Do you care if 1/6th figures have small production runs?

[Apone]

Sideshow is damned if the do, damned if they don't with 1/6th.

I am not trying to knock your point of view, but that is the key problem with 1/6th...people _____ and moan about "cheap bodies, no accessories, poor paint, etc" and make multiple threads comparings Sideshow to Hot Toys. So, Sideshow tries to increase the above and then people _____ and moan about increasing prices, huge ES, and still make threads comparing Sideshow to Hot Toys.

The 1/6th market has changed dramatically over the last few years. Sideshow has no interest in making the $30-60 1/6th that got them into the business; they like manufacturing premium items. There are more companies making these types of collectibles, so productions costs are rising; this is going to effect everyone regardless of ES.

Hot Toys continues to increase the bar on 1/6th quality, but their prices have steadily increased also. With Hot Toys now making Star Wars, we may see Sideshow let Hot Toys have the 1/6th market completely since they still make $$$ off distribution and partnership.

Well I see your point...but I was giving my opinion...and if you search on here, I dont believe I have ever moaned about the bodies or paint apps...which is why my opinion holds up...now i know my opinion is not the vast majority, but I was not speaking on their behalf.

 

[Apone]

I have however, complained about some of the character choices they have made..but I dont think i was wrong either...you look at some of the characters that were chosen (Thrawn) and the fact they probably have a whole corner of the warehouse devoted stocking him...then you can see why the prices go up. Alot of people say they cant make all the main characters right away because they wont have others to do in the future..but doing rehashes of similar figures and obscure ones that a vast majority of collectors will not buy....well that cant help matters.

 

[Fia2k9]

Alot of great points have been touched on.What I'd love to see is.....

Improved paint apps......this should be their cheif concern as it is a major point of criticism for Sideshow....I've seen some amzing paint jobs on figures that cost far less and aren't limited edition

Characters that the people want......It's been over 5 years for these guys doing Star Wars.....with the tight and picky market that 6th scale is they should concentrate more on demand...give em what they want and sell out your editions.

On the matter of edition size......Remember inclusive edition Darth Maul....Solid sculp, paint, accessories, no edition size....sold thousands.

 

[sithlord13]

It's interesting that for the whining that goes on with these boards most agree key things like for instance sideshow let's themselves down paint app compared with hot toys and that the price is creeping tirades the hot toys price point as well
Although the sculpts are getting there

As for character choice - hell that's subjective !

I for one love my thrawn but the carina band? Not for me

I do also think that ss have over done the rehashes in a row
Clone fatigue anyone?

We need a major character like tarkin or a Luke Jedi dx to kick some live into - although the reaction to greedo has been very positive and I find myself really wanting one

 

[turtlepower73]

i care to a point if they have small production numbers.
there are to many ____ collectors out there if a box is damaged or if whatever is not perfect..not meaning scratches or things like that would kill it for others. i also don't want to pay higher for prices than i already do.

 

[sithlord13]

i care to a point if they have small production numbers.
there are to many ____ collectors out there if a box is damaged or if whatever is not perfect..not meaning scratches or things like that would kill it for others. i also don't want to pay higher for prices than i already do.

I don't think anyone wants to pay more
I certainly would love them to be cheaper

 

[Matt S]

Dont care if a figure has 1000 or 1,000,000,000 production run. if the quality aint there, I am passing. That's my main reason for collecting almost zero sideshow figures these days: subpar quality in the final production.

They cant even paint their PF format these days without making everyone look uber tan

 

[Kibishii]

Well I see your point...but I was giving my opinion...and if you search on here, I dont believe I have ever moaned about the bodies or paint apps...

Oh, I am sorry if it seemed like I was using you as an example about moaning because it wasn't my intention. It just seems like every 1/6th thread I go into, people are complaining nonstop about everything and it got old years ago... quality, paint, likeness, price, accessories, etc, but then the same people go on to _____ about high price and ES.

I pretty much quit the 1/6th GI Joe line simply because the paint apps on Duke and Flint were so goofy and I don't see Sideshow increasing prices to improve the paint to Hot Toys levels because so many people complain about increasing price.

Your opinion does make sense; no one likes increasing prices; but I, personally, would rather pay more money and get quality. Also, we are partners in complaining about Sideshow's character choice at times.

 

[ProgMatinee]

The only major improvement SSC has made to the SW figures is the Pro body. The paint has not really improved. So thats why I think prices have gone up due to lower quantities, not improved quality.

If SSC would improve quality, without improving cost, then maybe that would increase sales?

 

[Darth Cruel]

I see Sideshow's desire to not make any more than they will sell. And I fully expect Sideshow to not change their practices based on this thread.

But to say that "early on they tried to sell more figures at cheaper prices and ended up with a bunch of figures sitting in their warehouse" does not have an accurate ring to me.

It seems to me that there were a few. But compared to the overall it seems to me that it was a small percentage.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I think SSC did very well for themselves early on with the line. They sold 5,000+ figures at $50 each. It may have taken 6 months or so to fully sell them, but they sold. I think they began losing customers as they increased their prices, and it sorta spiraled. I think they also lost a connection with SW audiences. When the line began, lots of people from places like Rebelscum had no idea what SSC was. And they managed to draw many of them to the line. I would propose that they lost a lot of those people that are SW fans first, and 1/6th an afterthought.

The same failure to attract major GI Joe and Disney audiences may be the same failure to attract new SW audiences.

I don't see why 1/6th collecting has to be so unusual or difficult to get into. It simply takes proper marketing.

IMO, if SSC attracted the larger SW market and not just the collectors that visit this website, for example, I think we'd all get better product at lower prices. But that may all be hyperbole.

 

[Darth Madden]

I don't care about secondary value. If I buy a fig for $120 and all I can sell it for 2 years later is $50 then thats the way it is. I figure I got at least $70 worth of enjoyment out of it in those 2 years so its ok. I don't buy figs for an investment. Other than my house I really don't expect ANYTHING I buy to go up in value.

 

[SwedishHeat]

I don't see why 1/6th collecting has to be so unusual or difficult to get into. It simply takes proper marketing.

IMO, if SSC attracted the larger SW market and not just the collectors that visit this website, for example, I think we'd all get better product at lower prices. But that may all be hyperbole.

What do you propose they do to attract the larger Star Wars market??

They had the larger SW market. The larger SW market was not willing to pay $50+ for a single figure. That's why the edition size dwindled to where it is now.

What you seem to be getting at, is that you want Sideshow to become a mass market line so you can get lower prices. That's not going to happen. There's a reason Hasbro gave up the license to Sideshow, the market just isn't there for 1/6 scale. It's too segmented. The 3 3/4 collectors consider them 'dolls', which is ironic considering how 1/6 collectors consider female figures 'dolls'.

To answer your topic question, Yes, I care if it has a small production run, because as a general rule, the smaller the run, the better the quality. If you look at the figures that have massive production runs, the quality usually suffers.

 

[Cdiesel09]

don't care about edition size. i just want Quality figures at an affordable price (yes 60-200$ is an affordable range)

100% agreed.

 

[ebor]

The 3 3/4 collectors consider them 'dolls'

Nope, sorry, they are still 'action figures'

And at $10 bucks a pop good value.

As per the original discusion, I will pay for quality, ie. sculpt, paint apts, and quality in construction what ever the cost.

 

[Gipetto0812]

I started off collecting 1/6 SSC LoTR then moved into SW when that line died a slow and painful death. The $50+ was a great price point for me b/c we got some good accessories for what we paid for. But now there's CW Anakin and ROTJ Emperor for $90 and all they come with is extra hands and a lightsaber or cane, respectively. I'm thrilled that we're getting so much with Cody and Rex b/c they seem worth the higher price b/c of what we get with the figure.

But many times recently SSC purchases for me especially the GI Joe line have been put on the back burner b/c I figure I can get a HT figure for a couple bucks more that has a much more real likeness and paint app along with better tailored and authentic clothing. Give me better and more realistic paint apps and I'll he happy with the higher price. Bu currently, i've repainted most of my SSC figures

I see Duke and Flint at like $110 or more and with the paint job they have, it's not worth it to me. $20 buck more I could get Hot Toys Ezio at CSC if it were still in stock.

But character choice is also a factor IMO. Don't get me wrong, I love the EU of SW but I personally have been wanting to see another Vader with a removeable Mask/dome, EP2 Anakin, EP1 Obi-Wan ya know, more key movie characters not just ones for the hardcore "Star Wars is my Life!" kind of collector like the Cantina Band and the Gamorean Guard as great as it looks. Not everyone is looking to make a complete dio of every scene in star wars movies.

As for edition size, I could car less. It's just a number to me. I'm not looking to sell my figures. I by them b/c I want them, not hoping to resell them for more than what I paid.

Lastly, the only reason I still collect from sideshow is b/c of the 1/6 SW line since the LOTR lines are never finished from what it seems. I gave up on SSC and the LOTR lines long ago and only may collect the PFs if that. That's why SW character choice is so important to me with SSC and the SW line, otherwise, hello Hot Toys forever.

 

[ProgMatinee]

What do you propose they do to attract the larger Star Wars market??

They had the larger SW market. The larger SW market was not willing to pay $50+ for a single figure. That's why the edition size dwindled to where it is now.

The market seemed successful at $50 and $60 per figure. It was when figures crept to $70 and $80 that the market started to fall out from the bottom.

Regarding quality, I thought the early figures are great. The only change that SSC implemented was a new base body, which the price increase should be distributed among 100,000+ figures over time, so that wouldn't increase price.

In terms of reconnecting with collectors, I think SSC would do great to go back to the more mass market appeal. Price the more simplistic figures like Greedo at more affordable prices. Make a crap load of them. The quality shouldn't go down on such a simple figure just by making more of them.

 

[devilof76]

I think the problem with the figures like Greedo getting larger production runs is that fewer people want those. Most people have Hot Toys tastes. They want a few icons, and that's it.

 

[sithlord13]

i think remembering the current economic situation and the effect that it must have on marginal collectors and even us hard core must be cutting back - production numbers will drop
that problably means more marginal characters if anything are more likely to sell- because the people buying them will support the costs regardless

 

[ProgMatinee]

i think remembering the current economic situation and the effect that it must have on marginal collectors and even us hard core must be cutting back - production numbers will drop
that problably means more marginal characters if anything are more likely to sell- because the people buying them will support the costs regardless

Are you saying since the economy is down, might as well make characters that have a cap at say 2000 figures instead of one that in a good economy might sell 5000 because in the lower economy the 2000 people buying the figure would have bought either figure...so might as well wait until the economy improves to offer the more popular character?

that interesting.