Big Chief Studios James Bond Series

[Wor-Gar]

We need a union. A union for doll collectors to protect our rights.

 

[DVD1]

Never thought of myself as a doll collector before ....


Then again .... haha

 

[Luke_911]

What is particularly interesting is how for the most part when questioning the abilities of a particular company, many members actually arrive at the answers without realising it. Allow me to explain...

Why has no company achieved the lofty heights of quality that Hot Toys delivers? Hot Toys have a decade?s head start on other companies. This has seen them afforded the best licenses by licensors, literally handed deals on a plate. All other companies are left scrapping over the same smaller licenses. As such they are able to produce and sell greater volume runs, which means costs are amortised over a higher number reducing cost per piece. Unit price on a small run is very, very high, meaning that the selling price has to be high for everyone in the chain to have their slice of pie.

Higher volumes mean you get much better attention from factories eager for your business. With low volume runs many factories are simply not so keen. It takes time for workers to get up to speed on say a head for example. As such the scrap rate is very high, which is not so much of an issue for higher volumes, but factories are less interested in small runs. Try asking a factory to print the eyes on a head rather than hand paint them. Printed eyes look very realistic, but they are difficult to manufacture and they cost a lot.

We all want the final product to be better than the prototype and seldom achieve it. In short factories are mass producing a quantity of prototypes. Problem is that they require constant management and supervision to ensure that is what they deliver.

Pricing is calculated in different ways by manufacturers. Some elect to combine their tool spend with their overhead and calculate the selling price based on the product cost only. Truth is every figure has specific tooling requirements and costs, so masking these costs to arrive at a lower selling price is simply not an accurate method. Tooling has to be paid for one way or another.

Star Trek has been mentioned on a number of occasions, but are we to see any more from this line or any other from QMX for that matter? I do hope so, but if not I know why and it does not take a degree in math to figure it out.

The sad truth is that whilst the 1:6 scale community might be holding steady, the market is decreasing. The big licenses are not selling the numbers that they once did. Ask yourself why are delivery times getting longer, not shorter? Pre-sales are vital to the category. No one, and I mean no one can afford to have this kind of product sitting in the warehouse. Ask yourself why are prices increasing? See reduced volumes above...

Anyone entering the 1:6 space is in for a difficult ride for sure. Sales are not where they realistically should be and in the current climate and state the world is in, are not likely to improve any time soon. With no new "major players" in the offing and Z rated comic book characters few have heard of or care about, there is little to excite collectors. Expect companies to go retro and that means small runs, increased costs, longer production / delivery times.

I for one hope for a turnaround, and promise you we will continue to push our vendors to improve their output.

Really liked to know more about the "Behind the scenes" stuff about such collectibles, so thanks for sharing. POed my LALD Bond quite sometime back, and I hope that perhaps a Craig Bond is in the works. Thanks for being here, and I'm sure the vast majority (or literally everyone except 1 or 2 people) appreciates that as well.

It's also a bit sad that the 1/6 community hasn't been growing these few years, with both personal observations of the collecting community in my society and the overall scheme of things. And with the recent COVID-19 situation it seems even more bleak, but I do hope that more people enter this hobby in the future.

 

[**16k**]

What is particularly interesting is how for the most part when questioning the abilities of a particular company, many members actually arrive at the answers without realising it. Allow me to explain...

Why has no company achieved the lofty heights of quality that Hot Toys delivers? Hot Toys have a decade?s head start on other companies. This has seen them afforded the best licenses by licensors, literally handed deals on a plate. All other companies are left scrapping over the same smaller licenses. As such they are able to produce and sell greater volume runs, which means costs are amortised over a higher number reducing cost per piece. Unit price on a small run is very, very high, meaning that the selling price has to be high for everyone in the chain to have their slice of pie.

Higher volumes mean you get much better attention from factories eager for your business. With low volume runs many factories are simply not so keen. It takes time for workers to get up to speed on say a head for example. As such the scrap rate is very high, which is not so much of an issue for higher volumes, but factories are less interested in small runs. Try asking a factory to print the eyes on a head rather than hand paint them. Printed eyes look very realistic, but they are difficult to manufacture and they cost a lot.

We all want the final product to be better than the prototype and seldom achieve it. In short factories are mass producing a quantity of prototypes. Problem is that they require constant management and supervision to ensure that is what they deliver.

Pricing is calculated in different ways by manufacturers. Some elect to combine their tool spend with their overhead and calculate the selling price based on the product cost only. Truth is every figure has specific tooling requirements and costs, so masking these costs to arrive at a lower selling price is simply not an accurate method. Tooling has to be paid for one way or another.

Star Trek has been mentioned on a number of occasions, but are we to see any more from this line or any other from QMX for that matter? I do hope so, but if not I know why and it does not take a degree in math to figure it out.

The sad truth is that whilst the 1:6 scale community might be holding steady, the market is decreasing. The big licenses are not selling the numbers that they once did. Ask yourself why are delivery times getting longer, not shorter? Pre-sales are vital to the category. No one, and I mean no one can afford to have this kind of product sitting in the warehouse. Ask yourself why are prices increasing? See reduced volumes above...

Anyone entering the 1:6 space is in for a difficult ride for sure. Sales are not where they realistically should be and in the current climate and state the world is in, are not likely to improve any time soon. With no new "major players" in the offing and Z rated comic book characters few have heard of or care about, there is little to excite collectors. Expect companies to go retro and that means small runs, increased costs, longer production / delivery times.

I for one hope for a turnaround, and promise you we will continue to push our vendors to improve their output.

Thanks for this reply, BCS.

While I didn?t read all the comments before this as, TBH, Moore is my least wanted Bond, I like to comment a few points from your very interesting post.

First, I think that you?re asking the closing of your account for nothing. The gods that own this forum seem to have deserted us a long time ago and I marvel everyday to see this board is still there in the morning. We haven?t heard of Dave in... a long, long time!

But that isn?t really the main point here.

Know that I don?t criticize the quality of your products. It may not be the best around but it is quite satisfactory. I even have the Dr No figures on PO with you, so it must mean something.

Sadly, and this is where the big problem is for you and the industry as a whole:

In another thread, I sais I would have POed Picky Blinders, I still intend to buy it one day, so will I buy Flash and Ming and Space 99. But the pricing is so high I just can?t at the moment.

I understand all your points but the problem is like a vicious circle for both costumers and companies. Imagine a costumer paying higher than HT and getting a lower quality. You explain why, and it makes sense but the costumer doesn?t care about that! Nor would he have to! In a way, it?s your problem, not his!

So, high price+lower quality= less costumers will buy, it?s as simple as that!

Now, let?s place ourselves in your shoes. You say prices increase because there are Less people buying than before, so factories aren?t interested in smaller companies with smaller run figures and that, to maintain a similar price, they cut corners (on accessories, eyes, ...). Once again, very understandable. Therefore the equation seems to be:

Less buyers+smaller runs=higher prices.

Once again, vicious circles. How can this industry be viable if it practices higher and higher prices, so that their fan base can follow? In the end, people are out priced and companies will go bankrupt.

The whole problem lies in prices. It has for years. Prices have increased exponentially when wages haven?t. In the end it will destroy this business. Something along the way went wrong with prices and both end of the 1/6 world are paying the price (literally!)

This is why 1/12 has started flourishing BTW, as a way to produce figures at a lower price. But I don?t think it will replace 1/6. 1/6 will die of its self inflicted wound I?m afraid.

 

[Mike86]

Eh, 1/12th is what it is but still a different market. The only higher end option for that scale is the Mezco One: 12 Collective line, which frankly I don’t feel like most of those releases are as good and are overpriced. NECA is always a good option, but they cater to certain niches and while they make nice stuff it’s a different kind of figure.

 

[pixletwin]

Thank goodness we have all these experts around to tell these businesses off. We need never be bothered with company involvement on this board ever again.

My god, the presumption is deafening.

 

[**16k**]

Thank goodness we have all these experts around to tell these businesses off. We need never be bothered with company involvement on this board ever again.

My god, the presumption is deafening.

Good for you,

It’s because companies have cows like you to milk and buy anything at whatever price we’re in this situation.

 

[shells075]

I agree with the last statement the nose rub issue was not the third party sellers fault.

Funny thing is I bought direct from BCS and they still gave me the runaround, I guess certain companies hope you just quite complaining after a while, which is the mistake I made, in the short term it means less hassle and less financial losses but as others have mentioned, just one bad experience can mean you lose a customer for good.
Anyway I think they done a very good job on the L&LD figs, even the Goldfinger figs were pretty good. Maybe not 230 pound a figure good but not bad.
Also as others have said its very hard to justify Hot Toy Prices to your average consumer for an inferior product.

 

[pixletwin]

Good for you,

It?s because companies have cows like you to milk and buy anything at whatever price we?re in this situation.

Uh huh. Yep, your self awareness is blinding too. Thanks.

 

[mattdorris]

Funny thing is I bought direct from BCS and they still gave me the runaround, I guess certain companies hope you just quite complaining after a while, which is the mistake I made, in the short term it means less hassle and less financial losses but as others have mentioned, just one bad experience can mean you lose a customer for good.
Anyway I think they done a very good job on the L&LD figs, even the Goldfinger figs were pretty good. Maybe not 230 pound a figure good but not bad.
Also as others have said its very hard to justify Hot Toy Prices to your average consumer for an inferior product.

For the record, I had no issues at all getting a replacement head for my nose rub Bond. I also ordered thru BCS and emailed them as soon as I received my figure. They shipped out the new head as soon as it was available. Great service


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[Rydeck]

As with any product, if you don't like the price, then don't buy it. If you bought and got screwed somehow, then don't buy from them again. Feel free to explain and pass on your experience to warn others, but not everyone has had the same experience and they may disagree with you. Personally, I haven't had any trouble with BCS.

If there's a systemic problem with the price point for figures, then supply and demand will correct the market one way or the other. Prices have been creeping up for years, but people are still buying, so a breaking point for figure companies hasn't been reached yet even if it has for some collectors. Clearly there are enough people who think they're getting value that BCS can choose to ignore those who don't see value (rightly or wrongly). That is, BCS can't and won't please everyone all the time, but if they can please enough people most of the time, then they can stay in business and chalk up the remaining dissatisfied customers that can't be converted back to a satisfied customer under any circumstance as an inconsequential loss.

Maybe I'm a "cow" for buying a figure from a company with a spotty track record, but I can ask myself some simple questions in that situation: Do I like this character enough to take the risk at these price points? Can I live with whatever flaws it might have? Can those flaws be fixed whether by me or by pursuing the customer service route? If I don't buy it now, will it ever be made again? The last question often leads me to buy because chances are it won't be made again. I'd rather have a mediocre/fixable figure of a character I love than no figure at all or a custom that's subjectively 'perfect', but costs twice as much or more.

If you don't support companies that are trying in good faith to make a good product, then they'll just call it quits. Maybe that's what some people want. Then, quite simply, this hobby goes away because no one's making anything and no one's buying anything because there's nothing to buy. Seems like a lose-lose situation to me. Take Asmus Toys, for example. Asmus's early figures were hit and miss, but there were enough people who supported them that they got the chance to improve. You can either give BCS that chance, enjoy having no figure, or pay even more for a custom. Take your pick.

 

[davejames]

I know we all like to do it, but I'm not sure it's fair to these smaller companies to judge everything they do by what HT does. When that company has been in the game a whole lot longer and can afford not only the top sculptors and factories, but also the ability to keep most figures around that $250 price range (when they should probably be averaging a hundred bucks more than that nowadays given all the detail and complexity, as well as the expensive licenses involved).

If a figure doesn't appear worth the money to you then that's perfectly legitimate, but at least realize that these other companies are having to operate on a much different level from HT and don't have nearly the same resources to work with.

 

[TaliBane]

It is the global situation (and a sort of "slow recession" for the past decade) but I think the 1/6 market is static/decreasing overall because of fading juggernauts that drive 1/6 - eg the Star Wars sequel trilogy just wasn't all that well received (so after the initial "return of" excitement, nobody really wanted figures from it) and Marvel has been around so long and had so many films now, Avengers cycle now over, that there really isn't huge excitement for 1/6.

And like with movies and the multiplex, bigger brands draw the 1/6 crowds and help other smaller product lines. This board has way, way more foot traffic and new members when something big is in play or on the horizon. Also, pretty much every single vintage brand has already been "rediscovered" in toy form so that it's not as new and exciting as it once was to see a cult brand - big and small - in figure form (and some have been done to death - Terminator, Alien and Predator are feeling so played out both as films and as figs.)

That being said, some brands - like Bond - seem to be having a golden age in figure form. BCS has done an incredible job on these latest Bond figs - talk about a company really hitting its stride. Baron and Solitiare are just superb. I just watched Moonraker and really hope we see a BCS Jaws fig.

Now that BCS has done their big step up, I'd love to see BCS take on something like Indiana Jones (hey, he and his villains are modeled after Bond - I noticed so many Indy moments in Moonraker) or even "Jaws" in the same way they've done Bond.

 

[Raymond F.]

Personally speaking I?ve not seen a single thing 1/12 that hasn?t looked utter rubbish, I?d prefer the traditional sculpted figure in that scale. Everything I?ve seen looks like Megos... 1/6 may be tapering off a bit but 1/12 will never fill that gap in my Personal opinion because the quality and overall aesthetic is so different. Totally all for people who want to collect in that scale. Any collection is something I fully support and I hope it goes strong for those who connect but what I?m really getting at is I don?t think stuff in 1/12 is good enough to sway people who appreciate 1/6 yet.

The reality is what?s going on in the world this will completely chance the spending priorities of everyone. It?s a scary scary time.

 

[Mike86]

I know we all like to do it, but I'm not sure it's fair to these smaller companies to judge everything they do by what HT does. When that company has been in the game a whole lot longer and can afford not only the top sculptors and factories, but also the ability to keep most figures around that $250 price range (when they should probably be averaging a hundred bucks more than that nowadays given all the detail and complexity, as well as the expensive licenses involved).

If a figure doesn't appear worth the money to you then that's perfectly legitimate, but at least realize that these other companies are having to operate on a much different level from HT and don't have nearly the same resources to work with.

I think it’s a little unfair to judge most of the smaller manufacturers against an industry leader like Hot Toys personally. Hot Toys has been in the game for like twenty years and has released a ton of figures. A company like Big Chief while having been around for a while has released only a fraction of what Hot Toys has. They have room to improve, but they’re also still growing. Plus in my opinion they have shown improvements. Particularly with the Live and Let Die line.

 

[Rydeck]

Now that BCS has done their big step up, I'd love to see BCS take on something like Indiana Jones (hey, he and his villains are modeled after Bond - I noticed so many Indy moments in Moonraker) or even "Jaws" in the same way they've done Bond.

Hot Toys and/or Sideshow may be sitting on the Indy license and Hot Toys seems pretty tight with Disney, but it'd be nice to see someone else take a crack at it. However, BCS appears to mostly target British-made properties, British-themed movies/shows, or British actors/actresses. I think that was one of the main selling points that got them the Bond license. Admittedly, that focus will lead to IPs that are not as popular as, say, Marvel or DC or the like, but BCS already acknowledged that they'll be looking at older IPs with less potential for big production runs. If I might suggest a few: Lawrence of Arabia, A Clockwork Orange, The Italian Job, The Avengers (TV show), Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hell, a Mary Poppins figure would be cool, but that's Disney, so fat chance. Or maybe veer into non-fiction and make The Beatles or other British stars.

My personal preference besides more Bond and more Bond girls would be anything from Hammer Films, but maybe there's not much there that's popular enough. Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein and Van Helsing would be great. Just wishful thinking though.

 

[**16k**]

As with any product, if you don't like the price, then don't buy it. If you bought and got screwed somehow, then don't buy from them again. Feel free to explain and pass on your experience to warn others, but not everyone has had the same experience and they may disagree with you. Personally, I haven't had any trouble with BCS.

If there's a systemic problem with the price point for figures, then supply and demand will correct the market one way or the other. Prices have been creeping up for years, but people are still buying, so a breaking point for figure companies hasn't been reached yet even if it has for some collectors. Clearly there are enough people who think they're getting value that BCS can choose to ignore those who don't see value (rightly or wrongly). That is, BCS can't and won't please everyone all the time, but if they can please enough people most of the time, then they can stay in business and chalk up the remaining dissatisfied customers that can't be converted back to a satisfied customer under any circumstance as an inconsequential loss.

Maybe I'm a "cow" for buying a figure from a company with a spotty track record, but I can ask myself some simple questions in that situation: Do I like this character enough to take the risk at these price points? Can I live with whatever flaws it might have? Can those flaws be fixed whether by me or by pursuing the customer service route? If I don't buy it now, will it ever be made again? The last question often leads me to buy because chances are it won't be made again. I'd rather have a mediocre/fixable figure of a character I love than no figure at all or a custom that's subjectively 'perfect', but costs twice as much or more.

If you don't support companies that are trying in good faith to make a good product, then they'll just call it quits. Maybe that's what some people want. Then, quite simply, this hobby goes away because no one's making anything and no one's buying anything because there's nothing to buy. Seems like a lose-lose situation to me. Take Asmus Toys, for example. Asmus's early figures were hit and miss, but there were enough people who supported them that they got the chance to improve. You can either give BCS that chance, enjoy having no figure, or pay even more for a custom. Take your pick.

In case you haven?t noticed, your suggestion is just what I?m doing.

I won?t buy... not that I wouldn?t want to support the company, but financially speaking, I just can?t.

So it means, and sadly, that?s what others do too, that I?ll have to wait until they have to put them on clearance, as they always do, to buy them. Not sure it benefits them that way.

Once again, don?t you think they?d sell more if, from the start, the price wasn?t so high? At HT prices (which are high already), I probably wouldn?t have thought twice. At the current price, it?s just impossible for me.

Also, it?s a kind of policy from all companies to add lots of accessories that add to the whole cost (awesome box, stand, tons of accessories...) which, for the most part never leave the box. I wish they took a page from 3rd party companies who sell bare bones figures in average box. Would keep prices fair and allow more people to buy.

Then again, you may be among those people who like expensive, limited and numbered stuff so you can boast to others you have something exceptional, hoard it for a few years and make a profit when it?s sold out on eBay. Just to be clear, it?s not to you I?m referring, it?s a general you, a despicable attitude more and more often seen on these boards and among collectors.

 

[TaliBane]

Hot Toys and/or Sideshow may be sitting on the Indy license and Hot Toys seems pretty tight with Disney, but it'd be nice to see someone else take a crack at it. However, BCS appears to mostly target British-made properties, British-themed movies/shows, or British actors/actresses. I think that was one of the main selling points that got them the Bond license. Admittedly, that focus will lead to IPs that are not as popular as, say, Marvel or DC or the like, but BCS already acknowledged that they'll be looking at older IPs with less potential for big production runs. If I might suggest a few: Lawrence of Arabia, A Clockwork Orange, The Italian Job, The Avengers (TV show), Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hell, a Mary Poppins figure would be cool, but that's Disney, so fat chance. Or maybe veer into non-fiction and make The Beatles or other British stars.

My personal preference besides more Bond and more Bond girls would be anything from Hammer Films, but maybe there's not much there that's popular enough. Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein and Van Helsing would be great. Just wishful thinking though.

tbh, beyond the iconic characters' nationalities, when rights holders, production locations and key creatives are all balanced up, the Bond franchise is not a whole lot more British than the Indiana Jones franchise.

And I mean c'mon... Indy's hat was a British design, sourced and made in London, as was his jacket, shoulder bag and most commonly used pistol.

But yeah - some great ideas there for sure. A Lawrence 1/6 fig would be all kinds of awesome.

 

[mattdorris]

BCS has reopened preorders for the Bond Dr No exclusive


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[Mike86]

Might be tempted to buy directly from Big Chief for that exclusive. Cool that they opened up the exclusive option again.