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What are your thoughts on having backup copies of figures? You know, the whole "one to rock and one to stock"?

My kid plays with them as well which is why I'm concerned. He hasn't broken any, but the have been some minor paint scratches. Am I just wasting money that could be better spent on other figures?

Example: I really like my Buzzworthy 102 Optimus Prime, but I only have the one I got from Target. I could eBay a second one, but at the asking prices I could get Legacy Armada Prime or maybe more... Decisions, decisions...

Thanks in advance!

I have thoughts on this, but for now I’ll just tell you my approach with collecting.
This “hobby” is by far the most materialistic aspect of my life.
Which is part of the reason I’m bowing-out sooner than later.
I say this because having this perspective has helped me keep to these parameters—

I only buy figures that I really like the appearances of.
Between leaked images, eventual product shots, and video reviews, I usually have this sorted before the figure is released.
If I’m on the fence at all about a figure, it usually doesn’t get purchased.
On the rare occasion I end up with it in-hand, it usually gets returned.

I also only buy figures that end up displayed.
There’s no more “buying just to have….”, because for me it’s really pointless to spend money on something that ends up out of sight, stored in a container.
And no, I don’t have unlimited display space, so there’s no loop hole with this.

The only exceptions with any of this are the Legacy Insecticons and SS86 Dinobots. I have doubles of all of these. The way I justified this is because recently I have been skipping everything that’s not G1. There are only a couple exceptions with this. But I’ve also skipped some figures that are G1-related.
I’ve also sold a lot of my old collection…. So while the finances of this usually aren’t ever an issue, I’ve also freed-up quite a bit of storage space.
I also have two sets of Legacy Stunticons; but one is formed into Menasor, the other will eventually be displayed in their alt modes.


You’re in a different situation with having a kid who plays with some of your figures.
If that were me, how much I like specific figures would determine if I bought a second copy.
Besides paint scratches, joints are going to end up looser, and at some point something will probably break.
I don’t ever use the word “need” when talking about TF…. In the grand scheme of life, this doesn’t come anywhere close to ever being a legit need.
At most this is all a want situation. So if you really like and want a figure, and it’s one your kid wants too, I’d get a couple copies.
And I’d avoid the secondary market no matter what.
As much as I wanted Netflix Bumblebee, I never could find that thing in a store.
But I refuse to pay $40+ for a small deluxe sized toy. So it just hasn’t happened, and I’m okay with it.

Before this turns into any more of a chapter, I’ll stop.
Hopefully this was a little helpful.

I though about doing that, but its way too expensive.

Thanks for the well thought it I reply. I couldn't agree more with your not paying more than MSRP stance!

Shame Hasbro doesn't seem to care about fans when it comes to artificial scarcity and exclusives. I guess they get big bucks from companies and/or have done some financial calculations to see how to best leverage FOMO to maximize profits.

Do you and your son have each their own collection or you share?

TulioDude wrote:Do you and your son have each their own collection or you share?

He has a bunch of Rescuebots, but he gravitates toward my WfC SS86 collection...

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks for the well thought it I reply. I couldn't agree more with your not paying more than MSRP stance!

Shame Hasbro doesn't seem to care about fans when it comes to artificial scarcity and exclusives. I guess they get big bucks from companies and/or have done some financial calculations to see how to best leverage FOMO to maximize profits.

I think it's more of a situation where they don't always have the control with exclusives, rather than being a lack of caring.
Sometimes making a figure an exclusive may be the only way it's going to get released.

Where I have a problem with exclusives, is when a figure of a really popular character now has limited quantities and availability.
Knowing exclusives have more limited production runs, it's an ideal scenario for characters that aren't as popular.

And at the same time, it can come off as a lack of caring...
I think to the Cosmos situation; while it was Walmart who decided he would be short-packed, it was Hastak that offered it to be included in the first place.
For me, it also would have been different if this figure would have been a retool of Origins Bee.
But the fact that this was a new mold of a G1 character who had never had a deluxe class release...
I still call it poor form on the part of Hastak.
And being this was the Velocitron line, they could have offered a figure with a more common type of vehicle alt mode, and Walmart was still going to sign-off on that deal.
They clearly weren't sold on Cosmos and his ship alt mode, which is why he was short-packed.

But sure, the driving force and bottom line is profits.

And back to the thread topic-- another aspect that may help you decide if you ever want two copies of a figure is the costs.
Which is one of the top reasons I'm okay with retiring from this game sooner than later.
Again, it's not that I can't afford whatever figure(s) I want, but the price increases are getting too much for me to justify, just in general...
I can still remember feeling the sting when I was hunting the Terrorcons in stores, back when each was $17.99... When the deluxe figures I bought before those were $15 each...
And now just 4 deluxe figures are $100+.
The counter to this is what I said before-- if you really want a figure, then it's probably worth it despite the price tag.

And lastly, again, I'd consider what you'll end up doing with any second copy...
Will it indefinitely end up in a storage container or storage space/closet?
Similar to my thought on aftermarket prices, I definitely recommend resisting the temptation to buy something purely to buy it and have something else just because it's new.

Thanks again for all your thoughts!


I think I'm just really irked right now at the target exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee Rise Of The Beast Optimus Prime's lack of availability.

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks again for all your thoughts!


I think I'm just really irked right now at the target exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee Rise Of The Beast Optimus Prime's lack of availability.

I get it…
NF Bumblebee was the same for me. But I never found him at all, and I spent a very substantial amount of time looking.
To think that version, with an official VW alt mode was an exclusive.
Fingers crossed the new SS86 version is even better.

Sowndwave76 wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks again for all your thoughts!


I think I'm just really irked right now at the target exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee Rise Of The Beast Optimus Prime's lack of availability.

I get it…
NF Bumblebee was the same for me. But I never found him at all, and I spent a very substantial amount of time looking.
To think that version, with an official VW alt mode was an exclusive.
Fingers crossed the new SS86 version is even better.

Is there a SS86 Bumblebee in the works? I'm really hoping BB 102 Optimus gets reissued as a Studio Series... I mean, what's your time and gas worth? Might just be easier to pay the money and buy whatever on eBay... violates our principle, but I'm getting to the point in life where I'm mostly fine paying to save time and frustration. /shrugs.

Mkdlmr wrote:

Sowndwave76 wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks again for all your thoughts!


I think I'm just really irked right now at the target exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee Rise Of The Beast Optimus Prime's lack of availability.

I get it…
NF Bumblebee was the same for me. But I never found him at all, and I spent a very substantial amount of time looking.
To think that version, with an official VW alt mode was an exclusive.
Fingers crossed the new SS86 version is even better.

Is there a SS86 Bumblebee in the works? I'm really hoping BB 102 Optimus gets reissued as a Studio Series... I mean, what's your time and gas worth? Might just be easier to pay the money and buy whatever on eBay... violates our principle, but I'm getting to the point in life where I'm mostly fine paying to save time and frustration. /shrugs.

Yeah, I’m assuming the listing for a new SS86 Bee that’s leaked is legit.
The stores in my area have been piss poor for a while now, so I’m going to buy everything online until I retire. That’s how I save time and money now.
But no way am I resorting to eBay.
I’m betting this new Bee is better than the NF version anyway.
And either way, I doubt it’ll be so bad that I’d skip it.

Not sure about that OP…
That’s one I’m not sure why it’s an exclusive.

Sowndwave76 wrote:
But no way am I resorting to eBay…
That’s one I’m not sure why it’s an exclusive.

Yea... I've been really tempted to eBay Siege Spinister... I missed him on initial release, but I can't see myself eBaying backup copies at a high price... :⁠-⁠\

Yea... why would you make a major movie release of Optimus Prime hard to obtain?

I hope this fandom will still be around in 20 years... but don't fool yourself.

No one is going to care about your "MISB Legacy Decepticon Motormaster" in 20 years time. You will not win the jackpot by keeping it in pristine condition and selling it of in 20 years time.

You buy these figures for yourself and for your child. Sometimes they break, but in my experience that makes these toys more clearly my possession.

Sculyblast wrote:I hope this fandom will still be around in 20 years... but don't fool yourself.

No one is going to care about your "MISB Legacy Decepticon Motormaster" in 20 years time. You will not win the jackpot by keeping it in pristine condition and selling it of in 20 years time.

You buy these figures for yourself and for your child. Sometimes they break, but in my experience that makes these toys more clearly my possession.

Oh, No. Just backups of favorites should little hands and/or fate conspire to break things. I just hate the aftermarket/scalper prices out there so much should I have to replace something. ><

Mkdlmr wrote:What are your thoughts on having backup copies of figures? You know, the whole "one to rock and one to stock"?

My kid plays with them as well which is why I'm concerned. He hasn't broken any, but the have been some minor paint scratches. Am I just wasting money that could be better spent on other figures?

Example: I really like my Buzzworthy 102 Optimus Prime, but I only have the one I got from Target. I could eBay a second one, but at the asking prices I could get Legacy Armada Prime or maybe more... Decisions, decisions...

Thanks in advance!

You can do whatever you want as long as you got the money and the room. I bought doubles of figures that might break, like TR Wierdwolf and I have doubles of rarer toys that I felt lucky to find at retail an that I know would be a huge pain to replace if they broke, but it doesn't happen often.

I occasionally buy figures that I know will be impossible to replace at a reasonable price later if need be like the HasLab exclusives (except Unicron) and some store exclusives, especially if they hit clearance.

Emerje