Huh. And I thought $14.99 for FOC Optimus was bad.

But really, I wouldn't mind the price increase if we'd just get Generations-1.0-quality figures again. Bar a few exceptions, the tiny, paintless, hollow deluxes we're getting now aren't cutting for me anymore.

 

Well that's really annoying. It also puts Walmart as more expensive than both Target and even TRU for Deluxes. I was hoping after seeing the small FOC Deluxes at 14.99 at TRU that Walmart might have them a dollar or two cheaper to make the figures a better value, but this is some bad news. Hopefully this is some kind of temporary fluctuation, but if Deluxes are going to be 15+ from now on, I'll start leaving a lot of those on-the-fence figures or impulse buys on the shelf.

 

Is this really a surprise to anyone?

We knew for a long time prices were going up ever since Botcon, I think it was, had FOC figures with the MSRP $14.99 tags.

This is the new normal price so get used to it. Transformers went a long time without a price increase so welcome to what collectors of other Hasbro lines have had to go through for awhile now. G.I Joe is $9.99 a figure, Star Wars is $9.99 a figure, so is Marvel Universe. Wouldn't surprise me to see Marvel Legends go up next.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Voyagers get bumped a few bucks right in time for Grimlock.

 

DOTM Deluxes are $7.27 here (And only 3 Bees!), whereas Prime RiD Deluxes are still at $12.88. And by "Deluxes", I mean a single Wheeljack that's been sitting there since the initial case.

 

 

DOTM figures were a MSRP of $11.99 and Walmart sold them for $9.47 or something like that.

This price increase will just keep me from looking there. I have better luck ordering cases from HTS/BBTS or going to Target for single figures.

 

What even worse for me is Target isn't hardly an option for single figures as they are horrible at stocking the new waves and their TF isle is generally pathetic at best. Wal-Mart was my go to place, but now I don't know.

 

Hey Roufuss,we did know this was coming,I mean as others have said about TRU and Target you'd be blind not to see it,so don't assume all of us are brain dead moron's.Now about the topic sure because of this increase figures more than likely will shelfwarm since I will not be buying any at $17+ after tax,and I doubt many other people will either,I just think another 2 years and the Transformers Line will pretty much be dead except for those hardcore TF fans who pay $300-$400 for Botcon figures.

And as long as people pay $15-$17 apiece for a figure the size of a basic or scout they are just gonna keep raising the price until people get fed up with it,that's why its called capitalism (or in my opinion,greed).

 

Considering that the local TRU is the one getting the newest stock as of late, I'm actually really glad I rarely shop at Walmart now. At this rate, I might actually be coming out ahead.

 

They're not scout sized. Put even RiD Cliffjumper next to an actual scout and you'll see what scout sized is.

 

  isn't that the truth. Esp when word got around that Walgreens were getting wave 3 with the Vehicon.

A lot of people were hoping that Walmart would under cut the MSRP as they have in the past. However we are getting close to the time of year where stores like to increase their prices, so they can "put them on sale" for the holiday season.

 

Yay! Another reason for me to stop getting RID toys!  

 

And that's the thing right there.
If you are willing to pay that much, ordering from places like BBTS have now become the better value.

 

HTS is actually the best value. With my 10 percent off every order and free shipping cases come out to be about $90 shipped each with tax. $11.19 per figure when all is said and done.

 

it good thing that i been geting in to the amazing spider man and men in black 3 figuers
then tfs.....

 

Not surprising. It's just another reason for me not to buy the current stuff.

And on the chance that there might be something I want, I'll just buy it at TRU (or online) instead of bothering at Walmart.

 

I remember the days when deluxes were $14.99. Seems like a long time, even though it's only been like 3 years that they've been $15.92 or $16.99.

 

I miss you, 2008's wondrous $7.77 Deluxes.

 

I don't do much shopping for toys at retail anymore, but I have thought about this alot lately, both as a reseller and with an eye towards having one manufactured.

The modern action figure age is widely considered to have started with Kenner's Star Wars in the late 1970s. Many things from that era are no longer with us, like the console TV, or limping along, like magazines. Not to get political, but I think inflation and stagnant wages are tag-teaming us here. If we had one or the other, we'd have rising prices or shrinking toys but not both.

What happens when producing and retailing an action figure costs more than the public is willing or able to pay for it? Do the middlemen change their business models? Do lines go back to 9 or 10 figures per year of which kids have 2 or 3? Do action figures in general just go away as a fixture of childhood?

 

K-Mart: $15.99
Wal-Mart: $15.87 (I haven't seen this yet, since my store was still $12.88)
Target: $14.99
TRU: $14.99


So the question here is, how long before TRU jacks up their price? For the longest time, TRU was the most expensive out of the four...but is now tied for cheapest? Unless Wal-Mart adjusts their price down, I can see even less figures moving off the shelves now. Hell, it's cheaper to just buy case assortments online and just sell the extras on Ebay (which shouldn't be that hard, especially if you sell them at what they cost you instead of trying to profit from it).

I told myself that once they broke the 15 dollar mark, that I would pick and choose carefully. Especially since the size is shrinking of the figures, and the plastic quality is being lessened. Oh well, I may last one year in this hobby. lol Nice job Hasbro.

 

This when voyager costs $19.99? (except TRU)