Action figure prices: how high is too high? What would make you quit?

[darthkush]

So, the Mezco collective figures are running 70 bucks or so right? Insanity...but possibly worth it because of the insane details, clothing, etc. Then DC collectibles announced their new movie line where the figures cost..40 to 50 dollars each?! I see a trend starting. Mezco figured out many of us will shell out big dough for super high end figures but where does it end? Most of us went along with the leaps from 9.99 to 14.99 to now the standard 19.99 for most collectible figures in stores with many of willing to pay up to 30 bucks for exclusive type stuff. How much is too much? What's your line? For me, if the 19.99 figures jump to fifty...I'm out. For good. Right now i'm in the hot toys game and paying 215-230 per figure but once those standard figures jump to 350, i'm out on them.

Sadly, I think this is where we're headed. The industry is going to price many collectors out of collecting. What do you guys think? Will it happen? Will some of you quit? Will you just pay the higher prices? Food for thought.

 

[karamazov80]

I seriously doubt I would shell out over $5,000 for a figure. But you never know.

 

[davejames]

I doubt I'll ever be out for good, but I'll definitely be cutting back on how many figures I buy. Just like I very rarely buy any of the 6-7" figures anymore because of the $24 price on most of them.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Depends on the item. The higher the price ... the fewer make the cut.

SnakeDoc

 

[goatchumby]

When I started the HT game a TFA Captain America would run you $175 and I don't see $225 as being too much for a CW Cap. Who I really feel bad for are the XM, Iron Studios, Prime 1 regulars. That stuff has got to hurt.

 

[CloudN]

It really depends on what you can afford. You cant judge the price by the height of the figure. Cost are going up that's one thing for sure. But I wouldnt say if prices are up to a point then I will quit. It's all about the value of a toy. I wouldnt mind spending $270 for an Enterbay 1:4 Robocop. It's worth the price. But there are company adjusting their prices higher because they see how much other companies are charging for a similar scale, like the Mondo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Those are over priced. And I have a hard time convincing myself to spend $180 for a 11" plastic media figure.

 

[CTO15]

The exchange rate right now is killing my desire for a figure

 

[Rexus]

The exchange rate right now is killing my desire for a figure

Yeah I know, sucks to be us

 

[Lejuan]

Except for Gandalf the Grey, I can't imagine a single character that'll bring me back to 1/6 now that I've got the Star Wars ANH line-up.

$250 for a HT figure is standard now, but the quality rarely lives up to the fanboy hype. Every one of the ANH human line-up, and Darth Vader, are pretty underwhelming. Add a bad exchange rate and I'm done.

 

[King Darkness]

If I have learned anything from my collecting habits, it's to never set boundaries for myself, because eventually I always cross the line. I'll always spend money on junk I don't need as long as I can afford it, weather it's "worth it" or not. Is a HT Vader really worth $300? **** no! But I can afford to spend it, so I do

Only thing that will really stop me from collecting stuff is when I genuinely can't afford to do it.

Disposable income is to be disposed of.

 

[darthkush]

I hate to say it but it's already really affecting me. For example I did all theMattel movle masters for mos anddark knight rises. Batman vs superman shouldve been a no Brainerd but they're 20 bucks. I figure they're not that great let's see If dc does better. Dc barely look better and cost twice as much so no Batman vs superman figures for me.

 

[koon]

1/6 Simpsons

 

[**16k**]

I've started cutting down on what I buy, be they figures and customs as the prices have become mad. But to say the truth, for me, I think they started getting mad when Sideshow began to sell toys over $50. So anything more than $150 is theft, plain and simple for me.

That said, I don't really have a limit. I'll get what I really want. I'm not just happy about it and feel screwed every time I pay. This is why I don't hesitate one second getting bootlegs or recasts. It's my way of screwing back.

 

[murdomac]

I have already more or less quit, £200+ per figure is just to much. I have started to sell/trade of older figures to offset the costs of some of the figures I really want, trying to be more focused .

Biggest problem with prices as I see them is when you look at what else £2-300+ can buy you - a years car insurance/tax, fuel for a couple of months, a Sh** load of food, 2/3 months heating then all of a sudden the value/worth of a figure is greatly diminished and becomes very hard (for me anyway) to justify.

Sure i'd like more figures but am coming to the realization that I just can't have everything I want they are after all luxury items and my problem is very much a 1st world problem.

Of course had I large amounts of disposable income things would probably be different.

 

[Riceroket]

There are only a couple of 1/6 figures that I'll buy at this point, Drax being one and when Hot Toys does the Emperor I will buy the head sculpt and hands to update my SS version. Paying over $300 CAD per figure is getting to be insane. I would however be willing to shell out more for some 1/4 scale figures as those are incredible looking in person.

 

[Stryker2011]

If I have learned anything from my collecting habits, it's to never set boundaries for myself, because eventually I always cross the line. I'll always spend money on junk I don't need as long as I can afford it, weather it's "worth it" or not. Is a HT Vader really worth $300? **** no! But I can afford to spend it, so I do

Only thing that will really stop me from collecting stuff is when I genuinely can't afford to do it.

Disposable income is to be disposed of.

I'm the same. While my HT spending has curbed dramatically (for many of the same reasons that Lejuan pointed out), if something comes along that I really want, or have been waiting a long time for, I'd be hard pressed to pass it up just because it cost a few bucks more than average. I will quit this 1/6 hobby more out of feeling I don't really need anymore than what they cost.

 

[ali032373]

One thing i did was stop pre ordering. Stuff rarely sells out now and you can go on ebay after the release and pick up the figure for $20 less than you would for PO.

 

[AIR]

When the average price for a standard 1/6 is $300+ and the average price for 1/12 is $100+ I'll probably consider quitting

 

[jadekite22]

I can't see myself paying more than $15 for any 6-7" Hasbro or Mattel figure I could find on a retail shelf because the cost cutting measures on their end is obvious in terms of buck bodies and painting on costume details that should be sculpted. I'd make an exception for certain Figma and S.H. Figuarts figures, but I would cherry-pick as opposed to investing in a line. I draw the line at $200 for a 12" figure and I prefer statues for anything above 1:6 scale.

 

[KBA]

The prices are too high for me to be anything but strictly selective. I really had to start picking and choosing once figure price settled around the price of Batman And Joker from 1989. What was that, 250ish?