Do you think Sideshow statues are priced too high that they are giving discounts now?

[VS1976]

I’ve been noticing sideshow has been giving out a lot of 10-15% discounts off there statues and yet they aren’t selling out. Should there $600 statues be priced at $510 or less now? Personally, I think one of the problems is that they aren’t doing exclusives as much and that collectors are wanting it. I would love SSC to do more exclusives again. I hate something that ain’t limited. I wouldn’t also mind seeing statues being back to the $500 range. There isn’t any point doing discounts after discounts if they can’t even sell out of them.

[IronLungs31]

Brother VS, we've been in this game a long time. The hobby is different and I feel that XM has taken over that role of being the company that is offering the real exclusive statues. Making the statues that everyone in the hobby has been asking for to be made for years and keeping them very exclusive all the while. I think that is SSC going through one of there phases like they've done over the years. The era of the comiquette's, prints as EX, dioramas etc...This is the new phase of the company most Premium Format's w/o Ex. with huge ES.

[Frankierock]

Agree with both you guys..and yes ,we been here for a while. I believe Sideshow should definitely think about lowering the prices on non EX pieces, at some point we as collectors might see these high ES and High priced statues a real turn off. I mean XM prices are high, but the quality and Detail is there. Plus all the options. So why should I pay $650 for a Regular Statue with an ES of 3500 or 5000..when for $200-$300 more I get a much more limited Statue (usually under 500 Es) with so many more options. But I will say, if that Sideshow statue was $400 -$500..well now I have to think about it..2 really good Statues for $1000, Hmmm.

[Silas Loki]

I know the focus is Sideshow, but my impression is that the failure to "sell out" is industry wide. Obviously Sideshow offering discounts is their way to shift stock.....at least they're offering something, nobody else is.

As we approach winter in Europe and UK, I can imagine many collectors are having to rethink certain purchases. Luxury buys such as Statues, are likely to suffer first.

[darren1228]

I don't think this is a Sideshow is too expensive problem. Sideshow is priced at like 50% off compared to the competition (yes I understand the complexity and ES are different).

The main thing to me is if there are no benefits to preordering why should I? Even if they decrease the price to $400 I still wouldn't preorder if I can wait to see in hand pictures at release and get it for 10% off and free shipping. They need to come up with better incentives for preordering, decrease the ES, or offer EX versions (with lower ES) to convince me to preorder.

p.s. rehashing characters doesn't help either. Why buy the new Carnage PF when I'm only 75% happy with it and I know Sideshow will come out with another version a few years later (hopefully a Mark Bagley version)?

[DiscoCougar]

Honestly - and I know this is super taboo to talk about on these boards - people are willing to spend $1100+ on custom stuff that they find online with relative ease. So, it's not a lack of funds or inability to pay that's holding customers back from buying out everything Sideshow makes. It's literally that SS makes the same characters over and over with lame designs for each one. And I get that SS is in a bad spot having to deal with the mouse and new WB owners who all make it impossible to create something great and unique. But how many stupid Superman, Iron Man, Batman, Spiderman, Harley, and Cap stuff are we supposed to be excited for and want to buy immediately - especially for the prices SS is asking for when you can get a great quality dream character custom for only a couple hundred dollars more?

[SDguy]

Coupons and sales are definitely more common now than in recent history with SS, so, yeah, I try to wait for one.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Every company is over priced. Every company has insane markup on their statues, as evidenced by the fact that they can have big sales and still make money.

[Yojimbo]

There seems definite pull back from the buyers.

Sideshow is the most affordable one out there, imo, but there’s not a lot they have put out lately that I’m interested in. They have so many great pieces from yesteryear, and I’m scratching my head thinking how they can’t release even a few pieces that go above those. The paint apps and sculpting are much better now too…

Even though with the economy the way it is, we all find ways to make frivolous purchases. I just don’t think the output is that great from the statue companies. With the prices they’re asking, and the (seemingly) sky high profit margins, you’d think we’d be getting amazing pieces left and right. But in reality I don’t see much of anything that are must haves.

[mva5580]

Sideshow is obviously the most affordable, but they make the least "interesting" statues. By far. They're totally fine for people entering the market, only wanting 1 statue in their collection, etc, but overall they probably have a hard time finding repeat customers.

XM to me is very hit and miss. They're clearly far more creative in their designs than Sideshow but 1) Their face sculpts are still a bit lacking and 2) Even if they are more creative, they're still not worth pushing double what Sideshow charges.

I still think Prime 1 makes the best stuff but the price jump in the last year or so has really turned me off. Plus P1 obviously doesn't make any Marvel stuff, and primarily 1/3, so they have a smaller focus. Although I imagine their other licenses are pretty popular in Japan.

I mainly just think that overall at some point there's only so much you can see/buy before you've more or less had enough. Doesn't mean you won't buy ANYTHING ever again or whatever, but you eventually get to the point where any new statue you buy isn't going to impress you more/make you any happier then what you've had in the past.

They're cool pieces of art. But they're also really expensive and over saturated.