1/6 Luke Skywalker: Red Five X-Wing Pilot Sixth Scale Figure

[marker2037]

I don't think it will crash like those examples you list. This hobby is still a very small, niche, fringe hobby. The rest of the world doesn't know we do what we do

Comic books, baseball cards were waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more mainstream.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

In 2008 when I first started collecting I never would have believed we'd all be paying over $200 for a single figure. At that time, $65 for Sideshow's ANH Han and $90 for their Indy was an enormous stretch for me too. I felt guilty and ashamed for paying that much for toys.

So $400 for an action figure in 5-7 years seems plausible.

 

[Invictus Sol]

People's disposable income will not keep pace, though, and that will be the limiting factor. This business is niche, but it's still about volume.

 

[sithlord13]

A lot of things are $300 already but I think it's hitting the ceiling. I won't go any higher it's just too much DSL with the secondary market seeming do I divided into "grails" and can't sell

 

[PopCultKid]

Is A New Hope a separate (more expensive) license from the rest of what SSC is producing? Even if it is, that still doesn’t explain much to me. I understand the costs of doing business but it’s up to SSC to balance that math and have it make sense. I’m not sure why it seems like Pilot Luke is bearing the load of these high licensing fees, but maybe they could have made all of their other figures $5 more to spread the weight. That way he wouldn’t be such a shocker. Instead of trying to impress with “seeming” low prices for R2 & Vader, make them $10 more each and Luke a hell of a lot less (or some similar plan along those lines).

None of us know the details of what’s going on behind the scenes and it’s easy for us to assume and speculate (no doubt there’s more involved than meets the eye), but anyone with ½ a brain can see that something here could’ve been done better. Whether it’s the balancing and strategy of MSRPs, production efficiency or the deal itself with Disney, something just sounds way out of whack when this type of set is launched at $240.

And that’s what it boils down to; customer perception. We will all judge what we see at face value. People are going to compare every new release’s price/build/quality/end result to everything else in the contemporary market. If something doesn’t add up, naturally the WTF syndrome will kick in big time. If HT launches the next Iron Man armor tomorrow at $350 and not only is it not an improvement over past (last month’s) releases, but a step backwards in ways, what would the reaction be? Some will call it “whining”

This would happen with any product from any company. If Sony, Honda, Apple, Bose, Viking or whoever else in this world would launch a product that price -wise is not only completely out of place with the flow of the market, but is completely off beat with THEIR OWN structure, and has no material advancements… the masses will be scratching their heads

 

[B1ueLeader]

If prices get much higher I'm out and instead will buy a 2015 Mustang GT Supercharged for $600 a month inc. insurance.

 

[Mike86]

I've always said that with certain exceptions the day that most figures hit the $300 or more mark is the day I'm done. The exceptions I make now are multi figure sets and a couple hit that price that I wanted and felt the price was sort of justified (at least in my mind). If every regular figure hits that though I won't do it anymore.

 

[marker2037]

The argument about licensing fees being more expensive for this go around is pure nonsense. If that was the case then Hoth Luke and Han would've been $280 each with everything they come with as they were announced after the renegotiated fee deals. HT Han and Chewie would've also been much more in comparison to this. This is purely about value for dollar. And there is no justification to put this Luke at the price he is because you don't get a proper value for dollar ratio in comparison to other releases under the Star Wars umbrella. Zero.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

What if Sideshow is switching to a (hopefully) better factory for Luke and THEY are charging more money? Just throwing it out there...

 

[SithThundercracker]

SSC should wisely take less profit instead of going off market.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

What if Sideshow is switching to a (hopefully) better factory for Luke and THEY are charging more money? Just throwing it out there...

That's a possibility.

SSC should wisely take less profit instead of going off market.

That would be nice but I highly doubt they'd do that.

 

[Matt S]

At the end of the day, I really don't care what's causing the increase in price. I am going off price alone, and at $240 that's a non-starter for me

 

[PopCultKid]

Portrait quality is no reason for a mark up. Wouldn't surprise me if their manufacturing costs are lower.

No doubt HT is manufacturing way more efficiently than SS. Which is equally as insulting because as that company grew they've learned to produce for less but continue to charge more.

I do see how a better portrait could slightly add to the price though. It takes more $$$ to contract the better talent in the biz, and the best in the biz know what they're worth. Overall it shouldn't be a big increase because part of the inflation of the hobby on a whole is due to better level of head sculpts across the board. I feel that most if it is built in but I'm sure a guy like Trevor gets paid more to do a sculpt than some other folks

I'll take that bet, Wor-Gar. Unless we get pre-WWII Germany style inflation, I'll confidently say there is no way human figures will be going for $400.00 a pop, five years from now. There is an upper threashold at which the vast majority of collectors will just reason the product isn't worth the investment and I'd say we're reaching it about now. Just because prices rose three or four fold in the last seven years, doesn't mean that it continues at the same rate over time like clockwork. Those price raises were accompanied by a massive increase in quality. Any future improvements will be subtle and incremental in comparison. Also, those improvements can be implemented at the existing price point. We'll see who has bragging rights in 2019!

. The inflation should have leveled off a 1½ years ago, at most. Anything there after is just these companies riding the wave of the rabid growing customer base

The argument about licensing fees being more expensive for this go around is pure nonsense. If that was the case then Hoth Luke and Han would've been $280 each with everything they come with as they were announced after the renegotiated fee deals. HT Han and Chewie would've also been much more in comparison to this. This is purely about value for dollar. And there is no justification to put this Luke at the price he is because you don't get a proper value for dollar ratio in comparison to other releases under the Star Wars umbrella. Zero.

Boom. That's it and that's all

 

[marker2037]

What if Sideshow is switching to a (hopefully) better factory for Luke and THEY are charging more money? Just throwing it out there...

They have yet to prove themselves capable of matching a HT human in paint/quality/body so I don't think now would be the time to dramatically increase the price even if this was true and it came out that good. You can't just have a 20% increase from one Luke to the next Luke without a proven figure in between. Plus their last likeness was based on a video game character and that thing came out looking like it was 2006 all over again. Pathetic.

In all honesty, I hope it turns out awesome and it is from a new factory with HT principals and finishing quality. But this is all a what if scenario.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I'll take that bet, Wor-Gar. Unless we get pre-WWII Germany style inflation, I'll confidently say there is no way human figures will be going for $400.00 a pop, five years from now. There is an upper threashold at which the vast majority of collectors will just reason the product isn't worth the investment and I'd say we're reaching it about now. Just because prices rose three or four fold in the last seven years, doesn't mean that it continues at the same rate over time like clockwork. Those price raises were accompanied by a massive increase in quality. Any future improvements will be subtle and incremental in comparison. Also, those improvements can be implemented at the existing price point. We'll see who has bragging rights in 2019!

I have heard this same argument for the last 8 years every time there's a price increase.

Keep in mind, figures from 2007 are in no way comparable to figures now, and so will be the case in the future: real eyes, real hair, "action" movement, whatever. They may justify their price to some at that time. Certainly at $400 a pop, companies need not make so many to turn a healthy product.

But look, some figures are at or over the $300 mark now -- DX Terminator. So why is $400 shocking? I was being conservative.

 

[Invictus Sol]

What if Sideshow is switching to a (hopefully) better factory for Luke and THEY are charging more money? Just throwing it out there...

Possible, but if I were them, I'd have hidden the cost by spreading the increase over several figures, as proposed by Pop and others. If it is the case that production enhancements are driving the increase on this, the figure will need to be a dramatic improvement over their previous attempts, to justify it. Kind of hope that is what's going on, though (that would be the best case scenario, as opposed to the increase just being about licensing, with no increase in quality over previous offerings). Would be good if SSC finally caught-up w/HT in that respect.

 

[creature4000]

Well SS... this is the time to start throwing the old ES in at the beginning and let the PPO start up again.

 

[marker2037]

At the end of the day, I really don't care what's causing the increase in price. I am going off price alone, and at $240 that's a non-starter for me

Perfect!I go by price vs value. What am I getting for my money. This just doesn't cut it. The value isn't there. It's as simple as that.

 

[Sardo Numspa]

Over the last couple years, I'm finding a lot of people, including collectors, who don't realize that Hot Toys and Sideshow are actually 2 different companies. And when I say collectors, I mean fans who will buy collectibles, but don't spend time researching, or joining/participating in forums and such. They just see ads for products, or products in their local retailers, and they buy them. It wouldn't surprise me if Sideshow are raising their prices simply because they know that they can sell enough of them at that price point to justify losing some of the more hardcore fans.

In the end, I suspect my girlfriend. It wouldn't surprise me if she called Sideshow and asked them to raise their prices above a price point that I can fairly justify...

 

[Invictus Sol]

I have heard this same argument for the last 8 years every time there's a price increase.

I get that, but there is a limit, we just have to reach it. By your logic, the figures will be $400.00 in 2019 and continue doubling every 5 years forever. You don't seem to think there is any point at which it will cap. Again, last eight years: massive improvements that went hand-in-hand with the increases. That's no longer going to be the case and people can only earn so much a year. As I said, this'll be decided in 2019.