Toy Fads

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Who We Are:

We are a small online toy store that carries the newest, hottest items we can find. Most are action figures that are very collectable and sold out in stores. We also carry the latest trends for kids like Bakugan. Please visit my website www.toyfads.ecrater.com for Hot Toys & Action Figures!

Selling On eCrater

After many trials and errors on other sites, I have settled in nicely at ecrater. The traffic is great and the best part about having an on line business at ecrater is it's free. I used to have a store on ebay, but for what I was paying in charges verses the traffic brought in to ebay stores, it was just not worth it to me to sell there anymore. I have been on a mission to find the best ebay alternative that has a decent amount of traffic and sales. I found that on ecrater.

The site is very simple but effective. You can set up a nice, clean, professional looking store in no time at all.

New This Week

Just Listed:

BAKUGAN
WWE Classic 3 Pack

Buyers, Help Alternative Sites Grow

E-Bay is not the only game in town. Many sellers have left e-bay because of the outlandish fee's being charged to sell on the site as well as the poor customer service you receive for the price you pay to sell. Some sellers try to avoid fees by raising their shipping price. Not an honest way to do business in my opinion.

There are now many other auction sites that have cropped up the past few years that show great potential. The price to sell on these new auction sites are much cheaper or nonexistent in some cases. That means the sellers can pass on those saving to you with lower prices. So the next time you have the urge to buy on e-bay please take a few moments first and check out some alternative sites to see if you can find what you're looking for at a cheaper price.

Here are a few that I recommend based on experience.

Ecrater- www.ecrater.com

eCrater.com is both a free web store builder and a free online marketplace. Sellers can easily create their own free online store in minutes. Buyers can easily browse and compare between thousands of products. With over 643,000 listings you are sure to find what you're looking for.

Blujay- www.blujay.com
100% Free
All features of blujay are free for buyers and sellers always. No bait and switch. Why pay e-bay when you can sell for free? This site has been growing by leaps and bounds with over 189,000 listings.

Plunderhere Auction Market Place- www.plunderhere.com
This site has over 36,000 listings and auction style format as well as fixed price. Pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate.

Why People Collect Toys

Remember when you were a child? What toys did you play with? What toys did you beg your parents to buy you? There are scientific studies that show that what toys we played with are associated with who we are. Since most of us played with toys when we were children, our toys remind us not only of our childhood, but also of who we used to be. Toys let us dream, and we could be astronauts, fire fighters, Luke Skywalker, or even a pirate.
The love of toys doesn't necessarily leave us when we grow older. Older toys in particular can remind of us happy memories. You might see one toy that holds a lot of fun memories for you, and then you see that next piece. Before you know it, you become a collector.
A collection of toys usually can start quite innocently. For some, a collection begins when childhood toys are rediscovered during a house cleaning. Others may begin a collection by purchasing items of interest to them, such as a person buying a miniature model of a car they would love to own. For others, it can begin by acquiring toys that they played with so that their children can enjoy the same items.

Tips on Caring For Your Toys

Action Figures/Boxed Toys

Caring for your toys is important in retaining their value to you, and for their future value. The less a toy is handled, the less likely it will get damaged. Your skin can also have dirt, chemicals, or oils that may harm the finish of a toy. Some collectors recommend using cotton gloves to handle especially prized pieces.

Storing your toys in a dust-free environment. When a buildup of dust occurs and then gets wiped off, it has the potential over time to lightly scratch or damage the toy's finish.

Books and Stuffed Animals

You can remove that musty smell by putting them in a plastic bag with some unscented, clay kitty litter. Leave the bag closed for at least a week and repeat with new litter if necessary.

Games and Boxes

Keep away from sunlight. Do not store them in a hot attic (they'll become brittle) or in a damp basement (they might mildew). Never use tape on a game box or board. Adhesive will eventually discolor the board. Do not wrap your games in plastic bags or plastic sheets, they trap moisture and encourage mold growth. If you must stack your games, keep your stacks short so the bottom game is not flattened. Insert a sheet of acid-free paper between each box. Never store with batteries. If the batteries in a toy have corroded, remove them and rub an emery board or steel wool on the contact points inside the toy.

Factors Influencing Toy Value

When you start a toy collection, how can you rate the value of the toy?

The condition of the toy is an important factor. New toys in boxes, where boxes remain factory sealed, can often command higher prices. Then there is the condition of the packages. Many toy collectors use a standard rating scale to "rate" the toy they have.

Here is the rating scale as printed in Toys and Prices 1997 4th Edition by Krause Publishing.

MIB, MIP, MOMC (Mint in Box, Mint in Package, Mint on Mint Card) - Just like new, in the original package, preferably still sealed. The box may have been opened, but any packages inside remain unopened. If the toy is on a blister card, the package is intact and unopened. New toys in boxes, where boxes remain factory sealed, can often command higher prices.

MNP, MNB (Mint No Package, Mint No Box) - This describes a toy in mint condition, but not in it's original box.

NM (Near Mint) - A toy that appears like new in overall appearance but exhibits very minor wear and does not have the original box. An exception would be a toy that comes in kit form. A kit toy in Near Mint condition would be expected to have the original box, but the box would display some wear.

EX (Excellent) - A toy that is complete and has been played with. Signs of minor wear may be evident, but the toy is very clean and well cared for.

VG (Very Good) - A toy that obviously has been played with and shows general wear overall. Paint chipping is readily apparent. In metal toys, some minor rust may be evident. In sets, some minor pieces may be missing.

GD (Good) - A toy with evidence of heavy play, dents, chips, and possibly moderate rust. The toy may be missing a major replaceable component, such as a battery compartment door, or it may be in need of repair. In sets, several pieces may be missing.

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A Brief History on Favorite Childhood Toys

Information gathered from Toy Shop's 40 greatest toys of all time.

Barbie

(Mattel, 1960). Perhaps no other female has generated so much admiration or controversy. Dozens of magazines, books and web sites are devoted to her. Despite her anatomically absurd measurements and impeccable hair and makeup, the Barbie doll has become a pop culture icon and the most collected doll since her debut in 1959.

Slinky

(James Industries, 1946). Forget the laws of physics and gravity that are packed into this bouncy wire spring. Its invention was serendipitous; its simplicity, unquestioned; its appeal, enduring.

Crayola Crayons

(Binney & Smith, early 1900s). OK, it may be debatable whether or not these are considered toys. But for sheer sensory pleasure, you can't beat 'em. The smell alone is enough to take you back to rainy Saturday afternoons. And the box of 64 (with sharpener) was every baby boomer child's dream school supply. Nothing less, certainly not generic crayons, would do.

Lite Brite

(today, Milton Bradley). If your cat didn't swallow the pegs, Lite Brite was the best toy to play with in the dark. Plus, when your parents weren't looking, you could create secret messages on the screen.

Mr. Potato Head

This 1950s novelty, the first toy advertised on television, was recently revived thanks to the success of Disney's Toy Story. Current reincarnations include plush versions, talking versions and even a vibrating massager?

Tinkertoys

(Toy Tinkers, early 1900s; today, Playskool). Construction toys have come and gone, and there were certainly precursors to these wooden wheels and dowels. But these simplistic wonder builders spawned decades of creativity with just sticks and spools.

G.I. Joe Soldier

(Hasbro, 1964). You know what they say about a man in uniform. With a stony, forward stare, facial scar and (later) kung-fu grip, this 12-inch stud was strong enough to take on a doubting public . . .and win. Stores may have doubted boys would play with "dolls," but this action soldier has proved them wrong for more than 30 years.

Big Wheel

(Marx, 1960s). Boys and girls alike didn't need balance or a license to cruise in this low rider. Not quite a pedal car, easier to master than a bike. Big Wheels are still being ridden today. Can't you hear those tires squealing?

A Brief History on Favorite Childhood Toys Continued......

Frisbee

(Wham-O, 1950s; today, Mattel). How many uses can you think of? A paint palette, lunch plate and mud-pie maker come to mind. What other toy has provided so much fun to so many for so little cost? You know a concept is a genuine success when people start using a trade name generically; there may be other flying discs, but there is only one Frisbee.

Etch-a-Sketch

(Ohio Art, 1960). Its memorable name is as classic as this magic screen. Plus, the familiar red box made making mistakes almost fun - just shake the screen, and your mistakes disappeared!

Easy-Bake Oven

(Kenner, 1960s). Helping mom in the kitchen may not have thrilled all little girls. But nothing beat making tasty treats in your very own, tiny aquamarine oven (today's version looks more like a microwave oven). It embraced the domesticity of the early 1960s and was one of the better executed girls' role-playing toys.

Shrinky Dinks

(today, Milton Bradley). Burned fingers aside, this toy was some of the most fun a kid could have with scissors, a sheet of plastic and an oven. Pictures were colored on plastic sheets; the pictures were then cut out and baked into hard plastic charms. The fun, however was in the making. Interest levels often plummeted even before the toys could cool.

Silly Putty

(Binney & Smith, 1950). Some used it to lift the images off comic strips; others bounced it like a ball; still others (ill-advisedly) attempted to chew it. Maybe it has no real purpose; maybe it has many; maybe that's part of the fun of this "real solid liquid" plastic.

Tonka Dump Truck

(Tonka 1940s). Nothing beat the feel of cold, hard steel - except maybe the sound of your truck ramming into the wall. These sandbox staples were built to withstand abuse, unlike their modern-day plastic counterparts.

Hot Wheels

(Mattel, 1960s). Matchbox cars came first, but super speed propelled these wheels ahead of the competition. The Camaro started the line.

Monopoly

(Parker Brothers, 1930s). Everyone loves the Boardwalk; unfortunately most of us were lucky just to pass GO without paying a luxury tax. Thanks to this game, many future real estate agents were born, and future politicians learned how to both overspend and hide their money in secret places.

View-Master

(Sawyer's 1930s; today, Mattel). Viva la France - or wherever you desired to visit. These 3-D reels made globetrotting possible from the comfort of your easy chair.

BAKUGAN

One of the Hottest Seller Toys This Year!

Bakugan Battle Brawlers is an anime series about creatures called Bakugan and the brawlers who wield them. The Bakugan game itself is created by Sega Toys and Spin Master and is the latest toy craze among 6-12 year old boys. Bakugan is a strategic card game based on the aforementioned series played with spring-loaded marbles that flip up to form Bakugan action figures.