Disney Pixar Cars - Collecting Past and Present, and the Ebay Effect

I've been a "Collector" since I was a young kid. I collected Disney comic books, American coins, Snoopy "World's Greatest" statuettes, Star Wars figures, and Garfield stuff! I took a long hiatus while in college. I got back into collecting about 15 years ago when I started buying original animation cels. I have quite an incredible collection of Ren & Stimpy, Pinky and the Brain, and I even have an original Grinch! I got into Disney pin collecting about seven years ago, added some Disney Classics Collection pieces, a few Radko ornaments and Disney resin sculpts. Since Cars was released in 2006, I've been a fervent Cars die cast toys collector.

Up until 1998 collectors relied heavily on primary markets to add to their collections...They'd subscribe to their favorite comic books, order directly from the U.S. Mint for their coins, buy their Stars Wars figures, He-Man figures, Transformers etc. from retailers such as Toys R Us. Collectors bought from secondary markets such as mom and pop comic stores, coins shops, flea markets and collector/comic conventions, but these could often be over priced. Collectors of all ages have always traded to add to their collections. Be it kids trading baseball cards, or big kids trading Disney pins, there will always be trading.

In 1998 Ebay was formed and the world of collecting changed forever! Ebay became both a primary and secondary market for collectors. I've often joked that during the first few years Ebay existed, you could put dog poop on it and sell it for $100.00! People went nuts and selling stuff became easier than shootin' fish in a barrel! People were also nuts by over paying for stuff and acting like gold rush loons! Over the last few years Ebay has become so saturated with people selling, that in many cases things have become undervalued. Yet, we still see looney bidding when it comes to the latest and greatest!

The reality of markets is that speculation often rules when things are first offered to the public, or they are perceived as "Hot" and ripe for huge profits! We see this with the stock market when IPO's (Initial Public Offering) are often over bid, to the mental runaway prices (prices rose by 25% annually in some regions) paid for houses during the recent real estate insanity. The collecting of Cars is no different. As we are all aware, some may have thought paying $300.00 for the Motor Speedway of the South set in May of last year was a lot of money, but as we have all seen, the set has risen to a price of $1500.00 on the secondary market! A 500% increase!

The key to collecting is using a rational and sane approach. I look at a number of factors when determining what I'm willing to pay for something on Ebay or elsewhere.

1. I always look at the rarity of something. Is it a limited edition or an open edition? The lower the edition size, and the higher the demand, the higher the likelihood an item will become sought after and more valuable.
2. Is the item going to be hard to get? For instance, is it a Red Line Club exclusive that requires a membership? How about it being a Comic-Con exclusive that requires you to attend the convention and stand in line for hours?
3. Finally, is it an item that was pulled from circulation due to a manufacturing mistake, error, or problem? For example, Sarge and his lead paint issue.

These are the things I do. You may have other criteria that help you decide, but whatever approach you take, you have to use common sense.

Ebay and the Internet have made collecting easier by making items more accessible, cheaper and comparable. Ebay and e-commerce have been a very good thing for collectors. Think about it...you can buy something exclusive to the United States, Europe, Japan or anywhere in the world because of Ebay and the net! You simply do a search, click buy, pay, and in a week or two it is in your hands!! You couldn't do this until just 10 years ago. Pretty cool don't you think!

Coming Monday: Photos of...well, you'll have to wait to see!

http://CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - For "Customizers" Who Don't Get It

I love genuine, respectful debate. When people disagree and can discuss things in a calm and mature manner, hopefully we all gain some grain of insight. We may not ultimately agree, but hopefully become better enlightened to the issue being discussed. What I don't appreciate is people who flame, insight, insult and act belligerent towards me, or others when they can't stay focused on the topic and resort to making it personal.

This is the last time I'll make this clear...Make all the "Customs" you want for yourself. However, I strongly suggest you don't use copyrighted images and likenesses of Cars items, sell them on Ebay or elsewhere, otherwise you are PROFITING from the illegal use of those images and likenesses.

Nobody needs my permission to do anything. I'm simply writing articles informing the public that it is unwise to be selling "Customs" using Apple's logos, characters from Cars, or any other intellectually protected image because it is copyright infringement.

People keep trying to attack this blog's author by bringing up the fact that I use the Walmart, Toys R Us or Cars logos. I'll site the U.S. Copyright "Fair Use" Doctrine, and direct you to it so you can be better informed. Here's an excerpt from the government's site. "Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered “fair,” such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research." Visit this link to become further enlightened...Fair Use Doctrine

If I was using the Toys R Us logo and selling items with their logo on them, I'd certainly be infringing on their copyright and trademark. I'm not making a cent, and am in fact promoting them through comment and news reporting! Frankly, I'm a publicity machine for Pixar's Cars!!

People selling "Customized" hauler after hauler and making thousands of dollars, are doing it illegally! People selling bogus Franks over and over and making thousands of dollars, are doing it illegally. So are the people making ONE item and selling it. The only issue is whether the owner's of those copyrights, Pixar in this case, are going to spend thousands to go after the people selling the illegal items. Anyone with a brain realizes there's a cost/benefit to spending thousands of dollars prosecuting small time thieves. That's why people sell these bogus items. Yet, the fools selling dozens and dozens are far more likely to be prosecuted due to their high visibility and blatant disregard for the law. And simply put, they are making a lot of money doing so. This is the point!

Why do I care? Because it is wrong! Because I'm warning you! Because you shouldn't do it! It doesn't matter what the issue is, if I were to write about the fact that you shouldn't shoplift, you shouldn't rape someone, you shouldn't commit battery, it is all to discuss the reasons why you shouldn't do those things. Maybe discussing it will enlighten someone. Maybe it will stop someone from doing something that could get them in trouble. Maybe it will teach someone about something important.

I have obviously struck a nerve! And, I love it!! Thanks Roger X, you prompted me to write another great article. I'm outta here.

http://CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Mattel Counterfeits Seized In Raid

I started writing an article last year titled, "Customs versus Counterfeits." It was about this time of year that I saw too many people making what they wanted to call "Customs," appearing on Ebay in large numbers. Honestly, there's only one name to call them...COUNTERFEITS!

I haven't finished that article because for a year I've been doing research and talking to Disney Legal, Mattel and trying to get in touch with a number of lawyers. So, the article is still in the works and may be finished soon.

The reason I am discussing this is because of the big bust made a few days ago of 125 thousand bogus toys from China! Toys created to look like Barbie and Winnie the Pooh. Toys that infringe on Mattel and Disney's legal rights.

Richard de Anda, vice president of global security and investigations for Mattel, said the company conducts raids about twice a week in Chinese factories where counterfeit products are manufactured.

Take a look at the official Mattel manufactured Haulers and compare them to this ripoff "The King" counterfeit. Tough to tell which is authentic and which is bogus. These need to be stopped dead in their tracks and the people making them prosecuted for copyright infringement.

There have also been stolen Cars items from manufacturing plants in China showing up on Ebay as well. I've said before that people should avoid buying contraband. People have over paid for these stolen goods and just encourage the illegal behavior by creating a market for the stolen items. Think about this as well...the illegal Chinese counterfeits may also be made with lead based paints. Do you want to give your child toys that could harm them?

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Disney Pixar Cars - Selling Cars On Ebay Is A Waste Of Time

I want to address the selling of Cars die cast toys on Ebay. From the start, people have been hoarding Cars and foolishly selling them for very little profit. I'm going to show you how people selling Cars on Ebay have little to no business smarts!

I got an extra Edwin Kranks at the Kmart Collectors Day back in October. Let me show you how much of a waste of time it was for me to sell it on Ebay! The first time I listed it, I had a starting price of $9.99 with a Buy It Now price of $12.99. It did not sell. The second time I listed it, my starting price was $2.00 with a Buy It Now price of $9.99. This time someone paid the Buy It Now price of $9.99 with $2.95 Shipping and Handling.

Here's how my costs broke down and what I made...The first time I listed it, I paid an Insertion fee of $0.35, a Buy It Now fee of $0.10, for a total of $0.45 cents. The second time I listed it, I paid an Insertion fee of $0.35, a Buy It Now fee of $0.10, a Scheduled fee of $0.10, and a Final Value fee of $0.87 cents. Now, the Insertion fee of $0.35 was refunded because it sold the second time I listed it. My total Ebay fees were $1.45 and constituted a 16% piece to Ebay. The person paid by Paypal and those fees were $0.68 cents, and totalled a 5% piece to Paypal. The cost of shipping was $1.86, and the large bubble envelope cost me $0.50. The cost of the Edwin Kranks Car was $3.72. Total Fees came to $8.21. My gross amount was $12.94 and I netted $4.73 after expenses.

Now, this might seem ok on the surface, but let's look at other unrealized expenses. First, the time I spent going to Kmart and the cost of gas...I spent about two hours dealing with the event. Who knows how much gas I used. The store was about five miles from my house. Now, add to this my time spent listing Edwin for sale, the preparing of the picture, relisting it, packing it and ultimately mailing it. I'd estimate another one and a half hours. Total time spent to make a lousy $4.73...three and a half hours! That means I made $1.35/hour! That is absolutely stupid from a common sense business approach!!

The dumb thing I've heard for years from people selling like this is "I do it for fun!" When I spell it out for you, I ask you, "What is your life worth to you?!" All those hours spent to make so little. I'd really rather have spent those three and a half hours with friends, learning something, or even volunteering my time to enrich another's life. Remember, we have a finite time here. Do you want to spend it so foolishly? These points alone are enough to convince people with a brain to stop doing such fruitless selling. Additionally, think how this hoarding and greed has created shortages of supply. We've all seen those pictures people post that intimate bragging when they show a photo of two dozen of one Chase Car!

The only positive, is that you can often get the Cars you want for a good price. The majority of the Cars toys have never sold for much more than twice their cost. I looked at how many nuts bought the Mac Transporter and opened it to sell Bumper Save. Within a day, the dummies flooded the market with over eighty auctions selling the same darn car! Too many ding dongs have no clue as to what they are doing.

Will addressing this make the selling stop? Of course not! It will ONLY enlighten those with a brain. I don't care what you want to sell, it needs to be profitable and worth your time. Heck, if you really want to waste your time to track Cars down and sell them to me for three or four bucks over retail, go right ahead! You save me tons of time that I can use to sleep, watch movies, workout, and do productive things. Maybe you selling Cars on Ebay is not a waste of my time? Hmmm! ;-) I am Over and OUT!!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com