Toys to Retirement Weekly Wrap-Up
See what was added to the site this week and maybe a nice surprise at the end?
Wow. That was a crazy week. I hope everyone survived the mass brand restrictions, captured some good deals, and is still pumping out their Q4 inventory.
I added quite a few things to the site, so here’s a look back at the week in case you missed anything along with some useful information and some treats at the end:
Three new LEGO deep dives!
First, I added three new retiring LEGO deep dives to the site this week: Technic, Star Wars, and Minecraft (as of late last night!). As we approach the peak of Q4, I really encourage you to not just read the text summary, but also watch or listen to the videos on these LEGO analyses. There’s lots of nuggets that translate better over audio rather than text, especially when it comes to the Minecraft theme this year.
Also in regards to LEGO, buying season has begun. Don’t start spamming orders on everything quite yet, but some of the best sets that are retiring this year are already completely sold out. The Office. Gandalf & Balrog. Aragorn & Arwen. All gone. Maybe LEGO is deceiving us and will bring them back for a Black Friday deal in physical LEGO stores, but they have officially moved to ‘Sold Out’ on the LEGO Retail which usually indicates they’re done for good.
I hope you guys already grabbed some of those Lord of the Rings Brickheadz. I named them as some of my favorite investments of 2024. You already watched my Brickheadz analysis, right?
I’ll likely be visiting the LEGO store 3-4 times a week for the remainder of the year grabbing the exclusives that I need, especially this weekend to get double VIP points and the $200 GWP.
Preparing for the worst…
Next up, an article that may seem scary, but actually has been very well-received. When we invest, we need to be aware of the risks we’re taking on. Check out my Things That Can Go Wrong When Toy Investing article to help you prepare for the worst. Don’t worry, the worst is very rare.
On the topic of things that can go wrong, I’ve been in communication with a gentleman that has been running a legitimate, clean Amazon business for several years. He was selling an ASIN all year round that suddenly had an influx of counterfeit inventory from other sellers. Amazon began receiving lots of complaints on the listing and perhaps may have even accepted a return for his product that ended up being counterfeit — and then they resold it! This resulted in him getting an inauthentic claim, but due to all of the counterfeit inventory on the listing, Amazon decided to section 3 and fully suspend him!
It seems like an easy issue to solve right? Just submit invoices and you’re good. But the ASIN he was selling was a buy and hold…the invoice was over Amazon’s arbitrary 365 day threshold. He faced a couple of rejections and eventually hired help.
Well, the good news is this evening he was reactivated. I’m still getting the details from him on what turned the tide, but after this stressful week this is a great sign for buy and hold sellers like us. If he can beat a complaint that got as messy as this, involving actual counterfeit inventory and a section 3, there is no reason we shouldn’t be able to beat regular complaints that come in with our invoices older than 365 days. It may need some grit and escalation, but it clearly can be done. This was very re-assuring that our business model is here to stay.
An unexpected winner…
The last article I added to the site this week was about Turning Red, an intellectual property that has STUNNED me with its performance this year. There are several pieces of merch that actually out-performed most collectibles from 2023, serving as a nice lesson in supply and demand. Check out the article, you’ll probably be as shocked as I was.
On top of these articles, a new question has been added to the Before You Buy Questionnaire.
Does this product have any upcoming catalysts that could increase the price?
A simple one, but topical as we head into the biggest catalyst of the year — Q4. How deep we go on specific inventory over the next two months will be decided by future catalysts. Check out the article to see what types of catalysts we should be looking for, as well as look at the other eleven questions. Useful before buying season!
Okay, I promised a treat…
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