Will Sideshow tank entirely because of the economy?

[Rookie07]

One thing worth considering in all this is the license fees that Sideshow (or other collectible companies for that matter) end up paying. With demand for these statues and collectibles not being as high as before due to the ongoing "recession", I would think that these license fees play a big role in Sideshow's net results, including how much they eventually end up charging for the statues. While I'm not privy at all to whatever license fees Marvel or other licensors charge them, I would think that these license fees are quite high, otherwise Sideshow would be able to come out with just about any Marvel character there is out there. I also think that these license fees are made up of a fixed (fixed annual or periodic fee) and variable component (fee for every unit sold), and it's the fixed portion that's probably hurting Sideshow right now considering that demand for their product offerings are not really as strong as before (case in point, it takes much longer for some of their new products to sell out).

 

[thenammagazine]

One thing worth considering in all this is the license fees that Sideshow (or other collectible companies for that matter) end up paying. With demand for these statues and collectibles not being as high as before due to the ongoing "recession", I would think that these license fees play a big role in Sideshow's net results, including how much they eventually end up charging for the statues.

Jurassic Park Dinosauria​

 

[theguru1]

Just based on a couple of local stores, I can tell you things have really slowed down. Personally a couple of other factors are at work,
1. Nothing announced recently that I want
2. AUD exchange rate is pushing up the price a fair bit
3. Shipping is a killer

Will SS close, I highly doubt it, will their growth take a serious hit, I have no doubt, lets face it, its not like one needs to buy any of this stuff to survive, especailly not when just trying to keep ones house is far more important.

 

[karamazov80]

Why is this in the Indiana Jones section?

 

[Wetanut]

maybe because he's dissatisfied with the rate of Indy output?

 

[icruise]

How is it that the Indy line is "crawling into existence?!" We've got 3 figures and 2 dios already announced. This would be wholly more relevant in the LOTR forum who's 12" line has been laid to rest or G.I. Joe thread where there hasn't been an announcement in almost 6 months.

Paging Dr. Irish Jedi!

Just so we're clear, there are no Indy dioramas. There are 1/6 scale figures that come with environments, which isn't the same thing (see the line of Star Wars and LOTR dioramas, for example). Indy dioramas would be pretty cool though.

 

[Malice]

I don't mean go bankrupt or dissolve as a company, but it certainly seems to be less enthusiatic about any new 1/6 items. There have been no more New Line or military figures, and its taking forever for the new Indy line to crawl into steady existence. Will Sideshow destroy its own 1/6 line?

i true freak will ride it out mate, sideshow is'nt going anywhere. when you're ready to start buying again, sideshow will be there.

 

[monkeydad16]

How is it that the Indy line is "crawling into existence?!" We've got 3 figures and 2 dios already announced. This would be wholly more relevant in the LOTR forum who's 12" line has been laid to rest or G.I. Joe thread where there hasn't been an announcement in almost 6 months.

dude, I almost pissed my pants! I thought I had missed some vital info on some Indy dios. Please don't scare me like that again!

 

[Nitro]

I think everybody on here had to adjust to the recession in some way, shape, or form. There are things that I'd absolutely love but I simply can't afford from Sideshow. But even with the rough times of going through a sudden split with my wife the day after Christmas last year and adjusting to one income while living by myself, I do what I can. True freaks will always stick around, myself included and I think Sideshow is well aware of what the economy is capable of. I still see products selling out and I've seen both high and low ES for products. If there is anybody in this particular niche market that has the coconuts to survive this downturn in the economy, I'd put my money on Sideshow without hesitation.

 

[Deeznutz6]

Of course SS if feeling the affects, look how many people cancelled the latest SW offerings.

This just in Sideshow is "on hold"

 

[Lembas Eater]

I don't usually respond to this sort of thing, and forgive me if I sound harsh but who makes threads like this anyway?

Sideshow isn't going anywhere anytime soon. They've built the company up over the years with a loyal following with not just amazing customer service but unprecedented customer relations.

If they are hit hard by the recession, well, perhaps they will have to scale back some of their product and as a last resort, their people.
I can't see that happening at all; they've grown as a company, moved to a better facility and have reached out, forging ties to Hot Toys, Bowen, Mezco, Electric Tiki.

Maybe some lines have a rough time. Maybe they aren't making something you want. But they are not tanking.

This just seems alarmist and negative to me and we don't need that.

 

[RJMacReady16]

If the economy gets real bad, licensing fees will obviously go down with everything else.

And if worse comes to worse, SS and the other companies will resort to original concepts, which won't be tough for the guys at Hot Toys, who made their bread & butter on original military figs, though you may see characters like "Idaho Jones" and "Hellguy" from SS.

Either way, collectibles will be around in one form or another. They may be a lot uglier though...

 

[Supergaijin76]

I hope they DO come out with a Sideshow tank for our Indiana Jones figures! Imagine making a 1/6th scale Last Crusade display! WOWEE WOW WOW!

 

[coolkansaswind]

i think you will see a small change .. they will make less of a figure ... and they will cost more ... you see this already in the 1/6 stawars line with Obi Won ... only 2500 make ... much smaller than any one before ... but this is good ... for them and the customer in Value and all ...

my two cents

 

[creecher]

I think Sideshow is well prepared, via there diversification. If the going gets tough they can scale back their operations accordingly, and rely on their associations with other companies to weather the storm. That other companies have their eggs in one basket is not Sideshows problem, but their association is something these companies will rely upon to help them through tough times as well. If anyone is going to come out on top, Sideshow is in the best position to do that.

 

[icruise]

i think you will see a small change .. they will make less of a figure ... and they will cost more ... you see this already in the 1/6 stawars line with Obi Won ... only 2500 make ... much smaller than any one before ... but this is good ... for them and the customer in Value and all ...

my two cents

I think the main reason Obi-wan has such a small edition size is that they already released a figure with the same sculpt. The Clone Wars Obi-wan had a total edition size of 5000. 7500 total for what is essentially the same character is still pretty large.

 

[wofford29]

I don't think Sideshow is going anywhere anytime soon. I do however think they are feeling it more so than ever. They have really started marketing hard with sales pitch emails and even pop up videos on their website trying to talk you into buying something. Nothing wrong with any of that, but it's something different that they've not done in the past that could be a direct result of how this economy is hitting them.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Why the hell is in the Indy section when he has an edition size of 7000? We'll be fine Freaks.

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

Time will tell how SSC will come through this.

EDIT: time will tell with how many employes SSC will come through this. I sincerely hope they are not letting people go, and all will make it through this recession. I'm not worried about the toys. They are just toys.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I'm sure that Sideshow is feeling the economic "pinch" as many of us are, but I think they have diversified enough and probably more importantly, shifted their lines accordingly beforehand.

-New partnerships allowing them distributor rights as well as sharing costs
-More "in-house" developments, which mean no licensing fees
-Acquiring "Trevor" which means kick-arse sculpts!