Recent Vintage Collection Purchases

[Rob]

Interesting... like the workers just let the machines go a bunch on a Saturday and then sell them on their own?  I'd think Hasbro would crack down on that pretty hard.

[Jesse James]

The machines don’t do everything and they’re very Labor intensive to paint and construct, so it’s not just a matter of cranking more out.  Considering the figures from stores are kind of jacked up, and awkward, I’d say they’re just overproduction that’s not packaged.  The price makes em well worth some army building and clean up.🤷‍♂️

[Nicklab]

I heard from some very well placed sources that there was suspicion of what the people who ran the factories were doing.  And I heard this when I was in L.A. for Celebration 4.  There happened to be a prototype swap meet going on in the lobby of the hotel I was staying at one night.  And when I asked this source where these were coming from?  The prevailing sentiment seemed to be that someone in the factory was running off more copies of figures that were not going through the final paint process, or were being cast in different color plastics to create the illusion of these being prototypes.

And then there are some of the well known Asian sellers.  With them it seems like they're selling off factory seconds that have minor defects.  All of these figures are making it to market, but the motivation and sourcing of the sellers seems like it's always going to be a little murky in order to avoid legal action.

[GrandMoffNick]

I can't believe I pre-ordered a $13 figure today that is over 10 months away from being released.

[Jesse James]

You just experienced every Kickstarter toy scenario, more or less.

[Rob]

I absolutely love that I can do that.  Running around to stores was fun when I was 17, had all the time in the world, my friends collected too, and gas was $0.95.

Nowadays, if I can drop a pre-order in and forget about it, and then it shows up at my door later on... so much better. 

[GrandMoffNick]

I agree in general Rob, but for one figure that is 13 bucks from a general release line just seems odd. I hope it's not a trend. I'd like the release date a little closer. I also can't run all over anymore but don't want one year's worth of pre orders to keep track of. Obviously I could just not pre order things if that became the norm but my brain doesn't compute that

[Jesse James]

I’m keeping a notebook (old school, I know) of my PO list cuz I have a mountain of acid rain, JoyToy, Hiya, and TVC at this point. 

[Rob]

I keep a folder with a jpeg of each upcoming item, I add ORDERED to it if I put a preorder in, and I delete the photo when it arrives.  Easy, and works like a charm.

[Matt_Fury]

I don't do any of that and get a hell of a surprise when the shipping notice comes in.   

[Jesse James]

I’d do that too but could easily see f’ing up my CC limit if I used it on some big stuff right when I get hit with huge orders...  I gotta have some semblance of order lol.  I use it for my shop ordering too and I can get close to my limit in no time if I have to drop a couple grand for parts or something for a job.

[Matt_Fury]

I just bought a bunch of parts for my Jeep Rubicon (Steel front bumper, winch plate and winch, tailgate table, recovery gear)....so I feel your pain.

Luckily, Amazon and EE both make it easy to look at your orders, so I can keep it straight.

[Jesse James]

I’m all over the globe on orders lol.  Japan, China, etc...  it can be trying to keep it straight sometimes haha.  Pulse EE and bbts all have things on order right now too...  oh well.  First world problems for sure, so not really complaining, just have to have order to it for my own sanity.  I keep customer records tho too and my job job I do a lot of record keeping for accounts so not a big deal.  My own **** seems more disorganized. 

[Nicklab]

I placed my orders for most of the recent TVC reveals over the past two days.  I am pretty much DONE with brick & mortar retail.  It's just not satisfying to do toy runs anymore because you rarely find anything current.  And with the state of all things COVID, it seems that much more prudent to shop online.

But with all of these preorders spanning multiple online retailers?  I had to start a spreadsheet just to manage all of the information.  I've got multiple orders in with 5 retailers for all of these TVC and Black Series preorders!

[Jedi Idej]

I had to start a spreadsheet just to manage all of the information.

Organization.. why didn't I think of that!? 

I've passed on figures thinking I pre-ordered them and wound up buying extras after forgetting they were already on order.