Kelly's Vinylmation Q & A (April 2011)

What do you think of the new Vinylmation mold? Benefits/drawbacks, please! - Tayner

Great question. When I first read Disney's own column announcing this change, what struck me most was that the feet would be removable, making it easier to create more complex designs. I thought that was a good thing. I am a picky collector, and I prefer design continuity in any collectible line, but I figured, hey, if it means better designs, and if the people who make Create-Your-Own vinyls will have an easier time painting their creations, I can live with it.

Then I actually looked closely at the pictures Disney provided, particularly of the Shark Vinylmation from the new Sea Creatures set. Suddenly, I was not so happy. No more defined nose, no facial lines, no body lines, no buttons. In short, the vinyl canvas does not look a whole lot like Mickey anymore. It looks like Mickey does still wears his gloves with the new mold, and at least they didn't de-ear the fellow. Maybe I should be thankful for small miracles.

In all seriousness, I see benefits and drawbacks.

As mentioned before, the feet area in particular should make for better designs because they are no longer stuck to the body. The lack of lines and buttons and nose should make it easier for CYO artists to paint their creations.

The drawbacks are:

1. It no longer looks much like the Mouse; and
2. There will no longer be a single defined form for 3" Vinylmation.

I mean no disrespect to the artists, but it seems as if they've taken the easy way out in terms of design. One of the main things I love about Vinylmation is seeing how so many talented artists make the canvas work for them. The nose and the buttons did make a few designs look a bit off, but I never noticed a problem created by the facial and body lines. Actually, seeing how artists used the nose and buttons (or worked around them) was something I loved.

Since I have a drawing ability on par with that of Mickey and Minnie WEARING their puffy 'gloves', I enjoy seeing what people who actually know what they're doing can create. Removing the nose and the buttons seems like it removes a big part of the whole point of Vinylmation.

Cynic that I am, I suspect there's another benefit that favors the Disney Company and that might be the major reason behind the shape change: reduced manufacturing costs. Something easier to paint is probably less expensive to paint. But I have no inside sources, and that's ONLY a guess on my part.

The original forms will be phased out (at least the 3" will - I'm hoping they won't alter the 9" mold), and it sounds like the new form will be the norm. So now we'll have two different styles of the same collectible, and collectors will have to decide if they want only the old style, the new style, or a mix. I'm not sure what I will do, because I prefer uniformity. Plus, I just don't like the missing nose, lines, and buttons! I may cut back to just collecting the Park Series and nothing else.

Time (and the designs) will tell.

I plan on moving to the Orlando area this summer, and I'd like to make some money on the side selling Vinylmations. Is it possible to do that on eBay or on a forum by selling pre-releases and then buying them myself in Disney World on the day they're released? What advice would you have to get such a business started? - Frank

First off, I hope you have a safe and stress-free move! As for your question, if you want to start an actual online business, eBay would probably be your best bet. A lot of Disney fans have their own eBay 'stores' where they sell different types of theme park merchandise.

A few columns ago, I mentioned that some people buy vinyls for others on the various forums dedicated to Vinylmation or Disney collectibles. Payment is usually made through PayPal invoice, as this provides the buyer protection if the seller never sends the vinyl(s). However, as I said at the time, most forums are about enjoying the collecting hobby as a group, and buying/selling/trading is a side benefit. Do not join a forum just to sell (or buy or trade) vinyls.

You'll also reach more people on eBay, although you will be faced with eBay seller fees (in addition to PayPal fees). Make sure you are familiar with and follow the tax laws, including your state's sales tax laws.

If you want to do pre-sales, my main point of advice would be to do them in auction form, not Buy-It-Now (BIN). If buyers want to bid things up to well above retail, that is their prerogative. A lot of sellers get into trouble with pre-sales by listing vinyls as BINs at extremely marked up prices. Sure, you may get a buyer or two, but watchful collectors send the word around that Seller X is charging 2x retail for Vinyl Y. If you do list pre-sales in BIN form, don't ridiculously mark up your prices.

Bad buzz also goes around about sellers with, say, 10 of an LE item, especially when it's listed for considerably above retail. This is because:

1. There is no guarantee you can get even 1 of an LE item;
2. There is a purchase limit of 2 per person on most LEs; and
3. Resellers selling multiples of one item, especially LEs, are often perceived as keeping regular collectors from being able to buy the item at retail in person.

Be aware that you should only do a pre-sale on eBay if Disney has given a set date for a release. I have never bought pre-sale vinyls on eBay, but I know there is a time limit from the date of sale to when the buyer must receive the item. Otherwise, the seller must refund the buyer's money, the buyer still doesn't have the vinyl, and everyone's time is wasted. Not a good way to win over customers!

If you are unable to obtain whatever you sold (say, for example, Item X sold out), contact the buyer(s) immediately. Explain what happened, apologize, and refund their money in full. Most people are understanding, especially if you handle it professionally and promptly give them their money back.

Next week's column will focus on selling Vinylmation on eBay, so be sure to check back for more advice. Good luck!

My question is kind of like Frank's but from a different side: if people near Disney do offer to sell new releases, but first you have to send them the money, how is there any guarantee they'll be able to get the new releases from Disney? What is their typical mark-up? After you figure in the mark-up and the shipping, it doesn't sound like such a good bargain and it doesn't sound like these people would have much motivation because they're not making very much money! - Bill Benson

There is no guarantee anyone will be able to get a new release from Disney, and if someone says they can guarantee it, they are either misinformed or lying to you.

Overall, Disney is getting better with correct release date information, but there are still delays. With LE sets or the 9" in particular, there is no guarantee the vinyls will not all be sold out by the time that a seller gets to D-Street. Pre-sales are especially a risk on the buyer's part for LEs and 9". If you use eBay or PayPal invoice, you don't need to worry about getting scammed out of your money, but if a seller doesn't give a prompt refund when a vinyl is sold out, the resolution process could take a while (meaning your money is still tied up in the failed transaction).

As you alluded to, prices are typically higher for pre-sales. They tend to drop after the release date. A lot of people who regularly sell vinyls are Annual Passholders. AP holders get varying degrees of merchandise discounts, so you will find some people who sell vinyls at retail or barely above it. This is particularly the case with Limited Release items. They are still making a profit because of the discount. If it's an LE or hard to find vinyl, it's normal to pay at least several dollars above retail, and usually a bit more than that on eBay. The 9" tend to average about $10 above retail after release (depending on what design it is), but luckily most of them are now released in limited quantities on DisneyStore.com.

Sometimes, though, you come across people doing pre-sales (or in-hand sales of new vinyls) whom you know are bound to have APs and are still charging a good 50-100% or above in markup, especially for LEs. I understand both sides as long as everyone is following the rules. Ultimately, though, I am a buyer and not a seller; so my objective is always to save as much money as possible.

Unless you have money to burn, it is a good idea to avoid the heavily marked up prices. Except for truly in-demand vinyls (like the recent DuckTales LE set), you can find most of them on eBay right after a release for or slightly above retail. As I discussed last week, you can even find vinyls below retail in some cases, especially sets of 11 that have been released for at least several weeks, or individual, less desirable and/or more available 3" vinyls. These are all reasons why I wait to buy my vinyls and always avoid pre-sales.

If you are not using eBay, and are buying from someone through a pre-sale or in-hand sale, whether it is vinyls or anything else, always, always, ALWAYS use PayPal, and always pay through invoice. This way, if you never receive your item and the seller does not refund your money, you can dispute it. If you send someone you don't know or barely know cash or a check, you are running a major risk of being scammed. I believe most people in the world are honest, but you should always take precautions and be safe.

Do you have a picture of the trading boxes in WDW and Disneyland? - 3VinylFans

I literally take thousands of pictures on my WDW trips, but usually not of gift shops! I looked through last year's pictures anyway, and I found one picture of the Muppet Stuff shop in Disney's Hollywood Studios that includes the boxes by accident:

I didn't even notice the trading boxes at the time, because the register next to them was closed. I haven't been back to WDW since I took this picture, and so I have no idea if the boxes are still available at the Muppet Shop.

In this 'close-up' taken from the above shot, you can see the blind trading box on the left. It held who knows what! The clear trading box contained a Park 3 Pirates of the Caribbean Auctioneer, an Urban 3 Palm Trees, and a Park 3 Herbie:

If I had seen those boxes when I was in the shop, I would have traded for Herbie! He eluded me until late last year.

Stuff Not to Skip

• Disney's Vinylmation
  http://eventservices.disney.go.com/static/vinylmation