Will the global economic crisis affect your collecting habits?
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I'm starting to re-think things. Only because of the state of the Aussie dollar. It's at 60 cents right now. If it drops much more I will stop buying from SSC at it's just not worth it. I paid enough for shipping as it was when the dollar was good.
creecher
Such is Life - Ned Kelly
It hasn't affected my collecting habits at all. Just my spending habits. Which translates to having to be more discerning.
It wont be enough for a company to be consistent. They'll have to deliver something exceptional every time. Too high an output may disseminate the market. The planets in my universe will have to be close to alignment on future purchases, and seeing as the planets aligned a year or two ago, it's not looking good.
As my spending wanes it will modify my habit.
It wont be enough for a company to be consistent. They'll have to deliver something exceptional every time. Too high an output may disseminate the market. The planets in my universe will have to be close to alignment on future purchases, and seeing as the planets aligned a year or two ago, it's not looking good.
As my spending wanes it will modify my habit.
Alice Adrenochrome
Super Freak
Yes. I have cancelled a lot of SSC stuff which I didn't really need over the last couple of days, so you could say, I'm more selective now. And, I'm still figuring out what else to cancel (but you know, it's always best to wait until the last moment...). I'm also more on the look out for very good deals: I've learned that there are cheaper ways of getting my collectibles, than buying them straight from Sideshow - except for the exclusives, which can only be bought from them. Sometimes, it really pays off to just wait until the item pops up cheaper elsewhere. Not always easy.
For us European and international collectors, there's also the shipping cost to consider - about $45 per shipment, be it a 12" figure or a Premium Format, is not a cost you can neglect... . And yes, the taxes... .
So, yes, the crisis has an effect on my spending.
For us European and international collectors, there's also the shipping cost to consider - about $45 per shipment, be it a 12" figure or a Premium Format, is not a cost you can neglect... . And yes, the taxes... .
So, yes, the crisis has an effect on my spending.
toystales
Super Freak
The rapidly rising USD$ has forced me to evaluate my habit of ordering items direct from Sideshow.
As it is, I have cancelled almost 90% of my items on pre-order with Sideshow. In addition, I am also scaling down my purchase, not just for toys but for everything else. Just last month, I decided that a new notebook computer is not required and bum it off my list of waiting-to-be-purchased items. I have also put off upgrading to a bigger and better LCD TV for the home. And when it comes to toys, I have decided that I will not be purchasing all the following and have promptly cancelled my pre-orders :
1. All Iron Man figures
2. Bruce Lee PF
3. Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander 12-inch Figures
4. Ki-Adi Mundi 12-inch Figure
5. Stormtrooper and Darth Vader 12-inch Figures
6. Dog Alien 12-inch Figure
7. BR Joker, Tumbler and Batpod
And also, a planned-holiday trip to Tokyo in Apr 09 has been substituted with a booked-holiday trip to Bali instead. Using free air miles for the air tickets saved me a lot and I only need to pay for the hotel.
As it is, I have cancelled almost 90% of my items on pre-order with Sideshow. In addition, I am also scaling down my purchase, not just for toys but for everything else. Just last month, I decided that a new notebook computer is not required and bum it off my list of waiting-to-be-purchased items. I have also put off upgrading to a bigger and better LCD TV for the home. And when it comes to toys, I have decided that I will not be purchasing all the following and have promptly cancelled my pre-orders :
1. All Iron Man figures
2. Bruce Lee PF
3. Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander 12-inch Figures
4. Ki-Adi Mundi 12-inch Figure
5. Stormtrooper and Darth Vader 12-inch Figures
6. Dog Alien 12-inch Figure
7. BR Joker, Tumbler and Batpod
And also, a planned-holiday trip to Tokyo in Apr 09 has been substituted with a booked-holiday trip to Bali instead. Using free air miles for the air tickets saved me a lot and I only need to pay for the hotel.
It may not influence purchases per se, but for international buyers it may influence who you buy from. Sterlings weakness effectively means a 22% price increase for all SS products for UK buyers. This means that it is now often cheaper to source items in the UK. My guess is that any further currency drops and buyers will start to cancel more and more pre-order items with the exclusives being the last to go.
Alice Adrenochrome
Super Freak
Exactly. I've never bought as many collectibles from other sources than over the last half year. Before that, practically everything I bought was ordered from Sideshow. The crisis is changing that though, I'm afraid. I may be hard on Sideshow, but at least they where sure to get my money. And I want good stuff for my money.
Josette
Super Freak
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It definitely will. It already has to a small extent. But I'm also wanting to get my own place next year, so that's a big factor, too. I don't plan on quitting, but I'm definitely going to be way more selective and slow down.
sladesuperagent
Mine's bigger.
When you do get to Tokyo, hit up the Manderake (or Mandrake) toy stores--a really nice used toy store chain that has many things below retail. A Tokyo toy buying trip is a must for any Asian toy collector.
HowMuch
Freakalicious
My 'Samaritan' order might be my last for a bit the weak £ vs $ is just going to make things just to expensive.
My premium format Indy and Alien Pile orders might have to go.
My premium format Indy and Alien Pile orders might have to go.
galactiboy
OT Preferist
Mandrake was such a fun place to shop at 
I think I found 3 different ones while I was over there.
I think I found 3 different ones while I was over there.
Darth Madden
You Are A Tooooooy!!!
Other than my 401k being in the toilet it really hasn't effected me.... YET. Gas is way down and I don't think I am at risk of losing my job. I am still being careful about what I buy though... just to be safe.
I have just cancelled $2000 worth of pre-orders from the US and re-ordered with UK suppliers- only PF Terminator EX and IM Comiquette EX remain. Really did not want to do this but weak sterling means I save enough to buy another couple of statues.
wax murderer
Super Freak
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The global econ crisis is not bothering me; my own is what's biting me.
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bonedaddy77
Super Freak
it's not slowing me down...I'll just pay off everything when the economy turns around
oil is in the mid 60 and gasoline premium is at $3.30. The last time oil was at mid 60, the consumer was only paying 2.xx something. WTF.
It's nice to see DOW hitting 900 today. Now, we need about 10 more of these within 3 months to build some consumer confidence. Since 50% of the economy is based on consumer spending, I hope we can build the economy back in the US.
The US economy is what drives the global economy!
It's nice to see DOW hitting 900 today. Now, we need about 10 more of these within 3 months to build some consumer confidence. Since 50% of the economy is based on consumer spending, I hope we can build the economy back in the US.
The US economy is what drives the global economy!
toystales
Super Freak
Thanks for the info! My company is sending me to Tokyo for 2 weeks in June 09 for training and I should have time over the weekends to shop around a bit. Now I know where to start my toy hunt. :chew
I don't know if it'll affect me or not. The weekend just gone I asked Toys2 to charge me for every single preorder I have with them because the euro kept decreasing in worth against the dollar and everything was getting more expensive by the day. So charge me they have and I'm going to owe an absolute fortune on my incoming visa bill. But today I find that all my prices have suddenly gone back to what they were. So I could now be paying more for it all, having asked them to charge me for them just the other day, than I would be had they charged me for them today. This is really annoying. I don't know if I'll be able to keep ordering hot toys.
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