Or the business can adapt to the environment.

In mainland China the major music companies give away their catalog on websites like Google China and Baidu. Movies that get a theatrical release there officially come out on DVD about a month or two afterwards, to deal with the quick release of bootleg DVDs.

I'm not saying Hasbro or Takara suddenly start giving away their toys, or put out $2 Deluxes. But considering the huge price cuts one sees when these toys go on sale, the retailers have to still be making at least a little profit on them even after such a huge markdown.

 

But the problem here is that these are vintage toys. Its like counterfeiting a painting by an old master.

 

 

An old master? A 20 year old plastic robot is now comparable to a 300 year old Rembrandt?

Oh wait, of course I wouldn't think so - I don't appreciate the product.

 

No, it's not. If the old master has been dead long enough, then that painting is in public domain.

Sure, these bootlegs are going to affect the secondary market. But none of that money goes to Hasbro or Takara. If they're going to reissue X toy and decide the bootleggers are going to affect their sales, they'll take the necessary steps to stop them.

A lot of these toys seem to drift along the lines of abandonware.

 

KO's are a reality. No sense in fighting over it. If you dont like them, then just dont buy them or report the KO auctions on ebay that dont describe them as such. Thats about all you can do. I, myself, will be picking up a KO menasor set as soon as its available.

 

-your original post before editing.

Told you, you dont appreciate them as much as I do.

 

Don't you collect AFA stuff?

 

 

Your sarcasm detector must be busted (unless you were kidding, which I don't think is the case).

 

Nope, not anymore. Dont really like looking at my toys through some plexiglass. Plus getting rid of them is a pain in the ass with all the money involved. With all the new stuff coming out it has forced my collecting habits to evolve to some extent. Plus priorities change.

 

What you first wrote was:

Then Last edited by MegaMoonMan; Today at 09:14 PM.
you saw the flaw in your own argument. and added:

But all you did was point out that I actually DO appreciate them more than you do.

And your statement was trying to be ironic, not sarcastic.

 

So you like to tell people what they mean as well as what they appreciate? You sure like to make assumptions, wrong as they may be.

 

And the funny part is you can go down to a print shop in the mall and buy copies of priceless masterpieces, yet the originals are still worth oodles of money.

I'm quite amused by the conversation going on over replicas of children's toys.

 

No,just telling it like it is.

 

You don't know how it is, though. You don't know squat about how much I (or anybody else) appreciates this or that, and you obviously don't comprehend what my intended meaning is when I say or edit something.

You would do well to quit making baseless assumptions.

 

Not really the same comparison. Paintings only have one 'original'. Toys, cars and other collectibles have many 'originals'. Flooding the market with prints of Starry Night will never impact the cost of the original. Other collectibles, however, are impacted significantly.

 

you really do like to re-edit your posts.

Its bad to pick an argument for arguments sake, especially if the side you choose to argue is morally flawed.

 

So what? Oops, just did it again. Sue me.

I'm not arguing for arguments sake, I'm telling you that you don't know squat about what I appreciate and have no right to try and tell me that you do.

 

Truth be told though, the stink being raised about these bootlegs is coming from the collector segment of the fandom. A segment HasTak themselves admit isn't even their key market.

I'm sure they would love to shut down the knockoff manufacturers if they can, but considering they aren't even selling the toys which are being bootlegged, it doesn't affect their bottom line either way.

 

hi, im new here. i just started collecting g1 transformers, i collect both all takara encores and just found out about the new ko transformers. wow the mint exact g1 style box and good quality is what got me collecting those. they remind me of my childhood. i have all the takara encores and fill in all ko transformers of the ones they dont make. so i love the real and ko transformers. they display perfectly in my collection. i dont opened the boxes up. im a misb collector. i also dont want the new takara non g1 style boxes. they dont look the same as the 80s g1 boxes. i cant wait to get the new menasor, defensor, sideswipe, red alert, and fortress maximus. i wished they will make jetfire, black zarak, grand maximus, computron. those are my dream firgues to own. the ko looks just the same as the originals. i love the real encores and ko transformers. too me they are all just toys to remind me of my childhood. i dont treat them as collectibles anymore now that ko & encores transformers killed the values of so many originals. they are too common now. so im happy either way. as long as i get a set for myself to display. we should not argue over toys. thats what they are toys. i myself collect them just for fun. thats it. not to brag at all. but my real toy is also a 200k car. but i still want both. just enjoy the hobby.

 

btw where can i purchase red alert or sidewipe ko? i cant find them for sale anywhere. anyone know of a good source/seller for near c8.5 to c10 condition boxes. i hate damage boxes.