The cost of this hobby.....

So, I wasn’t intending on creating a brand new topic on the subject but figured it was warranted...

Being somewhat of a newbie (well I’ve had some seamless figures for about a couple months now) I was relatively sticker shocked when it came to accessorizing in this sixth scale. I realize the figures themselves would likely be a larger price, but why are clothing and accessories so much?

Granted, not much these days is cheap, all things considered, and that trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down, especially post-pandemic. Does it relate to these items being hand made? Is there a correlation (as far as kitbashing) of vendors trying to recoup their rather high-priced box sets investments? It’s almost insanity that a pair of 1/6 jeans cost as much, if not more, than their full-scale counterparts. Surely there has to be a reason that 1/6th scale vendors price they way they do? Demand vs. Supply? Materials can’t be that expensive and it’s not like they’re using a lot of it. Is it scarcity of scaled manufacturers?

I’m just looking for a sound reasoning at the rather high cost... it sucks paying what we do for these items and realizing after the fact they they’re not compatible.

Thanks in advance.

I have no first-hand knowledge of behind-the-scenes in the industry, so anything I say is conjecture. My supposition is exactly as you suggest: supply vs demand. There is a far smaller demand for 1/6 clothing items than for the equivalent full-size item. While obviously less raw material is required, I suspect the labor involved in production of 1/6 scale clothing is similar to that required for full-size. So the production cost is similar, while demand is considerably less, hence a higher price.

Also, there's pricing for the market. Everyone wants to make as much profit as possible, so they raise prices until demand drops. If demand continues to equal or outstrip supply, prices will rise until demand and supply are equal.

As most vendors price items in a similar price range, my impression is that most of the market is willing to pay the current prices, absurd as many of them seem.

The prices bother me, too. In fact, not too many days ago, I was looking at a pile of 1/6 scale stuff and thinking about how much it had cost. I found myself feeling almost sickened by the amount of money I'm throwing at this hobby, and how little (literally, as in, little bits of plastic and cloth) I am getting in return. Yes, there's value in the "fun," but I realized that for me, the fun is being eclipsed by concerns about the cost.

I briefly found myself in a mood to either bag up everything and chuck it, and find something else to do with my time and limited resources; or to list it all on eBay, take my losses, and then find something else to do with my time and limited resources.

After I cooled down, I decided to at least try to avoid impulse buys for a while, and at the same time go through everything I have, organize it, and only then decide whether I need anything more, or if I would be better off thinning things out a bit.

Collectorofmany — your frustrations are completely understandable, and I share many of them as well. I think, unfortunately, you’ve come into the hobby at a particularly expensive time. Prices for 1/6 clothing and accessories have risen quite a bit over the last year. I’m not sure if maybe the pandemic caused some factories to shut down permanently and created an actual scarcity, or if it’s just increased shipping costs now being factored into the prices. Either way, there’s been a noticeable price rise for things like clothing and shoes, etc. Headsculpts are much more expensive than I remember even just two years ago. And it’s even worse when it comes to certain parted-out items.

On top of higher prices, I also don’t have as much expendable income as I did when I first started out. I really have to pace myself so much more, slowly ‘collecting’ accessories and customising materials over a period of time. It’s frustrating if you are impatient to get figures finished (as I’m sure we all are to some degree), but that’s the reality of the hobby at this point. No matter what part of 1:6 scale one participates in — customising, kitbashing, collecting, or all of the above — the key is patience. A lot of patience. There are figures I’ve been working on for years. Partly cause I’m slow, and have a lot going on in RL. Partly cause of the costs. And partly cause my vision often outpaces my actual abilities, so either I need to stop and learn a new customising skill before proceeding, or I have to turn to others more skilled than myself for assistance.

Like davidd, I despair at times thinking of how much £££ I’ve already put into some of my customs and yet still have so far to go. But admittedly I also bit off more than I could chew when I first started out, and began a ton of different projects all at once. Now, I make myself think very hard and figure out what is a current priority to purchase right away, and what can wait a while. Even so, the expense can still be prohibitive at times -- there are many people who have to take breaks from this hobby for a while, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Go at your own pace, and don’t worry if it takes a bit longer to complete figures … there is no deadline other than what we put on ourselves.

Davidd and skywalkersaga hit many of the salient points that touch on my own issues with the hobby. I have so many brands in the fire, it’s not even funny — I have at least 50 unfinished custom/kitbash figure projects started, or parts gathered for, not to mention full boxed sets not even opened, it’s staggering to say the least. The amount of money spent, and needed to be spent is sometimes embarrassing. My eBay “watch list” is 8 pages long, and yet — despite many of the items needed/wanted to complete a project, I just can’t bring myself to pull the trigger.

emm...demand and supply, of course. But i always thought the biggest cost in any industry is human resources. Finer works are necessary for such a scale, and the time taken to make them might be twice as much as a regular piece of clothing, or even more, depends on the complexity, the designs, and the attention to details as required by us demanding customers.

And since i am paying so much, i am very particular into getting exactly what i want, esp. when it comes to custom jobs. Since i can't do it myself, whoever i pay to do it must meet all of my needs and standards. So mass productions are cheaper, like those molded or sculpted clothing produced by companies such as TBL. Clothings made from real cloths, will required handicraft.

The expensive branded clothing in the fashion world, are really catered to a small group of customers who could afford those. We, the 1/6th collectors, are also that handful of customers that that these figurine companies could depend on. So, that should explain the price...

just my 2 cents worth.

The complaints about prices are exacly the same in modelrailroading, which is also a niche-hobby.

You can see the effects of massproduced stuff, if you compare the prices of Barbie-clothes and accessories with those of 1/6 stuff. What accelerates the difference is the demand for higher detail, which means more work is put into design and production. So you can get a car for Barbie (new) for about €30, with RC for about €50. But it's a bit small and most likely pink.

Just to put things in perspective, I’ve been at the same job for nearly thirteen years now.  I’m making 33% more now than I was the day I started.  I never received a promotion (by my own design).  That’s all Cost of Living increases.  So, it’s all relative.

I’m a newbie to contemporary 1/6 as well.  I quickly realized that I have to chose my 1/6 purchases incredibly carefully.  I’m not much of a customizer or kitbasher, so I’m sticking with complete sets for now, but at 200 USD after shipping, I need to budget myself to maybe one a month or every two months, especially since most of my collecting still centers around 1/12.

Xavion2004 wrote:
I’m a newbie to contemporary 1/6 as well.  I quickly realized that I have to chose my 1/6 purchases incredibly carefully.  I’m not much of a customizer or kitbasher, so I’m sticking with complete sets for now, but at 200 USD after shipping, I need to budget myself to maybe one a month or every two months, especially since most of my collecting still centers around 1/12.

Yes, that's a good point -- if one collects other scales (or other types of collectibles) along with 1/6, that can make it even more tricky to balance.

For instance, in addition to 1/6 and certain smaller scale action figures, I also love collecting (and sometimes commissioning) fan art. I've always tried to support individual artists and illustrators in that way. But I have to pace myself, cause not only do I have limited funds, but I also have extremely limited wall space, lol.  These days, I try to put my art-collecting impulse into custom 1/6 scale parts. But I do still occassionally pick up artwork that I find especially eye-catching. : )

Everyone brings up valid points, all the way around!

It’s also interesting to see things from different perspectives. Most of the reasons behind the prices are pretty much in line with what I figured.

I too have to be very selective of what I purchase, which makes it tough when I’m into a lot of things, as far as collecting is concerned.

I spent 2 years or more finishing a few projects, and though I paced my self, it still pained me to pull the trigger on some of the items that seemingly weren't worth what I was paying.

Well It is costs. But every hobbi does.

This is the work of 3 years. Giving that it is not all that much from my budget. Of course they are full sets on the cheapest prize kitbashing is more problematic.

collectorofmany -- yeah, I tend to agonise over my purchases these days. As others have noted,  I find it harder to allow myself to buy smaller accessory type stuff (as opposed to budgeting specifically for a boxed figure pre-order, for instance), because there are just SO many accessories that I want/need in order to complete various figures, that it can add up really quickly.

Ah yes, this topic resurfaces countless times, and I really feel for those who are just starting to collect/create figures in recent years. Gone are the days where we had $25-45 figures from the likes of Dragon, BBI, and 21c. Granted, the quality and detail was nowhere near what it is today, but within the first 5-8 years the quality had skyrocketed and the prices were still only a bit more, plus DID came into the mix, and Sideshow was quietly chugging along with their non WWII stuff. Then, HotToys hit the scene, and things started to climb. Eventually the likes of Dragon dropped out, and numerous manufacturers entered the game, but the prices were now starting at triple what they were, and even higher for HT and outfits like ACI.

There was an economic perfect storm. Oil prices pre 2014 were through the roof, so raw materials were actually a factor. At the same time, the Chinese economy was starting to take off and wage pressures were also affecting input costs, but that also meant a burgeoning Chinese middle class with money to spend. And the Chinese upper class, although a tiny proportion of the population, was rapidly growing and they really had money to spend. Since China dwarfs the US and Europe, even a small proportion of wealthy people is a big number, and all this while the US and Europe were still reeling from the Great Recession. Who's buying this stuff at such prices? The Chinese consumer, but there's still enough US/European demand to keep the prices high, and they make just enough so they don't flood the market the way Dragon used to.

It's similar to why lobster prices were so high several years ago. Nobody in the US was consuming more lobster, it was all being shipped to China, as was French wine, basically anything considered luxury and status-y. I guess collecting expensive 1/6 dolls was part of that too!

But you know, hobbies are expensive! Just try RC sometime, and you'll know the true meaning of "money pit!"

Hmm... start with one figure and one nice HS. Now You can do so many pictures of it in so much poses. You can try to do clothes by Yourself. Many hours of 1:6 hobby by spending..... 100 $ ?
You can also buy some extravagant alloy wheels for 2000 $ or go on the golf course for 15.000 $ a Year . Just kidding, i´m with You. All the fine stuff is expensive and the cheap stuff looks.... cheap. I´m looking for star ace Young Hermoine the last time. Because i think she is sweet. You think Hot Toys is expensive ? I see that figure for 400 $

I’m a notorious cheapskate so I really hate spending money on stuff if I can make it myself, which is why I really only buy bodies and headsculpts and make everything else myself, from clothes to accessories. I often draw the line at footwear because they’re a pain to make and look good though. The downside of course is that I’ll often spend days making something that cost more in materials and time than it would if I’d just bought it straight off eBay, but it’s way more fun this way! XD

tankgirlfuzzy -- thanks for the added background and context regarding the 1/6 market. Very interesting, and explains a lot.

Lynkhart -- lol, yes, I have been there, too. There's been several instances where I've purposefully avoided buying official releases for certain characters, and instead try to make my own versions. But of course I end up spending the same if not even more just on parts and materials. Le sigh... ;p

"Everything is worth what it's purchaser will pay for it". We set the prices by voting with our purchases. Head sculpts are $90 now because people are willing to pay it.

Annalise wrote:

"Everything is worth what it's purchaser will pay for it". We set the prices by voting with our purchases. Head sculpts are $90 now because people are willing to pay it.

Now that's an overprize!

I remember a long time ago, back in the early 2000s, I think there was this Enterbay Bruce Lee 1/6 scale toy that I wanted as well as Don Vito Corleone (I love Godfather!). I was astonished by the prices, $200 to $400! It's as expensive as an entry level digital piano! I couldn't afford those prices at the time.

Thankfully, Phicen/TBLeague showed up with all of these affordable bodies and they came with their headsculpts so I bought one for myself just to test what 1/6 scale toys were like. I was happy, but obviously I couldn't buy the more expensive ones like Hot Toys stuff. That's when I started thinking "What if I just made my own characters?".

Frankensteining parts together was quite interesting and thankfully, companies started offering more complete outfit sets. It became more affordable to me to build a character than buy well known heroes and the like but I still got a lot of fun from it.

Still, it's funny how clothes and things for 1/6 scale toys are just as expensive as what full sized humans wear! I remember a long time ago when there were just few outfits available, I saw a cute little evening gown and it was priced at $60!!! I'm pretty sure you could get a nice looking gown at Macy's or Target for around that price as well lol! Such tiny piece of clothing, extremely expensive! I'm just happy that there are full outfit sets nowadays that cost $35 (like Super Duck, Vortoys, or Vicki Secret outfit sets) and they actually have clothes, stockings, underwear, shoes, and sometimes purses included! I guess they're more affordable because they're mass produced and they sell well easily and majority of the time, they're sold out at most stores.

I can honestly tell you that I spent more money on these 1/6 scale outfits than my own clothes lol! This year alone, I probably spent $200 on outfit sets for them, while I spent $0 on my own clothes haha! I rarely buy clothes or shoes for myself (more like only when I need to replace them due to damage and I only ever buy the cheapest, most functional ones that look decent for professional settings) but wow, when it comes to 1/6 scale clothes and things, I honestly go around the net, put in lots of effort on research and I even make a list of what little clothes to buy for my toys lol!

If I had the talent to sew little clothes, I would because it seems like a good way to make money. Very small amount of material needed to complete one piece of clothing, but you make the same or more money compared to when you sell full sized clothes! Sometimes I imagine people making these Super Duck 1/6 scale outfits to be using 1/6 scale sewing machines to make clothes!

Now take a look on this one.

2.2 million HUF which is equals to 7523 USD.

For a freakin T-shirt without free shipping!

I think that this might have been a typo on the sellers part.

ZeroDelta wrote:I think that this might have been a typo on the sellers part.

Like accidentaly adding 3 zeros on the items quiet often?

venator5 wrote:

ZeroDelta wrote:I think that this might have been a typo on the sellers part.

Like accidentaly adding 3 zeros on the items quiet often?

That happens if your punctuation/comma key is broken or you dont hit it hard enough, happened to me before

I think the bottom line is that the hobby is an addiction. It's worse perhaps for people like me who prefer to kitbash rather than to buy complete figure sets because when you buy the stuff parted out and a-la-carte, it ends up costing you more. It's for this reason that I primarily buy parted out stuff from one source....Monkey Depot, which IMO, has the best prices on parts, but you have to check out their updates every day and jump on the stuff you want quickly because it goes quickly. A lot of others know they have better prices than others. I digress a bit.

Like a lot of others here, I have more clothing, weapons and gear than I have figures for, except in the field of footwear, as it's getting harder and harder to find the high, lace up style female boots I like. So may ideas for kitbashes, so little budget for figures themselves. Oh yeah...I need more German helmets....Damn!

I think one of the current factors of why prices are rising so high, has to do with the current world economic situation. The Coronavirus has lead to shutdowns everywhere and decreased production on one side, with many people loosing jobs and places having to close, thats one side, the other is that places like Amazon and such are making billions right now because everyone orders online.

now couple that with China wanting to force its economical growth by 20 %, by basically ramping up production AND building cities from the ground up, it means they have to buy a lot of resources on the market. If you have notice, wood, stone, electronics and such all have become hard to get and the prices have gone up, thats because China buys everything one one hand and the other is that protectionist governments import less resources.

All that leads to inflation by the way and I dont have to tell you what it means if you have a economic crisis, where a bubble is created artificially and you have inflation (protip: thats how you get a depression once the thing pops)