State of XM?

[MrJones]

My two cents is that XM and Prime1 are thriving and will continue to do so. Maybe it's the general economic situation but it seems that there aren't just casual collectors right now. I've been trying to sell a couple mini busts and no one cares. It's pretty much people think $100 is too much for a collectible or they will buy a huge one for $1500. And with the nature of these things being so exclusive, it won't be hard to find 999 customers for each product.

[Bmutha]

Originally Posted by MrJones

It's pretty much people think $100 is too much for a collectible or they will buy a huge one for $1500.

So true.

[Buzzie]

State of XM?

Insane...

[grphyx1]

I think they are nice statues. However, they have pretty much maxed the tier that a 1:4 scale statue can command on the aftermarket with the magneto (they'll never get another like that). And it's not XM's doing at all, since they genuinely seem like a buncha guys that wanted to make statues that they would like to collect.

Originally Posted by Big Hulk

I'll probably get raked over the coals for this but in my opinion XM is only popular because they all feel like exclusives since us in the US can't get them easily. I guarantee you most people buy them for long term investments even if they will never say that. I honestly don't think most of their statues are that impressive but I don't have on in hand.

[loricstone]

Ghost Rider, Batman, Star Wars and a few others will PROBABLY (not factually cause I dont know) command that...or something close to it.

[supermetroid]

Nah, I doubt Batman will. He looks awesome, but look at how many great Batman statues are coming out. Magneto was the perfect storm of really high demand and excellent execution(sculpt, detail, paint etc. all 10/10 imo) with the small ES. GR will be sought after but he's not as in demand/popular as Magneto.

[Spidey976]

I will add that many people are forgetting that XM is fine. Aftermarket money doesn't end up in their pocket. They are doing amazing work, and that won't change even if we in North America can't easily get their pieces.

[HiTMAN]

I appreciate XM and other smaller companies who venture into less popular licenses and characters but it needs to be executed methodically. I know some characters might be perceived as B/C listers and may seem like a tough sell, but at the end of the day it really comes down to the art, execution and price point.

I am fully aware of XM’s licensing agreements and the market they cater to, however, their price range does not fall within the standard market rate. Not that there is a standard market rate when it comes to art, but if certain companies [not Sideshow] are capable of producing high quality collectibles in 1/4 scale ranging anywhere from $350-$500 then something is off. Yeah, they may include only 1 switch out portrait or an art print, and a standard art box but that’s more than enough. If artists are confident with their concepts then it’s not necessary to provide 10 switch outs to justify the high price point. Plus most switch outs remain in the box anyway. Then there is the 1/3 scale...

Sooner or later collectors will hit a dead end and will face difficulties sustaining their passion for collecting. Cutting down the edition size does not increase demand but rather diminishes the credibility of the piece. If a particular piece wasn’t successful or in demand initially what makes you think it will be sought after down the road. Bottom line is companies need to realize there are other obligations in life aside from this hobby. If they wish to be successful they need to take a step back and access the rate of releases and price point, otherwise this hobby is doomed to crash. There is too much competition nowadays and the market is getting saturated. Nothing in life is immune from deflation except for Gold & Silver, just look at past events, the economy is unstable.

[built2shred]

There is a statue bubble going on right now IMO, and when it pops it will be interesting to see who stays around and who goes under.

Given how small XM Studios is I have no doubt they could keep going by just reducing their Edition Size and reduce how many statues they put out. It will be a lot tougher for bigger companies who only make profit by mass producing.

Right now all these companies are putting out product like crazy. Eventually you'll have to much product vs buyers. That's when you hear a "POP"

[grphyx1]

XM as a company will be fine. Great quality work will stick around. The collector market will have an implosion.

Originally Posted by Spidey976

I will add that many people are forgetting that XM is fine. Aftermarket money doesn't end up in their pocket. They are doing amazing work, and that won't change even if we in North America can't easily get their pieces.