The Price is Allways Too HIGH
- Thread starter Boba Debt
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Leon 911
Super Freak
There is a newer trend, many people buy multiple figures of even custom figures. Its not like they can afford it, but just i guess have a better liquidity flow. One day after release they want to sell all but one of the figures they bought. While its not wrong - its so wrong in so many ways. Basically buy multiple and ensure that things get sold out within minutes of listing and then cry and try and sell them one day after receiving shipment. I can understand a scenario where one odd figure that they bought in multiple and want to get rid of it, we have all been there, but i see them on every sale thread selling stuff they received a day ago and at an obscene price. Sometimes i feel there is a smaller network that some of us are not aware about. Basically ensure things sell off and create an artificial demand / supply issue and may be even get commission on it? ... Who knows.
PS.. This is not meant for some genuine sellers, without them some of our collection wont be what it is and they know who they are and are mature to understand my comment. Infact some genuine sellers even sell custom at same price as they bought! Which i get shocked at and respect! But some others are such flippers...
PS.. This is not meant for some genuine sellers, without them some of our collection wont be what it is and they know who they are and are mature to understand my comment. Infact some genuine sellers even sell custom at same price as they bought! Which i get shocked at and respect! But some others are such flippers...
Mr. EcKo
OG Freak
I have seen members sell a rainman figure for retail, and then another member within the same week sell the same figure for three times the amount.
There are good sellers on here
There are good sellers on here
I'm saying it plays a part but not solely down to it. You can't tell me Hot Toys don't monitor whats going on with unlicensed stuff thats costing more than Hot Toys and they'll be saying in some form, these people are willing to pay more and more. Yet every year the prices go up.
Everything is playing a part, R&D, tools, licensing, wages, flipping, customs, inflation.
I was so gutted when I found out years ago through a member thats been banned for sometime now. That the price of a Batman 89 figure and what you got before Hot Toys announced any license. It sounded like shopping out the back of some rogues van/truck. With dodgy plugs. At these prices… A lot of it stinks of scam.
Wouldn't be so bad if these little guys, the so called "art" was licensed and they had official shops and all the bells and whistles that goes with official merchandise that warrants their prices. But little guys working from their home pumping out so called "art" in small runs that isn't even official, regardless of their talent. I still don't get it. I don't get how they warrant prices higher than Hot Toys that Hot Toys will be closely monitoring. After all, wasn't that how they found Kato? It all adds up to these mass produced figures because Hot Toys know they are willing to pay.
Yet all you ever get is this "art" excuse and low runs. So if it's so artful and so rare yet lives up to the ones that warrant all the answers/changes nitty gritty analysing in debates because it's one of a kind, why is it getting sold in such a short time frame? When Hot Toys will also see this. They want in on it as well. Baby steps.
Official companies spent many years building up their names through official channels to get the prices they're at now. Yet joe nobody except across smalls groups of people can charge many hundreds and higher out of nowhere…
Years from now when the prices are so high, so many people will go, it'll eventually be "wtf just happened?!"
lerath666
Super Freak
Prices will eventually hit a point that will cause a market crash, and a possible price reduction. Possible, but not garinteed, and even then the reduction will not be that much. Only enough to entice people back into buying.
Lejuan
Super Freak
I reckon it makes sense for Hot Toys to scout for great custom artists like Arnie Kim, Kojun, Kato, etc., just as it makes sense for any professional organization to headhunt among talented hobbyists. Music labels will look for talented bands playing at bars, WWE will look at indie wrestlers, Marvel will look for artists and writers doing homegrown work, etc. I personally think it's a stretch to say that HT uses such a niche group as a guidepost for how they should determine their prices, etc., but who knows? Power to them if they do and if it works for them. But all I need to do is look at Mattel or Hasbro selling a cheap 6" toy for $20-30, make the quick recognition that Hot Toys figures are easily worth 10 times their value, and probably cost in production, and it all seems relatively fair.
As for folks selling figures for what others will pay, that's certainly not exclusive to custom work. Maybe it's more exaggerated because of the ridiculous costs, but the logic is no different than someone charging $1,000 for an Ani-Con Scar Predator or $700 for a Silly Thing Iron Man, or even $300 for a Bane or what have you. Flippers exist in probably every aspect of toy collecting, and those who don't buy to flip, but sell for profit do as well. Let the man who has never made any profit on anything he's bought throw the first stone here. If anyone has made profit, then before getting too morally indignant consider the old joke about a guy offering a woman a million dollars to have sex with him. She agrees. He says, what about $10? She asks--what do you think I am, a whore? He responds, we've already determined that that's the case, now I'm just trying to negotiate price.
As for folks selling figures for what others will pay, that's certainly not exclusive to custom work. Maybe it's more exaggerated because of the ridiculous costs, but the logic is no different than someone charging $1,000 for an Ani-Con Scar Predator or $700 for a Silly Thing Iron Man, or even $300 for a Bane or what have you. Flippers exist in probably every aspect of toy collecting, and those who don't buy to flip, but sell for profit do as well. Let the man who has never made any profit on anything he's bought throw the first stone here. If anyone has made profit, then before getting too morally indignant consider the old joke about a guy offering a woman a million dollars to have sex with him. She agrees. He says, what about $10? She asks--what do you think I am, a whore? He responds, we've already determined that that's the case, now I'm just trying to negotiate price.
Hilarious that almost no one here is talking about this
But sure, people enjoy complaining. Hell, I think that's the glue that holds toy collecting forums together.
hokietwo
Super Freak
also the enjoyment reading the complaints....
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batfan08
Super Freak
Hilarious that almost no one here is talking about this
But sure, people enjoy complaining. Hell, I think that's the glue that holds toy collecting forums together.
I think it just keeps the conversation going. If a figure looks ****ed, you'll have pages and pages of (warranted) complaining about how terrible it looks. As LeJuan said, complaining about price is the way in which people communicate that everything else is pretty much great. Otherwise, threads would pretty much be:
"Wow! This looks fantastic!"
"Yeah, it does."
"This thing definitely looks really cool."
"Fourthed!
"
Pay what you feel a figure is worth, no problems.
What grinds my gears is when people put a figure on the marketplace at $100+ over eBay prices, then expect me to pay Paypal fees (which is invariably tacked on as a rider after the price, and the advertised price is not the true cost, and is thus deceptive), then spend the next month optimistically bumping said overpriced item, then complain about people trying to lowball them on the price.
As a buyer, of course I'm going to do my best to get the best deal for me, that's my job. Politely refuse and we all move on.
What grinds my gears is when people put a figure on the marketplace at $100+ over eBay prices, then expect me to pay Paypal fees (which is invariably tacked on as a rider after the price, and the advertised price is not the true cost, and is thus deceptive), then spend the next month optimistically bumping said overpriced item, then complain about people trying to lowball them on the price.
As a buyer, of course I'm going to do my best to get the best deal for me, that's my job. Politely refuse and we all move on.
Hilarious that almost no one here is talking about this
But sure, people enjoy complaining. Hell, I think that's the glue that holds all forums together.
*fixed*
Agree it's human nature. I am a member of a few collectible forums, which have items retailing from $12-$25 and $85-$130. Members at both those places complain about hurting wallets, prices going up, too expensive, blah blah.
Even cheapish collectibles add up to expenses. Add to that the flippers found at every collector's market.
That being said I have actually passed on items because I couldn't see the price justification (mostly at our 1/6 market). I have the money, but can't figger why they're asking so much moolah. I am therefore peeved about not getting it...so vent about my hangup (the absurd price).
Even cheapish collectibles add up to expenses. Add to that the flippers found at every collector's market.
That being said I have actually passed on items because I couldn't see the price justification (mostly at our 1/6 market). I have the money, but can't figger why they're asking so much moolah. I am therefore peeved about not getting it...so vent about my hangup (the absurd price).
A lot of what goes on in the sales section is annoying. But my perspective is--those guys simply aren't going to get sales. So, the only ones who really lose out are them, if they are genuinely trying to move something. Everyone else can (and will) simply ignore them at some point. But for some items where value isn't clear (some rare customs or one offs for example), it actually makes a lot of sense for someone trying not to sell for too little or too much.Pay what you feel a figure is worth, no problems.
What grinds my gears is when people put a figure on the marketplace at $100+ over eBay prices, then expect me to pay Paypal fees (which is invariably tacked on as a rider after the price, and the advertised price is not the true cost, and is thus deceptive), then spend the next month optimistically bumping said overpriced item, then complain about people trying to lowball them on the price.
As a buyer, of course I'm going to do my best to get the best deal for me, that's my job. Politely refuse and we all move on.
ShapeShifter
Super Freak
If I see an ad that says based on ebay prices I move on right away
GeneralZodLives
Super Freak
Unless I'm mistaken, Boba Debt's point of this thread is that people on this site complain about the prices of figures. Well, no ****. People everywhere complain about what items cost--gas, food, cars, electronic equipment, bills, and even toys. You know why? Because the cost of those things DON'T GO DOWN. Price goes up a little, people ***** until they get used to it, then it goes up again and people ***** until they get used to the new increase--rinse and repeat. Remember how many people lost their minds about the $300 price tag on HT Hulk? Now look at how many HT 1/6 scale figures are hitting that price point or creeping up on it. The process for this isn't some well-kept secret. It's called capitalism. Even if wages were increased to cover the increasing prices people would still complain because people always want to pay the smallest amount possible. This isn't higher math and the complaining will continue--no matter what collectible forum site you visit.
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