Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

[samuraiman]

The retail prices of Transformers toys and other popular brands continues to increase at stores across America. These price increases continue at nationwide chains such as Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Kmart and others. Is there an end in sight? How much is too much? Is there a limit to how high these prices will climb before you stop collecting? Sure oil prices and overseas labor costs have increased ... but is that enough to justify almost doubling the prices of these toys in the past 2 or 3 years? Share your thoughts and comments by joining our discussion by clicking here.

Pictured below are some new price tags of Transformers and Marvel Universe toys at the Rosemont Target near Chicago, IL. Time to front page this so that others can join the discussion about this issue.

$17.39 plus tax??? if this gets around to California i’m done with retail it’s going to be all about online

[Ruthless Cynic]

It's been a growing concern for me since Dark of the Moon came out. Smaller deluxes at inflated prices. They could have done one or the other, but instead they did both. The new deluxes are barely larger than the size of Energon basics. I remember when deluxes were $6.99-7.99. I am tapping out on buying multiples unless its classics. It really is ridiculous. I just spent $34 on Dreadwing at retail. I am ordering almost exclusively through BBTS from here on out. KMart has some deluxes at 12.99, the day they became the low cost provider I started to lose my marbles.

[Erailea]

Is this across the board or just a few stores playing the price hike game?

Also wondering if this has anything to do with the holidays coming and/or future sales so the store(s) can gain more profits while making the consumer think they are saving...

[Rhinox23]

And why Voyagers aren't getting price-jacked.

...yet.

This is getting a little bit ridiculous. There was a thread I commented on awhile back about changes in TF buying habits. This pricing further justifies buying online from BBTS, TFSource or the like. Not to mention the gas money you save and you don't even have to suffer the frustration from not finding what you want! Online stores will probably see an increase in purchasing...assuming they don't go up in price!

[NebulanFree]

I don't care, really. I like to find deals & whatnot, but I am a completist and will buy them regardless of the price. I see what you are saying Ryan, about the absurdity of the situation, but those who can not afford it will simply quit buying. Those of us fortunate enough to be able to afford these figures will continue to buy them if we choose to do so. I don't really see the big deal.

[Seibertron]

Is this across the board or just a few stores playing the price hike game?

Also wondering if this has anything to do with the holidays coming and/or future sales so the store(s) can gain more profits while making the consumer think they are saving...

I've been wondering that myself.

[Decatron]

My local WalMarts (in California btw) aren't quite that high yet. I'm sure it's only a matter of time though.

[Bumblevivisector]

#&%*ing oil-prices!

To whoever killed the electric car back in the day: Jolt is hunting you down as I type this.

If I saw proof that Hasbro had abandoned sweatshop labor entirely, I wouldn't mind as much, but we seriously need to stop using oil as fuel wherever possible so that it can be used for plastics as Primus intended. There may not be a realistic alternative for rocket and aircraft fuel, but if the U.S. had switched to some sort of electric/solar/flywheel combination for cars 20 years ago, we could've led the whole world away from this situation.

And no, that's not trivial, since the rise in plastic prices is surely hurting products that we actually need.

[CrimsonPrime]

*Yawn* Wake me up when there's something new. I have been paying 19 dollars each for a deluxe ever since 3 years ago. Peace out~

[toonbot]

Prices can go up it costs more to make...

But I believe it is because the demand is so high. Collectors buy out these toys as soon as they hit the shelves(you know who you are). Collectors will continue to snatch these toys up no matter the cost and Hasbro will continue to raise it.