Is it an unwritten rule that you have to make a thread about it when you decide to give up collecting? I mean, I've glanced over the TFW rules, and didn't see it slipped in there anywhere...surely I'm missing something. I'd like to hope that when I finally stop collecting (which may be soon, since there's nothing else really coming out that interests me), that I'll just kind of quietly put my TFs back in their boxes and stop frequenting this site.
I am not quitting, I am just alot more picky about buying. I wait for reviews to come out, and buy based on that and whether I like the figure or not. With that said, I have been buying 3rd party like a mad man lately because there stuff just interests me so much more.
and that would be bad because.... ? welp, not to sound like a drama king,..tbh and in all honesty, I see myself quitting for good/ semi-retirement from collecting sometime in 2014. It also depends on what figures are there that are worth the time/ effort and money for me to collect.
Not only that, but if you reeeeeally want those high quality collector toys there's third party for you. We literally have more options than we've ever had, but people basically "Boo, I want what third party does, but at hasbro prices!" Well guess what, that ain't happening. I´m happy with what I´ve bought lately, both from Hasbro and (soon) from third party too.
I'm almost there myself. I love Transformers but these tiny little deluxes aren't worth the $15+ pricetag. As soon as I get a classics Trailbreaker from somewhere, anywhere, my top "want" will be obtained. After that? Maybe some more 3rd party stuff but I really don't see much that I'd want outside of vintage stuff - old G1, Japanese, etc. NEW retail toys just aren't worth the pricetag anymore.
I am not quitting but I am planning on cutting back. I have stopped scouting stores everyday. There is literally nothing really coming out aside from 2 Deluxe Prime figures , 5 Deluxe Generations Figures (Which I already have the SDCC version of), and 3-4 Prime R.I.D. Voyagers for the rest of the year here in the USA. Everything else is Asian GDO , Prime FE (rereleases) and a few Variant TRU Masterpiece Exclusives. And you know the TRU stuff is going to be hard to find. They don't care about Transformers anymore.
I'm afraid I do agree with you. Rising prices I can handle, but I'm not willing to pay what they're asking for figures that are getting smaller, becoming simplified, and being given fewer paint apps.
Ruined Forever! Seriously, however, you did forget to mention new bot shots and kreo (kreons). While everyone might not collect these there are some people really looking forward to them. I hope the Kreons show up soon! I can completely understand that. But then I realize that there are sales (like the one tru just had and the bogoho that's going on right now online). This doesn't include the chance of a lot of stuff also showing up at discounters. Going to be plenty of opportunity to pick up things at a lower price.
^^@guys: well this to all! Cutting down would be easier knowing that I will be forced to get selective in my purchases. @Deth Pike: yeah, me as well... realistically, Id just be happy that I can at least complete one G1 Japan line in TF: Victory. Just need a Dinoking and that's it. Nothing else really catches my attention G1 wise nowadays. Maybe the odd Pretender/ Godmaster or Headmaster. Too much money already spent on these, and maybe I feel it's time to really stop.
Action Masters and their vehicle playsets are fun. I have Prime Cyberverse figures, but not the vehicle/playsets yet. Glad there's another Action Masters fan around here. (yes, I know, AM was referring to Arms Micron)
It's good times and bad times from Hasbro so if I required double rainbow days from Hasbro all the time I'd collect nothing. Has it always been fun collecting Transformers? No of course not. I just couldn't force myself to like the movie look so long droughts of noting new for me. You get excited about some characters only to find the toy lacking in some way. Something will end up getting sent only to Ross or as an expensive exclusive. Quality isn't always what it could be with every figure. But hey look at GI Joe. Collectors loved the 25th style so of course Hasbro had to stop making those type of figures to do horrible cheap movie figures that were so bad retailers couldn't give the things away. Then Renegades was a weird style but if you did like it, oops too bad the cartoon and the rest of the toys were canceled. Want new GI Joe toys now, oops the next bad movie is pushed back until next year and Hasbro didn't have a back up plan. Or look at Marvel. The Avengers sold tons of movie tickets, but you can't find Marvel Universe figures hardly anywhere because retailers have shelves clogged with Avengers and Spiderman movie toys. If you need a mutant fix for your X-Men or Brotherhood of Evil Mutants collection you are just out of luck as it's only a few Avengers, Spiderman, and Lizard to be found. Not sure how the Star Wars line is but I'm sure they complain about stuff as well. Yes Hasbro isn't perfect and the increased cost of everything really stinks because that means the old paycheck has to work harder to cover less. But I still think I get a pretty good deal out of Hasbro when they release something I like.
It is not even money for why I am cutting back. It is lack of G1 product. Prime is cool and all but they have run out of characters and have not announced any obvious figures like Hardshell / Insecticons. The lack of releasing Breakdown and Jet Vehicon stateside is just sad. This year is SAD just SAD! Universe / Generations / Reveal the Shield got me into this hobby. And they neglect the lines that got people into this hobby to begin with. And overpaying for imports / botcon / tfcc Classics figures just sucks ass. $100 for a scourge or some stupid shattered glass repaint!
Over the last few years my goal has been to stop buying almost every retail figure simply because it was new and on the shelf in front of me. The Prime and DOTM lines have finally helped me break that habit. The way I look at it is this my golden opportunity to take a hard look not only at my current collection but what is coming out and truely create the focused collection I want. Sure I'll be buying more third party stuff than offical Hasbro products, but that's only because third parties are catering towards what I'm focusing on, G1 & combiners. Hasbro is putting out a new combiner and I will buy it. MakeToys is putting out a Devastator and I will buy that too.
We're looking at different segments of the market then. Last year, I decided I wanted to get into selling toys on a part-time basis. I got a distribution account, but most of that stuff is months away from release, so I was looking for ways to beef up my current inventory quickly. I've been pricing out lots on eBay and $30 per deluxe is more or less the norm. People keep listing stuff like 12/16 RTS/Animated deluxes for $299/$399 plus shipping. Singles are even worse on a dollar per figure basis, which is also the reason I have holes in my own Classics collection. But let me sell anything I have to balance the books a little and it's practically panhandling. I think they balance out the people who think that whatever figure is out right this very instant is also the best thing ever. I'd say that the QC/tolerance problems cropping up in the last five or so years have done alot to spread that junk label. I don't think the fandom of even 10 years ago would've tolerated a $70/$190 toy whose arms broke off in the box. Not that I'll write Hasbro a nasty letter or quit forever over it, but it does dampen the excitement of future product announcements.
I'm looking forward to 2013: FOC UM, kickback, sideswipe, grimlock, soundwave, MP soundwave (waiting on a Hasbro edition ) Is the size /quality of deluxes disappointing? Yes! Enough to lose faith in Hasbro? No!
Same here. And once I even did the same thing as the OP, wrapping them up in bubble wrap, and nothing happened. Also, he says Hasbro like Takara's figures are any better. They're actually worse for this kind of thing since I can see all those stickers peeling and edging up when packed.
Stuff coming out right now i have what i want and plenty i am skipping. Frankly i do nnot mind the lower paint apps or smaller size i think the big issue is the designs have gotten lazy. So while waiting for TFs to turn it around i can collect the WoW megabloks sets. Only figure coming up i want anyways is the MP TC from TRU.
