Note:

1. For the purposes of this discussion, "Multiple" refers to the exact same release of the same toy and not different releases of the same toy/mould. e.g. RtS Deluxe Bumblebee is NOT a multiple of Classics Bumblebee, it's an entirely different toy even though it's a straight-up repaint.

2. We are assuming that the scarce/uncommon/rare toys being discussed here are also in high demand. So we're not talking about rare variants with low demand. Note that commonality and demand can vary in different regions, for example RtS Windcharger was a very common pegwarmer in Australia, but I've heard that he was hard to find in North America. So let's just go with whatever toy is scarce/rare for you (in your region).

3. Please only participate in this thread if you intend on making constructive contributions to the discussion. If you don't like this sort of discussion, just click your browser's "Back" button and walk away.

 

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HOW OFTEN DO YOU BUY MULTIPLES?

This thread only allows for one poll, so here's a secondary poll that people can "manually" answer by posting their responses.

 

How often do you buy multiples?

* Always

* Often

* Sometimes

* Rarely

* Never

 

For me my choice would be "Rarely." Very very rarely.

 

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Don't you hate it when you can't find a toy that's supposed to be a common retail release?

 

Does it ever irk you when you see other collectors who boast about having dozens of the same toy that you've been wasting time and fuel trying to hunt down in stores?

 

Should collectors be considerate of other fellow collectors and avoid buying lots of the same scarce or rare toys for themselves or is it just every man for himself?

 

----------| The Story of Generations Scourge |----------

There have been some toys which have been hell hard for me to find this year, these include: Generations Tracks (I got the United version instead), RtS Grappel (got United), Generations Kup (found one at retail while overseas), Generations Scourge (found one at retail while overseas), Generations Wheeljack (got United) and Frenzy/Rumble - whom I've NEVER been able to find in stores, either domestically or abroad. I've seen them in online stores, but at stupid inflated prices which I refuse to pay.

 

So anyway, Scourge was one of those toys that I could never find locally even after much hunting. In the end I found him while toy hunting overseas - and even then, at a specialist collectors store (although I did find him in some regular retailers later). After returning home, I found all these Generations figures (including Thundercracker) at my local Kmart! Har! And they were pretty cheap too. Then a friend of mine comes along and he grabs Scourge. I said to him, "Don't you already have a dozen Scourges?" and he goes, "Fifteen." He had fifteen Scourges but he wanted a 16th one... and there were plenty of other local collectors who were complaining about how HARD it was for them to find this toy, including a mutual acquaintance of ours. So I suggested to him that he might want to contact our acquaintance and offer to get this toy for him - because he had none, and this guy had 15. He said no, he really wanted this 16th Scourge and tough biscuits to the guy without one. So a long discussion ensued in the action figure aisle after that... his only rationale was "army building"... I said, "sounds like greed to me," and he said, "It's army building. You wouldn't understand unless you're an army builder." Come on... even with army building as an excuse, you only have TWO hands... how many Scourges can a guy play with at the same time!? I could _not_ convince this guy to give up his dream of getting a 16th Scourge! Then his wife came along and she turned the tide! :D So he very, very reluctantly agreed to let me get this toy for our acquaintance.

 

So then afterwards I met up with the acquaintance and I handed the toy over to him. I've heard from someone else since then that that was his SECOND Scourge... I got the toy for him under the assumption that he didn't have any. The dude sounded desperate and he was pleading/begging people to help him find one... so I assumed he must have no had one to begin with. But I've heard rumours that it's not true, that he already had one and he was desperate for another!! Again - this is just a rumour so I don't know if it's true.

 

But I can't believe the sheer greed in some people - that they would be willing to grab more and more for themselves, even if they know that the toy is scarce and others are desperately looking for it!

 

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So what do you do when you find a scarce or rare toy in stores? Do you buy as many of them as you can? Do you just buy one? Do you buy none? Do you hide the toy and tell your other collector friends (to ensure that the toy ends up in the hands of a collector whom you know doesn't have it already - and hopefully not in the claws of a scalper)?

 

If the toy is fairly uncommon, I'll pass it up and tell my friends. If it's very scarce or rare, I might hide it and tell my friends, and one of them will come in and get it. :) Or sometimes if I have money to spare, I'll buy the toy and sell it to another collector, but at the same price that I paid for it (so I'm not making a profit) - usually I call them up while I'm at the aisle and say "Hey I've found XXXXX, do you want me to grab it for you?" -- likewise my friends will sometimes do the same for me.

 

And it's sometimes just toys that are hard to find in very local areas. For example after months and months of searching I couldn't find Generations Warpath anywhere. A friend of mine found some at his local Kmart and he called me and asked me if I'd liked him to get one for me, and I said yes. :) I paid him the same price that he paid for it. But yeah, I'm certainly not in the habit of hoarding lots of the same toy for myself, especially when it's rare...

I've only twice bought multiples.

 

The first was a Generations Scourge thing. I will admit that I bought two extras of him to use as the Sweeps. But only two extras, and even that involved a little debate in my head of, "Do I really need them?" The guy you know who was trying to get his sixteenth, he has some serious issues. Even if Scourges were pegwarming everywhere and everyone who wanted one had one, there is no need to have sixteen of the bloody things!

 

The second time was the following: I bought a second RTS Grappel when I finally saw them retail after I had spent months searching and finally broke down and had bought one on eBay. I haven't done so yet, but it is my intention to eventually sell the second one. Not a habbit I make, but I felt compelled to make an exception. And before anyone tries to make me feel guilty, Grappels seem a dime a dozen in my area now, and I don't plan to sell my extra for much more then what I paid on eBay for my first one. (It's kind of a recoup my losses thing.)

 

There are other ones I very deliberately did not buy extras of, such as some of the recent hard to find RTS Legends figures or Wreck-Gar. I saw them and said, "These are hard to find, I should leave them for someone else to find." Thanks to Reprolabels and their generic "Junkion" sticker sheet, I kind of regret not having an extra Wreck-Gar, though, and if I ever do see him again (although it seems unlikely) I may grab one. But I'm not making a deliberate search.

I rarely get multiples. Had to get a couple extra sweeps and a second Wreck-Gar for Wreck-Gar to ride. Two sets of preorders came in at the same time and I ended up with two sets of the Wheeljack/Warpath/TC wave. Every once in a while I will get a second Prime, but I can only think of two off hand, RTS and Generations.

Buying extra Scourge figures for sweeps is the one I'd make an exception for. It seems like everyone wants to make sweeps. Maybe Junkions to a lesser extent. Regardless, 16 of ANYTHING is just silly. Except maybe Eradicons and Autotroopers. Now that's army building.

Personally, I only buy "extras" for my children and friends/fellow collectors like Lord Onslaught or my brother Rex. Since they aren't going to be a part of my collection I don't consider them "extras" though.

On rare occasions I will buy an extra of a highly desirable figure and offer it on TFormers at cost plus shipping first come, first served. That's as close as I come to "extras".

I used to go after Basic G1 Insecticons but those days are mostly over. I don't aspire to get multiples of anything on purpose.

I've bought multiples numerous times, for various reasons.

 

1.) No choice: Mostly these are items where it's easier to buy by the case (I.E. Blindbox figures, Kabaya TF kits, BBTS bundles, etc.) than it is to track down individually.

 

2.)Rarity / Changes: During ROTF, I managed to find the JP deco Deadend and JP deco Breakaway in US packaging. I kept seeing them, so I kept grabbing them with intentions on selling on eBay. Never did get around to doing that, as my "mother-lode" of a find turned out to be a running change Hasbro was putting into place, so I ended up seeing the JP Deco everywhere. :lol I think I have four of each in the JP deco, and 1 of each in the original US deco.

 

3.)To make for all the times I've been looking for it.

 

4.)Kitbashing: I ended up doing this with Animated Snarl. I ended up coming up with so many kitbashing ideas for the mold, when the figure went on sale/clearance, I grabbed one(or more). I think I'm up to 12 to 14 Snarls. :lol

 

5.)Army building: Junkions and Scourges fall under this one. So far, I've only bought 2 Wreck-Gars (1 through BBTS, and the other local), and I think 3 Scourges (1 BBTS, 2 local).

 

That said, when I snatch up multiples of a figure locally, I usually try to do so when it looks like the line isn't moving, and just warming the shelves.

That said, when I snatch up multiples of a figure locally, I usually try to do so when it looks like the line isn't moving, and just warming the shelves.

If you wouldnt mind then, come around my area and pick up all the shelfwarmers please. lol

There are tons of GIJoe Dukes at my walmart and the same amount of Arctic Destros at my Target. I will gladly let you get those off the pegs for me.

I'll get them if I really...RRREEAAALLLY like the mold and character and am a bit cryptic obout the toy breaking and I don't have a copy of him as a stand in. I keep looking at Windcharger wishing that I could have found a double.

 

Or... If there's a few that are rare (which hasn't happened for me in a long while due to personal economy...) and wanted to keep it MSIB.

 

Damn you personal economy. I'll beat you yet! ^_^

 

I've bought multiples numerous times, for various reasons.

 

1.) No choice: Mostly these are items where it's easier to buy by the case (I.E. Blindbox figures, Kabaya TF kits, BBTS bundles, etc.) than it is to track down individually.

 

2.)Rarity / Changes: During ROTF, I managed to find the JP deco Deadend and JP deco Breakaway in US packaging. I kept seeing them, so I kept grabbing them with intentions on selling on eBay. Never did get around to doing that, as my "mother-lode" of a find turned out to be a running change Hasbro was putting into place, so I ended up seeing the JP Deco everywhere. :lol I think I have four of each in the JP deco, and 1 of each in the original US deco.

 

3.)To make for all the times I've been looking for it.

 

4.)Kitbashing: I ended up doing this with Animated Snarl. I ended up coming up with so many kitbashing ideas for the mold, when the figure went on sale/clearance, I grabbed one(or more). I think I'm up to 12 to 14 Snarls. :lol

 

5.)Army building: Junkions and Scourges fall under this one. So far, I've only bought 2 Wreck-Gars (1 through BBTS, and the other local), and I think 3 Scourges (1 BBTS, 2 local).

 

That said, when I snatch up multiples of a figure locally, I usually try to do so when it looks like the line isn't moving, and just warming the shelves.

 

 

I like the army building idea but can't bring myself to buy more Scourges ...maybe in a different color.

 

WISH I could find more Wrek Gars!

Ive only bought doubles of the Generations/Classic/Uni.Its my fav, plus....its a deluxe line.Affordable.

Got about 4 Scourges....had to do it. :tflaugh

I saw a technique in ToyFare magazine (back when it was still an actual paper magazine) for for making figures look aged and battle worn. Since everybody is making sweeps they should check it out. I'll see if I can find a link. The example he used was the Dr. Porkchop spaceship. It looked really nice!