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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Schrumpfkopf on 13 November 2016, 06:58:12 AM

Title: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis? Update - Alright then!
Post by: Schrumpfkopf on 13 November 2016, 06:58:12 AM
I really have lots of minis that I needed to sort out during the last KS. No real damage, but a snapped of mace here, a missing tab there, or a bit of a bubble somewhere that could be closed with putty in a second.

I normally wouldn't offer minis with such issues (at least not conciously!), but throwig out almost perfect minis!?
I am wondering if there would be interest in buying such minis really cheap to flesh out armis etc. This is really far above simple kit bash material.


Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: MattW on 13 November 2016, 08:14:20 AM
Given that I often buy miniatures only to find that they're in such a condition anyway, I'd be happy to buy them.  lol
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 13 November 2016, 08:46:50 AM
Maybe have a 'Seconds bin' on your website. Have pictures and sell them at a discount?

cheers

James
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: snitcythedog on 13 November 2016, 09:34:42 AM
Maybe have a 'Seconds bin' on your website. Have pictures and sell them at a discount?
The seconds bin discount would be a great idea but instead of using the space for images of the defects you might do two levels of rejects and give written descriptions of what you can expect for example:  Level one includes - small bubbles 2-3mm, mold lines and small defects.  Level two includes - larger bubbles and miscast hand/foot/face.   Level one is for the parts that you are not quite happy selling at the normal price.  Level two are for the really bad parts that you could not sell any other way.  I have also seen miscast bins at conventions and that is another way to go.  My two cents
Snitchy sends.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: jambo1 on 13 November 2016, 09:57:40 AM
Seconds bin sounds like a good idea to me, and I would purchase imperfect minis with a view to converting, doing up etc. :)
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: dieselmonkey on 13 November 2016, 10:05:08 AM
I'd always be interested in cheap halflings.  I love converting even more than painting!  lol
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Cubs on 13 November 2016, 10:13:49 AM
What they said.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: commissarmoody on 13 November 2016, 12:20:41 PM
could you not melt them down and recast them?  ???
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: dieselmonkey on 13 November 2016, 12:26:49 PM
could you not melt them down and recast them?  ???

Westfalia's models are resin, so no.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: commissarmoody on 13 November 2016, 12:52:11 PM
Westfalia's models are resin, so no.
That would be a problem  lol
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Conquistador on 13 November 2016, 01:00:40 PM
I really have lots of minis that I needed to sort out during the last KS. No real damage, but a snapped of mace here, a missing tab there, or a bit of a bubble somewhere that could be closed with putty in a second.

I normally wouldn't offer minis with such issues (at least not conciously!), but throwig out almost perfect minis!?
I am wondering if there would be interest in buying such minis really cheap to flesh out armis etc. This is really far above simple kit bash material.




Wonderful act of repurposing  but I would pass.  I ruin enough figures just by painting them.   lol
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Schrumpfkopf on 13 November 2016, 02:28:04 PM
Thanks everybody for their feedback. I like nitcythedog's idea with grading a lot as this would save me from adding images for every single mini. I will go ahead and prepare a seconds bin section.

Thanks again! :--)
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Hobby Services on 13 November 2016, 03:02:28 PM
Late to the party, but I love discounted miscasts and scratch-and-dent stuff myself.  Not afraid of doing repairs and repurposing when it comes to patching defects.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: capthugeca on 13 November 2016, 03:15:53 PM
I'd certainly welcome a seconds offer.

Many moons ago, Citadel used to sell bags of seconds and half the fun used to be discovering what arrived and then seeing what I could do with them.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Hobby Services on 13 November 2016, 03:22:33 PM
Many moons ago, Citadel used to sell bags of seconds and half the fun used to be discovering what arrived and then seeing what I could do with them.

I remember back around 2000 when GW-US had the shelves in their warehouse collapse on them and they offered retailers a chance to buy random piles of bits by the pound.  Couldn't bear to sort everything back into the appropriate bins, apparently.  I was running a store at the time and we got a bunch of guys to go in on ordering twenty pounds of loose metal which we split between us.  Amazing boon to our bits boxes all around.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: bandit86 on 13 November 2016, 04:33:24 PM
Some would be great to reuse as other things plus they could be used as casualties
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: Duncan McDane on 13 November 2016, 08:31:38 PM
Don't bother to categorize them into "minor damage rejects" and "complete and utter miscast", if people want bargains on miscasts that's what they can expect, a random grab of miscasts. Don't let bargain bins affect your regular sales... And yes, I'm a bargain bin reject fan  ;)
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: dieselmonkey on 13 November 2016, 09:32:39 PM
Yeah, grab bags by race are the best option I'd imagine. People know what they're getting, you don't need to designate by levels of damage, it is what it is.
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis?
Post by: JollyBob on 14 November 2016, 10:09:18 AM
Well, given how much money I have spent at Miniature Heroes buying broken and incomplete OOP Citadel figures, I think I may be up for a grab bag of slightly second rate halflings myself.  :)
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis? Update - Alright then!
Post by: Schrumpfkopf on 14 November 2016, 07:15:53 PM
SOLD OUT within 20 mins
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis? Update - Alright then!
Post by: JollyBob on 15 November 2016, 09:40:31 AM
Balls! Missed them!  >:(
Title: Re: What is the general stance on buying imperfect minis? Update - Alright then!
Post by: Conquistador on 15 November 2016, 12:15:53 PM
Bargain miniatures is a war gamers fantasy!   lol

Glad it went so well.