Price increases in toy collecting: keep buying or will you stop?

[usernameprime]

Like the title says, are the price increases going to adjust your collecting or perhaps outright have you stop?

How has your collecting habit changed, if at all, because of price?

Did you buy even more this year? Less? About the same?

Vent, talk, where's your limit if it hasn't been reached already?

[Wintermute]

For myself, I've been collecting for quite a few years now and a lot of what's coming out now really doesn't interest me. This mostly applies to Marvel Legends collecting, as I've already got what I consider "definitive" versions of the figures I want, such as the 90's X-Men. So I don't really need to collect the AoA waves.

The increase in price is another factor for sure, but since I try and get most of my figures through EB Games, with their platinum discount, that mitigates some of the price increase.

Certain toy lines are definitely making it easy for me not to spend money on them. Case in point: Star Wars Black Series. So many re-issues and re-paints, coupled with the increased price, mean I'm spending a lot less on that line than I used to.

[Onslaught]

Am I wrong in thinking that at this moment, only Hasbro has really increased their prices? I still remember the shock when the TF Studio Series Deluxes (and later the mainline) got bumped to $30 when Deluxes were previously $20. That was only a few years ago, but at that point my TF collecting took a bit of a break. I'll still grab the occasional one, either on sale, or the Core class (I've always enjoyed the little TFs, too bad it isn't a bigger focus), or the occasional big item (thinking hard on Black Zarak).

I've kind of lost interest in the other Hasbro brands. Star Wars figures started to feel a bit monotone, and Legends felt like that but amplified because of the sameness (though they are doing lots of cool things here and there with some of the new products, and seem to be making solid ones like the Modular Iron Man). I got a few waves of Power Rangers too and the exclusive Snake-Eyes, but for some reason I didn't really feel all that excited about any of these in-hand.

Aside from Hasbro, collecting as usual. McFarlane has been fun, I'm excited for Pokemon from Jazwares and MOTU from Mattel, and those prices have all remained 'standard', if not lower than the norm. If it sounds like I own and will continue to own too much, that's absolutely right. I'm going to make a sales thread on here eventually with quite a few things. Still not sure how I'll handle the prices, thinking something like, ebay sold listings, but 20-40% off, depending on various factors.

[Stevan]

I started avoiding buying marvel legends from retail a while back when prices started going up. Never bought whole waves anyway. I have been cherry picking since toybiz days.

Going back to price increase it hurts. Thankfully there is always secondary market where from time to time one can find very good deals for marvel legends and other lines.

Another reason for me cutting back aside from price increase is lack of space.

These days I find myself shifting toward motu origins and mcfarlane dc staff.

[Zeroflamez]

I had to cut back on how many lines I collect. Lines I wasn't enjoying anymore I sold off most of or all of and put that money into lines I enjoy. I also now only limit myself to completing sets/teams from source materials that I REALLY love. Not just like or want for completion sake. I really got caught up with that last year as well as buying a figure I have no real interest in just cause it's a chase and ended up with alot of stuff I didn't even want. Thus the selling stuff off that I didn't get a chance to return or couldn't.

[canprime]

I probably won't ever stop buying, but I have already become more selective, and cut back so I will probably keep cutting even more.

[Napseeker]

Switching over to 4-inch scale again and only buying a select amount of 6-inch (both Marvel Legends and SW). I've always preferred 4-inch since it's cheaper and eats up WAY less space for storage and diorama displays.

The quality of Transformers keeps going down as the prices rise (thanks to switching over to Vietnam for production, their slave labourers can't paint worth a damn, given all the huge painting errors I see on almost every single deluxe, Voyager, and Leader-class). Makes it easier to skip out on TFs going forward as they seem to be getting the most price increases despite being Hasbro's in-house franchise (no royalties to pay).

[Zeroflamez]

Is there actually any proof production has moved to vietnam?

[Napseeker]

Errr, on the backside of the packaging for the Studio Series 86 Slag/Slug where it says "Made in Vietnam"?

[Canukle]

I'm definitely getting more selective. If there is a series that I really want, then I'll grab it regardless of price (within reason). But all the figures outside of what I'm collecting that I just think are kinda cool and wouldn't mind having on my shelves... well, then I'll have to probably pass on more than I would have otherwise.