FAQ - KO Sets

If you want to know more about KO vs original sets, see Set Differences and Set Reviews.

As the wiki is created principally by/for an Australian audience, this FAQ has specific Aussie info. If you're visiting from another region substitute tips/details for your locality.

How do I purchase KO sets from China-based manufacturers?

There are several shopping options, including TaoBao, eBay, Amazon, Gumtree etc. but these are either not in English or are overpriced. See the bottom of this topic for info about shopping on TaoBao.

Typically, most purchases are made through AliExpress. http://www.aliexpress.com/

AliExpress is an international shopping portal for (mainly) Chinese-made goods - much like Amazon, but with retailers based in China/SE Asia.

It is generally way cheaper than buying from Amazon, eBay or GumTree etc. and offers more choice, with many KO sets only available on AliExpress (or TaoBao).

Beyond KO bricks, you can order electronics, jewellery, clothing, toys, sporting goods, etc.

You can freely browse and search AliExpress, but cannot make a purchase until you have created an account.

Once this is done, you can start shopping.

AliExpress has a FAQ here on registration, ordering, buyer protection, and so on.

As a tip, click the "Ship to" link towards the upper right of the AliExpress page and change the destination and currency to Australia/AUD before you start. This will avoid future bill shock if that "incredible price" was actually made in Euros, USD or GBP.

If you're after a specific set, you can use the wiki search function at the top right to find a set by name (or number). This will return a list of pages that contain your search term. You can also browse individual manufacturer wiki pages, then click set numbers to search AliExpress. Some of these searches may not generate any useful results when sets are pre-release or newly released, so try again in a few days. You can also type in a set name such as "brick bank" but this can be a less complete way to search AliExpress due to typing errors or different product names used in seller listings.

Note: Some sellers may show "Lepin/Lele/Bela/DeCool" etc. in their set listings to catch more potential customers searching by brand name. Multiple brands are also shown in some listings when the set is made by more than one manufacturer. In such cases, you may receive a model made by Lele, rather than the Lepin model you thought you had purchased. If in doubt, ask the seller via email to confirm the brand they are selling, then make your choice to proceed with the sale or to select another seller.

Once you've found what you're after, you can add it to your shopping cart.

Depending on the item, the seller may offer multiple "colours". In some cases it may actually mean colours, but in most listings "colours" is used to denote different purchasing options for one or more of the following:

A different model: Some listings are for multiple models in a series. As an example, several iconic buildings (Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Empire State etc.) may appear in a "World Famous Architecture" listing, with different "colours" indicating different buildings.
Unboxed or boxed: Boxed sets often have a much higher selling price and significant additional freight costs. As such, most overseas buyers choose the "no box" option. Unboxed sets usually come in a number of parts bags that are enclosed in one or more overall "set' bags that are taped together. Sellers typically wrap the set bags (and manuals) in bubble wrap and/or one or more layers of plastic sheeting. This is heavily taped, labeled, and sent as is, or placed in a courier bag - depending on set size and shipping method.
Plain box: Basically, a plain cardboard box - rather than the actual product box with pretty box art. This offers the physical protection afforded by the box with a slight (or not so slight) price premium over unboxed packaging. Note that not many sellers offer this option.
Different shipping methods: Couriers, EMS, Air or Sea mail etc.

Click the appropriate choice(s) - often a small graphic or a button or drop-down menu - and the price will update. Once you've made your selection, add it to your cart.

In the shopping cart, you have two "buy from" options: "this seller" and "buy all" (when your shopping cart entries are from multiple sellers). If multiple sellers are involved, you may need to make multiple credit/debit card transactions.

You often also have the opportunity to change shipping options for each item in the shopping cart, along with options to increase the number of units or to remove items.

As a tip, look for vouchers/coupons from sellers and AliExpress. These offer a few dollars off, depending on the total value of your purchase. The vouchers are added to your account, and you apply them in the shopping cart. Some sellers also apply an automatic discount if the dollar value of a purchase reaches a specified amount. Also check if sellers offer a discount on freight when you order multiple items from them. Sometimes it can be cheaper to order from two different sellers, so always keep freight costs in mind.

When you place your order – if you use a debit/credit card – there is a (card) "verification" period of 24 hours and then a further (up to) 14 day "processing" period.

This happens BEFORE the item is shipped. The shipping timeframe is specified in the seller listing.

The processing phase is a twofold thing:

- the seller has to ship within this period. If they don't, the order is automatically cancelled and a refund is processed

- you can cancel your order

You can also extend the processing time by logging into your account and typing in the number of days (90 max). This is principally of use when you have pre-ordered a set, but the processing period is not long enough to encompass the actual release date. This is becoming more common as sellers are immediately listing sets as soon as they are announced. In some cases, the sets may not even be manufactured for 1 or 2 months - so delivery will be 45-90 days away at a minimum (and you'll need to extend the processing time). Check/ask in the WP Forums thread for info on expected shipping dates of pre-release sets.

Tip: "Pre-sell" on AE listings indicates an unavailable set. When you start seeing listings change to "Actuals" or "In Stock" it indicates the item is shipping (or will ship in the next week or two).

At each stage of the transaction - purchase, processing, shipping (see delivery FAQ) - you'll receive an email.

When you receive the goods, you have a "goods received" option to click which starts a 15 or 30 (up to 90) day period where you can raise a "dispute" with the seller for missing parts, goods not as described, etc.

The resolution between you/the seller will typically be for new parts to be sent or for a discount to be applied to the transaction.

Several Whirlpool forum members have followed up on missing parts from their sets and negotiated a discount off the purchase price with the seller. No-one has received missing parts. If you do decide to raise a dispute with a seller, please add info on the process/experience to the wiki or discuss it in the WP thread.

As with other shopping portals, AliExpress has a feedback option for comments about the seller. If they've been good/bad to deal with, leave feedback as it helps other Whirlpool members to identify better sellers and those to avoid.

If you're OK with using online translators (or speak/read Mandarin) and have an adventurous spirit, you can try TaoBao - but pay special attention to overseas shipping charges as these can be pretty high for heavier items. In general, TaoBao sellers don't ship overseas, so you need to use a "buyer's agent" or TaoBao's own freight forwarding service. Both attract a handling fee which adds to your cost.

There's a useful guide here: http://www.howtotao.com/buy-from-taobao/

(nhyone - from the WP forums let us know the following handy info)

In case anyone wants to search on TaoBao, these are the Chinese names:

BELA 博乐

BOZHI 博智

DECOOL 得高

ENLIGHTEN 启蒙

HSANHE 恒三和

KAZI 开智

LELE 将牌

LEPIN 乐拼

POGO 品高

SY 森业/森宝

Wange 万格

XingBao 星堡

Best to add 积木 (bricks) to the name to narrow down the search.

How long does delivery take from China?

Important: China's public holidays impact on shipping times. Most AliExpress stores (and delivery companies) shut down during public holidays - often for a week or two - rather than the official 2-3 days mandated for the festival/observance. See here for China's holiday dates in 2017-2019.

Obviously, public holidays in destination countries affect transit times as local post/courier services are closed.

All up, a courier delivery (with SF Express, DHL etc.) can take about two weeks from the time you place your order.

Current Whirlpool member experiences have been between 7-10 days - IF the seller is efficient with their "processing" time, and actually has the item in stock.

If the seller does not have the item on-hand, delivery times usually move out to around 20-25 days. Basically, the seller needs to receive it from the manufacturer before they can ship it to you. Some sellers may "trans-ship" - i.e. ship directly from the manufacturer to you, so this can reduce delivery times to around 14 days.

SF Express - essentially China's DHL - offers tracking, but your waybill number is unlikely to show up for at least 48 hours after receiving a message that your item has shipped. Don't sweat it too much if SF Express tracking takes 4 or so days to appear (over a week, though, you should start following up). You have the option of using the SF tracking number on AliExpress or the SF Express site. Use the latter as it is more accurate/consistent.

Once the item has landed in Australia/passed customs, it is handed over to a local courier. This is usually Star Track or Couriers Direct, but may be another sub-contracted courier company that services your local area. If you're not around to sign for the parcel, the courier should leave a card and drop the item off at your local post office for collection. Some couriers may leave it on the doorstep or return it to their local distribution centre, etc.

DHL tracking info appears more quickly than SF Express, but can still take up to 3 days to show up (although usually within 24 hours).

EMS (Express Mail Service) is another shipping method offered by some sellers. This is a global express postal service (i.e. through post offices), but it is often more expensive than commercial couriers such as DHL, SF Express etc. Delivery times are usually around the same as DHL et al.

FedEx and UPS seem to be missing from courier companies you might expect to see as options. It's unclear as to why they aren't more prominent/used by AliExpress sellers.

Deliveries via China Post, China Post Airmail, Sellers Delivery Method etc. can take up to 60 days - with the average being around 30-35 days.

You can use these websites to track ANY package originating from China:

If you think an AE seller has given you a fake tracking number, you can validate it here (but wait at least 7 days before getting stressed about this): http://post-tracking.com/validate/

How do I purchase KO sets from non China-based manufacturers?

This primarily covers COBI, Oxford, some Mega Bloks sets and Best Lock sets.

There are the usual eBay (AU, UK, EU), Amazon (UK, EU), Gumtree etc. shopping options but some international sites (notably US sites) may not ship to Australia. EU covers specific country sites, such as Germany, Poland, France, Spain, etc. Ideally, you should understand the language of the visited eBay portal, although you can get by with online translators.

COBI sets can be purchased directly from their online shop, through Amazon or eBay. You may also want to ask about purchasing COBI sets in the WP Forums thread as some members know alternate sellers based in Europe. Apparently pricing differs between the Polish and English shops on the COBI site.

Many MegaBloks products are sold through Toys R Us, Mr Toys Toyworld, BigW, Target, Myer, and other retailers. Larger sets are more likely to be found in specialist toy shops, rather than department stores. Mattel Australia seem disinclined to import the "Collectors" sets such as the Star Trek Enterprise, so you'll probably need to look overseas to obtain them (Amazon, eBay etc.).

You can contact them to check availability of products in Australian retailers:

Mattel Australia Pty., Ltd.

Consumer Advisory Service

1300 135 312

infoaust@mattel.com

If you're interested in buying Oxford sets, the linked site is the English language version of Korea's main international shopping portal, which is somewhat similar to AliExpress:

http://global.gmarket.co.kr/Home/Main

Best Lock sets can be found in Mr Toys Toyworld, K-Mart, and a few small independent toy shops, discount chains, newsagents, etc. Some sets manufactured by Best Lock may actually be sold under a "house" brand name (K-Mart carries house-branded lines made by Best Lock).

Can I purchase KO parts?

Yes. A small range of parts are available on AliExpress. http://www.aliexpress.com/

Type "rebrickable" (without the quotation marks) to search the site for Lego compatible parts.

Type "base plate" or "road plate" etc. to search for baseplates (check images carefully, some are thick and some are thin/flexible like Lego baseplates).

Most entries are for bulk lots - but price is often shown per piece - so double-check piece (and price) totals and make sure freight costs don't shoot up with a "minimum" order.

Apparently there's a wider range of spares on TaoBao, but you will need to speak/read Mandarin to get the most from the site. Internet translators can help, but you may get "stuck" at the shopping cart due to secure window blockers or the fact that you're shopping from overseas. TaoBao sellers typically only ship to mainland China/HK/Malaysia etc., but you can engage a "buyer's agent" or use TaoBao's own freight forwarding service. See the How do I purchase sets from China-based manufacturers FAQ.

Are KO sets any good? I heard they were garbage.

There are certainly numerous very cheap block building sets (and minifigs) from alternative brick manufacturers that are terrible. Such sets are often found in local discounters and markets. They are typically one-off sets from unknown manufacturers (i.e. not the manufacturers featured on the wiki). The plastic is often brittle or soft, colours, painting and stickers are uneven, and part tolerances are inconsistent - which results in poor fit. Equally, there are a number of sets/parts that are very close in look, feel, fit ("clutch"), and colour to Lego or other OEM products.

While you may find a number of posts in pro-TLG forums (or shopping portal reviews) that claim all Chinese-made bricks are of poor quality or unsafe (see following FAQ), take this with a grain of salt. Such posts are often made by individuals who have never seen, much less built with Chinese bricks.

This is not to suggest that all China-based manufacturers make bricks of equal quality. They don't!

As mentioned above, some manufacturers produce parts are truly woeful, but others make bricks that approach the quality of TLG's offerings - in the look, feel, fit, and colour metrics.

This is confused, however, by the relative strengths of some KO brick makers in certain themes, with some "second-tier" Chinese manufacturers making good to high quality military vehicles or trains, for example, but terrible "City" themed fire stations or police cars. It is not always a case of "you get what you paid for" or "manufacturer x makes rubbish sets".

A further point to note is that not all bricks from KO manufacturers are made in China. COBI are based in Poland. Mega Bloks in Canada. Oxford in Korea. While products from these companies are generally of high quality, it does not immediately follow that products from China are of lesser quality. The reviews page and other links below can provide you with a more accurate picture of the pluses and minuses of various sets and manufacturers.

Some manufacturers specialise in minifigures, so their quality is typically higher than companies who make sets that "include" minifigures, but this is not always the case.

Instruction manuals of KO sets can be hit and miss. They are often sharply printed, but have poor colour reproduction and commonly cram a lot of steps onto a single page. Some instructions are awful and difficult to follow. Others, such as those from COBI, are brilliant.

Check out the Manufacturers page for an overview of various makers, the Set Reviews and Set Differences pages.

The WP forums thread contains a wealth of information including a number of set reviews. New thread is here.

If you have first-hand knowledge of a particular set or manufacturer, add it to the wiki or the WP thread.

Are KO sets safe?

There are many (somewhat hysterical, xenophobic, and completely unfounded) posts on the internet claiming that KO bricks - specifically those from China - are toxic (lead paint, asbestos, nuclear waste, recycled or somehow dangerous plastic, air or water pollution, broken glass in package, skin irritation, "lower standards" etc.). These "unsafe" claims are often boldly stated as "fact", rather than opinion (or a complete fabrication), and with zero supporting evidence.

A quick glance around the home or car of most people would uncover a host of plastic items and toys from China, such as the computer keyboard or tablet/phone you're using now, yet somehow only KO bricks are a threat to life and limb. 75% of the world's toys are made in China and are subject to safety testing and regulations in destination countries.

A point often overlooked by many in Western economies is that hundreds of millions of Chinese/SE Asian children play with KO brick (and other plastic) toys every day and their parents are equally concerned with the health of their kids. The public would know about it if toys were poisoning/harming children - regardless of where in the world they live. Beyond this, TLG themselves manufacture in China.

As with genuine Lego, it's not recommended that you chew/eat/grind up and snort KO bricks and that you wash your hands after building and play. This is due to the slight oily residue of the manufacturing process (Lego or knockoff) and general hygiene as bricks attract dust, dirt, bacteria, viruses, food and drink particles, skin cells, smoke, sweat, mucous, and body oils.

If it is discovered that any manufacturer has toxic product, this info and warnings will be added to the wiki.

In the meantime, just use common sense practices and enjoy building.

Are KO sets legal / legitimate?

The last of the patents on interlocking bricks held by TLG (The Lego Group) expired in 1989. Since then, many companies have created their own versions of brick-based building toys.

TLG still hold the patent on minifigs, so every minifig that mimics the shape and size of Lego 'figs infringes on this patent.

Original designs by alternative brick manufacturers are as legitimate as anything made by TLG.

Direct copies of retired or existing Lego (or other maker/designer) sets, box art, and/or manuals/instructions, however, are unquestionably IP theft - in Western legal jurisdictions.

The use of licensed themes, such as Star Wars, Disney, D.C., Marvel, and so on without paying licensing fees is also problematic. Some alternative brick manufacturers hold licenses for themes such as Call of Duty, Halo, Destiny, TMNT, Skylanders, Stargate, Thomas & Friends, Transformers, Minions, Star Trek, Penguins of Madagascar, and other IP's.

As a consumer, you have the choice to purchase the "real deal" (noting that many sets from alternative brick manufacturers are the genuine, licensed product) or the KO copy, or neither.

In Australia, it is not illegal to purchase, import, or own any KO set - including sets that infringe on IP/licenses etc. It is, however, illegal to sell such goods (in quantity). In other words, buying/building a single KO set, then onselling it is not going to result in licensing police knocking on your door. Importing 500 (licensed theme) minifigs with the intention of selling them is a different story, however.

Where sellers act as agents for KO sets that are sent directly from Asia to the customer, they are likely to be using Australian Customs law to their advantage, as ownership of goods is immediately transferred to the person named (as the recipient) on the package.

Obviously, misrepresenting and selling a replica set as a genuine Lego, Megabloks, NanoBlocks etc. set is fraud and illegal.

Won't copycat sets affect TLG's business?

TLG (The Lego Group) have been dealing with copies of their sets for over 40 years (see the pic of a 1980's knockoff Castle set below), so it's not a new phenomenon. In fact, there is a display in Lego House in Billund that shows a number of these. Set copies will always be made, and they will come and go, as will the companies who make them.

TLG have pursued some manufacturers legally, and have been successful in some cases, and unsuccessful in others. Given the vastly different legal systems around the world that deal with patents, copyright, intellectual property and licensing, any success TLG (or a licensing partner) has in one territory may not be relevant in another.

When it comes to copies of retired sets, TLG is unaffected financially. This may possibly have an impact on the reseller market, but collectibles will remain collectible and those who have deep pockets and a desire for the genuine article are unlikely to purchase a replica. For many who cannot justify or afford the prices asked on the secondary market, the replica sets represent an alternative.

Unfortunately, there are many dishonest sellers on eBay, Gumtree, and other shopping portals who try to pass off copies as genuine Lego - particularly minifigs. As always, caveat emptor.

Copies of current sets are more of an issue for TLG with direct loss of sales/revenue to copycat products. A further potential issue is where a clone is passed off as genuine Lego because this could impact on TLG's reputation for quality, thereby devaluing Lego product.

At present, despite the blatant copying of sets, instructions, and box art, none of the KO manufacturers claim to be Lego, nor do they make parts, packaging, or manuals with the Lego logo.

There were a handful of small Minecraft sets (21102, 21105, 21106 and 21107) that appeared briefly in China in July 2015 that did have the Lego logo on the packaging and bricks. This operation was shut down quickly and all sets were seized. If this does happen again, information will be added to the wiki.

The vast majority of copycat products are made and sold in China and South East Asia, where incomes are typically far lower than in Western economies and Lego is often, ironically, more expensive. It is therefore unsurprising that a huge market for significantly cheaper copied products exists in these regions.

A small quantity of directly copied/rebranded sets make their way to discount stores and flea markets in other parts of the world, but the number is, anecdotally, insignificant (KO minifigs, however, are readily found in discounters/markets/online in many Western countries). Most buyers of KO sets in Western economies do so through online shopping portals, such as AliExpress, eBay, and Amazon because they are unavailable locally - typically due to local licensing/IP, customs, tax, and import laws or restrictions.

Ultimately, TLG are the largest toy maker in the world who create desirable, high-quality products that people want. They are likely to remain at the top of the toymakers tree for a while.

Why is the copied set piece count different to the original set?

This may be an anomaly in the marketing, a simple mistake, or may be due to the way "pieces" are defined/counted. As examples of where the numbers may differ:

Lego minifigs have a head, hairpiece or hat, a torso with attached arms and hands, and ready-built hips/legs. A total of four pieces. Many knockoff minifigs are completely disassembled, and have a head, hairpiece or hat, a torso, two arms, two hands, hips, and two legs. A total of ten pieces.
Similarly, a bicycle may have the frame, handlebars, four wheel halves, and two tyres (8 pieces) vs a frame with integrated handlebars and two complete wheels with tyres (3 pieces).
Part substitutions, such as a single long stair piece being replaced with two short stair pieces and a 2x1 plate, or two window shutters in place of a single shutter piece. Some sets with Technic frames (Star Wars sets, for example) may substitute longer beams or rods for multiple shorter parts and connecting pins. See the Set Differences page.
Stickers may be counted as pieces.
Additional accessory pieces. As an example, the Lepin Temple of Airjitzu copy has a large number of extra accessories on a parts tree/sprue, similar to those found in Airfix/Tamiya-type plastic modelling kits.
Design modifications. For example, the Sheng Yuan "re-imagining" of the Lego Helicarrier set is significantly longer than the model it is based on. It also has more aircraft, and additional cannons and other details (not to mention the "Captain China" microfigs).

What does "Lego-compatible" or "compatible with leading brand" mean in set listings?

Basically, the KO bricks will interconnect with genuine Lego (or other Lego-compatible) bricks. The "clutch" and colour match of some KO manufacturer bricks, plates, etc. - compared with Lego parts - is quite similar or indistinguishable.

At the other end of the spectrum, some KO bricks don't interlock well and their colours are nothing like those of Lego.

At present, COBI, Lepin and DeCool parts are well-regarded for their fit and finish, although some of their colours do not exactly match Lego counterpart colours. In most cases, color matches are near-identical or impossible to distinguish.

Some KO manufacturers use a unique colour palette that is suitable for the subject matter, such as the paint colour or camouflage on military vehicles, planes, ships, and minifigs. Similarly, some parts are unique to KO manufacturer sets.

Which set should I choose from different brands?

Several copycat manufacturers may offer the same set. As an example, the Force Awakens Millennium Falcon (Lego #75105) is replicated by Lepin, Bela, and Lele. So which should you choose?

This really comes down to a bit of research online using your favourite search engine, the Weblinks and Set Reviews pages, and the WP Forum thread. New thread is here.

As far as copies of the TFA Falcon go, the general consensus is that the Lele version is the most solidly built (Lele Technic parts are known for their tight fit), and has pretty good minifigs, but the hull plate colour is too light. The Lepin version has the most accurate ship colour, but is let down by poor friction of clips used in the ship hull and average minifigs. The Bela version has the best minifigs and colours are good, but it is the least "solid" model (this doesn't mean it will fall apart by looking at it...just that it isn't quite as solid as the others). Obviously, TLG's original is also an option with the only "flaw" being price.

So...if you decide to go for a replica, it comes down to a preference for better figs or a better-looking or better-constructed model - at a price you want to pay. An alternative would be to mix and match sets and/or separately purchased minifigs, but then the price equation may not come down greatly in favour of the KO products. A further alternative would be to do some small mods, such as replacing the clips on the Lepin model, using existing parts from your collection (or getting them from Bricklink).

There are a number of other Star Wars replica sets, and sets from other lines - notably Friends, Disney Princess, Ninjago, and DC/Marvel Super Heroes - that are made by multiple manufacturers.

As above, do your research and have a clear idea of the "key" set features you're after before making a choice. From there, work out what you're willing to compromise on if no single KO option ticks every box on your list.

If the compromises are a bridge too far for you, buy the original model.