SBFL - you are either in or you are out.

I collect RxH and a bunch of other stuff (and would consider myself one of the OG RxH collectors on this shore after Brian and Isaac), some of which I consider design wise and aesthetically superior to SB, but taken as a whole and as the originator, SB will always be the #1 for me. If I had to sell all my other vinyl, my SB collection would be the one to stay.

I also agree that below cost sales are damaging to the brands. People really do say let's wait to get it for less...and can u blame 'em, who wants to buy a new car only to see it instantly lose a chunk of value the second u leave the showroom?

I also see more established collectors blowing away their SB. Noobs come in and see the offloading and think twice about going there.

Other reasons? More choice these days, more spendy product, more innovation, complaints about Sb quality (overhyped IMO) things not as crazy limited (which is great) as other companies releases, too much history to catch up with....

I'd also guess that the #1 reason noobs don't go with the 'base is that it doesn't have the hype machine rolling that some of teh other companies are riding high on. And if thats teh case, then expect fair weather fans to unload whatever is hot this week when teh next train comes into town....

Like I said, SBFL

PS. Great discussion by the way, nice one Kirkland...but I couldn't pick from the three categories alone.

My post was really about letting go.

If I didn't like ALL the folks at S7 I would have said nothing. I've talked to everyone there and there is noone I dislike.

I posted what I did for two reasons:

1) I wanted to let people I like, admire and respect know how I'm feeling as a customer.

2) I wanted to make certain I don't try to purchase any more RxH at retail again.

As far as suffering go missing toys doesn't even come close to real death and despair they're not even the same universe emotionally. Addiction wise they aren't either.

Turtletooth I have no idea at all what you're talking about.

I'd still like to do business with S7 btw.

I had to do something to force myself to stop chasing this particular line and I had to let the folks at S7 know where I'm coming from and why my buyings slowed so much.

I'm too fond of these people and RxH to not have posted what I did. I'm not selling my RxH I'm going to cherish it; but it was giving me an ulcer if I kept chasing it.

You never catch the dragon (misquoting Trey Parker and Matt Stone).

SB should lower basic figures to 40 to get things back on track. I still never found a purple skullwing at retail (anyone want to trade for a white masked ranger)
Still being a newbie SB is all I really like. Obake Dog, Zipface, Skullbee, Pirates, Skullwings, Brains, etc. I don't see how people could not like them. I strayed and picked up a X-ray galtan, cool zones and a bigmouth because I think they are good figures but I love SB and there is nothing like the excitement of holding a new SB figure in my hand for the first time and putting it on my shelf.