How WeBuyBricks Prices LEGO® Sets, And Why

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and selling your LEGO® sets, it’s only natural to look for the best possible price. Every LEGO® collector will know how well sets hold their value; some become LEGO® legends elevated to beacons of collectability, some disappear into the annals of history, and some continue to hold their RRP value long after they have retired.

At WeBuyBricks, we respect that. Our goal has always been to offer fair, realistic prices that reflect both the value of LEGO® sets and the reality of reselling and maintaining the secondhand LEGO® market in the UK. To do that, we strive to be as transparent as possible by showing how our pricing works and hopefully explaining why some offers look different from what sellers might be expecting.

The difference between retail price and resale value of LEGO® sets

When a LEGO® set is bought brand-new, the price includes more than just the bricks themselves; a VAT of 20% is built into the cost. The same logic is applied to second-hand sets; the same VAT must be paid on the sale again.

When that same set is sold again, VAT still applies, and it’s taken from the sale price before anything else happens. This alone has a noticeable effect on the final amount a business can work with, even before any other costs are considered.

Where LEGO® sets are sold matters

Most preloved LEGO® sets are sold through online marketplaces like eBay and Bricklink. Well-known platforms like these provide visibility, protection, and access for buyers & sellers, but they also have their own fees. While those fees vary from platform to platform, they are taken directly from the final sales price, which can amount to a significant portion of each item.

By the time a set is sold, a sizeable share of its value has already disappeared to VAT and marketplace charges, regardless of who is selling it or where it is being sold.

The journey of a used LEGO® set

Before WeBuyBricks can even think about listing used LEGO® sets for resale, each one must first go through several important steps. Every set we buy needs to be checked, sorted, and verified. Pieces are counted, instructions are reviewed, parts are cleaned, and finally, everything needs to be either returned to its original box or given a fresh new one. Sets then need to be listed, stored, monitored, and kept safe while they await their new home.

This whole process requires the time and care of our dedicated team of LEGO® specialists. As you might expect, there is also a long list of other day-to-day running costs to keep the business running, including the maintenance costs of keeping our 1800s mill standing.

What this means for our offers

After all these factors have been taken into account, the amount that we can pay for preloved LEGO® sets becomes much clearer. Every offer we make is carefully calculated to maximise the amount we pay and still be able to responsibly process, resell, and vouch for each set we sell, while continuing to operate consistently, reliably, and sustainably.

We’re certainly not trying to underprice LEGO® sets or downplay their value, quite the opposite. Our pricing reflects both the strength and sustainability of the LEGO® resale market and the practical realities of running a specialist secondhand LEGO® business in the UK.

A commitment to clarity and fairness

We know that LEGO® sets can hold more than just financial value but sentimental value as well, so selling them can be a personal affair. If an offer ever feels lower than expected, it isn’t a reflection of the quality or a lack of appreciation for LEGO® sets; it’s simply the result of the resale process as a whole.

Honesty is important to us, and we hope that we have been able to clear up the resale process for you and bring you some peace of mind about how we operate. If you find yourself with a collection of LEGO® sets that you wish to sell, but want to get a more bespoke price, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Continue exploring our site to discover much more LEGO® set related content or to start selling your sets.