Figure pricing

[Roc]

As you all know figure prices are escalating at a ridiculously rapid pace.
The giant manufactures, in my opinion are taking advantage of the average figure painter; they are charging $1.00 per mm. and higher for a figure.
How much more are we as consumers expected to pay for a figure, I cannot understand how they can justify such inflated prices.
Do we as consumers allow them to continue to inflate their prices or just say enough is enough.
I would like to hear your input.

Cheers
Roc

 

[KeithP]

Not sure where you are shopping, Roc?

I have been ordering from Colo Mini and although the prices have gone up a bit, I don't think they are close to a a buck per mm on the 54mm. Although, I can see your point about the larger scale pieces.

Personally, I do not buy Andrea as my experience with their pieces has been poor.

For me, I don't paint more than 2-3 figures a year. So, a cost increase is okay to get the high quality from Pegaso and Elite.

Keith

 

[Roc]

Keith, why should such a disparity in pricing exsist between 54mm. and 90mm?

Cheers
Roc

 

[KeithP]

Good point, Roc. No idea. I would think that the same amount of material and labor are needed to manuf both. Maybe it is more difficult to sculpt and cast larger pieces? But, I really don't know.

Keith

 

[buzz1941]

Plus ....

Shipping is a big consideration, particularly with metal figures. Bigger figures are also generally more detailed, resulting in a higher parts count. Also, bigger boxes means fewer kits per shipping container.

But seriously: the difference in materials cost between the same injected-plastic model in different scales is just pennies.

There's also labor and the massive markdowns demanded by distributors. To make up for the distribution markup, manufacturers have to pump out dozens to hundreds of each kit.

At Series 77, when we get up and running again, we intend to sell directly online in order to keep prices down, as we won't be biting off a chunk for distribution fees. Note that our current new figure is $30, nearly half of what others charge for similar figures.

When we get the "classic" 77mms back in production, they'll be less than $20.

 

[garyjd]

There's one word that can save lots of dough and that word is SCRATCHBUILDING. I know for most it's easier said than done. The cost of kits is what lead me to scratchbuilding to begin with. When you're 14 years old a box of sculpey and pack of craft wire could yield quite a few figures.

My prediction is that you'll probably continue to see prices go up and more folks resort to scratchbuilding. Given that I believe more than ever that there will be a demand for spare parts, i.e. heads, weapons, eqipments etc.~Gary

 

[renarts]

Spend a couple of months working on your grey army. Don't buy anything new until you've done some of what you already have. Pricing is just as much market driven as it is by logistics, packaging, material costs, export etc.

I've seen this very subject hashed out in the armor forums and I can agree till I look at my stash and ask myself "do I really need to buy anything new right now?"

It is still alot of bang for your buck. Figure a figure costs $30, how much time are you going to spend on it? I think for me, it works out to about .50 to $1 an hour of fun/aggravation/quiet/artistic expression/creative outlet/tears/discovery and indulgence. Where else are you going to get that kind of return?

 

[Black Army]

I think too, scratchbuilding is the best. But i'm going to producing figures. So I have just began to deal with prices. I think the big manufacturers are really mad, younger people doesn't manage to buy this figures. For example Pegaso, perfect quality but the prices, it's just a busines?
I have hesitated and here are my prices (Where are the figures?? I build they ) 54mm foot soldier: 11-12 Euro
54 mm mounted soldier: 25 Euro
What they think about it? It's high? It can be.

regards,
Balázs

 

[Diegoff]

There is a great explanation of the costs of producing a figure by Luca Marchetti of Pegaso that you can find easily in internet.
One of the main factors in the pricing is that the market for figures is so small that the sells are HUNDREDS, not THOUSANDS of figures.
I think that this affects specially to the pricing of larger scales wich sells incredible low numbers for some of us, while the costs of the sculpture, box art and above all TRANSPORT (a metal figure in 90 mm. is very heavy) are higher than that of a 54 mm.
Look for the message of Luca that is a worth reading about this subject.

 

[vergilius]

I stopped complaining about that because everything 's going up, food, gas except my paycheque.
C'est la vie

 

[megroot]

I also stopped complaining. Every hobby cost some money. When i look at my neighbour who is playing football. Every saturday after the match he hangup in the bar. What price is he paying every month??? I think alot more then a figure in a month.
No, what is high priced here in the Netherlands is gas. For 1 liter we pay 1,53 Euro.
When i fill my tank the price is equal to a 75 mm. And that almost tree time's a month.

Marc

 

[georges64]

... because everything 's going up, food, gas except my paycheque.
C'est la vie

You're right vergilius
georges

 

[thegoodsgt]

I've become much more selective about the figures I buy. Rather than buy 10-12 figures a year, I now buy 3-4 and spend more time on them. Quality over quantity!

 

[ChrisH]

Hope you dont mind some observations from a new guy....

Here in the UK raw White Metal costs have escalated circa 20%, mainly due to the resources being heavily consumed by the Far East...
You will also note that the New figures (and not only from the Giants) have now started to use hollow bodies, and some heavily mixed white metal and resin, with resin being the larger items, Maurice Corry, Bonapartes etc...
I do agree with one of the other guys who has a good point even the giants do not sell 1000's its 10's and 100's if they are lucky, and therefore the smaller guys struggle even more, to get the right levels of quality and the volume of sales to continue producing new ideas.

As a footnote
I think the UK market will be very interested in the series 77 stuff at $20, assuming they will be white metal and reasonable postage costs?


Regards
Chris H Nice site guys, just finding my way around it

 

[Diegoff]

I am with that Vergilius says about pricing and salaries.

I forgot to mention that the situation can be even worst in the non Euro currency countries.

The change is now very high with the Dollar: good for us europeans to buy imported items but very bad to export, including figures.

 

[Figure Mad]

Hi Guys

A friend of mine at our club has just bought the Pegaso Ronin Figure 90-042, and it has just cost him £75 for a 90mm including postage, that works out at $189 US, thats discusting for a 90mm, this was from Historex Agents, I suggested going to the manufacturers website and buying from there.

I know that Historex now purchase at a lower price from the manufacturers and sell at a higher price than them, just for the convenience, Hey most of the time I can get from the manufacturer 1-2 days after what would have been the delivery from Historex Agents. but I am more and more thinking of making my own (cheers Gary)

I know its getting too much for the hobby

Dave

 

[MSzwarc]

American forum members better get used to it. As long as the dollar is in free fall compared to other currencies, anything made overseas is going to cost more. As of this morning:

1$US = 0.68 Euro 1 Euro = 1.46 $US
1$US = 0.47 GBP 1 GBP = 2.10 $US
1$US = 0.93 $CAN 1$CAN = 1.07 $US
1$US = 112.83 Yen 1 Yen = .0088 $US

Mike

 

[PJ Deluhery]

I have moved more and more to flats, which are still very reasonably priced, particularly when compared to rounds.

 

[renarts]

This certainly is a no win situation. I think everyone is due their share of the pot of gold. Pegaso, Andrea et al are in it for a living. They may love what they are doing, or have a passion for it but they still need to turn the lights on, hire people to work for them and pay for the things we want to see in their figures (detail, subject matter, quality) all of this costs.

How many times has this been juxtaposed by the discussion regarding what a figure sculpture's time is worth, what price should be asked for a particular sculpt and what people should charge for their work when selling commissions?

The escalating prices for figures are going to create a voracious appetite for pirated goods. One begets the other in a continuous loop that has no end. Higher prices equals counterfeits equals higher prices to offset the loss by counterfeits.

I think you are going to see higher prices, until someone figures out a new production technique that can cut costs, newer, cheaper materials, or the industry starts looking at ways to cut costs without cutting profits.

My advice, lose some of the slick packaging and cut costs there. I don't need a 4 color, slick varnished box around a paper covered, embossed, cardboard box with a 4 color insert on how to paint figures with my figures. Nor do I need a callout sheet on what colors to paint (I usually throw it out anyway because I don't read spanish/chinese/korean/french/or italian). If I am at a level that I need that reference, Dragon and Tamiya and Italeri make great plastic figures with colorful box art that I can do. I like to think that if someone spends $50-$100 on a figure that they have better reference material available.

Ultimately, this is a hobby of expendable income. As my expendable income fluctuates so will my figure buying ability. If the prices go up, all the power to those that wish to make more money where ever they are in the production to retail process. They are subject to those influences, so as they ask for more so shall they reap less. Make it now because it won't be there later. To the guys that are starting out I wish you the best. My advice, do some research and make something that consumers don't mind spending money on.

 

[ghamilt1]

I for one am pretty happy with the price I'm paying for figures. Then again, the last time the Canadian dollar was this strong, the Union side was losing the Civil war! For example, I just purchased Pegaso's Ronin figure when I was in Chicago and it cost me about $96 CDN. But I have never understood the pricing of 54mm figures compared to other, larger scales. They always seem more expensive for what you get. I guess I will start doing more scratchbuilding and hope they don't start raising the price of accessories and spare parts!