Do you have toy buying "ethics"?

[4lott]

I guess this is as good a place as any to ask this, but what type of ethics do you, as collectors, have when it comes to toy purchases? There are two types of retailers that won't ever get my money, regardless of how badly I want a figure that they have in stock, even if they're the only game in town. The first is the guy who scours the city's stores (Walmart, Zellers, TRU etc.) to pick up the figs as they are released at retail only to resell them at a mark up at his store. The second is the guy who receives cases of figs then marks up the popular ones (I'm not including chase figs in this) by several bucks or insists that you buy a bunch of figs you don't want just to be able to buy the one you do.

[Robimus]

I think you'll see a big variety of answers when it comes to this. As long as the thread remains civil I think it can produce a lot of good discussion about these issues in our hobby.

That said I'll be watching it closely as I know threads about "Scalping" can get out of hand in a hurry. Be nice, be respectful, have fun. :)




I personally come from a slightly different side of this than some in that I've been a dealer at local conventions for the past 13 years as well as having run a home based toy business for a few years as well.

That said I was never in the habit of buying figures at full retail to flip them. Sometimes I have taken advantage of sales when they come around to pick up some product, but even then I'd never buy more than one or two of any figure for resale reasons.

I ordered most my carded stuff in from US and Canadian online dealers back when I heavily dealt in the "newer" stuff. Since I've kinda moved away from the "newer" stuff in recent years its not a big concern for me anymore.

I think something to also keep in mind is that a lot of "scalpers" are not nesessarily collectors, they are running a business and looking to make a buck however they can.

It's a buyers market so if they can sell something for a certain price more power to them. I wont be buying it but I don't really feel like they are doing something wrong.

The "scalpers" that bother me the most are not actually those with an actual retail location, but the E-Bay variety. *shrug*, thats just me. I'm not a fan of E-Bay myself, but don't want to discourage anyone who is.

In my experience with toy collecting the regular releases can all be found at regular retail if you put in the legwork. Sure Chase Figures or Variants might be a tougher find but I think if the scalpers don't get them then the regular hoarder does.

Either way I'll never see them at retail, so I was always thankful that I'd at least have the oppurtunity to purchase one at a Flea Market or Toy Show, even at a higher price.

My Winnipeg Jets McFarlane Variants come to mind as stuff I wouldn't even own if not for being able to buy them after retail. Yet I know some "collectors" sittiing on four or five of them waiting for them to go up in value..............

[pud333]

Let's see: I'm sure we can have a civilized conversation. :D

My toy buying ethics pretty much fall in line with my ethics in general when consuming anything. Basically, I am environmentally conscious, so I try to avoid buying anything I don't need and I don't drive and I pretty much walk everywhere I need to. This carries through from food to any other consumer goods. That being said, Toys are my only real vice. But even then, I try to limit what I buy to those figures I really want. (The fact that money is tight due to me saving for a downpayment on a home also helps me keep my toy buying to my absolute wants.) Even then, however, my wants sometimes get the better of me, since I do sometimes buy two of the same figure (one to open, one for MISB).

The only other rules I follow when it comes to toys is that I try to support local businesses first as much as I can. I am trying to avoid Walmart, due to my own personal political reasons. Unfortunately, this means one major venue for toys is cut off to me. So be it.

[jourdo]

For me, it all basically boils down to price. I am not going to buy something from someone if the price is unreasonably high. The basic rules of supply and demand come into effect. If the item is priced right, it will move. If not, they will have to sit on it or drop their price.

I do shop retail for the most part, unless it is something I cannot wait for... which happens every now and again. When I do shop online, I do not expect to see retail prices there. They do not have the same buying power as the big boys, so I know their base costs are higher.

I also tend not to buy doubles, unless it appears to be something that people are having trouble finding. Then I will pick it up for someone else on the boards. If no one wants it, back to the shelf it goes. I was buying extras for kitbashing a while back, but my procrastination problem has stopped me from doing that now.

To make a long winded post short, and answer the original question... If the price is right, I'll buy it. Does that mean I have no ethics? :(

[pud333]

To make a long winded post short, and answer the original question... If the price is right, I'll buy it. Does that mean I have no ethics? :(

No, it just means you're logical. A rare commodity these days. :cool:

[4lott]

I agree with pud, jourdo. You're just logical. I've been collecting figs since the mid-eighties long before it became a recognized hobby. There was really no secondary market for new toys like there is today. Managers at my local TRUs would routinely let me into the back to check out stock that hadn't been merchandised yet. Years later I gave it all away because my interest waned and I wanted kids to use them for what they were meant for: playing with. The 4H MOTU line and Marvel Legends brought me back into the hobby but at a seriously reduced level. I also buy what I can afford and what I really like. In the end they are just toys. I accept that the small business owner is just trying to survive. I've always had no problem giving my business to the guy that, although he charged more than Walmart, was fair. Consistent fair pricing will always get my return business.

[Dark Rage]

There's a toy store (or franchise) that does this in Toronto, called Toys Toys Toys. That's all that they do. For really great deals, they buy everything and then they mark it up. Even when they "slash" the price, it's cheaper to buy it anywhere else.

I don't know how they continue their crummy business but I'll never buy from them again.

[Robimus]

Does that mean I have no ethics? :(

Bah, your next to last in the hockey pool. If you lacked ethics you'd be in first place:p

[4lott]

Robimus, I was thinking about your initial post yesterday afternoon and chuckled. Of course we'll all be civil and polite here, we're Canadian!;)