Do you have a rule of thumb for ID'ing well-priced sets?

[Timotheos]

Do you have a method for determining whether a set is a good value?

Sometimes I buy duplicates of a set for the parts.  When doing this, I want to roughly figure out whether the whole set is a good value, or whether I should take the DS option.

My rule of thumb for the American market is:

1 adult figure = $3
1 horse         = $4
1 child figure  = $2

If after applying that formula to a set, my estimated value is equal to or less than the cost of the set, I consider the set a good value.

Example:
The Target sets that come with two knights and one horse (regardless of other pieces) are good values because they retail for $9.99 and my estimate places them at 2 * $3 + 1 * $4 = $10. 

All Target specials are good values because $2 < $3.  Ethnic family sets are not good values because 2 * $3 (adults) + 2 * $2 (children) = $10 versus cost of $11.  So I'm not going to buy a ton of ethnic family sets purely for the parts.

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Does anybody have a similar system?  If my estimates are a little high, they partially account for the presence of other parts in the set (the figure comes with accessories; the horse comes with harness).

Obviously, you could keep a spreadsheet with DS part costs or a breakdown of actual sets and use a complicated normalization algorithm to be more precise.  But then it wouldn't be a "rule of thumb".

-Tim

[Martin Milner]

In the UK I use the following rule of thumb:

1 adult figure = £2
1 horse         = £3
1 motorbike   = £4

Haven't really considered children, but £1.50 is about right.

Specials are £2.00, three packs £6 on Playmobil UK, single DS figures £2, family groups £8 which makes them less good value.

I take the value of the figures out of a set, and see if I think the reamining items are good value.

e.g. the 4271 pack with 5 Romans is currently £10, which means I get the scorpion for free.

The 4271 blue chariot with 4 horses & 1 figures is £13, so  I get the chariot and 1/2 a figure for free, though the horses do not have regular bridles/saddles so I'd have to get them separately if using the horses individually.

4273 General's Tent for a whopping £20, four figures & 1 horse, leaving £9 for the tent, scorpion, and a bit of fence. Thus I've only bought one.

4277 Roman in toga for £5, only 1 figure and some props. Only ever got the one.

[CountBogro]

I guess my system isn't as developped as yours; but working fine for me.

I just consider what I would pay for a set like that and if it's less then it's good value to me and otherwise ... erm ... not.
For instance, the football stade wouldn't be worth 15 euro's IMHO (just my taste here) so that's definitly not worth my money. On the other hand, the Special of little red riding hood (sorry, I don't have the number by hand) was definitly worth every single cent of 12 euro!!!

But that's me 

It's just about how much I like a set.

Bogro

[Gepetto]

My rule of thumb is very similar to Tim's:
                                                        1 adult figure = $3
                                                        1 horse         = $3 or $4, depends on accessories
                                                        1 child          = $0, does not factor in at all

The balance has to be carried by accessories (DS may not have them in stock, i.e. spears) and scenery or special items like carts or good set pieces. As a whole I find the sets a good value if you can use 85% of the items.

But like Martin I will spend a bit more if there is something special I want in the set , I don't have the Roman General's tent and also only bought 1 of the emperor. The 4271 set Martin mentioned is the perfect example and is how I acquire most of my Romans. The set sells for $15 and I wait for a 15% off sale and get the figures for about $2.55 each. When I wanted the 4625 - Crusader I approached the owner of a local store and got a 20% discount on 20 of them. I think it is always a good idea to get to know your local dealer (especially the smaller ones) if possible, the people looking for you the better!



Gepetto

[Jahme88]

My system is very similar to Bogro's.  I base it purely on desire and appeal....especially when Ebaying for retired sets.

I shall not admit how much I have paid for a single klicky. Suffice to say, it was more than 3 bucks.

New sets are the same, if I need it (want it), price can be over-looked.  In general I am happy with and accustomed to Playmobil pricing.

The best values currently are the new blister packs, your getting two figs for the price of one there.  The other SUPER value is the 4444 Pirate Dinghy at 16.00 USD.....if the figures are 3 dollars apiece, then the boat and the canon and all the accessories are only 10 dollars.  That vessel is worth way more than 10 bucks.     It's wonderful! 

[Gepetto]

I know when I am on eBay and am going after a (usually discontinued) klicky then it is just 'Damn the torpedoes'. I have paid double digits for single figures and don't care, but I don't do it too often.  I can rationalize with the best of them!




Gepetto

[playmofire]

I tend to follow Bogro's system but if there is something I really want, then price to some degree is no object (within reason, of course).  And then on occasions, I just feel that it really is time that I helped the local toyshop and Playmobil crest the present recession and just see something that isn't essential but it would be nice to have, and buy it!  (Although, again, nothing too over the top on price.)

Reading the above, I wonder if I do have an actual system.

[Rasputin]

If you like it, buy it, and enjoy it, while you have it .

[playmofire]

If you like it, buy it, and enjoy it, while you have it .

That's it, that's my system!

[Timotheos]

If you like it, buy it, and enjoy it, while you have it .

Hey Ras

Cough cough -- I'm talking about deciding when to buy bulk.  Example: I bought 12 of the blue gladiator special because I needed him for my Numidian cavalry and wound up buying spares on top of it.  He was bargain priced.  Had he come in a $10 accessory pack as with the medieval ABBA guy, I wouldn't have bought twelve.  I would have gone through DS and probably wound up with 6 due to their perpetual shortages (maybe then buying two $10 accessory packs to complete the unit).

RE: Little Red Riding Hood, I'd pay $20 for her!  I'm not meaning sets you only want one.

-Tim