On collecting and selling...

Just a few brief thoughts, as I'm on the road this week. I'll have some photos up, with the requisite yarns- a stop in Chicago yielded a visit to Rotofugi, and a neat little chat with Kirby and Whitney.

Recently I've noticed that sale prices for RealxHead toys have been going up on 'that forum'- way, way up. I guess the RxH inflation phenomenon is nothing new for those of us on the ground, but it's getting kinda out of hand. I'm talking about the jacked-up prices for the S7 RxH figures, some of the not-so-new Chaoses (like the black-and-gold and the metallic red-and-blue ones that I didn't particularly like), and even things that sat around forever-and-ever before the boom (Astro Zombies Chaos and Ramune set). Not to point fingers, but I've seen the Fungus Mutant Chaos get put out for over $200 on more than one occasion recently, and the other aforementioned figures go for easily $90+ a piece. I mean, shit, I've even seen at least one RFSO Galtan sold. Weren't those "NEVER SELL, EVER"?? (not RxH, but I think the same principle is at work)

I mean, it's one thing if you missed out and overpaid on the aftermarket, but I suspect that a good number of us bought our figures through S7 at the retail price of $60-ish. In fact, some of them were S7 exclusives. From where I stand, it seems kind of like the older members who happened on the boat early are taking advantage of the 'noobs' amid the RxH craze. It's not really a case of 'flipping or not flipping,' but it's more like the sellers are pricing their items slightly below eBay auctions, and thereby keeping pace with market price (although, I think they are actually perpetuating and validating an artificial 'market price'). At any rate, it boils down to someone selling for more (sometimes a lot more) than he paid, simply because he can.

Which is fine if said seller can sleep with that at night (but really, 4 x retail... really?). But S7 dealt us a spade by making the connections, and getting us these killer RxH (and other) figures at U.S. retail. And to take it back and re-sell it on their own forums for an inflated price seems wrong to me. Like the rules say, if you want to get paid, take it to eBay- just don't do it on the forums and pass it off as RFSO just because you aren't totally looting the new kids.

Just my feelings. I've decided to vent them here, rather than piss all over someone's sale thread.

God, I'm grouchy tonight. I'll make a happier post next time, I promise.