Manufactured scarcity or Claimed artificial scarcity or FOMO click bait? (2 Viewers)

[ChrisTay]

It is well known that factories require a minimum order quantity in order to proceed with a sculpt if it is for metal (or even resin). That number stands at 100 or more, for metal if it is to make any sense. Or you can use the same sculpt and paint it different ways to amortize the cost, but the magic number does not just change unless it is a different process (e.g. 3D printing)

A release in China for just 50 pcs of WW2 German soldiers of one sculpt looks extremely low given the size of the collectors market for WW2 Germans. It can only mean a few things, is it manufactured scarcity? But then, the price does not make sense for the scarcity of just 50 pcs. It has to be priced higher. Why even bother to do it? To be rare has to come crazy pricey, but at the same time, it must be extremely wow factor good, think Attica. Rare to make collectors who managed to catch one happy? I don’t know mate (attn Wayne).

Something does not jive. But, it is getting the attention that it was seeking.

 

[BrianW]

It is well known that factories require a minimum order quantity in order to proceed with a sculpt if it is for metal (or even resin). That number stands at 100 or more, for metal if it is to make any sense. Or you can use the same sculpt and paint it different ways to amortize the cost, but the magic number does not just change unless it is a different process (e.g. 3D printing)

A release in China for just 50 pcs of WW2 German soldiers of one sculpt looks extremely low given the size of the collectors market for WW2 Germans. It can only mean a few things, is it manufactured scarcity? But then, the price does not make sense for the scarcity of just 50 pcs. It has to be priced higher. Why even bother to do it? To be rare has to come crazy pricey, but at the same time, it must be extremely wow factor good, think Attica. Rare to make collectors who managed to catch one happy? I don’t know mate (attn Wayne).

Something does not jive. But, it is getting the attention that it was seeking.

I whole heartedly agree Chris, it's very odd indeed.

 

[Warrior]

Only the manufacturer knows the reason why only 50 are being produced; maybe the factory being used only requires 50 as a production run, maybe the demand for WWII Germans is not what it once was in China/other time periods are of interest.

Does War Park make 100 of each figure like in the example you gave?

If so, look at how many of their figures are still available that were produced one, two, three, four or more years ago.

Three of the original six KH are still available, those are what, 8 years old or so?

I remember those when they were first offered; you know, back when I was the sole US agent for War Park and customers were knocking each other out of the way to buy these exciting new figures.

It's 2026, no manufacturer wants to be sitting on inventory they can't move; shorter/smaller production runs may be a sign of the times more than anything else.

 

[Michael Wang]

It is well known that factories require a minimum order quantity in order to proceed with a sculpt if it is for metal (or even resin). That number stands at 100 or more, for metal if it is to make any sense. Or you can use the same sculpt and paint it different ways to amortize the cost, but the magic number does not just change unless it is a different process (e.g. 3D printing)

A release in China for just 50 pcs of WW2 German soldiers of one sculpt looks extremely low given the size of the collectors market for WW2 Germans. It can only mean a few things, is it manufactured scarcity? But then, the price does not make sense for the scarcity of just 50 pcs. It has to be priced higher. Why even bother to do it? To be rare has to come crazy pricey, but at the same time, it must be extremely wow factor good, think Attica. Rare to make collectors who managed to catch one happy? I don’t know mate (attn Wayne).

Something does not jive. But, it is getting the attention that it was seeking.

First, for every mold, the optimal production quantity—while ensuring fine detail—is 50 pieces. Second, the WWII figure market in China has already been largely taken over by ancient historical figure series. And actually, most Chinese collectors are tired of the pre-order model. Producing 50 pieces is the safest number for a release that's based on in-stock availability (ready-to-ship). Honestly, the price I'm paying in China is basically just the production cost, and if there's market demand, the set can always be reissued, and with higher production volume, the price could eventually become even lower.

 

[Michael Wang]

Getting back to the point—I'm not purely a brand or a commercial seller. I was a hobbyist myself before starting this brand. I still clearly remember paying high prices on eBay for old First Legion products, and I've seen the crazy price hikes in the Chinese second-hand market (peaking at around $200). As a collector, I couldn't change the market, but I could choose to design and produce my own figures.These 50 figures won't satisfy the entire market, but they are enough for my initial promotion and cash flow in the Chinese market. I admit I didn't consider the overseas market at first, but now I'm taking it seriously. Currently, each batch of 50 figures can basically guarantee that stock will be available the following month.If production exceeds 50 pieces, it will cause a loss of detail in the mold. Producing more also means longer shipping times and tying up capital for longer. These are risks I have to consider.If you have any further questions, feel free to ask me anytime. I'm more than happy to answer any questions—rather than seeing posts with misleading titles like this.

 

[ChrisTay]

The first 6 KH figures probably had a run of 200. They used a different sculptor as well and switched after that. Qty also started to be throttled depending on demand. But not 50.

Perhaps distinctions between a) manufacturer factories creating brands, versus b) OEM manufacturer brands engaging their selected OEM factories to produce, versus c) private individuals creating brands after engaging their own sculptors, and engaging factories to produce.

a) are factories who were driven to create their own brands after b) reduced the loading, e.g. WP and TM.

b) are the brands that we are all most familiar with. c) would be all the wannabes that are coming out today. Factories would always love b) and c) as they do not have to worry about inventory. They are paid fully amidst a lower margin but they just have to produce and finish the job.

a) happened mostly when they are under loaded by b) their house brands as factories need to keep running. b) volumes has tapered down in the last few years as compared to the hey days.

Which brings us to c) emerging ones. Are these c) able to find factories to just do 50 at a viable biz model? Marketing one at $55, 50 x $55 is $2750, which if we work back to perhaps cost of say $1000-1200 per sculpt. If this is real, any one of you can now do it. It ain’t a lot of money. Factory just want to collect $1000-1200? However, if it is higher than this, perhaps c) is turning to collecting down payments or full payments to leverage the direct consumer money before engaging the factory. A bit kickstarter like. Or are these private individuals just looking for bragging rights to show that they are able to create their own sculpt but direct consumers are helping to defray their costs in a back to back sales model?

Just some thoughts above to ponder.

The Chinese market is messy now with more c) coming. Wrt these venturing overseas. The challenges of making currency exchanges is also quite cumbersome for c). This cannot be fixed easily and is quite costly to resolve.

 

[Michael Wang]

The first 6 KH figures probably had a run of 200. They used a different sculptor as well and switched after that. Qty also started to be throttled depending on demand. But not 50.

Perhaps distinctions between a) manufacturer factories creating brands, versus b) OEM manufacturer brands engaging their selected OEM factories to produce, versus c) private individuals creating brands after engaging their own sculptors, and engaging factories to produce.

a) are factories who were driven to create their own brands after b) reduced the loading, e.g. WP and TM.

b) are the brands that we are all most familiar with. c) would be all the wannabes that are coming out today. Factories would always love b) and c) as they do not have to worry about inventory. They are paid fully amidst a lower margin but they just have to produce and finish the job.

a) happened mostly when they are under loaded by b) their house brands as factories need to keep running. b) volumes has tapered down in the last few years as compared to the hey days.

Which brings us to c) emerging ones. Are these c) able to find factories to just do 50 at a viable biz model? Marketing one at $55, 50 x $55 is $2750, which if we work back to perhaps cost of say $1000-1200 per sculpt. If this is real, any one of you can now do it. It ain’t a lot of money. Factory just want to collect $1000-1200? However, if it is higher than this, perhaps c) is turning to collecting down payments or full payments to leverage the direct consumer money before engaging the factory. A bit kickstarter like. Or are these private individuals just looking for bragging rights to show that they are able to create their own sculpt but direct consumers are helping to defray their costs in a back to back sales model?

Just some thoughts above to ponder.

The Chinese market is messy now with more c) coming. Wrt these venturing overseas. The challenges of making currency exchanges is also quite cumbersome for c). This cannot be fixed easily and is quite costly to resolve.

Still think labor costs in China are cheap? The truth is, prices have been rising. The only way to keep costs low is through sufficient volume. If I had 1,000 orders, I really could produce each figure for $20—but the production cycle would be longer and the quality would be lower.Say what you will, but here's the bottom line: for these 50 figures, my price in China is $55 each, which is affordable enough for collectors. If I produce more in the future, the price can come down.I'm not following other brands by setting a unified global retail price that forces Chinese collectors to pay extra. I sell directly—no distributors, no middlemen taking a cut. That said, I have to admit international shipping isn't cheap

 

[ChrisTay]

Your last post explains it all.

You also understand your challenges.

The price that you set covers one market well but is a challenge to transcend to other markets in a direct B2C (biz to consumer).

The high price of FL going back into China is due to secondary market and 炒货. Plus the VAT etc.

Finally, why would you want to sell more and sell more and make nothing…. I don’t want to sound rude but it is good to consider what’s the end point.

George (Warrior), there is no middleman.

 

[Michael Wang]

Your last post explains it all.

You also understand your challenges.

The price that you set covers one market well but is a challenge to transcend to other markets in a direct B2C (biz to consumer).

The high price of FL going back into China is due to secondary market and 炒货. Plus the VAT etc.

Finally, why would you want to sell more and sell more and make nothing…. I don’t want to sound rude but it is good to consider what’s the end point.

By George (Warrior), there is no middleman.

It's simple—the more I produce, the cheaper the price gets. Even $55 is expensive for Chinese collectors; they'd love it to be under $35. I think no one would dislike that price. As for your point about me making money—of course I need to make a profit where it's due. The only difference is whether I make $5 per figure or $50 per figure.

 

[Michael Wang]

If my product design, quality, or price weren't good, collectors wouldn't buy it and wouldn't be interested in me. Eventually, the market would weed me out. Anyway, since you're so fond of stirring things up and accusing me of creating FOMO, I think your interest in me goes far beyond the products themselves.

 

[Michael Wang]

Here's another surprise for you. The lead time for producing 50 in-stock units is very short — it won't take more than two months to get them out. Could this factory-direct, ready-stock model become a whole new way of operating? I already have one finished action figure ready in stock, and they're currently going through quality inspection. Below are the photos of the finished products.
P.S. Two more models will be ready for production by next week.

 

[Michael Wang]

Sorry, I forgot to mention — as long as there’s demand, I can start production again anytime. That means I have no inventory pressure. Hope you're happy.