Thoughts on Mattel figure collecting? Fun Poll

A couple of years ago I went mainly flashbacks. I occasionally buy newer guys that I like or if the fig is a knockout. I don’t collect basics at all and I do buy Ultimates as well as AEW figures.

But with price increases coming I’m scaling way back. Still buying the flashbacks I need, I’m pretty much done with newer wrestlers completely. I will continue to buy the AEW figures I want and the Ultimates I need. Otherwise, I’m passing more and more.

Like the majority here, I am re-thinking based on price increases.

My interest is waning a bit, and I do think a lot has to do with the crappy version of WWE television these days. I had recently gone through my collection (all loose except for a few select items) and divided them up into various eras. The last two eras I have are 2014-2020 (Reality) and 2020-Current (Pandemic). At this point I am going to concentrate on the Current wrestlers I do not have/new looks (like when a new Brock is announced, I will get him) and any wrestlers I feel I need for my previous eras.

I also am enjoying the AEW wrestling much more than WWE, so that is more of a focus for me to collect. So yeah, being more selective is the name of the game now. Honestly, I may be going more for basics for the 'filler' wrestlers. Anytime they are displayed, they are all just standing in groups, so a lot of time the basics should do just fine for my purposes.

i’ve cut down on a lot of these recently. in terms of wrestling figures, i really only collect from ‘99 - ‘04 and from the black and gold era of nxt (more specifically wrestlers that were in the indies/roh/impact/tna/stardom/njpw/etc.)

I buy every elite

It's an escape for me. If I have the chance and the money and they have an Elite there that I'm after I get it.
I am a completionist in the sense that if I get for example a Hulk Hogan "Survivor Series" Elite than I have to get the rest of the series or it wouldn't feel complete to me.

I mostly like to keep them Mint on Card.

I hear this. I used to be like this but the price increase is just an excuse for me to cut down my buying drastically, and I am more than happy with it. I was frustrated with the increase for a bit, but now I am thankful to Mattel for the increase because it's saved me a ton of money and I've learned to only buy the ones I really want. I've noticed a lot of other collectors have the same mindset because every time I go to Walmart or Target I see the same figures on the shelves that I saw a week or more before. It was never like that before. Unless it was a set that was overproduced then they would be gone in a matter of days, if even that. Now it seems like no one is buying them at all except for the most popular ones. I've seen loads and loads of Elite 90 at Walmarts near me and the only ones that are difficult to find are Boss Man and Uso.

i buy only what i like with a focus on macho man. i'll make impulse buys depending on what i come across in stores though

Since Covid my collecting's gone up a lot. I also think since AEW's figured have been out, WWE's nailed a lot of figures with the changes. I think having the two companies has really perked my interest.