Have we ever asked why the price increase?

[Lady Jaye]

Has anyone asked why GI JOE is now on the same price range as Star Wars?? I mean sure plastic has gone up, but since GI JOE is in house, meaning it's their creation and owe no royalties to anyone, shouldn't the prices reflect that, like it used to?? Or are the stores just upping the price because they see no difference, even though they probably pay less for the Joe brand??? Just curious!

 

One of the main reasons I have backed off this line tremendously!! That and the repaints!! However the new Mutt and Junkyard are things of beauty and I must have them!! But I sure wish I was paying the old price when they came out, it was real nice to pay so low for figures again!!

[MUNDO]

Yeah, the prices are creeping up to the price I used to pay when living in Puerto Rico. When everyone was here playing $5 for a Joe, I was paying $8+

 

The only thing I could think of that would effect the price of Joes is the extra articulation and the addition of the metal parts (screws and t-bar). Petroleum costs no doubt played some part in the increase though.

[lldjslim]

We all know that the price of oil has gone up, so that has a domino effect on everything. Higher oil prices = higher cost for materials and higher transportation cost to get the product to where it is going.

 

The stores order cases from Hasbro. Hasbro sets an MSRP on its products. So that means that the stores can sell for ever price they want to charge the consumer. I remeber when these GI Joe figures first hit the stores. I'll use Wal-mart and Target as an example.

 

At Wal-Mart they started out at $4.88, then they increased to $5.44 and now $6.84 is Wal-Marts new standard price. Target on the other hand started out at $5.99, then they incresed to $6.84, then they went up to $7.99 while Wal-mart was still at $6.84. Now Target cut back to $6.84 on single packs I guess to remain competive w/ Wal-Mart but increases the prices on there comic packs to $10.99.

 

You see this just goes to show you that Hasbro has no control over what its customers charge. Its the stores, they can sell for whatever prices they want. Just like in the ebay/scalper market, the sellers are free to charge at whatever price they want to charge.

 

And rumor has it that the prices of joes will increase again to $8.99 in 2009.

[Lady Jaye]

If that's the case then see you later GI JOE. While I really like the line, I won't be paying that much for such a small lil figure!!

[Lady Jaye]

If that's the case then see you later GI JOE. While I really like the line, I won't be paying that much for such a small lil figure!!

[Neutron]

If that's the case then see you later GI JOE. While I really like the line, I won't be paying that much for such a small lil figure!!

 

Yeah. I'm with you there.

 

We're getting to the point as well where we have or we will be getting most of the characters that I want. I might poke my head back in occasionally for a Low Light or a KeelHaul, but with characters I never cared about or thought they were outright stupid (Yeah. YOU, Chuckles) now on the horizon, I definitely see myself being VERY selective with what comes out especially for almost ten bucks per figure.

[Tenric]

Part of the increase has to do with supply and demand. Last year when everyone was buying Joes like crazy for five bucks a pop they couldn't keep in in stock, so they ordered a lot more and increased the prices.

[Jmacq1]

If that's the case then see you later GI JOE. While I really like the line, I won't be paying that much for such a small lil figure!!

 

So are you getting out of toy collecting altogether? It's not like there are many cheaper alternatives out there when it comes to the smaller-scale action figures.

 

Prices go up over time. Stuff doesn't cost the same now as it did in the 80's. 10 years from now they'll probably be higher still. It's a fact of economics.

[gscbr]

Economies of Scale. the more you produce, the lower each unit costs. in case you haven't noticed, Star Wars is made in a greater quantity than Joe, so that reduces the cost per unit. you can't just hang on a factor like licensing as if it is the only influence on price.

[Lady Jaye]

If that's the case then see you later GI JOE. While I really like the line, I won't be paying that much for such a small lil figure!!

 

So are you getting out of toy collecting altogether? It's not like there are many cheaper alternatives out there when it comes to the smaller-scale action figures.

 

Don't know yet! I mean I've seriously cut back on stuff I buy!

 

For example the DCUC line, I'm only getting the core characters and core villains, nothing else!!

Star Wars I've cutten back to nothing. I just got tired of the re-paints and what not. Plus when I saw one of my most requested figures, Bane Malar made into a shrimpo, I was like screw this!

GI JOE, the rehashes and failed first attempts only to get a better version later got to me! Also I would have loved brand new vehicles with my figures!

 

It all boils down to getting what I like and nothing else!! I used to collect entire lines, but that is long past me!! Only what I like! For example, I picked up Acid Storm and Tankor from the Transformers line, and that'll probably the only thing I get!!

[Wheeljack35]

Has anyone asked why GI JOE is now on the same price range as Star Wars?? I mean sure plastic has gone up, but since GI JOE is in house, meaning it's their creation and owe no royalties to anyone, shouldn't the prices reflect that, like it used to?? Or are the stores just upping the price because they see no difference, even though they probably pay less for the Joe brand??? Just curious!

 

One of the main reasons I have backed off this line tremendously!! That and the repaints!! However the new Mutt and Junkyard are things of beauty and I must have them!! But I sure wish I was paying the old price when they came out, it was real nice to pay so low for figures again!!

 

 

Right now the Joe figures are cheaper then the Star Wars figures

[Jaxxon327]

Yeah, and Target has them on sale as well.

[Wheeljack35]

No there marked down

 

That isn't a sale

[Jaxxon327]

Close enough!

[Goldbug]

They had something on the news on why we were still paying high prices for everything else while gas prices are going down.

The short answer is that the prices never go down unless there is a price war.

I think the companies just get greedy & leave the high prices.

If they do go up to $8.99 I will be quiting. I have already stopped collecting Star Wars figures & Transformers. Whenever SW figures hit above $5 I stopped buying them. Heck once you open them up they don't even hold their value anymore. Loose SW figures are worth $3 or less. Only the rarer ones are worth anything anymore.

[hoganvibe]

I have a feeling that the price of GI Joe is about the same as Star Wars because someone at Hasbro said "why not?".

[HossT]

If there weren't repaints and every line had a new molds and didn't reuse anything, the cost of the Joes would be much much higher. Repaints keep Hasbro making money on figures that they don't have to spend a fortune on thus giving them enough money to make more new figs for people like you.

[RedKat]

the reason the prices are going up is that were the toys are made the factory is closing heres the link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081019/ap_on_...na_factory_woes

A major factory was shut down, employing 7,000 people, their clients were Hasbro and Mattel. Good luck in finding a lot of toys for Christmas.

[hamsterboy]

I guess you won't be buying from Hasbro Toy Shop any time soon.

[CaptainTriumph]

the reason the prices are going up is that were the toys are made the factory is closing heres the link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081019/ap_on_...na_factory_woes

A major factory was shut down, employing 7,000 people, their clients were Hasbro and Mattel. Good luck in finding a lot of toys for Christmas.

Nice article. I'm not sure what I sould say about the worker complaining about us(the United States) for taking food off their plates. I guess I could say it was payback for exposing my children to lead in their toys! Or I could ignore the whole thing and buy some more figures...

[Magic 8 Ball]

Heck once you open them up they don't even hold their value anymore. Loose SW figures are worth $3 or less. Only the rarer ones are worth anything anymore.

Well, are you collecting because you like having toys to play with (in whatever manner you prefer), or because you want the MOC resale value? You really can't have it both ways here. Loose collecting isn't about resale value.

 

Actually, collecting in general isn't about resale value, as selling goes against the idea of having it... but one thing at a time.

[gojira77]

Economies of Scale. the more you produce, the lower each unit costs. in case you haven't noticed, Star Wars is made in a greater quantity than Joe, so that reduces the cost per unit. you can't just hang on a factor like licensing as if it is the only influence on price.

 

Everyone should listen to this guy, he know's what he's talking about. You could just as argue why we're getting a price break on Luke Skywalkers.

[wolverine2281]

They had something on the news on why we were still paying high prices for everything else while gas prices are going down.

The short answer is that the prices never go down unless there is a price war.

I think the companies just get greedy & leave the high prices.

If they do go up to $8.99 I will be quiting. I have already stopped collecting Star Wars figures & Transformers. Whenever SW figures hit above $5 I stopped buying them. Heck once you open them up they don't even hold their value anymore. Loose SW figures are worth $3 or less. Only the rarer ones are worth anything anymore.

I guess the obvious answer is to buy the loose ones for cheap then @poke2@

[Goldbug]

Heck once you open them up they don't even hold their value anymore. Loose SW figures are worth $3 or less. Only the rarer ones are worth anything anymore.

Well, are you collecting because you like having toys to play with (in whatever manner you prefer), or because you want the MOC resale value? You really can't have it both ways here. Loose collecting isn't about resale value.

 

Actually, collecting in general isn't about resale value, as selling goes against the idea of having it... but one thing at a time.

 

Well Hasbro likes to stick me with the worthless figures when they make better updates. @grumpy@

[Magic 8 Ball]

Heck once you open them up they don't even hold their value anymore. Loose SW figures are worth $3 or less. Only the rarer ones are worth anything anymore.

Well, are you collecting because you like having toys to play with (in whatever manner you prefer), or because you want the MOC resale value? You really can't have it both ways here. Loose collecting isn't about resale value.

 

Actually, collecting in general isn't about resale value, as selling goes against the idea of having it... but one thing at a time.

 

Well Hasbro likes to stick me with the worthless figures when they make better updates. @grumpy@

Oh, is that the issue? I've found two wonderful uses for those guys:

 

1: Vehicular filler: I display my figures and vehicles on separate shelves. I also don't army build vehicles, so when Clutch goes over to the figure shelf to join his buds, someone needs to drive the VAMP. Hi there, sixth Snake Eyes- guess what duty you just pulled! Additionally, sometimes you want to fill that extra seat or three, or the vehicle needs a guy to man the gun. I strip the weapons to go on those who come under-prepared, and 'soldier up' those otherwise undermanned vehicles.

 

2: Custom fodder: Make that character you've always wanted, or the character Hasbro hasn't/won't get around to, or a version of the character you want to see (arctic looks have been in this year), or an original character, etc. Take a cue from some of the awesome customizers here and get the job done.

 

Best part is... you can do both. Pop the fodder into the vehicles, pull them out to use when you need/want them.

 

I'll grant that this may seem condescending, but that's not my point at all. I complain about useless repeat/apology figures that leave me with stuff I don't want all the time. My point is that even in those, you can find some redeeming value.