Here`s a news article from The Brunei Times, written by comrade Amir Noor!? O.O WOW! I was surprised to see his name there! lol Here`s what he wrote:
MANY Bruneians have taken up toy collecting as one of the many hobbies people from all around the world share, but are hindered by the lack of suppliers, steep pricing and also the range of selection to pursue their passion.
Some shops in Brunei are disappointingly supplied with "bootleg" toys leading to dissatisfaction and shows the ignorance of these toy suppliers of how important these things are, said a collector who wished to be unnamed.
"Sometimes shops would actually provide toys that I want, but at a ridiculous price," he added.
Shukree Jafar, a 36-year-old toy collector, shared his disappointment with how toys in Brunei are viewed as children's playthings and that bootleg toys are commonly sold instead of the better quality ones.
"The limited shops in Brunei are often due to the fact that there is only a small market here and they do not want to risk specialising in it," he said.
He went on to say, "With the lack of selection here, I usually order my toys online straight from the manufacturers or even eBay."
"Qualified toy manufacturers are now aware of the rise in adult toy collectors thereby shifting their focus to them instead of children. Back in the 1970s, a 12-year-old could get 10 'He-Man' action figures for the price of one 'He-Man' action figure today," Shukree explained.
A local toy store manager, Michael, echoes the sentiment that the market is small but highlights that the bigger fan base helps sustain his business. "The demands of a single individual are usually more than the wants of a larger market. It is usually difficult to cater to this as many toy collectors have different preferences when it comes to toys," Michael said.
He discourages the selling of bootleg toys as its production is from low cost materials that would deteriorate easily and end up being waste.
He went on to elaborate, "Bootleg toys easily break and once they do, throwing them away would only pollute the environment. Original quality toys are made of longer lasting materials and kept properly, can last decades."
Victor Johnson, a 28-year-old toy enthusiast, mentioned that toy collecting in Brunei has been slowly increasing through avid toy collectors finding others with the same passion.
"With toy stores like GoFigures and Chong Hock, we actually have enough to deal with the small but developing market we have now," he said.
"Social groups such as costumers and cosplayers often act as unofficial advertising agents to help boost the interest and awareness of these related hobbies and turn out to be an overall new activity that anyone can take part in," Victor said.
The Brunei Times
I say;
I don`t really mind about the pricing of the figurines here in Brunei BUT when it comes to bootlegged.. argh!!! I can`t accept that!
1 Comments:
SAY NO TO BOOTLEG!!!! ngapa mcm dejavu ne???
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