Any other Aussie ultimate completionists tapping out?

[YeehawMan]

When the ultimate line came out there was a good time between releases and each figure was priced at $70, which was doable with there not being so many constant releases, but now it’s becoming near impossible

Target and Walmart exclusives cost between $120-$150 each, releases have doubled, RSC now have exclusives, there’s chases which are $150, Mattel Creations has releases, SDCC too

Mattel has made it near impossible for people in Australia to buy all of these without going broke, there’s only 2 people in the entire country that sell all of the releases and they both price gouge, select retailers only carry very limited amount of releases, it’s at the point where it’s becoming impossible to be a completionist

[rkmo: Autonomous Meat Shield]

I'm about done, and I'm just an American poor.

[Deleted]

Jan 16, 2024 22:16:51 GMT -5 rkmo: Autonomous Meat Shield said:

I'm about done, and I'm just an American poor.

rkmo: Poor Over Success ❤️

[Deleted]

What makes them so expensive? Shipping from the states to Australia?

[YeehawMan]

Jan 16, 2024 22:47:13 GMT -5 @twistedone22388 said:

What makes them so expensive? Shipping from the states to Australia?

Exchange rate, shipping, limited amount of people who sell them

The Walmart and target ones are just the sellers price gouging, there’s no way a Brock Lesnar or Eddie Guerrero ultimate should cost $150

$70 should be the standard for every ultimate, when you factor in exchange rate/shipping, anything about that is just bs

I’m hoping Mattel steps in and makes it easier for us to get these at affordable prices and kill off the scalpers who essentially have free reign

[Vamp55]

Still in at the moment, I don’t have Target Rock and Walmart Brock at the moment… completely up to date with those exceptions.

I’m going to try and maintain it for this coming year, but at some point, I’ll probably give up completing them.

[Deleted]

Jan 16, 2024 23:03:49 GMT -5 YeehawMan said:

Jan 16, 2024 22:47:13 GMT -5 @twistedone22388 said:

What makes them so expensive? Shipping from the states to Australia?

Exchange rate, shipping, limited amount of people who sell them

The Walmart and target ones are just the sellers price gouging, there’s no way a Brock Lesnar or Eddie Guerrero ultimate should cost $150

$70 should be the standard for every ultimate, when you factor in exchange rate/shipping, anything about that is just bs

I’m hoping Mattel steps in and makes it easier for us to get these at affordable prices and kill off the scalpers who essentially have free reign

So hypothetically, if scalpers weren’t an issue… between shipping and exchange rate, they’d be about $70 USD? How much is shipping from US to Australia?

[YeehawMan]

Jan 16, 2024 23:08:59 GMT -5 @twistedone22388 said:

Jan 16, 2024 23:03:49 GMT -5 YeehawMan said:

Exchange rate, shipping, limited amount of people who sell them

The Walmart and target ones are just the sellers price gouging, there’s no way a Brock Lesnar or Eddie Guerrero ultimate should cost $150

$70 should be the standard for every ultimate, when you factor in exchange rate/shipping, anything about that is just bs

I’m hoping Mattel steps in and makes it easier for us to get these at affordable prices and kill off the scalpers who essentially have free reign

So hypothetically, if scalpers weren’t an issue… between shipping and exchange rate, they’d be about $70 USD? How much is shipping from US to Australia?

It’s roughly $55 for the figure, $15 for shipping in Australian currency. If I were to buy the latest set of ultimates from ringside, they would be about $70 each. Ultimates in the U.S are between $30-35 which works out to be around $55AUD, I’ve never gotten an ultimate for that price

[Deleted]

Jan 16, 2024 23:17:24 GMT -5 YeehawMan said:

Jan 16, 2024 23:08:59 GMT -5 @twistedone22388 said:

So hypothetically, if scalpers weren’t an issue… between shipping and exchange rate, they’d be about $70 USD? How much is shipping from US to Australia?

It’s roughly $55 for the figure, $15 for shipping in Australian currency. If I were to buy the latest set of ultimates from ringside, they would be about $70 each. Ultimates in the U.S are between $30-35 which works out to be around $55AUD, I’ve never gotten an ultimate for that price

No luck in seeing if someone can get them in the states and ship them to you, while you cover all costs, fees and shipping?

[Biff Slamkovich™]

Not Australian (I'm Canadian) but no retailer has carried UE figures in this country since Series 3. SERIES 3.

So our only choice is to import from the US via Amazon or drive over the border if we want figures for retail price. Amazon US's selection can be good at times but it's bad sometimes too.

Amazon Canada carries UE figures but they're rarely at retail price which is $49.99 CAD.

[Ministry of Darkness]

I only collect the ones I want and I'm from Australia too. But anyone who is are completionist, it's going to be a very expensive exercise.

[bige]

I’m in Australia I gave up years ago not just ultimates any thing nothing big w Kmart toy stores the only thing that sticks now is target

[SteveHulk]

As a fellow international collector, it is pretty difficult... even regular/main-line UEs are £45-£50 (approx. $63 USD).

I was going to try and collect every UE... but with the price and difficulty getting them, I'm just sticking with Legends and current A-listers.

[mcfclee]

Im in Australia and im not a completionist but im definitely pre ordering less than I have in 5 years. They shipping going up and TJ satrying prices creeping up had got me waiting more than ever.

[Path 2 Glory]

Would it be cheaper if a member here bought said Ultimate and then shipped to someone in Australia? What would that price look like in American? Curious bc I usually ship figures once or twice a month already to friends around the states. Obviously that is a much different price range we're talking. Just looking to see if some of us would be able to help bc I know RSC has some of the worst shipping rates ever.

Basically asking if we did it dollar for dollar without trying to make a profit, would it be cheaper than using RSC for one person in USA to ship to another person in AU?

[DaFlo]

Retail in EU is horrible, this how our only toy store looks like.


Everything needs to be imported nowadays. Seems like the whole market has died down. Very interesting to see for me since I feel like I can currently pick up a lot of stuff that was released 5-10 years ago at a reasonable price because people became older and needed space/sold their stuff. I have seen this once but a consequence of that was that almost every early Elite skyrocketed and scalpers were getting all the Legends in Elite lines. Prices from a couple of years seem low in my opinion compared to early Elite series prices.

[Papi Joker]

the thing that always gets me as an Aussie collector...

We are paying for toys to travel around the world... they are made in China (basically 'up the road to us') they get sent to USA to get handled, then we order and pay further shipping to us... planes, trains and delivery vans...

How do they not go "yeah there aren't as many people down there but the shipping cost will also be less if we supply directly from factory".

luckily we have Amazon and even though their sales are not as good as they were, they are legit the best option.

the online stores have to mark up the price x3 so they can cover the cost of shipping and end up with a profit.

K-mart and Target are merging so hopefully they try to supply again, I also blame kids for not watching violence on TV and demanding the toys but instead just watching YouTubes of ppl playing with toys

[theghost]

Jan 17, 2024 15:27:44 GMT -5 Path 2 Glory said:

Would it be cheaper if a member here bought said Ultimate and then shipped to someone in Australia? What would that price look like in American? Curious bc I usually ship figures once or twice a month already to friends around the states. Obviously that is a much different price range we're talking. Just looking to see if some of us would be able to help bc I know RSC has some of the worst shipping rates ever.

Basically asking if we did it dollar for dollar without trying to make a profit, would it be cheaper than using RSC for one person in USA to ship to another person in AU?

I think it would be cheaper - to a degree. I know a few people in the Facebook groups I'm in have an American buddy who helps them out. But I think people underestimate international shipping costs. For example, my wife sent 2 A4 sized calendars to the UK a couple of weeks ago and it cost her AU$30 (US$20) for each one to post. It's pretty crazy. If anyone watches Retroblasting, you might remember Michael French was trying to ship the Hasbro Pulse Jabba's Palace sail barge (which admittedly is a huge box) to Australia and ended up flying over with the parcel himself as it was more cost effective that going through post.

I think the retailers would get better shipping options as they are a business than any individual would, but even still it adds onto the cost significantly. General rule of thumb always has been take the US price, pretend it's Australian money and then double it, and that would be the rough price to ship something here (eg. if it was US$50 before shipping, expect it to be around AU$100 with shipping). But that's blowing out now as prices have gone up and up for postage.

We do have some Australian online retailers, but it would seem like they just buy directly from Ringside and then add on an amount to profit. So Elites become around AU$70-80 through these stores, Ultimates a lot more and exclusives - well, take out a bank loan. But people will use them as it's just easy for some to just pay and not worry about hunting around. But yeah, no way I'm building my collecting at those prices.

Then there's Chinese sellers. I know of one online retailer for this and one eBay store, but it's generally loose older stuff and the prices with shipping still suck. The eBay store seems to drip feed quite a bit, I think they have a good handle on what is hot (CM Punk returns - get those Supreme figures out at a jacked up price but only 1 or 2, then drip feed them as people get FOMO).

Retail here is absolutely abysmal. I know it's similar world wide, but if it's crap in the US, worse in Europe and Canada, it'll be even worse here. Mattel's distribution is absolutely deplorable.

Jan 17, 2024 15:57:57 GMT -5 DaFlo said:

Retail in EU is horrible, this how our only toy store looks like.


Everything needs to be imported nowadays. Seems like the whole market has died down. Very interesting to see for me since I feel like I can currently pick up a lot of stuff that was released 5-10 years ago at a reasonable price because people became older and needed space/sold their stuff. I have seen this once but a consequence of that was that almost every early Elite skyrocketed and scalpers were getting all the Legends in Elite lines. Prices from a couple of years seem low in my opinion compared to early Elite series prices.

If I saw that level of stock in Australia, it would be an absolute goldmine, believe me! There's only 3 retail stores who stock WWE figures here:
- Target: very small toy section and it's a crapshoot with Elites/Basics, we get lucky periods with stuff like Greatest Hits 2, won't get every wave of Elite and if we do get a wave it may be blink and you miss it or just overstocked like Elite 93 with half of the wave only)
- Toyworld: franchise toystore that is incredibly full of stuff you get can get cheaper elsewhere and minimal action figure range. Basically will probably get what Target get anyway only for more but might get it a bit earlier if you're lucky.
- Toymate: seems to be a hybrid of getting new stuff and then supplementing their range with factory overstock/clearance stuff. So you could be looking at a brand new, full priced wave of something (rarely WWE mind you) next to a thousand poop covered Mandalorians discounted to $12. My local Toymate solely has about a dozen basic and Elite funhouse Bray Wyatts, a few basic Scarletts and about 3 AEW Penelope Fords. All at over RRP.

So then there's Amazon I guess, but right now I look at figures being sold there for at best AU$50 for an Elite, but usually more around the $70/80 mark, and plenty above that. Ultimates, as has been stated, looking at over $100. If you're patient or check at the right times, you can find certain figures here and there at good prices.

Basically, as an Australian, if you're a completionist, then money surely means nothing to you, so more power to you there. If you're not and are savvy, you can amass a decent collection, but you really have to pick your moments and put some effort in. I've missed out on plenty but have worked hard to procure plenty as well. It's part of the hobby to me (and I'm on the west coast of Australia, we get far less stock than east coast does) and if you can't enjoy it then you don't enjoy the hobby. But if you can get into the practice, you'll find things here and there you might not have if you just set and forget as a buyer. You get lucky sometimes, other times not so much, but you learn and adapt (well, at least I do). See what is must have now and what can wait and what you can live without (eg. is there a big market for a Legends Miss Hancock as opposed to the Headshrinkers? No, you prioritise the Headshrinkers and pay a bit more, and get Miss Hancock when someone clearances her or you live without). It's not an exact science, but I collect a lot of different lines and it's not difficult to work out what will be hot and what will be not (plus my tastes, outside of the occasional, tend to skew general mainstream, so if I really want something then I know the majority will also).

Still, it's a waiting game and never exact as I said. I still haven't bought Ultimate Seth because a) I've got a Seth in my collection, I tend to only buy different era looks and even then it's for older wrestlers; b) never seen him for a decent asking price. I picked up Ultimate Andre though, even though I had the Heenan family set Andre, Giant Machine, 70s Andre... because a) it's Andre, he's a legend, and gave me the option to kinda get a 2 for 1 by switching an extra head to the Heenan pack Andre (even though I loose the mutton chops, it's a much more realistic/less cartoony look now and I can customise mutton chops if I wasn't so lazy). Also gave me the Andre shirt for my Giant Machine Andre who I'd already used as WM2 Andre anyway with some swapped boots. Just completes the look for me a bit more. Just need another big body to kitbash Giant Machine again Anyways, I digress, but you get the picture!

I think, as a collector, have fun and think about your collection and you get more out of it. I feel some tend to just buy, buy, buy, gotta have 'em all and it becomes and obligation. Inevitably they don't enjoy it and at some point hit the brakes and sell up. And I guess that's where collectors like myself can benefit, but more and more it's difficult to buy off these people as they tend to either want to sell in bulk or not lose money on their investment and the prices aren't worth it anyway.

[YeehawMan]

Jan 16, 2024 23:19:31 GMT -5 @twistedone22388 said:

Jan 16, 2024 23:17:24 GMT -5 YeehawMan said:

It’s roughly $55 for the figure, $15 for shipping in Australian currency. If I were to buy the latest set of ultimates from ringside, they would be about $70 each. Ultimates in the U.S are between $30-35 which works out to be around $55AUD, I’ve never gotten an ultimate for that price

No luck in seeing if someone can get them in the states and ship them to you, while you cover all costs, fees and shipping?

If someone could quote me how much it would cost I’d be down

[Papi Joker]

Jan 17, 2024 15:27:44 GMT -5 Path 2 Glory said:

Would it be cheaper if a member here bought said Ultimate and then shipped to someone in Australia? What would that price look like in American? Curious bc I usually ship figures once or twice a month already to friends around the states. Obviously that is a much different price range we're talking. Just looking to see if some of us would be able to help bc I know RSC has some of the worst shipping rates ever.

Basically asking if we did it dollar for dollar without trying to make a profit, would it be cheaper than using RSC for one person in USA to ship to another person in AU?

Absolutely this happens all the time, but personally I would not accept it for nothing, I would always 'tip' the guy for his efforts, since I would rather give them extra than any online retailer.
The shipping part, luckily I am a Lose collector - occasionally MOC/MIB but that's when the price starts going up, and it is a hassle man, you have to fill out forms, as well as, if you are really cool about it you wanna find the cheapest option to send right? It is a hassle but! you end up making some really special friends, and from time to time stuff shows up here first that won't up there (so we return the favour).

Amazon has sales, the prices for everything has gone up anyways. $50AUD/$32USD per elite is reasonable imo, they do get down further eventually, FEAR OF MISSING OUT is the most expensive thing though.
So besides understanding the price as a collector you have to know the demand and if it's really worth it to get it asap or wait.

Being a completionist to me means 1 of 2 things - you are either very wealthy or you are single and child/mortgage less. 

The ones that truly hurt as stated before are the store exclusives.

But THEY know man, they know it is adults collecting not kids now and they take us to the bank laughing.