[DrunkSmurf]

Was the buy-out of Farmhouses at the end of 2004 a bit of a panic rush?

I remember by the end of 2004, the farmhouses had vanished. A wholesaler in Hawaii even reported that a Japanese guy (?) had bought out his stash.

Now, the farmhouses are creeping back onto the market (in fact, I'm seeing old style farmhouses reappearing rather consistently).

Mainly, I'm just trying to get a feel for how the market works. I've failed to determine a consistent pricing mechanism. I've compared three non-ebay smurf shops located in the USA--all three post significantly different prices for the same smurfs advertised as mint. I guess it depends on store inventory, and possibly even the rents that the storeowners must pay on their brick-and-mortar shops.

Is there a smurf Economist in the house?

[Guest]

The newer Smurf farms are rarer than the older green roofed ones at the moment. Everyone in the UK and North America (as far as I know) went to order the Farm when they told us in November 04 they were being discontinued, but Schleich had already run their stocks low and there was nothing left. There were more Gargamel's Castles left so dealers got some of those. The yellow Windmills were also in short supply but the Farms were the worst of all. Basically we had little notice they were going to be discontinued and Schleich had already sold most of their stock. The Australian dealers had ordered in quite a lot of these brown roofed farms and now they are easier to find in Australia than anywhere else in the world.

I went to order some farms from a German dealer but a Japanese buyer had beaten me to it and cleared his stock of buildings out, this was early 2005.

Regarding old playsets and buildings that come to light now. Sometimes it is just shop inventory where a shop has closed, but sometimes dealers with a lot of money will buy up as much "soon to be discontinued" stock as they can when it is at its cheapest, put it away for a few years, and then sell it on either as a lot to retailers (and double their money) or direct to the public (and make even more money). It is really a case of whether you can tie up a large amount of money in stock for a few years in order to reap the benefits down the line, it is always a gamble. There are many old playsets and buildings now coming to light where someone has been holding that stock for a number of years. I managed to pick up 6 farms recently, but I still paid through the nose for them, I really just got them because it adds to the variety of stock in my shop. And you also have to think that ok there are a lot of these old playsets and buildings out there at the moment and it is probably a buyer's market, but this stock won't be out there forever and once the Smurf Movie arrives there could be more buyers fighting over the older items. It is all a gamble, I don't think people need to panic buy at the moment, but I think it makes sense to pick up these items before 2008.

[Syd Smurf]

The Farms with the red roofs are still available in the shops down here in Sydney....I don't think they are selling too quick although it's not certain how many they have so it's possible they only have a couple left and will sell out this year.

[steveparkes]

Darn..just got my green roofed farm (via Karen ) for christmas..gotta get a brown roofed one now if they are rarer..anyone know where to get one?

[bradley]

The Farms with the red roofs are still available in the shops down here in Sydney....I don't think they are selling too quick although it's not certain how many they have so it's possible they only have a couple left and will sell out this year.

yeah, here in Adelaide, the city store still have plenty. I rushed out and brought mine when I first saw the catalogue with them when they first got them in. I didn't want to miss out, but year later they still have quite a few. Probably about 3 when I was last in DJ.

Brad.

[steveparkes]

*books airline ticket to Australia*

[DrunkSmurf]

Hi

When you say farms with the "red roof" do you mean the dark brown 2004 model farmhouse, or has Schleich released a new version of the farmhouse in Australia?

[aussiesmurfer]

Its the dark brown and red version that is being refered to. Not that I would say no to a new Australia only version of the farm house!

If anyone wants help getting one of these from Adelaide then let me know!



Trish

[Fram]

I know one of two shops that still have a new Gargy castle, but indeed, no farmhouses or windmills anymore. Just like the school and playground, they disappeared very quickly as well. I think I know one garden playset for sale in a toyshop, but that's it... Oh well, I have the new farm (only misses its drain ), so no problem for me there