Sideshow prices?

[Gorn Captain]

Is it me, or is Sideshow just upping their prices to follow Hot Toys?

Thing is, Hot Toys is much higher quality. Still expensive, but they offer some exceptional sculpting.
I mean, the new Sideshow SW Emperor is between $100-130!
And that's basically a guy in a priest's robe.
I can understand why a Stormtrooper would be more expensive, due to the armour, but The Emperor is about as basic as it can get.

Seems as if some companies just see $$$$ signs when they target collectors...

[ODBJBG]

Sideshow stuff has always been great, but you're right, they're no Hot Toys. They've upped their prices in recent years to pretty much the same area as Hot Toys, but the Sideshow stuff still isn't the same quality. Bit of a shame.

[BlackKnight]

The Joes are about 112 to 140 ..., I think.
I have never , ever bought a Side Show Star Wars Figure at Full Price ...., so It doesn't bother me 1 bit.


I think the Most I paid ..., as for Jedi Luke ..., and He was Like 65 shipped ..., I only have about 5 of them though , and none of the 295.00 limited nonsense.

[MIB41]

I think they have reduced production volume to raise prices and this explains why they never have anything in stock for more than a week (it seems). The collector is clearly their target market and they are gaming it for all it's worth. To date, I have NEVER bought anything directly from Sideshow, because their simply too difficult to do business with. Like Jason, I always get better deals through secondary vendors...much better. I think the best series Sideshow ever did was the Universal monsters. Pretty much everything else I have in my collection is Hot Toys and DC Direct, give or take a few stray specialty figures like Christopher Lee as Dracula and Boris Karloff (as himself).

[toys2cool]

Hot Toys is just on another level right now

[Sandman9580]

I remember in a Sideshow Q&A someone asked why they couldn't up their game to Hot Toys quality, and their response was something like, "Well, we've always focused on affordability with our collectibles." Yeah right, Sideshow. Tell you what, charge $5 more for your stuff, and let's see you give us Hot Toys quality.

[rche]

SS partnered with Hot Toys for their latest body - the prometheus.
That is probably one reason for the hike. SW items also have a ginormous hit with the Lucasfilm kickback fee. So there is more for the high dollar.

I have been thinking for quite some time that ultimately, SS will turn the 12" figure making portion of their business over to HT and concentrate on the statues, busts, and premium format items. It would probably benefit their business model. Until then, I don't see them trying to go toe to toe with HT as they have some business handshakes and pocket sharing.

It is actually pretty amazing that they have weathered the bad economy and are still putting out interesting products.

[thunderbolt]

Man, I remember when I got the Karloff Frankenstein at TRU for 20 bucks.

[Sandman9580]

I have been thinking for quite some time that ultimately, SS will turn the 12" figure making portion of their business over to HT and concentrate on the statues, busts, and premium format items. It would probably benefit their business model.

I've suspected this for awhile too. It seems like Sideshow has been steadily focusing more and more on statues and PFs--I guess they think it makes more sense because a lot of tooling and costuming goes into the 12" figures, but then they can't charge as much as a larger figure. I get the sense they want to phase it out (like they did with LOTR, canceling the 12" but continuing with everything else--and it looks like Indiana Jones is going to follow suit).

If they want to hand the reigns over to HT, ain't no one gonna complain. Hot Toys just keeps upping their game and I think a lot of improvements at Sideshow are due to the Hot Toys factor (not just direct collaboration, but sort of like a high-end McFarlane effect). I have an Admiral Piett on my shelf next to a Han Solo, and the paint job on the Piett is a lot more subtle and nuanced compared to the earlier-released Solo. I don't think they would have bothered if Hot Toys wasn't around. And the Hot Toys Godfather blows away both Sideshow's PF and their life-size bust. In both sculpt and paint. Think about that: a life-size bust blown away by a 12" figure! Hot Toys is just ceaselessly amazing.

Man, I remember when I got the Karloff Frankenstein at TRU for 20 bucks.

Yeah, those were the days. I remember when Hasbro 12" were 19.99 at TRU, and Sideshow was selling their Universal Monsters on their site for $40 and it was like, wow, you're in the big league now buying a $40 figure! Oh how things have changed...