Pop Collectors Alliance Podcast

How to use eBay to Your Advantage This week Rick and Piper continue the Novice Series by explaining the best way to bolster your Pop! collection using eBay. They also discuss their weekly pickups, give another shout out to the audience for reaching 5K, another rant about Hot Topics Policy, The Novice Series Vol 3: Riding the eBay Wave to the Pop Promise Land and end with the Hunting Tip of the Week. Join them next week when they continue the Novice Series Vol 4: Navigating Facebook to Build your Collection. Special ANNOUNCEMENT!!!! Earlier this week we told you guys we were rapidly approaching 5K followers. We have since reached that goal and want to say thank you!!!! As we said last week we are excited to see this community grow and all the positive feedback we’ve received. Raise your glasses to 10K. Announcements Texas Frightmare Weekend is right around the corner May 4-6 and if you’ve never been your are missing out on an awesome time. The guest lineup this year is incredible and there are going to be some fantastic panels and screenings. The Pop Collectors Alliance and other AstroPanda Podcasts will be in attendance talking to fans, grabbing photos of some of the world’s best cosplay, and of course getting some autographs. You can find out more about everything here at Texas Frightmare Weekend. Pops for Tots! Cooks Children Hospital Fort Worth Funko Pop Drive. Send donations to our PO box or donate via the website, all money will be used to purchase items to help out kids that are going through a rough time. Donations close on June 10th. Mail Donations to: Pop Collectors Alliance PO Box 150490 Fort Worth, Texas 76108 Live Pop Swap!!!!! The First Ever!!!! Pop Collectors Alliance Presents a LIVE Pop Swap Event!!! Saturday June 9th, 2018 2 – 8 PM at Keller Pointe 405 Rufe Snow Dr, Keller, TX 76248 Swappers:  Tables are $10 each (with a 2 table max) Admission: $5 Per Adult, Kids under 12 are FREE (Your $5 Admission comes with Raffle tickets) Tons of Games and Raffles, Arcade, Food and an all around good time. Make this event a historic moment in the Pop Collectors Alliance history! Swappers interested in tables contact Tiffany @ Tiffany@astropandaproductions.com New Schedule Streams will happen on Tuesdays or Sundays, and all late night releases. Forever Funko Forever Target Fridays YouTube Videos 1 per week Podcasts 1 Per Week Weekly Articles on the website. Pop Collectors Alliance Elite Brand Ambassadors Program is Coming Soon Novice Series Volume 3: Riding the eBay Wave to Pop Success eBay: We buy there, sometimes sell there, hell It’s a flippers paradise!!! But how do you navigate this terrain to build your collection for as cheap as possible. Coupons!!! Not many people know this but eBay runs specials where you can get 10,15,20 and sometime 25+% off of eBay items. (Good to know those fees are going somewhere). * These are generally posted on the main page and used as a coupon code on your order. Jump on these because 10% with free shipping is a steal especially if you can eliminate the risk of getting scammed. * Start of the seasons and holidays are the best time to find these deals however you may stumble upon a random coupon code ever now and then. * Subscribe to the eBay newsletter to get additional coupons for your benefit. Beware of the Incredibly GREAT Prices and Counterfeit Pop! General rule of thumb here if a price is too good to be true then it is. You may see that vaulted pop for $50 under PPG, Stashpedia, but more than likely it’s coming from china where they just faked every bit of it. * Review the country of origin to see if it is China, most items that are shipped from there are fake pop.

The Funko Shop Toucan Turmoil This week Rick and Piper talk about the Funko Shop Toucan Sam catastrophe and why we need a TRUE explanation from Funko. They also discuss problems they had with weekly pickups, some important announcements that include the FIRST Pop Collectors Alliance Pop Swap happening June 9th 2-8PM. Join the us next week for the next installment of the Novice Series. Announcements Texas Frightmare Weekend is right around the corner May 4-6 and if you’ve never been your are missing out on an awesome time. The guest lineup this year is incredible and there are going to be some fantastic panels and screenings. The Pop Collectors Alliance and other AstroPanda Podcasts will be in attendance talking to fans, grabbing photos of some of the world’s best cosplay, and of course getting some autographs. You can find out more about everything here at Texas Frightmare Weekend. Live Pop Swap!!!!! The First Ever!!!! Pop Collectors Alliance Presents a LIVE Pop Swap Event!!! Saturday June 9th, 2018 2 – 8 PM at Keller Pointe 405 Rufe Snow Dr, Keller, TX 76248 Swappers: 1st Table = $10 , 2nd Table $15 (2 tables for $25 with a 2 table max) Admission: $5 Per Adult, Kids under 12 are FREE (Your $5 Admission comes with Raffle tickets) Tons of Games and Raffles, Arcade, Food and an all around good time. Make this event a historic moment in the Pop Collectors Alliance history! Swappers interested in tables contact Tiffany @ Tiffany@astropandaproductions.com   Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Email us: info@popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!!

Force Friday and Funko On this episode the team covers Force Friday and Funko while trying to stay awake because it was a LATE recording session. They also discuss their weekly pickups, crazy Nintendo things, what happened at Fan Expo Dallas and how hard it is to be a vendor at a convention.  They end everything with The Novice Series Volume 3: Finding Pop in Non-Conventional Ways with a TON of great information. Sometimes the best pop you can find might not be in a store at all. Listen and tell us what you think! Announcements If you stopped by at Fan Expo Dallas it was awesome to meet you, if not see you next time. Texas Frightmare Weekend is right around the corner April 4-6 and if you’ve never been your are missing out on an awesome time. The guest lineup this year is incredible and there are going to be some fantastic panels and screenings. The Pop Collectors Alliance and other AstroPanda Podcasts will be in attendance talking to fans, grabbing photos of some of the world’s best cosplay, and of course getting some autographs. You can find out more about everything here at Texas Frightmare Weekend. Live Pop Swap and Cost Plus Shipping event in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in May / June an announcement is coming soon. We will be at Fan Expo Dallas come and discover more about the Pop Collectors Alliance and AstroPanda Productions. We will have some great prizes and Pop! Another Special Thank You! to our Patrons. Justin Bair, Tim K, Raoul, Robin, Chris, David, Stacie, Beto, Mario, Jimmy, Justin N , Ryne, Keith, Tim E, Daniel P, Clayton, Jones, Batdizzle, Prodian, Ashley, Jennifer, Andrew, Joe, Mike, Mat Remember to checkout our Patreon. If you are not a Patron and would like to find out about our awesome rewards and how to give back to the alliance follow the link. Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Email us: info@popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!!

How to Build Your Funko Pop! Dream Team This week Rick and Piper discuss how to use negotiation tactics to assemble your Funko Pop! Dream Team. They also discuss joining the 0-6 Hades Chase Club, all of the great, amazing, fantastic Pop Collectors Alliance upcoming events, weekly pickups, Beto’s collector story and close with the Novice Series Vol 2: Negotiating for Your Pop! Come out and visit with the Pop Collectors Alliance at Fan Expo Dallas April 6-8. There will be a TON of awesome celebrity guests there, so be sure to bring all the Pop! you need to get signed. Texas Frightmare Weekend is right around the corner and if you’ve never been your are missing an awesome time. The guest lineup this year is incredible and there are going to be some fantastic panels and screenings. The Pop Collectors Alliance and other AstroPanda Podcasts will be in attendance talking to fans, grabbing photos of some of the world’s best cosplay, and of course getting some autographs. You can find out more about everything here at Texas Frightmare Weekend. Announcements Patreon boxes have shipped. If you are a Patron and are local to the DFW please message us to schedule a local pickup. Live Pop Swap and Cost Plus Shipping event in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in May / June an announcement is coming soon. We will be at Fan Expo Dallas come and discover more about the Pop Collectors Alliance and AstroPanda Productions. We will have some great prizes and Pop! Special Thank You! to our Patrons. Justin Bair, Tim K, Raoul, Robin, Chris, David, Stacie, Beto, Mario, Jimmy, Justin N , Ryne, Keith, Tim E, Daniel P, Clayton, Jones, Batdizzle, Prodian, Ashley, Jennifer, Andrew, Joe, Mike, Mat Remember to checkout our Patreon. If you are not a Patron and would like to find out about our awesome rewards and how to give back to the alliance follow the link. Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!!

Policies That Suck On the 16th Episode of the Pop Collectors Alliance Rick and Piper discuss how Hot Topic policies can hurt the collecting market. They also cover Novice Series Volume 1: How to Price Your Pop!, talk about all the weekly pickups, some great upcoming events where everyone can come and hang out with the crew, and end it all with a Collector’s Story of the Week. Come out and visit with the Pop Collectors Alliance at Fan Expo Dallas April 6-8. There will be a TON of awesome celebrity guests there so be sure to bring your Pop with you to get signed. Announcements We are putting together Patreon boxes and they will ship by the end of this month. Live Pop Swap and Cost Plus Shipping event in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in April announcements to come. Remember to checkout our Patreon. If you are not a Patron and would like to find out about our awesome rewards and how to give back to the alliance follow the link. We will be at Fan Expo Dallas come and discover more about the Pop Collectors Alliance and AstroPanda Productions. We will have some great prizes and Pop! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!!

A Farewell to Toys R Us This week on the Pop Collectors Alliance Rick and Piper take a second to let the fact that Toys R Us is gone sink in. What a SAD day it is. They remember the awesomeness that was Toys R Us, while letting all the other companies know that they could be next. They discuss all the upcoming events for the PCA, what in the world is wrong with Pop Price Guide and what that means for the collector community. Join the team next week when we start the Novice Series with “How to Price Your Pop!”. Until then Happy Hunting my Friends! Announcements Animation Cost Plus Shipping is rapidly approaching. We will post an announcement later this week for the date and time of the event. We are putting together Patreon boxes and they will ship by the end of this month. Live Pop Swap and Cost Plus Shipping event in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in April announcements to come. Remember to checkout our Patreon. If you are not a Patron and would like to find out about our awesome rewards and how to give back to the alliance follow the link. We will be at Fan Expo Dallas come and discover more about the Pop Collectors Alliance and AstroPanda Productions. We will have some great prizes and Pop! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!! Intro Music “Rise” by Dongle check them out here. Also Checkout I Smell Sheep. And if you want some more Funko Pop! Podcasting in your life checkout Talk’n Pops  

This week Rick talks about his trip to ECCC while Piper is enjoying his cruise and vacation. He also discusses what he picked up (which was a TON of stuff), announcements, Toys R Us and their turn from bad to worse, and more terrible news about BOTS. He ends the episode with his review of ECCC and a special segment with his son Noah and what he thinks about the ECCC releases. Join the full team next week when Captain Strong Beard Piper rejoins the team and they prepare for the next upcoming convention Fan Expo Dallas. Announcements Animation Cost Plus Shipping is rapidly approaching. We will post an announcement later this week for the date and time of the event. We are putting together Patreon boxes and they will ship by the end of this month. Live Pop Swap and Cost Plus Shipping event in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in April announcements to come. Remember to checkout our Patreon. If you are not a Patron and would like to find out about our awesome rewards and how to give back to the alliance follow the link. We will be at Fan Expo Dallas come and discover more about the Pop Collectors Alliance and AstroPanda Productions. We will have some great prizes and Pop! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!! Intro Music “Rise” by Dongle check them out here. Also Checkout I Smell Sheep. And if you want some more Funko Pop! Podcasting in your life checkout Talk’n Pops    

This week the team plays catch-up with all the news surrounding Funko this week. They discuss the possibility of 200 more Toy R Us stores closing while executives get retention bonuses, the HUGE Funko product release announcement last week, and Funko’s Award Win. Then close everything with a movement that is gaining steam, review of the upcoming Funko product releases and a Q&A with the Alliance Audience. Announcements and Upcoming Events: The next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping event will be on Sat February 24th at 7PM CST and 8PM EST checkout our Facebook page for more details. Also we will be sponsoring a local Pop Swap in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. All details will be posted on our Facebook page. There is now a Pop Collectors Alliance Facebook Group. So check it out and lets start building a stronger Alliance today! Our Patreon page is LIVE so become a Patron today here. Funko News for this Week: Toys R Us to Close 200 More stores…. were even given the okay to pay executives bonuses if they hit holiday targets for $16million up to $32million. * Received $8.2 million in retention bonuses right before the bankruptcy. * They lost $330 million in the first half of 2017 and $1.8 billion since it last reported profits 5 YEARS AGO. Were people using Bots to Purchase all of the Zamasu, Stan Lee, Mad Max, and Black Panther Walmart Exclusive Pop! Congrats Funko on Winning the Peoples Choice Award at Toy Fair 2018 for Mystery Minis NYCC Toy Fair 2018 Review: What is Our Favorite Pop! Line: * Piper: Overwatch * Rick: Saturday Night Live Least Favorite Pop! Line: * Piper: Grease / Coming to America * Rick: A Wrinkle In Time Projected Most Collectable Line: * Piper: Game of Thrones * Rick: Pee Wee’s Playhouse – Maybe some SDCC Releases Favorite Shared Exclusive / Chase: Piper and Rick: IT Chases Let us know your favorites!!!! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!! Intro Music “Rise” by Dongle check them out here.

Follow the Emerald Brick Road to ECCC Welcome back to the latest edition of the Pop Collectors Alliance and the team is here to discuss everything Emerald City Comic Con ECCC. They review their weekly pickups, a special fan edition of weekly pickups, discuss some awesome announcements, talk about the PCA Patreon page opening on Feb. 24th 2016, and wrap everything up with a ECCC Pop! Exclusives Review. If you are interested in meeting up with Rick at ECCC please email us info@popcollectorsalliance.com. Don’t forget the upcoming Pop Collectors Alliance events: The next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping event will be on Sat February 24th at 7PM CST and 8PM EST checkout our Facebook page for more details. Also we will be sponsoring a local Pop Swap in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. All details will be posted on our Facebook page. If you are interested in attending the Pop Collectors Alliance SDCC 2018 Excursion please email us at info@popcollectorsalliance.com for all the details. There is now a Pop Collectors Alliance Facebook Group. So check it out and lets start building a stronger Alliance today! Join Pop Collectors Alliance next week for a full review of Funko’s 2018 Toy Fair announcements. Emerald City Comic Con Exclusive Review Rick Received a Golden (Emerald) Ticket to the Funko Booth!!!!!! He will be there Saturday @ 1 PM come on and join for the fun. What is Our Favorite Pop!: * Piper: Giant Wight, Bigfoot HQ Edition * Rick: Emerald Chrome Batman Least Favorite Pop! * Piper: Saga – Mourning Prince Robot IV * Rick: 8 Bit Barb Projected Most Collectable * Piper and Rick: 1st – Emerald Chrome Batman , 2nd – Bigfoot HQ Edition Favorite Shared Exclusive: * Piper: Yondu * Rick: Cuphead – Cagney Carnation Let us know your favorites!!!! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games. Special Shout out to our NEW Sponsor Stick-a-Con get all your stickers from them today!!!!

The Funko Convention Season Begins with Emeralds Welcome back Alliance members, this episode the team breaks down some of the Emerald City Comic Con Funko Exclusives, their weekly pickups, Finders Series Vol 8 Toys R Us and Walgreens, and the Collectors Story of the Week. Don’t forget the upcoming Pop Collectors Alliance events: The next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping event will be on Sat February 24th at 7PM CST and 8PM EST checkout our Facebook page for more details. Also we will be sponsoring a local Pop Swap in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. All details will be posted on our Facebook page. If you are interested in attending the Pop Collectors Alliance SDCC 2018 Excursion please email us at info@popcollectorsalliance.com for all the details. And finally listen to next week’s episode for the reveal of a listeners only drawing at the next cost plus shipping event. Finders Series Vol 8 Toys R Us and Walgreens: Overview: Disclaimer as always our ratings are based on our experiences, the experiences of our frends in the collector community or experiences that we read from blogs, forums or social media. This does not mean we are saying all BAM employees, stores or layouts are terrible or great, everyone’s experience is their own. Pros: * Toys R Us has a large selection of dedicated to Funko and most stores have remodeled their collectable sections and Pop! are easy to locate because of this. * Toys R Us price matches everywhere, so you never over pay. * Walgreens has a great selection of WWE exclusive pops and Star Wars Exclusives both rides and movie moments. VENOM IS THE BEST!!! Cons: * Toys R Us – Store closing will shrink an already limited store count. * Toys R Us – Online store is not user friendly, product is difficult to locate without the placeholder links. * Walgreens – Worst selection of commons ever, ever, ever, ever * Both – Employees are often unfamiliar with Funko products, which often result in damaged merchandise and lack the ability to locate inventory. If you do not have an R number forget about it. * Both – Exclusives are hit and miss and are not evenly stocked across stores. One location my have 30 and other stores are left with 0.0. * Both – Inventory system is sub-par. forcing you to call location and hope the employees can locate merchandise (if they can even do it) * Toys R Us – very rarely ever organizes their Pop! and often stacks them on top of each other or 13 deep on shelves. Overall Rating: Toys R Us has made great efforts to expand their Funko and collectables section in stores. This unfortunately came at a time where they are closing a large number of stores. They have a great selection of Pop!, and a wide variety of exclusives, but all this falls well short of their competition. Good luck locating products because NO ONE except managers can search inventory, this and many more reasons leaves Toys R Us with a score of 4.5 out of 10. Walgreens 4 out of 10. Toys R Us and Walgreens Where to Find them: Store Layouts are the same for Toys R Us but can vary for Walgreens. Most stores have a dedicated Pop! section that is easy to locate, for Toys R Us this is the collectables section often located next to video games. Walgreens places Pop! in their toys section, side / end cap displays, seasonal aisle or around the register. * Walgreens has a very small section of Pop! and often places back stock on the top shelves of aisles and sometimes at the opposite end of the toy aisle. * Toys R Us can sometimes place pop in other aisles of the toy section. A good example would be Star Wars and Teen Titans Go.

Funko Making Fun…. for the Fans Welcome back to the latest edition of the Pop Collectors Alliance, Funko Making Fun…. for the Fans. This week the team discusses Funko’s documentary premiere Making Fun: The Story of Funko and how awesome it is to see Funko pay tribute to their fans. They also detail the announcement that were made on last week’s episode and some exciting news concerning the next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping event, a local Pop Swap the Alliance will be sponsoring and all the details about the Patreon page (mostly an infomercial up to this point).  They close everything with Finders Series: Books-a-Million and PX Previews Exclusives and yes you are hearing this correctly a LISTENERS Collector’s Story of the week. The next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping event will be on Sat February 24th at 7PM CST and 8PM EST checkout our Facebook page for more details. Also we will be sponsoring a local Pop Swap in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. All details will be posted on our Facebook page. And Finally if you are interested in attending the Pop Collectors Alliance SDCC 2018 Excursion please email us at info@popcollectorsalliance.com for all the details. Finders Series Vol 7 Books-A-Million and PX Previews Exclusives: Overview: Disclaimer as always our ratings are based on our experiences, the experiences of our frends in the collector community or experiences that we read from blogs, forums or social media. This does not mean we are saying all BAM employees, stores or layouts are terrible or great, everyone’s experience is their own. Pros: * BAM has a large selection of dedicated to Funko products and it’s always easy to locate in BAM stores. One of the larger selections of Mystery Minis. * BAM has great exclusives with the exception of the occasional 2-Pack common exclusive, they do a great job of having an above average selection. * Convention exclusives are above average and more on the rare side. * Online page is easy to navigate and they rate above average marks for allowing an easy way to preorder any BAM Exclusives. * Great membership reward program (not as good as Barnes and Noble) but a close second with the free shipping for online orders. Cons: * Employees are often unfamiliar with Funko products, which often result in damaged merchandise and lack the ability to locate inventory. * Online store crashes constantly during high traffic periods (Conventions) * FUNKO Displays are disorganized and clumsy, exclusives and chases are mixed throughout displays. Product is not always centrally located requires a thorough hunt. This can be a good thing too….. * Inventory system is sub-par. forcing you to call location and hope the employees can locate merchandise. * Limited amount of locations and that number could be growing. Overall Rating: BAM has made great efforts to expand their Funko collection and to offer collectors product for preorder online. They have a great selection of Pop! and above average exclusives, but all this falls well short of their competition. With a non-existent inventory system, clumsy store layouts, and a website that cannot handle traffic BAM scores a 5.5 out of 10.  Books-a-Million and PX Previews Exclusives: Where to Find them: Store Layouts often vary (mall or shopping center / strip mall) * Most stores have a dedicated Pop! section that is easy to locate, however individual Pop! can be located throughout the store in related sections. * Most Funko displays are NOT managed well and often new product pushes older product to the back or bottom of a display. Prepare yourself for the search,

Toys “R” Exodus – The Rise and Fall of Toys “R” Us Is this the end for Toys “R” Us or the beginning of a new chapter in the ever-evolving market of toys. This episode the team discusses what the Toys “R” Us closures mean for Pop! collectors and give TONS of announcements about the bright future ahead for the Pop Collectors Alliance community. They thank the community for their continued support and all the positive feedback received and end this episode with a look ahead at some awesome Funko releases. The Alliance is Growing and the Bright Future Ahead Now as everyone who listens to the show knows the Alliance has surpassed 1.5k followers on Facebook. Due to this exponential growth we discussed better ways to help the alliance, how to do it on a larger scale, and accomplish our goal of serving the Pop! collecting community. Because of this over the next few weeks we will be announcing our ramp up and expansion. If you are not members or followers yet you will want to join ASAP (and tell your friends and family too). Big things are on the horizon and here is what to look forward to: Pop! Swap Events: Events geared to bring collectors together, find items they are looking for, while expanding the Alliance and just having a GREAT time getting to know each other. Patreon Page:  We know it feels weird if people ask for money from their subscribers but this is geared to give back to the community. We will inform everyone our our income and what we put back into the community. Transparency is the word here. This Patreon Page will be UNIQUE and unlike most podcasts out there. It is developed to SERVE the community and give back to all the fans. Pop Collectors Alliance SDCC 2018 Excursion: We are in the early stages of putting this event together for a select number of fans but it will be an awesome opportunity to visit San Diego Comic Con 2018. A place where if you collect Pop! you won’t require a ticket for SDCC because there are so many opportunities to get great items there. We want to spend time with our fans and share our passion for collecting together. Email us today to get on board early: info@popcollectorsalliance.com, but more details to come shortly. So much excitement when we look to the future and we are truly grateful to have such amazing fans along for this journey. Remember when you are part of the Pop Collectors Alliance you are always in the NO FLIP ZONE!!!!! Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games.  

Is There Really a Funko No Flip Zone? On this episode the team asks the question: Does a No Flip Zone really exist when you’re dealing with Funko? They also discuss Pop! they were able to pickup this week, remind everyone of the second LIVE Cost Plus Shipping Event Saturday Jan 20th, 2018 at 6PM CST / 7PM EST, and end with Finders Series Vol 6: Barnes and Noble and Collectors Corner because there is a TON of Pop! releasing soon. Reminder if you are attending Emerald City Comic Con and would like to meet Rick contact the Pop Collectors Alliance on Facebook. Finder’s Series Vol 6: Barnes and Noble Overview and Rating * Disclaimer – When we rate these stores they are out of our experiences, our friends and people we see online in the groups where we are members. PROS * Funko Exclusives are above average and always have AWESOME Convention exclusives. * Store environment is relaxed and because employees aren’t familiar with the product they will go the extra mile in locating it for you. (Especially when it’s just off the truck). * The most loopholes of any retail store when it comes to hunting tricks. * Online inventory is accurate and you can always call a store to place a hold on available items for you. Employees will call you if they are unable to locate your hold items. * BEST PRICES on Pop!, Mystery Minis, and all things Funko. Especially with the loyalty card and free shipping on ALL online orders. CONS * Online store is difficult to navigate and ALWAYS! I REPEAT ALWAYS fails during convention exclusive releases. * Selection of pop is average at best, typically includes book characters (Harry Potter etc.) and paired with some completely random sets. * The Clearance section is not the best and it takes an act of God to get them to put Pop! in there. * Limited number of stores for smaller areas. * Pop! are never located in the same place because of varying store layouts. You are always forced to search the entire store to find items. * Because of holds on products often stores will hold unlimited quantities of items limiting the availability for collectors. RATING * Barnes and Noble is in so many ways my favorite store to shop for Pop! but also in so many ways my most frustrating store to shop for Pop! This love hate relationship can drive you mad sometimes but they settle in at a score of 6.5 out of 10. Barnes and Noble: Where to Find Them * Store layouts always vary ALWAYS. * Most stores have a dedicated Pop! area that is easy to find, but the rest of the Pop! is sprinkled throughout the store in displays and on random tables. * Convention Exclusives are often place at the front of the store on release days with customers waiting outside. * Mystery Mini’s / blind boxes are typically kept on a display on the near the Funko / Collectables section but they too can be placed on special displays occasionally or even near the register. Barnes and Noble: Hunting Tips * Hunting Tip: Keep up to date with all future releases, and get images of Pop! getting the barcode of a Barnes and Noble exclusive helps because you can directly search for the Pop! online or in store. * Hunting Tip: Stay on top of the online inventory. If you are a member of Facebook Groups you can establish a timeline as when releases are hitting stores across the country. Check daily online and call and place a hold immediately on items as they arrive. * Hunting Tip: Check in the Movies / Music Section (Yes they still make CDs / DVDs) most Barnes and Nobles will use this as a back stock section and you can find older items and exclusives there. * Expert Hunting Tip: The easiest way to get exclusives before they release on...

Welcome to Funko Hero World Welcome back from the long break Pop! Collectors Alliance Members, the team is back to discuss the new lineup from Funko: Hero World. They also discuss the upcoming convention exclusive season, starting with Emerald City Comic Con (ECCCCCCCC), Rick will be there to meet up with Alliance members or anyone who really wants to talk about Funko. Remember to visit the Emerald City Comic Con website to enter the Funko Lottery if you are planning on attending. This is the ONLY way to get your hands on the exclusives. The team also announces the next LIVE Cost Plus Shipping Event: Sat Jan 20, 2018 @6PM CST and 7PM EST. This event will have a super hero theme with some great exclusives and giveaways check it out on our Facebook page. They round out the show with Finders Series Vol 5: GameStop and ThinkGeek, Collector’s Story of the Week, and Collectors Corner. Finder’s Series Vol 5: GameStop and ThinkGeek Overview and Rating * Disclaimer – We rate these stores based on our own experiences, experiences of our friends and people we see online in the groups where we are members. PROS * Between ThinkGeek and GameStop there is a HUGE selection of Pop! Compared to the size of the store, this often represents anywhere from 20-25% of available shelve space in ThinkGeek and 15 – 20% for GameStop. EASY TO FIND. * Exclusives tend to be average for regular pop, but generally have the AWESOME video game exclusives. * Employees are very familiar with the product and take great care of items. * ThinkGeek has also started to setup at local conventions, and stock rare exclusives at these events. * Online warehouses usually take great care of shipping and packaging product, and ship product faster than average. * Preorder setup is the best of any retailer, and typically you can preorder product way in advance of actual releases. * Awesome seasonal mystery boxes! CONS * Chases and rare exclusives are VERY difficult to find, preorders represent most of first run exclusives and all available chases. * Online inventory tracks product but available quantity often includes preorders. * Online store is difficult to navigate and often fails during convention exclusive releases. * Rarely offer deals, most deals are generic, but have some of the best holiday deals and clearance sections. * ThinkGeek has a select number of stores and are typically located in high populated areas. RATING * GameStop and ThinkGeek are a surprisingly good team and complement each other when it comes to pop inventory. With rare exclusives, the availability to pre-order exclusives in store and online, employees that often collect and are familiar with the product they score positive points. However, the pre-orders hurt the availability of “Chases in the Wild” and rare exclusives, and few deals on the product this team receives a total score of 7.5 out of 10. GameStop and ThinkGeek: Where to Find Them * Store layouts vary but generally they are located in the same areas of each store. * All stores have a dedicated Pop! area that is easy to find, with clearance and convention exclusives venturing out to the sales floor occasionally. * Convention Exclusives are often place at the front of the store or behind the register on release days with customers waiting outside. * Mystery Mini’s / blind boxes are typically kept on a display behind or to the side of the register. Hunting Tips * Hunting Tip: Keep up-to-date with the preorder list and if you see Funko releases online head to the store and preorder (The store will have preorders available the t...

EP006 – Funko and PEZ, a Match Made in Heaven? Welcome back Alliance members, on this week’s episode Rick and Piper discuss Funko and PEZ teaming up to bring a brand new line of Funko themed PEZ dispensers and other products, a Gibson lawsuit, and how Chris Hardwick turns a bad situation around for everyone. They set aside the Finders Series this week to have an in depth discussion on finding GRAILS! If you are looking for grails out there and feel like you aren’t getting anywhere this is the episode for you. GRAILS, GRAILS, GRAILS!!!! Everyone is on the search for grails, looking for that one item you are dying to get your hands on. Most people refer to these Pop! as grails. For most that means a hard to find and reasonably expensive Pop!, but not for everyone. Disclaimer: A “Grail” is defined different for everyone. We tried to narrow them down to the following four categories. Grail Categories Entry Level Grails – Hard to find, recently vaulted, limited exclusives often ranging from $40-$70. Non-Common Grails – Very Difficult to find, vaulted for a fair amount of time and popular items. Price here typically ranges $70 – $150. Super Grails – Almost impossible to locate in person, vaulted with limited quantities (the early days of Funko), convention exclusives and almost always limited edition runs. Prices range from $150 -$500. Holy Grails – IMPOSSIBLE to locate in person, always vaulted with limited quantities (Mostly Convention or Funko Fundays Exclusives like Freddy Funko). Prices range from $500 – over $10,000. Where to Find Grails. A general rule of thumb when locating grails is get ahead of the grails. Look at releases at an upcoming conventions, if you are able to attend, getting in line is the way to get the grails for the best price. However, if you don’t want to spend your entire convention standing in line for a few collectables there is a decent solution. Generally people who purchase items at these conventions aren’t collectors and are selling. This is the best time to purchase these items because Flippers don’t actually know what the price will settle at. We recommend that you download these following apps and be on the prowl throughout the entire convention: Let Go Offer Up 5Miles Follow us on all social media. Twitter: @popalliancepod IG: @popcollectorsalliance Facebook: Facebook.com/popcollectorsalliance Website: Popcollectorsalliance.com Also Remember to check out all the awesome podcasts available on AstroPanda. Visit Nerdlifetx  For tons of great content on everything from video games to to table top games.