Are toy fairs good places to find ponies?

[Haruna]

There's going to be a one-day Toy Expo near me, and I'm debating whether or not to go. My Little Ponies are mentioned as one of the toys there, but I'm pretty sure they mean the new ones. Even so, they do say they'll have vintage toys: "Dealer tables filled with Lego, Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, He-man, Power Rangers, Disney Toys, Comics, Super Heroes, Vintage Toys, & so much more!"

What kind of experiences have you guys had with toy fairs? Are they good pony-finding spots at all?

[apanda0622]

Yes toy fairs are good places to find vintage and newer ponies.  I actually am a vendor at two toy shows every year in Georgia and I always bring ponies.  Now prices can vary.  Most of these vendors are male so half have no idea the value of ponies so you can get them cheap but usually not cleaned up, and the other half of male vendors seem to over price ponies, again not cleaned up.  So its worth looking!  And don't be afraid to haggle!

[Baby Sugarberry]

Toy Fairs / permanent flea markets can be good places to shop, /if/ you are very well versed in what you're buying.  If you're not really knowledgable on value and which flaws are easily fixable vs. not, it's easy to overpay.

As apanda mentioned, most dealers will be one of two types - general "it's a vintage MLP, X price each", or the "I looked it up on ebay and am trying to get a ridiculous price for this dog chewed tail-less Cotton Candy because it's '82! So vintage!"

Avoid the latter obviously, and for the former it's a diceroll unless you're current on market values - they'll probably try to charge the same for a Peachy as they would a Rapunzel. 

[ponycake]

Yeah, just chancey. To me it sounds like that'd more likely be an overpriced one if they are just vintage toy dealers instead of mlp collectors who understand the prices and that condition makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE in price. I came across g1s at a flea market and even ones that were chewed through by a dog they wanted $20+, haha.

[Mermaid]

I've found moc pony wear at you shows, as well as some g1s! Always worth a check! I did leave a table with a Ss lofty, sundance, blossom, sky flier, and a baby ember though, they were asking $30 a piece! Eeek!

[ooizza]

I've found that they are either feast or famine. I've been to plenty where I've found nothing, but then I've found the entire set of TAF babies for $36. I always go and pay the price of admission just in case.

[Haruna]

Thanks, guys! The admission is free, so maybe it would be worth it to check it out, at least. It probably will be either feast or famine . . .

[Taffeta]

My experience has been hit and miss but I would say go for sure. I have seen overpriced common g1 or no ponies at all, but I akso picked up a couple of moc baby sea ponies last time, and I once got Spanish Strawberry Fair/Sugarberry with a slight hairvut for the equivalent of 50 cents. It is definitely worth the trying!

[Sukey]

I think toy cons are a great place to find ponies. It is nice to be able to see their condition in person rather than from a photo and some vendors will bargain with you. It would definitely be worth it to go especially if admission is free. The con I go to keeps going up in admission price and is up to $20 right now which I think is a bit pricey. I have noticed that when we first started going 3 years ago there were fewer toys for girls, but now there are more and more toys for girls. I think people are realizing there is a market for them, too now. Last time I went I bought a good haul of ponies from different vendors So, yes especially if it is free go and check it out!

[Kiwi]

We've been to a couple and found some ponies. I only picked up one or two each time to keep costs down, they weren't cheap, but not overly expensive (I'm sure I probably overspent on each by a couple bucks). But at the same time, no shipping costs.

[heathersmoo]

Is this toy fair in FL, Haruna?  I've been to some here in the area so if you let me know which one it is, I might be able to offer better specific advice although there is still always a bit of luck involved, of course.

[Haruna]

Is this toy fair in FL, Haruna?  I've been to some here in the area so if you let me know which one it is, I might be able to offer better specific advice although there is still always a bit of luck involved, of course.

Yep, in Florida! It's in the Tampa Bay area. It might be a newer one, since I've never seen it advertised before. (But I'm not really up on toy fairs, as you can tell)

[hathorcat]

I have seen people have amazing success and a lot of disappointment. But my over riding thought when people post about these is the over pricing. So perhaps just make sure you have plenty of $$ on you Good luck!