InArt: The Lord of the Rings - Gandalf 1:6

[Godfather1408]

Did you contact your retailer or even Inart about it?

Retailer Kit came through thankfully and was amazing! Sent out new parts. They definitely need to up their QC for future releases.

 

[histrionics]

Honestly, it seems they are neck deep in a Ponzi Scheme, but I wonder at this point if they are pocketing anything anymore. I think they are so far behind on paying everything now. At this point they are stealing from Paul to pay Peter, and stealing from Peter to pay John, and from John to pay Paul.

Reason they give store credit only is because they don't have the funds to give a rightful refund.

I don't know if they're paying anyone for anything with buyers' money. We'll never know, nor do we need to know. The reason I said they're "pocketing" is because it's sheer cash that they're collecting upfront. I imagine it pays for wages, rent, warehouse, some products and whatever else, but most businesses start up with capital, loans or investors and then develop or resell products to offer up to buyers in exchange for cash that can go back into the business and into profits. Taking end-buyers' money without anything to give them feels like intentional fraud. It bugs me, feels icky and sordid. Did TW ever think they could move InArt (or other makers) products? They took the end-buyers' cash for it, may or may not have worked on it, but clearly failed to secure that deal. That's profiteering!

It's this B.S. of full cash payments upfront from buyers that drives me mad! There aren't many businesses that do that. I don't walk down my nearest retail street or mall looking into shop windows knowing my money is locked up in various stores' eventual inventory. No, I go in with cash or credit if there's something I want and it's there to buy. A seller can only hold customers' cash if they have a stellar reputation and TW isn't anywhere near that level of credibility.

I know many other collectible sellers used this cash upfront technique to secure customers, then went under during the pandemic. It wasn't always intentional, but a turbulent economic situation led to some unfortunate closures and bankruptcies, leaving buyers without anything. A part of me blames impatient collectible buyers for getting caught up in this scam, but I try to suppress that and choose not to (victim) blame my peers. In this market I even think deposits are a little off-putting, but I get it, understand their necessity and realize how they work with a seller's reputation. (Incidentally, a very reputable and dependable Canadian 1:6 seller in the Facebook groups went under recently leaving many buyers without their products. He always asked for full cash upfront, delivered for a few years, built a solid rep, then abruptly fell through on all of his pre-order sales leaving collectors with nothing.) Deposits are tolerable because the worst-case scenario is one of a small(er) risk/loss to buyers and most reputable sellers seem to function fairly well with a deposit policy rather than try to push for full cash upfront. Just don't do it! When you're a buyer don't treat your money as an investment in the seller's company. You're buying products, not playing risk scenarios.

 

[Gipetto0812]

Finally got around to tweaking the undershirt on this figure. I cut the sleeves off near the biceps and sewed in a bit of elastic to allow enough give to get the hands in the thumb holes a little easier without making the sleeves too long/baggy.

My next hope is to remove the magnets inside the hands in order to get them to sit properly onto the wrist pegs. Just not sure how to go about it just yet

 

[Earth 616 Collector]

I don't know if they're paying anyone for anything with buyers' money. We'll never know, nor do we need to know. The reason I said they're "pocketing" is because it's sheer cash that they're collecting upfront. I imagine it pays for wages, rent, warehouse, some products and whatever else, but most businesses start up with capital, loans or investors and then develop or resell products to offer up to buyers in exchange for cash that can go back into the business and into profits. Taking end-buyers' money without anything to give them feels like intentional fraud. It bugs me, feels icky and sordid. Did TW ever think they could move InArt (or other makers) products? They took the end-buyers' cash for it, may or may not have worked on it, but clearly failed to secure that deal. That's profiteering!

It's this B.S. of full cash payments upfront from buyers that drives me mad! There aren't many businesses that do that. I don't walk down my nearest retail street or mall looking into shop windows knowing my money is locked up in various stores' eventual inventory. No, I go in with cash or credit if there's something I want and it's there to buy. A seller can only hold customers' cash if they have a stellar reputation and TW isn't anywhere near that level of credibility.

I know many other collectible sellers used this cash upfront technique to secure customers, then went under during the pandemic. It wasn't always intentional, but a turbulent economic situation led to some unfortunate closures and bankruptcies, leaving buyers without anything. A part of me blames impatient collectible buyers for getting caught up in this scam, but I try to suppress that and choose not to (victim) blame my peers. In this market I even think deposits are a little off-putting, but I get it, understand their necessity and realize how they work with a seller's reputation. (Incidentally, a very reputable and dependable Canadian 1:6 seller in the Facebook groups went under recently leaving many buyers without their products. He always asked for full cash upfront, delivered for a few years, built a solid rep, then abruptly fell through on all of his pre-order sales leaving collectors with nothing.) Deposits are tolerable because the worst-case scenario is one of a small(er) risk/loss to buyers and most reputable sellers seem to function fairly well with a deposit policy rather than try to push for full cash upfront. Just don't do it! When you're a buyer don't treat your money as an investment in the seller's company. You're buying products, not playing risk scenarios.

Very well said. I don't think TW really understood how InArt would be upon release, really none of us did. They lucked out with the a TDK Joker with many orders being placed and people backing out or quickly selling. With the other releases, not nearly as many orders were placed so they haven't been nearly as accessible to feed their "business model". They were never going to fill all of those orders with $1000 Gandalfs

 

[GrimmReapah]

Some more shots of this phenomenal piece

 

[TonTon]

Great shots, @GrimmReapah!

 

[roan]

Seeing some of these pictures makes me regret not preordering, the after market prices are almost double now. The figure looks amazing.

 

[Wor-Gar]

WOW!!!!

 

[GrimmReapah]

Seeing some of these pictures makes me regret not preordering, the after market prices are almost double now. The figure looks amazing.
[/QUOTE]

Paid €700 for him. Also no retail but still so worth it. Most realistic figure i have seen so far. Definitely worth every penny considering how much they charge for custom pieces. Aragorn will join him soon i hope

And thanks alot folks, appreciate it

 

[roan]

May I ask where you bought it? I checked on Ebay and I’ve only seen prices around €900-1000+ (same for Aragorn, unfortunately).
The picture Yan posted with Aragorn standing next to Gandalf looked so good that I seriously regret missing out on both figures, oh well.

 

[HyperDrive]

May I ask where you bought it? I checked on Ebay and I’ve only seen prices around €900-1000+ (same for Aragorn, unfortunately).
The picture Yan posted with Aragorn standing next to Gandalf looked so good that I seriously regret missing out on both figures, oh well.

May I ask why you skipped out on them beforehand?

 

[roan]

May I ask why you skipped out on them beforehand?

Wasn’t sure if InArt could deliver and at the time I didn’t have much interest in LOTR even though I really like the movies. Lesson learned, I heard they will be doing Legolas next I won’t be missing out on him.

 

[Earth 616 Collector]

There is a Gandalf listed on here for $850 last time I checked.

 

[GrimmReapah]

May I ask where you bought it? I checked on Ebay and I’ve only seen prices around €900-1000+ (same for Aragorn, unfortunately).
The picture Yan posted with Aragorn standing next to Gandalf looked so good that I seriously regret missing out on both figures, oh well.

Vinted buddy its an European marketplace. There are still a few listed there near €800

Ebay prices are always higher btw. The seller has to pay alot of fees to ebay. Last time i sold an item of €850. Had to pay arround €97,45 ebay fees so left with €752,55

 

[roan]

Vinted buddy its an European marketplace. There are still a few listed there near €800

Ebay prices are always higher btw. The seller has to pay alot of fees to ebay. Last time i sold an item of €850. Had to pay arround €97,45 ebay fees so left with €752,55

Thanks! I’m from the Netherlands as well, but never thought of looking on Vinted.

I heard about the high fees before so I figured it was associated with that, just didn’t know where else to look. Thanks again!!

 

[GrimmReapah]

Thanks! I’m from the Netherlands as well, but never thought of looking on Vinted.

I heard about the high fees before so I figured it was associated with that, just didn’t know where else to look. Thanks again!!

No way, small world Vinted is a great place to buy and sell in the 1/6 market, lots of items higly recommend

 

[roan]

No way, small world Vinted is a great place to buy and sell in the 1/6 market, lots of items higly recommend

Small world indeed. For some reason I thought Vinted was for clothes only.
Will most likely buy Gandalf and Aragorn from there, thanks for the tip.

 

[GrimmReapah]

Small world indeed. For some reason I thought Vinted was for clothes only.
Will most likely buy Gandalf and Aragorn from there, thanks for the tip.

Yeah thats what most poeple think but you can find all kind of things there.

 

[Ozzz]

I have mine listed for $750... just saying.

 

[Chopper Face]

I have mine listed for $750... just saying.

Yeah, make those fools who didn’t PO pay the price for their foolishness!