Why the HOT TOYS don´t sell out anymore?

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

^ he might have meant "why the HOT TOYS Pre-Orders don't sell out anymore?"

They will of course sell out over time, but there has been frequent ocassions more recently when a "sold out" item re-appears for sale

Which for a limited edition collectible figurine should be impossible

 

[robbiethepainter]

Over ordering by retailers and those that are trying to flip on Ebay.

 

[vareika]

Too many people know about Hot Toys now so it doesn't feel as rare as it used to. Increased fan base, increased pre-orders, increased over production, too many liscenses, etc. A site like IGN had an article on the HT batman figures, so now all the 10 year olds who were buying 10USD Toysrus batmans now want this stuff too. Heck, everyone's grandma also collects HT nowadays.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Too many people know about Hot Toys now so it doesn't feel as rare as it used to. Increased fan base, increased pre-orders, increased over production, too many liscenses, etc. A site like IGN had an article on the HT batman figures, so now all the 10 year olds who were buying 10USD Toysrus batmans now want this stuff too. Heck, everyone's grandma also collects HT nowadays.

I thought about this once.

Something rare and beautiful and unique garners an excitement, makes it desirable.

Hot Toys used to be like that, these days only the beauty remains.

 

[Theokan]

It's none of the above.

Hot Toys changed their policy about a year ago, basically what happened was that many people who had pre-ordered their Mark IV for nearly a year suddenly lost their order due to not enough stock (flippers), those buyers then had to resort to Ebay which was already instantly marked up over $50 because they were completely sold out everywhere (again, flippers). Since then HT leaves an open ES on all their figures, then closes the production once they make sure everyone got their orders through, that's their method to counter flippers and to make sure people don't loose their pre-orders like the Mark IV fiasco.

So HT is purposefully making sure their stuff don't instantly sell out, they want to make sure people can actually buy them during release even if they somehow missed the pre-order.

Ever since this new policy, only figures labeled as "limited edition" has the possibility of selling out during pre-order (Avengers Mark VI.) All the other figures will 100% always be in-stock during release. It doesn't matter if there's 5,000 or 50,000 pre-orders for a particular figure, they'll fill all pre-orders and make a few thousand more to go around in stores for months.


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[siquisiri]

I think theres mass interest, especially with the quality (minus some of their rubber issues) of their last few sets. The price though, is gettin to be killer. Ill pick up what interests me, but its FAR to expensive to be an HT completist. No way.

 

[Grosby]

So HT is purposefully making sure their stuff don't instantly sell out, they want to make sure people can actually buy them during release even if they somehow missed the pre-order.

I tend to agree with this. A lot of people have the belief that HT want to increase in value, want to sell out and be 'rare' and difficult to find, etc, but I really think they purely just want to make a product that's available for people to buy, nothing more than that. I think their thought is just to make a product, set a price, and produce it so that there's a good window in which anyone who wants it can get it. If it was financially feasible for them to make a figure forever available, I really think they'd do that.

I'm just guessing here, but I really don't think they hold any satisfaction in secondary-market price increases, or figures being hard to find, etc. I think they actually make decisions in an effort to curb these things.

 

[UltraMarknus]

A lot of great reasons in here. Overproduction, increasingly picky buyers, more items to choose from, high prices, budgeting buyers thinking a particular character/rerelease is coming. Hot Toys just doesn't have the mystic it had once. Not because of a lack of quality, just because they have so many item out and on the way. It use to be "look what hot toys came out with". Now it's "when is hot toys coming out with ____".

 

[Viking Spawn]

1. Overproduction to curb the 'remake it for me' whiners
2. Increased prices
3. Too many figures causing people to cancel to get the latest pre-order
4. Them not being unique one of a kind limited collectibles anymore will have some collectors lose interest in them
5. Lack of variety of characters (same ones most of the time) lose interest from those who own those characters already

Especially with the economy these days.

 

[Niceman]

It's none of the above.

Hot Toys changed their policy about a year ago, basically what happened was that many people who had pre-ordered their Mark IV for nearly a year suddenly lost their order due to not enough stock (flippers), those buyers then had to resort to Ebay which was already instantly marked up over $50 because they were completely sold out everywhere (again, flippers). Since then HT leaves an open ES on all their figures, then closes the production once they make sure everyone got their orders through, that's their method to counter flippers and to make sure people don't loose their pre-orders like the Mark IV fiasco.

So HT is purposefully making sure their stuff don't instantly sell out, they want to make sure people can actually buy them during release even if they somehow missed the pre-order.

Ever since this new policy, only figures labeled as "limited edition" has the possibility of selling out during pre-order (Avengers Mark VI.) All the other figures will 100% always be in-stock during release. It doesn't matter if there's 5,000 or 50,000 pre-orders for a particular figure, they'll fill all pre-orders and make a few thousand more to go around in stores for months.


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I don't see why the wouldn't make at least enough to fill the pre-orders. Doing less than that is throwing money away!

 

[surfin4]

the whole point of this was collecting......but with all the revisions and cash ins they are sliting there own throat

 

[devilof76]

Not really. They're probably making a lot more money than they did before.

 

[Niceman]

the whole point of this was collecting......but with all the revisions and cash ins they are sliting there own throat

Choosing to make less than is demanded would be VERY poor business. No solid business plans itself around the secondary market.

 

[DVD1]

These figures stick around a lot longer than before. My first ht was Indiana which I got a year ago. It's still around in the shop I bought it from. Next up was Superman and same story. Both now sell for less than I paid. Prior to this tho, I had seen Joker, Batman (TDK) etc, and they are all gone. Thor has gone up in price ! Personally, I see every figure I own in one shop or another, but I'm sure that in another year, Indy and Supes will have gone.
Simply, HT are producing more of these figures, as the market has increased. They should be around longer allowing everyone interested time to get the ones they want. There are a dozen or so coming that I want in the next 6 months alone.

 

[vangeta]

Pricing and flippers.

 

[balboa1976]

How about Hot Toys 1/4 Batman priced at $450, I thought they were crazy prices for Joker89 and Batman89, who the hell can afford almost $500 a figure with shipping? or $250+ for a 1/6. Not me. I rather buy statues.

I was just on BBTS and they still have Batman89, Joker89, Reeves Superman and the Blitzway Scarface is on clearance for $145. I think collectors are staying away from the $250+ figure, I really don't see how young collectors can afford this hobby anymore.

The fact that these figures are still in stock answers the OP questions.

 

[hrambo001]

I've been pretty much addicted to HTs since I got my first figure (The original MMS joker from TDK).

I don't even want to think about how much I've spent over the past six years on this hobby. Even to this day I find myself spending a lot, but unfortunately thats going to have to change.

There are other things that I'd rather spend my money on.

It's not just with HT's though. Enterbay and Sideshow prices have also gone up.

I took a careful look at what I have coming and just cut the SS snowtrooper, SS STAP and battle droid, and the HT Amazing Spiderman from my Pre-order list.

I'm finishing up with some of the Avengers figures, the TDKR line and the DAM tears of the Suns figures and then I think I'm out.

There will always be something better, some big improvement in equipment, face sculpts, etc... When is it enough?

 

[karamazov80]

Very clearly more supply than what we have previously seen.

 

[Crimsonbob]

They are overpriced but not unrealistically so like Sideshow and Medicom.

I used to buy lots of SS figs but their quality is nowhere near as good as hot toys and their price tag is far too high now.

Medicom are on another planet as far as price and quality.

Enterbay seemed promising but after the whole issue with quality and support lately i doubt i'll ever buy 1.

Hot toys may be 1 of the most expensive but they give us a lot of figs and they practically spoil us. We have even managed to persuade them to make figures like C Reeve Supes.

I'm not too worried about them producing too many as it gives people time to save if they need to.

The price has gone up over the years but so has the quality and the liscenses they get.

The main issues i have with hot toys is rubber on their figures and proto to final release product changes. Oh and cancelling liscenses after saying they would do them.

 

[mrpsychopath]

badly overpriced