Are there too many makers, variants flooding the market now?

[bforce]

Hi Everyone.

This topic may have been discussed in length before - but with so many toy/replica/collectible makers on the market now days and with many of these people/companies having official licences and producing endless variants, is it having an effect on your collection - especially resell wise?

I started collecting when basically McFarlane started his range - Predator, Alien, Spawn etc. - at the time these were the items to get (apart from going down to the local Toys R Us) - so you didn't have a wide range to choose from which meant the purchase increased in value over the years.

An example of late is the Captain America Shield 1:1.

EFX made an official version. King Arts has made a version. Beast Kingdom is making a version. And someone else is also (?).

I purchased an EFX version - because it is official, short(ish) run and in the end if I need to sell it I hopefully will break even or make some profit. Now with several other shields in the mix it (in my eyes) just flattens the market.

Same with the Hot Toys ED-209 - make it once don't make it again.

Collecting for me is all about chasing that rare elusive item. If the market becomes flooded with the same or similar items then......

In the end I suppose it's all about the companies making money - not the collector.

 

[willocrew]

I don't see the complaint to be honest.

I think the collectibles industry is really enjoying a very good time. There is something for everyone.

If you desire exclusiveness above all else, there are licensed manufacturers that make really exclusive stuff with edition sizes as low as 10. But be prepared to pay thousands of dollars.

 

[Lejuan]

Yeah, these things aren't really 'collectibles' in the sense of being limited so much as they are niche dolls/statues that people happen to build a collection with. If you want a 'rare, elusive' item, best get into pieces that declare their edition size or are recognisably rare.

 

[Collectorcol]

I don't see the problem. Quite simple really, just buy what you like.

If you're buying something in the hope it will rise in value then you are creating the problem for yourself.
It's called collecting, not speculating.

 

[Indeedely]

The more makers, the better to keep prices more competitive. I am all about getting the best deal up front.

The markets for many collectibles crash eventually, especially when there was a big hype and oversaturation of "collectibles" which I think the Avengers may qualify. Just wait on the HT Iron Mans going the way of Beanie Babies.

But seriously, speaking as a long-time collector, one is lucky to break-even for items that one decides to part with IMO. You will eventually sort out what really turns you on, and gradually you'll get some rare HTF items but it's impossible to part with them

 

[jkno]

Since you brought up EFX in the discussion I'll tell you that many people collecting Star Wars would really like to be at least one more company besides them to make props, helmets and studio scale. We got Anovos for suits, but especially for studio scale we have no other licensee. And EFX takes their time with releasing their SW stuff - 5 years for the TIE Fighter etc.


Now I'll say something else: if you collect as an investment, I guess you are in the wrong business. Buy what you REALLY like and enjoy it for what it is. Do not buy only with the thought of reselling later, because that will not make you a true collector.

 

[Vitus]

efx killed my star wars collecting single handedly.
I can't wait 5 years for each piece from them.
Super Large deposits and lots of waiting. I moved on to other properties.
I saw some of the Anovos stuff. That looks like some great competition though.

 

[rorkstar]

I've been collecting toys since I was 5 or 6 years old. Back then, I didn't have a lot to pick from in the Star Wars and superhero categories. Now, there's an overabundance of items and companies to choose and it's amazing. 25 years ago, I was making my own Star Wars Legos from mixing sets. Now all I have to do it go to the store and buy one. Makes it so much easier!

 

[Y4NK33 PL4N3T]

Variety is the spice of life so I hear.

 

[jkno]

efx killed my star wars collecting single handedly.
I can't wait 5 years for each piece from them.
Super Large deposits and lots of waiting. I moved on to other properties.
I saw some of the Anovos stuff. That looks like some great competition though.

The problem is that Star Wars is for me the most important property I'm interested in. I have NO interest in comics, and my other interests (Terminator, Predator, anime, Star Trek etc.) are much smaller compared to SW. So I'm stuck with SW. The good thing is I already have most of the items I want so it's easier to be just an EFX spectator, but more like the 2 old guys from Muppets (Statler and Waldorf) LOL

 

[Movie-Figures]

I can see your point. That said, competition tends to result in higher quality products. Personally, I welcome more manufacturers because it stops any one manufacturer being able to monopolise the market. It also stops any one manufacturer being able to just cut corners on quality or increase price because there is no competition.

Whilst I agree why do we need multiple versions of the same shield, it depends on two things. Firstly will the company licensing offer an exclusive? And if so, can the manufacturer afford it? If exclusive on Cap's shield means the shield costs £30K a piece, it's simply not worth it. Beast Kingdom's version looks very nice but it's a whopping £1600. So was their Rocket Racoon Rifle. They are nice, heavy pieces, but serious cash. I'm sure none of these manufacturers are pleased about having non=exclusive, but at least this should ensure all are trying to make a really nice version that beats their rivals.

From collecting point of view, yes this means your item can possibly lose its value. But if you're looking for investment, there are much safer ways to invest your money than collectables. We say this time and time again: 'buy something because you like it and you are OK with the money it costs'. If it sits on the side and makes you happy when you look at it then that's money well spent in my opinion.

Cheers

Liam

 

[Collectorcol]

I can see your point. That said, competition tends to result in higher quality products. Personally, I welcome more manufacturers because it stops any one manufacturer being able to monopolise the market. It also stops any one manufacturer being able to just cut corners on quality or increase price because there is no competition.

If only Sideshow could realise this...

 

[bforce]

Thanks for the replies.

Don't get my wrong here - I collect because I enjoy it (sometimes I wish I had more money and room!! Don't we all!!).

But I think consciously or subconsciously we all hope our collections are worth something - even if we break even (and that goes for whatever you collect - toys, stamps, beer cans, watches etc.)

If people aren't into making some sort of money off their collection, then why do they sell items at a higher price than what the original RRP was?

I'm happy to spend the money if it is a rarer item, but what annoys me is when a manufacturer re-releases an item eg Hot Toys Tumbler MMS69. If people missed out in the first run - then that's sort of bad luck (I missed out). Once a manufacture has release an item once, then that should be it. If another manufacturer wants to pick up the mantel and produce the same item (hopefully better) down the track then that is another story.

As for quality - is there a need for 58 variants of the same item (eg Ironman) when everyone is complaining about rubber degradation. Maybe a bit more quality control should be had than pumping out numerous variants. Again I'm happy to spend some extra $$ as long as I know what I'm getting is going to survive over time and not break, tear etc. within the first few months - because not only is this decreasing the value of the item when it degrades, it also decreases my enjoyment of collecting.

From several other threads I have read - I can see many other people share this view (they just haven't posted it here).

Again, I do enjoy collecting - This is just my 2 cents

 

[krzykoopa]

Thanks for the replies.

Don't get my wrong here - I collect because I enjoy it (sometimes I wish I had more money and room!! Don't we all!!).

But I think consciously or subconsciously we all hope our collections are worth something - even if we break even (and that goes for whatever you collect - toys, stamps, beer cans, watches etc.)

If people aren't into making some sort of money off their collection, then why do they sell items at a higher price than what the original RRP was?

I'm happy to spend the money if it is a rarer item, but what annoys me is when a manufacturer re-releases an item eg Hot Toys Tumbler MMS69. If people missed out in the first run - then that's sort of bad luck (I missed out). Once a manufacture has release an item once, then that should be it. If another manufacturer wants to pick up the mantel and produce the same item (hopefully better) down the track then that is another story.

As for quality - is there a need for 58 variants of the same item (eg Ironman) when everyone is complaining about rubber degradation. Maybe a bit more quality control should be had than pumping out numerous variants. Again I'm happy to spend some extra $$ as long as I know what I'm getting is going to survive over time and not break, tear etc. within the first few months - because not only is this decreasing the value of the item when it degrades, it also decreases my enjoyment of collecting.

From several other threads I have read - I can see many other people share this view (they just haven't posted it here).

Again, I do enjoy collecting - This is just my 2 cents

When I first started collecting it was about WOW this is so cool and I want more. Years later and I no longer owned the thing I was collecting because I had to sell for whatever reason. I made a little money and I got the feeling that collecting was an "investment" years go by and my collection goes up and down up and down. Finally I have an epiphany about my habits. I was no longer getting the this is so cool I want it stuff I was getting the stuff I thought would be valuable and saturating my collection, which was not really a collection but more a storage for things I would eventually sell. I liquidated about 90% of my stuff and figured out why I collect and what I really want. My collection is smaller now then ever but a lot more cherished. I am much more selective about what I buy to display I also am much more critical of things I put in my collection but I no longer worry about if I buy this it may go up in value later because I don't want to get rid of it. In the end we go through phases and now is an amazing time for collectors because you can get your display to look almost exactly how you want it to that is if you can figure out what it is you really want. We can't know 5 years later we will care about X as much as we thought but that is probably something you should be planning for. Lastly for some they are searching for that grail which is fun for them and if that is the case there is always a more high end item that has a lower production run. That is the place to go for a grail. Honestly a Sideshow or Hot toys grail is still going to be worth less then something that only has 10 made etc.

 

[Johnny Utah]

It would be cool if various companies suddenly all obtained the license for a true Grail like Blade Runner and made products. That's something that is just aching for figures, props and statues yet the licensing is such a bollocks no one has figured it out yet.