Value retention/appreciation (2 Viewers)

[MarkeytMaker]

Mark,

We agree that the number of buyers have decreased but disagree on the reasons. The loss of interest is not only evident on eBay but in the auction houses. The people who want the older items, by and large, have them. Moreover, the collector base is shrinking and those who are leaving the hobby, whether voluntarily or otherwise, are attempting to sell their holdings. This causes a glut and oversupply is what we are seeing, in my opinion.

At any rate, if there are less buyers, then there is less return, obviously.

How is Hawaii, by the way.

Brad

Hawaii is of course great!

It started on eBay and trickled down beyond to even the auction houses. Matter of fact I use to buy from auction houses for the simple reason to flip sets to buy more favorable sets at a discount. I'm actually one of the people who won't buy from auction houses any longer because I know reselling later on eBay is no longer favorable...trickle down effect! I was a big buyer/seller/buyer...I witnessed the progression first hand and was involved from all sides. It started on eBay and was initiated by a few sellers putting maximum price on "Buy it now's"...once the auction life on eBay was lost it progressed downward just as I described. No hard feelings for disagreeing as we're both good at that with each other...though I'm right and your wrong! :tongue:

 

[Phantom Warrior]

The valuation game has been hindered by a few eBay sellers who list "buy it now" on rare sets for what use to be common, high and doable prices. The problem is they sit, listed and unsold in these "buy it now" formats at max price. Since they sit unsold this creates a false reality that the set isn't so sought after or rare, when in fact it's still a desirable set and rare in comparison. As an example, a D-Day set that could have sold for $350 at "auction" sits unsold for "buy it now" forever, other sellers come in and try to list their sets with "buy it now" for $300, then $250 and less and less success happens with selling. Then people start listing these same sets on "auction" and not many are left to bid up because they've witnessed prices being drawn down. Now those $350 sets only achieve $112 or $88 LOL! When the sought after items were being listed as "auctions" only that created bidding wars, especially when those sets would only be seen every few months. With "buy it now's" the bidding wars are being removed. The strategy I assume with the "buy it now" sellers is, "they don't care if a set sells or not, if it does then a hefty sale for them." For the average eBay seller these high priced "buy it now" sellers are killing the old exciting bidding wars. On a positive note the prices are doable for everyone and something the majority wished for! There is no doubt in my mind though that K&C is the "King" of toy soldiers"...especially the glossy ones!

Hi Markey

The reason there are fewer auctions is simple. There are fewer buyers If an item is listed at a low price to start a bidding war, it will probably sell at that low price without creating a lively auction. So sellers list at the high price to get a price they feel it is worth the effort to sell. And to cover the ebay/paypal fees which are much higher than in the past.

Terry

 

[MarkeytMaker]

Hi Markey

The reason there are fewer auctions is simple. There are fewer buyers If an item is listed at a low price to start a bidding war, it will probably sell at that low price without creating a lively auction. So sellers list at the high price to get a price they feel it is worth the effort to sell. And to cover the ebay/paypal fees which are much higher than in the past.

Terry

Terry, your statement sounds like someone who just opened an eBay account last week...LOL! Much love to you though Terry!

 

[katana]

The more recent figures are of better quality than older figures and sell more readily IMO. Older armor by K&C and Figarti are 1/32 scale and its difficult to determine the scale since they aren't labeled. Quality, rarity and condition determine value in collectables. Higher quality figures/models are now being produced i.e. JJD and FL armor. The latest and greatest obsoletes the older pieces and decreases their value.

Honor Bound Panthers used to be the best; now the Figarti Panther G is the best and when JJD or FL does one I expect it will be the best. Quality rules when price points rise to where they are today and the price trend is continuing upwards. Older collectors on fixed incomes and new collectors with limited incomes are being priced out of the Toy Soldier hobby.

 

[uksubs]

The more recent figures are of better quality than older figures and sell more readily IMO. Older armor by K&C and Figarti are 1/32 scale and its difficult to determine the scale since they aren't labeled. Quality, rarity and condition determine value in collectables. Higher quality figures/models are now being produced i.e. JJD and FL armor. The latest and greatest obsoletes the older pieces and decreases their .

Well I think your wrong as only last week a Figarti fuel truck sold for £400.00 pounds and think with the sky high prices of the latest stuff your be lucky to get your money back going by Uk sell on ebay over the last two years

 

[David C]

Well I think your wrong as only last week a Figarti fuel truck sold for £400.00 pounds and think with the sky high prices of the latest stuff your be lucky to get your money back going by Uk sell on ebay over the last two years

The RRP shop price of new K&C stuff is very high. However, there is still alot of new stuff being sold with a good discount.
If a tank is still available new, I consider a good second hand price to be 50-60% of this.
Once a tank has sold out, then it is down to how quick I want it and how many other people want it.

I have purchased 2 WS228 Jagd Panthers this year, a brand new one on Ebay for £178 and a perfect second hand one for £110.
The price of a new one now looks to be between £210 and £250

I think if I sold them today I would be able to get my money back, if I was patient and also waited for a £1 selling fee deal from Ebay.
Once they have sold out and are only available on the second hand market, it will depend how sort after they become.

However, what is important is that I want these models, as they have the look and level of quality that I like . I don't want to spend over the odds, but I do want to have my shelves filled with the models that give me the most pleasure.

 

[uksubs]

I have purchased 2 WS228 Jagd Panthers this year, a brand new one on Ebay for £178 and a perfect second hand one for £110.
The price of a new one now looks to be between £210 and £250

I think if I sold them today I would be able to get my money back, if I was patient and also waited for a £1 selling fee deal from Ebay.

David prove my point as both people selling the Jagdpanthers have taken a big lose even before paying ebay and PayPal.

 

[David C]

David prove my point as both people selling the Jagdpanthers have taken a big lose even before paying ebay and PayPal.

I would agree, that buying a full RRP in the UK, is not likely to result in a big loss if you need to sell within a few years.
However, if something floats your boat and you want it now, then that is good enogth reason to buy it.
Buying mint second hand on Ebay seems to be the best way to build up the collection and still maintain a good chance of it gaining some value in a reasonable time period.

I have purchesed most my K&C stuff over the last year and I have purchased most on Ebay.
If I listed what I paid for them I would be interested in what meMbers would class as good and bad deals.
However, the US members would probably have a heart attack at the prices we pay in the UK.

If exchange rates and import taxis get worse, I can only see the new stuff from K&C getting more expensive in the UK.
Therefore the price of stuff already in the UK may start to be dragged up by this.

 

[uksubs]

I would agree, that buying a full RRP in the UK, is not likely to result in a big loss if you need to sell within a few years.
However, if something floats your boat and you want it now, then that is good enogth reason to buy it.
Buying mint second hand on Ebay seems to be the best way to build up the collection and still maintain a good chance of it gaining some value in a reasonable time period.

I have purchesed most my K&C stuff over the last year and I have purchased most on Ebay.
If I listed what I paid for them I would be interested in what meMbers would class as good and bad deals.
However, the US members would probably have a heart attack at the prices we pay in the UK.

If exchange rates and import taxis get worse, I can only see the new stuff from K&C getting more expensive in the UK.
Therefore the price of stuff already in the UK may start to be dragged up by this.

Can't see prices going up in the UK as RRP is already high in the first place

 

[David C]

Can't see prices going up in the UK as RRP is already high in the first place

The top price on a few new K&C items looks to of jumped up a bit recently.

The Jagd Panther was about £220 , but now is up at £250. The same for the Panther.

I assumed that the seller has sold the ones he had in stock and the new stock has been more expensve. Could be wrong.

My thinking is that a rise in the new price will drag the second hand stuff up.,,,again I could be wrong

PS - good to chat with you again UK Subs

 

[uksubs]

The top price on a few new K&C items looks to of jumped up a bit recently.

The Jagd Panther was about £220 , but now is up at £250. The same for the Panther.

I assumed that the seller has sold the ones he had in stock and the new stock has been more expensve. Could be wrong.

My thinking is that a rise in the new price will drag the second hand stuff up.,,,again I could be wrong

PS - good to chat with you again UK Subs

David I think it a great time to be a buyer in the Uk then it is a seller and love collecting K&C older sets , have you got the He 162 yet?

 

[theBaron]

The market changes daily. Case in point - I have now handled a highly desirable Trophy set 3 times as I was buying for my own collection. First sale was at 499 fast. Second sale was long and tough at 525. Last sale occurred in 3 days at 625. Go figure. I got my own set for 399. See what I mean, prices are any given day. While in general, some lines have come down in price, a lot of the reason too is you are seeing more of them as collections open up.

TD

An excellent example to illustrate an observation by antiques & collectibles author Harry Rinker: "For any antique or collectible, the price is whatever the buyer and seller can agree upon at the time of the transaction."

You can look at price guides, and follow auctions and sales to note what the final price is, but in the end, it's whatever two people decide.

Prost!
Brad

 

[David C]

David I think it a great time to be a buyer in the Uk then it is a seller and love collecting K&C older sets , have you got the He 162 yet?

I started off with K&C airctaft but now have far mor K&C tanks than aircraft. However , I have just purchased the Desert 109F.

I am topping out on space now, but I do have most of the tanks I really want. I will now slowley expand my collection, as I want some Russian stuff and 8th Army tanks, such as a Grant.

The good thing with the K&C stuff is that you can also add more items within the foot print of the main model. For example Tank Riders.

For me, Space is the final frontier when collecting.

 

[Panzer ace]

An excellent example to illustrate an observation by antiques & collectibles author Harry Rinker: "For any antique or collectible, the price is whatever the buyer and seller can agree upon at the time of the transaction."

You can look at price guides, and follow auctions and sales to note what the final price is, but in the end, it's whatever two people decide.

Prost!
Brad

I think it was Malcolm Forbes who said:

"Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it............"

 

[David C]

I think it was Malcolm Forbes who said:

"Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it............"

But what someone is willing to pay , may depend on what the perseive it is worth

 

[Horus]

Assuming someone doing the collecting isn't a completest, who will buy a figure just to have a complete collection of whatever it is they collect.
then in the end it comes down to do you like it enough to buy it !

Steve

 

[theBaron]

But what someone is willing to pay , may depend on what the perseive it is worth

"May"? No, "does". Absolutely what the seller asks, and what the buyer offers, depend on their respective ideas of the objects value. But that simply brings us back to the point--the price is what they agree on, it is not fixed, as a retail price for a new object is. Now, their respective abilities to know what to charge, what to offer, and how to negotiate, should be informed by research, of course. A canny seller has a good idea of what the market bears, and a shrewd buyer looks for a bargain, if he can. But in the end, the price is what they settle on.

Prost!
Brad

 

[ivanmoe]

But in the end, the price is what they settle on.

I doubt that I'm shedding any light on the topic, but it's comparable sales prices that set valuations on homes for establishing property taxes in the USA. If your county tax assessor/collector deviates from those same values, most jurisdictions allow homeowners to challenge the valuation before a jury. If a state doesn't offer homeowners this sort of recourse, I'd encourage the residents to relocate to one that does.

-Moe

 

[katana]

I recently purchased a Winter Jagdpanther BBG072 on eBay for $156.00. The make an offer option has worked well for me and I have purchased a number of pieces at good prices. eBay remains a good market place for Toy Soldier provided you are patient. Anything you want will pop up at a price you are willing to pay eventually.

The top price on a few new K&C items looks to of jumped up a bit recently.

The Jagd Panther was about £220 , but now is up at £250. The same for the Panther.

I assumed that the seller has sold the ones he had in stock and the new stock has been more expensve. Could be wrong.

My thinking is that a rise in the new price will drag the second hand stuff up.,,,again I could be wrong

PS - good to chat with you again UK Subs

 

[David C]

I recently purchased a Winter Jagdpanther BBG072 on eBay for $156.00. The make an offer option has worked well for me and I have purchased a number of pieces at good prices. eBay remains a good market place for Toy Soldier provided you are patient. Anything you want will pop up at a price you are willing to pay eventually.

What is the retail price of a new Jadgpanther over there is the USA