This short guide explains what you need to know before buying your action figures, where you should look for them, the best places to buy your figures, and how to decide who to trust if you're ordering online.
1) Know Your Subject
Make sure you know which figures were made, when they were made, how many, the rare or "chase" figures, and how much they originally sold for and their going price now.
Most of this information is available on the manufacturer's websites.
The best and quickest way to find out a figures "selling price" is by doing an advance search on eBay for completed auctions.
You will then be able to get a list of all auctions for that item that have finished within your chosen time period, how many bids they had and the price they sold for.
Please note though that there are several other factors to be taken into account here, e.g. the category they were listed in, the item description, quality and the "sales ad" or "copy".
Also eBay is very much a "buyers" market, meaning that the prices achieved for items are generally a lot lower than retail.
2) Popular Doesn't Always = Valuable
Many people are under the false impression that the more popular an action figure is then the more valuable it will be; however this is often NOT the case.
A prime example was the Moore Action Collectibles series 1 Buffy The Vampire Slayer Action figures which had six Buffy figures, three Angels, two Willows and only one Giles per case.
So which sold for the most?
Buffy right?
WRONG!
The Giles and Willow figures became the most sought after and began selling for anything up to $30 each!
And Buffy?
Well she was being "dumped" for a mere dollar!
Why?
Simple because of the old Supply vs Demand rule.
Remember there were 6 TIMES more Buffy figures than Giles.
The moral of this story:
Be Careful with what you're buying and know you're market.
3) What Should I Consider Before I Decide Where To Buy My Action Figures?
There are several different factors that will ultimately influence where you buy from and how much you will pay, so we'll look at these first then where to buy.
New or Secondhand?
Before you jump to decisions and decide on only buying new figures first think about what you are going to do with your action figure.
For example if you are going to customize it (more on customizing later) then you would be wasting your money buying a new figure.
Production Quantities:
Most mass produced figures will be readily available from your local high street stores such as Toys R Us, Wal-Mark, Woolworths, K-mart, EB, Gamestop etc.
Limited production figures on the other hand are generally sold in specialist stores such as Forbidden Planet and local comic book shops.
Quantities
As with most things the more you buy the greater your bargaining power and the better your chances of negotiating a bigger discount.
Rarity:
The rarity of the action figure you are looking for will not only influence where you buy it from but also the price you are likely to have to pay for it.
5) Where to Buy Your Action Figures From
There are many different places you can go to buy your action figures and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
High Street Stores: You're first and best place for buying any mass produced action figures.
Specialist Stores: Good for your "niche" market action figures, short production runs, and exclusives. Generally more expensive but you will usually get better and more individual service.
Car Boot & Garage Sales: Excellent places for finding bargains but generally any action figures found here are likely to be in poor condition, but great for spare parts, accessories or loose figure to use for customizing.
Online Shops/Stores: Excellent value and generally good service and most items can be pre-ordered. However shipping cost can be prohibitive and you need to choose your supplier carefully.
Collectors Fairs and Comic Cons: An excellent place to find any exclusives or action figures missing from your collection and to find out the latest news and gossip.
Magazines and Newspapers: Make sure you check the classified section regularly, you'll be surprised by what you can pick up at bargain prices.
Government Auctions/Local Auctions: These are held regularly to sell off any goods seized by customs, VAT Inspectors or bankruptcy. There are many bargains to be found at local and government auctions as they are generally not advertized and few people know about them
Online Auctions:
Dealing with online stores or auction sites brings its own unique set of problems and dangers and can be a minefield BUT they can also be a very good resources.
6) Who Do You Trust?
The biggest problem with buying your action figures online is finding an honest, reliable, and efficient trader with excellent service and reasonable prices without the extortionate shipping prices.
Below are the steps that I usually take when I'm looking for a new supplier.
Google search the item
Look at the top ten sites listed
Check the prices, don't forget to include shipping and bulk discounts.
Send an e-mail enquiry, if they take more than a day or two to answer then reconsider using them.
Google the site name: check reputation
Short list the top three and make a "trial" order from your top choice.
Follow these simple steps and you should find a trustworthy and reputable dealer to order from without running the risk of loosing your money.
7) A More Few Tips and Hints
The biggest scam on the internet currently is phishing or identity theft. NEVER EVER EVER give out any passwords, id's, bank details etc by email.
Always go to the companies or banks website through your browser, i.e. Explorer, Safari, Firefox or Opera etc.
Google Alert- this is an excellent tool and highly recommended. Let's say you are looking for a Rock WWF(E) wrestling figure. All you need to do is add an alert for The Rock, or The Rock WWF and whenever this is used on a forum or website (or eBay listing) Google will email you with a link to the site or auction concerned!
Register on any relevant forums or newsgroups, these are great sources for finding figures either for trade or sale, often in mint condition.
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