Hot Toys Star Wars, Missed Out, Now What?

[TrackZ]

So been a long time SW fan and toy collector and was watching closely as Hot Toys picked up the license. Debated back and forth to buy in or not on the 1/6 line. Now I'm finding I do want in and the ship has started to sale.

Stormtroopers, Han, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan, and others plus various EX versions are all out of stock now. eBay prices on a Han/Chewbacca set are a good $300 more than the original retail. I've waitlisted everything I could this week with Sideshow, but I haven't bought from Sideshow before and am not sure how reliable the waitlist is at this point.

Ideally some of the 1/6 sell out prices are driven up due to TFA being hot right now and could stand to settle back down. TFAs release makes this an even worse time to be after marketing SW items.

So, I'm curious what others with experience in this market think:

Will these waitlists come in with any reliability?
Do you think the after market prices will settle down, remain flat, or continue to climb?

I'm also curious about buying HT items off eBay. Some are advertised as new/sealed but coming from Asia. Is there risk of bootlegs or other issues with HT with these? Any way to know for certain you're getting 100% original goods?

Anyone else in the same boat as me on this?

Thanks!

 

[Cixx]

Start with TFA,(Kylo will sellout as well as the others in time) get what you want from WL or just wait for new OT characters. Still got ESB AND ROTJ to go no biggie!

The only one you should be concerned about is Ben Kenobi. As there will be more chewies, Lukes, Hans, etc.

 

[Bjjer]

Obi Wan, Space trooper, and Sandtrooper are, im guessing, one time only. Everyone else will be remade for ESB and ROTJ with their uniform differences. Up to you which ones you like better.

 

[Gipetto0812]

only one I've "missed out" on is Obi-wan but have waitlisted him on SS website. If it doesn't go through, I'll have to get him off eBay or if luckily one of my local LCS has got one

 

[maru81]

I have ordered few HT off Ebay from sellers in Asia and never had any issues. Just make sure you order from reputable sellers and use common sense.

 

[badgeantilles]

I'm in the same boat. I could have sworn Ben Kenobi was on pre-order on sideshow not too long ago and now they're all sold out.

 

[Bjjer]

I'm in the same boat. I could have sworn Ben Kenobi was on pre-order on sideshow not too long ago and now they're all sold out.[/QUOT

Thats how Luke is going to be. Leia is already pre sold out at BBTS but theyll probably get more. Star Wars is the first HT line in a long time thats selling out, OT anyway.

 

[morbidaj]

Han and Chewie will be re-released with a falcon cockpit environment eventually.. Iron Man Mark IV sold out quick.. and soon after was included again with the armor removing thingie station.

Just have some patience.

 

[Sebkenobi]

only one I've "missed out" on is Obi-wan but have waitlisted him on SS website. If it doesn't go through, I'll have to get him off eBay or if luckily one of my local LCS has got one

God I'm I glad I jumped on him at just the right time... Just before Christmas I ordered Ben and Stormtrooper Luke from Sideshow, and was able to catch Chewie the last day before he got sold out at BBTS... I had also secured a Han in October. They are ALL sold out now.

The Bespin Luke set sat around a while, at least a year before selling out, but I think at the time, collectors weren't too willing to spend this kind of money -- $300 for a set. Now $300 is just for one figure! I think Hot Toys might have lowered its production run to be sure not to have too many leftovers. I think every figure will sell out on short term now. Pre-order the ones you really want, if you can, at the latest you have about a month once the figure starts to ship... Go for the Leia, she looks amazing! I'll pre-order Kylo as soon as the next coupon becomes available.

 

[hokietwo]

I wouldn't put much stock in that offering. The cockpit is going to be at least 600 dollars and if those two are included it would soar well over a grand. Not saying it can't happen but it would shock me because of the price tag.

 

[Protozaius]

i can't find the Obi-Wan wait list page...

 

[Spark Extractor]

i can't find the Obi-Wan wait list page...

Obi-Wan

 

[Glennfett]

Im getting reports here in Australia that Kylo Ren has sold through on the 2nd batch.
Not sure what numbers were ordered but that is pretty insane.
Star wars is forever...get on that ship!!

 

[hokietwo]

So, I'm curious what others with experience in this market think:

Will these waitlists come in with any reliability?
Do you think the after market prices will settle down, remain flat, or continue to climb?

I'm also curious about buying HT items off eBay. Some are advertised as new/sealed but coming from Asia. Is there risk of bootlegs or other issues with HT with these? Any way to know for certain you're getting 100% original goods?

Anyone else in the same boat as me on this?

Thanks!

The figures you need to worry about are the iconic looks of figure that you enjoyed, be it the ANH,ESB or Jedi. I personally am a New Hope fan of the core figures. For me the Luke, Han, Leia are represented best with the ANH looks. Of course the Obi is a one shot version.

I can't see these figures going down in price any time soon with Star Wars in our faces for the foreseeable future. They may plateau and stay around the surged prices we are seeing right now. All of the originals will go up in price once they sell out. So definitely pick up the in stock figures now to save on paying more later.

 

[tjdavis1138]

I started paying attention about a year ago. I've managed to pick up the Stormtrooper set, Spacetrooper and Luke. I'm on the wait list for Luke in Stormtrooper gear. I wanted them all but they were released too fast. I had no idea Hot Toys could release so many within a few months of each other and that's not including the TFA figures that I want. Couldn't afford to pick them all up.

No Han, Chewie or Obi-Wan for me. I may try and pick up the Sandtrooper in the next few weeks if it's still available.

 

[Lejuan]

I can't see the ANH versions being re-released any time soon, given the next logical step for HT would be ESB and ROTJ.

I've bought heaps of stuff from SE Asian stores and never had a problem. If it's a reputable seller and the price is appropriate for the item then you should be right.

 

[Johnny6666]

Unfortunately, if you're just jumping in now, I think you likely have missed a good portion of the boat - at least on the OT HT figures. As some have suggested, you'll hopefully still see another run on the key characters (albeit in ESB costuming, etc.), and you're obviously in time for HT's take on R2D2 and C-3PO (again, in ESB incarnations), but I think Kenobi, Sandtrooper, Spacetrooper and (dare I say it) Chewbacca might not see production again. The former because they're specific to Star Wars, and Chewie because he was apparently a very difficult figure to produce. (Of course, given his high visibility in The Force Awakens, the odds lean in your favour, but still...)

And I think the after-market prices will only continue to rise. The last auctions I saw for MIB separate HT Han and Chewie figures topped out at $431 and $526 (AUD), respectively. And that's on the low side! Chewie alone is now cracking $600-650 on Ebay. That's a stunning increase for figures only released a mere 2.5 months ago! I don't recall that happening anywhere near as fast with many of the (now) grail HT figures (i.e. 1989 Batman, Ledger Joker, Don Corleone, for example), which took a far longer period to shoot up in value.

If The Force Awakens hadn't happened, figure collectors would still have jumped on the OT HT figures, but the success of TFA has widened the customer base considerably and developed much broader consumer interest in ANH. The tight release schedule that HT pursued up to the release of TFA thus pushed collectors to buy each figure quickly, rather than sit back and watch the line unfold over a year or so and objectively debate the merits of each character before deciding. And with Star Wars now an ongoing concern each and every Christmas, HT and other licensees will be working hard to keep up the fever pitch...

But I feel your pain, TrackZ. I missed the original HT OT Stormtrooper, and it's certainly frustrating to see the average prices for that figure now. Of course, an ESB incarnation would be essentially the same, so at least we have that!

 

[SNIKT1950]

So been a long time SW fan and toy collector and was watching closely as Hot Toys picked up the license. Debated back and forth to buy in or not on the 1/6 line. Now I'm finding I do want in and the ship has started to sale.

Stormtroopers, Han, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan, and others plus various EX versions are all out of stock now. eBay prices on a Han/Chewbacca set are a good $300 more than the original retail. I've waitlisted everything I could this week with Sideshow, but I haven't bought from Sideshow before and am not sure how reliable the waitlist is at this point.

Ideally some of the 1/6 sell out prices are driven up due to TFA being hot right now and could stand to settle back down. TFAs release makes this an even worse time to be after marketing SW items.

So, I'm curious what others with experience in this market think:

Will these waitlists come in with any reliability?
Do you think the after market prices will settle down, remain flat, or continue to climb?

I'm also curious about buying HT items off eBay. Some are advertised as new/sealed but coming from Asia. Is there risk of bootlegs or other issues with HT with these? Any way to know for certain you're getting 100% original goods?

Anyone else in the same boat as me on this?

Thanks!

If I were you I'd jump on the Wait List for the Han & Chewbacca set, Obi-Wan and Stormtrooper Luke. Everything else is available.

Don't feel bad about missing out on the Stormtroopers. Stormy Luke & Stormy Han are basically the same Stormtrooper set when you switch the sculpts.

 

[EXOTICLEX]

There will 100% without a doubt be another Chewbacca and Han release. They did't do all that research to make a Chewie figure and it be a one off. Han has room for improvement so you'll prob get a better sculpt. You can always buy up parts to get the new hope look.

 

[Glennfett]

Id take another Han and Chewie set easily, be it TESB, ROTJ or TFA.
The Jedi Chewie has a distinct different look.