Resale market collapse (1 Viewer)

[damian]

I don't buy much on the secondary market. I would rather buy something current.
I buy what I like, not with with a view to resell.
I am however excited when I set I bought years ago sells for a lot on ebay.
It means some-one thinks my collection is worth something.
I still cannot bear to part with any of my sets.
I don't agree with guys buying up loads of limited edition sets with a specific view to quick resale.
Just my five cents worth.

 

[Mike97]

I remember reading the interview with Andy in the Hong Kong (?) newspaper where he described his customers as older professional men. This base would seem to be less affected by the current economy compared to other buyers. I have seen K&C sets go for ridiculous prices one day and bargain basement another day. There appears to be a limited number of collectors who will pay top dollar for a particular set. I have bought sets for much less by simply waiting. When a certain set sells for big dollars, others show up right away.

One of my concerns is whether there's a generation coming in behind us 'older professional men' who will have the same level of interest in toy soldiers to help sustain this hobby-not from a "protect my investment perspective" (these are my toys, not my retirement account), but having the interest to collect. I suspect many of us grew up on GI Joes and the airfix/Marx toy soldier sets, but many "kids" coming up behind us didn't. Hope I'm wrong.
mike

 

[lancer]

One of my concerns is whether there's a generation coming in behind us 'older professional men' who will have the same level of interest in toy soldiers to help sustain this hobby-not from a "protect my investment perspective" (these are my toys, not my retirement account), but having the interest to collect. I suspect many of us grew up on GI Joes and the airfix/Marx toy soldier sets, but many "kids" coming up behind us didn't. Hope I'm wrong.
mike

Excellent point, Mike. I have thought about this, too. I don't think the interest in TS is anywhere near as widespread with the younger generations as with the boomers. I'm not saying that there are not passionate collectors coming up, just that I do not see the same numbers. This is a trend I noticed when I was in the military book business. The vast majority of customers were boomers or older, very few younger readers/collectors. I realize this is part economic (expendable cash) but it is also due to lack of a knowledge of our military past. I and many of my friends grew up playing soldiers and war, watching movies, tv, and reading about what our fathers and grandfathers went through. I don't believe that this interest has been passed on to the younger generations, to a large degee. Too bad, because the history might get lost. -- Al

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Excellent point, Mike. I have thought about this, too. I don't think the interest in TS is anywhere near as widespread with the younger generations as with the boomers. I'm not saying that there are not passionate collectors coming up, just that I do not see the same numbers. This is a trend I noticed when I was in the military book business. The vast majority of customers were boomers or older, very few younger readers/collectors. I realize this is part economic (expendable cash) but it is also due to lack of a knowledge of our military past. I and many of my friends grew up playing soldiers and war, watching movies, tv, and reading about what our fathers and grandfathers went through. I don't believe that this interest has been passed on to the younger generations, to a large degee. Too bad, because the history might get lost. -- Al

I wonder how the 2 wars in Iraq and the one in Afghanistan are affecting the generation that fought in them and whether that will create a new market for toy soldiers?

Terry

 

[kilted vampire]

Excellent point, Mike. I have thought about this, too. I don't think the interest in TS is anywhere near as widespread with the younger generations as with the boomers. I'm not saying that there are not passionate collectors coming up, just that I do not see the same numbers. This is a trend I noticed when I was in the military book business. The vast majority of customers were boomers or older, very few younger readers/collectors. I realize this is part economic (expendable cash) but it is also due to lack of a knowledge of our military past. I and many of my friends grew up playing soldiers and war, watching movies, tv, and reading about what our fathers and grandfathers went through. I don't believe that this interest has been passed on to the younger generations, to a large degee. Too bad, because the history might get lost. -- Al

Same thing happened to toy trains.

 

[Vezzolf]

Don't get taken.....They are only toys....If you want to make money get a real job.....For those of us who work hard for our money..."we will not pay ridiculous prices".....I emphatically state.....BOYCOTT THEM......Do not play this fool's game any longer.....Believe it or not you can live without these items.........and yes the next generation will not be that interested in toy trains nor toy soldiers....there will definitely be a decrease in interest in this hobby....The speculators and horders do little to help the future of the hobby.

 

[Terp152]

One of my concerns is whether there's a generation coming in behind us 'older professional men' who will have the same level of interest in toy soldiers to help sustain this hobby-not from a "protect my investment perspective" (these are my toys, not my retirement account), but having the interest to collect. I suspect many of us grew up on GI Joes and the airfix/Marx toy soldier sets, but many "kids" coming up behind us didn't. Hope I'm wrong.
mike

I've done "my part." When I started collecting, I also gave my two sons KC pieces for birthdays and Christmas. Continues to this day (of course I appreciate the same in return ).

 

[lancer]

I've done "my part." When I started collecting, I also gave my two sons KC pieces for birthdays and Christmas. Continues to this day (of course I appreciate the same in return ).

It is a good thing that you have done, passing on the interest and better yet that it has taken hold. I tried a similar approach with my sons as they grew up, with Britains Details, model planes. All those efforts went nowhere thanks to Star Wars and similar things. Did manage to pass on an interest in sports, particularly baseball. Oh well. --Al

 

[Mike97]

I wonder how the 2 wars in Iraq and the one in Afghanistan are affecting the generation that fought in them and whether that will create a new market for toy soldiers?

Terry

I gave our son the HB 'Santa in Afghanistan' set as we got him back from there just before Xmas (that was OUR gift). We also dabbled in some 1/6th scale together when he was younger, but for now, I'd say he and his comrades are more into 'crotch rocket' motorcycles and women than toy soldiers...oh, to be young again !

 

[HAWKEYE]

who are those mean east coasters that are trying to put the big hurt i guys like me out in iowa? come on, its a free market, and i do hope the retired prices go up each year because i might have a contingency come up like my kids college for example. some of these comments up not worrying or caring about the value are laughable. this is not a cheap hobby and we all hope for some appreciation i myself am an overgrown kid. i love the hobby, the chase, the enjoyment of getting new sets and devising new set ups. its all great fun and quite addicting. but in the back of my mind i still feel i could get my money out of it. if not, quite frankly i would find another hobby or go back to painting smaller scale toy soldiers. and i just got to believe m,ost of you feel the same way. what scares me is if we go to socialism in this country which would kill disposable income.

 

[Njja]

who are those mean east coasters that are trying to put the big hurt i guys like me out in iowa? come on, its a free market, and i do hope the retired prices go up each year because i might have a contingency come up like my kids college for example. some of these comments up not worrying or caring about the value are laughable. this is not a cheap hobby and we all hope for some appreciation i myself am an overgrown kid. i love the hobby, the chase, the enjoyment of getting new sets and devising new set ups. its all great fun and quite addicting. but in the back of my mind i still feel i could get my money out of it. if not, quite frankly i would find another hobby or go back to painting smaller scale toy soldiers. and i just got to believe m,ost of you feel the same way. what scares me is if we go to socialism in this country which would kill disposable income.

..................................................................................................

Oh my, a sensible man that speaks the truth, how unique.

Truth is the market is simply driven by demand. If 15 guys list the same item

with 2 or 3 of them starting it at .99 price (value) drops.

One smart fellow pointed out that if an item sells for a fair amount (WS20 $900) more will appear. This is very true, happens all the time.

To me this is the true value of Ebay. I use it to find rare items which might take me years to find, and quite a bit in travel expenses.

In a free society a man can choose to purchse something, or pass no sense getting excited if its out of your price range....it happens everyday.

I do both, and when I buy items often it is for considerable amounts of money and I don't whine or complain.....because I can choose to either add the item to my collection, or pass.

 

[Denver]

This Discussion Is Interesting.
Is There Another Venue Besides EBAY Where These Discounted, Retired Sets
Can Be Obtained ?
I Missed Some Pacific Marines Their First Time Around.

 

[Njja]

This Discussion Is Interesting.
Is There Another Venue Besides EBAY Where These Discounted, Retired Sets
Can Be Obtained ?
I Missed Some Pacific Marines Their First Time Around.

............................................................................................

Well here are you options:

1. You can contact various dealers occasionaly they have discontinued stock. You will not get a discount.

2. Treefrog (Changing Guard) has an auction site you could check.

3. You could post a classified ad here listing the items you are looking for.

4. Last option is Ebay which offers the best opportunity to obtain items you might be looking for. I currently show 1,865 items listed for sale under my search for King & Country. Variety is terrific, best source for difficult to find, current items, retired items, around. Price depends on the seller, reputation, location and often availability of the items being listed.

 

[spartan71]

If this is true what's the problem? this is exactly what so many people on the forum want!, Sounds like a great time to buy?!!?!?!?

I have to agree, There has been some pieces that I have been looking for. That now I can get. It is now where it should be. I bid on an item where the price I paid was $12.00 ($117 dollars) more than the retail price($105 dollars), when it was being sold. And IMO that is where it should be (The value Now, And the retail price. Should be within 15 to 25 percent of the cost when it first came out). I saw the item that I got, Go for almost a 60 percent profit two moths ago. It is if I may call it a Buyers Market. Make some profit. But please, I gave you an arm, Do not ask for the leg too. I hope for the sake of us true collectors, that buy really to collect. That this market stays the same.

 

[Njja]

I have to agree, There has been some pieces that I have been looking for. That now I can get. It is now where it should be. I bid on an item where the price I paid was $12.00 ($117 dollars) more than the retail price($105 dollars), when it was being sold. And IMO that is where it should be (The value Now, And the retail price. Should be within 15 to 25 percent of the cost when it first came out). I saw the item that I got, Go for almost a 60 percent profit two moths ago. It is if I may call it a Buyers Market. Make some profit. But please, I gave you an arm, Do not ask for the leg too. I hope for the sake of us true collectors, that buy really to collect. That this market stays the same.

...................................................................................................

What exactly is a true collector ?

I understand your point of view, but fine it rarely fits my situation.

I also often have a price in mind when I consider a purchase....however it

rarely affects the individual selling the item. I find I can make an

offer, make a deal......or pass on the item.

I wonder exactly what a true collector is

Where might I go to get my pin?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I have to agree, There has been some pieces that I have been looking for. That now I can get. It is now where it should be. I bid on an item where the price I paid was $12.00 ($117 dollars) more than the retail price($105 dollars), when it was being sold. And IMO that is where it should be (The value Now, And the retail price. Should be within 15 to 25 percent of the cost when it first came out). I saw the item that I got, Go for almost a 60 percent profit two moths ago. It is if I may call it a Buyers Market. Make some profit. But please, I gave you an arm, Do not ask for the leg too. I hope for the sake of us true collectors, that buy really to collect. That this market stays the same.

It rarely affects the seller either. Once a seller posts an item on ebay, he has little control over the final sale price. It may sell for less than retail price, or 15% more than retail price, or if really in demand at that time and 2 or 3 bidders really want it, it could sell for 3 times the retail price. And the older the piece, the less the relationship between original retail price and current value. The market determines the sale price on ebay, not the seller.

To control the price from being "too high" the seller would have to sell it privately in the classifieds at what he thought was a fair price and not in an auction setting, and likely only to a collector he knew who wanted it for his own collection.

Terry

 

[theBaron]

I wonder how the 2 wars in Iraq and the one in Afghanistan are affecting the generation that fought in them and whether that will create a new market for toy soldiers?

Terry

I know a number of vets who are scale modelers, or figure painters and collectors. So, you may be on to something there.

Prost!
Brad

 

[sammy719]

As someone that just sold a large amount of my K&C collection earlier this year, let me say that there is no huge market collapse going on, alot of stuff I sold went for more then what I paid and some stuff sold for less, like any market it has it's ups/downs, some days you can find some great deals other days the sky is the limit, I did learn one big lesson, don't ever sell a large collection on e-bay, between the fees of listing, selling fees, paypal fees, packing materials, never again!!!!...Sammy

 

[Njja]

As someone that just sold a large amount of my K&C collection earlier this year, let me say that there is no huge market collapse going on, alot of stuff I sold went for more then what I paid and some stuff sold for less, like any market it has it's ups/downs, some days you can find some great deals other days the sky is the limit, I did learn one big lesson, don't ever sell a large collection on e-bay, between the fees of listing, selling fees, paypal fees, packing materials, never again!!!!...Sammy

...................................................

Ah the Fees!!

 

[BLReed]

...The market determines the sale price on ebay, not the seller....

That may be true, but the Seller can enhance the odds. I can't tell you
how many bargins I've gotten over the years because the Seller can't
spell, i.e. Stadden not Stadder, Staden, Staddon. Then there is the
problem of dumbing down pictures. A few other oddities in listing items
also, but I don't want to give up my secrets.