Buying alt bricks in their original box can be a real challenge, especially when we talk about white labels that are usually rebranded, and sold for much higher prices than the originals. You will usually find them in toy stores and also on Amazon and similar platforms.
There is also the case of platforms such as AliExpress that, in order to reduce shipping costs from China, take the product out of its original box and pack it directly in a bag, which makes the set impossible to buy as a gift, and more likely to arrive damaged.
If you want to buy alternatives to LEGO® in their original boxes, keep reading to learn more.
Where to buy alt bricks with the original box
The best way to buy sets in their original boxes is by purchasing from specialized stores that know the brands inside out, and are committed to the quality and originality of their products. Latericius is one of the leading shops in Europe specializing in alternatives to LEGO®.
To ensure that the quality is optimal, we do all the prior work to selecting and testing each brand we want to work with. And to show our commitment, we have built ourselves many of the models we have in our catalog, and we share them in social media.
In addition, all our products are stored in Spain, ensuring that the orders arrive quickly, and we care of any incident that may arise.
Other safe websites to buy alternative brands are those of the alt brick brands themselves. Many of them send the sets with their original boxes from their countries of origin:
The prices are the same or a bit higher, but the shipping times are longer, and sometimes customs slows down the delivery process.
There are some unknown brands in the Western market, such as Mork, that do not sell to the final consumer, and therefore the only way to buy them with the original box is through specialized stores.
Why is it so important to have a set in its original box?
An original box is the first guarantee that your product is original and that it has the manufacturer's endorsement. Almost intact packaging is convenient not only to process a return, but also to keep the value of the product for resale.
The original boxes also protect the sets from possible damage that frequently occurs during transportation and handling. As mentioned above, platforms like AliExpress take products out of their original boxes and send them in bags to reduce the cost of shipping, which would otherwise be much higher from China.
The original boxes also store valuable information about the products, such as their brand, origin, original name of the set, signature of the MOCer if it has one, official license if it is a reproduction of another brand or character, number of pieces, EAN references, barcodes, and more.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a gift, you certainly need an original box.
Alt bricks with the original box: Are they difficult to find?
There are some alt bricks that are really difficult to get in their original boxes, and this is because the manufacturer sells the products as a white label to other companies that make new packaging by printing their own brand on the box. This is the case of Mork or xMork block sets, which are usually sold in different boxes with a much higher value.
If you do not want to pay more for the same set, or take one that does not come with its original box but with another from an intermediary brand, go to specialized stores like ours.
How to know if you buy alt bricks with the original box, or if it is a repackaging
There is a lot of information that can help you to determine whether you're buying an alternative to LEGO® with the original box, even if it's a white label. For example:
Print quality
We are well past the days of copycat knockoffs of the Danish models. Nowadays, these types of brands invest a large amount of resources in concerned about the details, manufacturing good quality blocks and sets, and taking care of the presentation of their products.
While it is true that LEGO® boxes will always be larger than necessary to be more visible in stores, boxes from alternative brands to LEGO® are also very attractive and professionally designed.
If the box of your set has very few details of poor quality in the printing, or a poorly maintained brand image, or no brand at all, you can suspect that it may be a repackaging.
EAN barcodes and serial codes
Each set of building blocks has a unique box reference number, and a product number.
These codes must be traceable on the Internet directly on the distributors' websites. To verify that you have an original box, compare the EAN code, which is the identifier of the original product, with that of the manufacturer's.
Product description
The box must contain all the specifications of the product, such as the number of pieces it contains, the type of design, an image of the final assembled version, the designer's signature (if it has one), trademark license (if it's a reproduction), model scale, etc. All this information guarantees that you have the original box.
Logo
Each brand has its own representative logo. Logos are placed in specific areas of the product, out of habit, and although they are not always marked on the blocks themselves, they are added on the box.
Look for other models of the alt brick brand you are purchasing and certify how the logo appears on them and if it matches yours.
Look carefully at the letters (if there are any), as many imitations are marketed by changing just one letter to make it as close as possible to the originals.
Holograms and authenticity seals
The most expensive models usually have very distinctive authenticity seals and holograms that serve to identify the original boxes. It is true that not all manufacturers incorporate them, but it is a very common practice.
You can search for original representations of the box online and compare it with yours for those markings, as long as they are not special editions.
Buy from trusted sources
Last but not least, the best thing you can do to rest assured and know that you have an original box is to buy your sets directly from a specialized store, which knows the product first-hand, as is the case with Latericius.
So now you know! If you want to buy alt bricks with the original box, visit our categories, follow us on our social networks so you are aware of the latest models and trust in your best alternative for top quality white label blocks.