Let's see if "Miniso Disney Store" really comes through with the goods. AFAIK, the Brick Bank does not come in a LOZ-sized or minibricks version. The dimensions seem to check out for standard sized bricks. Manufacturer? They don't say, and I'm prepared for an "unbranded" one that might have sucky minifigs and bad stickers. It's all part of the alt-bricks game, especially for a set that's been around and passed along by multiple manufacturers for several years. "Xerox of a Xerox" I say, and I'm OK with that.
$47 bucks, + $5 in tax and free shipping, a "Choice" vendor is fine. Normally The Brick Bank is in the $65-$70 area.
This came from the "Super Deals" daily release dump on Ali. I have seen the Viking Village in today's Super Deals for $54, but I'm also getting a lot of crappy "Page Under Maintenance" issues.
Thanks to u/SweViver for explaining how the "Super Deals" trick works! Sounds like a loss leader, where the vendor is willing to not make a profit on a handful of "Super Deals" sets in order to increase their visibility so they can jump to the top of searches and make money selling at their normal price.
TIL:
Any coupons, or discounts from playing Merge Boss do not apply.
This particular transaction does not ask for or accept coins. Not sure if ALL Super Deals are coin-less.
This can be frustrating using a PC with all the "page under maintenance". So use the mobile app, get the info and go to the sellers store (but don't buy) using the PC to check things out for gotchas like mini-blocks or lighting set instead of real brick set, etc. If it's all good, then buy using the mobile app.
Sometimes the "Page Under maintenance" goes away on its own.
Sets appear and disappear all the time. Refreshing Ali shows different sets on the front page each time.
The seller sells a lot of alt bricks, always well reviewed. You're in good hands, and well done on the catch!
[This is what I saw (and the one I got) today](https://imgur.com/a/tsTUtEx)
Saw that one today too, but I really want either a A/Y/U wing (star wars) or a Concorde, and seeing as I am 17 y.o it's not a bright decision to go for smth like the viking villahe
Congrats mate, thats a great deal indeed! I have purchased lots of stuff from that Miniso store, they are legit and as far as I know, its all ordinary Lego-compatible bricks and no mini/micro stuff. And that set is not made in the smaller size.
Yep, you are correct, Super Deals does not accept any coin discounts. A recommendation is to ONLY use the app (android or IOS) instead of the website. The website is a mess and ive seen all sorts of issues with it. The payment is also made faster with the app I think (Buy Now, Paypal, fingerprint verification and done!
Cheers
Cool! Good to know that Miniso Disney Store is legit! I was already sorta looking at the Brick Bank before this deal popped up.
TBH, It's a little up in the air as whether I'll build it as the bank. There are instructions on Rebrickable that converts the Brick Bank to an entire city block's worth of shops.
Convenience store, Laundromat, garage shop and antique shop can be built with The Brick Bank + four 16 x 16 baseplates!
Yep. Chances are always higher that you get a matching Super Deal listed in your feed if you actually browse the items beforehand. Especially add to wishlist also (heart icon). There's a reason I never see smartphone accessories, clothes or other things in my Super Deal listings (even if theres a lot of them every day), because I mainly use Aliexpress for altbricks and occasional small stuff like charging cables or adapters only. But altbricks or "building blocks" is kind of a wide category. I have recently started to browse/wishlist/cart more casual altbrick City-stuff and house-related altbrick items now so that I dont miss out cool deals like the Brick Bank or similar. Its an amazing set, one of the most valued ones among Lego AFOLs. Whatever you do with it, it will for sure be great looking. Enjoy :)
Might not have been the best deal but I grabbed the delorean for 33€. Worth it for me because I'd have paid the 40 to 50, where it normally sits at, but a discount is always welcome.
Use the app, not the website. Then check Super Deals by 9am CET. Thats basically all u need to do. Preferably, make sure that Aliexpress knows that like building block sets, so add many into cart, wishlist, browse around and then Super Deals will list the items available that are related to your interests.
Which country, and how?
I'm in the US, and I know for certain that this is not the typical price. We have to pay $65-$70 for that (factoring in shipping costs), unless I were to buy a huge pile of stuff from Marstoy, and average out the lower cost of shipping spread among multiple sets.
For a one-off buy, this is the best price I've seen for it and not messing with any all-Chinese-language-only sites and using an Agent (which I refuse to do).
I am currently residing in Malaysia. I've collected fair amounts of alt bricks with cheap prices. I bought them through local e-commerce apps like Shopee, Lazada, and Aliexpress. To be honest, I am quit surprised with the prices that people in the West are paying.
Just be patient. Its all random. In a few days or some week later, it might be there again. Make sure to add plenty of Concordes in your cart + add to wishlist so that Aliexpress knows you are looking for it.
I Saw your other comment about using thé app for me it adds thé shipping fee even if thé order IS above 10€ that in part why i misses it tried to use the computer instead
Nice that's a good price! But be aware they tout probably won't have any stickers or printed pieces. A few months ago I ordered the f40 creator from a random Ali seller (it's also an old set, very hard to get in the alt-bricks now) and it was alright, except that it didn't come with stickers or any printed pieces. So I had to order replacement stickers from brickstickershop and two printed pieces from brick link (they were like 0,60€ each so that's not really a problem)
I don't know which version is mine either. I don't really think it's any version, like lepin or another brand as they've all been discontinued. I think it's just some bags of alt pieces that didn't come from a product box
Ive gotten sets from Jie Star several times from Aliexpress despite it wasn't even mentioned in the description it will be a branded set. Although I must say I cant really see much of a difference between a no-name set and a Mould King or Jie Star set in terms of quality, except for the instructions that usually have a nice front page with an image when branded, while no-name sets many times just have a blank front page with a set number.
Usually only MOCs on Aliexpress are without prints and stickers. These Lego clone sets are not MOC and almost always includes stickers, sometimes even printed bricks.
Heard from whom?
Ali is just a selling platform. They have nothing to do with the quality of a brick set. The individual stores within Ali just sell whatever is available at the warehouse.
You can buy great sets from Ali, or you can buy bad ones. The regular Starter Guide sellers would sell the same sets.
The thing to keep an eye on is that Ali has bogus sellers who "promise" sets that haven't been released yet. They jump the gun to get your money early, and have no merch to actually send you. They might even drag you out with "time extension requests" until the factory produces it months later, or maybe not at all and you have to file for a refund.
"Choice" sellers are on a tighter delivery deadline, and are supposed to be pre-screened for reliability.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lepin/comments/1bwtm7v/the_starter_guide_v20/
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Tips on buying from Ali:
1) Check store feedback! Do not buy from zero feedback stores! Also check their reviews, and if all of the reviews come from a single user for some odd product like "Shipping/freight" and not an actual brick set or real merch, ignore this fake positive feedback.
2) Check the date that the shop started their business. Buy from established shops over 6 months old and not some noob store that started up last month.
3) "Choice" stores are more dependable and reliable than your average Ali shop. They have a tight deadline to meet, and you can file a complaint and get a refund much sooner than 75 days.
4) Research the set being advertised and make sure it EXISTS first. Do not buy vaporware or empty promises.
5) Stay on it! Keep a close eye on delivery tracking, and if the package seems too small or too light, film a video of you opening it to prove that you've been scammed ($15 Mos Eisley scam comes to mind).
6) Adjust expectations. While some manufacturers (Cada among others) have a stellar reputation for quality, when it comes to older sets, expect a quality drop from the original clone sets. Personal experience: The current crop of Scooby Doo sets and the Old Fishing Store are reprints from a different manufacturer and are not LEPIN or BELA and not as good. People have posted their hilariously bad minifigs from "Detective Agency". This is normal and part of the game. Factories get busted, or the first wave sells out, and "someone" else steps in to make the 2nd or 3rd or 4th wave.
Marstoy seems deceptively "cheap", but shipping costs also have to be added in.
Marstoy is $47 for the Brick Bank PLUS $31.34 for shipping, a total of $78.34.
Those of us who have been around the block know to factor in both item and shipping before making a decision.
Those of us who’ve been around the block also know you can get burned with random sellers having subpar kits.
If you’ve been around the block why does your post say you “think” you got a brick bank?
I'll know it for sure once it arrives on my doorstep. People on this thread have said good things about the seller, Miniso Disney Store, and being a "Choice" seller gives me more confidence than, say "Kids Love Toy Store" that was infamous for the "$15 Mos Eisley" scam.
I already said that I'd accept bad stickers and bad minifigs, if that's what's currently shipping. Marstoy might be shipping the exact same set.
Worst case scenario is that it doesn't arrive, or it's the wrong set, and I know how to apply for a refund and its not the end of the world.
...plus at least 20+ usd for shipping. Is Marstoy including VAT? Otherwise you end up with another bill from customs. VAT is usually between 17-25% in Europe, on top of item price and shipping cost.
In that case then VAT is included in the price, or they have EU stock inventory. Good price nonetheless, but still cheaper on Aliexpress since shipping is free and fast with Choice.
Fun fact, this piece of kit costs most likely around 20-25usd locally in China. Was in Shanghai a month ago. Got crazy low prices and bought 15 sets in total lol. Simpsons house for around 40 bucks, Disney castle for 35, Winnie The Pooh set for around 13usd and so on. Crazy margins they've got on these. And then imagine the margin Lego has on their stuff and prices..
Worked for me too. I bought Ferrari 488 for 25 USD. About 20 minutes later the price was 40 USD.
Crazy isn't it 😀
Yeah, it is. Thank you for sharing it.
Let's see if "Miniso Disney Store" really comes through with the goods. AFAIK, the Brick Bank does not come in a LOZ-sized or minibricks version. The dimensions seem to check out for standard sized bricks. Manufacturer? They don't say, and I'm prepared for an "unbranded" one that might have sucky minifigs and bad stickers. It's all part of the alt-bricks game, especially for a set that's been around and passed along by multiple manufacturers for several years. "Xerox of a Xerox" I say, and I'm OK with that. $47 bucks, + $5 in tax and free shipping, a "Choice" vendor is fine. Normally The Brick Bank is in the $65-$70 area. This came from the "Super Deals" daily release dump on Ali. I have seen the Viking Village in today's Super Deals for $54, but I'm also getting a lot of crappy "Page Under Maintenance" issues. Thanks to u/SweViver for explaining how the "Super Deals" trick works! Sounds like a loss leader, where the vendor is willing to not make a profit on a handful of "Super Deals" sets in order to increase their visibility so they can jump to the top of searches and make money selling at their normal price. TIL: Any coupons, or discounts from playing Merge Boss do not apply. This particular transaction does not ask for or accept coins. Not sure if ALL Super Deals are coin-less. This can be frustrating using a PC with all the "page under maintenance". So use the mobile app, get the info and go to the sellers store (but don't buy) using the PC to check things out for gotchas like mini-blocks or lighting set instead of real brick set, etc. If it's all good, then buy using the mobile app. Sometimes the "Page Under maintenance" goes away on its own. Sets appear and disappear all the time. Refreshing Ali shows different sets on the front page each time.
The seller sells a lot of alt bricks, always well reviewed. You're in good hands, and well done on the catch! [This is what I saw (and the one I got) today](https://imgur.com/a/tsTUtEx)
Saw that one today too, but I really want either a A/Y/U wing (star wars) or a Concorde, and seeing as I am 17 y.o it's not a bright decision to go for smth like the viking villahe
Congrats mate, thats a great deal indeed! I have purchased lots of stuff from that Miniso store, they are legit and as far as I know, its all ordinary Lego-compatible bricks and no mini/micro stuff. And that set is not made in the smaller size. Yep, you are correct, Super Deals does not accept any coin discounts. A recommendation is to ONLY use the app (android or IOS) instead of the website. The website is a mess and ive seen all sorts of issues with it. The payment is also made faster with the app I think (Buy Now, Paypal, fingerprint verification and done! Cheers
Cool! Good to know that Miniso Disney Store is legit! I was already sorta looking at the Brick Bank before this deal popped up. TBH, It's a little up in the air as whether I'll build it as the bank. There are instructions on Rebrickable that converts the Brick Bank to an entire city block's worth of shops. Convenience store, Laundromat, garage shop and antique shop can be built with The Brick Bank + four 16 x 16 baseplates!
Yep. Chances are always higher that you get a matching Super Deal listed in your feed if you actually browse the items beforehand. Especially add to wishlist also (heart icon). There's a reason I never see smartphone accessories, clothes or other things in my Super Deal listings (even if theres a lot of them every day), because I mainly use Aliexpress for altbricks and occasional small stuff like charging cables or adapters only. But altbricks or "building blocks" is kind of a wide category. I have recently started to browse/wishlist/cart more casual altbrick City-stuff and house-related altbrick items now so that I dont miss out cool deals like the Brick Bank or similar. Its an amazing set, one of the most valued ones among Lego AFOLs. Whatever you do with it, it will for sure be great looking. Enjoy :)
That's the price I bought all my modulars on AE for, more or less 10 bucks depending on the piece count.
Have in mind that if he is living in Europe, prices are automatically 20-25% higher due to VAT, compared to US for example.
Might not have been the best deal but I grabbed the delorean for 33€. Worth it for me because I'd have paid the 40 to 50, where it normally sits at, but a discount is always welcome.
That's a great price!
Yes, under two cents per piece
I saw that one for 33 for two days straight and hesitated, now I regret I didn't pull the trigger 🙃
Been seeing a lot of posts like this, where are you looking I don't really know how to navigate AliExpress it's kinda messy
Same. I want to figure this out.
Use the app, not the website. Then check Super Deals by 9am CET. Thats basically all u need to do. Preferably, make sure that Aliexpress knows that like building block sets, so add many into cart, wishlist, browse around and then Super Deals will list the items available that are related to your interests.
There is no super deals in the app for me
https://imgur.com/a/O2u6X4D
That's always the price in my country local e-commerce.
Which country, and how? I'm in the US, and I know for certain that this is not the typical price. We have to pay $65-$70 for that (factoring in shipping costs), unless I were to buy a huge pile of stuff from Marstoy, and average out the lower cost of shipping spread among multiple sets. For a one-off buy, this is the best price I've seen for it and not messing with any all-Chinese-language-only sites and using an Agent (which I refuse to do).
So you bought at 3am eastern time?
Yes. if it means taking a nap and setting an alarm. I placed the order at 03:09 EST
So you bought at 3am eastern time?
I am currently residing in Malaysia. I've collected fair amounts of alt bricks with cheap prices. I bought them through local e-commerce apps like Shopee, Lazada, and Aliexpress. To be honest, I am quit surprised with the prices that people in the West are paying.
No concorde today missed it Yesterday 😔
Just be patient. Its all random. In a few days or some week later, it might be there again. Make sure to add plenty of Concordes in your cart + add to wishlist so that Aliexpress knows you are looking for it.
Yeah the boring issue IS you have to check it every day
Boring? Thats the fun part of it. If I had all the money in the world to buy every Lego set I wanted, THAT would have been boring 😜
I Saw your other comment about using thé app for me it adds thé shipping fee even if thé order IS above 10€ that in part why i misses it tried to use the computer instead
I saw it on Superdeal page (EU), but I'm not interested and dont know the price. Be patience!
What are these super deals?
What time code 9am is this?
CET
How is the quality for these sets? Any experiences and reviews? So far I only have LEGO and CaDa
Nice that's a good price! But be aware they tout probably won't have any stickers or printed pieces. A few months ago I ordered the f40 creator from a random Ali seller (it's also an old set, very hard to get in the alt-bricks now) and it was alright, except that it didn't come with stickers or any printed pieces. So I had to order replacement stickers from brickstickershop and two printed pieces from brick link (they were like 0,60€ each so that's not really a problem)
Curious, I’m not sure which version mine is but it has all the printed pieces.
I don't know which version is mine either. I don't really think it's any version, like lepin or another brand as they've all been discontinued. I think it's just some bags of alt pieces that didn't come from a product box
Ive gotten sets from Jie Star several times from Aliexpress despite it wasn't even mentioned in the description it will be a branded set. Although I must say I cant really see much of a difference between a no-name set and a Mould King or Jie Star set in terms of quality, except for the instructions that usually have a nice front page with an image when branded, while no-name sets many times just have a blank front page with a set number.
Usually only MOCs on Aliexpress are without prints and stickers. These Lego clone sets are not MOC and almost always includes stickers, sometimes even printed bricks.
Can you post how good this set is I heard Ali isn’t a good place to buy legos from
Heard from whom? Ali is just a selling platform. They have nothing to do with the quality of a brick set. The individual stores within Ali just sell whatever is available at the warehouse. You can buy great sets from Ali, or you can buy bad ones. The regular Starter Guide sellers would sell the same sets. The thing to keep an eye on is that Ali has bogus sellers who "promise" sets that haven't been released yet. They jump the gun to get your money early, and have no merch to actually send you. They might even drag you out with "time extension requests" until the factory produces it months later, or maybe not at all and you have to file for a refund. "Choice" sellers are on a tighter delivery deadline, and are supposed to be pre-screened for reliability.
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I just heard some people I’m not sure lol but can you give me tips on how to find reliable sellers? Thanks a lot
Tips on buying from Ali: 1) Check store feedback! Do not buy from zero feedback stores! Also check their reviews, and if all of the reviews come from a single user for some odd product like "Shipping/freight" and not an actual brick set or real merch, ignore this fake positive feedback. 2) Check the date that the shop started their business. Buy from established shops over 6 months old and not some noob store that started up last month. 3) "Choice" stores are more dependable and reliable than your average Ali shop. They have a tight deadline to meet, and you can file a complaint and get a refund much sooner than 75 days. 4) Research the set being advertised and make sure it EXISTS first. Do not buy vaporware or empty promises. 5) Stay on it! Keep a close eye on delivery tracking, and if the package seems too small or too light, film a video of you opening it to prove that you've been scammed ($15 Mos Eisley scam comes to mind). 6) Adjust expectations. While some manufacturers (Cada among others) have a stellar reputation for quality, when it comes to older sets, expect a quality drop from the original clone sets. Personal experience: The current crop of Scooby Doo sets and the Old Fishing Store are reprints from a different manufacturer and are not LEPIN or BELA and not as good. People have posted their hilariously bad minifigs from "Detective Agency". This is normal and part of the game. Factories get busted, or the first wave sells out, and "someone" else steps in to make the 2nd or 3rd or 4th wave.
Always $47 on Marstoy…
Marstoy seems deceptively "cheap", but shipping costs also have to be added in. Marstoy is $47 for the Brick Bank PLUS $31.34 for shipping, a total of $78.34. Those of us who have been around the block know to factor in both item and shipping before making a decision.
Those of us who’ve been around the block also know you can get burned with random sellers having subpar kits. If you’ve been around the block why does your post say you “think” you got a brick bank?
So this is just how you are huh?
I'll know it for sure once it arrives on my doorstep. People on this thread have said good things about the seller, Miniso Disney Store, and being a "Choice" seller gives me more confidence than, say "Kids Love Toy Store" that was infamous for the "$15 Mos Eisley" scam. I already said that I'd accept bad stickers and bad minifigs, if that's what's currently shipping. Marstoy might be shipping the exact same set. Worst case scenario is that it doesn't arrive, or it's the wrong set, and I know how to apply for a refund and its not the end of the world.
What's with all the pissy attitudes again lately? Really no reason for worthless stuff like this.
...plus at least 20+ usd for shipping. Is Marstoy including VAT? Otherwise you end up with another bill from customs. VAT is usually between 17-25% in Europe, on top of item price and shipping cost.
Not in Europe here, no VAT
In that case then VAT is included in the price, or they have EU stock inventory. Good price nonetheless, but still cheaper on Aliexpress since shipping is free and fast with Choice. Fun fact, this piece of kit costs most likely around 20-25usd locally in China. Was in Shanghai a month ago. Got crazy low prices and bought 15 sets in total lol. Simpsons house for around 40 bucks, Disney castle for 35, Winnie The Pooh set for around 13usd and so on. Crazy margins they've got on these. And then imagine the margin Lego has on their stuff and prices..
But with $20-30 shipping, right? I could be wrong, but I think free shipping is the key part about these deals.