Just out of curiosity, what changes are you making?  I’m not talking about exercising more and eating right.  I want to know if you have changed your collecting habits.  I’m an action figure collector.  My collection is GIJOE, Star Wars and Comic Characters both Marvel and DC. 

I got my feet wet as a kid which was my introduction into hoarding, I mean collecting.  I mostly collect 6-inch action figures now and focus mostly on the Marvel Legends, Star Wars Black Series and GIJOE Classified with some off-brand military action style figures.

I regularly rip some figures apart, paint and change them up depending on what my creative mood decides.  I’ve been told this will completely devalue the figure, but I’m making figures I want on my shelf that I can’t get anywhere else.  Plus, I’m snatching up figures at low costs while “toy hunting” at discount stores like Ross Dress for Less and TJMAX.

The reason I ask about what you’ve changed, is because I think it inevitable that I will have to for sure.  As prices rise and stock becomes limited along with the unpredictable changes related to ongoing Tariff talks, money will always matter.  I will have to weigh gas and eggs, or that super cool new updated head sculpt on Han Solo.

Some fan channels have recently added surcharges projecting what costs will be while others are indicating that a surcharge will be assessed when a pre-order arrives and then you can decide to pay it or cancel.  A few companies announce a halt to production until things get sorted out.  How sustainable is that pre-order model, especially for folks budgeting their collection.

While bigger companies have been making corrections due to COVID over the past few years with restructuring, and diversifying their brands, this kind of just throws a wrench into the works.  While toys generally never had a tariff or duty rate, prices could easily be a comparison of cost and profit margin.  

All that has changed because it will be how a bigger company absorbs a little of that cost from their profits, and redistributes among their entire slate of products.  Doing this and maintaining a price point that will attract a purchaser who has to decide what they spend any miscellaneous funds if any.

Recently the CFO/COO of Hasbro, Gina Gedder was asked a variety of questions at a recent JPMorgan conference.  What I found interesting is that at some point is that Gedder said that with the ever-changing tariff situation, there was a point where products possibly wouldn’t be produced and distributed in the U.S.   She said, “There were some products that we just chose no, we’re not going to actually produce anymore because it doesn’t make sense with that cost infrastructure to produce it and ship it into The U.S.”

I haven’t thought about a world without toys since the Burgermeister Meisterburger stubbed his toe and had all the tin soldiers melted down.  It puts a lot into perspective to think, okay this is it for now no more new figures.  I heard a lot of people say that they will just go back to collecting vintage figures, and that is always a possible plan. 

For me I wonder if I will still be able to get the cheap action figures at discount store to use for fodder in making custom stuff, or picking up an extra to display with the alternate head sculpt.  

How will smaller companies weather the storm.  Higher costs will definitely hit their bottom line.  Super7 just sent an email confirming that they had laid off staff and will be focusing production and being specific on what they make.  Saying that means to me that there might be no room to take a chance on something new or out of the box.  

Luckily there are a lot companies still coming up with new and exciting stuff, Ramen Toy, Fresh Monkey Fiction, Icon Heroes and companies and even the 3D print company Gridiron Studios Props have been pushing out some really interesting stuff.  Still these items are pricier than what a company like Hasbro can offer, and for me I have to pick and choose which items I can get or not.

It seems like a wait and see approach, and for now things have settled down a bit, but are you preparing to or have you already made changes?