1/6 Hot Toys - Infinity War - Iron Man

[Motuxmen]

I'd add the caveat that it depends on where you live. I'm in California, so the high shipping cost + sales tax makes BBTS the winner for me. Even if BBTS starts charging sales tax in the future, their pile of loot feature combined with lower shipping costs still puts it ahead of SS (even with rewards points). For me, that is.

That’s true. Though technically you are just supposed to add the sales tax to your year end tax returns. And it looks like every state will start requiring sales tax added to all orders up front soon.

You must be ordering A LOT and multiples of the same figure/ or the really expensive statues to get 4 free figures in a year. If I count my total from last year to the pending preorders to next year, the reward points I'll get is only enough for one figure. I already feel I'm ordering too much even with that (>10 HT figures). Maybe for the volume you order, it makes sense to use SS. But for those that can only order 1 or 2 HT figures per movie line, the benefits can't compare to yours. So what options would be out there? If only you can order directly from HT as I read it's cheaper buying directly from them...

Yeah I order every hot toys figure.(occasionally a double) So the last few years that’s 70 a year. Plus statues. And prop replicas occasionally. It’s way to much junk for sure.

Though this year I’ve decided to no longer order as much and not order all the figures anymore. Might save me 10 or so figures a year if they keep the same pace as the last few years.

 

[SoGS]

I still use Sideshow. Any discount you get in cost or shipping elsewhere is offset by rewards points and direct customer service with Sideshow.

It most definitely is not offset.

BBTS: $200 figure + $4 shipping = $204 (with free packout service)
SS: ($200 figure + 7.25% CA sales tax) + ~$20 shipping = ~$234.50 (~$244.50 with packout)

Yeah, the rewards kicks 5% back to you ($10 in my example), but that's $10 that HAS to be spent at SS.

Not trying to argue, that's just the math.

I'm with you regarding CS. SS has had great CS in my experience. So there is some inherent value there, but it's not quantifiable.

 

[LipSmack]

It most definitely is not offset.

BBTS: $200 figure + $4 shipping = $204 (with free packout service)
SS: ($200 figure + 7.25% CA sales tax) + ~$20 shipping = ~$234.50 (~$244.50 with packout)

Yeah, the rewards kicks 5% back to you ($10 in my example), but that's $10 that HAS to be spent at SS.

Not trying to argue, that's just the math.

I'm with you regarding CS. SS has had great CS in my experience. So there is some inherent value there, but it's not quantifiable.

I agree, but BBTS will start charging tax to states it sells to at some point, so for argument sake id throw tax in there too

 

[Motuxmen]

It most definitely is not offset.

BBTS: $200 figure + $4 shipping = $204 (with free packout service)
SS: ($200 figure + 7.25% CA sales tax) + ~$20 shipping = ~$234.50 (~$244.50 with packout)

Yeah, the rewards kicks 5% back to you ($10 in my example), but that's $10 that HAS to be spent at SS.

Not trying to argue, that's just the math.

I'm with you regarding CS. SS has had great CS in my experience. So there is some inherent value there, but it's not quantifiable.

The tax thing is a mute point. Every state has it and if your not paying it your breaking the law and that’s fine but using it as a reason why costs are more is silly.

Most of the time my shipping is about 15 bucks for normal figures. I get about 15 bucks in rewards for each figure. When you use that math the prices are nearly identical. But I’ve never once had to pay more then retail at Sideshow as they don’t raise prices. Bbts does. Bbts often sells out fast. For me that really wouldn’t matter but for a lot of people it does. Have not even mentioned flex pay. Or the 25 to 50 dollar off coupons,the extra rewards they give out at spook and other times, which I get a couple a month on average. So for some figures the math would be

200 plus 15 for shipping..minus 50 dollar coupon and 10 bucks in rewards vs the Bbts cost. Like I said, it offsets.

And yes, I have to spend my rewards points at Sideshow. Unless you don’t plan to ever order any more I don’t see that as a bad thing really. It’s no different then getting the money off upfront but when I use those rewards and pay for an entire order with them it feels pretty good. Can’t tell me most people use that 10 or 20 bucks saved at Bbts or where ever and 8 months from now order something and are attribute it to that money they saved. Probably never think about it again.

I get what your saying. But even if you factor in the sales tax and shipping costs if I order everything I bought last year at Bbts instead of Sideshow I would have paid more because of those coupons (a hundred or two a month) and rewards points I used to offset some orders and everything else talked about.

 

[Red Wolf]

In the past after iron man sold out of preorders. Stores typically get more, right? I know bbts jacked the price up of the HB once they arrived. Thank goodness I had my preorder in. I'm guessing if they do the same I'll wait until next year and pick up the Mark 51. We all know iron man will have another suit for sure. It might be more iconic since it'll be this big ending and maybe his last for a bit. It's the reason why I have been holding out.

Anyone else waiting to see what they might unveil for his final suit?

 

[SoGS]

The tax thing is a mute point. Every state has it and if your not paying it your breaking the law and that’s fine but using it as a reason why costs are more is silly.

Most of the time my shipping is about 15 bucks for normal figures. I get about 15 bucks in rewards for each figure. When you use that math the prices are nearly identical. But I’ve never once had to pay more then retail at Sideshow as they don’t raise prices. Bbts does. Bbts often sells out fast. For me that really wouldn’t matter but for a lot of people it does. Have not even mentioned flex pay. Or the 25 to 50 dollar off coupons,the extra rewards they give out at spook and other times, which I get a couple a month on average. So for some figures the math would be

200 plus 15 for shipping..minus 50 dollar coupon and 10 bucks in rewards vs the Bbts cost. Like I said, it offsets.

And yes, I have to spend my rewards points at Sideshow. Unless you don’t plan to ever order any more I don’t see that as a bad thing really. It’s no different then getting the money off upfront but when I use those rewards and pay for an entire order with them it feels pretty good. Can’t tell me most people use that 10 or 20 bucks saved at Bbts or where ever and 8 months from now order something and are attribute it to that money they saved. Probably never think about it again.

I get what your saying. But even if you factor in the sales tax and shipping costs if I order everything I bought last year at Bbts instead of Sideshow I would have paid more because of those coupons (a hundred or two a month) and rewards points I used to offset some orders and everything else talked about.

In my experience, BBTS has never STARTED with a higher retail price than SS. But I have noticed more recently that they've been pulling this "sold out" business with the figure returning days/weeks later at a higher price. Most recently HC SM and Anakin. So that's not cool...

And hey, not gonna argue with the codes and rewards. I've had my share of $20 codes in the past. I've also at least doubled my RP's from purchasing figures by supplementing them throughout the years with Spook, con, and live stream codes. Though I've never gotten a $50 coupon/code.

I don't favor one retailer over the other for any personal reason, one just happens to be cheaper than the other per figure. As a high volume customer, I can see where you're coming from. I get maybe 3-5 figures per year, reward points aren't as relevant to me when it only gets me a free figure once every couple of years.

Not saying you're wrong, I think we're just looking at this from different views. I'm looking at each transaction in a vacuum. If I have the option to choose between BBTS and SS, BBTS makes sense right now, for that one figure.

 

[Chronos1919]

I generally order from SS to get the items as quickly as possible and the reward points are basically like a separate savings account for “free” items.

 

[Motuxmen]

Good points and makes sense.

I think your right that your looking at just solicited cost for each order overall and I’m kinda looking at a longer view with stuff.

And I agree I’ve never seen them start higher. But I’ve seen them raise the price of it’s a popular figure and especially if it sells out other places. They do hold on to figures longer that don’t sell right away so they can sometimes get deep discounts on things to, in all fairness. I think I ordered an extra A1 Hawkeye from there a year or two later for cheap.

 

[SoGS]

Good points and makes sense.

I think your right that your looking at just solicited cost for each order overall and I’m kinda looking at a longer view with stuff.

What worries me more is if accessory packs become a normal thing. It makes sense for this figure. I wouldn't expect that number of accessories to be added for free. I just hope we don't start seeing accessory packs for things that "should" be included in standard releases...

 

[Motuxmen]

What worries me more is if accessory packs become a normal thing. It makes sense for this figure. I wouldn't expect that number of accessories to be added for free. I just hope we don't start seeing accessory packs for things that "should" be included in standard releases...

Yeah I agree. Though I think hot toys is smarter then that. I hope. Lol

I do like the general idea of them though. There’s a few things I can think of that would be cool.

 

[matticus]

It most definitely is not offset.

BBTS: $200 figure + $4 shipping = $204 (with free packout service)
SS: ($200 figure + 7.25% CA sales tax) + ~$20 shipping = ~$234.50 (~$244.50 with packout)

Yeah, the rewards kicks 5% back to you ($10 in my example), but that's $10 that HAS to be spent at SS.

Not trying to argue, that's just the math.

I'm with you regarding CS. SS has had great CS in my experience. So there is some inherent value there, but it's not quantifiable.

Thank goodness BBTS still had Gladiator Hulk up for preorder when I jumped on it. Can't imagine the shipping cost from SS. $4 bucks!

 

[matticus]

What worries me more is if accessory packs become a normal thing. It makes sense for this figure. I wouldn't expect that number of accessories to be added for free. I just hope we don't start seeing accessory packs for things that "should" be included in standard releases...

I think we are all jumping the gun on this. Myself included. IM has a nano suit that he can use to make a ton of different weapons. Imagine the cost of the figure with all of that stuff? I am disappointed that the figure without all of that stuff is $400. But, I would rather buy a figure with an optional set if it makes sense. Look at Luke from ROTJ. Jedi comes with a good amount of accessories. But there are plenty more he could have with the Endor poncho, different sculpt, etc. But there are many figures you have to find an accessory to make so he/she could have more.

 

[Motuxmen]

I think we are all jumping the gun on this. Myself included. IM has a nano suit that he can use to make a ton of different weapons. Imagine the cost of the figure with all of that stuff? I am disappointed that the figure without all of that stuff is $400. But, I would rather buy a figure with an optional set if it makes sense. Look at Luke from ROTJ. Jedi comes with a good amount of accessories. But there are plenty more he could have with the Endor poncho, different sculpt, etc. But there are many figures you have to find an accessory to make so he/she could have more.

That’s true. Most characters don’t lend themselves to extra packs. I mean they could hardly find one thing to include with Vision. But punisher could have 20 more weapons. So it’s hard to gauge where this ends up.

One thing I would really like, other then more diorama stuff like thrones and bikes and so on, is add on head packs. Especially for figures like Wanda and Vision and falcon where they don’t change costume much film to film. That would be a neat way to keep people engaged and add sales. Then new Stark and Cap unmasked heads. Maybe some new shirts for star lord.Do some BD packs. Things like that I think would be welcome by most.

 

[Grimlock]

Yeah rewards points. I got one free a few years ago for some reason I can’t recall but that’s not what I meant. Lol I usually get a couple 50 or 25 dollar off coupons a month and then the rewards points. Get a bunch of those free a year as well. I get enough rewards points that I ordered Ant-man, wasp, 10th Cap and Tchaka for free a week or two ago. It more then offsets any lower price.

Add to that my local shop is also not an authorized seller and I’ve asked them about it and they say they tried and it didn’t work. Not sure if that’s true or they just never bothered. They don’t sell large volumes of statues or figures so it’s not somthing they would deal with much except with me really. I’m sure I would order enough to justify them getting it but I’ve never really discussed it with them at length.

So outside of them I’d have to drive 130 miles either to Detroit or chicago(I live like exactly half way between them) and that would negate any savings. Plus I like just having them show up at my house and me not have to go pick them up. That’s a hundred or more trips I save a year. Lol

My comic shop usually gets 1-3 of the comic figures, and I’m their top HT customer. So they aren’t selling a ton of them.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Motuxmen]

Mine gets nothing. Lol they have no good statues or figures. Guess there’s not a market for it here.

 

[Grimlock]

You must be ordering A LOT and multiples of the same figure/ or the really expensive statues to get 4 free figures in a year. If I count my total from last year to the pending preorders to next year, the reward points I'll get is only enough for one figure. I already feel I'm ordering too much even with that (>10 HT figures). Maybe for the volume you order, it makes sense to use SS. But for those that can only order 1 or 2 HT figures per movie line, the benefits can't compare to yours. So what options would be out there? If only you can order directly from HT as I read it's cheaper buying directly from them...

You get 5% in points...so buy 20 figures, get one free. Plus coupons or whatever.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Grimlock]

Mine gets nothing. Lol they have no good statues or figures. Guess there’s not a market for it here.

Well my store doesn’t typically stock HT figures, they order based on pre-orders. Occasionally they have some HT stock, but I assume it’s mostly because someone backed out or something. He did buy extras of iconic figures like the Reeves Supes.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Motuxmen]

I wish mine did. I’ll pick up an extra now and again. Or statues. That’s the big one for me. They are so hit and miss anymore I’d like to be able to see it before I buy it. There’s a store in the local mall that has occasional hot toys but it’s one of those stores you know won’t last a couple of years.

 

[Chronos1919]

Mine gets nothing. Lol they have no good statues or figures. Guess there’s not a market for it here.

Same here. Mine stocks comics, $20 action figures, board games, and a few collectibles generally in the $100 range.

Edit: I'm not that disappointed by it though. The few comic shops I've been in that carry HT generally have them marked up in price above what SS charges. I went to Toy Anxiety when I was in Phoenix, AZ and the owner didn't have most of the HT figures marked with prices. He expected customers to inquire about them individually and then would look up the current eBay prices and charge what the going rate was. Plus tax (which I don't have in my state).

No thanks.

 

[LipSmack]

Same here. Mine stocks comics, $20 action figures, board games, and a few collectibles generally in the $100 range.

Edit: I'm not that disappointed by it though. The few comic shops I've been in that carry HT generally have them marked up in price above what SS charges. I went to Toy Anxiety when I was in Phoenix, AZ and the owner didn't have most of the HT figures marked with prices. He expected customers to inquire about them individually and then would look up the current eBay prices and charge what the going rate was. Plus tax (which I don't have in my state).

No thanks.

Really? that is extremely scummy