Statue bubble or just a buyers resale paradise?

[craigcliff1]

I would be glad to get half what I paid on most of my pieces, I don't care to list them anymore. I have 25 statues listed on Sideshow Freaks, once in a while I get an offer where I would be glad to get 1/4 of what I paid when I ship
they act like I should be glad and thank them.

How can this not pour over into retail market.
statues are too much and go up and up
shipping too much and goes up and up.
ES are huge and go up and up.
Too many statues from too from too many companies

[crimsinwing1989]

Originally Posted by Indomitus

I know for me I have already become more selective and already looking to close out my interest from buying these awesome pieces instead to just enjoying what the rest of you buy from a distance in the social media world.

You are stronger than me, only way i could close out is if i stop looking at statues altogether otherwise something is bound to pull me back in.

[crimsinwing1989]

Originally Posted by Gothamite

Every couple of months, these threads are started by people who've run out of space. They seem to forget that new people eager to fill their homes join the hobby all the time.

Are some statues (Kotobukiya) over-priced? Sure. Is the sky falling? No.

This is a good point but i like to think SS are more malicious in their intent.

Originally Posted by nbr3bagshotrow

I wouldn't be surprised if this bubble has further to go and I alswo wouldn't be surprised if one of the weaker companies closes shop.

Tbh i think this is SS way of wiping out competitors before they get too big.

[Gothamite]

Originally Posted by built2shred

I wonder if there are many new people joining this hobby as there was several years ago, the jumping in price point has gone up a lot... even to get into the smaller scale statues like 1/10 your looking around $100 per statue...

When you could get a 1/4 scale statue for $250 it was a lot more temping to get into this hobby.

Maybe, but I basically only collect DC characters. I guess I'm fortunate that DC makes its own statues, and they're the best value on the market. Everyone else has to pay licensing fees, which makes their products more expensive than DC's statues of same scales. A good example is Icon Heroes, their Aquaman movie statues are 1/9-scale and have an MSRP of $90. I might as well get the 1/6-scale DC Collectibles statues instead.

[Commander0Zero]

I remember when i ordered Captain Marvel and it was $500. the talk on the forums was how prices have gone through the roof on 1/4th scale. We would all be excited for the $500 PF today. Personally I have to step back and reevaluate the direction of my collection. And that really means buying less. I need to get my collection more streamlined and focused.

[67L88Stingray]

Originally Posted by craigcliff1

USPS. I was surprised, I thought would be like $1.50 or something like that.
About 2015 or so someone bought my T2 PF, forgot his ammo belt, so had to send it to him that was about 1 oz and Fed Ex chargesd $5.00, so I guess should not be surprised.
Use to ship 1/4 PF from west coast to east coast for about $10.00 to $20.00, now it cost more than that to go few hundred miles

You got overcharged, that weight is ~$2.50 with USPS.

[MPCanes]

Market is definitely a bubble. Outside a very select few pieces, very few are holding their value and something new comes out which drives down prices all the time. Pieces used to hold their value because it was the only thing out there - when you have 5 quarter scale Captain America’s to pick from, the market just can’t bare that.

And the market may be growing but it’s glacial compared to how much product is coming out.

Don’t buy pieces with the expectation you will make any money back and you will be fine - buy them because you like them.

[StatueDiva]

Originally Posted by Indomitus

Are we now in a saturated statue collecting market, sometimes referred to as a bubble? Or a buyers resale paradise? A buyers market in the open buy/sell/trade world? Sideshow TBD edition sizes, XM with their Made To Order process, Prime 1 reducing edition sizes after the fact and a fire sale this month.

Sideshow has been doing TBD edition sizes for quite a long time now.

I think we are seeing that companies do not want to sit on unsold inventory. One of the biggest issues is overestimating your demand which results in warehouse space being taken up or having to sell at a lower price to moves units.

I think this was a good move not only because of that reason, but that it shows the true demand of certain pieces and characters. Look at XM Moon Knight for example, only 270 ES! Imagine if that was set at 999 ES right off the bat.


The pieces that you mention P1 reducing their edition sizes after production is no surprise. Stuff like Transformers Beast Wars, Batman: Arkham, etc. is going to be tough when you get into niche characters and niche versions of characters.


Prices reaching all time highs. Maybe too many players in the statue game?

There's a lot of demand and fewer factories yes. It's clear to see that prices increasing have a lot to due with supply and demand.

But also ask yourself why do we have so many players trying to get into the statue game? Would we really see so much new blood coming in if this hobby was in big danger?

There are also more statues coming out now than ever, people are buying them up. Look at Tsume-Art for example, Athena 1/4 scale from Saint Seiya. Limited to 800 pieces and retailing at 1 499,00 € per piece! It's bigger than most 1/4 scales and sold like water!

Other Tsume pieces are selling by the thousands, and we're talking retail prices just under or over that figure.

Tsume-Art Vegeta 1/4, retail price of 699,00 € and sold 3000 pieces in a very short time.

My thoughts are that we are now in that very bubble we so often allude or speak directly about. However, I wouldn't hit the panic button just yet. But I would recommend each of us to be aware that we are now in that time where if you like to buy and sell, that sell part will be taking a hit. If you're in it to collect, some great pieces, choices, and investments by the statue companies to get your money with amazing artists and concepts.

I've heard of this bubble before. In fact, we all have heard from someone that the bubble already happened.

Everyone should always be aware about what they're buying, I agree on that 100%.

What will 2019 look like? I think it will be the year of reduced edition sizes, statue companies looking for niches, Sideshow increasing their distribution presence, and a major reduction in "fan art" with the continued crack down. I know for me I have already become more selective and already looking to close out my interest from buying these awesome pieces instead to just enjoying what the rest of you buy from a distance in the social media world.

A beaten wallet for me that's for sure.

.... Responses in blue/bold.

[nameivom]

Originally Posted by 67L88Stingray

You got overcharged, that weight is ~$2.50 with USPS.

Actually size of package makes a big difference in price not just weight. USPS changed their pricing structure on packages a few years ago. The larger the box, the more they charge than what they use to charge. Space is at a premium with USPS since UPS and FedEx now transfer a lot of their packages to USPS to finalize delivery. Also there is Amazon Sunday delivery through USPS. Shipping will just continue to go up, no slowdown in sight.

[aa909]

classic bubble where price velocity is not supported by normal supply-demand dynamics. bubbles can go on for a long time before they burst, but we are in one now, only question is how long it runs before it bursts.