Hot Toys, you’re going to put yourself out of business!

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

When one of the few figures i want becomes so overpriced that i can't justify buying it, that's when it become time to forget HT

If it had enough in the box to justify the price that'd be reasonable but the latest figures are coming with hardly anything

 

[balboa1976]

Hot toys make the best 1:6 figures period, there really no arguing this, there stuff is really f-ing awesome and have spoiled the collectors so bad that this forum is domanated but just about everything HT from the figures threads to which one should I get threads, to why this and that and so on. Things are getting worst though in the world economy and things are changing with the fact that some hot toys figures staying on store shelfs for nearly a year(just look at sideshow toys website) even exclusives. People still want what they make just can't afford as much as they used to or at all. There is a real threat of hot toys imploding do to such high prices in an economy like this, I know first hand as I used to work at a very high end very big company that went out of busness in 2009 when things first turned south in the begining of the resession. The first thing to go is high end luxury and if things don't change soon this could happen to HT. I love there stuff and have alot of it but don't buy nearly as much as I used to due to prices. I hope they back off these outragus price hikes cause I will not pay 300+ a figure for a piece of plastic.

"I will not pay 300+ a figure for a piece of plastic"

If only others here would follow your advice.

One example of this for me, and am a huge Rambo fan, but I will not purchase the EB 1/4 Rambo. It's just amazing that people here are paying 400+ for Enterbay Rambo when the body is plastic and the figure is defective, but that doesn't stop others from wanting to buy it. I go on those boards and even the people who have it have complaints about it every day, then why the hell would you send $400 for it and make customs displays for it? Doesn't make any sense imo. I'm not giving Hot Toys $250 - $300+ for 1/6 figure, or $450 - $500+ for a 1/4 figure, that's as stupid as spending $340+ for the new Nike Lebron James scam sneaker, and that's also the primary reason why the For Sale section on this site is so busy, collectors have had enough and are selling off their stuff.

 

[steveo]

I've already stopped buying any of the 12" line because they're way too expensive for me. I almost went into debt buying them and I can't let it continue. While I love the quality of these figures over SS, I just can't see spending that kind of $$ on them. I might change my mind if HT or Medicom come out with a Boushh.

 

[RagingBull]

I'm just glad I'm not collecting the Marvel, DC lines because unless your loaded your going to be getting in some serious debt. Just the Avengers line alone is what, over a 1000 bucks?

 

[die]

Good point earlier about the small figures in stores, those prices have sky-rocketed as well. At Wal-Mart, Star Wars figures are what now, $9.99? The new Ninja Turtles are $7.77 and of course they are always more at TRU.

I've just learned over the years that less is more. I try to stick to my very favorite characters rather than trying to collect an entire series. I look at some collections and I'm blown away at some of the prices they'd pay for characters that I'd consider pretty insignificant but of course, it's to each his own, if they are happy then more power to 'em.

I'm just as mad as everybody else about the price increases, I hate it but if they keep doing my favorite classic characters right, it'll be hard to resist.

Like if Hot toys did Classic Marvel characters, I'd pay dearly for a classic style Green Goblin, I would complain about the price but if it was excellent in-hand, I'd shut up.

 

[thenammagazine]

@ the idiots who continually rant in threads like this but continue to drop cash on HT's figures.

 

[dino76m]

"I will not pay 300+ a figure for a piece of plastic"

If only others here would follow your advice.

One example of this for me, and am a huge Rambo fan, but I will not purchase the EB 1/4 Rambo. It's just amazing that people here are paying 400+ for Enterbay Rambo when the body is plastic and the figure is defective, but that doesn't stop others from wanting to buy it. I go on those boards and even the people who have it have complaints about it every day, then why the hell would you send $400 for it and make customs displays for it? Doesn't make any sense imo. I'm not giving Hot Toys $250 - $300+ for 1/6 figure, or $450 - $500+ for a 1/4 figure, that's as stupid as spending $340+ for the new Nike Lebron James scam sneaker, and that's also the primary reason why the For Sale section on this site is so busy, collectors have had enough and are selling off their stuff.

im trying to quit Ht as well, gladly i have only 3 lines and i will complete it ,I dont mind the massive editions or re relases, but what bothers me is making a better version in a year or so and making the earlier version completely obsolete after having paid good money for it
if it was just re releases i wouldnt have bothered but when something much better comes out in a year or so , then its money wasted
one eg i pre ordred Ht dx joker v2 thinking it was bloddy awesome and then a few weeks later EB comes out with something better,..
i know they are different companies but it still sucks that u are spending 275 on a 1/6 fig when there is a better 1/4 out there ..
so basically Im out of collecting figures and now its mostly SS PF

 

[Raymond F.]

Sorry guys ***** all you want I call BS on what you're saying.

200 dollars is ridiculous to spend on a doll. It's insane. No matter how cool it looks. If you're stupid enough to spend 200 on the coolest imaginable representation of your favorite nostalgic characters then you'll be stupid enough to pay 300.

The price is not the issue, I'll tell you how the only scenarios where this thing will bottom out.

1) they take on so many secondary unnessisary characters that the quality drops on all their items
2) the well of hot commodity properties simply dries up. I know there will always be new hot properties but without the classic wells to dip in everything will be somewhat more superficial feeling. It's one thing to own a baby dolls when you have a big collection of 1/6 and you're into the hobby but it's those jack Nicholson jokers and the hype that surrounds it that keeps people interested in this hobby. And after joker 5.0 and a clear plateau of tailoring paint and sculpting people will be over the whole thing.

 

[Raymond F.]

@ the idiots who continually rant in threads like this but continue to drop cash on HT's figures.

I'm not often in support of your bluntness and delivery but I back you one hundred percent on this one.

Look I'm not saying I want to spend this money either and I like the rising prices but people claiming hot toys are going to go out business because of the prices are just nieve. They are a business to make a profit, obviously, and purposefully doing everything to make a profit , they inch the prices higher and people bite, if it stalls they will inch it back a bit.

They only do what you let them get away with people. Believe it.

 

[karamazov80]

But, not for Snake Eyes at $109 and the $40 investment for a TTA. Especially with that silly headsculpt.

But we're talking the new Snake Eyes, which is nearly A HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE than the one that came out a few years ago. Sideshow's guilty of the same crap Hot Toys is, and it doesn't matter, because we all keep paying.

 

[SwedishHeat]

@ the idiots who continually rant in threads like this but continue to drop cash on HT's figures.

No only that, but this. . .

With all due respect to the members here, based on some of the comments made in this thread, not to mention other threads, it would seem there are actally very few who have a real world working knowledge of how collectables such as these are made. To that end I would like to offer some clarity as to why prices are on the increase.

Read his full post.

Every once in a while people involved in the business drop knowledge bombs on people, but it's largely ignored. And then people rant and rave about why more companies don't come here to answer questions.

The sentiment here is

"I've been buying toys for 10 years therefore I am qualified to advise people how to run their business"

It's as naive as thinking that Trevor Grove, SilentSurfer and elvis1976 could form a company to wipe Hot Toys off the planet.

 

[EVILFACE]

I don't think HT will colapse.

But the higher price for what you get does make those "maybe" figures into instant "pass" figures.

The including of stupid accessories is what pisses me off. Using Wolverine for example, just give us a black stand and ditch the robot head and sell it for $200.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Sorry guys ***** all you want I call BS on what you're saying.

200 dollars is ridiculous to spend on a doll. It's insane. No matter how cool it looks. If you're stupid enough to spend 200 on the coolest imaginable representation of your favorite nostalgic characters then you'll be stupid enough to pay 300.

The price is not the issue, I'll tell you how the only scenarios where this thing will bottom out.

1) they take on so many secondary unnessisary characters that the quality drops on all their items
2) the well of hot commodity properties simply dries up. I know there will always be new hot properties but without the classic wells to dip in everything will be somewhat more superficial feeling. It's one thing to own a baby dolls when you have a big collection of 1/6 and you're into the hobby but it's those jack Nicholson jokers and the hype that surrounds it that keeps people interested in this hobby. And after joker 5.0 and a clear plateau of tailoring paint and sculpting people will be over the whole thing.

Didn't care to bother with 89 Joker, but do own BabyDoll

I don't think HT will colapse.

But the higher price for what you get does make those "maybe" figures into instant "pass" figures.

The including of stupid accessories is what pisses me off. Using Wolverine for example, just give us a black stand and ditch the robot head and sell it for $200.

Would still be too much as there'll be constant comparisons to other cheaper figures that inlcude more in the box such as Nick Fury.

But you're right about the maybe figures becoming passes due to overpricing. That'll lead to inevitable incomplete lines with only one figure. Not due to lack of interest but due to pricing it too high

TO ME. it's not about pricing it's about value for your money, other figures come with alot of accessories and have more difficult to produce outfits, you can see where the money goes and it's reasonable to jstify the price, but when a figure comes along with hardly anything and a very simple costume one can't justify the cost for what's provided.

 

[Raymond F.]

It's true we don't even have the space for those stupid stands anymore with all our other figures. With wolvie I have enough bodies I might actually end up buying his outfit and head parted out of it saves me some money

 

[die]

Sorry guys ***** all you want I call BS on what you're saying.

200 dollars is ridiculous to spend on a doll. It's insane. No matter how cool it looks. If you're stupid enough to spend 200 on the coolest imaginable representation of your favorite nostalgic characters then you'll be stupid enough to pay 300.

The price is not the issue, I'll tell you how the only scenarios where this thing will bottom out.

1) they take on so many secondary unnessisary characters that the quality drops on all their items
2) the well of hot commodity properties simply dries up. I know there will always be new hot properties but without the classic wells to dip in everything will be somewhat more superficial feeling. It's one thing to own a baby dolls when you have a big collection of 1/6 and you're into the hobby but it's those jack Nicholson jokers and the hype that surrounds it that keeps people interested in this hobby. And after joker 5.0 and a clear plateau of tailoring paint and sculpting people will be over the whole thing.

Doll?!?!

lol

I don't think spending $200 or $300 on something that makes you happy is too much especially considering that I don't need cosmetic surgery, boats, convertibles, beach houses or maids. I enjoy movies and comics and there are handful of the characters from each that have meaning in my life, remind me of my childhood, are a connection to loved ones, etc. There are a select few figures that I would pay that much for but I'm not a "collector" or "completionist", there are just some characters that I enjoy looking at on my shelf, my kids love 'em as well.


You do make some decent points in there, although I think a lot of what you're saying isn't so cut and dry. The quality thing seems more hit or miss, while there were many complaints about the Indy sculpt (and I understand those), Reeve Superman, 89 Joker & 89 Batman were homeruns to me. I'd say HT has more hits than misses and the quality has stepped up overall (but I do agree with complaints about some figures being skimpy on extras while others have tons, that's a fair argument)

It has alot to do with the fact that not all collectors see things the same way. For instance, I've seen a headsculpt before that looked spot-on of the actor and somebody will come in and say it's horrible or it looks kinda more like some other actor.

I think where HT is messing up is with characters from the Tron remake, Sucker Punch, Avatar. I say that not based on quality (Baby Doll looks amazing) but because with new characters it seems that when they finally come out, buzz has died for the film and characters.

 

[HTfreak2012]

We are all in this hobby, "collecting", cause we all LOVE it. It really doesn't matter what it is you collect or how much it costs. It only matters what you like and are willing to pay as the collector. What cracks me up more is everyone here that call others "crazy" for the prices they pay, in some cases I can see that point, but all in all the only person that matters to is yourself (and spouse) for most of us. As collectors we need to be happy with our decisions on what we purchase and not worry what others think about the cost or what the item looks like.

 

[DVD1]

First off, I've only been collecting these for a year now, but seen them in stores for the past 4 or 5 years. I was too busy collecting only Who stuff. Then, I saw the Indy figure, and couldn't say no. Since then, I have seen the MMS figures come down in price, not up. The DX prices are the same as the MMS were a year ago. For my money, I have no complaints.

 

[thenammagazine]

But we're talking the new Snake Eyes, which is nearly A HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE than the one that came out a few years ago. Sideshow's guilty of the same crap Hot Toys is, and it doesn't matter, because we all keep paying.

I can justify the mark-up to $134.99 like Rock 'n' Roll given he comes with two heads and the new Pro (which will pay for itself over time so any more than the $15 mark-up is gouging). The rest of the mark-up is an unnecessary articulated wolf with an extra yawning headsculpt.

In the end, the only way collectors will tell companies that their prices are too high is to vote with your wallets. Don't buy it. Leave it to rot on the shelf with it's expensive price tag and send the company a clear message. If they don't have profits to continue to pump out overpriced crap, they'll be forced to scale back. That said, as SH pointed out, understand that every time the cost of living goes up, prices increase. This isn't just for Sideshow, but for materials needed to manufacture their products.

So a price-hike from $120-$135 is more than justified. Bumping that to $200 and tossing in a $20 articulated dog to compensate, is not.

 

[RagingBull]

I wonder if Nam really is Sgt. Slaughter

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

I think EVILFACE summed it up best.

HT won't go out of business but they're pushing away sales by overpricing figures that they'd have otherwise gotten if they priced hem reasonably.

I think where HT is messing up is with characters from the Tron remake, Sucker Punch, Avatar. I say that not based on quality (Baby Doll looks amazing) but because with new characters it seems that when they finally come out, buzz has died for the film and characters.

They keep interest going in other lines but giving news/updates and more figures. On those you listed the interest can only last as long as products are actually coming.

Interest spikes up again when news or figures come along. It took them a year and a half after the announcement of MGS, with nothing going on there was nothing to talk about, when the figures came along interest spiked big time. Same thing happened when Charles Xavier was finally debuted