Drop in Collector Interest?

[Muftak]

Sometimes I toy with the idea of dumping everything Hasbro except 100 figures. Which ones would I keep? Isn't 100 figures enough for a 40 year old father of 2? My carded collection is down to the OTC line, McQuarrie's, and about 8 others. That should be enough, considering they spend 99% of their time in a box under the stairs.

I have a top 100 list, too, part of the paring down I did back during the 30AC period. My "collection" stands at about 400 strong, but if/when display space for me goes crashing down (like when a 2nd or 3rd child comes along) I have ideas for what I want to do.

As far as "fixing" the Legends line, I have really hated the way it has been handled thus far, apart from the fact that they tried to value-add with the weapons lockers. I don't think we can honestly ask for the Legends to be a lower price than the other two lines, because kids won't be able to convince Mom to spend an extra dollar or two for "the same thing." Unless we go to something really radical...like, since the comic packs failed, why not use the opportunity to reimagine the legends line as a two-pack "versus" line, and line it up at the magic 9.99 pricepoint?

Just combine army builders as you wish, clones vs battle droids/SBDs, snowtroopers vs echo base troops, Endor rebels vs Biker Scouts. Then there would be the non-army builder sets that would sell just as well like Luke vs Vader, Anakin vs Obi-Wan, Han vs Boba Fett, Random Jedi vs Random Sith...they could even get cute with ideas like Sandtroopers vs Tusken Raiders, Imperial Scanning Techs vs Rebel Techs, X-Wing pilots vs TIE Pilots, or Gungans vs Droidekas on occasion. To squeeze in a Threepio or Artoo or Chewie, just throw 'em in vs "vanilla" stormtroopers (until we get that ultimate Rebel Fleet Trooper figure, then make solid cases of that pairing!)

Now theres a line-funding subset I think would work at this point and keep the payout for army-builders down!

[Jesse James]

Imperial Techs Vs. Rebel Techs = totally collector-targeted, and Jesse filing bankruptcy. 

[shmashwitdaclub]

Hasbro took value away, so I took my dollars away from them (or rather their retail partners, which in turn took product from me(us) by not ordering as much of the Legacy line. Who's to blame? Not me, I've already said I'd have bought more had the value been there...

I hope that answers your question, shmashwitdaclub.

makes perfect sense to me - thanks for the response

@Dan - I completely agree with your Dengar comments.  I "collected"/played with my Star Wars toys initially as a kid during the regular vintage line.  After that I didn't collect anything until I was an adult and my son was like 2.5 years old and I took him to see ROTS at the dollar theater cuz I didn't know how he would be in his first time in a theater and he loved it.  Thats what got me back into collecting again.  Some of you I have traded with/purchased from on this very site know that I buy everything to open and give to my son - reliving my childhood through him - he is crazy spoiled.

So, with that said - I started collecting toys for him pretty much at the start of the Saga2 line.  I purchased nearly every figure for him - but as I continued collecting through the TAC and Legacy lines - I noticed I had a lot of catching up to do on figures that I have missed.  I went to the aftermarket on RS.com and here to fill those gaps at some great prices for me to spend on him. 

In the case of a figure, like Dengar (saga version) - there are many other examples, where I may have spent $2-3 on him taking him off someone else's hands losse/complete.  I personally am not going to mind buying an "ultimate version" of him because I feel I got a pretty great deal on him initially, and, if I ever choose to unload him, I feel I can recoup most of if not all my initial investment - again, should I choose to.

Having said that, if I had spent full retail on him, $5, and I chose to unload him after having bought the new Vintage line version - I would be losing money over a couple points more of articulation - and I hate wasteful spending - I am a pretty frugal collector and try my damndest to not pay full price on stuff by saving receipts and returning stuff when things go on sale.  It is a big freaking headache - but worthwhile for me so I can obtain a great collection with the funds I have available to spend.

@muftak - I LOVE your legends 2 pack ideas - I could see them being a big hit. Along with that, I LOVE a lot of the other suggestions of figures and rotation we have in this thread for the Legends line.

good conversation we have going on in here. 

[Brian]

I really like the 2-pack idea as well.  Since we first starting seeing both the comic packs and the "Order 66/Droid Factory" style sets, I often wondered why Hasbro wouldn't do something like that.  You could have great army-building packs like you mentioned (RFT vs Stormie, Hoth Rebel vs Snowtrooper, Endor Rebel vs. Biker Scout, Clone vs. Battle Droid/Destroyer Droid/SBD, etc.) as well as some single packs like Han vs Boba or just 2 packs like C-3PO and R2-D2 or whatever.  Like you said, price them at $9.99, and I think they would fly off the shelves (if the figure choices were good - we're talking VOTC/VTSC or in the last couple of years for the most part - no POTF2/TPM era stuff).

I figure if 10 years from now I go back and just pick up the ones I want, no matter what aftermarket prices have done, I will be financially ahead in the game. In the mean time I am purging off some of the years of excess. It feels almost cathartic to de-clutter, and the collection is getting down to a point where I can start to enjoy what I have left. Clearing out can be as much fun as gathering more. (I was a big army builder too)

Sometimes I toy with the idea of dumping everything Hasbro except 100 figures. Which ones would I keep? Isn't 100 figures enough for a 40 year old father of 2? My carded collection is down to the OTC line, McQuarrie's, and about 8 others. That should be enough, considering they spend 99% of their time in a box under the stairs.

I look forward to the new AT-AT. ESB is my favorite, and that can be a centerpiece for a Hoth display. I'll even be getting the GH version. Other than that, I don't think I'm buying anything Hasbro this year.

I'll admit, I've had some thoughts like this as well too (as far as the purging things down goes).  With our daughter getting older, for some reason it is starting to seem silly to me for me to have so many "toys" of my own.  Nothing wrong with having an interest and collecting something, but like many I'm running out of room and not sure where I want to go next with things.  I've given thoughts to purging some things as well, but just haven't been able to bring myself to do a large portion of it, just small lots here and there.  Heck, I keep picking up CW figures here and there every so often too, knowing that I should probably leave those for the kiddos.  It isn't that I don't still enjoy it, but there is just so much stuff at this point with Star Wars alone, not to mention the other lines I collect.  I don't know if I'd ever have the "guts" to do a big purge like many of you do, but I feel like that day is coming eventually.  I can't picture having a whole room (or more) devoted to display and storage of toys as our daughter gets older and we continue to need room for more of her stuff (and storage in general).  I can see your point of clearing out being fun in a way, and it is why I often am a bit envious of those here who have been able to do it.  Cutting it down to 100 figures is an excellent goal, and I wonder who would make everyone's "cut"? - it would be interesting to see everyone's responses, I guess 100 could cover quite a bit.

[Darby]

I agree wholeheartedly with the Dengar comments.   

I waffle on purging.  I want to, I want to cut back, but being in a financial position to afford what I want really for the first time in my life has made it complicated.  I never army build, or buy anything beyond figures, but my collection is pretty substantial at this point (35 years old).  I should give some thought to the idea of a top 100 list - that would be hard.

My vintage collection would take precedence over everything. 

[501ST]

Guys just accept this hobby for what this is, it's a mentally abusive relationship. You start out with the best intentions and things are great for awhile. Then come things like price raises, figures shortages & such that ruffles the feathers. You get pissed at Hasbro and leave the hobby. They make good like an apology with sweet new product offerings to lure you back to make you think like they changed, what happens next: the **** hits the fan again & you leave. You think you left for good but like any good abusive relationship you come back for more when your guard is down thinking "it will be different this time". Right now too many collectors guard are up, but rest assured they will be back. The pattern shows this.

Oh this is so well put. 

Many Thanks. 

[Jabba the Slug]

Well, I think that with the upcoming TVC, collectors will certainly jump back to the line for a while, even if it's for experimenting. It's also gonna bring people out of collecting hibernation - those who grew up with the original vintage and no longer collect are also probably gonna be drawn back. How couldn't they?

[Dan]

Well, I think that with the upcoming TVC, collectors will certainly jump back to the line for a while, even if it's for experimenting. It's also gonna bring people out of collecting hibernation - those who grew up with the original vintage and no longer collect are also probably gonna be drawn back. How couldn't they?

I can only speak for myself, but I won't be coming back as a general collector, no matter what the cards look like. Other than the AT-AT, I don't see getting anything from the 3 3/4 line. It is a fine line for Hasbro to navigate- too much product, and collectors get overwhelmed. Too long of a drought, and some move on to other things. Keeping things fresh in a 15 + year old line is no easy task.

I hope the vintage-esque line is a success, but I think it will need to have its' impetus from new collectors, and prequel collectors maybe taking a dip in to the OT line more than they have. Judging by the classifieds here and elsewhere, a lot of us that have been around the last 15 years are looking to down-size, and many who used to collect multiples of each figure are cutting back the rate at which they buy.

[iFett]

Judging by the classifieds here and elsewhere, a lot of us that have been around the last 15 years are looking to down-size

I'm almost to that point, but honestly it's just too much work for me to round everything up and start a sale.  I plan to finish the new vintage line until it dies out and then it's time for the loooong road of trying to sell a bunch of crap off to have a more manageable size collection (at least as far as my SW stuff)

[Matt_Fury]

Only 15 years???  Try being in this hobby for 32 years!   

[Jesse James]

Judging by the classifieds here and elsewhere, a lot of us that have been around the last 15 years are looking to down-size, and many who used to collect multiples of each figure are cutting back the rate at which they buy.

It's funny how that's been going on the last couple years.  The line's at its height in terms of quality and what they're willing to give us too, but a lot of people are bailing.  I know guys who've bailed for any reason under the sun though it seems, making it even harder to really regain all those folks. 

I know guys who've quit because they ran out of space.  Some quit because they feel Hasbro doesn't make the line "rare" enough.  Some quit because they re-release things on every card and they feel trying to keep a carded collection is then pointless.  Some quit because they can't find everything easily.  Some because the figures became too expensive, and some simply because they "just outgrew collecting". 

I still collect just about every realistic 3.75" figure.  I started cutting back on what ships I buy many years ago.  I began becoming selective with the 3.75" main line around 2002-ish (little after) when Hasbro's utter **** product drove me to abandon the "must have one of everything loose" mentality.  Since 2008-ish though, price has been my main factor, and it hurt me the most.  I'm a pretty cheap guy...  All those fun accounting and finance courses I guess maybe, but when my wallet was taking kidney punches from Hasbro once the BAD stuff took off, and we were paying $7.99, I cut back so far with anything extra.   I tried taking advantage of sales a lot more too.  I will say though, even at $7.99, I was buying a random figure here and there to complete a BAD figure.  That actually really pushed me at times.

Anyway though, the Vintage Collection look sgreat, but I really won't be over-indulging much there.  I'll have the same basic strategy I had through BAD, except I won't want/need the extras from the wave now at all.  So I'll be looking for the new figs, and moving on pretty much.

I'm sort of hopeful that there isn't TOO much this year too.  I could use a nice easy year.  I love the line, but sometimes there is too much for sure.

[Greg]

Some because the figures became too expensive, and some simply because they "just outgrew collecting". 

Since 2008-ish though, price has been my main factor, and it hurt me the most.  I'm a pretty cheap guy...  All those fun accounting and finance courses I guess maybe, but when my wallet was taking kidney punches from Hasbro once the BAD stuff took off, and we were paying $7.99, I cut back so far with anything extra.   I tried taking advantage of sales a lot more too.  I will say though, even at $7.99, I was buying a random figure here and there to complete a BAD figure.  That actually really pushed me at times.

I can't agree more with your assessment of pricing. That has been a big thing with my purchases. It is at the point where I can't buy everything when it is brand new, because I know there will be markdowns several months down the road. While I haven't been priced out of the hobby, I only get stuff I really want, (mostly Clone Wars) determine will hard to find, (Clones, McQuarries) or otherwise good values ($20 vehicles, some BPs/exclusives) when they are first released.

After having $4.00-$5.00 figures for the past several months, I know for sure that I won't be getting many of the TVC figures when they are first released in August. While Dak and Dengar look awesome, Vader, Han, and Luke can most certainly wait, especially when I can get a similar Han or Vader for $3.00 less today. I'm very torn on the Big AT-AT toy. I was able to get my 2 AT-TEs and 2 Turbo Tanks on sale, with total savings around $150. I know that I can most likely do the same with the AT-AT, but it looks way too cool to wait. At the same time, it's hard to justify the purhase at full price when I know I can save $50 several months down the road.

[Jabba the Slug]

After having $4.00-$5.00 figures for the past several months, I know for sure that I won't be getting many of the TVC figures when they are first released in August. While Dak and Dengar look awesome, Vader, Han, and Luke can most certainly wait, especially when I can get a similar Han or Vader for $3.00 less today. I'm very torn on the Big AT-AT toy.

My budget also has been very limited to only basic figures - they're just cheaper to buy. That's why, when I first saw the AT-AT and the BMF way back in 2008, I grumbled to myself. I love the collecting hobbie, though, and can't see myself ever stopping. However, I remember in 2007 buying from a Walgreens figures that were $9 when at Target I could get them for $7. Now at Target (and most stores) they're $9 (including tax) and at the Walgreens I used to shop at they're $11 - for one figure. I hope Hasbro doesn't continue to raise prices for something that's 3.75 inches tall.

[Brian]

I'm sort of interested to see if the Vintage Collection line brings the "collector" numbers up again as well.  We've seen a few instances of people who have been away from the Hasbro collecting for a few years consider jumping back in with vintage, but will it be enough to make a difference to Hasbro?  They really drilled the point home about the TLC line performing fairly poorly, so I'll be curious to see if this is the turnaround they are looking for or not.

I can see why some are cutting back, dropping out, etc.  Like Jesse and others have mentioned, there are a lot of factors these days.  Price is a big one (particularly for completists and/or army builders), and there are always others issues like distribution, a collector's personal budget/space restrictions, etc.  Like it has been said, this has been a pretty long ride for an action figure line (even just the modern one alone), and not many other fanbases have had these types of options available at retail for as long as we have.  I'm with Jesse in that I think the quality of the stuff out there is probably the best it has ever been, and from that side of things, I've never enjoyed collecting more.  It seems like each version we see come out of a character now is closer to being the "ultimate" one, whereas we used to have to wait for things like the VOTC and Evolutions line to cover those areas before.

I've looked into packing stuff up, selling stuff off, and cutting back in general as well - but it is mainly due to just the lack of space at this point.  Part of that is making sure I have the room for the nice stuff on the way, like the figures, the new vehicles, the new Jabba, and whatever else we don't know about over the next couple of years.  It is hard to display everything, and collecting multiples line and having it confined to one smallish room doesn't help, so I'm starting to really consider what I pick up.  I know I'll be in for the entirety of the Vintage line (and maybe a carded set, definitely for the OT characters) and I'll stick with the movie-style stuff - at least in some capacity - until it ends.  I'm just starting to wonder if this next 2+ years is sort of the "last hurrah" for this type of line, as Hasbro really seems to think numbers are down, we've seen some collectors stop, and we are really starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel for "never before done" characters.  I know we discussed this elsewhere, but a lot of what I'm looking forward to anymore are resculpts of POTF2 era stuff.  I think they could cover quite a bit of what fans want (realistically anyways) over two to three years, so we'll see.

I didn't mean for this post to get so long, but I also agree with what Jesse said with welcoming a "slower" year.  I always seem to end up buying more than I expected, but I'm fine with a slower pace of figures (and everything else) with this Vintage Collection.  40 figures a year is just fine with me, along with a couple new ships/beasts/etc.

[Morgbug]

You will pardon me when I chuckle at all of you complaining about the U.S. pricing, won't you?  POTJ had us up to $11.99 before Walmart jumped back in and it has been around $8.92-9.99 plus taxes ever since.  You might think it interesting that I dropped out because I'm too tired of chasing product a country away but I find it funny you guys won't tolerate what we paid all along.  Wah.