Toy Soldier Trends (3 Viewers)

[ucla1967]

I wrote a review of the 18th Annual West Coaster Toy Soldier Show which appeared in the June issue of Toy Soldier & Model Figure magazine. I though I would share with you the paragraph I wrote on trends, as I see them, based on my having attended both the West Coaster and Chicago Shows since 1993.

"Over the years, I have noticed that the volume of foot traffic in the rooms prior to the Show has significantly declined. One does not see the number of Old Britains or Mignot collectors that once prowled the corridors. Also, there seems to be relatively more interest in plastic figures than before. Finally, collectors in their 30s and 40s seem to be disproportionately oriented to the realistic, larger, 60-mm, matte finished figures, especially those produced by King & Country. These younger collectors seem to have little interest in the more traditional, glossy finished, 54-mm offerings. There are probably several reasons behind these observations: the older collectors are passing on or have completed their collections, collectors who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s played with plastic soldiers and are now collecting things from their chidhood, while younger collectors in their 30s and 40s seem to prefer more dynamic realism to traditional, static poses, for reasons unknown to me since I love them both. Finally, one cannot overestimate the effect that eBay has had on our hobby to the detriment of both toy soldier show attendance and brick and mortar toy soldier shop viability."

 

[Capitolron]

Mike

Very interesting remarks - I havent noticed this trend - but will look more closely at my next show.

Thanks for sharing that.

Ron

 

[ROAN]

Mike,

Your comments about the effects of Ebay on the toy soldier hobby “to the detriment ….. brick and mortar toy soldier shop viability” hit the proverbial nail on the head. The same I think is true for mail order dealers that do not sell on Ebay(FYI -I’m not a dealer).

Also agree with you about the trend among today’s collectors in their 30s & 40s preferring the non-traditional/realistic matte figures being a generational thing. Like I wrote in another post, with older collectors like myself a lot of the attraction to the traditional style figures is based on nostalgia-we grew up with these(although some might question the extent of this growth among adults-like myself-who still play with toy soldiers!).

Back to Ebay. I heard on an Antique Road Show program that in general Ebay has had a detrimental effect on the whole collectibles market and people I’ve spoken to that deal in other types of collectibles have agreed with this.

 

[ucla1967]

Mike

Very interesting remarks - I havent noticed this trend - but will look more closely at my next show.

Thanks for sharing that.

Ron

Ron,

In the context of the review, but not included in that paragraph, I mentioned that I had been selling my excess figures at the West Coaster for 10 years. The West Coaster, like Chicago, has room trading during the several days prior to the show. My comment on foot traffic was based on what I had noticed. What trend hadn't you noticed?

 

[Currahee Chris]

Interesting review Mike- here is what I can add about myself.

I am 34 married with 3 kids who my wife keeps telling me are mine.

I STRICTLY collect matte figures only. 54 or 60mm. I do not have any company loyalty but I will not buy gloss figures or plastic. I did in fact play with tons of plastic figures when I was a kid but just like the mattes more.

That you are seeing a lot of 30-40 year olds I think bodes well for the hobby. I have wondered if the "Retired" generation is also spending more as well- in general, the population of the country is retiring- the Baby Boomers- and I have observed that it looks like there are a lot of professional retirees with money to burn and deep pockets to spend.

I hate EBay! Ebay may, in my opinion be the world's first "Cyber Megacorp". I feel like we are hearing a lot of the complaints about them that we used to hear about Wal Mart in the 1980's. For goodness sake- we are even looking at cyber retailers on Ebay driving actual business (B&M) into the ground.

 

[Capitolron]

Ron,

In the context of the review, but not included in that paragraph, I mentioned that I had been selling my excess figures at the West Coaster for 10 years. The West Coaster, like Chicago, has room trading during the several days prior to the show. My comment on foot traffic was based on what I had noticed. What trend hadn't you noticed?

Mike

I was speaking of the Matte vs. Glossy generational debate.

Ron

 

[kilted vampire]

That is me always bucking the trend. It was the matte figures that got me started but it is the glossies that captured my heart BTW I am 45

 

[jazzeum]

I think Mike's article hits the proverbial nail on the head. That is the state of affairs, for better or worse.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys.

I will say that I have seen a little of the trend for B&M stores going away unless they have seen the light and have a detailed website. But I have to say that I like ebay for the plain and simple reason that it has allowed me to build on my rather unique collection with having to travel the world looking for a store or a flea market where there may or may not be a set or an elephant or some other odd piece I have been looking for. Has it hurt some folks yes probably but then again there are some who have adapted to the new store front in cyberspace and have done quite well. So it may be that this is one of the double edged swords we run across every once in a while good for some bad for others. Still very interesting look at the demographics and buyers. I am 44 and have two kids 5 & 7 and probably dont fit the mold too well because of the eras I collect.

Anyway it was an interesting look at things

All the best

Dave

 

[Warrior]

Mike,
I agree with mostly everything you said, the only point I differ on is its been my experience as a dealer that the plastic end of the hobby has declined over the past few years.

When I first started selling toy soldiers, I sold 20mm and 54mm plastic and did quite well with both scales, both new production and vintage, there was a huge market for vintage plastic. Ebay has pretty much killed that market, very few dealers now sell vintage at shows, it all goes on Ebay.

Quite a few of my customers who used to buy plastic (this is what they began collecting when they returned to the hobby as they had plastic as kids) gave it up for metal, they have gotten older, have more extra cash to spend and are doing so on matte finish metal figures.

My business has done almost a 180 from entirely plastic to almost all metal, I used to buy dozens of boxes of all the newest plastic releases in both scales, I now buy maybe three to six of each new release.

Dealers I know from the show circuit who sold plastic figures exclusively are now starting to dabble in metal, one in particular had a boatload of Britains at the Michigan Show, his first attempt at selling metal. He was a die hard plastic salesman, even he now sees the handwriting on the wall.

Regarding the traffic being down at the West Coaster, I have heard from several dealers who attend that show that attendance has been dropping at the show, I hope this does not continue to the point where the show dies on the vines as that would be a shame.....................

 

[ucla1967]

In Los Angeles County, three brick & mortar toy soldier shops have closed. We only have one left. Thank goodness that the Old Toy Soldier Home in San Diego County is still going strong. I do not dislike eBay, in fact, I have purchased 100s of sets through them over the years. However, it is rather impersonal whereas the toy soldier shows, especially those with room trading, cannot be beat. You can actually examine, up close and personal, what you are buying plus you get to see and talk to fellow collectors.

I just bought 10 AWI sets on eBay made by Richards Soldiers, a short-lived company from Connecticut. I had never seen them before and am now admiring my 1st Virginia Regt, Hessian Anhalt-Zerbsat Regt, Pennsylvania Marines, etc. I have contacted the seller to see if he will sell me the balance of his collection. I would never have found these sets without eBay.

 

[kilted vampire]

Ebay is a curse and a blessing. There are rare oppourtunities and then the demise of the Stores. The people are just as important. With the glossies I get the stories that go along with the figures. Those are priceless. I hope the shows do not fade away in my lifetime.

I would love to see picture of the sets you just mentioned.

 

[ucla1967]

Mike,
I agree with mostly everything you said, the only point I differ on is its been my experience as a dealer that the plastic end of the hobby has declined over the past few years.

When I first started selling toy soldiers, I sold 20mm and 54mm plastic and did quite well with both scales, both new production and vintage, there was a huge market for vintage plastic. Ebay has pretty much killed that market, very few dealers now sell vintage at shows, it all goes on Ebay.

Quite a few of my customers who used to buy plastic (this is what they began collecting when they returned to the hobby as they had plastic as kids) gave it up for metal, they have gotten older, have more extra cash to spend and are doing so on matte finish metal figures.

My business has done almost a 180 from entirely plastic to almost all metal, I used to buy dozens of boxes of all the newest plastic releases in both scales, I now buy maybe three to six of each new release.

Dealers I know from the show circuit who sold plastic figures exclusively are now starting to dabble in metal, one in particular had a boatload of Britains at the Michigan Show, his first attempt at selling metal. He was a die hard plastic salesman, even he now sees the handwriting on the wall.

Regarding the traffic being down at the West Coaster, I have heard from several dealers who attend that show that attendance has been dropping at the show, I hope this does not continue to the point where the show dies on the vines as that would be a shame.....................

Hi Warrior,

Thanks for your perspective from a dealer's point-of-view regarding plastic figures. What I had noticed was the increase in the number of collector's selling plastic from their rooms prior to the Show. Also, a surprisingly large number of collectors stick their heads in the door of my room asking if I have any plastic for sale. Your experience regarding plastic is just the oppositive of Greg Hahn's Stone Castle from Kentucky. He use to be a big metal (Trophy and Imperial) dealer who attended the West Coaster for several years. He would rent four or five tables and had several helpers. He stopped coming and his mail order product offering has switched to plastic. I hope your plastic to metal metamorphisis represents a trend.

 

[maloyalo]

Hi folks, I'm 49 & seem to fit the model described. I started collecting back in 60's when I switched from green army men to painted or full color plastics. I have changed directions in what I collect several times since, but ended up selling nearly all, except realistic painted plastics, coming full circle.

I watch the trends of what is being produced currently with great interest. It being very much up in the air as far scales, realism or cartoony. I have felt we are in the minority, retro really as compared to the current generations preference for larger action figures, and mainly fantasy subjects. I noted that some new lines are promoted as being 'battle' scale, which is really a new name for our old toy soldier scale. You hope it catches on with kids, thereby increasing new items produced, but I don't think it has really. Not yet anyway.

Ebay for me personnaly has been a big plus. Many years of hitting the yard sales, fleamarkets & auctions, yielded 'stuff' but usually not things I actually was looking for. Most everything I found there I got rid of. So now I can hunt at any time & in foreign countries even. And when I sell, I do not have to know its vale. They usually rise to close to market vale on its own.

 

[damian]

I wrote a letter about this last year in Toy Soldier Collector. I agree the internet in general has undermined shows and bricks and mortar stores but please spare a thought for those of us living in remote places like SA and Westenr Australia. We don't have ready access to these real worl places and for us the internet has been a bit of a leveller. We all have access now.
Regards
Damian Clarke

 

[jazzeum]

I probably should have added that ebay has been a godsend for me. I wouldn't have the collection that I have without it. It brings buyers and sellers together in a way not previously possible.

I'm not sure if it's ebay that contributed to the decline of the brick and mortar stores so much as the internet.

 

[Capitolron]

I agree with KV - ebay is a blessing and a curse for the Toy Soldier Dealer who have Brick and Motar Stores. You can reach out to a larger customer base - but, it also takes away from the foot traffic for the store.

 

[ucla1967]

Damian & Brad,

I really think that eBay has enabled many of us to reach a world-wide market for toy soldiers that otherwise would not be possible. I do empathize with my fellow collectors in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and small town America who have a hard time finding anything locally. Even the brick & mortar stores that are still around cannot provide the breadth and depth of product offerings that eBay does. Brad, I am not sure I follow you re its the internet and not eBay. I thought eBay was on the internet.

 

[Combat]

There are at least three toy soldier shops in Gettysburg and nothing, and I mean nothing, beats being able to get a look at the figures in person. I would say 50% of the time I change my opinion from viewing the photos to seeing the item in person. Ebay is a great tool to find something unique like the russian figures or retired items, but for the current releases the old brick and mortar is tough to beat. Plus it is nice to get the skinny from the dealers off line regarding what is selling and what is not.

 

[damian]

I agree nothing beats a bricks and mortar shop. I love London where you can vist Tradition, Gaurds Museum and Armoury of St James in one day. Even Hamleys usually have toy soldiers although you have to leave your kidney and first born as a deposit. To give Andy his due he has a dealer in SA a guy called Percy vn Zyl who runsthe Warrior toy Museum in Cape Town. I first discovered this shop when I went to right my fellowship in Cape Town in 1996After my oral exam I had to hang around till the end of the day to get my results before flying home. So I went for a drive to the well known tourist trap of the V and A waterfornt. Unfortunately I took the wrong turn and drove all the way to the naval base at Simonstown where I discovered this shop/museum. At teh time Percy kept some new Britains. I started buying thorugh him and then I discovered K and C Uk on an advertisement. I wrote to Sue and the rest is history. Percy van Zyl is now the SA dealer for K and C. So although the internet has doen wonders there will alwys be a role for bricks and mortar shops. Percy also informs me that some of the biggest purchasers of teh LAH stuff are German Naval Crews on furlough in Simonstown harbour
Regards
Damian Clarke