Toy Prices - HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!&#33

[Skull-1]

I guess the dollar really is in the toilet. M&M 1/60 Yammies for over $150 each???? How long has it been like this? And HLJ's prices for 1/48s have gone nuts! WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad I bought them when I did. WHEW.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Skull-1

[Greyryder]

Could be worse. I do model railroading. N scale (1:160) train cars average about $10. We're talking about something that's only about four inches long. I saw an N scale caboose on Atlas's website for over $25 dollars. Atlas has just anounced that they'll be raising prices, do to a sharp increase in the cost of their raw materials.

At $70 dollars for a N scale locomotive (more, if you're into steam engines) $150 for something the size of a 1/60 Yammy almost seems like a steal.

[nukatsuka]

Where are you getting your prices for the 1/60's? I just checked and wasnt 1/48's on hlj always about 136? Is that nuts?

I guess the dollar really is in the toilet. M&M 1/60 Yammies for over $150 each???? How long has it been like this? And HLJ's prices for 1/48s have gone nuts! WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad I bought them when I did. WHEW.

[Duymon]

Dollar = sucks

I'm happy I made myself poor and got all the 1/48's I wanted..well..cept for two valks to make a Max 1S >_<

[kensei]

Dollar = great for us.

I've never paid so much less for toys. Its great.

But not for long as the Labor government is in. They'll screw up our strong economy.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

heh, yeah.......

[sqidd]

Dollar = sucks

I'm happy I made myself poor and got all the 1/48's I wanted..well..cept for two valks to make a Max 1S >_<

You’re not kidding, I import product from Italy and my prices have been steadily going up all year. I'm going to need to start passing the cost along to the customers here shortly unfortunately.

[big F]

Dollar is good in the U.K at the mo. the only problem is most goods imported from the U.S.A get converted to £ by just changing the currency sign on the original price making them cost around twice the cost in the U.S. But yeah it doesn't boad well if prices are going up and up.

[VFTF1]

All paper currency will devalue over time if not backed by something solid like gold or silver, and they will devalue at a faster rate than normal if the government printing them engages in warfare and welfare in excess. For yeas, the worlds' paper currencies were backed by another paper currency - the dollar. Once people realized the Emperor was naked, they also realized that he was operating on the equivalent of monopoly money.

I'm personally not happy with the decline of the value of the US dollar, even though I benefit from it in the short run. In the long run, however, it is an unnecessary decline and a similar fate will probably await the Euro and any other paper-money currency not backed by gold or silver.

If history's any guide, it will lead to worse economic conditions and political crises. People unfortunately don't understand economics, and when the currency is destroyed by government over-spending, over-printing and over-taxing, people mistakenly fault the private sector (not realizing that money is, unfortunately, not a private good), and ask for even more government intervention - which just makes things worse...

The only thing that will save us, or at least postpone the catastrophe, is:

1) The fact that - thank goodness - there is not one World Currency - so even if all the currencies are "fake" insofar as they are paper not backed by anything substantial - they are still in competition with eachother, and therefore countries with sounder economic policy than the US will also have marginally sounder currencies.

2) The fact that - thank goodness - governments are so inefficient that they can't even create inefficiency efficiently... in other words - the private sector is always six steps ahead of the red-tape industry...(look at cell phones and computer technology and google and all the other innovations - and imagine a world in which we still had to rely on government snail mail rather than having email)...

3) Maybe some people in some countries will elect governments that aren't so destructive? ... pesimistic about this one...

Anyways - it's not just toy prices going up. And it's got nothing to do with "production costs" rising - because you have to ask what causes the production costs to rise? Ultimately - you condlude that every thing that is rising in cost is caused by something else rising in cost - aka - EVERYTHING is rising in cost.

When EVERYTHING is rising in cost - that's inflation - and that's caused only by government - and only because the government is the monopolist on the production and distribution of money....

VFTF1

[misterryno]

All paper currency will devalue over time if not backed by something solid like gold or silver, and they will devalue at a faster rate than normal if the government printing them engages in warfare and welfare in excess. For yeas, the worlds' paper currencies were backed by another paper currency - the dollar. Once people realized the Emperor was naked, they also realized that he was operating on the equivalent of monopoly money.

I'm personally not happy with the decline of the value of the US dollar, even though I benefit from it in the short run. In the long run, however, it is an unnecessary decline and a similar fate will probably await the Euro and any other paper-money currency not backed by gold or silver.

If history's any guide, it will lead to worse economic conditions and political crises. People unfortunately don't understand economics, and when the currency is destroyed by government over-spending, over-printing and over-taxing, people mistakenly fault the private sector (not realizing that money is, unfortunately, not a private good), and ask for even more government intervention - which just makes things worse...

The only thing that will save us, or at least postpone the catastrophe, is:

1) The fact that - thank goodness - there is not one World Currency - so even if all the currencies are "fake" insofar as they are paper not backed by anything substantial - they are still in competition with eachother, and therefore countries with sounder economic policy than the US will also have marginally sounder currencies.

2) The fact that - thank goodness - governments are so inefficient that they can't even create inefficiency efficiently... in other words - the private sector is always six steps ahead of the red-tape industry...(look at cell phones and computer technology and google and all the other innovations - and imagine a world in which we still had to rely on government snail mail rather than having email)...

3) Maybe some people in some countries will elect governments that aren't so destructive? ... pesimistic about this one...

Anyways - it's not just toy prices going up. And it's got nothing to do with "production costs" rising - because you have to ask what causes the production costs to rise? Ultimately - you condlude that every thing that is rising in cost is caused by something else rising in cost - aka - EVERYTHING is rising in cost.

When EVERYTHING is rising in cost - that's inflation - and that's caused only by government - and only because the government is the monopolist on the production and distribution of money....

VFTF1

Great explanation mate. This is why I love my country and hate my government.

[big F]

Thanks for the insight. You know what your on about, had a very similar conversation at work today.

[eugimon]

you guys are all deluding yourselves. When/if China de-couples the yuan from the dollar and pegs it to the Euro instead, the value of the Dollar is going to plummet. The only thing keeping various countries like China, Saudi Arabia (all of the OPEC countries actually), Japan, etc from doing so is that so far, the amount of dollars they own is still worth more than the benefits of switching currencies to the Euro. But if America continues on this economic decline, you can bet it will start happening.

[Vermillion21]

That is truly depressing news mate ...

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

But part of the reason they are also high is because we are willing to pay the high price. It's like games here in australia. The only reason we pay double the amount of the normal price overseas is because people were used to paying that amount.

Same with CDs and other things. I don't think it's just the dollar value/inflation etc or just that the cost to produce it went up. Games have not gotten cheaper (locally) despite a boost in the value of the dollar here. (imorting is actually cheaper which is why it's so good to have a all-region dvd player for example)

Personally I don't mind a high price if the quality matches the price and if I'm desperate to pay the price. Otherwise I wait until the price goes down. I want only the quality toys to make a profit unless there is barely any competition and no chance of seeing a better product made due to how unpopular the show is. (which is the leverage the toy maker has on the fan of the vintage show looking for toys made from it)

Edited January 10, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[jenius]

All paper currency will devalue over time if not backed by something solid like gold or silver, and they will devalue at a faster rate than normal if the government printing them engages in warfare and welfare in excess. For yeas, the worlds' paper currencies were backed by another paper currency - the dollar. Once people realized the Emperor was naked, they also realized that he was operating on the equivalent of monopoly money.

I'm personally not happy with the decline of the value of the US dollar, even though I benefit from it in the short run. In the long run, however, it is an unnecessary decline and a similar fate will probably await the Euro and any other paper-money currency not backed by gold or silver.

If history's any guide, it will lead to worse economic conditions and political crises. People unfortunately don't understand economics, and when the currency is destroyed by government over-spending, over-printing and over-taxing, people mistakenly fault the private sector (not realizing that money is, unfortunately, not a private good), and ask for even more government intervention - which just makes things worse...

The only thing that will save us, or at least postpone the catastrophe, is:

1) The fact that - thank goodness - there is not one World Currency - so even if all the currencies are "fake" insofar as they are paper not backed by anything substantial - they are still in competition with eachother, and therefore countries with sounder economic policy than the US will also have marginally sounder currencies.

2) The fact that - thank goodness - governments are so inefficient that they can't even create inefficiency efficiently... in other words - the private sector is always six steps ahead of the red-tape industry...(look at cell phones and computer technology and google and all the other innovations - and imagine a world in which we still had to rely on government snail mail rather than having email)...

3) Maybe some people in some countries will elect governments that aren't so destructive? ... pesimistic about this one...

Anyways - it's not just toy prices going up. And it's got nothing to do with "production costs" rising - because you have to ask what causes the production costs to rise? Ultimately - you condlude that every thing that is rising in cost is caused by something else rising in cost - aka - EVERYTHING is rising in cost.

When EVERYTHING is rising in cost - that's inflation - and that's caused only by government - and only because the government is the monopolist on the production and distribution of money....

I don't mean to pick on you but this is all wrong.

1) The value of paper curreny is a function of demand. It goes up, it goes down. The biggest factor there being the export/import business. The dollar is getting weaker. That means it's more expensive for people in the US to buy goods from the rest of the world so there are less US dollars floating around (less supply). This also means it's cheaper for the rest of the world to buy stuff from the US. This means that the US economy will get a boost from people buying US goods. Also, the dollar is an investment and as its value drops demand for it grows. The system self-regulates. The US trade deficit ought to decrease, the dollar will start to climb again.

2) The US economy is only very loosely regulated by the Government. The Government has been spending a TON lately which actually helps the economy just as private sector spending helps the economy. It's the monetary and fiscal policies established by the Fed and the Fed is a FORWARD looking group of economists and bankers that has the most direct effect on our economy. Constant decreases in the FedFund rates has kept the economy afloat during the subprime debacle that is shredding the world economy, not just the US (even if it is the US's shoddy lending practices that push the first domino over).

3) The economy is much bigger than the government. It takes a really inept government to crash an economy, it really takes a worldwide course of calamity (think Great Depression). The subprime credit crunch is a minor worldwide calamity and that's why we're seeing such reverberations. It's not the US' wars that are doing it, or OPEC, or any other number of crappy situations.

4) Inflation isn't any worse than deflation so long as it's kept to a reasonable amount. What inflation actually means though isn't that "things cost more" it means "your money is worth less." If everything inflates as it should you'll find yourself with like 3% more money in your wallet buying things that cost 3% more than they used to. The net is neither a gain or loss. If this is hard to stomach imagine you owe $10K to someone to be paid a year from now and inflation is 3%. A year from now you'll pay them back $10K but you'll have made 3% on the deal since your money is now worth less.

[RosarioLuv]

eh, these toy prices are nuthin compared to pre-yamato days....

I remember when you were lucky to get a genuine macross chunky monkey for $300. Supers went upwards of $800. Strikes at $1000. Ostrich's and Elints at $3000! Heck, even if you settled for a joons, at least $100, or around $200 or more for a Jetfire.

For what you get now in features and detail, and the much much lower price, you're gettin off easy!

But, alas, cheaper may they be, the hole in my pocket feels your pain.

[Vagabond Elf]

4) Inflation isn't any worse than deflation so long as it's kept to a reasonable amount. What inflation actually means though isn't that "things cost more" it means "your money is worth less." If everything inflates as it should you'll find yourself with like 3% more money in your wallet buying things that cost 3% more than they used to. The net is neither a gain or loss. If this is hard to stomach imagine you owe $10K to someone to be paid a year from now and inflation is 3%. A year from now you'll pay them back $10K but you'll have made 3% on the deal since your money is now worth less.

This does, however, presume that wages keep pace with inflation. And while I don't know about the States, here in Alberta that's often not true. Good jobs will have automatic wage increases, but entry/casual/service-industry type jobs usually won't. Which means after a year of 3% inflation one simply has 3% less money.

[jenius]

Which means after a year of 3% inflation one simply has 3% less money.

Not exactly. Granted, you'd like to see jobs tacked to the inflation rate but people who have jobs that aren't tacked typically carry a good amount of debt. They won't make up the entire 3% but they'll make up a portion of it there (as the money they repay isn't worth as much as the money the borrowed). When runaway inflation happens all bets are off.

[D_Unit]

Ideally, what our Governments would "like us" to believe is that our currency values are market driven. But from what I've seen, $US have been propped from tanking by massive debt (governmental & private), and the fact that the US is the chief consumer of Chinese goods and Foreign oil.

One feeds the other and so on. IE: Until China (and other countries with significant ownership of US debt ($US backed)) finds another source of demand for their goods, they will continue to help "support/stabilize" the value of $US. And as long as foreign goods are relatively inexpensive, Americans will continue to import rather than to purchase domestically. I would rather borrow $50 now to buy a Chinese made product than to save and purchase a similar US made product for $150 later. Mind you, I'd probably spend $150 worth anyways (I'd buy 3 of those $50 WIGGITS just 'cause it's so cheap... I mean really, people have been spending the same amount if not more on tons of cheaper stuff... we just buy way too much, more than we need).

So what's driving (or driving down) our world economies now? Is it the growth of nations such as China and India (we Canadians aren't doing so bad either)? Or is the the growth of credit, the "irresponsible" monetary policy of not just the US Fed, but other countries' institutions to allow debt from credit to spiral out of control (lowering interest rates do not prevent recessions, through out history it has only made matters worst).

Money doesn't grow on trees, but apparently you always borrow. Why can't people understand that sometimes, it's o.k. not to be able to afford something, that sometimes, we can do without that big screen T.V. or that 2nd IPod.

The real solution is for developing nations such as China and India to grow their own domestic demand/standard of living. But as long as the C.E.O. of Wal-Mart demands that $5 is all they'll pay for a microwave because the average American doesn't want to pay more than $50 for his/her microwave (I've read some articles that 10% of a product is the actual manufacturing cost (to the Chinese manufacturer) and the rest goes to shipping, marketing and Company (American) profits, how is a Chinese/Indian worker able to earn enough money to afford that same microwave that he/she has built for $2/hr. There is so much excess capacity for manufacturing goods that if Americans finally wave the white flag of bankruptcy... the world would probably feel something closer to a depression instead of a recession.

With that said, why the heck are Yammies so bloody expensive. With 5 x 1/48's and a couple of nice 1/60's I can get myself a nice 42" 1080P TV. I mean, they're made in China aren't they?!?

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

because like the price of videogames here in australia: people are used to paying that much. (if you can get away with a high price without affecting the sale, you will keep it high) If you are comfortable purchasing a item for whatever price, then chances are the seller won't pass any savings down onto the consumer unless there is heavy competition from a rival company (or a big enough number of people to sell the item to) that can afford to capture some of the marketshare for themselves and hope to drive the other guy out of business to increase profits to them in the long run. (through offerring a better deal to the consumer) Of course this is assuming there IS a high demand for something. I won't buy mospeada toys that break so for me i can comfortable ignore whatever is out there. But its different for different people.

Some people will pay more for rare things, so they excuse the high cost and/or poor QC that they wouldn't for non-rare things.

The value of a given thing is worth different amounts depending on the person buying it. When talking about entertainment and luxury items it's really about the 'taste' of the buyer. For example you might think a new music cd is awesome and love the artist and want to pay full price, while another guy who hates that band will never want to pay full price for it. Toy = luxury goods. You won't be FORCED to buy it in order to keep surviving, so it really comes down to 'taste' and the amount you are willing to pay more than what's fair. All businesses want to profit the most while saving money to stay competitive so they will look for the cheapest way to make something. So this brings us to the justification for why yammies are so high price: the limited run. Like the collector item not aimed at the masses, the items can be charged a higher price because as a fan you are "more likely to pay high premium for the rare thing" so they leverage that demand from the fan and profit that way. They probably could lower the price, but if you are going to buy it at the current price, from a business perspective why would they? (unless there was a company that made a better product or offerred a better price some how to force the price down?)

If you were doing something risky you might also feel, that risk should be rewarded in some way because you could have spent that time doing something less risky and making more money/profit had you not passed on that opportunity (instead of making items for a small audience) by aiming for the mainstream audience. (who as a large mass of people will pay less money for something, but due to being more people, they outnumber the hardcore fanatic meaning you can sell to more people. Whereas contrast that to the "hardcore fan"; who unlike the casual buyer, is less likely to complain about something being more expensive when it is rare/not widely popular or there is no competition out there to provide the product/service they want.)

In a sense you are paying for "risk". How *much* you are willing to pay, is down to taste like the guy who is a fan of a certain artist and doesn't mind paying the full price or hunting it down and paying extra due to how limited in availability it is. (Call it the "tickle me elmo" effect Look at the nintendo Wii as an example: luxury item, sells a lot, but is it really worth what you paid for it? Compared to the xbox360 and ps3, it's overpriced. In terms of graphics the machine is really just an enhanced gamecube and when put next to the high definition consoles it's hard for a buyer of a game to justify the cost for that game when the graphics can't compare to the games on ps3/360. Tastes! Now given; like the yamatos, it still sells well despite the price compared to the higher spec machines, why should nintendo lower the price if it is hard for parents to find, and people are buying it in droves?)

Edited January 14, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[D_Unit]

Well done... to all. It's been very comforting to me to see such views. It is not for me to say that any are well or not well informed, but that everyone spoke from not their "behinds" but from quite honest perspectives.

The words "surprising", "amazing" and the like are used much too often these days but I'm glad they ring true for this and other topics in this forum....

[Vermillion21]

I agree with D_Unit, this has been a very interesting topic to read - thanks for all the input folks!!

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

All paper currency will devalue over time if not backed by something solid like gold or silver, and they will devalue at a faster rate than normal if the government printing them engages in warfare and welfare in excess. For yeas, the worlds' paper currencies were backed by another paper currency - the dollar. Once people realized the Emperor was naked, they also realized that he was operating on the equivalent of monopoly money.

When EVERYTHING is rising in cost - that's inflation - and that's caused only by government - and only because the government is the monopolist on the production and distribution of money....

VFTF1

Well, the way to mitigate that is to buy gold. I wanted to go in when it was at about 600. What a miss!