Hi Brickpickers! Imagine this. You find a perfect mint box of your favourite Lego item at your local store. You carefully pick it up like a rare Velociraptor toe fossil in an archaeological dig, and very, very carefully place it in your shopping cart. You get to the counter to pay, and the clerk (obviously not a Lego collector) haphazardly rings it up and bangs a corner or scratches the box on the edge of the counter and shoves it in the bag. Do you gasp? Do you not care? Thoughts, please! Personally I gasp!

Boxes are meant to be opened, and they don't have much of an impact on secondary market price, strange but true.

Honestly I don`t give it a second thought. I don`t smash my boxes, but minor scuffs/creases/etc don`t effect the value very much, if at all, it`s been disscussed many times. Not nearly as big a deal as some make it out to be

Boxes are meant to be opened, and they don't have much of an impact on secondary market price, strange but true.

Depends on the actual product. Boxes of many exclusives fetch quite a nice price. Collectors like boxes.

Most people won't care about the box , some obviously do but they are in the minority. Now my heart drops when I have 3 store associates take turns fighting with the spider security device, now that's a thing you don't want to experience

Most people won't care about the box , some obviously do but they are in the minority. Now my heart drops when I have 3 store associates take turns fighting with the spider security device, now that's a thing you don't want to experience

Had to laugh, it happen to me today. Buying a HD at B&****** and watching the cashier struggle. I'm like" is there anyone here that could help you?"

my name is weakside and I am a box condition snob. I do cringe when the cashier rings me up and handles the big sets not too gently especially when I take the time to scoop the best conditioned boxes. when I sell locally buyers don't really care so most members here are right. just personally having stacks of mint sets feels better

*set condition is so biased, when I meet up with local sellers and they say it's excellent or mint condition... it never is. guess I have high or unrealistic expectations.

My thought on it is, these are people who don't care what your box looks like as long as they get their job done. By at a great discount and then it won't hurt as bad. :)

Ok thanks for your feedback!

Depends on the actual product. Boxes of many exclusives fetch quite a nice price. Collectors like boxes.

In all my time selling I've found that in most cases, when selling Lego, box condition does not matter much. And I am not the only one to notice this.

http://blog.brickpicker.com/the-impact-of-box-condition-on-lego-investing/

I gasp for the inner collector inside me.

Hi Brickpickers! Imagine this. You find a perfect mint box of your favourite Lego item at your local store. You carefully pick it up like a rare Velociraptor toe fossil in an archaeological dig, and very, very carefully place it in your shopping cart. You get to the counter to pay, and the clerk (obviously not a Lego collector) haphazardly rings it up and bangs a corner or scratches the box on the edge of the counter and shoves it in the bag. Do you gasp? Do you not care? Thoughts, please! Personally I gasp!

 

I bought a couple of 4x4 crawlers a few weeks ago at TRU.  First, they put the spider wrap on them so tight that it's diffing into the box as it is.  Then, after the cashier managed to get it off, she leaned on the box while ringing it up.  She gave me a funny look when I asked her to not lean on it, but hey I don't want a completely smashed box!

 

As a Lego consumer, I really don't care about box condition so I assume that there are others out there that don't either.  I used to care more about it but I got over it.

Couple weeks ago, I'd been trying to track down a Robie House or two.  My first stops were at my local B&Ns but every one they had looked like it had been run over my a semi-truck and then taped back together.  Then while stopped at a TRU a couple days later I happened to notice a handful of them on the top shelf of an endcap, but all of them there also looked like they'd been used as a prop in a WWF match -- crushed corners, creases, tape holding them together.  Oh well, I figured, maybe somewhere else -- I wandered around looking to see if there was something worth using a 20% and $10 GC on $50 purchase coupons -- when I suddenly find one tucked in with the Star Wars sets -- in absolutely mint condition.  No shelf wear, no creases, NO TAPE, just perfect.  Couldn't believe my luck.

 

Took the set up to cashier, he takes the coupons, they scan without issues, he scans the set -- we're chatting about how expensive LEGO sets can be and I'm saying ya, that's why I always try to use the coupons if I can.  And he grabs the top of the box, right in the center with his grubby little mits and picks it up to put in a bag -- for those that haven't ever picked up a Robbie House the set it pretty weighty and the box just isn't stiff enough (which is why most are in terrible condition) -- and I watch in horror as the top of the box gives way and he basically creases it that whole side of the box.  I wanted to practically leap across the register and strangle him...

 

Took a deep breath, figured it was still in the best condition of all the boxes I'd seen, thanked him and left with my now, somewhat less than mint box 

Had to laugh, it happen to me today. Buying a HD at B&****** and watching the cashier struggle. I'm like" is there anyone here that could help you?"

It got to a point where _I_ was telling them how to unlock that crazy security thing at B&******

Most people won't care about the box , some obviously do but they are in the minority. Now my heart drops when I have 3 store associates take turns fighting with the spider security device, now that's a thing you don't want to experience

I think 3 is also my record of "How many B&****** associates does it take to remove a security device." But, to be fair, one was the store manager.

Couple weeks ago, I'd been trying to track down a Robie House or two. My first stops were at my local B&Ns but every one they had looked like it had been run over my a semi-truck and then taped back together. Then while stopped at a TRU a couple days later I happened to notice a handful of them on the top shelf of an endcap, but all of them there also looked like they'd been used as a prop in a WWF match -- crushed corners, creases, tape holding them together. Oh well, I figured, maybe somewhere else -- I wandered around looking to see if there was something worth using a 20% and $10 GC on $50 purchase coupons -- when I suddenly find one tucked in with the Star Wars sets -- in absolutely mint condition. No shelf wear, no creases, NO TAPE, just perfect. Couldn't believe my luck.

Took the set up to cashier, he takes the coupons, they scan without issues, he scans the set -- we're chatting about how expensive LEGO sets can be and I'm saying ya, that's why I always try to use the coupons if I can. And he grabs the top of the box, right in the center with his frubby little mits and picks it up to put in a bag -- for those that haven't ever picked up a Robbie House the set it pretty weighty and the box just isn't stiff enough (which is why most are in terrible condition) -- and I watch in horror as the top of the box gives way and he basically creases it that whole side of the box. I wanted to practically leap across the register and strangle him...

Took a deep breath, figured it was still in the best condition of all the boxes I'd seen, thanked him and left with my now, somewhat less than mint box

He just ruined your day. All that looking and he just crushes it.

It got to a point where _I_ was telling them how to unlock that crazy security thing at B&******

 

lol, ya, I've had to help them out once or twice too.  Usually they try and tackle the "front" side of the spider first, the side with electronics and I have to gently guide them to the other side and point out the little indents where the can opener attaches to unlock it.

I talk to the person right on the spot and let them know that it is unacceptable.  I know that sounds like a snob but it really isn't.  That almost happened to me the other day.  I purchased three Lego sets and the lady at the counter said, "I'm going to make sure all three will fit in one bag."  I told her no.  Do you buy a book w/ a torn dust jacket or a CD with a cracked case.  I frequently make comments to employees that have those stupid spider security devices on sets that bend the crap out of the box.  There is a right way and wrong way to do it.  Now that being said, people on ebay don't seem to care too much but I make an effort to make sure what they are buying from me is in the best condition possible.

Sometimes I'm not fast enough to say "don't touch the price tag !" and they get rid of it and make a tear on the cover. ;-(

I've been thankful my last few TRU pickups were in a bag. Before, the sticker with my name on it was put on the boxes themselves and just before handing over the set, they ripped off the sticker taking a square inch off the box.  

Sometimes I'm not fast enough to say "don't touch the price tag !" and they get rid of it and make a tear on the cover. ;-(

Ha, posted at the same time.

Honestly, it bothers me. If the box isn't in MINT condition, been this way with everything I buy, I don't purchase the set.

Wow I'm glad I started this thread! I knew it will affect most of you! I am a total box snob! The slightest imperfection is grounds for rejection! OMG lol

For me it is very important the box is in an as best as can be condition. Especially when I buy set at retail price. When it is heavily discounted I care less.

 

I know most customers on ebay and other sites do not care so much about the box condition, but for the ones who do I want to deliver nice boxes. Better safe than sorry.

Is it the only copy of the set in store?  I'm assuming it is because if it bothered you emotionally you should just swap it out.  Unless they do a back breaker on the box as they fit it into a bag too small, corner dings and slight scratches happen.  Regular shelf wear.  No big deal to me.