Monster Fighters - general discussion

[spener90]

I think it has become pretty apparent that stores are clearing out Monster Fighters, but when do you think that the online stock will be depleted? Will it go within a month, like Walmart appears to be doing?

[kerrmando]

I think it'll be gone in june

[chinothegeeko]

Amazon has over 999 of the vc so who knows. Looks like the middle cheaper stuff is drying up like the hearse and mad scientist

[Guest ph4tb0i]

I've been debating whether to get the mad scientist or not. It looks like a pretty cool set but doesn't seem to get any attention. Any thoughts anybody?

[chess227]

If amazon keeps the prices near retail.... I don't think you will see the vampyre castles disappear until October when people start really paying attention to these sets again. I hope it's sooner so we can unload them near that time, but that is my biggest concern.

[chunk]

I love the mad scientist, it is a great set with lots of cool details. All of the figures are nice and the car is cooler than it looks on the box.

[Grolim]

When people start seeing a few of the sets go I think there will be a bit of a run on the others. Is it just in my country or do others see a glut of Ghost Trains still on shelves. Stores here have sold off most MF sets but seem to have a lot of trains still in stock along with the smaller Mummy and Warewolf sets and the occasional smatterings of others. Definitely no VC's, HH's, or Zombies though.

[Fcbarcelona101]

When people start seeing a few of the sets go I think there will be a bit of a run on the others.

Is it just in my country or do others see a glut of Ghost Trains still on shelves. Stores here have sold off most MF sets but seem to have a lot of trains still in stock along with the smaller Mummy and Warewolf sets and the occasional smatterings of others. Definitely no VC's, HH's, or Zombies though.

I have the same experience, lots of Ghost Trains are still available pretty much everywhere.

[kerrmando]

Once they all officially retire (there are still tons on shelves in the stores around me) I'll probably go on a large buying spree and pick up hundreds of dollars worth of ghost trains..

[Veegs]

I've been debating whether to get the mad scientist or not. It looks like a pretty cool set but doesn't seem to get any attention.

Any thoughts anybody?

I'm a fan, especially because I haven't seen Amazon with a nice big, long sale on it (unless I missed it) unlike the Ghost Train That poor train has been discounted for a long time at a nice savings, and it still seems retailers can't move a lot of them. Granted, by October, I'm pretty sure any Ghost Trains still on shelves will disappear, but I'm a little concerned with its run so far.

[JoshTX]

Seems like all MF has dried up in the WalMarts here, but the Train was definitely the last remaining. Second to last was the Werewolf. The VC obviously went the quickest, but I was surprised to see the Mummy and Swamp Creature sets flied off the shelves also.

[tamerlane]

Has anyone else noticed these are barely moving on ebay with the exception of vc and the train? ARE THESES STILL WORTH BUYING AND THIS IS JUST A LULL?

[Flyfisher]

I'd say give it some time, should pick up closer to September/October.

[Maverick2k1]

Has anyone else noticed these are barely moving on ebay with the exception of vc and the train? ARE THESES STILL WORTH BUYING AND THIS IS JUST A LULL.?

The sets are not even EOL, so to say the bottom is falling out is beyond premature. Patience Padawan.

[Diabolos80]

I am hesitant to go in gung ho on these sets. I've got 2 vc and i'm done. To me, this theme has atlantis, pharoahs quest, etc written all over it. If I'm wrong, well, lesson learned.

[SlickP]

I'd get some VC or GT for 50% off but don't really want to bite at 30%.

[stephen_rockefeller]

I am hesitant to go in gung ho on these sets. I've got 2 vc and i'm done. To me, this theme has atlantis, pharoahs quest, etc written all over it. If I'm wrong, well, lesson learned.

Wow that is the first person I have heard say this.....you don't think these will be big winners every Halloween for years to come??

[JoshTX]

It's way early to be looking at reselling MF in my opinion. They may be gone from Walmart, but they are still all over Amazon and many other retailers. We will see what happens when they are truly "gone" and that first post-EOL Halloween rolls around.

[Snowcrash]

I am hesitant to go in gung ho on these sets. I've got 2 vc and i'm done. To me, this theme has atlantis, pharoahs quest, etc written all over it. If I'm wrong, well, lesson learned.

Did any of the themes you mention disappear overnight from store shelves when they went on clearance at 30% off MSRP? Did any of them have a retired set already returning 500% like Monster Fighters does? How'd their polybags do at this point in their respective production cycles? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just curious what you're basing your opinion that MF will be a bust on. Since we as investors don't have reams of data to pour over like we would on more mainstream investments we have to use the information we do have to make informed decisions on how sets will perform once EOL. Everything I'm seeing screams buy.

[exciter1]

Be patient, Monster Fighters is a big winner, HUGE!!! I'm at the perfect age and fit the demographic for this theme and I was very excited about it from the get go. I know I'm not alone...

[chess227]

I love this set and the discussions it brings... This is the first big set a lot of new investors have seen go EOL and since so many picked it up, they are trying to flip it instantly and that is what you are seeing. Some don't have the capital to hold on to these sets for extended period of times and something tells me they expected to see this set skyrocket at the first site of it going out of stores. The thing about this set is that you will have to hold on to it AT LEAST until Christmas to see any kind of return and perhaps until next September/October. It will go up and it will show great returns. It is the single set that brought me back to Lego. It has wide appeal and I see it doing a good return. The thing is.... You gotta be willing to hold on to it. Right now Amazon has over 1000 castles on hand, no telling how many LEGO Shop at Home has and Target hasn't even begun clearing their sets out. It has a long time left before this set becomes difficult to find. I, for one am completely fine picking up a few more castles to invest in. I am however holding at 5 trains unless I pick them up at 50% off.... mainly because I just can't get a good feel on those.

[Diabolos80]

Did any of the themes you mention disappear overnight from store shelves when they went on clearance at 30% off MSRP? Did any of them have a retired set already returning 500% like Monster Fighters does? How'd their polybags do at this point in their respective production cycles? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just curious what you're basing your opinion that MF will be a bust on. Since we as investors don't have reams of data to pour over like we would on more mainstream investments we have to use the information we do have to make informed decisions on how sets will perform once EOL. Everything I'm seeing screams buy.

You have some decent arguments for sure. First, availabilty: this theme had a one year lifespan, so that's a plus. But, the 3 walmarts and 2 Targets I frequent rarely sold any until clearance. In fact, I could go purchase 7 vampyre castles for 70/ea tomorrow. Granted, thats out of 5 stores, and I live in Houston, which seems to be a slow place for Lego (I still haven't seen cmf series 9, and I think I'm the only Houstonian who buys Lego on Craigslist). Anyway, they're not flying off shelves everywhere. As far as 500% roi, that set got pulled after what, 3 months? AND it's Lego called The Zombies. But yeah, I wish I had one. The polybags seem pretty rare. I never saw one. In fact, the more I think about it, the more this theme seems like it was devised just to make money for us. The problem is, newcomers aren't going to be typing Monster Fighters into eBay search this Christmas. The theme will be six months gone by then, with no new products to introduce people to the old sets. Even if the Haunted House is still around wearing the MF brand, well... Which would you buy? A retired VC for 200 or a HH for 180? I dunno. I guess it could go either way, but on my budget, I'll pick up a few Helms Deep instead, if they evvvver hit clearance here.

[chess227]

Did any of the themes you mention disappear overnight from store shelves when they went on clearance at 30% off MSRP? Did any of them have a retired set already returning 500% like Monster Fighters does? How'd their polybags do at this point in their respective production cycles? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just curious what you're basing your opinion that MF will be a bust on. Since we as investors don't have reams of data to pour over like we would on more mainstream investments we have to use the information we do have to make informed decisions on how sets will perform once EOL. Everything I'm seeing screams buy.

You have some decent arguments for sure. First, availabilty: this theme had a one year lifespan, so that's a plus. But, the 3 walmarts and 2 Targets I frequent rarely sold any until clearance. In fact, I could go purchase 7 vampyre castles for 70/ea tomorrow. Granted, thats out of 5 stores, and I live in Houston, which seems to be a slow place for Lego (I still haven't seen cmf series 9, and I think I'm the only Houstonian who buys Lego on Craigslist). Anyway, they're not flying off shelves everywhere. As far as 500% roi, that set got pulled after what, 3 months? AND it's Lego called The Zombies. But yeah, I wish I had one. The polybags seem pretty rare. I never saw one. In fact, the more I think about it, the more this theme seems like it was devised just to make money for us. The problem is, newcomers aren't going to be typing Monster Fighters into eBay search this Christmas. The theme will be six months gone by then, with no new products to introduce people to the old sets. Even if the Haunted House is still around wearing the MF brand, well... Which would you buy? A retired VC for 200 or a HH for 180? I dunno. I guess it could go either way, but on my budget, I'll pick up a few Helms Deep instead, if they evvvver hit clearance here.

That is a great point about the cost of the haunted house vs the cost of the castle in the secondary market. It is definitely a good point of concern, but I will also say that for months, people have had the choice to buy a 949 piece castle for $100 or a retired 447 piece zombies set for $100 and people haven't had any problem moving them on ebay at the $100 price. I think the haunted house will help people want to seek out these other sets and if somebody has the income to purchase a haunted house, I believe they will also plunk down around the same for the castle..... at least I hope so.. lol

[Talon]

I think the Vampyre Castle is a no brainer at $69 and all my local Walmarts are out of stock of those (with a little help from me). The train and below I am a little iffy on at only 30% off unless you can find a zombie set at anywhere near retail (that is such a long shot I shouldn't even mention it!). The thing I noticed at three of my local Walmarts was they had more trains in stock than any other set, so as I already have some trains and other MF sets at 45% off from Shopko I decided to wait on anything other than the Castle and hope Walmart needs to mark them down more.

[Darth_Raichu]

To OP, repeat after me: LEGO investing is NOT get rich quick schemes.... LEGO investing is NOT get rich quick schemes.... LEGO investing is NOT get rich quick schemes.... Feel better ? If not, then this may not be the correct business for you ;-)