I'm just curious to know , when along the way did people decide to start selling thier stuff for less than half of what they paid ?? I'm not sure if I'm wrong, but shouldnt you atleast get what you paid for the item ??? I can see a piece here and there but come on now. Does everyone need to get rid of thier toys so bad that they are willing to trow it out the window ? Also if if doesnt sell at those prices, why lower them anymore.They are not selling so why clog up the for sale section with stuff no one is willing to pay for. Does anyone keep what they buy anymore ? You bought them for a reason, why did you change your mind all the sudden ? Is this reverse hype ?
i like this reverse hype! i've gotten many unwanted toys that i have been wanting and haven't pulled the trigger because of moneys before. but now i gots'em!
Scott is the only exception for me. but I think this devalues toys as a whole and I won't do it. If someone wants to do that.,, good for them. Not for me and I refuse to do so. I'd rather keep them.
Alot of people probably sell stuff cause they're broke or they're chasing some sort of hype. Revolving inventories. It's interesting how there some regulars in BST always selling stuff and then you have board members who virtually never sell stuff. For example, I can't remember the last PK sale if ever. Sellers probably slash prices cause they're impatient or really want to move stuff. Definitely on the increase versus say a year ago.
Absolutely. I know I've thought to myself "why buy this toy at retail when I can probably pick it up for $20 less in a few months?". Of course I don't end up buying it at reduced cost later - but often it's been an option. I guess this way of thinking helps me weed out what I really want! But I'm certainly happy when I do decide to buy something for far less than retail! Makes up for overspending on mini Galtans!
I keep a lot of what I buy. I'll sell something if I really don't see the need to have it in my collection anymore. In most cases, it is me selling a figure that I already have in a different colorway. As far as price goes, I won't really try to go below retail. Trading is different since I have traded more expensive pieces for cheaper one's. I think when people go well below retail, it really becomes about the money and they are chasing after something or need to pay something off ASAP. That's how I see it.
My feelings exactly. I brought this up because I was listening to NPR and there was a discussion about this very same sort of thing in sales worldwide. All this is doing is hurting us in the end. In this case its toys. Would you sell your house for half of what you paid so you can buy a different house ? I doubt it. By doing this nothing you list will ever get sold. The next guy will say " I will wait it out because the next guy will sell it for cheaper". So the add sits and no one buys it. Then it starts the domino effect. No one buys because they feel they can buy it for cheaper if they wait it out. In the end no one is buying so nothing is selling. In return suppliers like ( lets say for example Super7 ) S7 cant buy new stock because people feel they can get it cheaper if they wait it out. Super7 closes up and now your fucked, no toys period ! I know people are broke. But just like the state of our economy.... live within your means. If you cant afford the toy, you shouldn't be buying it to begin with. If you bought because you really wanted it you wouldn't want to sell it. Tastes change and all that. But if you didn't go on the kaiju spree you would have the money for the new want you really wanted. I know we all can be hypocrites, no one is perfect. But if you think a little before you act you will cut down on this and be happier as you will have the money to get what you want. And sales will turn around. If things keep up like this this board is doomed. Super7 is a toy store. If they cant sell toys there is no Super7 and no toy message board. No more cool projects etc...
I think for some people, myself included, it takes a little while before you hone your tastes and figure out what you really, really like and what your collection can be without. That doesn't mean you buy everything you see, but just that you try to learn more about the companies and their sculpts, and figure out what you like best. It's like trying on a few different pairs of jeans until you find the perfect fit. It wasn't until recently that I started taking a closer look at my collection and started weeding out toys I no longer care for. I never bought anything on the means of 'hype' -- I only ever bought toys that I like (though I do like some of more popular sculpts like Dorol, Mother, two-headed Bemon, etc. because of what they are, not because of how popular they are). At this point, I consider my collection a permanent collection. It's hard for me to find anything that I'd be willing to get rid of, hence why I have no trade thread.
I trip out on how much stuff gets sold. I always think to myself, "How do they do it?" I can never bring myself to sell anything. Even if I really need to.
I think this will eventually slow down. It's not like anyone has a bottomless vault of toys (with a few exceptions). The sales also seem to consist mainly of things from late 2007 through 2008, when people were buying pretty heavily. The real question is: why are there toys that people will not buy even at super-duper low prices? In the long term, that is probably a critical question for our hobby.
Like I mentioned, I think its because people feel if they hold off they can get for cheaper. I mean someone had to buy it for retail at one point. If hey hold off, hell maybe they can get it for even cheaper. But by the time they want it the hype has shifted.....which leads to... Hype sold it, now that the hype has shifted they are trying to sell to the same hype chasing people. They wont buy it because they are chasing the same new hype as the seller.
I'm not really talking about the hype factor. It's one thing if the people that bought them are chasing the new thing- as I said, that seems to be a self-correcting problem. But if none of "us" wants them (and I mean the reasonable, informed buyers that I assume we all are) that seems like a huge problem to me. Are the toys themselves so mediocre (or so over-hyped) that nobody wants them at 50%+ discounts? Are we all just out of money? In my mind, we should be all over these 'deals' from the hype-sellers. Is there a particular reason that we are not? As point of contrast, you rarely see traditional kaiju from the more established new companies (M1Go, Bear Model) sit around at low prices without selling. Bear Model stuff actually sells quite well. It's a similar type of product, but the style of releases and the target audience are probably some of the major differences.
I see no problem with it. It's likely that people who are selling things at a loss (though how do you know what they paid for an item?) couldn't afford the toy in the first place so it's kind of a natural balance. I think it's healthy for the community and I don't think of it as a problem at all. _Ethan
If S7 had a huge problem, they can put a stop to it. I see alot of stuff that S7 has on sale for only slightly less on sales threads. I wouldn't worry too much about them. Could be some of those toys that sit there are crap toys to begin with and were overpriced to begin with. Let the market correct itself. The "waiting things out" method works just as often the other way. If you REALLY are gonna hold out for a better than retail price you MAY get lucky, but more often will just lose out on something you want. Also..."devalue toys"? I don't even concern myself with that.
My opinions..worth what you paid for them... I have only been collecting for about 2 years, but from the beginning have only been buying the toys that 'spoke to me'... Even with all these great intentions, there are still some purchases I see now I could done without, but like someone else mentioned, I just can't bring myself to sell them...not for any price.. I don't have all that much extra cash, but I figure if I sell off 2 toys and get 1 new one in return, it's just bad business sense as the one I get in return may end up not measuring up to expectations as well.. I've found that over time, I come back around to enjoying them again anyway. As for the prices of things sold here. As a collector I love it because it gives me a crack at things I wasnt able to buy 'new' and I'm not sure that what goes on here pricewise is out of line with any other collectibles. SOme pieces are going to appreciate in value over time, and some will depreciate. As a newb on these very boards, I was (quite correctly) scolded that if I'm worrying about the monetary value of my toys, I was in this hobby for the wrong reasons. You're never going to get a group of collectors to agree to only buy or sell things at (near-) retail or above.
It's hype and number of collectors. Too much hype leads to too many people picking up things they're not 100% into. As they start selling, it creates a snowball effect. Everybody starts selling a lot of the same things and start dropping prices to get rid of it. Real Head is a perfect example, but it seems like Mori has adjusted production numbers pretty accurately. It undoubtedly hurt the market, but the strength of the company and their figures helped it rebound. Some other companies are not going to be so lucky. As for this hurting the market, Super7, etc. I think the market, in general, is starting to balance itself out, although I think there are some things that are inevitably going to drop considerably. Like the two headed Bemon. At least that's what I'm hoping for Super7 should be okay, especially with the distro network in place. And this board? Skullbrain will never die.
I'm finally to that point in my collection, & I think it's only fair to extend good, or sometimes great deals to members of a community who have been willing to help me out. Plus I'm another "in hand" guy; I've been totally blown away upon recieving certain sculpts, while others have gone straight back out the door. Anyways, long live RFSO prices! (For those who care: I still buy all my S7 gear for retail, + tax,+ shipping!)
Ehh, I have zero issue with this. Its another example of who's to say what one does with their items. We dont know everyones financial situation and some can afford to let things go at a steal which i would think would be helping out another collector. "Devalued"?, I thought this isnt supposed to be about value but enjoying the toys and collecting etc... If you bring values and market effects into it then its not so much about the toys or the fun of it anymore is it?. People have a issue with others overspending and now underspending, its fine to have a voice on it but i find it amusing that people get tied up in what others are doing. IMO, lots of these toys are overpriced to begin with, im not ignorant and I do understand the costs im just saying, really think about the price we pay for international retail.
If it's about enjoying toys and collecting them, then what about the real questions behind Lash's post. What about people who buy toys because they have the money to do so and really DON'T value them. Then sell them when this lack of value becomes evident, and get rid of them at a price that doesn't represent the amount they paid for it. I think the question is does this cheapen the hobby? Not reduce the resale value of toys.
I don't see the occasional low-ball sale having much of an impact on the hobby. or any. if the amount of collectors buying these toys at retail in the first place didn't outweigh the number of people who might choose to pass up a new piece, so that by some chance they might save a few bucks in the after-market, these toys would never be available second-hand in the first place. most people probably assume an after-market price will only be higher than retail in the first place. some toys may be an exception. some toys may be available for much cheaper in the used market. but those toys are the toys that will likely sit on retail shelves for a very long time anyway. bring on the low-balls. plenty of my toys have been purchased at retail, and will continue to be purchased at S7 and other establishments, and I welcome the occasional cheap sale.
I think what you are referring to are people with lots of cash to burn who just buy shit up to buy shit. I think those are few and far between. I think what you do have are alot of people who genuinely enjoy the toys but are overwhelmed with the number of releases and companies. They then sample all kinds of companies, grab most on the aftermarket, change of feeling towards one company or one sculpt etc occur and then you have the sale section. The fact that someone is selling cheap used to be called RFSO. Now thats getting called out upon, i still see it as RFSO. The big question is do people want it sold here for cheap, or wait to see it sold on ebay and then destroy that person for flipping?. I know I have seen endless hypocrisy here so I really dont care anymore, the obvious things remain like a brand new S7 toy on ebay for $300 a week later etc.. but things like this i dont see as a issue in the least.
Hmm this discussion is more interesting than the other thread about the overall state of the forum. You can't have a perfect world. Regarding prices, I have discussed this with a few people over the year on PM. I think it started off with good intentions with the original idea of RFSO and morphed, mutated and grew into something ugly that hurt the scene. Selling cheap turned out to be a hype in itself and hurt brands like Secret Base and RxH when sales started with $30-40 per figure...which after 1 day it went down even further. I have the same feeling as LASH. I try not to sell at low - under retail or less than how much I paid for. But given the pressure from other sales you feel its an obligation to cut your prices or else no one will take notice...and people expect you to cut your prices (I get PMs 2 minutes after I post some toys to lower my price) I rather keep them if I can't sell at prices around which I bought it for. Another different story is when I wanted to buy a toy but thought it was overpriced given an accessory like a scarf of an RxH figure was not part of the sale. I was called out in the reply as "Lowballing". I would never sell at retail or higher if there is a part missing in a figure. If I did I wouldn't rudely reply when people ask for a discount for missing parts... which is reasonable IMO. I wonder then if he bought the same one without scarf for a lot more than he is selling for. If he did then that is a decision of hype over sense (or shopping vs collecting). Its also evident that many people do buy toys to get their trade bait up. I don't see this affecting the overall value of the market. In fact it is more healthy (be it morally right or not) for the market compared to others selling at crazy low prices. A person sells a Zag for $40 and then everyone expects/hopes that another dude sells the same price so they can get in on the bargain. I remember this happened to me once when I sol my yellow glow clear zag for $100 (I bought from S7 for $120+25 shipping) and Iron_Horse jacks my sales thread to say he sold his for $40. Classic example.
I think its amazing ones perspective to anothers. I see this one way as a bad thing. And others, as a good thing, even though I really cant understand or see it it like that. But I'm willing to discuss it and hear you out with an open mind. In the real world this is one real issue on which the world global economy is crashing. Maybe this is why its crashing. People seem to think its okay to loose money on what they buy. This is why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer...... I'm not saying that all toys need to appreciate in money, but at the very least retain they value. I think the argument that maybe they where over priced to begin with, that this is making the market adjust is interesting. About people selling stuff ... its IMPOSSIBLE that this many people got such great deals and they are passing it along. 1 or 10 but EVERY thread is like this. I do care what people do here. Its a community that I'm part of and we are all responsible for how it works as a whole. believe it of not ,accept it or not, it is what it is. This is an issue that no one has brought up yet. I just think that its should be discussed so we all can think about. Our actions it affect all of us. You say don't feed the flippers but we do. Its the overall of the board. Don't take this personal. We all have been hypocrites as one point. I find it funny that the same old people call everyone out. Unfalable like the fucking pope. Lets just discuss this instead of turning it into a shit flinging fest. where all adults right ? Its a subject that needs to be discussed so no one can say this is the reason for what may come.
