Let me guess, the one Cobra Island GI Joe Classified you got was Roadblock? That was the biggest peg warmer and I think is still available on Targets website.
100%. Especially when the Vipers came out, that seemed to be the peak of the insanity. I saw videos and online posts in collectors groups basically accusing Target employees (99.9% of whom don’t even know or care about toys, it’s just another item to stock) of running criminal rings in their stock rooms over a case or two of action figures. The whole trading card madness as well, that got out of hand with customers literally stalking the vendors who go to their stores to stock them.
@@MrDEMarq I was making 6 bucks. it was mostly the hotwheels guys. we just ended up putting out the box and letting them root through it so we wouldn't get bothered.
@@Lazrael32 It was there during the CC hacking debacle when they had promised me that when things cleared up since they couldn't afford to pay the ten tat was advertised, two years later I was OUT since they COULD'T still afford to give me the ten. I suck, while most customers were cool about stuff since I was a follow collector, it was the fellow employees that finally made me leave instead of waiting for the empty promise.
those in trouble are those who go 4 lines + and at one point, they crack... lack of affection leads to excess, but it s better than drinking - drugs - simp... you should survive collecting figs in most cases, D
I agree, it kills me every time I see someone on Facebook groups talk about asking employees to look in the back. Lack of patience and basic understanding of business and social behavior.
I was part of a group where it was commonplace for some not to just admit they did that, but seriously accuse the employees of hoarding them to scalp them. The delusions run strong with some. While I have no doubt that is SOME employees' MO somewhere in addition to some of them probably being collectors themselves, in no way is that as rampant as these peabrains think
Your right buying products from a company and being an employee is two way different things. When I worked at Walmart in early 2000’s and Game Cubes where hard to come by and we were only giving out one per customer on Black Friday and a customer punched my coworker because he wanted two Game Cubes. Always show respect to retail and people in the service industry.
As someone who just spent several hours fixing inventory inaccuracies at his store, the notion of harassing a store employee because some third party scraper said a store had a thing is wild. Not unexpected-I've seen it first-hand-but still wild. Even if it is accurately scraping the store's site, there is a not insignificant chance the site is wrong. It's part of the reason we encourage our employees to say, "The store at (wherever) may have it" and not "Store (wherever) has (amount) in stock" when they do a check.
Strangely here in the Uk, I’ve seen some people selling their Classified collections because they don’t have space for vehicles, houses in the Uk are generally a bit smaller, hence smaller collection spaces, but I say the more the merrier with all lines!
1/12 collecting is nightmare fuel! The vehicles take up huge amounts of real estate, and the playsets("dioramas..."😂😂😂) can occupy entire walls if you let them...
at some point, you need to keep some in box, only expose on your dios a week or so, then change, it s management, I can t display all figs myself, it s too small here. it saves on dusting, and keep the fig fresh to the eye, I have 2 bikes, and def want more vehicles. even if I ll only show 1 - 2 at a time on dios. childish.
I did ask a target employee about figures that were supposed to be in stock but I at least was courteous about it and she actually did get them for me.
In a way though the complainers did win, Hasbro reissued most of not all the figures and changed their exclusive model so that sub line figures became exclusives. If the CI debacle became the norm if absolutely would have hurt the line. Though I agree on not being a dick to retail employees
Oh, I wholeheartedly agree. If you're acting like a child, but you're an adult, you really need to do some real work on your mental state. It applies to all of us at some point, but being unable to recognize it, stop it and make sure it stops happening is a real problem
I asked a girl in electronics for those first Cobra Island figures she said they had 6 of the troopers but she usually works in make up and was just covering. She agreed to get me 3 from the back I didn’t even ask for all 6 and was about to ring me up and this guy came tried to stop her saying their street dated but it rang up no problem and he looked so mad 😂 I was super polite and nice the whole time and this guy was giving me the death stare and walked away and even his co worker said that was weird why he would get so mad about someone buying a toy. Always be nice to the Target employees!
You should play DOTA or League of Legends if you want to feel better about toy collecting 😅 But jokes aside, yeah, just even with social media alone, there are some really unhinged types in our toy space.
Never Bullied for buying toys, too good looking for that. I have seen other toy collectors be kinda jerks, these target employees don’t know what most of this crap is. Like Patrick Swayze said.. “ be nice”.
I will say. Out of the couple times I’ve had a very small issue with valaverse products. You guys went above and beyond to rectify the situation. Could it have possibly been my fault for being too rough with the vest that snapped ? Maybe so. But you guys sent me 2 new ones for free and I will forever be a happy customer. Haven’t had any issues with any of your products since. Btw can’t wait to get that vanguard. I wanna try to mod it with some led lights
The only time I ask a store employee for help is when they approach me. When I went searching for Cobra Island figures, and even Amiibo during that craze, nice employees approached me. I explained what I was looking for since it wasn't on the shelf, and THEY offered to check in the back. Usually you'll be told what's on display is all they have, but some are willing to go the extra step which is cool of them. I'm not saying they'll always do that, but just be nice to them in general. While finding an item in the store can be fun, these days I prefer just buying them online.
I've only recently discovered your account, and i'm really enjoying your videos so far! I like how informative it is and getting more of a look from being inside the toy industry. I'm not from the US, so these things don't really happen here, though i have seen many people just walk their way into the storage area of some stores, which is just wrong to me. Sometimes even buying an employee shirt to be able to do it completely unnoticed. They never even find what they're looking for anyways!
I’ll add this, the combo of harassment I got from some segments of the Joe “community” and some from the Star Wars community drove me away from the internet toy space for 8 years.
I 100% agree ! During the pandemic i worked at walmart and i remember people would get angry if we didnt have any action figures on the shelf. I will say though the lego collectors get pretty nasty when they cant find the new minifigs . Also, Thankyou bobby for action force! Your creativity and imagination is what gave us these awsome figures for action force. I appreciate you!
Complaining can help. Ninja complained about the gun situation and you heard him out. You made the change and the line got better for it. So complaining can work out. Exclusives are a scalper problem. People will buy as many exclusives as possible if they know they can flip them on eBay same day. We see it every year with many products not just action figures. If I can buy two of an exclusive and flip the extra to make mine free it’s real hard to pass that up.
I'm not happy about exclusive figures when it a new figure like Bone collector v2 or mattel doing the og MOTU as online only. Liked what valaverse has done in the past doing variants as exclusives.
Wife and I are having a blast at the convention. But those who have met Bobby and the team you guys are absolutely missing out make the pilgrimage, and make a bunch of new friends because 10 years from now and this line is going even stronger you’ll be able to say you were there in the beginning
There are tons of people in the community who are giant bullies and complainers. They griped about having to heat up Valaverse figures, because Hasbro figures don't require that (even though you should). They gripe about every figure not being perfect. To me, I buy what I like. I pre-ordered the new figures that I liked. I didn't buy what I didn't like. No complaints, no bitching. If I have thoughts about what could be better,cool. I express them without bullying or complaining. I like the Classified line. I like a ton of the Valaverse line as well. They fit together perfectly. Granted, G.I.Joe has nostalgia on it's side. I still think Valaverse figures are great. I just wish you'd put our Kerrak and the Bone Collecter (og) as re-releases. I missed both of those. I can't wait to see where the line goes. I have a stopping point for the Classified line, because a lot of the figures like Cobra la don't fit into my Canon. The Valaverse line just needs to keep pumping out cool figures for me to keep buying those. My Pandora figure arrived with a broken foot. It was replaced, no issues, as soon as I called. In fact, she looked at the picture I sent and told me to keep the broken one. I gave that to someone who's dog chewed his up, and couldn't get a replacement. So, he was able to fix his version. Customer support made two people happy and didn't even know it.
The exclusives are a turn off for collectors in general. I wasn't a fan of Cobra Island myself but I never harassed Target employees or Hasbro about it. Since the pandemic, shopping for action figures isn't the same. There is less transparency every year. Less product is making it to Walmart and Target. The average collector is probably accustomed to certain buying habits. I have always preferred picking up figures at specific stores. Now I'm being forced to order from sites online. These changes in shopping preferences are a major hurdle for some collectors. If the shopping experience is inconvenient, some people may try a completely different product because it is easier to obtain. Hasbro, Mattel, McFarlane, Valaverse and a lot of other companies are leaving a lot of the customers in the dark by not promoting products or making fans fully aware of the best ways to get some items. Most people don't have a UA-camr keeping them up to date on product availability nor do many know the best places (online stores) to purchase from.🤷🏽♂️
Action Force is getting better available in Germany now. Some shops have it listed. And other collectors start asking me, how did you get to use the name "Action Force"? Was it just free because Hasbro forgot to copyright it in time or is it so unspecific that everyone may use it? Is there already a video that explains it?
The target cobra island thing is true, I would show up right after work when they opened and there was always the same group and they wouldn’t only harass the employees but other people, that gave me a bad taste for collecting the line all together and I paused for a while, and only recently did I realize that a number of collectors are POS and they do not represent the thing they’re collecting…
From what I've noticed is the exclusives are produced in smaller numbers or distributed to stores in odd quantities. I could be wrong about the amount produced, but when three stores get 0 but another store has 4 I kinda wonder. (I was looking for a target exclusive Gundam...casually not desperately). But I've never harassed a store employee over it. If it's not there it's not there. Remember kids....there's always eBay!!!!
Thankfully, I've never harassed a store employee when I couldn't get something I wanted. I might be disappointed, but it is what it is. However, I worked retail for around 20 years, so I think about that sort of thing before I open my mouth.
Pretty spot on. For me, exclusives, online and store, has ruined collecting modern figures. On top of distribution, preorder problems, scalping, etc. I definitely don’t harbor any ill will to the companies. It just honestly took the fun out of collecting for me.
Also, I’ve noticed a lot of manufacturers if there’s an issue with their product, they will not take it back and you have to go to the place you bought it to get it sorted out. except for Gamestop, they will not take anything back. It’s sold as it is from them.
Thanks for the video Bobby. Bullying is way too close to home for some of the victims. All victims of bullying have a tale of sorrow to tell. I am glad you shared some of yours.
I'm late to the party here but I have just started getting into your videos and freaking love them man. Look forward to hitting the man cave with a beer and watching your stuff. You are 100 percent correct on this. Wife works at target and wow. Hurt the collecting community as a whole.....
Maybe the COBRA Island exclusive series didn't end GI Joe classified, but the WINDOWLESS boxes certainly put a dent in it. How do we know? Hasbro went back to proper window boxes even after stating they would never go back to window boxes. Emily said they would never go back to window boxes in at least one GI Joe classified fan stream.
@@WompaStompaCyn The nice thing about the window boxes is that it's easy to open and enjoy the figure and then put them back in for display. The figures don't get as dusty that way.
My sister has a friend from the doll community who had to quit their job at Target and go on disability because they were so traumatized by people looking for Pokémon cards. This is the first time I heard about people looking for Cobra Island figs but like the Pokémon people I don't think it was collectors but resellers looking to make a buck.
This is a little off topic but do you think in future you can do spare parts. I lost the radio antenna on my spec ops gear pack. But anyways, you guys are the best! Looking forward to series 5, keep it up Bobby!
In Hasbro's case with GI Joe classified when people say they drop the line that is more serious. The ridiculous exclusives were just one of many problems. Increasing prices, low quality, and WINDOWLESS boxes all contributed to people losing interests. It's no great loss because Hasbro doesn't even want to make action figures any more anyway.
I love it when toys were hard to find, peaking around 2019-2020. I had a great time just hunting. Now most ppl are just playing the waiting game and crying about they can’t find a cable. 😂
We'll see how much longer companies with exclusives last. Hasbro's GI Joe Classified line seems to be over half exclusive (con exclusives, Hasbro Pulse exclusives, HasLabs). High prices and low quality don't make hard to get items more appealing.
you are on point with this Bobby, man child's, it's not how real men behave. those are the ones who let their emotions rule them in life, they need to grow the hell up and realize a hobby is a hobby and to treat people how you want to be treated. great video!
Cobra Island figures were eventually reproduced and there was a time if you wanted them they were pretty attainable on pulse. I feel like Action force exclusives to this date have eventually been available to everyone in some form or another so I appreciate that. Having to wait for exclusives is understandable, but I appreciate a chance to eventually get one. Thank you
Talking about exclusives and GI Joe Classified Cobra Island figures being hard to find, it's not that different than Valaverse exclusives being sold only thru BBTS or certain figures not being available for the better part of a year, if not ordered during the pre-orders. GI Joe isn't the only line with wannabe bullies; try the Valaverse FB page, as well as some of your YT associates who offer harsh critiques if anyone even offers a mild rebuke on any of the characters you make. BTW, I collect both lines.
That's why I agree with Chad. It's not a real community. It's just a bunch of us middle ages dudes reliving their childhood. Guilty myself. Nostalgia is a b****.
I feel like there’s alot of people in the collector’s community that are on record for saying they hate AF figures but secretly collect it because they dug themselves so deep with hating a product then to later realize it’s actually very good. They won’t man up and admit they were wrong so they’ll continue their hate rhetoric but collect it on the slide. I don’t care what anybody says, if you’re a Joe collector, you’re collecting other lines to compliment your joes. AF is at the top of those lines you want to collect and pose next to joes. I tell you what…. I have more classifieds than AF figures but I’m liking AF figures more and more as the years pass. Classifieds line gets lazy from time to time. AF doesn’t. I’m already getting to the point where I’m not needing to get every Classified figure but I’m needing to get every Action Force character. Do we see a pattern forming here? 😂
WOW! Who knew this kind of thing was happening. Although, it's more than a little weird that the pegs and shelves are nearly always empty of any action figurea at all. These stares aren't making any sales if no one can find anything.
Maybe the complainers didn't succeed, or maybe it will just take some more time. Indiana Jones? Gone. Power Rangers Lightning Collection? Gone Fortnite: Victory Royale? Gone D&D? Gone. GI Joe Classified is still here. Maybe it is because the fanbase is more stubborn. Maybe it is because Hasbro is angry at Valaverse and wants to outlast Valaverse's Action Force. We'll see how serious Hasbro's problems really are.
Thankfully I never experienced bullying for collecting. Most of my friends were/are collectors. Don’t recall bullying anyone either but I’ve seen it happen. Thanks again for the Keldor 2-Pack!
Exclusives are anti-consumer, period. Not everyone lives in the US so it becomes even worse for those of us lucky enough to live somewhere else. It means even fewer products available to the collectors because now it's even easier for scalpers to corner the market on sought after figures. I'd bet most of these "bad apples" harassing employees are the scalpers themselves trying to do as little work as possible to gain the maximum profit months down the road. It's almost as bad as the artificial FOMO that companies create by having small numbers for pre-orders on their sites that sell out in minutes. They are causing the anger, the frustration and draining the fun out of collecting with these slimey practices.
Things got so bad with the harassment that target removed their info from pop finder.... something that seemed impossible, but it happened none the less. They also pulled all their cards from being physically sold in stores. And here in Colorado, we had a crazy problem with those card chasers hiding those air pods on vendors cars and actually following them home so they could somehow get to things first. Shit was crazy back then, and we're still dealing with the problems to this day.
People threatening or just stopping to collect a line because they missed on one or even a couple is so infantile. There are many many collectors retro collecting, 30-40 years later picking up 80's toys we didnt have etc. got the rest of our lives to pick up the items we missed out on.
Okay, I am 2:12 into this video. I felt that I needed to stop and say something: True, (I will say some) Collectors became rude and/or abrasive to Target Employees and other Collectors. But it is also true that some Target Employees were lying to customers, hiding the items in the back and also purchasing the Classified Figures for themselves. I was difficult to locate all of these figures around this time, but the Cobra Island were "Short release" and Target also were splitting up Factory Cases to divide them up with other Target Stores in my area. I would hope that I was not one of the rude Collectors, that I guess is up to others (I tried not to be)...
I can say that from a friend when asking him about it he said that when he worked at target he would get asked to look in the back. He would go back there, look on his phone and come back out saying they didn't have it.
These were indeed some dark times for the republic. To be fair, we must also include these truths you speak of - the "target manager exclusive" was not a meme created without merit!
Still trying to get into the business, not stopping. A lot of people have said to me, give it a try do your all. When I get my name out there I can honestly say Tony, Michael, Chad and Bob gave me this quest. Or should I say dream. Oh Bobby when I said Bob back there I meant both Bob Brechin, and you. I am so humbled by the enthusiasm others in the toy scene lately, it has lit the fire even higher. This locomotive is being repaired health wise (after 36 years I know why I am so freaking short! Doctor is helping hope that ramble there is ok) and making. Oh and please save a classic Desert Rat figure. The main Action Force is like GI Joe I never really liked war toys, but you darn well I will endorse and help something dear to my friends. Dash Terrier Creations, like steam trains and Dachshund you can't beat em.
I pick my favorites in Joes. I wait and wait, then bingo Classic Cobra Commander coming in hot on Retro back in the fall. I pre-order no hunting for me. Joe's are harder to find even now. Back when they launched, I looked on day one just to see them on pegs I was left down nothing there even months after. I grew up with the Rise of Cobra film, say bad things on film, but it changed my life when it came to toys that sparked my collection! Loved the movie and characters, then watched the cartoon. I'm now, but I owe the G.I. Joe's a lot, lol. - Luke
where or when can we get more promotional pictures for Series 5 figures? other than the package design, figure render and the 1 figure in diorama picture.
I agree with some of the points made but as a consumer sometimes complaining about any issues on the line (Q.C or availability) can help a company course correct but if I was a toy make I would not like to deal with the community lol
Gosh I NEED to get a valaverse figure. Probably my next paycheck. I saw this red wasp looking one, very sci-fi looking, excited. Nvm I preordered the new crimson shadow figure
Well, I know when I bought the action force body armor set, I was missing a radio antenna and explosion parts. Manufacture told me I was shit out of luck. And I contacted the website I bought the set from and they gave me my money back and told me just to keep what was already shipped to me. Think it was back in 2022 or 2023 with that happened.
I think the way some collectors talk about employees of the companies that make these is awful too, if they really don’t like what they are putting out then maybe they should quit collecting
I think to some the vigor and complaining is a drug. It is an addiction to being frustrated. A state of being grateful for what you have been able to collect is just as powerful. Exclusives are a double edged sword. The company selling it do want to create a desire for it to be purchased. Sure. Those wanting the item have to come to terms with is having it now the issue for you or eventually. Exclusives do press on the got to get it now button or it’s gone. Fans shouldn’t let that push put them in a state of being jerks. So many options to collect. Find a balance between collecting and being grateful for what you have. I agree. Don’t be jerks about not getting the exclusive. Help a fellow collector out too if you can.
I’ve been an adult action figure collector off and on since the mid ‘80’s when RAH and MOTU were first introduced. One rule I always abided by was that if a kid wanted a figure that I was holding and there were none left on the pegs I’d hand it over because it’s first and foremost a toy. Worst thing I ever saw was an adult hot wheels collector berate a child for getting between him and his previous hot wheels display. Thankfully the kids dad was there to set things right. Back in the 90’s the worst adult collectors were those chasing McFarlane figures
My son loves your stuff and thinks it’s the coolest thing that you started this line. It’s about bringing new people in and it’s great to grab a younger audience. Being able to make your own variants or versions of a figure is something that should not be overlooked. I would love to see this being promoted on here or social media by yourself and fans. We are excited to hear what we can do with our points. We will make it to Power Con the next time.
Yes many collectors have given a bad reputation to the entire community. I miss the days when people helped people. I see it in many face book groups to guys get extras then turn to make money instead of helping follow collectors. Don't get me wrong I think if I have extras, I should be able to make a little extra for my time gas or whatever but, jacking the price up by 100% is not helping others it something else. The other thing that bothers me about our community is the division between Valaverse and GI Joe. I love both lines I think that mix very well I do understand your personal issues with Hasbro as that is more on a personal level but, I don't understand the issues GI Joe fans and Valaverse fans have against each other. It's really a shame My shelf is overflowing with both, and they fit together so well.
yes, we have all heard the horror stories of terrible people harassing employees and being rude. But let's highlight the more typical experience for the common collector during this time - It honestly felt like we were grown men trying to find the nearest red shirt and khakis and hand them our phone like was a a note from our mother showing the employee what she sent us to the store to buy.😄
Exclusives always brings out the worst in collectors partly it’s down to completing the line partly bragging rights I’ve got the a better rarer figure than you don’t get me wrong I like exclusives but the line I loved best hasn’t been made in 38 years but I still love it
A lot of collectors have no patience when it comes to the hobby and the hunt. I can squarely blame social media for that sort of heightened fervor - everyone wants to be the first for the likes and clicks and dopamine rush. But how much do they actually care about the toys(?). Awesome video as always, my friend.
Good point Chad. And let's not forget that there are some toytubers out there that are willing to fake content on so called "toy hunts" just for the views. Social media, FOMO, and that sweet sweet hit of dopamine you described are some of the obstacles collectors (and consumers alike) have to navigate in this experience. Thanks for the comment. By the way, really enjoyed meeting you this past weekend at the DFW show
the only issue ive ever had with target was i ordered a major bludd figure supposedly it was the last one they had went to pick it up and someone had opened it and replaced the figure with cobra commander figure so i returned it wasnt a big deal but two days later they had more so was able to get one
Unfortunately the series wrapped up today, but if anyone hasn’t seen it, Chick N Coop made some very complimentary Action Force support animation. He made the toys look really good. Local Rhode Island studio with Hasbro history.
You are absolutely right! In the beginning, and still to this day.... Classified has brought out the worst in people. Adults being bullies and thieves over $25 figures! And that's why I don't share collection photos, mail calls, or sales offers and in-stock locations. I've made zero friends within the Classified community. Zero! The hobby is extremely toxic. Therefore I collect privately! In the 1/6 collectors hobby... I've made friends, close friends. There's definitely a massive difference between the two types of collecting.
Target and other stores were ordering masks, hand sanitizer, toliet paper, and lysol wipes and passing on "non-essentials." Then everyone started ordering everything online. Now we can't have nice things, just damaged boxes and smaller toy aisles.
Bobby, I like your toy line and I can see where your coming from, but allow me to offer a different perspective. The guys at Target at 6 am, in my experience, are not GI Joe fans, they are flippers and scalpers, mostly. Also, I don't think that most of the people complaining about Cobra Island stuff were trying to put Hasbro out of business. More like they were letting Hasbro know there was still a huge demand for these figures and they should make them more accessible, albeit in a very rude and immature way. And an argument could be made that it worked. The Cobra infantry being sold by the case, the viper 3 pack, the retro carded Eels and Snow Serpents, all show that they are listening. Maybe they would be better served if they too made a 10 minute video complaining about people complaining instead of listening to the complaints and giving the complainers what they want to make more money.
You bring up some good points. The greater issue was with distribution and supply. I know there were many cases of rude customers. But not all of fell into that category - even though I did find myself driving all the way to a far off Target to be there right at 8 am when it opened only to find that what was supposed to be there ... wasn't. As a collector those times were extremely frustrating because I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing as a customer only to be greeted by disappointment and in some cases apathetic employees. But I will say that there were also some extraordinary target employees that went above and beyond to ensure a good customer experience
I just LOL at those that always make the "I'm never buying (insert toy line here) again!" proclamation because those are the same collectors that always buy the new wave of releases and complain they can't find one figure and make the same proclamation again.
I did not complain when I bought Leia Organa star wars rebels action figure. I was more interested with just her blaster rifle which I used for another figure
I didn't care about the Cobra Island stuff. What did it for me with Hasbro and Classified was the Pulse exclusives. I have a Serpentor and Mindbender sized hole in my collection because of them being on Pulse. I'm not going to get on the site and hit F5 repeatedly to try and beat out the scalper bots for one either. I eventually decided I'll just buy Cobra troopers, Dreadnoks, and the og Joes.
I collect many different things.. toys (many different lines, vintage and modern), comics, art, statues, cards.. there are extremely toxic people in all of these hobbies... it makes it the least enjoyable part.
This what I think! I think that you Tony have accomplished what a lot of people would desire to do; being toe to toe with a huge company like Hasbro when it comes to a military line. Some of the factors and reasons why GI Joe Classified is it that good nowadays is thanks to you and you high quality products. Most of my collections has that nostalgia factor, meaning they are from the past, your line is new from these days and it is one of the few that I need to have (only missing the first swarm backpack) the whole line. Keep doing what you doing and try to find a way to make a tv show animated of Action Force (You are going to piss a lot of people) before hasbro decide to do a GI joe animated show!! 👍🔥😁
Thinking back to my heaviest Transformers collecting days of 20-25 years ago, exclusives were annoying but I jumped through all the hoops (without being a problem to any one). So many stores: Toys R Us, KB Toys, WalMart, Target, K-Mart, Amazon, TF Collectors Club, Hasbro Toy Shop, Sam's Club, Costco, etc. Now I only buy maybe 5% of what I used to.
I think it’s true. Guys pulling off whole lines of the figures into his cart while kids were trying to look at them…? It happened to the small Star Wars line big time, kept complaining until the figures are over articulated and heavily painted, just made them too expensive, most people just drifted off, especially the kids. $20 is just too much for under a 4 inch figure at the store.
Since the question was asked if we agree? I don’t agree with using the term bully to describe people for alienating, voicing their opinion or for people being A-holes to store employees. Bullying is a repeated behavior that can cause physical and psychological trauma on a deeper level. Toy collecting as a whole is an addiction and like any addiction, some people will do anything to fill their need. It’s shameful and pathetic but it is what it is. The toy community is filled with all kinds of people. Some are very generous, helpful and kind while others are very selfish, ignorant, asshats. I am someone who can’t stand the idea of exclusives unless they are easily attainable. I have the sickness of toy addiction OCD (aka plastic crack) so once I start collecting a line, I’m compelled to have at least one of everything. One exception to that for me though is when there’s a paint variant that isn’t much different. Because this video is obviously aimed toward the pushback at B.C. V2 I think there are a couple of things at play for me. The first being that I have supported AF from the start and have at least one of each character because the accessibility of the line to purchase what I want online without having to waste time hunting figures was great. The other thing for me is that I prefer the bloodied variant over the regular one so without the option to purchase the bloodied variant outright, I don’t feel compelled to purchase the one I don’t want. That then leaves me with a hole in my collection and subsequently an incomplete collection which means I no longer need one of everything and will become more selective with what I purchase in the line. I know, like I said earlier, it’s a sickness. 😅
I collect both lines. I don't care what other people think. I do think that some collector's should stop being so elitist. The problem is import cost since I'm in the UK and a lot of stuff in GI Joe is unavailabe here. I wish they'd reissue the Cobra Island figures again.
i got harassed, bullied, jumped, and everything in the book for playing with action figures growing up.... and back then they were an escape for me from my mothers molestation, torture, and abuse on me.
ah bro, it can be anyone, primitive and controlling... they support you, but if you go a place they don t like, it s yellow alert. the exclusives did nt kill the line, but it made me hesitate a lot, I only had 3 figs for a year... with reg Cobra troopers from the get go, I d have bought so much more, and I kept mentioning this until I got the news retro versions were coming it made no sense to me to have no troops to re create the cartoons at home.. eh. I m sure many waited very long to get in because of glitches like that me, I don t like exclusives either, and I m not a completist, if it s not something I want, who cares, but if it s in my style, I d like to have it. it should be 'riske' stuff, niche, like Hasbro did with the marauders, few want them. hey, I really like your boxes for figs, the look is just ok, but it beats everything else in practicability, if I fold them, they take 0 space I also like the guns a lot, and my fem guard moves great. the new leader Siege looks fab, as is the new cyborg. I still think you re missing on story, and should have at least pic montages to get it going, but I m in for the army builders, they make great mercs, move and look fab. I really like the simplicity of them, I d just like civilian heads to match. but hey, at least I can get some now, it def makes me watch more about what s happening now. so now you know... God bless America and world peace good show bro
I am more concerned about the Copyright Strike Bullying that's going on. That's some grade A BS! The fact that any user has the capacity to arbitrarily strike a video and content creator for copyright infringement without a shred of proof, is insane. So the collector bullying has shifted to collector attacks. Bros from some fan-channel will gang up on another creator and end their channel....just cuz'. That's more infuriating because it stifles creativity. I mean, who wants to spend HOURS upon HOURS filming, editing, creating entertaining content, just to have some bully copyright strike your channel into oblivion in less than 24 hours. ----______----
Do you agree?
Let me guess, the one Cobra Island GI Joe Classified you got was Roadblock? That was the biggest peg warmer and I think is still available on Targets website.
I used to BE that target employee for $8.00 per hour.
100%. Especially when the Vipers came out, that seemed to be the peak of the insanity. I saw videos and online posts in collectors groups basically accusing Target employees (99.9% of whom don’t even know or care about toys, it’s just another item to stock) of running criminal rings in their stock rooms over a case or two of action figures. The whole trading card madness as well, that got out of hand with customers literally stalking the vendors who go to their stores to stock them.
@@MrDEMarq I was making 6 bucks. it was mostly the hotwheels guys. we just ended up putting out the box and letting them root through it so we wouldn't get bothered.
@@Lazrael32 It was there during the CC hacking debacle when they had promised me that when things cleared up since they couldn't afford to pay the ten tat was advertised, two years later I was OUT since they COULD'T still afford to give me the ten.
I suck, while most customers were cool about stuff since I was a follow collector, it was the fellow employees that finally made me leave instead of waiting for the empty promise.
It’s sort of like a drug or addiction at times, and it can bring out the negative side of an addictive nature in some people in the game.
those in trouble are those who go 4 lines + and at one point, they crack...
lack of affection leads to excess, but it s better than drinking - drugs - simp...
you should survive collecting figs in most cases, D
I agree, it kills me every time I see someone on Facebook groups talk about asking employees to look in the back. Lack of patience and basic understanding of business and social behavior.
I was part of a group where it was commonplace for some not to just admit they did that, but seriously accuse the employees of hoarding them to scalp them. The delusions run strong with some. While I have no doubt that is SOME employees' MO somewhere in addition to some of them probably being collectors themselves, in no way is that as rampant as these peabrains think
Your right buying products from a company and being an employee is two way different things. When I worked at Walmart in early 2000’s and Game Cubes where hard to come by and we were only giving out one per customer on Black Friday and a customer punched my coworker because he wanted two Game Cubes. Always show respect to retail and people in the service industry.
As someone who just spent several hours fixing inventory inaccuracies at his store, the notion of harassing a store employee because some third party scraper said a store had a thing is wild. Not unexpected-I've seen it first-hand-but still wild. Even if it is accurately scraping the store's site, there is a not insignificant chance the site is wrong.
It's part of the reason we encourage our employees to say, "The store at (wherever) may have it" and not "Store (wherever) has (amount) in stock" when they do a check.
Strangely here in the Uk, I’ve seen some people selling their Classified collections because they don’t have space for vehicles, houses in the Uk are generally a bit smaller, hence smaller collection spaces, but I say the more the merrier with all lines!
1/12 collecting is nightmare fuel!
The vehicles take up huge amounts of real estate, and the playsets("dioramas..."😂😂😂) can occupy entire walls if you let them...
at some point, you need to keep some in box, only expose on your dios a week or so,
then change, it s management, I can t display all figs myself, it s too small here.
it saves on dusting, and keep the fig fresh to the eye, I have 2 bikes, and def want more vehicles.
even if I ll only show 1 - 2 at a time on dios. childish.
I did ask a target employee about figures that were supposed to be in stock but I at least was courteous about it and she actually did get them for me.
I just bought my first Valaverse figure and can’t wait to see it in my collection
In a way though the complainers did win, Hasbro reissued most of not all the figures and changed their exclusive model so that sub line figures became exclusives. If the CI debacle became the norm if absolutely would have hurt the line. Though I agree on not being a dick to retail employees
Oh, I wholeheartedly agree. If you're acting like a child, but you're an adult, you really need to do some real work on your mental state.
It applies to all of us at some point, but being unable to recognize it, stop it and make sure it stops happening is a real problem
I asked a girl in electronics for those first Cobra Island figures she said they had 6 of the troopers but she usually works in make up and was just covering. She agreed to get me 3 from the back I didn’t even ask for all 6 and was about to ring me up and this guy came tried to stop her saying their street dated but it rang up no problem and he looked so mad 😂 I was super polite and nice the whole time and this guy was giving me the death stare and walked away and even his co worker said that was weird why he would get so mad about someone buying a toy. Always be nice to the Target employees!
I worked at Target they hoard stuff in the back
@@SupermanXD he was mad because he's probly was the one who had them put up in the back for himself too get later
The toy community is literally the most toxic community I’ve ever been a part of
You should play DOTA or League of Legends if you want to feel better about toy collecting 😅
But jokes aside, yeah, just even with social media alone, there are some really unhinged types in our toy space.
@@JamesSerapio
Unhinged is definitely a good word for it
You should check-out the prepper community or the prison youtube community. Or the hyper car community. People are people.
Never Bullied for buying toys, too good looking for that.
I have seen other toy collectors be kinda jerks, these target employees don’t know what most of this crap is.
Like Patrick Swayze said.. “ be nice”.
If I don't have it I don't miss it and if I can't get it then move on. I appreciate what I've got.
I will say. Out of the couple times I’ve had a very small issue with valaverse products. You guys went above and beyond to rectify the situation. Could it have possibly been my fault for being too rough with the vest that snapped ? Maybe so. But you guys sent me 2 new ones for free and I will forever be a happy customer. Haven’t had any issues with any of your products since. Btw can’t wait to get that vanguard. I wanna try to mod it with some led lights
The only time I ask a store employee for help is when they approach me. When I went searching for Cobra Island figures, and even Amiibo during that craze, nice employees approached me. I explained what I was looking for since it wasn't on the shelf, and THEY offered to check in the back. Usually you'll be told what's on display is all they have, but some are willing to go the extra step which is cool of them. I'm not saying they'll always do that, but just be nice to them in general.
While finding an item in the store can be fun, these days I prefer just buying them online.
I've only recently discovered your account, and i'm really enjoying your videos so far! I like how informative it is and getting more of a look from being inside the toy industry.
I'm not from the US, so these things don't really happen here, though i have seen many people just walk their way into the storage area of some stores, which is just wrong to me. Sometimes even buying an employee shirt to be able to do it completely unnoticed.
They never even find what they're looking for anyways!
I’ll add this, the combo of harassment I got from some segments of the Joe “community” and some from the Star Wars community drove me away from the internet toy space for 8 years.
I 100% agree ! During the pandemic i worked at walmart and i remember people would get angry if we didnt have any action figures on the shelf. I will say though the lego collectors get pretty nasty when they cant find the new minifigs . Also, Thankyou bobby for action force! Your creativity and imagination is what gave us these awsome figures for action force. I appreciate you!
Complaining can help. Ninja complained about the gun situation and you heard him out. You made the change and the line got better for it. So complaining can work out.
Exclusives are a scalper problem. People will buy as many exclusives as possible if they know they can flip them on eBay same day. We see it every year with many products not just action figures. If I can buy two of an exclusive and flip the extra to make mine free it’s real hard to pass that up.
I'm always very polite and appreciative when a Target or Walmart employee goes in back to find a figure for me.
I'm not happy about exclusive figures when it a new figure like Bone collector v2 or mattel doing the og MOTU as online only. Liked what valaverse has done in the past doing variants as exclusives.
1:57 have never done this, will never do it
Same here, those people are annoying and in most cases just pathetic. If you wait you will come across it 99% of the time.
Wife and I are having a blast at the convention. But those who have met Bobby and the team you guys are absolutely missing out make the pilgrimage, and make a bunch of new friends because 10 years from now and this line is going even stronger you’ll be able to say you were there in the beginning
There are tons of people in the community who are giant bullies and complainers. They griped about having to heat up Valaverse figures, because Hasbro figures don't require that (even though you should). They gripe about every figure not being perfect. To me, I buy what I like. I pre-ordered the new figures that I liked. I didn't buy what I didn't like. No complaints, no bitching. If I have thoughts about what could be better,cool. I express them without bullying or complaining. I like the Classified line. I like a ton of the Valaverse line as well. They fit together perfectly. Granted, G.I.Joe has nostalgia on it's side. I still think Valaverse figures are great. I just wish you'd put our Kerrak and the Bone Collecter (og) as re-releases. I missed both of those. I can't wait to see where the line goes. I have a stopping point for the Classified line, because a lot of the figures like Cobra la don't fit into my Canon. The Valaverse line just needs to keep pumping out cool figures for me to keep buying those.
My Pandora figure arrived with a broken foot. It was replaced, no issues, as soon as I called. In fact, she looked at the picture I sent and told me to keep the broken one. I gave that to someone who's dog chewed his up, and couldn't get a replacement. So, he was able to fix his version. Customer support made two people happy and didn't even know it.
The exclusives are a turn off for collectors in general. I wasn't a fan of Cobra Island myself but I never harassed Target employees or Hasbro about it.
Since the pandemic, shopping for action figures isn't the same. There is less transparency every year. Less product is making it to Walmart and Target. The average collector is probably accustomed to certain buying habits. I have always preferred picking up figures at specific stores. Now I'm being forced to order from sites online.
These changes in shopping preferences are a major hurdle for some collectors. If the shopping experience is inconvenient, some people may try a completely different product because it is easier to obtain.
Hasbro, Mattel, McFarlane, Valaverse and a lot of other companies are leaving a lot of the customers in the dark by not promoting products or making fans fully aware of the best ways to get some items.
Most people don't have a UA-camr keeping them up to date on product availability nor do many know the best places (online stores) to purchase from.🤷🏽♂️
Action Force is getting better available in Germany now. Some shops have it listed. And other collectors start asking me, how did you get to use the name "Action Force"? Was it just free because Hasbro forgot to copyright it in time or is it so unspecific that everyone may use it? Is there already a video that explains it?
The target cobra island thing is true, I would show up right after work when they opened and there was always the same group and they wouldn’t only harass the employees but other people, that gave me a bad taste for collecting the line all together and I paused for a while, and only recently did I realize that a number of collectors are POS and they do not represent the thing they’re collecting…
From what I've noticed is the exclusives are produced in smaller numbers or distributed to stores in odd quantities. I could be wrong about the amount produced, but when three stores get 0 but another store has 4 I kinda wonder. (I was looking for a target exclusive Gundam...casually not desperately). But I've never harassed a store employee over it. If it's not there it's not there.
Remember kids....there's always eBay!!!!
Thankfully, I've never harassed a store employee when I couldn't get something I wanted. I might be disappointed, but it is what it is. However, I worked retail for around 20 years, so I think about that sort of thing before I open my mouth.
Pretty spot on. For me, exclusives, online and store, has ruined collecting modern figures. On top of distribution, preorder problems, scalping, etc. I definitely don’t harbor any ill will to the companies. It just honestly took the fun out of collecting for me.
Man it’s really sad when someone says they want to burn Valaverse product - they are fantastic figures and should be totally cherished!
Stop bullying this poor box... You slapped it for 10 minutes straight!
😂
That box had it coming!
As a victim of severe childhood bullying I totally agree this type of behavior is sickening
Also, I’ve noticed a lot of manufacturers if there’s an issue with their product, they will not take it back and you have to go to the place you bought it to get it sorted out. except for Gamestop, they will not take anything back. It’s sold as it is from them.
nah i disagree. i walk into target and they were actually hidding them in the back i actually caught them doing it. manager came out and appologised.
Thanks for the video Bobby. Bullying is way too close to home for some of the victims. All victims of bullying have a tale of sorrow to tell. I am glad you shared some of yours.
I'm late to the party here but I have just started getting into your videos and freaking love them man. Look forward to hitting the man cave with a beer and watching your stuff. You are 100 percent correct on this. Wife works at target and wow. Hurt the collecting community as a whole.....
Maybe the COBRA Island exclusive series didn't end GI Joe classified, but the WINDOWLESS boxes certainly put a dent in it.
How do we know?
Hasbro went back to proper window boxes even after stating they would never go back to window boxes.
Emily said they would never go back to window boxes in at least one GI Joe classified fan stream.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say all of the returns and stolen figures had more of an effect on that pivot than in box collectors.
@@WompaStompaCyn The nice thing about the window boxes is that it's easy to open and enjoy the figure and then put them back in for display. The figures don't get as dusty that way.
My sister has a friend from the doll community who had to quit their job at Target and go on disability because they were so traumatized by people looking for Pokémon cards. This is the first time I heard about people looking for Cobra Island figs but like the Pokémon people I don't think it was collectors but resellers looking to make a buck.
This is a little off topic but do you think in future you can do spare parts. I lost the radio antenna on my spec ops gear pack. But anyways, you guys are the best! Looking forward to series 5, keep it up Bobby!
In Hasbro's case with GI Joe classified when people say they drop the line that is more serious.
The ridiculous exclusives were just one of many problems.
Increasing prices, low quality, and WINDOWLESS boxes all contributed to people losing interests.
It's no great loss because Hasbro doesn't even want to make action figures any more anyway.
I love it when toys were hard to find, peaking around 2019-2020. I had a great time just hunting. Now most ppl are just playing the waiting game and crying about they can’t find a cable. 😂
We'll see how much longer companies with exclusives last.
Hasbro's GI Joe Classified line seems to be over half exclusive (con exclusives, Hasbro Pulse exclusives, HasLabs).
High prices and low quality don't make hard to get items more appealing.
you are on point with this Bobby, man child's, it's not how real men behave. those are the ones who let their emotions rule them in life, they need to grow the hell up and realize a hobby is a hobby and to treat people how you want to be treated. great video!
Cobra Island figures were eventually reproduced and there was a time if you wanted them they were pretty attainable on pulse. I feel like Action force exclusives to this date have eventually been available to everyone in some form or another so I appreciate that. Having to wait for exclusives is understandable, but I appreciate a chance to eventually get one. Thank you
Talking about exclusives and GI Joe Classified Cobra Island figures being hard to find, it's not that different than Valaverse exclusives being sold only thru BBTS or certain figures not being available for the better part of a year, if not ordered during the pre-orders. GI Joe isn't the only line with wannabe bullies; try the Valaverse FB page, as well as some of your YT associates who offer harsh critiques if anyone even offers a mild rebuke on any of the characters you make. BTW, I collect both lines.
That's why I agree with Chad. It's not a real community. It's just a bunch of us middle ages dudes reliving their childhood. Guilty myself. Nostalgia is a b****.
I feel like there’s alot of people in the collector’s community that are on record for saying they hate AF figures but secretly collect it because they dug themselves so deep with hating a product then to later realize it’s actually very good. They won’t man up and admit they were wrong so they’ll continue their hate rhetoric but collect it on the slide. I don’t care what anybody says, if you’re a Joe collector, you’re collecting other lines to compliment your joes. AF is at the top of those lines you want to collect and pose next to joes. I tell you what…. I have more classifieds than AF figures but I’m liking AF figures more and more as the years pass. Classifieds line gets lazy from time to time. AF doesn’t. I’m already getting to the point where I’m not needing to get every Classified figure but I’m needing to get every Action Force character. Do we see a pattern forming here? 😂
Some people are just jerks, regardless of the situation.
WOW!
Who knew this kind of thing was happening.
Although, it's more than a little weird that the pegs and shelves are nearly always empty of any action figurea at all.
These stares aren't making any sales if no one can find anything.
Maybe the complainers didn't succeed, or maybe it will just take some more time.
Indiana Jones? Gone.
Power Rangers Lightning Collection? Gone
Fortnite: Victory Royale? Gone
D&D? Gone.
GI Joe Classified is still here.
Maybe it is because the fanbase is more stubborn.
Maybe it is because Hasbro is angry at Valaverse and wants to outlast Valaverse's Action Force.
We'll see how serious Hasbro's problems really are.
"Collectors have become the bully" coming from a guy who bullies customers on social media. LMAO! Can't make this shit up.
Thankfully I never experienced bullying for collecting. Most of my friends were/are collectors. Don’t recall bullying anyone either but I’ve seen it happen. Thanks again for the Keldor 2-Pack!
Exclusives are anti-consumer, period. Not everyone lives in the US so it becomes even worse for those of us lucky enough to live somewhere else. It means even fewer products available to the collectors because now it's even easier for scalpers to corner the market on sought after figures. I'd bet most of these "bad apples" harassing employees are the scalpers themselves trying to do as little work as possible to gain the maximum profit months down the road. It's almost as bad as the artificial FOMO that companies create by having small numbers for pre-orders on their sites that sell out in minutes. They are causing the anger, the frustration and draining the fun out of collecting with these slimey practices.
Things got so bad with the harassment that target removed their info from pop finder.... something that seemed impossible, but it happened none the less. They also pulled all their cards from being physically sold in stores. And here in Colorado, we had a crazy problem with those card chasers hiding those air pods on vendors cars and actually following them home so they could somehow get to things first. Shit was crazy back then, and we're still dealing with the problems to this day.
i feel like you have no idea about the funko pop world before rona ,for years that was crazy with the exclusives,way more than the gi joe thing
Don’t forget back in the day people used to go nuts on the video games and a video game consoles South Park did the episode about it.
...they still go nuts over consoles, games less so now that everything is moving to digital release.
People threatening or just stopping to collect a line because they missed on one or even a couple is so infantile. There are many many collectors retro collecting, 30-40 years later picking up 80's toys we didnt have etc. got the rest of our lives to pick up the items we missed out on.
Okay, I am 2:12 into this video. I felt that I needed to stop and say something: True, (I will say some) Collectors became rude and/or abrasive to Target Employees and other Collectors. But it is also true that some Target Employees were lying to customers, hiding the items in the back and also purchasing the Classified Figures for themselves. I was difficult to locate all of these figures around this time, but the Cobra Island were "Short release" and Target also were splitting up Factory Cases to divide them up with other Target Stores in my area. I would hope that I was not one of the rude Collectors, that I guess is up to others (I tried not to be)...
I can say that from a friend when asking him about it he said that when he worked at target he would get asked to look in the back. He would go back there, look on his phone and come back out saying they didn't have it.
These were indeed some dark times for the republic. To be fair, we must also include these truths you speak of - the "target manager exclusive" was not a meme created without merit!
Still trying to get into the business, not stopping. A lot of people have said to me, give it a try do your all. When I get my name out there I can honestly say Tony, Michael, Chad and Bob gave me this quest. Or should I say dream. Oh Bobby when I said Bob back there I meant both Bob Brechin, and you.
I am so humbled by the enthusiasm others in the toy scene lately, it has lit the fire even higher. This locomotive is being repaired health wise (after 36 years I know why I am so freaking short! Doctor is helping hope that ramble there is ok) and making.
Oh and please save a classic Desert Rat figure. The main Action Force is like GI Joe I never really liked war toys, but you darn well I will endorse and help something dear to my friends.
Dash Terrier Creations, like steam trains and Dachshund you can't beat em.
Well said Bobby
I pick my favorites in Joes. I wait and wait, then bingo Classic Cobra Commander coming in hot on Retro back in the fall. I pre-order no hunting for me. Joe's are harder to find even now. Back when they launched, I looked on day one just to see them on pegs I was left down nothing there even months after. I grew up with the Rise of Cobra film, say bad things on film, but it changed my life when it came to toys that sparked my collection! Loved the movie and characters, then watched the cartoon. I'm now, but I owe the G.I. Joe's a lot, lol. - Luke
where or when can we get more promotional pictures for Series 5 figures? other than the package design, figure render and the 1 figure in diorama picture.
I agree with some of the points made but as a consumer sometimes complaining about any issues on the line (Q.C or availability) can help a company course correct but if I was a toy make I would not like to deal with the community lol
Gosh I NEED to get a valaverse figure. Probably my next paycheck. I saw this red wasp looking one, very sci-fi looking, excited. Nvm I preordered the new crimson shadow figure
Well, I know when I bought the action force body armor set, I was missing a radio antenna and explosion parts. Manufacture told me I was shit out of luck. And I contacted the website I bought the set from and they gave me my money back and told me just to keep what was already shipped to me. Think it was back in 2022 or 2023 with that happened.
I think the way some collectors talk about employees of the companies that make these is awful too, if they really don’t like what they are putting out then maybe they should quit collecting
I think to some the vigor and complaining is a drug. It is an addiction to being frustrated. A state of being grateful for what you have been able to collect is just as powerful. Exclusives are a double edged sword. The company selling it do want to create a desire for it to be purchased. Sure. Those wanting the item have to come to terms with is having it now the issue for you or eventually. Exclusives do press on the got to get it now button or it’s gone. Fans shouldn’t let that push put them in a state of being jerks. So many options to collect. Find a balance between collecting and being grateful for what you have. I agree. Don’t be jerks about not getting the exclusive. Help a fellow collector out too if you can.
I’ve been an adult action figure collector off and on since the mid ‘80’s when RAH and MOTU were first introduced. One rule I always abided by was that if a kid wanted a figure that I was holding and there were none left on the pegs I’d hand it over because it’s first and foremost a toy. Worst thing I ever saw was an adult hot wheels collector berate a child for getting between him and his previous hot wheels display. Thankfully the kids dad was there to set things right. Back in the 90’s the worst adult collectors were those chasing McFarlane figures
Maybe it depends on the area. I seen toy collectors do crazy things but nothing compare with Sport card collectors/scalpers.
Loved the commercial.
My son loves your stuff and thinks it’s the coolest thing that you started this line. It’s about bringing new people in and it’s great to grab a younger audience. Being able to make your own variants or versions of a figure is something that should not be overlooked. I would love to see this being promoted on here or social media by yourself and fans. We are excited to hear what we can do with our points. We will make it to Power Con the next time.
Yes many collectors have given a bad reputation to the entire community. I miss the days when people helped people. I see it in many face book groups to guys get extras then turn to make money instead of helping follow collectors. Don't get me wrong I think if I have extras, I should be able to make a little extra for my time gas or whatever but, jacking the price up by 100% is not helping others it something else. The other thing that bothers me about our community is the division between Valaverse and GI Joe. I love both lines I think that mix very well I do understand your personal issues with Hasbro as that is more on a personal level but, I don't understand the issues GI Joe fans and Valaverse fans have against each other. It's really a shame My shelf is overflowing with both, and they fit together so well.
yes, we have all heard the horror stories of terrible people harassing employees and being rude. But let's highlight the more typical experience for the common collector during this time - It honestly felt like we were grown men trying to find the nearest red shirt and khakis and hand them our phone like was a a note from our mother showing the employee what she sent us to the store to buy.😄
Exclusives always brings out the worst in collectors partly it’s down to completing the line partly bragging rights I’ve got the a better rarer figure than you don’t get me wrong I like exclusives but the line I loved best hasn’t been made in 38 years but I still love it
A lot of collectors have no patience when it comes to the hobby and the hunt. I can squarely blame social media for that sort of heightened fervor - everyone wants to be the first for the likes and clicks and dopamine rush. But how much do they actually care about the toys(?).
Awesome video as always, my friend.
Good point Chad. And let's not forget that there are some toytubers out there that are willing to fake content on so called "toy hunts" just for the views. Social media, FOMO, and that sweet sweet hit of dopamine you described are some of the obstacles collectors (and consumers alike) have to navigate in this experience. Thanks for the comment. By the way, really enjoyed meeting you this past weekend at the DFW show
I hate it when people treat other people poorly cause of something they love. Treat people like people.
That happened 20 plus years ago when I worked at Target and we called it Yoda gate unfortunately it's not a new thing
Dude it's not just collectors, I find that there are a lot of asshats in all walks of life who think they're entitled to special treatment.
the only issue ive ever had with target was i ordered a major bludd figure supposedly it was the last one they had went to pick it up and someone had opened it and replaced the figure with cobra commander figure so i returned it wasnt a big deal but two days later they had more so was able to get one
Unfortunately the series wrapped up today, but if anyone hasn’t seen it, Chick N Coop made some very complimentary Action Force support animation. He made the toys look really good. Local Rhode Island studio with Hasbro history.
Can you provide a link to their stuff? Would love to see it.
You are absolutely right!
In the beginning, and still to this day.... Classified has brought out the worst in people. Adults being bullies and thieves over $25 figures!
And that's why I don't share collection photos, mail calls, or sales offers and in-stock locations.
I've made zero friends within the Classified community. Zero!
The hobby is extremely toxic. Therefore I collect privately!
In the 1/6 collectors hobby... I've made friends, close friends. There's definitely a massive difference between the two types of collecting.
Target and other stores were ordering masks, hand sanitizer, toliet paper, and lysol wipes and passing on "non-essentials." Then everyone started ordering everything online. Now we can't have nice things, just damaged boxes and smaller toy aisles.
Bobby, I like your toy line and I can see where your coming from, but allow me to offer a different perspective. The guys at Target at 6 am, in my experience, are not GI Joe fans, they are flippers and scalpers, mostly. Also, I don't think that most of the people complaining about Cobra Island stuff were trying to put Hasbro out of business. More like they were letting Hasbro know there was still a huge demand for these figures and they should make them more accessible, albeit in a very rude and immature way. And an argument could be made that it worked. The Cobra infantry being sold by the case, the viper 3 pack, the retro carded Eels and Snow Serpents, all show that they are listening. Maybe they would be better served if they too made a 10 minute video complaining about people complaining instead of listening to the complaints and giving the complainers what they want to make more money.
You bring up some good points. The greater issue was with distribution and supply. I know there were many cases of rude customers. But not all of fell into that category - even though I did find myself driving all the way to a far off Target to be there right at 8 am when it opened only to find that what was supposed to be there ... wasn't. As a collector those times were extremely frustrating because I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing as a customer only to be greeted by disappointment and in some cases apathetic employees. But I will say that there were also some extraordinary target employees that went above and beyond to ensure a good customer experience
@@bradforever4489 I gave up on the hunt long ago. If I want something now I just make sure I have it on pre-order.
I just LOL at those that always make the "I'm never buying (insert toy line here) again!" proclamation because those are the same collectors that always buy the new wave of releases and complain they can't find one figure and make the same proclamation again.
I did not complain when I bought Leia Organa star wars rebels action figure. I was more interested with just her blaster rifle which I used for another figure
Really enjoying the videos you have been releasing. Keep it up👍
I didn't care about the Cobra Island stuff. What did it for me with Hasbro and Classified was the Pulse exclusives. I have a Serpentor and Mindbender sized hole in my collection because of them being on Pulse. I'm not going to get on the site and hit F5 repeatedly to try and beat out the scalper bots for one either. I eventually decided I'll just buy Cobra troopers, Dreadnoks, and the og Joes.
I collect many different things.. toys (many different lines, vintage and modern), comics, art, statues, cards.. there are extremely toxic people in all of these hobbies... it makes it the least enjoyable part.
This what I think! I think that you Tony have accomplished what a lot of people would desire to do; being toe to toe with a huge company like Hasbro when it comes to a military line. Some of the factors and reasons why GI Joe Classified is it that good nowadays is thanks to you and you high quality products. Most of my collections has that nostalgia factor, meaning they are from the past, your line is new from these days and it is one of the few that I need to have (only missing the first swarm backpack) the whole line. Keep doing what you doing and try to find a way to make a tv show animated of Action Force (You are going to piss a lot of people) before hasbro decide to do a GI joe animated show!! 👍🔥😁
We need these in the uk
Thinking back to my heaviest Transformers collecting days of 20-25 years ago, exclusives were annoying but I jumped through all the hoops (without being a problem to any one). So many stores: Toys R Us, KB Toys, WalMart, Target, K-Mart, Amazon, TF Collectors Club, Hasbro Toy Shop, Sam's Club, Costco, etc. Now I only buy maybe 5% of what I used to.
I think it’s true. Guys pulling off whole lines of the figures into his cart while kids were trying to look at them…?
It happened to the small Star Wars line big time, kept complaining until the figures are over articulated and heavily painted, just made them too expensive, most people just drifted off, especially the kids. $20 is just too much for under a 4 inch figure at the store.
Since the question was asked if we agree?
I don’t agree with using the term bully to describe people for alienating, voicing their opinion or for people being A-holes to store employees.
Bullying is a repeated behavior that can cause physical and psychological trauma on a deeper level.
Toy collecting as a whole is an addiction and like any addiction, some people will do anything to fill their need. It’s shameful and pathetic but it is what it is. The toy community is filled with all kinds of people. Some are very generous, helpful and kind while others are very selfish, ignorant, asshats.
I am someone who can’t stand the idea of exclusives unless they are easily attainable. I have the sickness of toy addiction OCD (aka plastic crack) so once I start collecting a line, I’m compelled to have at least one of everything. One exception to that for me though is when there’s a paint variant that isn’t much different.
Because this video is obviously aimed toward the pushback at B.C. V2 I think there are a couple of things at play for me. The first being that I have supported AF from the start and have at least one of each character because the accessibility of the line to purchase what I want online without having to waste time hunting figures was great. The other thing for me is that I prefer the bloodied variant over the regular one so without the option to purchase the bloodied variant outright, I don’t feel compelled to purchase the one I don’t want. That then leaves me with a hole in my collection and subsequently an incomplete collection which means I no longer need one of everything and will become more selective with what I purchase in the line.
I know, like I said earlier, it’s a sickness. 😅
I collect both lines. I don't care what other people think. I do think that some collector's should stop being so elitist. The problem is import cost since I'm in the UK and a lot of stuff in GI Joe is unavailabe here. I wish they'd reissue the Cobra Island figures again.
i got harassed, bullied, jumped, and everything in the book for playing with action figures growing up.... and back then they were an escape for me from my mothers molestation, torture, and abuse on me.
Is the Recon trooper based on any specific army today?
It looks familiar but i don't want to assume, so I made it a question.
ah bro, it can be anyone, primitive and controlling...
they support you, but if you go a place they don t like, it s yellow alert.
the exclusives did nt kill the line, but it made me hesitate a lot, I only had 3 figs for a year...
with reg Cobra troopers from the get go, I d have bought so much more,
and I kept mentioning this until I got the news retro versions were coming
it made no sense to me to have no troops to re create the cartoons at home.. eh.
I m sure many waited very long to get in because of glitches like that
me, I don t like exclusives either, and I m not a completist,
if it s not something I want, who cares, but if it s in my style, I d like to have it.
it should be 'riske' stuff, niche, like Hasbro did with the marauders, few want them.
hey, I really like your boxes for figs, the look is just ok,
but it beats everything else in practicability, if I fold them, they take 0 space
I also like the guns a lot, and my fem guard moves great.
the new leader Siege looks fab, as is the new cyborg.
I still think you re missing on story, and should have at least pic montages to get it going,
but I m in for the army builders, they make great mercs, move and look fab.
I really like the simplicity of them, I d just like civilian heads to match.
but hey, at least I can get some now, it def makes me watch more about what s happening now.
so now you know...
God bless America and world peace
good show bro
I am more concerned about the Copyright Strike Bullying that's going on. That's some grade A BS! The fact that any user has the capacity to arbitrarily strike a video and content creator for copyright infringement without a shred of proof, is insane. So the collector bullying has shifted to collector attacks. Bros from some fan-channel will gang up on another creator and end their channel....just cuz'. That's more infuriating because it stifles creativity. I mean, who wants to spend HOURS upon HOURS filming, editing, creating entertaining content, just to have some bully copyright strike your channel into oblivion in less than 24 hours. ----______----