Anyone else ready to check out?

Walmarts are terrible at ordering WWE product. They over order or under order causing too much or not enough product. It’s ridiculous. I see way too many E93 and Top Picks Romans

I thought I was the only one! I thought his gimmick was soooo good and his passing away so young is still painful. I wanted to wear his mask for Halloween but it didn't feel right to do so, this year.

It definitely isn't as fun being a collector as it used to be. There are several reasons for that

1. They pretty much covered all of the exciting new FITL legends. Guys like Sting, Randy Savage, Chyna, RVD, Steiners, D'Lo Brown, Vader, Harlem Heat etc. etc. Pretty much all of the dream figures have been made, and the only other dream figures left aren't possible at the moment so they really don't have a lot of options in terms of giving us new exciting legends. They'll still sprinkle some in but it was always going to reach this point of diminishing returns

2. There is not actual chase anymore to get figures. The greatest hits series that hit Walmart a couple months ago was the first time in a long time that I can remember going to the store and actually finding something exciting and I miss that feeling. But between Amazon and Target pre orders and stuff, there really is no point in actually trying to go store to store to find figures because odds are the shelves will be mostly empty.

3. I think the last crowd fund project failing was a bit of a downer. It felt like the crowd fund thing might become an annual tradition and we would get cool new stuff but now it almost feels like they might never offer something like that again which is pretty disappointing.

4. I also think there has been a lot of frustration with the distribution in general. Some series (like basic 137 and 138) seem to have just completely disappeared for no apparent reason. I was able to order basic Pat McAfee from series 139 off of Amazon and have it in hand within two days and I still have seen no sign of the previous two series on Amazon or in stores. Like I don't understand what happened to them. Then there are series getting postponed. I don't know. It just hasn't felt very organized and easy to follow as of late.

5. I think there are too many series to keep track of that it is getting a bit overwhelming. You have the Legends series which is a Target exclusive. Then you have random boxed sets or Ultimates that are Mattel Creations exclusives. Then you Have Monday Night Wars and Ruthless Aggression that are Walmart exclusives. Not to mention some Ringside Exclusives as well. Then there is the Collesium Collection. The Entire Ultimate Line, PPV lines, Basic Lines, Elite Main lines, Top Picks, Now greatest hits that I think are exclusives as well? It is just so much to mentally keep track of that it gets a bit overwhelming.

6. Cost. This is a very minor complaint, but cost has creeped up a bit like with everything else in the world right now. That's not Mattel's fault. But it does play a role cause everything in life costs so much right now that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find the space to keep collecting figures.

1989 ? Dam, would love to see your collection room, or is it an entire 2nd home dedicated to just figures

I'm not checking out, I've been collecting these things for far too long (1992). I'll just enjoy the quiet period as I have in the past, and wait for the next wave. Luger and X-Pac are definitely on my radar now.

After yesterday I am ready to check out at Ringside with a full cart

A well thought out post, and I agree with multiple points you made.

For me, I've been collecting wrestling figures since the Jakks BCA days and that passion has been burning since. However over the last 3-4 years, my interest in WWE programming has essentially stopped and my focus has shifted to collecting Legends and alumni only.

As you mentioned, Mattel tries to trickle out new FTITL Legends here and there, but my issue is that too many big names have not been made and I got annoyed with seeing the same names being released over and over again. I'm just burnt out from all of the Undertakers, Warriors, Hogan's, etc and really, really wish we could start getting some of the much needed Superstars we're missing.

I get that Mattel is beholden to WWE signing talent to deals, but from a customer/collector standpoint, this period we're in now has to be the lowest and most boring in the 13 years Mattel has had the license.

As more time passes without seeing guys get made like Raven, Hardcore Holly (and Crash), Test, Steve Blackman, Savio Vega, Grand Master Sexay, Spike Dudley, etc., the hope of ever seeing them in Elite form dwindles, and subsequently so does my interest. There are fewer things more frustrating as a collector than not being able to collect. Variety is the spice of life as they say!

If you’ve reached the point in the hobby where it just makes you miserable and whiney, it’s best to give it up. You’re doing yourself a disservice wasting time and money on something you don’t enjoy.

I’ll bet you a hundred American dollars that there are Star Wars toy forums where grown men are whining about collecting Star Wars toys. I would assume the same is true of the other things too, but I know it’s definitely the case when it comes to Star Wars. That fanbase is almost as entitled and permanently-upset as the wrestling one.