So things have gotten kind of weird for Joe toys lately.

Most brick and mortar stores had reduced or eliminated their Joe shelf space before the movie line's premature launch. And while some stores appear to have committed to keeping the first wave on shelves for as long as what they have lasts, others have reported turning still-boxed product around and sending it back to Hasbro.

Meanwhile folks on this board are anxiously seeking out the figures they want, most of which were short-packed, leaving a glut of Roadblocks, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadows on the pegs (of stores that continue to support the brand) and no new product on the horizon until q1 of next year (so 6 months at the earliest).

Assuming stores that are carrying Joe now clearance those peg warmers in October, or even leave them at the $10 price most are selling for now, sales will almost certainly look lackluster on paper come year end. So it seems likely that those stores will scale back orders of Joe movie product next year.

Let's assume that the ever-present speculators in our hobby are aware of this likely impending shortage. Desirable figures could become almost impossible to find at retail price. That would leave the secondary market and whatever the Club's putting out (assuming you can nab those offerings at Club prices before the speculators do) as the only real options for new Joe product.

My question, then, is how would this kind of scenario affect your collecting? Would you be willing to pay secondary market and Club prices only for your Joe fix? Would you be a completionist or cherry pick? And, perhaps most importantly for this board, would you continue to customize with "fodder" becoming so expensive?

Vote as a collector and a customizer, if applicable.

I already cherry pick figures. With the ever increasing price, it's hard to justify the expense. This has a direct impact on what little customizing I already do
I see a cool parts combo, but either the figs can't be found or the cost to make a single figure is far too prohibitive.

Like some others, I believe we're heading toward another toy drought, and I'm perfectly okay with it.

EDIT: No, I would not pay aftermarket, and would likely never buy from the Club. The price paid versus what enjoyment I get is too one sided.

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I'm already seeing the price increase affect my buying habits, but it's really the reduced POA that's cut my buying so much. I've bought all of 3 Avengers figs and kept none of them as is, and while I've gotten all of the singles except RockBlock, I've not gotten any of the vehicles and am only interested in the GhostHawk, maybe. I don't make buckets of cash, but I'm willing to pay for [LASER BLAST]' figs. Reducing POA does *not* make for [LASER BLAST]' figs, man.

So yeah; all them issues you mention will play into my buying in the long run, but it's the decrease in overall quality that's *really* the issue at hand, imho.

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It wouldn't affect me much, since I only buy the figures I like anyways. Never felt the need to get everything.
Being Canadian, I'm used to peg warmers or even the absence of GI Joe products so nothing new here.
I usually get my Joe fix online or in comic stores so I'm also used to pay an extra buck or two or more if you include shipping, so this new price raise on these new figures still has them withing what I'm used to pay.

Of course, if it continue to rise, the medium of action figures might go away. Not so long ago, the lower prices made them affordable enough for every wallets. If the product becomes to "high end" parents will simply find a cheaper alternative for their random treats.

As for the loss of PoA, within a price range of $6 and $8, I'm can accept it. I can still have fun with the RAH basics, Swiveling wrists could be a cool bonus. Mix in the price raise, then that pill gets harder to swallow.
I mean we can all agree that paying more for less isn't fun for anyone.
5 PoA drivers don't really bother me as they simply fill in the driver spot until a better figure is available.

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Hasbro couldn't do much more than it is right now to help collectors walk away.

The figure prices are just ridiculous. Let's face it, $6 a figure is too much even for the "discount" figures at Dollar General. $10 is crazy.

At the same time, I can't even find the DG figures to buy them anyway. Does anyone at Hasbro know how distribution works? Shouldn't that be someone's job? I want to buy your stuff, but you have to make it available. Why not just put the figures on hasbrotoyshop.com?

Sure, there's an argument to be made that Hasbro is actually drumming up excitement with the DG fiasco. But when it costs $40 to fill up a gas tank and the figures never arrive after over a month, it's doesn't do anything but seed disinterest in the product.

As one of the collectors on this site who is more willing to lower points of articulation as acceptable, even I have to shake my head at the 1977 approach Hasbro is using on the vehicle drivers. They may as well just the vehicles without figures, but a head in a box that says "for customizers", because that's what they're doing.

I have ample figures for customization without adding new figures from new waves. No reason to give $ to Hasbro when I can have more fun creating figures on my own.

Sadly, there are still some figures that I'd be interested in getting, but between Hasbro/Master Collector's sky high prices and the poor distribution, it's easier to just stop buying them altogether. Good job, Hasbro.

I have been in the habit of only buying what I want for a collection, and scooping things up on sale to use for customizing/trade fodder. There is alot I skip over. I haven't bought a vehicle since the black hiss. Army building is about non existent. The movie figures not being the best thing since sliced bread helps out as well.

I've had one foot out the door for a years now anyways. Too much "LASER BLAST" keeping it from being as enjoyable as it was the previous 20+ years. Maybe the line is just going through a rough patch, but it hasn't been keeping my interest like it used to.

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I've accepted that prices are gonna go up. I'm pretty much cool with the characters Hasbro is putting out in the lines I collect(Star Wars, MU, Joe). Reduced articulation doesnt bother me in the main line, I've bought most of the Avengers movie & comic series and I'm pleased with them.

Army building, trying to complete lines will still happen for me, but customs/fodder is what's taking a backseat for me. Only extra fodder I'll be getting is for customs of figures that arent currently available like better articulated DC Hero's or characters from movies/tv shows I like.

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GI Joe is quickly approaching what Star Wars has become for me. Everything that I've wanted as a kid, I have at least a couple versions that are my "ultimate (insert character/vehicle here)". So, unless that Duke/SE/SS is a totally cool take or have some new "interesting" feature, I'm apt to pass it up. But, go above $10? TOTALLY not interested. Even at $8/figure my interest in the figures is way way lower than it was.

What I'd like to see is for Hasbro to have the guts to try something new with GI Joe. Set up some new core characters. Retire Duke/SE/SS/CC/Destro, and establish some new base characters. Not saying I will like the way they go (I dislike the way SW has went with everyone a Jedi or Boba knockoff, so I won't pay $10 for that crap), but they really need to do something new with the brand. Maybe Adventure Team.

As it stands right now, I need to purge a ton before I worry too much about what I'm not buying. If the 3 Retaliation figures is all I buy, fine. Besides, there is enough older stuff I like that I can get for a better price than the new junk with spring loaded crap (can anyone say rolled-up sleeve Cobra Troopers).

I've been VERY selective on new Joe purchases, just because I've kinda drifted away from Joes for the most part, but I still enjoy a well-produced figure (30th Storm Shadow, etc.).

And although my customization of Joes has all but ceased for now, I still have enough 25th and PoC fodder to put me back in business full-time when I catch the bug again, without the need to purchase anything new.

But I want an effing Kwinn, dammit!!

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They make it real easy to skip collecting and customizing when they want ten bucks for a Retaliation figure that looks nothing like characters from the movie. Plus, it think I have reached my limit on Duke, Snake Eyes, and Storm Shadow.

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the only figures they have made since the first movie line started that i have even wanted have been a couple of con exclusives and the new dreadnok pack exclusive. the only figure i have actually wanted to buy in the store in like 3 or 4 years is that zombie viper that i have never yet seen.
i was having so much fun with the 25th line and it seemed to me that everyone was always looking for some figure but finally finding it and the next wave was always showing up and getting everyone excited again, then it just sort of stopped and then these movie figures started showing up that didnt look like the characters to me and lost me.
actually i can remember exactly the last figure i actually bought that wasnt an exclusive, it was that mediocre monkey wrench from that wal mart 2 pack.
its sort of weird to me, the 3 3/4" joes started when i was 10 and i stopped buying them around 86 mostly because of all the bright colors that were coming out, but i was still playing with them even though i was starting highschool because i had a nephew that was 6 years younger that i really liked. then in 90 i started actually collecting and not playing and even though i wasnt into alot of the joes coming out through the mid 90s and early 2000s it was ok because i was spending that time still replacing my and upgrading my childhood joes. then the 25th line started and i was all excited, and now for the first time since i was a child im not buying anything joe because i just dont see anything im interested in. makes me a little sad.

sorry for rambling.

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I wonder if the old marketing and distribution system would work today?
By that I mean a yearly assortment of products that maintains a presence throughout the year like in the 80's.
It's so simple. We don't need 50+ new figures each year and we certainly shouldn't need to race to the stores because they only have 2 cases in stores and the next wave is coming in.

I look at the SW figures and it seems like there's always new ones coming out every two months. It's mad.

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It is hard for me to answer within the options given. I already stopped getting the figures going out at retail not because of the price but because I just don't like the modern figure construction. Assuming they were still o-ring style and increasing in price, I guess I would just cut back and be more selective.

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When the ROC and POC runs were in full bloom, around here it was "catch as catch can", and the original prices were a bit prohibitive. I waited long after the movie died down, and on a lark at ROSS stores, found much of what I wanted save for the TRU Spirit extremely affordable. HTS also had a few of those "free shipping" and "discount/BOGO" runs which also helps. Even with a very minimal interest in the new product, I did pick up the Lifeline because of his incredible accessories. The cost hurt, but it was only one. So, cherrypick I guess. As for offerings at twice the MSRP and such at other avenues, I find that waiting still helps. About the only figures I may break that rule for are the MU ones that were impossible to find here, or show up at the local comic book store and I have a need for their parts to complete something.

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After the Con I plan on cutting back a lot. Maybe its because right now a lot of stuff came out around the same time, but I've been in acquisition mode and haven't had time to really enjoy any of it. I pick it up play with it for a minute and set it down to play with another figure.

It isn't just Joes though. After the Beta Ray Bill wave of MU I'm down with that line. I barely did anything with those figures any way. but now they sit in a plastic bin doing nothing. After the new Beast, Kraven and a decent Hulk come out, I'll pretty much have 99% of the Marvel figures I ever wanted and then some. Cherry pick Professor X and I'm out.

Star Wars, forget about it. I have 3 versions of every main character is SW version of super poseable. If I see a figure I really like I may grab it but I'm done actively seeking anymore Star Wars. It helps that I grabbed a Sherwood Forest playset off ebay for cheap last month which was my one remaining hunt for item.

I'll still customize like crazy but I'm not buying figures specifically for fodder any more. I have projects lined up to keep me busy well into the next decade.

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