When Is It Going to Be $40 For A Single Figure (1 Viewer)

MCKENNA77

MCKENNA77

Staff Sergeant
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
913
Hopefully never.

When I got into collecting K&C in 2005 you could purchase a single figure for $21 USD. Some of the new single figs are now pushing the $33 mark. Thats a 57% increase in cost over 5 years. Wow, thats a lot man. I dont think the price of my home has risen 57% in those 5 years. Considering the world economic times there really hasnt been pricing increases on a lot of things. I would agree that the quality of figures in the past five years has improved. Has it improved by 57%? Well I guess thats a matter of personal opinion on a case by case basis. As K&C is the 800lb gorilla in the toy soldier world, once they increase their prices most everyone else follows suit. In short, the dye is cast and the pricing bar now raised. It will never go back down.

I'll be the first to admit that I dont have a clue what the price of tea in China is. I would prefer not to hear some long dissertations of the global market economic prices of any said raw materials or increased costs(yawwwwwwwwwn). Yes, I know K&C takes pricing very seriously and tries their best to keep costs and prices down. To be honest, what else would you expect a company to retort with when questioned why it costs so much?

I know this comes off as a complete rant. Its more of a concern. I would prefer to collect K&C for the next 5, 10, 20, 30 years but at this current pricing escalation rate I'm not going to be capable of keeping up. I'm at the point now where I'm about ready to check out. The only options I'm going to have is to switch to a more economical manufacturer, start collecting plastics, or wait two years and scavenge on Ebay for reduced price figures. I would prefer not to do any of these. Not sure whats going to happen in the long run but it will be interesting none the less.
 
Sadly, I think your price fear may hit the hobby before the end of this year. Quality and worth are, however, in the individual buyers remit alone.

I think a lot of collectors both in the US and the UK are worried about cost but, people can only buy what they can afford mate its not a platitude its a sad fact of life not only, with the hobby but, everything which, is seen as consumerable.

I have said on this site before that manufacturers have an obligation to not only make a profit (for thats what they do it for pure and simple) but, to offer products at a price that customers can afford. Its also where your dealers can help with layaway deals and holding items for customers etc.

I share your concerns but, its nothing to go grey about, but, when I cannot afford something and get a bit peeved I just remember that we are quite fortunate that we are in a position where toy soldiers are important to us and not where my next meal will be or, where will I get some warm place to sleep. Its not, in the scheme of things really all that important. I just enjoy what I have and do not worry too much if I cannot afford this or that.

I'm not being nasty or preachy, its just how content one is with whats important and whats not.
Mitch
 
Due to the economy being what it is my buying has been seriously curtailed already. I imagine you are right though. It will only further limit my meager toy soldier budget. So sometimes I buy doubles hoping to increase said budget on the sale of a hard to find popular item. Can anyone blame me?:eek::eek::rolleyes:
 
I can barely afford the Arnhem sets this year!:eek::(:mad:

£100 for two paras with open shoots, 4x US and 2x UK wtf? Might never get these!
 
I basically have given up collecting any ranges.If a range comes out I really want I will cherry pick it.
Mark
 
When I started collecting six years ago, you could get a four figure set for $89. Since then we've had about a thirty percent increase. I'm sure Steven Chong could come come on and give reasons why that's justified but please don't. It has gotten too expensive. When it hits $40, the days of purchasing new figures for me will be at an end and I may be looking for a new hobby.
 
It means buying fewer figures and enjoying the ones I already have. It also means selling off ones I no longer want to get some dollars back for new items. It also means less impulse buying and more consideration of whether I truly want a piece.

I think it is very significant that 4 figure sets have become one figure sets. Partly because of the cost, but also it would be harder to sell sets if one or two of the figures were not what a collector wanted. A few years ago, one unwanted figure in a set of 4 may not deter a purchase of the other wanted figures, but it probably would today.

You'll know the end is near when they even stop selling single figures and just sell body parts - make your own figure. :D

Terry
 
I use my paypal money for the most part to purchase items I want and replenish it buy selling items I don't want anymore but the inventory is very low right now.
Mark
 
jazzeum said:
When I started collecting six years ago, you could get a four figure set for $89. Since then we've had about a thirty percent increase. I'm sure Steven Chong could come come on and give reasons why that's justified but please don't. It has gotten too expensive. When it hits $40, the days of purchasing new figures for me will be at an end and I may be looking for a new hobby.
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This is the same for me. I have set a maximum buying range of $35-39 per figure, after swearing to myself never to exceed the $35 mark. When the figures get to $40 it will be AMF to toy soldiers with maybe an occasional vehicle or aircraft purchase:(. I just flat out refuse to go beyond the $40 point per figure for what has become an almost unaffordable hobby. While I intend to try and get the new KC FW190, it is quite expensive and I can't see why it is $40 more than the Hurricane and P-51 of recent manufacture. Beginning to look like I might be going back to military books as a past-time. We shall see. -- Al
 
Your over 40.00 a figure if you collect First Legion. I have drastically reduced my new purchases. Reasons being space, and the rising cost. I use to buy every new K&C WWII, and Civil War release. As well as every Britain's, CS, and Conte ACW figures. I will be cherry picking what I buy from now on. Concentrating primarily Civil War releases.
 
Guys, I feel the same way... although I may never stop buying individual pieces here and there across different lines and manufacturers, my purchases are down 70% from what I use to buy only a couple of years ago and I am headed down an additional 10% very soon... like I said in another post... a lot of current collectors are going to get priced out of this hobby and the "Toy Soldier World" will be hard-pressed to find new collectors with prices this high and headed higher... The manufacturers may have to look for another, cheaper location to make their product other than China very soon... I'm just going to enjoy more what I have already acquired over the past 12 years... ;)
 
I was priced out of the "new" market some time ago and satisfy my collecting desires with older glossies. It is not that I don't like the newer matte figures and vehicles, I just can,t justify the cost.
 
Thankfully my figures are still roughly $22.40 per piece, so I hopefulyl have a while to wait :)
 
I'm trying to pick up the odd 21/25 $ figure..but they are going the Dodo way..and by the way i don't want to buy just for the pleasure of buying..so i choose a range or a batch of new figures i like and pick 2 max 3 of them and i buy them in a few months time, but it's difficult to stay focused with new releases..
 
Unfortunately I agree with all the above postings.
I,m not picking on Figarti, but I want all of there upcoming Russian sets, but it will cost close to $500. In the past I never really thought twice, but here of late I think $500 for a tank, cannon and a few figures!
Same with K&C. If a WW2 series came out I would buy the entire line, no more. I pick out just what I really like. As for repaints, forget about it.
I am not blameing the companies they have to make money or we won,t see any more items, but sometime it will take a toll.
Gary
 
Toy Soldier Brigade said:
Your over 40.00 a figure if you collect First Legion. I have drastically reduced my new purchases. Reasons being space, and the rising cost. I use to buy every new K&C WWII, and Civil War release. As well as every Britain's, CS, and Conte ACW figures. I will be cherry picking what I buy from now on. Concentrating primarily Civil War releases.
Click to expand...
Good point. FL, to me, is like the St. Pete figures, beautiful to look at and wish for, but way out of realistic economic reach for me (as a lot of this hobby is becoming). I do not know where this will end. -- Al
 
Well i am not getting into politics again after the beating i took last time, but we are predicted a VAT rise of 2.5% on all future purchases :(
Another reason to import from the good old USA:)
On a serious note all those contemplating walking away from the hobby please send them in the post to my address and i will take them off your hands for a small price no problems( if you want shut of them),i am sure the kids can do without a bedroom:D
Steve
 
Just a couple of notes:

You can already spend over $40 for a single K&C figure, if it's a mounted figure (eg, the mounted Continental, British and Hessian officer figures).

Buying old castings and painting your own might look more attractive to some who've considered it in the past, but decided not to try, for whatever reason. Old Staddens, Imrie-Risleys, Lassets, and others, can be found on eBay or at three-dimensional shows, auctions, and flea markets/tag sales/boot sales. And new castings by Tradition, I/R, Tommy Atkins, and so on, are relatively reasonable, too, though I/R nearly doubled their prices about a year ago (they were relatively low for a long, long time, $10 for a foot figure kit, $15 for a mounted figure).

If you've ever thought about it, I encourage you to try, even if you think you can't do it or aren't very good.

Prost!
Brad
 
When I started collecting about twenty years ago, you could walk around a toy soldier show and not come across a single WWII item. It was incredible to me. Now we have multiple companies making high quality figures and tanks. Many collectors are completists and that is no longer possible with all the available product. Chaning that mind set is part of the angst. Cost and space are just too much to handle now to buy every release. But the upside is that this is a golden age of choice for the cherry pickers.
 
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