The fallout of (Non)Reality Shows and toys.

[Hector]

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.

[MegoSteve]

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.

[monitor_ep]

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?