71012 - Minifigures - Disney: Series 1

[schmidtywerben]

Sounds like someone should get a better cleaning lady?

[Zippy]

3 hours ago, Nsheppard9101 said:

Are these still ringing up at 3.99 at target?

I have bought some at Target for 3.39 and some for 3.99. Depends on the Target store.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Zippy

[fossilrock]

33 minutes ago, Kneel_Before_Zod said:

 

I shared 1 awesome thing about me and the mods censored and made fun of me.  All are welcome to the Big Easy and say hello to my "tiny" left hook.

Back to topic.  This minifig thing is stupid.  You spend hours and hours "smoosh"-ing 200 packs to make 50 cents per pack if you are lucky.   I pay my cleaning lady much better than that and she does not even vacuum under my coffee table. How do you make money out of this stupid things?  This whole thing is an exercise in stupidity.  There is no money in this. 

Now my fingers all cramped up and I have to disappoint my girlfriend tonight.  What a waste of TIME!!

I made 210.00 profit so far this weekend, by putting in around 2 hours of work.  I might be able to pull off another 200+ if i'm lucky.  It's just how you play.  I'll be bowing out of the minifigure game by the end of the week, and move on.  

While I agree with some of your points, and agree the opportunity to make money on these is short, it is one of the best ways to double your money quickly if you know what you are doing.  I mean, jeez... spend a few hundred on saturday, and by monday you have doubled your money.  That's how insane this stuff can be, especially with insanely popular series like these, monsters, lego movies ets. 

Once you go through about 20 bags, the "smooshing" becomes easy, especially if you have collected these long enough to know pieces to look for (lego is repetetive, and if you've collected lego you would know this because lego repeats bottles, genie lamps, little discs, swords, guns in almost every pack and only one or two characters have those so that helps you narrow it down).   It's even more fun when your kid helps you go through a case, which can be done in about a half hour if you have some help. 

Edited May 3, 2016 by fossilrock

[Phil B]

13 minutes ago, fossilrock said:

I made 210.00 profit so far this weekend, by putting in around 2 hours of work.  I might be able to pull off another 200+ if i'm lucky.  It's just how you play.  I'll be bowing out of the minifigure game by the end of the week, and move on.  

While I agree with some of your points, and agree the opportunity to make money on these is short, it is one of the best ways to double your money quickly if you know what you are doing.  I mean, jeez... spend a few hundred on saturday, and by monday you have doubled your money.  That's how insane this stuff can be, especially with insanely popular series like these, monsters, lego movies ets. 

Once you go through about 20 bags, the "smooshing" becomes easy, especially if you have collected these long enough to know pieces to look for (lego is repetetive, and if you've collected lego you would know this because lego repeats bottles, genie lamps, little discs, swords, guns in almost every pack and only one or two characters have those so that helps you narrow it down).   It's even more fun when your kid helps you go through a case, which can be done in about a half hour if you have some help. 

I was going to add that if you're making $0.50 per minifig you're doing it wrong ... but then again, that's like pouring oil on a fire.

[Zippy]

Exactly. Ariel is one of the easiest in this set. Does it not have legs? Is there a Diamond? Does is not have a triangle piece shaped like Malificent's lower body? There you have it... it's Ariel. That's how I know that in the the 2 cases that I have bought, I have 3 Ariels. If you've had practice in smooshing, this set is an easy one.

Already mentioned Ariel...

(this is how I do it)

Ursula: Largest bag in the set, then find the pitch fork

Hook: Find the unique sword

Peter: Find the U-Shaped knives (they are connected in the bag).

Indredibles: Square piece. Then, is the hair pointed or not.

Mickey: Ears and pointy nose. No additional pieces.

Minnie: Dress. Then ears and pointy nose.

Donald: Round Head and then Hat.

Daisy: Round Head, then bow

Chesire: Round head and then tail.

Alice: Bottle, then round coin

Malifiicent: Triangle Body - easiest figure in the lot

Aladdin/Genie: Lamp, and then legs or not

Buzz: Wings?

Alien: round head with weird pointy thing sticking out of its head.

Stitch: Ears

[Loghamel]

Best way for me to do it is buy a case at $240, sell it for $320 and repeat.  Profits are definitely smaller, but there is nearly zero work involved.  But many people don't really look at it as wasting time or 'smooshing' as work, especially if you can get your kids in on the action.  But for those that don't wanna deal with that mess, make a good relationship with a store manager or, even better, a small toy shop if possible, and make reallllly easy money.

[justapilgrim]

Pro tip: if you are selling these individually or in opened sets, take out the black bases. Sell for $0.40 all day long on BL . That's $24 per case that leaving on the table, and sell just as well without them. And for making $0.50 each? How to you think dentists get rich? Filling cavities $5 at a time

Also for those that are surprised by popularity? These are first release of Disney series, people would camp out if they did a Marvel or a SW series, especially if had obscure charactwrs

[jstodda]

12 hours ago, Kneel_Before_Zod said:

I grabbed around 200 packs of these little things and I can't figure out for the life of me how you guys manage to figure out who is who. I think I read it was smoothing or something... but I have no idea how to do it. I tried a couple and got them totally wrong. Haha, oh well, looks like I'm buying the gf a nice dinner so she can figure out who is who otherwise I'll be stuck with a mountain of them. There goes the profits!

The smoosh and dot method work really well.. Once you have a similar series (look at the numbers on the back bottom) the dots to the left and right of the seam will be the same for each figure. So if you have one figured out and you cant quite tell it from another (via Daisy/Donald or Minnie/Mickey) use the dots.....

[jstodda]

I also think this can go a few ways.. thoughts?

1. The Disney craze hits. Parents buy a few bags here and there as kids get addicted and then need X more figures to round out the collection then turn to Ebay/Clist to make it work. Individual characters could sell at $10.

2. The market floods with them and half of us are stuck just trying to get what we paid for the damn things.. "for the love please don't give me any more Peter Pans"

3. The initial boom hits then supply dwindles for a bit which does nothing but multiply the effect of #1....

I think there will be 2 chances here. The first is almost over, the "exclusivity" and get it first phase will pass and the latter will be parents trying to finish out full sets when they own half of the pieces, or when the second set comes out..

[The Lurker]

Well i went out to a few local shops to find the last minifigure i need and i couldn't find any on the shelves, only 1 shop had evidence of the figures which was an empty box. Looks like im gonna be buying the last figure i need off ebay as that's much more cost effective than driving round looking for packs to smoosh.

[JimboJet]

Used the Target inventory tracker, found a nearby store with over 300 in stock.  Turns out all were Series 15!  At least the guy was nice enough to slice open 4 boxes to check.

[schmidtywerben]

37 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Well i went out to a few local shops to find the last minifigure i need and i couldn't find any on the shelves, only 1 shop had evidence of the figures which was an empty box. Looks like im gonna be buying the last figure i need off ebay as that's much more cost effective than driving round looking for packs to smoosh.

Or just wait until the next wave comes out.  Then brave the second horde looking to complete all their sets too

[fossilrock]

14 hours ago, justapilgrim said:

Pro tip: if you are selling these individually or in opened sets, take out the black bases. Sell for $0.40 all day long on BL . That's $24 per case that leaving on the table, and sell just as well without them. And for making $0.50 each? How to you think dentists get rich? Filling cavities $5 at a time

Also for those that are surprised by popularity? These are first release of Disney series, people would camp out if they did a Marvel or a SW series, especially if had obscure charactwrs

Hopefully you list it that the minifigs don't come with the base.  To me that's a bit of a "questionable practice" if you don't, just as much as opening the figures, but calling it a new set.  I had a lady from Florida do this to me once, as she said in her listing it was complete with code, but when I got the figure it was missing the base, so I made her send me the base because it wasn't as advertised.

Once the packs are opened, or once things like the figure bases, or any pieces are missing to me that is not a complete set or even "new".  It should be listed as a used set or under "collectible" on amazon. 

 

14 hours ago, jstodda said:

I also think this can go a few ways.. thoughts?

1. The Disney craze hits. Parents buy a few bags here and there as kids get addicted and then need X more figures to round out the collection then turn to Ebay/Clist to make it work. Individual characters could sell at $10.

2. The market floods with them and half of us are stuck just trying to get what we paid for the damn things.. "for the love please don't give me any more Peter Pans"

3. The initial boom hits then supply dwindles for a bit which does nothing but multiply the effect of #1....

I think there will be 2 chances here. The first is almost over, the "exclusivity" and get it first phase will pass and the latter will be parents trying to finish out full sets when they own half of the pieces, or when the second set comes out..

Once the companies that sell cases get their shipment in, and fulfill their orders out to the reseller market, you'll be able to get whatever figure you want off amazon for almost retail.  It's how it usually seems to work. 

I just looked at my spreadsheet, and selling S14 was decent from around August 20th, until mid-september, and then things crashed and went south (right about when minifigures plus got their case shipment in).  It will take a few more halloweens until a complete set of Monster series minifigures reach a price point that would equal what one could sell a complete set for during the initial boom when they were initially released in stores.  This is why I don't see minifigures as a long term investment, but just a QFLL opportunity.

Edited May 3, 2016 by fossilrock

[justapilgrim]

I list on BL as incomplete, no base or instructions, It's pretty clear. To me it's new, and BL and amazon have different opinions.

[supergman]

Lego store "near me" had about three boxes or so, limit 18/customer.  Two targets here had a ton of them.  I didn't buy any because I got what I need, but there were a lot.

[Robertx]

I've been to quite a few walmarts and targets. Haven't seen any. Then found a box at Barnes and Noble. Only bought 5 bags because not really into these. Was just curious. Will open later. I mostly get Star Wars, super heroes, ninja go and TMNT cause that's what my son is into. 

Although I do get some 3-1 for me cause I think some of them are cool. 

Edited May 3, 2016 by Robertx

[cladner]

demand for these is off the charts with the minifigures+  presale selling out and shop at home going through their presumed first batch going to sold out on day 1. general public is just getting wind of these and justly going beserk. \. 

sold 5 complete sets in the last 5 hours on amazon for $174.99x3 & 179.99x2 need to get a few more to complete about 8 more sets.

going out to hunt at some fresh ground later tonight.  yoink.

Edited May 4, 2016 by cladner

[ichiroll]

local TRU has a limit of 2 on these!  2 !!

[Deadfraggle]

14 minutes ago, ichiroll said:

local TRU has a limit of 2 on these!  2 !!

My TRU sold out on launch day. Both local Targets as well. I've got nada. 

[Darth_Raichu]

32 minutes ago, cladner said:

sold 5 complete sets in the last 5 hours on amazon for $174.99x3 & 179.99x2 need to get a few more to complete about 8 more sets.

  Maybe I need to look for some too

 

 

[jstodda]

Same here. 3 people that got sets for $110 are now asking for more and paying $130/$150. Now is the time before supply catches up....

[msdontplay01]

2 hours ago, cladner said:

demand for these is off the charts with the minifigures+  presale selling out and shop at home going through their presumed first batch going to sold out on day 1. general public is just getting wind of these and justly going beserk. \. 

sold 5 complete sets in the last 5 hours on amazon for $174.99x3 & 179.99x2 need to get a few more to complete about 8 more sets.

going out to hunt at some fresh ground later tonight.  yoink.

Cladner, I replied to your PM but I sent you've already got in on the action.  Way to go!  I wish I had a truck load of these figs.  The demand is madness right now!  Time to list a few more sets

[fossilrock]

2 hours ago, cladner said:

demand for these is off the charts with the minifigures+  presale selling out and shop at home going through their presumed first batch going to sold out on day 1. general public is just getting wind of these and justly going beserk. \. 

sold 5 complete sets in the last 5 hours on amazon for $174.99x3 & 179.99x2 need to get a few more to complete about 8 more sets.

going out to hunt at some fresh ground later tonight.  yoink.

I wouldn't bury yourself too deep because I don't think it's going to pan out like you think. I setup the listing last sunday so i've watched this like a hawk....  The number of sellers went from 3 to over 10 within a 4 hours time frame today, although prices rose this morning about 20.00 from last night, and they were selling at around 150 to 180 from saturday to tuesday.   But then yesterday they went down to around 140 and danced to 150 before slowly climbing back up to 180ish this morning, but that didn't last long.  

In another two days these will be going from 80 to 90.00 profit to 20.00 at max.  When too many jump in the pool, it's a quick race to the bottom and that's already beginning to happen.  I'm down to one of my five complete sets I was able to land, so all is good.  Made decent cash on these. I'm just hoping to blow the last one out around 150 and wash my hands and move on..  Once you get those guys that have feedback ratings of 71 or less, welcome to the race to the bottom!  Because they won't get sellers, but they'll keep pushing the price down and as more people jump in they will match, and that guy will go lower and lower and lower.  

Heck, reminds me of how it went down with series 14 too.

Edited May 4, 2016 by fossilrock

[Phil B]

11 minutes ago, fossilrock said:

I wouldn't bury yourself too deep because I don't think it's going to pan out like you think. I setup the listing last sunday so i've watched this like a hawk....  The number of sellers went from 3 to over 10 within a 4 hours time frame today, although prices rose this morning about 20.00 from last night, and they were selling at around 150 to 180 from saturday to tuesday.   But then yesterday they went down to around 140 and danced to 150 before slowly climbing back up to 180ish this morning, but that didn't last long.  

In another two days these will be going from 80 to 90.00 profit to 20.00 at max.  When too many jump in the pool, it's a quick race to the bottom and that's already beginning to happen.  I'm down to one of my five complete sets I was able to land, so all is good.  Made decent cash on these. I'm just hoping to blow the last one out around 150 and wash my hands and move on..  Once you get those guys that have feedback ratings of 71 or less, welcome to the race to the bottom!  Because they won't get sellers, but they'll keep pushing the price down and as more people jump in they will match, and that guy will go lower and lower and lower.  

Heck, reminds me of how it went down with series 14 too.

Is that 71 feedback score the result of a careful statistical analysis or did you just whip that out of somewhere ....

[fossilrock]

3 minutes ago, Phil B said:

Is that 71 feedback score the result of a careful statistical analysis or did you just whip that out of somewhere ....

I'll just say i've played the game long enough......  Here's some disney fair to watch..