Help support the Mego Museum
Help support the Mego Museum

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The fallout of (Non)Reality Shows and toys.

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • monitor_ep
    Talkative Member
    • May 11, 2013
    • 8814

    The fallout of (Non)Reality Shows and toys.

    Today I went to the big Flea Market in Houston and I walk out fuming mad. It the past I used to go in with $100 in cash. 50 in $1 and 50 in $5. I would normally spend it all there and walk out with bags full of toys for custom projects. This was before Toy Hunter, Storage Wars, Pawn Shop "Reality" shows were airing. Today I did the usally, brought my money and walked around looking for deals. I was shocked that this time over half of the places had toys. I thought this is going to a great day. Boy was I wrong. I stopped at the first booth and noticed there loose, beat up, scuffed up toys were $10 or higher each. I asked why are you high, they told me they watch the toy reality shows and figured it people are paying that much on tv people would do that around here. I told them, the condition they were in they would do good to get $1-2 each for the figures and I walked out.

    Ever booth I went to was saying the same thing. Prices that used to be a 25 cents are now $5. The figures that I used to get for $1 are now $10. I was afraid to ask for to ask for the bigger figures. By the time I got to the end of the the rows I had only bought 3 toys and 3 comics spending a total of $12. This was the worst day I have had at the Flea Market that has over 100 booths and everything was just WAY over priced. Now do not get me wrong I do not paying a fair deal for toys, but loose beat-up toys that are usually no older than 10 -5 years usually 1-2 years old is just not right.

    One kid had a Marvel Famous Cover Cyclops loose and well played with and he wanted $30 for him. I laughed to hard and told him good luck. Last year he had his own booth across from his mothers antique spot. This year they are in the same spot squeezed together.

    I just gave up, went back to the comic book store and decided right then and there I have no more desire to go back there to try and get a good deal. I will shop on the A*Mart and E*Mart (amazon & ebay). In the past few months I have been getting some great deals and that includes s/h. I just hope that this is just a phase right now, but I have strong feeling in my stomach that this will continue for some time.

    Is this just me or has anybody else notice that prices are going up at Flea Market and 2cd had stores?
    Visit my wiki site:

    Comic Books in the Media

    To view my custom works of both JLU and Megos go to:

    Monitor_EP Deviantart page

    Action Jackson Road Trip log
  • MegoSteve
    Superman's Pal
    • Jun 17, 2005
    • 4135

    #2
    I really don't think this is new. I haven't noticed the reality show effect around here (yet), but I have seen the kind of pricing you describe for a long time. As long as flea markets have been around, there have always been crazy sellers thinking they can get mint in box pricing for loose, beat up toys. Sellers just don't know any better and won't learn until they see they aren't selling anything... to me, that's the beauty of flea markets because guys like you and me know more about collectible values than the people selling there, and there's always some obscure bit of knowledge you have the seller won't.

    Comment

    • Hector
      el Hombre de Acero
      • May 19, 2003
      • 31852

      #3
      I don't watch Toy Hunter anymore.

      The host keeps increasing his "must" have toy sales quota...he was up to $45,000 or something last time I checked.

      That show is just about what you can get for profit (the history part is secondary), a real turnoff for me.

      Plus I hate that giant middle aged man dressed like a Boy Scout jumping up and down like an idiot in the opening segment. I just wanna slap him.

      Don't like Comic Book Men either.
      Last edited by Hector; Apr 12, '14, 8:44 PM.
      sigpic

      Comment

      • Mikey
        Verbose Member
        • Aug 9, 2001
        • 47258

        #4
        I don't watch Toy Hunter anymore because for me the newness wore off and now it's kinda stale.

        Last episode I watched was the Gene Simmons one -- PeeU

        BTW, it's not just Toy Hunter, I find it hard to watch any of these types of shows anymore.

        Comment

        • FETT1
          Veteran Member
          • Aug 4, 2012
          • 486

          #5
          PLUS Jordan seems to only cater to the RICH...RICH...RICH......

          SAD sad SAD
          if it AIN'T a toy..I DON'T WANT IT !!!

          Comment

          • Mikey
            Verbose Member
            • Aug 9, 2001
            • 47258

            #6
            I'd rather see a Toy TV show with no money estimates.

            I just want to see collections, info and stories.

            There's a show on RFD TV called Classic Tractor Fever --- I want a toy TV show just like that.

            Comment

            • kingdom warrior
              OH JES!!
              • Jul 21, 2005
              • 12478

              #7
              Anyone can ask for anything they want....it's a matter of the customer Knowing enough to know better. Sellers always ask for more as the consumer you better be ready to haggle and have price set on how much you won't spend on something. I haggle every toy that is new down at a flea market, that's bull if I pay a lot for something that has no value to it. If the seller doesn't want to bring the price down....especially on new junk just walk away, not worth it. i understand when it's vintage stuff, then they reserve the right to get something out of it.

              Comment

              • jwyblejr
                galactic yo-yo
                • Apr 6, 2006
                • 11147

                #8
                It was like that before these type of shows came along. One time a dealer had an item I knew to be worth only a dollar for $10. Another time there was one that was selling a Dr. Zaius without his boots for $30. Most figure if it's old it's worth more.

                Comment

                • FETT1
                  Veteran Member
                  • Aug 4, 2012
                  • 486

                  #9
                  BRING BACK A SHOW called "NEAT STUFF".....remember the show had some awesome finds ...unlike TOY HUNTER-ola ,I believe they only discussed collection ...NOT VALUES!.....me thinks..
                  if it AIN'T a toy..I DON'T WANT IT !!!

                  Comment

                  • kerowack
                    Career Member
                    • Feb 27, 2008
                    • 637

                    #10
                    Flea markets don't exist here, but I have a really cool antique shop in town where a bunch of vendors sell toys. They are, for the most part, reasonably priced and I've gotten some good deals there on a lot. But the best way to collect is to hawk ebay, hope for an auction that slips by the masses and nab it for cheap. Most of my collection has been bought for really cheap thanks to the bay. I picked up 19 Diamond select tng figures for 50 bucks last year and the data alone sells for that. My best score was every single Star Trek tos playmates figure with accessories for fifteen dollars shipped. The box was just stuffed with figures. Couldn't believe my luck. Same seller sold me like 50 tng figures complete for the same price.

                    Comment

                    • enyawd72
                      Maker of Monsters!
                      • Oct 1, 2009
                      • 7904

                      #11
                      I gave up on flea markets and toy shows a long time ago. They have always been and will continue to be a total crap shoot.
                      Most of them you have to pay just to get in, and you may or may not find anything. Usually the latter. If it weren't for Ebay I wouldn't even have a collection.
                      I can sit at my computer and find exactly what I want, in the condition I want, for the price I want, and do it all from the comfort of home.

                      Comment

                      • Mikey
                        Verbose Member
                        • Aug 9, 2001
                        • 47258

                        #12
                        One prob with bigger feamarkets is the reseller-buzzards.

                        When newbee's first come to the fleamarket to sell (before the fleamarket even opens) the buzzards come and buy up anything that's cheap and resellable.

                        That $3.00 box of toys suddenely becomes $10.00 apiece.

                        This happened to me.

                        I was totally bought out and leaving before the fleamarket even opened.

                        Whenever you go to a fleamarket or dirtmall and see something you like keep this in mind, you're probably haggling over something the dealer payed basically nothing for.

                        Comment

                        • firestarcomics
                          Museum Patron
                          • Jun 19, 2014
                          • 139

                          #13
                          I knew that shows like these would wear out their welcome mat.

                          Comment

                          • EmergencyIan
                            Museum Paramedic
                            • Aug 31, 2005
                            • 5470

                            #14
                            I read that it (Toy Hunter) has been cancelled by the Travel Channel.

                            - Ian
                            Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?

                            Comment

                            • torgospizza
                              Theocrat of Pan Tang
                              • Aug 19, 2010
                              • 2747

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Hector
                              Plus I hate that giant middle aged man dressed like a Boy Scout jumping up and down like an idiot in the opening segment. I just wanna slap him.
                              I think Toy Hunter's okay and watch it, but it's just so I can see the stuff--maybe catch a glimpse of something I'd forgotten ever existed. I have to admit, however, seeing the guy jumping up and down is the only time I ever laugh watching the show and I laugh every time. It's gotten to the point that if my brother's over, he watches me instead of the TV during that part. I can't help it--it's ridiculous.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              😀
                              🥰
                              🤢
                              😎
                              😡
                              👍
                              👎