Statue bubble or just a buyers resale paradise?

[SolidLiquidFox]

This hobby is too emotional and full of OCD personalities. One of the key factors here being the need to collect 1/4 scale for the sake of consistency in a collection. This keeps everyone unable to change scales (down or up) in order to buy less or refocus their collections. At the mercy of 1/4 scale, the prices can and will surpass $1000 for an average run of the mill PF. I don't think many have the will power to flat out quit or adjust to really reassess what they buy.

The way I see it, many feel too invested in 1/4 scale and the so called "grails" are still too desired by many collectors. Even though some of those grails have technically been surpassed by newer versions or done better in other scales.

[stone eagle]

I would imagine market change can be brought about by many variables depending on age of customers and life needs or expenses as well as the already mentioned pricing and supply.
I can imagine a younger person living at home with very little expenses thinking of the present and not the future may spend a large part of their income on collectables or hobbies. They can also develop a philosophy of needing a complete collection of characters or if they focus on one image they may want each version or variant made.
Then as the collector ages life gets in the way and they don't have as much disposable income. Then their collecting slows down due to lack of funds or space or both.
The older collector may also discover that having such a fragile collection is a bad thing due to natural disaster or home fires or thefts etc. It also means that their idea of funding their "golden years" through sales may not work out due to used prices being down and the collection may be harder to liquidate.
I have also read articles where younger people are now looking for experiences in life and not material things so any hobby is suffering, unless it is on some sort of trend.

[StatueDiva]

Originally Posted by stone eagle

I would imagine market change can be brought about by many variables depending on age of customers and life needs or expenses as well as the already mentioned pricing and supply.
I can imagine a younger person living at home with very little expenses thinking of the present and not the future may spend a large part of their income on collectables or hobbies. They can also develop a philosophy of needing a complete collection of characters or if they focus on one image they may want each version or variant made.
Then as the collector ages life gets in the way and they don't have as much disposable income. Then their collecting slows down due to lack of funds or space or both.
The older collector may also discover that having such a fragile collection is a bad thing due to natural disaster or home fires or thefts etc. It also means that their idea of funding their "golden years" through sales may not work out due to used prices being down and the collection may be harder to liquidate.
I have also read articles where younger people are now looking for experiences in life and not material things so any hobby is suffering, unless it is on some sort of trend.

You have a great point, I would classify as a younger collector right now, but I am not averse to smaller scale for better budgeting and better management of space.

In fact, I think smaller scale may be the smarter way to collect if done in moderation.

[craigcliff1]

If P1 doesn't make anymore Robotechs, then just leaves PCS
GI Joes, TF and I.A. TF. If those lines get canceled then I am out then and there.

[Gothamite]

Originally Posted by stone eagle

Spoiler

I would imagine market change can be brought about by many variables depending on age of customers and life needs or expenses as well as the already mentioned pricing and supply.
I can imagine a younger person living at home with very little expenses thinking of the present and not the future may spend a large part of their income on collectables or hobbies. They can also develop a philosophy of needing a complete collection of characters or if they focus on one image they may want each version or variant made.
Then as the collector ages life gets in the way and they don't have as much disposable income. Then their collecting slows down due to lack of funds or space or both.
The older collector may also discover that having such a fragile collection is a bad thing due to natural disaster or home fires or thefts etc. It also means that their idea of funding their "golden years" through sales may not work out due to used prices being down and the collection may be harder to liquidate.
I have also read articles where younger people are now looking for experiences in life and not material things so any hobby is suffering, unless it is on some sort of trend.

This is a great post.

I also want to add that treating these things as "investments" is mis-guided. Sure, we may be able to make a small profit off of a couple of popular statues, but ultimately, these aren't the same as selling a Michelangelo sculpt and riding into the sunset.

[House]

Originally Posted by SolidLiquidFox

This hobby is too emotional and full of OCD personalities.

I hate to say it but yes, sure seems like it! But honestly, i usually scroll/skip through those comments. Would rather waste my time on something i actually enjoy reading.

Originally Posted by SolidLiquidFox

The way I see it, many feel too invested in 1/4 scale and the so called "grails" are still too desired by many collectors. Even though some of those grails have technically been surpassed by newer versions or done better in other scales.

More and more i hate the term of "grails". Not sure why, but its used more and more often. Everyone's favorites differ, i will never purchase a "grail" because it's claimed to be so.

Originally Posted by StatueDiva

You have a great point, I would classify as a younger collector right now, but I am not averse to smaller scale for better budgeting and better management of space.

In fact, I think smaller scale may be the smarter way to collect if done in moderation.

I think it is, and that is how i started out. Just 1/6 scale. Easier on space management, more characters, variations,price etc. But then i bought one PF realized the difference if quality and selection choices.

[67L88Stingray]

Originally Posted by nameivom

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.

He didn't say anything about it being a large parcel and couldn't have been if it was .3oz

Shipping is becoming a huge factor now though, as statues get larger it will only get worse with the DIM weight they are all screwing us with. I just had 2 shipped to me and it was ~$600 for just a few states away.

[chunkster702]

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.

I think there are alot of people jumping into the hobby because of SDCC company displays and stuff plus LCS carrying more statue collectibles but like you said when prices were 250-299 it was easier. Alot of people are frugal though(not a bad thing) and thought I was crazy spending those amounts back then lol but look at these prices now.

[craigcliff1]

the size of envelope
7 1/2 inch
4 1/2 inch
1/2 inch
0.3 oz.

I have about 70 or so statues left to sell, just these
are worth more than I paid.
MR Snowspeeder
IS Darth Vader
SSC Speeder Bike PF
Attakus Probe Droid
I.A. Soundwave
DROM Pf
Luke vs Wampa Diorama
I.A. Hulkbuster. although that cost too much to ship.

[Ryanbusts]

Originally Posted by crimsinwing1989

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.

I have been able to hold off on purchases and honestly, with these prices, it just makes it easier. It is hard to pass up on some of these statues but at the same time they aren’t worth the price when they can’t hold the value soon after they come out.
Before all these sculptors went digital, there was something very special about these pieces. If these pieces were made with that kind of effort/work- the prices wouldn’t seem so bad. But that’s not the case.

The market is flooded and Sideshow especially has grown too large of a head. Shady tactics (Thanos still in stock) mediocre QC for years, poor packaging- all these issues have been around for years and not one change besides price hikes. Instead we get SS live and other employees on here spamming how awesome every piece is.
Bubble? Who knows. It just gets easier and easier to not care though. Maybe it is a bubble. A bubble hurting the hobby.