For LEGO fans looking to buy something hard to find or exclusive the official Australian online LEGO store was a good option. They do sell at Australian RRP, but the inclusion of regular bonuses meant it was easy to justify the little extra. Unfortunately, as of today, the free shipping threshold has increased from $150 to $200. To some it may not seem like a big difference, but it will make the online store less appealing for a lot of shoppers.
A good example of the problem is new Star Wars set 75054 AT-AT. With a price of $169.99 this set previously qualified for free shipping. As of today you will either have to pay $35 shipping or add an extra $30.01 worth of LEGO to your order. If you have a strict budget then the online store just no longer became an option.
Here is what the online store website says
We strive to offer you an unrivaled shopper experience. Due to changes with our shipping logistics, we have recently had to review our free shipping threshold.
As far as we can tell there have been no increases to their standard shipping charges, which have always been high. The minimum delivery charge is $25.00.
What can you do about this change?
The first thing we suggest is contact LEGO customer service and tell them that you aren’t happy with the change. We aren’t sure if LEGO will revise their position, so your next option is to shop around. Stay up to date with sales and check Amazon.com. With a lot more sets shipping to Australia and some good sales Amazon has become one of the cheapest ways to get LEGO.
Thanks to everybody who made us aware of the change
Just before the $150 Mini Cooper goes up for VIPs. How frustrating!
You won’t be adding the exo suit? That will be over $50 for us and also out next month 🙂
Possibly, but I was planning on getting the Mini now so I could also get the Mini Mini polybag, which is only available until the end of this month.
Alas, there’s no way I can salvage my original plan (there’s nothing available right now I can justify $50+ on), So the Mini + Exo Suit early next month may be the best way to go.
The “Mini Mini” may be the same as the recent Balloon Cart – It was included with a specific set, and then the following month became the main promotion.
If we’re on the same S@H promotional schedule as UK/Europe (which I’ve read elsewhere that we are, as that’s where our orders ship from), then the UK store calendar shows the Mini MINI is going to be the August freebie for over a certain threshold (£50, not sure for AUD) purchases, just like the Balloon Cart was for June.
Also like the Balloon Cart was, it’s available to VIPs now with the presale purchase of its companion set (the MINI Cooper), but for the rest of this month, you would also qualify for the Chima Worriz’ Fire Bike, allowing you to double-dip on the freebie promos (assuming you can find enough other stuff to meet the new minimum free shipping threshold, or want to fork out the exorbitant $35 shipping costs).
I was hoping to get the MINI Cooper and associated freebies this month, then qualify for a second Mini MINI (to give to my Dad who used to drive a MINI) next month when buying the Exo-Suit and Research Institute, but now I’m going to have to re-think it all.
I’m really unimpressed with the new free shipping threshold, and plan on letting LEGO know as much – it certainly starts to make the inflated eBay prices of some of the freebies and smaller exclusives look more enticing than trying to get them directly from LEGO – but I guess it could be worse; NZ’s free shipping threshold is $400 NZD!!!
P.S. MrBadger; I haven’t received a VIP email about the MINI Cooper yet either, but I find I usually get them several days after the relevant promotion has already started (and I’ve invariably already taken advantage of the deal after reading about it on here).
I’ll look forward to email later then. The AU version of lego shop is pretty pathetic. Most of the text searches take you to US site links where all prices are far more reasonable and they still only need $75 for free shipping!
Thanks for all that info. My new plan is an early August purchase of the Mini Cooper, Exo Suit and hopefully the Research Institute, which should net me the Mini Mini too. If not, it’s not the end of the world, obviously.
Does anyone know if the Research Institute is in fact an August 1st release? Everywhere I’ve read just says “August”.
I didn’t get any lego vip related email about mini cooper being out yet??
It’s available now if you sign in. I’ve noticed the e-mails are usually a day or two behind.
Ashley; I’ve only been able to find generic ‘August’ for the release of Research Institute as well, but I did read on the Brickset forum that someone was already able to pick one up in a Brand Store in the US, so that lends hope to it being 1st August, like Exo-Suit.
I’m certainly hoping it’s the same day as Exo-Suit as I don’t want to run the risk of missing out on what sounds like very limited quantities of Exo-Suit, while I wait around to combine my order with Research Institute to help hit the free shipping threshold.
According to the U.S. Shop at Home website, the Research Institute is due for an Aug 1st release.
http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Research-Institute-21110?fromListing=listing
Complaint letter to Lego. I know it won’t do anything, but Australia really is getting screwed with Lego pricing and now with shipping. At least gets the frustration out :p
It’s not just the threshold that annoys me, the minimum shipping charge is ridiculous. You pay $25 in postage if you want buy one small set, even a keyring. Just who are Lego using to ship these goods? Surely they are making a tidy profit on the shipping alone.
It’s annoying that here in Australia many of the exclusive sets can only be bought directly from Lego. It makes using sites such as Amazon all the more enticing.
Interesting how my MINI plus cheap-thing-to-get-me-over-$150 infused shopping cart tells me that I have qualified for free shipping up the top, but charges the $35 as the threshold is now an even more ridiculous than before $200 (which I only just found out now). LEGO must really despise Australians – or think that we’re morons. I note that the USA get free shipping on orders over $75…
Got my VIP early access to the MINI Cooper email overnight…seems someone forgot to update the text that goes with the ‘Free Delivery All Year Round’ picture as it still says ‘on orders over $150**’, but then the ** disclaimer in the fine print at the bottom says $200!
i just sent this to Lego, really i am going to protest by reduce buying from them.
Hi Lego,
Notice the recent change of Free Shipping threshold to $200 in Australia online shop.
Not happy with the reason provided as “change in logistics”.
Australia already have significant higher price & free shipping threshold than other countries, this move is just going to make the direct shop@home even more unattractive to customers.
Lego need to consider direct online sales & its shipping as “reduce middle man to increase margin” rather than “shipping is added cost to Lego”. A smart business will weight out the direct margin benefit plus the indirect one such as market share & customer perception.
In the fan community there are so much outrage now due to this shipping change. Personally I have brought many times directly from Lego online, but this change leaves very bad feeling in me as customer. I will reconsider where to buy, and even as protest to reduce or stop buying Lego products.
Hope this feedback will reach some decision makers & Lego can win back fans again.
$200 is obscene. I’ve never spent that much in a single purchase although I have spent $150 a few times. The exclusive giveaways have also taken a sudden dive in desirability. I was very annoyed to see the torso from the balloon salesman available through pick-a-brick at the LEGO shops; that was the main attraction of the balloon cart. With these two factors combined, I may not ever buy anything from the LEGO website again.
Large retail stores such as Myer, Target and Toys ‘R’ Us sell Lego products at 20% off during sales. If these retail stores can offer such a discount and make a profit, surely The Lego Group (TLG) can keep their free shipping at $150, or even reduce it to $100. With direct to customer shipping, there is no third party except for the shipping contractor and postal service. TLG sells items on its online store for 100% of RRP. 20% of the RRP would likely cover shipping for items over $150, given the high volume of parcels and special rates with the shipping contractor. If TLG have not worked out special rates with the shipping contractor then maybe they should think about it.
Just wondering if anyone else is getting charged a credit card fee on top of the purchase price at the LEGO shop. It appears LEGO charge the Australian Credit Card in a foreign currency (Danish Krone) and hence the exchange fees are passed onto the credit card holder.
I have no problem with this with Amazon when I’m quoted in USD, but considering we cannot access USD prices, this is just insult to injury.