Why are Hot Toys so Expensive? Bargain or Ripoff?

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Hot toys are costly considering they are just 1/6th scale collectible figures made from plastic or diecast metal from movies, TV shows, cartoons, comic books ad more. However, there are some factors to consider which you may not think about, so here is an article detailing why they are so expensive.

Hot Toys are so expensive because of the multiple factors that you have to consider. These include that every Hot Toy is a limited edition to some degree. They are handmade from high-quality materials. Tons of hours are spent on R&D, design, and manufacturing. Also, worldwide distribution and obtaining a license to produce these collectibles are expensive.

I have shared this before, CNN do give a good over view Hot Toys and why they sell for as much as they do

In this article, we will go through all the factors that make Hot Toys so expensive, covering all the aspects you would think of and those you would not. We have even included a few of the rarest Hot Toys that have ever existed.

Are they Expensive because of Where they are made?

Hot Toys are designed, developed, manufactured, and shipped from Hong Kong, where their production house is situated. This is the only place where Hot toys come from throughout the entire world. There are no other factories or companies that produce hot toys or have a license to produce these 1/6th scale collectibles.

Due to this being the only place where they are manufactured, and they have to be shipped throughout the world, export and import duties may play a toll in the price being somewhat expensive to a degree, so let’s look further.

Are they Expensive because of How they are Made?

Budget Stark shares a sneak peek behind the scenes of Hong Kong’s figure industry

Hot Toys, as you would have guessed, are handmade. An enormous amount of research and development goes into creating one 1/6th scale collectible that no other toy company can compete with.  All other toy companies mass-produce toys in factories using cheap materials, which make them more affordable.

The team at Hot Toys spends time studying stills from movies to concept artwork. After that, the team models and sculpts the collectibles out of special modeling clay that hardens once it has been through an oven, which keeps the collectible’s tiny nuances perfectly in place.

Painting these collectibles is a tough job as well. The team uses several if not countless brushes to get the detail of the models just right. This takes an enormous amount of time and patience, not to mention skill. Due to them being handmade and the extensive way they are crafted, this plays a large role in their exorbitant prices.

Are they Expensive because of What they are Made From?

As we said, they use special modeling clay to bring the collectibles to life-like realism; in addition to that, they use high-quality fabrics and materials to produce the clothing.

Their collectibles are made from the highest quality plastic, and some series of Hot Toys include a range of collectibles made from diecast.  

Since the materials they are made from are of the highest quality, we can assume this plays a significant role in why they are expensive.

Are Hot Toys Expensive because of Licensing?

Hot Toys produce only the most life-like collectibles, and in order to do this, they require a license. Creating other derivatives and parodies of figures does not require a permit and requires no payment as such.

However, to obtain licenses for blockbuster movies, video games, TV shows, and more, the Hot Toys company has to pay a certain amount of money to companies and corporations to obtain reproduction rights. This amount is no small fee, so they have to put that into their overheads, which means that you pay more for a collectible.

Are Hot Toys Expensive because they are Rare?

Hot Toys are not made on a massive scale, which makes every collectible a limited edition. You even get scarce hot toys where only a handful have been made, or you can’t find them anywhere, which makes the prices for these astronomical. Being a limited edition for anything, as you know, has a hefty price tag on it, so we now know this also plays a part in their price.

Some of these very rare Hot Toys include Ethan Hunt: Mission impossible, George Lucas: The Director, and Neo: The Matrix.

Are they Expensive because they are Collectibles from Specific Media?

Hot Toys only creates collectibles that come from blockbuster movies, video games, anime, celebrities, cartoons, TV shows, and Comic books. They are all based on famous characters that people love or hate.

With this, the appeal is more significant; therefore, they can charge more, and they do. If you think about it, a collectible action figure that does not resemble anyone or thing does not have the same appeal as the character from your favorite Marvel movie.

Conclusion

Hot toys are costly when considering they are just collectible, and their price can range from a couple of hundred dollars to thousands.

This is due to many factors that we now know, and considering them all, they are definitely worth the money. You could even consider them an investment.

Source list

The Hot Toys figures are limited to how many and why

A beginner’s guide to Hot Toys

The Rarest Hot Toys Figures Ever!

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