Have you heard about the Red Line Club? No, it is not a club of tough guys who draw a line in the sand and dare you to cross it. It is an online club that is part of HotWheelsCollectors.com where you can purchase Limited Edition die cast cars. Why am I bringing this up? Because just yesterday, I used my new RLC (Red Line Club) membership to buy this 2006 Pixar Cars Factory Sealed Set.Yes, you do have to have a Red Line Club membership in order to be able to try to purchase sets such as this. The membership costs $29.94 and ONLY gives you the opportunity, not the guarantee to buy Special Sets. You do get a few things for your $29.94...a Membership Card, a Membership Pin, and an Exclusive Die cast Car. Another drawback is that your membership is only good until the end of the calender year. So, if you did as I did, and bought your membership in November, it is only good until December 31st. If a set comes out in January that I'd like to have, I'll have to renew my membership in January for 2008.
The world of collecting is hidden with loads of treasure! There are web sites that cater to the specific item you collect, manufacturers who have special offers, blogs like this one, special events and more! The thing is finding these gems, and knowing how to use them to advance your collecting! I'm a real strategist, and believe me, if you want to obtain the rarer and more sought after collectible, you must learn how to get a leg up on the competition. Competition? Yes! You are in competition to buy stuff. You're competing with the mom who's trying to buy a Cars toy for her 7 year old, the forty-something guy who collects die cast Cars, the Ebay seller trying to corner the market on the newest release, and even Mattel's distribution of the product! So, I'm going to discuss using the Red Line Club and what my experience yesterday taught me. Why would you give away your secrets? Because, in the world of collecting, networking and helping each other helps you get what you want. If I impart help to you, hopefully, you'll in turn help me someday.The way I approached purchasing this Cars Factory Set was very methodical. First, I called the Customer Service line (1-800-858-0102 Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central Time) and asked the woman to give me any advice that would increase my chances of getting the set. She told me to have my account setup to "Use Express Checkout." This is where you'll enter your credit card and leave it on file to expedite checking out. This way you don't have to waste time entering your card each time you place an order, and therefore increase your chances of getting the item quickly. Second, I asked her if the site was intuitive and would show me how to clearly proceed. I wasn't about to fumble around trying to find my way. Third, I signed in and out of my account a number of times to make sure everything was working properly. Fourth, I synchronized my computer clock with the site's countdown clock. I wanted to be dead on with the opening of the sale. Finally, I signed on about 10 minutes early and starting clicking the refresh button. At the appointed time of 12 noon E.S.T. I was able to add the set to my cart. It took about 15 seconds to go to the next window once I clicked on Checkout. Then, it showed the item and asked if everything was correct. Now, here's an interesting item to note...I asked the Customer Service woman if you could purchase multiple items and she told me NO. When you get to the confirmation page it looks as if it allows you to change the quantity. So, it appears I could have indeed purchased multiple sets. The reader who added a comment indicates you can not change the quantity. The only way to make multiple purchases is to have multiple accounts. At least this gives all a fair chance to obtain a set. This is why you need to check and recheck what reps of companies tell you. I guarantee that most of the time, the front line people don't have a clue what's going on. I'd listen to a respected collector, before I'd take what the people answering the phone say as gospel. Serious collectors know what's going down.
My experience was rather smooth and quick. It only took about 2 minutes to complete my order. I'm of course happy, because I was able to obtain a set. The set took about two and a half hours to sell out. It was reasonably priced and nicely packaged. I look forward to receiving it, and am as excited as a kid!
http://carsdiecasttoys.blogspot.com/