Marvel Universe Ultimate Gift Set

The Marvel Universe toy line has been discontinued. Locally, stores (and some collectors/scalpers) are disposing their stock of MU's. It's just funny how some collector/scalpers try to do this.

Here is a screenshot of local eBay showing the prices for the Marvel Universe Ultimate Gift Set, first by local sellers then followed by international sellers. It's like a big joke out there.

Hairstory

For about a couple of years, I was following this certain doll collector whom we'll just call Hair. Initially, I liked the long, smooth straight, and shiny hair of Hair's dolls. Through the years, Hair kept posting dolls with that kind of hair. There were some pics of dolls with curls or afro but they are usually the before pics. Even the beautiful S.I.S. Chandra with the curly hair I love so much on her suddenly had straight hair.

I decided to un-follow Hair.

Don't Act Surprised

This is relatively old news but it is not really important. It is also expected! Barbie dolls are not selling as well as they used to. We can always try to explain why is that but that is like giving feedback. What do we get for giving feedback? Aside from dolls with poor quality and higher prices, nothing. I'll keep my feedback to myself. We are not paid advertisers.

As for me, I won't buy the dolls I like as soon as I see it on the shelves.Two reasons. First, there will be a similar or better doll that will be released in the future. Second, if they don't sell, we get to buy it at a cheaper price. Plus, we buyers have seen through the illusion of the urgency to buy.

In other news, Hasbro sales are up. Hasbro is the maker of the Marvel Universe 4-inch figures I love so much!

Social

My dolls have their own social media account.

https://soundtracking.com/BarbieTengco

https://instagram.com/mikomata

https://twitter.com/kaylacastama

Package Deal

I recently got a new set of Marvel Infinite Series 4-inch action figures. They replaced the Marvel Universe toy line. I haven't seen these toys sold as a set except during special distribution sale.

Special distribution sales are held on a predetermined time and place. Avid collectors arrive early at the venue to be the first in line. One has to fall in line for a chance to buy the toys. There is a limited number available so those who arrive late have less chance. I tried attending a distribution once. I was at the mall waiting for the opening and when it finally did, I saw that there was already a long queue at the toy store. I didn't know how these people got in before the official mall hours. I wasn't able to buy any toy that day.

The individual toys are packed together to be sold as a set. This prevents the less popular toy characters from being peg warmers. There is usually just one or 2 toys a collector wants in the set but he is forced to buy a set of six (usually). This is an understandable marketing technique. The problem in this technique is that the scalpers just has to be early in one place and they can buy the number of toys they want. They usually come in groups since there is a limit to the number of set one can buy.

I don't know if this kind of sale is still being practiced. One needs to be in contact with a closed circle of collectors to know the details of the sale. I'm no longer in the loop so I can't say.

I'm just glad that I was able to come across this set on an ordinary day. I think that the distributor should do away with the special distribution sale altogether and just distribute the set in different toy stores. This way, the scalpers will have a harder time hoarding all the toys.  They just might entice someone who chance upon the toys to be a new collector. Who knows?