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Post by sbell on Apr 10, 2008 0:22:26 GMT
Do you know if TGF toys will be carrying the Procon line? Good news for many of us--TGF Toys just sent out the email that they will be carrying the full line of Procon dinos! And about the same price as DinoFarm ($4.99). And no, I am not invested in TGF, I just like them, I like their service, and I like their selection.Especially for someone like myself, who collects a variety of modern and extinct stuff, this is awesome since they carry everything I want now!. Except the Wild Republic marine reptiles (so far) but those will likely be fairly common.
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gus
Junior Member
Posts: 70
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Post by gus on Apr 10, 2008 6:59:24 GMT
Can i have the web site address??? Maybe i can place my order from singapore. ;D Many tks Do you know if TGF toys will be carrying the Procon line? Good news for many of us--TGF Toys just sent out the email that they will be carrying the full line of Procon dinos! And about the same price as DinoFarm ($4.99). And no, I am not invested in TGF, I just like them, I like their service, and I like their selection.Especially for someone like myself, who collects a variety of modern and extinct stuff, this is awesome since they carry everything I want now!. Except the Wild Republic marine reptiles (so far) but those will likely be fairly common.
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Post by sbell on Apr 10, 2008 12:51:09 GMT
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Post by molarlion on Apr 10, 2008 16:44:29 GMT
I have a suggestion. I haven't done this yet with any dino companies, but with some of my other non-dino collections I've written to the main company websites and asked if they could provide a list of stores that carry the product. On two occasions there was a "where to buy" feature added to the site soon after, searchable by either zipcode or state. Maybe we should all write to the main companies and request the same, it would benefit them just as much as us... just a thought
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Post by sbell on Apr 11, 2008 1:33:18 GMT
I have a suggestion. I haven't done this yet with any dino companies, but with some of my other non-dino collections I've written to the main company websites and asked if they could provide a list of stores that carry the product. On two occasions there was a "where to buy" feature added to the site soon after, searchable by either zipcode or state. Maybe we should all write to the main companies and request the same, it would benefit them just as much as us... just a thought That mostly works for US addresses though--and rarely gives comprehensive, or even useful, lists to those of us in other countries.
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Post by richard on Apr 11, 2008 2:37:05 GMT
believe it or not I saw some schleich dinos in Toys R Us
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Post by sepp on Apr 11, 2008 15:32:24 GMT
is there any online store (besides ebay) that sells battat dinos anymore? I'm trying to find the series 2 styracosaurus, and series 3 acrocanthosaurus, parasaurolophus, and tyrannosaurus. (no snow shoes for me!) and of course the infamous diplodocus, though if I happen to see THAT one anywhere I'm telling a certain desperate someone here first > I'm located in the US, and I'm very short on cash, so a US site or store would be preferable.
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Post by tomhet on Apr 12, 2008 6:01:46 GMT
^^^ Unfortunately they're all out of production, so no retailers anymore, and they are by no means cheap. The Diplodocus just sold for $500 a month ago or so, the Acrocanthosaurus costs $70 - $150 and so does the Parasaurolophus Our only hope is that Safari takes pity on us and re-releases the entire set.
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Post by sepp on Apr 12, 2008 8:05:46 GMT
^^^ Unfortunately they're all out of production, so no retailers anymore, and they are by no means cheap. The Diplodocus just sold for $500 a month ago or so, the Acrocanthosaurus costs $70 - $150 and so does the Parasaurolophus Our only hope is that Safari takes pity on us and re-releases the entire set. well crap.
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Post by sbell on Apr 12, 2008 13:50:48 GMT
^^^ Unfortunately they're all out of production, so no retailers anymore, and they are by no means cheap. The Diplodocus just sold for $500 a month ago or so, the Acrocanthosaurus costs $70 - $150 and so does the Parasaurolophus Our only hope is that Safari takes pity on us and re-releases the entire set. I don't think we should hold our breath for Safari--since they are not the same company as Battat!
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Post by molarlion on Apr 12, 2008 21:52:31 GMT
Is the battatt amargasaurus going for those high prices as well? What about the Styracosaurus? I have them both but i'm kind of indifferent to them.
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Post by tomhet on Apr 12, 2008 22:08:52 GMT
^^^ If you decide to auction them, it could go either way, a few months ago I saw a Styracosaurus go for $100. but that was just once.
sbell, I still think Safari would make a pretty penny out of it if they just decided to buy the original sculpts from Wenzel and LoRouso.
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Post by sbell on Apr 12, 2008 22:42:48 GMT
Tomhet: I'm about to get off topic but: They might, but there would also be even easier money to be made from re-issuing Play Visions' prehistoric mammals, amphibians, and marine reptiles (think about this--8 animals, 3" long each, originally sold for $1 each, sold for over $250. Very few 'dino' toys inflate in price that much) . But it won't happen--most of these companies have too much pride to admit that someone else did a good job too (I think that's why we frequently see several companies release the same animal in short order). They all think that they can do better than anyone else. Instead, we can all hope that companies are inspired or motivated by the work of other companies to improve, to diversify, and to out-do each other. Anyone who has been collecting for a while, for example, can see the vast difference between older Wild Safari animals and newer ones--they saw themselves being outdone by Schleich, Bully, and then Papo. Recently, Schleich started to lose ground to Bullyland, and so started to match them somewhat (Bullyland is still the better of the German companies, BTW); then Papo showed up, and that seems to have set yet a new standard. The only truly curious thing is, why didn't Battat have any apparent effect on the Museum Line companies (we've all seen many of the Chinasaur recasts)? I am not really a fan, but I will admit that very few other lines have been as dynamic or colorful, yet no one else really followed suit (although the dynamic poses are starting to come out slowly).
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Post by tomhet on Apr 13, 2008 1:06:41 GMT
But it won't happen--most of these companies have too much pride to admit that someone else did a good job too Unfortunately that's true, but I just hope they would reconsider because the situation is getting ridiculous, I mean, $520 for three medium dinos? That's just crazy. As for the lack of influence, I see your point and it is weird, but maybe it was necessary an 'outer' influence like Papo. Perhaps Battat was not considered as radical since it was a museum line after all. It kinda pisses me off. Carnegie and Safari needed at least 10 years to make decent dinosaurs. The Schleich catalogue is not even remotely as interesting as it used to be, since the most attractive sculpts (Kronosaurus, Elasmosaurus, Shonisaurus, Desmatosuchus, Baryonyx) have been retired, they're just trying to Papomize themselves. Marx is dead, Battat is dead, Toyway WwD is dead, Kaiyodo is dead, Invicta is dead, Starlux is dead, Bullyland has retired the more interesting mammals of their catalogue, more than two thirds of Procon's dinosaurs are awful, profesional sculptures cost at the very least $50. No wonder the dino industry is semi-comatose
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Post by Dinotoyforum on Apr 13, 2008 9:49:58 GMT
But it won't happen--most of these companies have too much pride to admit that someone else did a good job too Unfortunately that's true, but I just hope they would reconsider because the situation is getting ridiculous, I mean, $520 for three medium dinos? That's just crazy. As for the lack of influence, I see your point and it is weird, but maybe it was necessary an 'outer' influence like Papo. Perhaps Battat was not considered as radical since it was a museum line after all. It kinda pisses me off. Carnegie and Safari needed at least 10 years to make decent dinosaurs. The Schleich catalogue is not even remotely as interesting as it used to be, since the most attractive sculpts (Kronosaurus, Elasmosaurus, Shonisaurus, Desmatosuchus, Baryonyx) have been retired, they're just trying to Papomize themselves. Marx is dead, Battat is dead, Toyway WwD is dead, Kaiyodo is dead, Invicta is dead, Starlux is dead, Bullyland has retired the more interesting mammals of their catalogue, more than two thirds of Procon's dinosaurs are awful, profesional sculptures cost at the very least $50. No wonder the dino industry is semi-comatose *slumps into a depressed stupor* Now I understand your signature Tomhet. Who is Procon's sculptor - how do I become Procon's sculptor?
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Post by sbell on Apr 13, 2008 14:59:49 GMT
Unfortunately that's true, but I just hope they would reconsider because the situation is getting ridiculous, I mean, $520 for three medium dinos? That's just crazy. As for the lack of influence, I see your point and it is weird, but maybe it was necessary an 'outer' influence like Papo. Perhaps Battat was not considered as radical since it was a museum line after all. It kinda pisses me off. Carnegie and Safari needed at least 10 years to make decent dinosaurs. The Schleich catalogue is not even remotely as interesting as it used to be, since the most attractive sculpts (Kronosaurus, Elasmosaurus, Shonisaurus, Desmatosuchus, Baryonyx) have been retired, they're just trying to Papomize themselves. Marx is dead, Battat is dead, Toyway WwD is dead, Kaiyodo is dead, Invicta is dead, Starlux is dead, Bullyland has retired the more interesting mammals of their catalogue, more than two thirds of Procon's dinosaurs are awful, profesional sculptures cost at the very least $50. No wonder the dino industry is semi-comatose *slumps into a depressed stupor* Now I understand your signature Tomhet. Who is Procon's sculptor - how do I become Procon's sculptor? That was my first thought as well--and one I left out of my rant. Procon may be a beacon of change, and we'll have to see how it really goes (I remember seeing their first 6, and thinking, oh good, another company making the same animals). I have several of the newer first run, and am quite happy with them. As a company, they are already blowing away the competition with their diversity, and while their colouring is not quite Battat's, they are definitely more interesting. And also, let's be fair--Safari's various lines (including Carnegie) have come a long way.
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Post by tomhet on Apr 14, 2008 2:34:22 GMT
^^^ I know diversity is always good, but as a jaded collector, I must say that I'm tired of ugly, innacurate sculpts and unfortunately that's what Procon offers. Just look at the Spinosaurus or the Liopleurodon, they are completely off. Granted, some will be pretty neat (i. e. the Deluxe Baryonyx) but I'd trade diversity for a limited line with truly competitive sculpting any time. I know Safari is producing great dinos, but why did they have to wait that long? I mean, the first batch was very ugly. The same goes for Carnegie, I still wonder how could they outlive Battat? Back then most of their figures were terribly inaccurate. And they still have the nerve to repaint them .
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Post by sbell on Apr 22, 2008 4:59:41 GMT
^^^ I know diversity is always good, but as a jaded collector, I must say that I'm tired of ugly, innacurate sculpts and unfortunately that's what Procon offers. Just look at the Spinosaurus or the Liopleurodon, they are completely off. Granted, some will be pretty neat (i. e. the Deluxe Baryonyx) but I'd trade diversity for a limited line with truly competitive sculpting any time. I know Safari is producing great dinos, but why did they have to wait that long? I mean, the first batch was very ugly. The same goes for Carnegie, I still wonder how could they outlive Battat? Back then most of their figures were terribly inaccurate. And they still have the nerve to repaint them . That kind of opens up an interesting dilemma-would we rather see perfectly molded sculpts of animals we've already seen, or would we rather see some new animals created that, while far from perfect, show a good try and represent animals that have not yet been portrayed? The easy answer, of course, is both, but that is not always an option. Look at either the Sega or Procon lines--plenty of newer and unusual critters, some of which are...unique...to be polite. But nobody else has jumped on Shunosaurus (a sauropod with a club? are you kidding? why is that not the most common sauropod figure?) or Majungosaurus; at least not yet. On the other hand, companies like Schleich, Bullyland and Papo put a lot of effort into their sculpts, and presumably into their paint jobs. But those lines are very limited (my understanding is that Schleich will knock the Replicasaurus down to a series of 12 that will feature frequent retirings to spur collectors) and the diversity is limited (Bully has tried, but many of their most original stuff has been ling retired--even the very new Lilliensternus--and with new management, I can't see them making any new forays into exotic territory). Carngie/Safari sort of bridge the gap, but I think still weigh more heavily towards a multitude of figures. So where does that leave us? Me, I like some diversity, if it is done at least passably well; hence I am excited about many of the Procos, despite some minor flaws (I'm not using these for CGI purposes,thye're going to sit on a shelf, after all). I will pick up well done figures too of course (I like my Papo Spinosaurus), but get bored with the same stuff and tend to pass over it (but then, I have been at least marginally collecting since 1992, when Carnegie really came out, so I am quite jaded on many of the common types). It mostly comes down to budget and space. I am limited in both, and so have made the decision to err towards diversity. That said, if someone wants a comparative collection of T rex and Triceratops figures, I'm all for it too (keeps those companies going long enough to get into more exciting territory).
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Post by EmperorDinobot on Apr 22, 2008 7:19:22 GMT
It's the availability that's killing the market. Or lack thereof.
I haven't seen a single Store in the entire Houston area that carries Safari Ltd. ASIDE from the museum. And all of the nice cool dinosaurs are only availible in Europe.
Or on the internet. Like, these Procon thingies. Where can I find those? Where? someone give me a link please. Because, even if they're ugly, they got variation. I like that. They got lots of nice Sauropods that should come home with me.
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Post by Dinotoyforum on Apr 22, 2008 9:47:05 GMT
Dinosaur toys are a very specific market and probably don't make sellers a fortune unless released alongside a Blockbuster movie. In this regard it is sensible that sellers would prefer to go the web route and serve a potentially worldwide audience. Dinosaur museums are the exception because they are tourist attractions as well as shops - many (I would say the majority of) dinosaurs are sold as souvenirs to people who would not usually buy/want rubber dinosaurs, or for little Sammy to play in the sand pit.
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