PlaymoFriends
General => News => Topic started by: Alex4420 on February 15, 2024, 16:57:58
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Collecting PM over the past two months has taught me a few lessons... for those of you who are new to it like me, here are a few things I've learned:
1. "Sealed" and "NIB" (New in Box) descriptions don't mean much. I've received two boxes of PM described as such and found the tape was dirty/dusty and the upper box tabs had been popped up and then inserted into the slots on each side. It turns out the tape had been lifted, the box opened and contents inspected and the box reassembled. To the non-collector seller (which is most of them), this qualified as sealed and NIB.
2. PM tape loses adhesiveness over time. Finding the two boxes above in the state I did, I felt it necessary to check the contents myself. When I did, I found the PM tape easily lifted without removing any of the decorated cardboard. Thankfully, both boxes had complete contents -- but they could have contained anything if the seller was unscrupulous.
3. Check your vintage PM for bugs because bugs like cardboard! While I knew this at the back of my mind, I forgot to apply it to PM boxes... and thus found dead bugs (termites?) in one corner of a box (not coincidentally, one of the problem boxes above). I carefully removed them, but what troubled me is they just as well could have been LIVE bugs -- meaning if I had placed them in a storage box with other PM, they could have spread and caused more damage.
To date, I have not found any issues with the strictly glue-sealed boxes... but that doesn't mean bugs aren't present, so I now check ALL purchases for signs.
So what did I learn? Ask sellers for close-up images of any taped boxes, side insert flaps and corners. Dirt/dust on the tape, any white/brown showing on the side flaps/inserts, and any odd deterioration on one corner are all red flags which necessitate further inquiry. It's worth the extra trouble to ask, especially when spending decent money for some of these sets.
If anyone has any other tips, PLEASE post them! As I said, I am on the learning curve and will take any and all advice from experienced members.
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Good points! I hadn't considered the bug issue. Thankfully, I haven't come across it in Playmobil, although a used book I ordered some years ago had dead baby roaches in it. :uhoh: The seller was nonchalant about it. So it's a good idea to check packages as soon as possible. Mold could also be an issue if the boxes were poorly stored.
I don't mind open boxes with sealed bags because I'm going to open them anyway, but they shouldn't demand as high a price as true MIB sets.
With open sets, condition is a big issue, and it's not always obvious from photos. Ebay and other marketplace sellers are not meticulous like collectors when it comes to describing flaws. I've always known that most children aren't as, uh, neurotic, as I was, but getting back into Playmobil has shocked me with just how abusive some children are with their toys - and then to resell these toys without mentioning how mangled they are! I've definitely learned to be more cautious when buying used lots.
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I think I’ve had the most problems with how sellers safeguard the items while they are shipped
I’ve bought thousands of sets and while in transit they get beaten up
Some simple bubble wrap is usually sufficient
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How do you store thousands of sets? I store PM in large plastic storage containers to prevent possible water/humidity damage and make them easy to move, but I can't imagine that is practical for thousands of sets.
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I seldom buy older sets that are sealed unless the price is very reasonable or there is sufficient evidence to indicate that the boxes are in excellent condition, but I am probably more particular about condition than most are. Luckily, I haven't seen any insects or insect damage, but I have seen many of the other things you mention, Alex4420.
It sounds like you've been lucky with tape removal, but, if you want to avoid any damage or remaining adhesive residue, I would recommend applying heat while removing any tape (or stickers, like price stickers). This should be done carefully, of course, but it almost always works unless the adhesive is completely dried and hardened. I typically use a heat gun, but a hair drier could work too.
When buying used sets or parts, one of the things that bothers me the most is when the pieces have an unpleasant smell to them (usually from artificial air fresheners, cleaners, smoke, or pets). Often the smells can be cleaned away, but the softer Playmobil plastics (used for hair pieces, some capes or cloaks, and other parts) tend to retain smells even after thorough cleaning. If smells cannot be removed from a part, I refuse to put it with my other parts to avoid spreading the smell! :lol:
Good points! I hadn't considered the bug issue. Thankfully, I haven't come across it in Playmobil, although a used book I ordered some years ago had dead baby roaches in it. :uhoh: The seller was nonchalant about it.
That's unfortunate! :( That would definitely bother me. I am very particular about my book collection as well! :lol:
With open sets, condition is a big issue, and it's not always obvious from photos. Ebay and other marketplace sellers are not meticulous like collectors when it comes to describing flaws. I've always known that most children aren't as, uh, neurotic, as I was, but getting back into Playmobil has shocked me with just how abusive some children are with their toys - and then to resell these toys without mentioning how mangled they are! I've definitely learned to be more cautious when buying used lots.
This is absolutely true. Many flaws cannot usually be seen in listing pictures. And, Ismene, you can be sure that there are at least a few others like you! ;)
I think I’ve had the most problems with how sellers safeguard the items while they are shipped
I’ve bought thousands of sets and while in transit they get beaten up
I agree with this too; shipping damage is always a risk. I've actually had more issues with inadequate packaging and handling from large online retailers than individual sellers though. For new items, I try to buy from trusted sellers or companies that are known for their excellent packaging and handling standards; these sellers and companies almost always charge more than the others, but I find the additional cost to be worth it to maintain collector-quality condition.
I store PM in large plastic storage containers to prevent possible water/humidity damage and make them easy to move, but I can't imagine that is practical for thousands of sets.
If you too are sensitive to smells, you might want to be careful with selection of plastic containers. They can also transfer unpleasant smells to Playmobil parts (or other collectibles). This is especially true with cheaper plastic containers (and many of them also have problems with plasticiser degradation or migration or other chemical "off-gassing" or "out-gassing").
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. . . . If you too are sensitive to smells, you might want to be careful with selection of plastic containers. They can also transfer unpleasant smells to Playmobil parts (or other collectibles). This is especially true with cheaper plastic containers (and many of them also have problems with plasticiser degradation or migration or other chemical "off-gassing" or "out-gassing").
It is quite true that plastic storage tubs can transfer unpleasant odors to plastic toys - I switched to cardboard file boxes with attached lids and bankers boxes for most of my storage needs as they don't have any glue or tape on them. Washable toys can be deodorized by washing. I have used active charcoal bags to eliminate odors on items that are not easily cleaned with soap and water.
Regarding bugs, silverfish are the likely culprits as they like to eat glue, especially in older books or glued boxes. They aren't very harmful in other ways and are slow to reproduce. Apparently the glue in newer books and boxes is usually chemical-based and doesn't appeal to them.
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How do you store thousands of sets? I store PM in large plastic storage containers to prevent possible water/humidity damage and make them easy to move, but I can't imagine that is practical for thousands of sets.
I have a barn, about 4 full 30’ gutted 5th wheel campers, a 2 car garage, and now a very large attic at the mountain house
Silverfish are so annoying
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I mainly buy used PM, almost exclusively on eBay. Its not always possible to avoid pitfalls such as the following;
1. One seller sent a PM petrol station 3437 wrapped in a black plastic bag - several small pieces visible in the listing photos were missing by the time it arrived at the local sorting office, from where I had to collect it..
2. Another seller offered a bunch of sets for collection only. When I won the auction and called him to arrange collection, he refused to honour the sale, saying he would not sell it for so little.
3. Another seller offered a bundle of sets he described as "unplayed with," for collection only. The sets were shown as dismantled and jumbled up in a box, but it wasn't possible to see exactly what parts might be present. I won and collected, but when I got the box home and sorted it, I found virtually all the sets were missing loads of pieces.
The last one is my main cautionary tale. I claimed under eBay Buyer Protection that the lot was not as described. Had it been posted to me, I might have made some headway, but eBay told me that it is assumed when one collects in person that one checks the item on the doorstep, before accepting it. Although I pointed out how unrealistic this was (I suspect they did not understand the issue, would they have done that for Lego?), they would not budge. When I sell used PM sets on eBay, I now make a point of telling potential buyers that if they opt to collect in person, I will put right any discrepancy if they let me know within 10 days, as eBay won't help.
All in all, though, I have had some excellent bargains buying through eBay.
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PS I found some more details on that third example;
I paid £182.77 for the lot "Enormous set of playmobil. Everything from animals to police and firemen, cars, engines and santa! Over £500 pounds worth and unplayed with... honest, went mad one Christmas for children and aren't interested"
There were 28 sets represented in the lot, of which just 3 were complete.
I paid £66.42 for 192 replacement parts from PM to make good many of the missing parts (20 were not available).
The seller offered to hunt for the missing items. 5 days after collection, I sent him a list of what was missing. This included significant parts such as wheels, doors and roofs of vehicles. When I contacted him again 16 days later, he told me he had not found any of the missing parts but it would cost "very little" to replace them.
I requested a refund of £100 through eBay, the seller offered me £20. I estimated what I had received was in fact worth only about £60.
Caveat emptor!
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That's unfortunate! :( That would definitely bother me. I am very particular about my book collection as well! :lol:
Yeah, that book is no longer in my collection; it wasn't even old. Books are my larger collection, so I've definitely run into issues buying them online.
If you too are sensitive to smells, you might want to be careful with selection of plastic containers. They can also transfer unpleasant smells to Playmobil parts (or other collectibles). This is especially true with cheaper plastic containers (and many of them also have problems with plasticiser degradation or migration or other chemical "off-gassing" or "out-gassing").
I hadn't considered that. I'll have to watch out (smell out?) for that. I haven't noticed any transfer of odors from containers (excuse me while I awkwardly sniff a dollhouse) although they themselves have a wee bit of a plastic scent (I think they're polypropylene). But I have noticed that containers stored in uninsulated rooms (like garages and sheds) can get rather funky (not containers of Playmobil; all my Playmobil lives inside to avoid excessive temperatures).
I have a barn, about 4 full 30’ gutted 5th wheel campers, a 2 car garage, and now a very large attic at the mountain house
I'm envisioning you one day discovering a whole civilization of gnomes living among your collection.
The last one is my main cautionary tale. I claimed under eBay Buyer Protection that the lot was not as described. Had it been posted to me, I might have made some headway, but eBay told me that it is assumed when one collects in person that one checks the item on the doorstep, before accepting it.
That's good to know (although the chances of me ever finding a PM lot for sale locally are slim).
I sent a lot back once because it smelled so strongly of a perfumy chemical (I assume air freshener, Febreeze, or Lysol) that I couldn't bear it.
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I have a barn, about 4 full 30’ gutted 5th wheel campers, a 2 car garage, and now a very large attic at the mountain house
I'm sorry, I mistook you for a collector. You, sir, are a bonafide hoarder :lol:
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One I discovered early on is that any picture that has parts not fully in the frame likely means those parts are damaged in some way.
Boxes that have some water damage will likely mean that any stickers or instructions inside will be water damaged too - generally fused together in places. This can also happen with books stored in a damp location.
A description referring to the contents of a set being present that says things like 'I think it's all there', 'one or two small pieces missing' will often be missing bits hard to find, check the price before buying.
For instance with the 3666 large castle the pieces usually missing are the yellow feather in the herald's cap and his green cuffs.
Sometimes sellers will replace parts of a set with other bits, knowingly or not, so watch out for that.
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It is quite true that plastic storage tubs can transfer unpleasant odors to plastic toys - I switched to cardboard file boxes with attached lids and bankers boxes for most of my storage needs as they don't have any glue or tape on them.
That's a good idea, as long as you have no humidity concerns! :)
I have used active charcoal bags to eliminate odors on items that are not easily cleaned with soap and water.
I haven't tried that before, but that seems like an interesting idea! Besides thorough washing, I've tried temporarily storing items in containers with newspaper or baking soda with some limited success.
Yeah, that book is no longer in my collection; it wasn't even old. Books are my larger collection, so I've definitely run into issues buying them online.
It's never fun when you finally find something to add to your collection but avoid doing so (or ultimately end up removing it from the collection) because of poor condition. :(
On this topic, another thing to watch out for when collecting and trying to preserve collectibles is excessive exposure to light (particularly light from the Sun or from artificial light sources like fluorescent lamps that emit ultraviolet light). Ultraviolet degradation can easily cause fading or changing of colours, which I think many of us have seen with white Playmobil parts turning yellowish (but it can happen to parts of other colours too). Plastic parts exposed to ultraviolet light over a long period of time can also become brittle. The colour fading also applies to printed materials as well, such as Playmobil boxes (and books since we've mentioned those several times in this thread ;)).
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A description referring to the contents of a set being present that says things like 'I think it's all there', 'one or two small pieces missing' will often be missing bits hard to find, check the price before buying.
I'm not desperately picky about everything being there - but I will say that often this simply comes from ignorance, and can work in your favour - a highlight for me being a listing of the castle 3666 on Gumtree (that was already ludicrously cheap) and in the box was most of 3654 and 3659.
My actual biggest tip is to keep a close eye on Gumtree/Facebook marketplace - you're way more likely to pick up a bargain than eBay.
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My actual biggest tip is to keep a close eye on Gumtree/Facebook marketplace - you're way more likely to pick up a bargain than eBay.
I suspect you are right and that eBay has had its day. Vinted seems to be growing its market share too. Perhaps eBay should review its fees!
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I suspect you are right and that eBay has had its day. Vinted seems to be growing its market share too. Perhaps eBay should review its fees!
I actually hadn't thought of that - it's just you tend to get bargains because there is less competition (since it's rare that people offer postage), and because it's normal people getting rid of stuff instead of being full of professional sellers
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I suspect you are right and that eBay has had its day. Vinted seems to be growing its market share too. Perhaps eBay should review its fees!
One thing I have noticed is ebay sellers who are non-Playmobil collectors (e.g., someone who inherits toys or finds them in a storage unit) are willing to do off-ebay transactions in order to avoid the higher selling fees. Technically ebay prohibits this, but with a million communications between sellers every day, ebay can't catch everything -- or perhaps they don't even try anymore.
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EBay in the past was the all out winner for bargains.
Then Craigslist came in with local deals of parents not wanting to throw things away
Then for a short time it was offered up
Now it seems to be Marketplace for great deals
Every site has its 5 minutes of “the best deals”
Theses are our local sales sites in US California
You still can find a deal on every site, it’s just rare and usually due to bad pictures, poor description, mislabeled, miscalculated shipping fees
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It is quite true that plastic storage tubs can transfer unpleasant odors to plastic toys - I switched to cardboard file boxes with attached lids and bankers boxes for most of my storage needs as they don't have any glue or tape on them.
That's a good idea, as long as you have no humidity concerns! :)
Excellent point, Pynedor! Most of my cardboard box storage is in my attic or main house where humidity is not a concern. Local climate is also a factor - here in New England my attic is always dry but my basement can be humid in the summer.
Washable toys can be deodorized by washing. I have used active charcoal bags to eliminate odors on items that are not easily cleaned with soap and water.
I haven't tried that before, but that seems like an interesting idea! Besides thorough washing, I've tried temporarily storing items in containers with newspaper or baking soda with some limited success.
I highly recommend the active charcoal bags - the ones I use have been quite effective at absorbing odors and can be "recharged" by placing them in direct sunlight for a few hours. :)
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I highly recommend the active charcoal bags - the ones I use have been quite effective at absorbing odors and can be "recharged" by placing them in direct sunlight for a few hours. :)
I will definitely keep that in mind. Thanks! :)