Limited editions, re-release, open edition?

At the risk of breaking my own rules and posting about something people are tired of hearing about - I'm actually curious what people think about this. So much of this hobby is about having something that someone else can't get - but is the real enjoyment of it tied so much to that aspect? Would you prefer to be able to share your hobby with the widest group possible?

Currently we have limited editions on everything. They sell out and that item is never available from the manufacturer, only on the secondary market. The recent Tumbler re-issue is an exception. But what if they just kept making them to meet demand?

Please be honest in the poll above:

I see nothing wrong with more people getting into the hobby. Just seems like there's too much of an elitist group of collectors bent on complaining about reissues and rehashing that just ruins being in the hobby.

Obviously they're catering to as much of a market as they can so they can make more profit. More for everyone is good.

I think the best part of this hobby is just having the things people want themselves and should revolve less around how they have it and others don't---the amount of people that collect these things aren't even in a wide mainstream market. So in a sense is kind of a big fish in small pool syndrome.

In before the lock.....

XD .

I chose 2nd option.

Breaking your own rule huh?

I'm gonna assume you are referring about statues here? I'm not a fan of open edition and releasing of the same statues. Part of collecting is about having something limited or rare. I know this hobby has changed over the last few years in terms people complain about high ES. Personally I don't consider 500 high considering how many people there are. I do think that there are a lot of collectors that want the next holy grail. Well IMO, those days are long gone.

Now I'm not a fan of rehashing the same statue over & over again. SSC has done it with Elektra & Hulk, Bowen (too many to name) & even DCD. But one thing I must give credit to SSC is that once a statue is retired, they don't re-release it ever again.

Though everything being limited and price has risen over last year, I do think some companies need to step up on QC. The hobby should be about excitement & not about getting disappointed on how the statue turned out.

I'm kind of on both sides of this. It is kind of cool to have something not everyone else has but since I'm not in this for the future value or the elite status that goes with them I don't mind if other people have the same thing as well

I'll use this as an example. Its neat to know that I am only one of 650 who have the Exc Jack Sparrow PF but I also don't care that thousands and thousands and thousands of people have the DX Jack Sparrow figure. As long as I can have a few things that are "rare" then I don't care about 95% of the other things.

If you are talking about reissuing then I am not for that at all. They could have easily altered the Tumbler a little to make it a v2 and still keep the v1 people happy. That was kind of BS.

I honestly don't know how to vote. I'm not against seeing the same thing revisited when improvements are clearly possible and yet I was ready to be extremely annoyed if the new Tumbler ended up being better than the one I have. I'm very much conflicted on the matter.

Limited and numbered for me you snooze you loose

If think the more the prices go up the more people want it to be limited/numbered .

$50/$100 no problem but start pushing $500+ and as much I as love the character a decent EX and low ES is a must for me.

If its produced all of the time and it's $500 they can keep it.

Both go hand in hand for me

I think the 4th option is the best way to keep companies raking in money while keeping collectors happy with the illusio, er, idea that they own things that are "rare." Not sure Hot Toys or Sideshow would be able to thrive so much if they really embraced the Hasbro retail model.

And I do enjoy having updated, improved versions of characters/figures when the technology and/or talent warrants it.

MR Regan said:

Limited and numbered for me you snooze you loose

If think the more the prices go up the more people want it to be limited/numbered .

$50/$100 no problem but start pushing $500+ and as much I as love the character a decent EX and low ES is a must for me.

If its produced all of the time and it's $500 they can keep it.

Both go hand in hand for me

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Nailed it right here.

karamazov80 said:

I think the 4th option is the best way to keep companies raking in money while keeping collectors happy with the illusio, er, idea that they own things that are "rare."

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Hmmm. Yeah that sounds the best actually.

I don't really care, but i choose the option that will piss off the most people.

VS1976 said:

Breaking your own rule huh?

I'm gonna assume you are referring about statues here? .

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No, not at all - I'm talking about 1/6 mainly -and I think people would feel differently about statues.

MR Regan said:

Limited and numbered for me you snooze you loose

If think the more the prices go up the more people want it to be limited/numbered .

$50/$100 no problem but start pushing $500+ and as much I as love the character a decent EX and low ES is a must for me.

If its produced all of the time and it's $500 they can keep it.

Both go hand in hand for me

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Sure the per figure cost goes down the more you produce - but they are taking a huge risk in manufacturing more than the current demand. And these savings are diminished when you have to go back to re-manufacture the same item because you have to tool up again.

I am curious as to why a limited edition size dictates what you would pay for a figure. Iron Monger is $500 and is just as cool if there are 10,000 of them or there are 500.

Darklord Dave said:

No, not at all - I'm talking about 1/6 mainly -and I think people would feel differently about statues.

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Oh... Then I don't really care because HTs like to release the same thing over & over again.

MR Regan said:

Limited and numbered for me you snooze you loose

If think the more the prices go up the more people want it to be limited/numbered .

$50/$100 no problem but start pushing $500+ and as much I as love the character a decent EX and low ES is a must for me.

If its produced all of the time and it's $500 they can keep it.

Both go hand in hand for me

Click to expand...

prices continue increasing, I'd prefer limited additions. If prices plateau and go down to reasonable cost I wouldn't mind the occasional re-release when technology warrants with limited runs.

Why is this so important? Can't we just keep collecting like we always have? Instead of worrying about edition sizes compared to cost.

HT are fastly becoming 'mainstream' in the hobby and as that happens they must cater to a larger group of collectors. And in turn raise their costs to make.....I can hardly believe it.....more money.

Darklord Dave said:

Sure the per figure cost goes down the more you produce - but they are taking a huge risk in manufacturing more than the current demand. And these savings are diminished when you have to go back to re-manufacture the same item because you have to tool up again.

I am curious as to why a limited edition size dictates what you would pay for a figure. Iron Monger is $500 and is just as cool if there are 10,000 of them or there are 500.

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i think they can gauge the demand pretty well with pre ordering. as long as the quality is there i do not expect it to have much of an impact as far as sales are concern. in order to appeal to past customers maybe they should include less or different or no accessorries for the rereleases.

Since im a noob to the 1/6 hobby i missed a lot cool figures such as sideshow DARTH VADER , Iron man mk1 ,tumbler, wolerine and so on.. I realy like the craftsmenship we get from hot toy's & sideshow and other company's ..The joy I find in this collecting is like comics , baseball cards certain release's go up and down in value from demand popularity and w can use to barter or trade for one's we might have missed or werent into ,but now want.. I like the thought of snooze you lose and seize the day or collectible! Thats what i liked about card collecting trading my SKYBOX JORDAN CARD for a whole nother set or box because of value..I am a poor collector and when i can trade for something i want i will and know there is others who will trade to make each other happy..SOOO I like limited and rereleases but want the original numbered and rerelease stated ,so no confusion later..I collect 1/6 and wish hot toys
& sideshow would implement certificates of authenticity ..I'M for rereleases like IRONMAN MK1 tumbler and other's but dont like the thought of a billion made ..These are pieces of art and they lose thier MAGNETISM when you see one everywhere it's like a million lamborginis wouldnt be that special if everyone had one and saw it everyday ...KEEP LIMITED RERELEASES LIMITED. but in the end i buy what make me happy not for investment but for FUN...I chose option 4....

hydrobud said:

i think they can gauge the demand pretty well with pre ordering.

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I don't believe pre-ordering is an accurate forecast of interest. The more prices increase and items remain available, the less accurate it will become IMO. I rarely pre-order items because the majority can still be found at or below retail well after its release. Post throughout the forum indicate many collector's follow the same path.

In addition, retailers continue getting "stuck" with product because of run size will eventually take action. One action already happening in certain situations is the NRD. Instead of this happening in certain situations, retailers may institute a mainstream policy that every order has a NRD to cut losses. This happens, pre-orders will certainly go down.

It is a unique time in this hobby for certain.

Darkseed said:

I don't believe pre-ordering is an accurate forecast of interest. The more prices increase and items remain available, the less accurate it will become IMO. I rarely pre-order items because the majority can still be found at or below retail well after its release. Post throughout the forum indicate many collector's follow the same path.

In addition, retailers continue getting "stuck" with product because of run size will eventually take action. One action already happening in certain situations is the NRD. Instead of this happening in certain situations, retailers may institute a mainstream policy that every order has a NRD to cut losses. This happens, pre-orders will certainly go down.

It is a unique time in this hobby for certain.

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And the point I'm making is that the pre-order is at a certain point in time for a certain audience. To accommodate new collectors certain signature items would need to always be available.

Would those that lean towards limited editions feel that an exclusive item would fulfill those requirements? So the exclusive run would be limited (maybe even more so) but the regular run would always be available.