While I don't want to (and won't!) get into too deep a discussion about pricing, suffice it to say that painting complexity is only part of it (granted a big part). Different figures are produced at different places at different cost levels, so that is also a factor. Some figures are painted better than others, which is yet another factor. The Vietnam are an excellent example of this - the painting is very good on the first sets and superb on the latest 4 sets. So how good the original master is and how accurately it's replicated is another factor and some masters are better painted than others and thus more expensive to produce because the painting is better (not necessarily more complex, just better). At the end of the day, pricing is a factor of cost, plain and simple, which in turn is typically a factor of labor rates as everything is hand made of course. Wages go up, expenses go up, prices go up. It's just a reality these days though we do try to absorb as much of it as we can.
Interestingly enough, some figures (particularly those that are most expensive!) are priced much lower than they should be. So the Retreat from Russia figures and recent Persians cost us nearly 33%-50% more to produce than our average figures, but aren't 33%+ more expensive. So in many cases our best figures which are usually the most expensive figures are often the least profitable for us and the best value for you! The best example of this is probably the long sold out Samurai archer. It was an $80 figure about 5 years ago when we were selling $50 figures and was the first one to sell out.
In the end, for the quality of sculpting and painting that we provide, I believe our pricing is incredibly reasonable.
Best,
Matt
...Sammy
