Buying from the US is killing me right now - time for a change in collecting?

Unfortunately most of what I'm after is pretty much US exclusive so although I've passed on a few things I've bit the bullet on others.

Best offers and Facebook help as people are prepared to knock prices down a fair bit for the less popular stuff, especially if it means getting shot of it.

Prices seem to be dropping too, there is a Lobot head pull not selling at $500 at the moment - even with the exchange rate that's not bad considering how much prototypes command now. Likewise Revemge proofs have dropped back to near sensible prices

spoons said:

Prices seem to be dropping too, there is a Lobot head pull not selling at $500 at the moment - even with the exchange rate that's not bad considering how much prototypes command now. Likewise Revemge proofs have dropped back to near sensible prices

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Palitoys have dropped too. However, Meccanos and especially Harberts seem to be fetching more than ever (and than even a few months ago!). It's all a big merry-go-round of what is facebook flavour of the month.

maxf said:

spoons said:

Prices seem to be dropping too, there is a Lobot head pull not selling at $500 at the moment - even with the exchange rate that's not bad considering how much prototypes command now. Likewise Revemge proofs have dropped back to near sensible prices

Click to expand...

Palitoys have dropped too. However, Meccanos and especially Harberts seem to be fetching more than ever (and than even a few months ago!). It's all a big merry-go-round of what is facebook flavour of the month.

Click to expand...

Harberts are really crazy - a Harbert r2 was only a £200 figure a couple of years ago. people seem to be asking around £2k now

spoons said:

maxf said:

spoons said:

Prices seem to be dropping too, there is a Lobot head pull not selling at $500 at the moment - even with the exchange rate that's not bad considering how much prototypes command now. Likewise Revemge proofs have dropped back to near sensible prices

Click to expand...

Palitoys have dropped too. However, Meccanos and especially Harberts seem to be fetching more than ever (and than even a few months ago!). It's all a big merry-go-round of what is facebook flavour of the month.

Click to expand...

Harberts are really crazy - a Harbert r2 was only a £200 figure a couple of years ago. people seem to be asking around £2k now

Click to expand...

There will be some money lost on those! When people realise it just isnt possible to do a set of 12 they will lose interest and sell up

Don't worry guys - when Trump wins, the US dollar will plummet and all will be well again.

In all seriousness, if any of you ever need someone other than Iain or Todd to help with US deliveries, I would be happy to help.

spoons said:

maxf said:

spoons said:

Prices seem to be dropping too, there is a Lobot head pull not selling at $500 at the moment - even with the exchange rate that's not bad considering how much prototypes command now. Likewise Revemge proofs have dropped back to near sensible prices

Click to expand...

Palitoys have dropped too. However, Meccanos and especially Harberts seem to be fetching more than ever (and than even a few months ago!). It's all a big merry-go-round of what is facebook flavour of the month.

Click to expand...

Harberts are really crazy - a Harbert r2 was only a £200 figure a couple of years ago. people seem to be asking around £2k now

Click to expand...

There is one here for less than £2k but maybe it end higher http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Star-Wars-HARBERT-R2-D2-C1P8-12-Back-MOC-AFA-60-GUERRE-STELLARI-Vintage-Italy-/162273003843?hash=item25c8398943:g:sskAAOSw5cNYIQib

Maybe I remember wrong but I think I saw a few end in 2016 for about £500 on evilbay.

Ross_Barr said:

Don't worry guys - when Trump wins, the US dollar will plummet and all will be well again.

In all seriousness, if any of you ever need someone other than Iain or Todd to help with US deliveries, I would be happy to help.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ross !!!

Ross_Barr said:

Don't worry guys - when Trump wins, the US dollar will plummet and all will be well again.

In all seriousness, if any of you ever need someone other than Iain or Todd to help with US deliveries, I would be happy to help.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ross - on both counts! Go Trump :mrgreen:

Pomse2001 said:

spoons said:

maxf said:

Palitoys have dropped too. However, Meccanos and especially Harberts seem to be fetching more than ever (and than even a few months ago!). It's all a big merry-go-round of what is facebook flavour of the month.

Click to expand...

Harberts are really crazy - a Harbert r2 was only a £200 figure a couple of years ago. people seem to be asking around £2k now

Click to expand...

There is one here for less than £2k but maybe it end higher http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Star-Wars-HARBERT-R2-D2-C1P8-12-Back-MOC-AFA-60-GUERRE-STELLARI-Vintage-Italy-/162273003843?hash=item25c8398943:g:sskAAOSw5cNYIQib

Maybe I remember wrong but I think I saw a few end in 2016 for about £500 on evilbay.

Click to expand...

Thanks Lars - i'll watch with interest

spoons said:

Pomse2001 said:

spoons said:

Harberts are really crazy - a Harbert r2 was only a £200 figure a couple of years ago. people seem to be asking around £2k now

Click to expand...

There is one here for less than £2k but maybe it end higher http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Star-Wars-HARBERT-R2-D2-C1P8-12-Back-MOC-AFA-60-GUERRE-STELLARI-Vintage-Italy-/162273003843?hash=item25c8398943:g:sskAAOSw5cNYIQib

Maybe I remember wrong but I think I saw a few end in 2016 for about £500 on evilbay.

Click to expand...

Thanks Lars - i'll watch with interest

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No problem, I think because it is a afa that it will be sold at a higher price than a no afa and the starting bid is high, but let us see :wink:

Ross_Barr said:

Don't worry guys - when Trump wins, the US dollar will plummet and all will be well again.

In all seriousness, if any of you ever need someone other than Iain or Todd to help with US deliveries, I would be happy to help.

Click to expand...

It's troubling times when I find myself weighing up better star wars prices verses political armageddon in the USA :lol:

If Trump wins the US$ is going to plummet!!

wrighty said:

If Trump wins the US$ is going to plummet!!

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There it goes...

I just bought something from the US. $35 USD cost me £29 GBP!

I'll be honest, I know the exchange rate is crap but on the lower end MOCs I look at (common Jedi cards) it's still cheaper to buy in the US, even with the GSP than it is from most of the guys selling MOCs on FB (and I'm not on Echo so that's not a pop at them to clarify)

edd_jedi said:

I just bought something from the US. $35 USD cost me £29 GBP!

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Yep tell me about it and the way things are going it will be 1:1 soon.

I've even had a few purchases where after paying GSP and postage costs I ended up paying more in £ than it was selling for in $!!!

On the flip side I've noticed some UK sellers pumping up the prices to take advantage of the weak £ and international buyers with stronger currency. Or on facebook groups people listing prices in $ because the currency is stronger. This just prices UK buyers completely out of the market when they're affectively paying US$ prices in the UK. I'm not necessarily criticising and would probably do the same myself. I guess if you're getting stung heavily as a buyer then you want to take maximum advantage of the situation when you're selling to get your money back.

I feel the same way buying from Europe ... 20 bucks shipping on a loose figure

Buying stuff from the UK, Europe, & the US is almost impossible for me.

$1 CND = $0.76 USD
$1 CND = $0.63 £
$1 CND = $0.72 Euro

Then add in shipping & hope I don't get stung with any import dutes.

It's all a matter of perspective.

The £ is almost at a historic low against the Canadian $ so not sure what perspective were talking about :-D

If your not able to take advantage of the £ right now you never will.

olisuds said:

The £ is almost at a historic low against the Canadian $ so not sure what perspective were talking about :-D

If your not able to take advantage of the £ right now you never will.

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You're right, the £ is not going as far as it did. All I'm saying, is you guys still have it good, compared to Canada & some other countries, like Australia (our dollars are almost par). The perspective is that the £ is still above the USD right? For every £, you get $1.24 USD. I'm on the opposite side of it. I have to pay $1.24 CDN to get a $1 USD & $1.37 CDN to get £1.

Just as an example. If I try and buy a £20 card back from the UK. It would end up costing me $27.40 CDN + shipping. Also before the brexit vote, it would have cost me over $40 CDN (because the exchange rate then was 2-1). I can't justify that kind of costs. I've had to put a buying moratorium on all buying from other countries, except stuff locally, until our dollar goes back up.