Is The Hot Toys Aftermarket Bubble About to Burst?

[Agent_J.Warren]

I'm currently trying to sell my last few Hot Toys figures and I'm noticing dozens upon dozens of the same figures already listed. I have never seen this before and it concerns me. In the past when I go to sell there's generally only a handful. This, on top of the outrageous aftermarket prices makes me feel like the hobby is on the verge of collapse...at least in the aftermarket.

[Bottled_Water]

Depends on what you're selling I suppose. A lot of the Marvel characters don't go for much because each them has been made several times over, but I imagine you'd still get a good amount for any of the classic 80s characters like terminator or Robocop.

[Agent_J.Warren]

Originally Posted by Bottled_Water

Depends on what you're selling I suppose. A lot of the Marvel characters don't go for much because each them has been made several times over, but I imagine you'd still get a good amount for any of the classic 80s characters like terminator or Robocop.

That could be the case. The last figures I sold were Star Wars. These are all Marvel.

[ukshaun]

If you have the time and patience, i have noticed some sellers appear to break down a figure to the following components:

Brown shipper box
Art box
Base
Portrait
Body (no portrait, hands, feet)
Hands
Outfit (broken down further, coat, shirt, trousers ect)
Footwear
Weapons (sold separately)
...and so on and so on.

Add it all up, and a $250 Hot Toys figure is being sold for 3x 4x (maybe more) the price.

Current examples:
$43.00 - HOT TOYS AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON MMS302 Quicksilver 1/6 Scale (x4) Hand Accessories
$47.00 - 1/6 scale Hot Toys Predator Feet
$106.00 - Hot Toys MMS400D18 Iron Man 2: Mark V Diecast 1/6 Figure Battle Damaged Arm
$105.00 - HOT TOYS DX01 JOKER LONG PURPLE COAT JACKET OVERCOAT ACCESSORY w/ grenade pocket
There are many many single items for sale.

[gra007]

Originally Posted by ukshaun

If you have the time and patience, i have noticed some sellers appear to break down a figure to the following components:

I noticed this, why is this happening? Replacing of broken parts, or customizing? I was tempted to do this with mine to get a little money back, but I was worried I'd be stuck with half a figure in the end.

[ukshaun]

Originally Posted by gra007

I noticed this, why is this happening? Replacing of broken parts, or customizing? I was tempted to do this with mine to get a little money back, but I was worried I'd be stuck with half a figure in the end.

I can think of 2 reasons:

1. Business: to make money. I get the impression there are people out there buying 1, 2, 3, 4 of the same Hot Toys (and other makes) figure, to break them down to sell off in parts to kitbash'ers.

2. Non business: kitbash'ers will buy a figure and decide to mod it by swapping the body and using some of the parts. I assume anything left-over is sold to further fund their kitbash hobby.

I guess broken parts/damaged boxes could form part of the supply/demand model.
Someone might own a 10/10 figure with a damaged box. Likewise, someone might own a figure that is used/damaged but has a mint condition box that has spent it's entire life in a brown shipper.

[candyrocket786]

Originally Posted by Agent_J.Warren

I'm currently trying to sell my last few Hot Toys figures and I'm noticing dozens upon dozens of the same figures already listed. I have never seen this before and it concerns me. In the past when I go to sell there's generally only a handful. This, on top of the outrageous aftermarket prices makes me feel like the hobby is on the verge of collapse...at least in the aftermarket.

I'd imagine the re-releases are also impacting the market.

[Agent_J.Warren]

Originally Posted by ukshaun

If you have the time and patience, i have noticed some sellers appear to break down a figure to the following components:

Brown shipper box
Art box
Base
Portrait
Body (no portrait, hands, feet)
Hands
Outfit (broken down further, coat, shirt, trousers ect)
Footwear
Weapons (sold separately)
...and so on and so on.

Add it all up, and a $250 Hot Toys figure is being sold for 3x 4x (maybe more) the price.

Current examples:
$43.00 - HOT TOYS AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON MMS302 Quicksilver 1/6 Scale (x4) Hand Accessories
$47.00 - 1/6 scale Hot Toys Predator Feet
$106.00 - Hot Toys MMS400D18 Iron Man 2: Mark V Diecast 1/6 Figure Battle Damaged Arm
$105.00 - HOT TOYS DX01 JOKER LONG PURPLE COAT JACKET OVERCOAT ACCESSORY w/ grenade pocket
There are many many single items for sale.

This is really good advice. If it comes down to this I will go this route. I'm hoping they sell whole at the moment. Still haven't sold yet but I'm going to take some better pictures tomorrow.