog Cart made a few dents on one of the boxes, but did not break the box.  Do you think this will make a difference in the price that I can get for my Orc Forge?

Not significantly, if at all.

Advertise it as "rare lego dented box" when listing it.  People eat that crap up!

 

In all seriousness though, I doubt it would make for a big issue, and I wouldn't return it, for risk that Lego would label you as a reseller.  

Even if you do return it you won't be able to get another Orc forge from them since they are sold out.

Yeah I wouldn't think its gonna matter at all/

It won't make a significant "dent" (<-Haha!) if you keep it. Though sure, boxes in pristine condition sell for more, you have to have an extremely rare set, like the 10179 Falcon for it to make a difference in your profit.

As others similarly stated, the longer you keep it, the less box condition matters...

For all the box snobs, I submit exhibit A: Cafe Corner, bruised, dented, open. Current bid is $125 over BP value.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-IN-BOX-LEGO-FACTORY-CAFE-CORNER-MODEL-10182-/121137300520?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item1c34588428

For all the box snobs, I submit exhibit A: Cafe Corner, bruised, dented, open. Current bid is $125 over BP value.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-IN-BOX-LEGO-FACTORY-CAFE-CORNER-MODEL-10182-/121137300520?pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item1c34588428

 

I submitted an article yesterday about this very same issue. I collected 9 different examples of sets with different levels of damage that sold for a little less, the same, or above both BP's Price Guide AND the mean of the last 5 listings on eBay. Now we just have to wait until Ed/Jeff approve it . I may try to include this listing if I can.

I'm a collector first and foremost, as I collect Hot Toys, Sideshow statues, Transformers, etc in addition to LEGO. As a collector, I'm pretty picky about box condition and I'm assuming our potential LEGO buyers may also be quite picky. Therefore, when I purchase LEGO sets in person, I like to pick out the nicest boxes available. Obviously, it is not possible to check box condition when ordering online. I'm getting some of the packages from my double VIP orders and I can't help but get annoyed by the condition of some of these boxes. All boxes are sealed obviously, and none are absolutely crushed or mangled, but 4 or 5 came with deep creases down the center of the boxes and other flaws. I'm wondering if I'm just overly selective here, or if others feel the same. So,

1. What do you consider as acceptable box wear when ordering the big exclusive sets (FB, GE, HH, R2 D2, etc)?

2. How often do you return stuff to S/**** and have they ever given you any issues?

I'm a collector first and foremost, as I collect Hot Toys, Sideshow statues, Transformers, etc in addition to LEGO.  As a collector, I'm pretty picky about box condition and I'm assuming our potential LEGO buyers may also be quite picky.  Therefore, when I purchase LEGO sets in person, I like to pick out the nicest boxes available.   Obviously, it is not possible to check box condition when ordering online. I'm getting some of the packages from my double VIP orders and I can't help but get annoyed by the condition of some of these boxes.  All boxes are sealed obviously, and none are absolutely crushed or mangled, but 4 or 5 came with deep creases down the center of the boxes and other flaws.  I'm wondering if I'm just overly selective here, or if others feel the same.  So, 

 

1. What do you consider as acceptable box wear when ordering the big exclusive sets (FB, GE, HH, R2 D2, etc)?

 

2. How often do you return stuff to S/**** and have they ever given you any issues?

personal choice, if u dont like it, send it back.  I'm more lenient on smaller sets than I am larger.  I'm picky for exclusives.  Permanent bends get me angry.

If I buy a hard to find/exclusive set from Lego.com and the box comes damaged I eventually return/exchange it a Lego store. Especially if it is a UCS like R2 D2 OR SSD. But to be honest, you should try to buy the elite sets from the actual store cause chances are a big box like SSD is going to get a crease during shipping.

As for FB, GE and HH I think there was a blog post that talked about the value of a mint box versus a box with some damage. I think the summary was that most people that purchase those types of sets plan on opening them and don't care much about the box condition. They want to open it and build. However, it is still important to properly list your set with picture and full description of box condition but you basically end up getting the same amount of money.

But even with that said, if I have the option to return a set to get a mint one I usually do.

I would say Lego and Sideshow statues are worlds different in the motivation behind collecting them.  Unless I am mistaken Sideshow collectibles are meant purely for show and not to be played with.  The main motivation behind most Lego sets is for someone to build and play with them and the condition of the box would be irrelevant in this instance.  There are a few exceptions to this rule where a set that is too large or has no true play value and I think their collectability can be gauged by their box condition like the SSD or architecture sets.  I don't really care about box wear if I can get a set at a fair deal.  In time any Lego set that is going to be worth something the box condition matters less.

 

I rarely return things.

I'm a collector first and foremost, as I collect Hot Toys, Sideshow statues, Transformers, etc in addition to LEGO.  As a collector, I'm pretty picky about box condition and I'm assuming our potential LEGO buyers may also be quite picky.  Therefore, when I purchase LEGO sets in person, I like to pick out the nicest boxes available.   Obviously, it is not possible to check box condition when ordering online. I'm getting some of the packages from my double VIP orders and I can't help but get annoyed by the condition of some of these boxes.  All boxes are sealed obviously, and none are absolutely crushed or mangled, but 4 or 5 came with deep creases down the center of the boxes and other flaws.  I'm wondering if I'm just overly selective here, or if others feel the same.  So, 

 

1. What do you consider as acceptable box wear when ordering the big exclusive sets (FB, GE, HH, R2 D2, etc)?

 

2. How often do you return stuff to S/**** and have they ever given you any issues?

For me, acceptable box wear for sets like the SSD is really low for me. It would be better to buy these sets in store so you can get the better box condition. I rarely return stuff to S/****, because the box damage I received was very low, and there was no point of returning it.

2. How often do you return stuff to S/**** and have they ever given you any issues?

I really don't consider the box if I will open it as far as it is very cheap

But I do care a lot if my 4x4 limited edition crawler got a big wear on it

( luckily I don't )