Ringsvulsion

Even if they changed nothing, it is a better value than what was available on the secondary market before it was leaked.

I guess I should have read the whole thread before posting. I'm a parent, and although I like Legos a bit, my son really likes them and I buy him sets to hear him giggle and see the amazement in his face. I'm not rich, solidly middle class, but not rich. But $550 for a toy he can play with for a decade is a not a bad expenditure. We hit up the Lego store often (that is how I learned of this set, and this site) to build and browse, and it's full of parents buying their kids toys that cost more than my first car so I know I'm not alone in buying my kids such toys.

$500 now isn't $500 when I was 12. I'll be buying this set for my four year old as soon as there's a decent promo to go with it. And he'll use it as a play set, causing weekly rebuilds, but that's the fun. Sure it looks the same, but I don't care, I much rather pay Lego $550 (tax) and get a fresh box, consumer protections, free minibuild, and 5% back, than pay some flipper $550 on eBay.

95% certain much of the belly aching over this new Death Star is from those who bought a few of the recently discontinued Death Star to flip, and now they are upset that their speculation is going to cost them. Edit: Sorry posted too soon. Nothing wrong with speculation, buying from those who speculated on the Lego Movie sets has allowed my kid to get fresh boxes of builds he was too young to make when they were on the shelves, but not all assets appericate and it looks like the 50% mark-up on the old Death Star play set is about to come to an end.