Please note, everything stated to me on the phone today was told to me by one rep. I do not know what tomorrow's rep or next week's rep will say or won't say. So please, no hate. I'm only going by what I was told and how I personally feel.
So I phoned Breyer today to figure something out "Why do people expect me to cover the cost of their membership?" I had a sneaking hunch this was against the rules and from what *I* was told, it is. The membership is 100% your responsibility and no one else should be expected to cover that cost. So it got me wondering about buying secondhand PC/CC/etc models. Are they really worth it when I can't get them at the cost, other members would? Keep in mind that I really do love some of the models that have come out, I just can't justify paying for someone else's membership fees when I personally, wouldn't expect that.
So for context, what started this was another post I only saw very briefly this morning where someone said "I expect people to pay $33.33 on top of the price of the model PLUS shipping!" And it got me thinking "Wouldn't this be considered against the rules?" So I did some digging. I had a friend tell me what the "rules" were for the clubs and basically, nothing's cited. This confused me quite a bit because I just had that feeling in the pit of my stomach, that somehow, someway, this was against the rules. So I called Breyer once I knew they were open. Took me several tries before I got a human on the phone and when I did, I asked if there would be anything against asking people to pay for my membership fees when selling models second hand.
The rep said that while not cited on the site itself, it's very much frowned upon and isn't recommended. When I asked why, she said "You buy into the club knowing you're paying for your membership. No one should be expected to cover your membership's fees that are incurred. This is like expecting someone else to cover the cost of your Paypal fees, etc. With Paypal, it's openly cited as against the rules. We as a company, simply don't have the man power to police this, so while it is against the rules, it's also not because we can't police every person who charges the membership fee on the second hand markets."
Okay. Makes sense. You're a company with reduced manpower and even Paypal can't police those expecting others to pay for the Paypal fees. You can only report those who ask you too and even then, it's a toss up on whether Paypal does anything (in my experience, they rarely do anything other than issue a warning).
It then got me really thinking about the hobby as a whole. I love Tigerlily and her mother. But as a person who struggles to even put food on my table, I rarely buy highly expensive models unless I know I'll be 100% okay for the month. I've personally walked away from so many models in the past because I couldn't justify the outrageous cost of them and this was before shipping was added on. Added on to this is the fact I have animals that will always come first before a plastic, let's face it, toy (Breyers are classed as toys so let's call a spade and spade for once).
That also said, I make less than $800 once my rent and bills are paid. There's no way I can justify paying the cost of the model, plus someone else's membership. At this point, I feel like I'm being ripped off. And hear me out on this (please keep in mind I was raised by a VERY old school grandmother whose parents saw both world wars, so her way of teaching is considered as very old school).
When I say I feel like I'm being ripped off, I mean when I look at the cost of one model. $200 with $40 shipping. $240 total. But then someone says to me "You have to cover the cost of my membership! "I'm left feeling like I was just scammed. I'm not expecting to cover the cost of anything else but the cost of the model plus shipping. I'm not expecting to cover the cost of your membership, something you willingly paid and signed up for. I didn't because I can't afford too. So if I can't afford to pay the cost of your membership (which from what I've read, you pay $100 for the first part of the club access then access to the other clubs is an added $100 so half of BOTH is in no way shape or form $33.33 it's $100 even steven (1/2 x 200 = 100.00))
There's no way I can afford to pay $373.33 (this is adding in the previously mentioned $33.33 - this is for my own sanity not anyone else's) and even if we disuse the $33.33, I can't afford to pay $340USD not at the current conversion rates which are outrageous in of themselves (when I pay you $340USD, I'm having to make sure I have $466.87CAD in my bank - this doesn't include Paypal's automatic conversion rates either)
I began to really think about these models. Are they really worth going after secondhand or would it just be cheaper, long run, for me personally, to buy into the membership and buy each of the models that get released? Even if I personally don't like a model, I tend to keep them anyways. I have many that I no longer, personally like. I recently got rid of my SBH Phoenix due to the very traumatic memories he held for me. Was it anything against the mold, model or horse it's based off of? No. It was a decision based off the fact that at one point, he brought me joy. He brought me joy because my ex bought him for me before my ex began verbally, mentally, emotionally, physically and sexually abusing me. By the time I realized this, the model no longer brought me the joy I once felt, instead, I felt anger, bitterness, and sorrow.
So when I look at these club models, I don't feel joy. I feel anxiety. I want to get some of them but I can't and won't starve myself or my pets, just to accomplish a few seconds of joy. It's not worth it. So this leaves me wondering; is it worth collecting? Is it worth collecting models I know I'll never get and the ones I do get, won't be as highly valued as the membership models often are.
I've built my current collection from the ground up. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears has gone into it. It's current, total value is well over $4k. I've rebuilt the collection my grandmother once started before her death when I was only 15yrs old, and had my entire collection of well over 5k models, stolen, destroyed and completely lost. Forever. But now? I've had people make snide remarks towards my wanting to bequeath my collection, once I pass, back to Breyer. If the company is of course, still operational by that point. In my mind, I would much rather have my collection auctioned off by Breyer, to raise money for charity, than have it sit in a storage shed and collect dust, as is so often the case for so many. So many priceless models that end up at estate auctions, end up in garbage bins, especially those that don't get sold. And it pains me to think that that could be my collection's fate.
I'm 34yrs old with a pronounced Heart Murmur. I know one day, my time could be up. I've wanted to have my collection secured for a long time and began the process when I was 18. I wanted to make sure, that, if my daughter didn't like collecting (she doesn't), that my collection would at least, stand a chance once I'm gone and the money raised, wouldn't go into some greedy auctioneer's back pocket. I wanted the money raised to go towards something meaningful. Ending animal abuse. Keeping our SPCAs open. Keeping wild places wild. Reforesting places devastated by forest fires or worse, illegal deforestation. I wanted my legacy to be one where, I wouldn't be remembered per say, but worth mentioning to my great grandkids.
To be met with scornful remarks about this? It hurt. It genuinely did. And it's made me question, whether collecting is worth the headache. Is it worth being told your stance isn't right? Is it worth being told you're asking price point is too low (when in reality, it's not cause let's face it, I'm sending you the money to give to Breyer to have Breyer themselves ship me the model, not you). And I've come to realize; it really isn't worth the headaches.
It's not worth the scornful remarks. It's not worth telling anyone my plans for my collection once I'm gone, especially if my plans can't and won't be respected (these would be the same people who'd go to Estate Auction though and they'd disrespect even that so it astounds me they'd disrespect someone's wishes to have Breyer auction the models off for Charity purposes).
As such, I've begun to slowly leave various Breyer Groups. The community by large, has become so toxic, that it's no longer worth being 'apart of'. I have a few collector friends with whom I share my collection's photos with, but I find no joy in sharing it with others whom I don't know or with those whom have been rude, spiteful or snippy about my decision for my collection with.
I've come to realize, my inner peace of mind, is far more valuable than a community that has grown greedy and toxic. Gone are the days when people would turn to a newcomer and be welcoming. Gone are the days when we would gift pricey models to someone whose lost everything and or is a struggling newcomer who just wants that one horse.
And I can honestly and genuinely see why my daughter refuses to collect model horses. Why should she bother? Would she be welcomed or would she face ridicule for not knowing correct pricing offers, buyout offers, molds, etc? After seeing what she already deals with, as not only an actual horseback rider but a shower, but as a person in general, my answer is no. She's already told me she doesn't feel welcomed by the Model Horse community simply because she's seen how toxic it is and can be. And as she said "I can choose to be apart of it, or I can choose not to be. And I choose not to be."
It pains me greatly, but it's the same decision I've slowly come too, myself. There's a few groups where I find some enjoyment...but not much. And honestly? It's sad. It truly is.
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