When will the 1:6 bubble pop?

[ericvalenz]

they have to take it to the next level. HT gets Marvel, and Soldier Story or ACE gets DC. I just woke up one day realizing that i had enough germans to start the 2nd battle of the bulge. and how many PMCs should one have anyways. that's when i turned to other genres. i'd love to see HT take on figs that ignite has done and pair them up; knights & moors, romans & barbarians, cowboys&indians, ninjas&samurais, etc. plus, as long as good movies are showing we'll all be suckers for their figures. ironman2,spidey4,thor,capt. america, the avengers, deadpool, green lantern and so on.

 

[Webb]

When Armageddon comes next year.

Well to be exact the day is Dec,21th 2012,this all going to end.Think about it you can save Xmas money that year,because there won't be nobody yo give to.:chew

 

[viezure]

Yeah, that's why I'm sticking pretty much solely to customizing at this point. You drop $150 on a figure, take it out of the box and that's it. The wait is really the most exciting part, opening the actual figure becomes anti-climactic. With a custom you may end up spending that same amount over time, but at least it's a more involving process.

I don't think this has to do with the topic we're discussing in this thread, but i agree with you. Customizing (and by this, in my case, i refer to buying different parts to make a whole figure, not painting/sculpting) is fun and exciting, and if we're talking money, even if you'd pay the same amount overall (but i don't think so), it's like you're getting the figure with easy installments

 

[Kuzeh]

I am already picking and choosing...
I don't think I would ever buy anything above the $250.00 mark...

 

[ArmoredFoe]

I don't think this has to do with the topic we're discussing in this thread, but i agree with you. Customizing (and by this, in my case, i refer to buying different parts to make a whole figure, not painting/sculpting) is fun and exciting, and if we're talking money, even if you'd pay the same amount overall (but i don't think so), it's like you're getting the figure with easy installments

I agree, this is probably the way to go. Pick up one of those HT bodies and just start making your own figures, even if you cant sculpt, you can still get the body at least close to the character your trying to resemble for far less than actually buying the figure. If anything HT should just start selling head sculpts of characters at a decent price so they dont go out of business but still offering the consumer something at a reasonable price with good quality.

Think about it...after you get past the head sculpt its just a plain old body, with the exclusion of the muscle bodies and certain other bodies with complex joints/articulation. The outfits you can get anywhere or again at least match it close enough.

 

[karamazov80]

I am already picking and choosing...
I don't think I would ever buy anything above the $250.00 mark...

What if the Thriller figure went for a minimum of $280?

 

[Shanester]

Prices are a funny thing. I never bought HT or Medicom because they seemed too expensive to me. I bought mostly SSC stuff because the quality was always there (IMO) for a decent price. Then came the armored figures (SW) or the exclusives with a higher price. Heck, I looked at Vader and quickly justified the price for the detail and size. Next thing I know, I am re-looking at the HT stuff and thinking that $150+ is not so bad for a HT Iron Man with all that detail and such a great sculpt.

$200 MSRP on a DX TDK Batman? Pushing it IMO...

 

[galactiboy]

Yeah, but you sure get a lot with that DX figure... I think if you compared it to something like Two-Face its easier to justify, or the stuff DCD releases for $125

 

[holtrax]

when someone sticks a pin in it...preferably sooner rather then later. Im seriously running out of dough to spend on all these figures and the fact that they are now being released like a flood. I kinda prefered it back when ht didn't have so many licenses.

 

[willocrew]

Yep that's the thing about 1/6. These companies slowly condition you to the high prices.

I started out in this hobby by getting old sideshow figures for $100 or under at my local 1/6 shop, which I thought was pretty expensive at that point in time.

Then I started shopping online and bought myself a 2nd hand Hot Toys alien warrior for $150 (Hey 2nd hand import.. what's an extra $50 right? And it's not just a doll in clothes).

From $150, it went to $200... then Enterbay started producing some Bruce Lee figures that went beyond the $250 mark, making Hot Toy's $200 price point look [comparatively] cheap.

It's crazy when I realise that not too long ago, when I was buying figures for $100, I was already complaining about how expensive it was.

 

[osakafanz]

Yeah when people refuse to pay for them

 

[toystales]

Price point aside, another key factor that will likely contribute to consumer fatique is the recent practise by HT to release 3 to 4 different versions of what is essentially the same figure, with just a little re-paint, slight modifications and adding of an extra accessory or two. However, the choice basically still lies with the consumer. He/she can choose to buy all the releases or just those that he/she likes. Ultimately, it is still the basic rule of demand and supply.

 

[Toast]

Unless it's a DX If 1/6th figures go over $200 retail I'm out

 

[toystales]

Unless it's a DX If 1/6th figures go over $200 retail I'm out

"Normal" 1/6 figures are fast approaching that price point. Medicom RAH are already retailing at $170 to $180 and new releases from HT are now costing around $160 to $170. Even SSC is "catching" up at prices up to $110 (Sandtrooper) to $125 (Darth Vader).

 

[Toast]

Yea it sucks, I was on sideshow's site and i typed in Rambo and I saw the hot toys M65 Jacket Rambo and it's retail price $79.99 I couldn't believe it that's so cheap compared to today.

"Normal" 1/6 figures are fast approaching that price point. Medicom RAH are already retailing at $170 to $180 and new releases from HT are now costing around $160 to $170. Even SSC is "catching" up at prices up to $110 (Sandtrooper) to $125 (Darth Vader).

 

[holtrax]

Not sure though that releasing 2 or 3 variants is a good idea in the long run. People will just wait until they release a dx figure and buy that. So im not for this idea of releasing multiple variants of the same figure. I mean look i understand the laws of economics and hey thats what companies do but its not hard to see whats going on and i just think they will hurt themselves long term by doing this. I think people feel like they've been taken for a ride when they buy a figure and then find out like a day later they are releasing bascially the same figure with minor improvements and a few extras added three or four months later.

What i think is they should just release one figure and make it like the ultimate representation of a movie character like they did with the predator 1 figure. I wouldn't even mind paying a good bit extra for this instead of paying like for the same figure 2 or 3 times just because it has some minor adjustments done or some small accessories added. Ultimately though as mentioned above the choice is with the consumer if you don't like something or if it hurts your wallet don't buy it.

 

[Raymond F.]

I dont see prices dropping, just subtly going up if anything. they've stumbled upon a market thats willing to pay 200 dollars a figure, even more if its out of production.

the 1/6 market is pretty untapped as opposed to the 6 inch where a lot of ground has been covered. I see this as being the new thing for the next 3-5 years.

They've revolutonized the standards of geek desire and if the sales are there, they will make until they no longer sell.

 

[KBA]

At this point I'm not too concerned about the prices of 1/6 stuff. I'm not saying I have a huge income, but I only collect my absolute favorite film and television characters and that list is steadily shrinking. Only a few more to go.

 

[Josette]

I agree ^

I love Hot Toys, but I only have five HT figures - three Pirates of the Caribbean, and the two Watchmen ones when they're released. They don't have any other licenses that interest me or that I really want to collect. I dropped Dark Knight because while I like the movie a lot, I'm not so attached to it that I want to collect it.

When you only buy from the licenses that mean the most to you, the prices aren't quite as deal breaking. Sure, they're expensive as hell, but I only get 1 every few months, if that.

 

[kl241]

$200 for the SS exclusive Final Battle John Connor and Iron Man Mark III Battle Damaged. Folks, the 1:6 bubble has just burst.