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Priced Out? What's reasonable?
https://docs.joecustoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=43135		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Coach E 2012 [ Thu May 07, 2015 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Priced Out? What's reasonable?
Hey All,

As I get older, real life intervenes and I find myself looking for a cheap alternative to the now ridiculously priced 3.75 scale figs. Mega Bloks and BBI are filling the niche nicely, but when something like a convention kit comes out, I find it hard to resist.

My question is, how much does ones spend max on one figure? And what calculus do you use (it's rare, it's cool, got good reviews etc). This topic was spawned by sighting some sweet acid rain guys online, but at $27 per, I can't justify it to myself...currently.
Author:  Dusty79 [ Thu May 07, 2015 4:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
My top is about $35 per figure. And I need to really like it. I don't consider it an investment so rarity is not a factor for me. Just how bad I want it.
Author:  The Spectre [ Thu May 07, 2015 4:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
My max is for a decently articulated 3.75" or 4" figure $10 for a standard retail figure and $15 for anything special (i.e. the "Doctor Who" line as it is primarily an import line).

Anything higher than that it has to be REALY special or SUPER limited and will be considered on a case by case basis.
Author:  Cap [ Thu May 07, 2015 6:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
Situational for me. I see plenty of figures that would make my customs scream(like a Red She-Hulk) but when I think hard about that thirty or more she goes for, I remember that I can best use that at either Angelforge getting something spectacular, or taking advantage of the Amazon older fare that tops out between $4 and $6, many of which have free shipping.

But in all seriousness, this will be tested in the extreme when BossFightStudios fare is commercially available. I have waited nearly forty years for some of what the are making, and planning to make Fates willing.
Author:  GITrekker [ Thu May 07, 2015 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
I find it very difficult to justify more than $10 for a 4" scale figure, or $20 for a 6" scale. The only regular exception I make to that is Masters of the Universe Classics.

Transformers are a little more iffy, but I don't buy a lot of those. I'd love to get that Combiner Wars Megatron, but -- $45!? Not in my budget.

And the building-block lines such as Lego and Mega are just too expensive, period.
Author:  Suntzu [ Thu May 07, 2015 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
I haven't purchased a 3.75" figure in some time (I'm completely on the Mega Bloks Call of Duty train and cherry picking their other lines). However how I determine how much I'm willing to pay is by how I plan on using the figure. Army builders ? $4 per max. Giant robots / Creatures / Monsters that tower over a 3.75" or Mega Bloks 2" figure ? $10-20. I'm only buying 1 or 2 maximum.

Individual characters / "hero" characters? I really have to personally identify with the character to even buy him or it has to be a villain in opposition to the main character. Ex. You'd pay a decent amount for cobra commander or megatron. You're a bit more choosy with regard to secondary or tertiary characters. If I really identify with a hero character and it's well made /articulated I'll spend $15 absolute maximum but generally $10 or less . Again I'm only buying said character once .

....and this is why $13-$16 for 4-5 mega bloks call of duty figures or $2-3 Halo blind bags is right up my alley. It's like ARAH back in 88'.
Author:  Darko [ Thu May 07, 2015 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
$8 was my ceiling as far as collecting whole waves. At $10, I only bought very specific figures. At $13, screw it. I've passed up tons of figures I would have bought at $10. I just plain refuse to support such a ridiculous price point. See you in the clearance aisle.
Author:  raptor [ Fri May 08, 2015 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
I won't pay more than $5 a figure anymore.

I don't buy many figures anymore.

- R
Author:  AdrienVeidt [ Fri May 08, 2015 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
Money is less a concern than quality to me. What's the point of spending any amount of money if you're not gonna be happy? I was paying $20+ for MicroMan figures just about 15 years ago, and I still pay $20 for 'craft' & import figures now; so to me the upper limit of what I'll pay hasn't changed. All that's really changed from my view is that the craft figures have increased in quality while the retail figures have gone into the toilet.
Author:  alleyviperelite [ Fri May 08, 2015 10:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
Darko wrote:
$8 was my ceiling as far as collecting whole waves. At $10, I only bought very specific figures. At $13, screw it. I've passed up tons of figures I would have bought at $10. I just plain refuse to support such a ridiculous price point. See you in the clearance aisle.


I had just bought our new house when the single packs hit 8 bucks and all of a sudden I was paying for the new house and my old bachelor pad. To make ends meet I had to cut spending by a bunch. I stopped buying comics, new release movies, and any new action figures, including GI Joe. After we sold the old house I never could convince myself to start buying again and then the kids came along and I felt guilty for buying myself new toys if I didn't get them something. So 8 bucks was my stopping point and the $10 price tags are laughable. I hope those Acid Rain, Marauder, and HACKS stuff do well for the creators but they won't get my money.


Maybe I'm getting old and showing my age but I remember getting RAH lots on eBay for around a dollar a figure and then the two packs in the early 2000s were 7 dollars. I understand inflation but I also understand price gouging. I'll stick to flea markets, yard sales, and the clearance aisles as well. Meanwhile I've got enough new sculpt parts to satisfy my hobby for a few more years.
Author:  Sharkbait [ Fri May 08, 2015 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
at $5 I bought tons
At $8 I started picking and choosing
at $10 I wait for clearance

Special hot items are different. But rule of thumb, $20 or less unless I face the wrath of the wife.
Author:  Coach E 2012 [ Fri May 08, 2015 11:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
alleyviperelite wrote:
Darko wrote:
$8 was my ceiling as far as collecting whole waves. At $10, I only bought very specific figures. At $13, screw it. I've passed up tons of figures I would have bought at $10. I just plain refuse to support such a ridiculous price point. See you in the clearance aisle.


I had just bought our new house when the single packs hit 8 bucks and all of a sudden I was paying for the new house and my old bachelor pad. To make ends meet I had to cut spending by a bunch. I stopped buying comics, new release movies, and any new action figures, including GI Joe. After we sold the old house I never could convince myself to start buying again and then the kids came along and I felt guilty for buying myself new toys if I didn't get them something. So 8 bucks was my stopping point and the $10 price tags are laughable. I hope those Acid Rain, Marauder, and HACKS stuff do well for the creators but they won't get my money.


Maybe I'm getting old and showing my age but I remember getting RAH lots on eBay for around a dollar a figure and then the two packs in the early 2000s were 7 dollars. I understand inflation but I also understand price gouging. I'll stick to flea markets, yard sales, and the clearance aisles as well. Meanwhile I've got enough new sculpt parts to satisfy my hobby for a few more years.


Say amen,AVE! It does seem like gouging, and when you think about it, how many people even buy figures anymore, so how profitable can it be? Honestly, there's no real rush to buy in retail, at least in my eyes.If there is, it's dudes like us trying to get the good pieces without paying shipping.

One line that's good for my kids and reasonable is the imaginext line. Some of that stuff is incredible. My kids got the rover for Christmas, and play value wise, it's nearly the equivalent of the flag, and for only $92!
Author:  Mysterious Stranger [ Fri May 08, 2015 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
As someone who collects Hot Toys and Sideshow 12" figures the current price of 4" and 6" figures isn't as jarring to me as it used to be. Also those high end figures are limiting my budget so I'm finding myself a lot pickier about what I do spend my money on in the 4" and 6" scales. I'm much more willing to pay a premium for a small run, high quality specialty line like Marauder Task Force, the Clubs FSS or MOTUC. Especially over a mediocre line like Marvel Universe where they aren't doing anything that excites me even if the price point is more palatable. So what's reasonable for me is tied to what the item is and if I want it enough to pay the price they are asking. If its something like Funko's Legacy 6" Firefly figures, that are $20 a piece, I'm going all in for every one they make. I'm not happy that I'm paying $20 for a 6" figure but the property is one I'm really interested in so I'm not going to pass just because of the price because the property is one I love. By that same logic, a few years ago I would have purchased all of the most recent 2 or 3 entire waves of Marvel Legends just to complete the BAF. But at $20 a pop for 1 or 2 figures I'm only interested in and 4 or 5 I'm "meh" about I can't justify the price. I just don't want them $20 bad enough so I stuck with the 1 or 2 that I really wanted and left the rest ( side note, I have BAF Thanos legs if anyone needs them).

So for me its all about what it is and how much I want it. If its something I love like Firefly then I'm willing to accept the price. If its a comic style 6" Batros then I'm going to pass because I have no interest in the figure.
Author:  Redmao [ Fri May 08, 2015 6:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
Being used to have to order my figures online, I'd say that $15 is okay for a figure I like.
In stores though, I find the latest price points a bit ridiculous now that they reduced the quality of the figures since they couldn't raise the price.
Plastic is getting too soft for articulated figures and those who are made of sturdier plastic only have 5 poa.
Anyways, it seems like my home office is shrinking in me so I cut back a lot on my action figure buying lately.
Author:  josh.kestner [ Fri May 08, 2015 10:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Priced Out? What's reasonable?
For me it depends of the purpose and is it something I or my kids (18 & 16...they share my love for action figures) really like and want. For example my son collects the dc multiverse and will pay up to 15 for a figure my daughter collects dr. Who and is willing to pay whatever she can sweet all daddy into paying for the ones she wants. I on the other hand don't like paying 13 for a figure but will if it is unique and I really really want it. But if it's for fodder 5 is my limit. I really like getting them at flea markets and yard sales at around a dollar a piece give or take. But if it is a rare classic figure like buck Rogers, the black hole, battlestar galactica, etc.. I would take into consideration how rare they are and base my max amount on that.
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