[itMFtis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by devildog0311

I have been seeing the professor x wave everywhere, they have even been peg warming here.

And where is that exactly?

[MGTAJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackieboy

it has opened my eyes to people i would rather not deal with.and thats the beauty of it,some get satisfaction helping others,some get satisfaction from making a healthy profit off others,ill get satisfaction telling the latter to f*** off when the next "opportunity" falls on my lap.and believe me,it will.

Boards and forums like this, it should be about helping each other out. Ebay, though, it's Thunderdome; feel free to try and maximise your profit. The thing is though, I'd love to see the ebay accounts matched up with the Ark accounts.

[MGTAJ]

Apologies for the double post but I came across this post elsewhere the other day and it really sums up the collecting game to a tee. It's a long read but the dude speaks the truth about the situation.

Quote:

Birth of a Toy Scalper

Toy companies used to make action figures in fairly even numbers per case assortment and then ship to retail stores. Retail stores had not yet perfected the science of stock rotation and would frequently leave product on a shelf for years until it sold, without reducing the price for clearance. Many collectors would opt not to buy all figures released, instead buying up the fan favorites leaving the less desired characters to pegwarm in to oblivion. This practice eventually lead to stores realizing that some figures simply would not sell as quickly and that any figure holding up space on a shelf was basically raising it's cost to the store every hour it sat on the peg/shelf.

Clearance items became a bigger thing for consumers as they realized they could buy items at discounted prices by simply waiting long enough. What consumers didn't know was that this process was leading to stores changing how they stocked their shelves for years to come. Wal-Mart would no longer stock 48 pegs of GI Joes, 120 pegs of Star Wars. No, instead, the bigger retailers began reducing their orders because action figures just were not selling as quickly. These reduced orders didn't reduce the number of consumers buying the product though. This phenomenon lead to the inflated priced secondary market due to supply and demand. As consumers began to realize that the supply was decreasing, the greed factor began to overtake consumers and collectors and they began to pay more for toys they wouldn't pay retail for on the shelf just 6 months prior.

Enter the opportunist: the dreaded scalper, the type of person that looks to make a buck in every way they can. Popular as folks with low demand jobs, like delivery boys, your scalper would frequently have both the time and cash on hand to scoop up any short packed figure they could find. These short packed figures would then fetch more money than the opportunist had paid for the item when sold second hand. The consumers who were obsessed would gladly pay the few extra bucks rather than drive all over town and miss out on the newest figures for their collection. This symbiotic relationship inspired others to try it as well. The greed factor reared it's ugly head as more scalpers joined the fray! Their prices driving higher since their operation was denying the shelves of any product became the downfall of my scalpers. Over spending themselves to the point of being broke, these scalpers would be forced to return their purchases to the store in order to buy food that week.

Oh, but the smart consumers didn't realize how bad this process was. When the scalper returns the item to the store, the store reads this as an unwanted item and creates a series of files counting the number of items returned and determines that, once their sales show that each item has technically been returned, the toy line is unwanted and thus, future orders are reduced once more.

Suddenly even more rare than before, the scalpers have a new target, a short printed run of figures with even shorter shelf stocking!

Now our consumers are engulfed in rage over the habits of the scalper, but sadly, too few realize they are the very cause of their own grief because of their own buying habits.

----------
It sucks but it's true. We did it to ourselves. We demand variety and then bitch at the quality. We bitch at the price increases. We bitch at the length of time between releases then we bitch when they release too fast. We bitch, bitch bitch until manufacturers stop trying to cater to us and cut out the articulation we love instead returning to targeting marketing to children, with brighter colors, fewer points of articulation, smaller selection and lower prices. The truly worst of the bunch are the folks that buy the BAF sets, strip the baf parts then return the figs to the store in order to sell the baf. That idiocy results in a toy that no reasonable consumer will ever purchase and the store will drop the orders as a result of this. The predatory behavior is the snake that eats itself.

---------
It's just a rotten situation. Retailers don't want product that doesn't sell. Consumers don't value every toy in a series at the same price.

Things like that are also why we see prices increase by1.00 some times. If you get a case of 10 figures and raise the price by 1.00 per figure and then sell 10 figures, the store made as much money as if they had sold 11 figures out of a 10 figure case. That is 110% of what the projection stated. The other end of that is if 1 figure doesn't sell, then they STILL made their projected cost and when they clearance 1 figure then they didn't lose any money, even if sold at 0.50 just to get it off the shelf.

[salsa4datass]

^ good read and makes perfect sense. also love the title: birth of a toy scalper..

[devildog0311]

Quote:

Originally Posted by itMFtis

And where is that exactly?

Houston

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spacemafia

If metroplex passed it I'm sure fort could also.....

What are you talking about? G1 Metroplex hasn't passed any modern drop tests. Not to mention that Metroplex is a different mold from Fort Max and a much smaller toy as well, so the criteria for passing is not the same for both toys.

Japan doesn't have the same safety regulations as the US, hence Takara-Tomy's ability to re-issue both Metroplex and Fort Max in Japan as part of their Encore line.

Quote:

those test are stupid to begin with.....

Not if you have kids. Especially young ones.

[Iceman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGTAJ

Apologies for the double post but I came across this post elsewhere the other day and it really sums up the collecting game to a tee. It's a long read but the dude speaks the truth about the situation.

I always assumed a lot of what that article says. I know scalpers wouldn't exist if people didn't pay them and that the scalper market has actually created a lot of this high prices we see the week someone hits retail. The only cure is mass distribution which peg warmers can blockade.


When I like products I want to support it as much as I can. It's why I shake my head sometimes when I see people saying that want something but are going to wait to get it till it's on clearance or something. Up here we have regular sales (every couple weeks) so it's a bit different but it we don't buy certain things they aren't going to keep making them. Like the big Star Wars vehicles that are probably a bit overpriced like the BMF or AT-AT. If those shelf warm stores will tell the companies they don't want that kind of product anymore and we won't get it anymore. Just look at the Sentinel. Most of us didn't want the purple/silver color so we let it sit, especially once they announced the classic was going to ship. The classic version never hit retail but only made it to discount stores. Once stuff is at the discount store it is considered a failure by the toy company and primary retailers. I even remember hearing about the gigantic battle packs warming at Wal-Mart and we haven't seen any new packs since. Yet collectors pay high prices for that stuff once it's gone from the store. I keep noticing packs like the Sabertooth/Wolverine one that warmed forever become pricey once they are gone. I think a lot of us have that "I'll get it later" mentality and then it vanishes without us realizing. Either it goes on clearance, they send it to a discount store, or it gets sent back to the manufacturer/destroyed at the store. For me, if see something at retail and pass a few times I will never pay more than retail for it later on. I only pay for stuff I never see on the shelves.

[bmorr]

Iceman,I have to say based on past experiences I learned to buy it now rather than later for certain things. Stuff thats on the shelf one day will most likely be gone the next. I've had that happen more time than i'd like.

[Iceman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmorr

Iceman,I have to say based on past experiences I learned to buy it now rather than later for certain things. Stuff thats on the shelf one day will most likely be gone the next. I've had that happen more time than i'd like.

I think that is more and more true these days. There are a few things you can count on hitting retail in mass but a lot of it you may only see once, if at all. I know I passed up on the XMO Weapon X tank thing for $10 because I had already bought Weapon X. It sat there for a couple of weeks and when I decided to go buy it they were all gone. Now I'd have to pay triple that to get one just or the tank.

[Rattrap Primal]

Legends may be back but increased price keeps me from getting them like I used too (TRU had them for $20 or more) while MU is now my main Marvel focus (I know the odds of seeing several waves are slim during movie season, remember last year the 2 main Marvel Lines where Spider Man and Avengers)

[itMFtis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattrap Primal

Legends may be back but increased price keeps me from getting them like I used too (TRU had them for $20 or more) while MU is now my main Marvel focus (I know the odds of seeing several waves are slim during movie season, remember last year the 2 main Marvel Lines where Spider Man and Avengers)

They're actually $15 now at Target, and have been for over a month. That includes the new IM line as well. Actually I saw Legends dip below $13 for a while recently. Don't hate on the line because TRU loves to price hike.

[trebleshot]

Quote:

It sucks but it's true. We did it to ourselves. We demand variety and then bitch at the quality. We bitch at the price increases. We bitch at the length of time between releases then we bitch when they release too fast. We bitch, bitch bitch until manufacturers stop trying to cater to us and cut out the articulation we love instead returning to targeting marketing to children, with brighter colors, fewer points of articulation, smaller selection and lower prices. The truly worst of the bunch are the folks that buy the BAF sets, strip the baf parts then return the figs to the store in order to sell the baf. That idiocy results in a toy that no reasonable consumer will ever purchase and the store will drop the orders as a result of this. The predatory behavior is the snake that eats itself.

To be fair, fans can (and will) bitch about anything. Even things that Hasbro gets right.

[Goldengreg]

There also is a small part in your equation: the MU fans that don't live in US or UK and can't properly buy some unless they or their friends go to the USA do some shopping.
When you only have one chance to get your toys, an empty shelf is depressing.

[MeLikeJinx]

Saw the 3.75" Wolvie figs at my TRU today... they were $11.46 each... my gawd. Those seriously looked like discount figs... everything was smaller... the packaging, the accessories, the figure itself... can't believe they were that price. I still remember pondering when Joes would finally break the $10 mark at retail. These are amazing times we find ourselves in.

[MGTAJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeLikeJinx

Saw the 3.75" Wolvie figs at my TRU today... they were $11.46 each... my gawd. Those seriously looked like discount figs... everything was smaller... the packaging, the accessories, the figure itself... can't believe they were that price. I still remember pondering when Joes would finally break the $10 mark at retail. These are amazing times we find ourselves in.

Wolverine is a smaller character, so they could be ok scale-wise. You guys have it easy price wise compared to everywhere else on the planet

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGTAJ

You guys have it easy price wise compared to everywhere else on the planet

Well, it pays to live in the same country as the toy manufacturer. I would venture to say the same thing is true for collectors in Japan when it comes to certain toy lines.

[boombatty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGTAJ

Wolverine is a smaller character, so they could be ok scale-wise.

Agree about the size, however these figures are about on par with the dollar store figures in accessories and articulation (and plastic). They should be priced similarly all things considered. They are realistically closer to the Batman and Superman Dollar Store figs (which are priced $5 or less). The only difference is the Dollare store figures have bending elbows and swivel shoulders where The Wolverine line have 70's Star Wars era articulation so up /down straight arms and legs is all you get for your $11+. Scary stuff.

[Goldengreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

I would venture to say the same thing is true for collectors in Japan when it comes to certain toy lines.

I think myself as very very lucky to go to Japan 3 times a year for my job, I wish I could go to the US as well so I could do a lot more shopping

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldengreg

I think myself as very very lucky to go to Japan 3 times a year for my job, I wish I could go to the US as well so I could do a lot more shopping

I wish I could go to Japan that often for my job, for the same reason as you.

[avcprime]

Sad but true, Hasbro just cares about its main customers the kids. We are a small margin of their profits

[Goldengreg]

Yeah but we have money!

Kids buy what the parents allow them to... we adults buy entire waves and pricey bigger items.
It'd be interesting to see the ratio kids/adults on expensive things as Shield Helicarrier or Bruticus Cybertron set

[trebleshot]

I'd love to see that as well, but I would hazard a guess and say that they will be about equal or tipping in favor of the parents. We collectors are an extremely fickle bunch and when it comes to big-ticket retail items, we are also quite patient. When the Helicarrier was first released to retail, how many of us said "Oh that's cool, but I'll wait for it to go on clearance before I pick it up"?

So my theory is that we might buy more of those kinds of items when all is said and done, but we most likely paid far less than most parents.

[wingzero]

I came back into this thread and it seems like Hasbro's failure to cater to action figure collectors will spell the demise of the company.

Check their website guys, they sell a lot more than MU, ML, GI Joe, Transformers, and Star Wars.

[trebleshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingzero

I came back into this thread and it seems like Hasbro's failure to cater to action figure collectors will spell the demise of the company.

Doubtful. Adult collectors a small fraction of Hasbro's overall business. We're not even the target demographic for most of its products. If every single adult collector stopped buying Hasbro products forever, I'm quite sure the company would continue chugging along just fine. And hey, maybe it won't have to listen to the whining and complaining from some of our more vocal brethren anymore.

Quote:

Check their website guys, they sell a lot more than MU, ML, GI Joe, Transformers, and Star Wars.

You don't say.

[wingzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

Doubtful. Adult collectors a small fraction of Hasbro's overall business. We're not even the target demographic for most of its products. If every single adult collector stopped buying Hasbro products forever, I'm quite sure the company would continue chugging along just fine. And hey, maybe it won't have to listen to the whining and complaining from some of our more vocal brethren anymore.



You don't say.

Sarcasm to my sarcasm? How quaint. A lot of people forget about just how many IPs and other products Hasbro puts out. 3.75 Wolverine/Iron Man 3 lack of articulation don't mean shit.

And people who complain will always complain. Color, height, scale, articulation, packaging, characters. Pick one