New Toys Prices Discussion

[bqpetn]

I feel the new TF toys are way too expensive for me to buy
Even with 10% or buy one 2nd one 50%, it costs me $100-$300 to buy just 2, 3 or 4 toys. I didn't open any of the new toys and thinking of returning them soon.


What do you guy think? How can you afford this?


That's why I can only take pictures of old classic lines, which was $10.99, $12.99, $14.99 ($7.99 when some were on sale)


All the characters from the year 1984 Autobots

[OptimusB38]

My wife is very understanding of this hobby. I don’t think she loves the prices either but she knows I love it. As for returning , if you’re trying to force yourself to like it then yes. Otherwise open em up! They’re mo fun out of the box

[Goaliebot]

Whenever I find myself complaining about toy prices these days and food prices these days, etc I realize how much I sound like my parents when I was begging for the latest TF or GI Joe back in the ‘80’s. My Dad back then: $4 for some cheap plastic toy? That’s insane!

There are 2 primary reasons for the huge price increase the last ~8 yrs (give or take), and 2 secondary reasons that I often hear misunderstood as primary reasons.

Main Reason 1: technology. Specifically tablets, phones, game systems, YouTube, etc. Kids are “graduating” from toys to these as entertainment at younger and younger ages. So toy sales to kids, the big volume of sales, is shrinking fast. The growth of adult collecting can’t hold a candle to the mass unit sales Hasbro used to see through WalMarts and the like. WalMart orders a LOT fewer toys these days than they used to, because they sell a LOT fewer. So the days of small margins on huge volume are gone and never coming back. The options at this point are:

Option A) get higher margins per toy

or

Option B) accept the smaller market means smaller profits and that’s just the new reality - accept that increasing profits quarter after quarter forever just isn’t possible with toys anymore.



Cause #2: the US Stock Market. It will not allow any company to accept B above. Any CEO that tries will be replaced. It *will* be option A above or heads will roll. Period.


Minor Reasons:

1) Labor costs continue to rise year over year. I think this is a good thing personally.

2) Materials cost more year after year. This is actually a very small impact on individual toys.



So how do I deal with the hikes?

Being more choosy, buying fewer “meh” figures.

Waiting for sales.


Not much else I can do.

[Lioconvoy81]

[UsernamePrime]

You're correct on the pricing, it's a little much. Looking at pre-order totals to come makes me cringe.

The psychology of collecting is akin to an addiction for some. And I'm sure there are many who buy too much, even if they say they will hold off they might break if opportunity presents itself. Fear of missing out and all, plus the chance of not seeing that figure for retail again.

I imagine MP and third party collectors have a frustrating time as well with $400-$500 Optimus Prime and such.

I'm also sure that Hasbro knows that they are selling these to collectors with jobs who will buy the product. CHUG is a collectors line, there's no 8 year old kid crying because they don't have a Selects Seacon set.

I own commercial income property, money is decent for me although Ive been handing out a 50% off on rent for the next two months to help out my tenants.

[The 12th Prime]

So.... how about them Netflix figures? Ouch! Funny there is 3 different versions of the Siege Megatron mold at my local Walmart right now and none of them are on sale or clearance, yet!

It is getting pricey but so is food and other items.

[neevnav]

I have a pretty good idea at the beginning of the year how much I'm going to spend on figures based on what's been announced and what rumours are about, so I budget accordingly, putting away a certain amount each pay for just that. It's a hobby, and if it hits the point where I have to stop collecting I will.

[Xtreme987]

I myself have definitely cut back on buying TF's. Now I collect mostly other things that are a little cheaper (hockey cards, hot wheels, other action figures.) This way if prices skyrocket after this global mess is over at least I can stay with the more affordable hobby if I should have to. I'll still probably collect TF's here & there just a lot less than in the past. Prices are kinda getting nuts like you said.

[imfallenangel]

The last few years have hit hard simply because they finally nailed a lot of the original toys with modern engineering.

The combiners were finally decent, the Dinobots are the ones that started me on the path of building a G1 crew for the very first time in my life... they sparked the desired to get TFs for the sake of the original series. Before I'd get the ad-hoc that would catch my eye.

That said, Siege was the first time that I almost went and got the complete series, but the recolours and cheapness of some put the brakes on that (that I'm thankful for in a way).

The pricing thing, I've stated my opinion and conclusion a few times, and because of the way Hasbro is doing things, Earthrise will not be, isn't the same story...

I have the 4 main characters of the 1st wave (Hoist, Wheeljack, Cliffjumber and OP (and OP is simply because of it being quite a well executed figure and the trailer, though that is very disappoiting, but exactly what I mean about Hasbro's way of doing things now) and that's all I'm getting, and I'd now waiting for wave 2 already.

For the prices, as they jumped 100% from the size/category, I feel cheated quite a bit. I really do enjoy the figures, but the gaps, the very cheap weapons/accessories is a slap in the face, and I've had to get the 3rd party kits for a few to fix the slacking that Hasbro voluntarily did.

Out of the 30 ER figures that are announced, I'm counting 9 that I want to get in total. I've also got the deluxes from EBgames with my platinum, so I did get a reduced price.

I am planning to try to buy as many that I plan to get with rebates and sales as I do not believe that any are worth the full prices...

I admit that exceptions for the figures that are difficult to get are possible, but I hate to make such, but it's either that or end up possibly missing on that figure.

After I do have the characters I want, I will return to ad-hoc that will have to really be amazing to catch my eye...

So if Hasbro is listening, that 5-10$ increase you've done, will result only in losing a LOT of sales in the end.

[ssjgoku22]

I've probably cut back quite a bit as well. The price of the main line stuff is ridiculous and if there is another increase in their prices, I'm officially finished with main line. I've also found myself slowly getting rid of my CHUG transformers to the point where the majority of what I have are the new WFC figures. My collection is also veering towards more Masterpiece and 3P.