I try to stay positive. We all understood, after it happened the first few times, that “LocationSpecific” Vinylmation released at Disney Stores in NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and such would eventually end up at the online Disney Store. We all changed our vocabulary from “Exclusive” to “Specific.” But Directory Mickey, released last year at the Burbank Studio Store on the Disney Studio Lot was supposed to be different. It seemed as though this was a limited time (not edition) item that would could only be picked up by Cast Members on the lot. Such other CM exclusive figures have never been available outside the cast only stores at WDW and DLR. But today, Director Mickey showed up available at the DisneyStore.com for $14.95.
I thought it might be an April Fools joke, but sure enough, I was able to add it to my cart and make it to the payment page. I have absolutely no problem making these “Location Specific” figures available to a wider audience online. But I do have a problem promoting a product as something it is not. With it’s discounts and sale policies, the Disney Store continues to set a precedent that makes a mockery of something Disney itself tries to promote as a collectible. What knowledgeable Vinylmation collector will actually purchase any of the upcoming Wild West Vinylmation blind boxes within the first couple months of the April 20 release? There was no reasonable assumption Director Mickey would be available outside of the Burbank Studio Store, and coming on the heels of the “Through the Years” Mickey combo released this past weekend, it makes it even more shocking. By the way, more price drops on DisneyStore.com today as well including blind boxes for $5.99.
Disney Store is at it again. I have a Director Mickey that I traded for months ago. The thing that frustrates me is that I traded (I don’t specifically remember what figure) a pretty high in figure to get it. I didn’t mind doing it at the time because it is in my opinion one of the best figures ever released!
I ‘ve been saying for a long time that Disney needs to maintain price and location integrity! If not lot’s of folks are going to sour on the Vinylmation Hobby. BTW didn’t the same thing happen with the first DCL tin?
How is this mockery of the hobby? Why shouldn’t everyone be able to collect whatever figures they like? Collecting should be fun and should have nothing to do with value.
The point is: Don’t make things that you say are exclusive and not available in any other location that sells them (eBay not included). Then a few months down the line, release it to everyone else.
If they were to release an Indiana Jones vinylmation that was available EXCLUSIVELY at the DL resort, and I made a trip out there and bought it, then when I get home to Orlando, I find out that it was released here as well, yes, I would be pretty teed off.
If they’re going to start doing this, they need to word it as “Available exclusively at *insert location* for a limited time” or something to that effect. But, they won’t do that, because then that “location” will lose profits that could be made by people who see that and say “Well I’ll just wait until its done with the exclusive time frame, then get it when its released elsewhere” (This case, online at the store)
If you are truly a collector and never trade I agree! But before today’s DM release on Disney Store.com DM was valued pretty high therefore you would have had to trade a lower end chaser, Variant or perhaps a Park 2 to get it. Now you can just by one? Not exclusive and very misleading the public!
Actually before today the average value on ebay was around $22. That dates back to around January. The cost + shipping on DS.com (unless you buy another park item for free shipping) is $19 + tax if you get charged it so appearing on DS.com today has not changed the value at all. It just made more available.
As someone who had wanted this for a long time, but was unable to obtain it because the secondary market value was too high, this is a wonderful post-Easter treat. I’m glad that I remained patient.
Disney puts disclaimers on everything so surely there was a disclaimer on the exclusivity of this item. It’s also been reported elsewhere that there was a 1 year exclusivity contract on it that expired.
No matter what the reason it showed up on DS.com – I maintain this cannot possibly be a bad thing. These are toys, they are mass produced, and collecting them should be about fun. If you’re collecting for future value or it annoys you when things like this happen, this is the wrong item for you to collect.
You people are missing my point as a vinylmation TRADER Vinylmation have a certain trade value! Nothing to do with selling them. In a perfect world any 3″ Vinyl could be traded for another but we know that is not the case. So if traded six months ago a $30 vinyl to obtain a Director Mickey and now it can be had for half that I’m out a nice Vinyl from my collection. I made the trade based on the exclusivity of the Director Mickey Vinyl. Had I known or suspected Director Mickey would eventually become available at DS.com I never would have made the trade!
I’m not missing your point at all but I think you are missing mine. Vinylmation values can be as unpredictable as the stock market. In this hobby you will almost always be taking the risk that the current value of a vinyl can drop or rise drastically at any time for various reasons. You can either get used to that or not but you should expect it because that’s how it is. Patience is definitely a virtue in Vinylmation collecting because more often than not values drop. Even Park 1 and low LE set values have dropped. All of the CM figures have dropped drastically over time and no doubt that will continue.