If you’re a fan of collectibles, chances are you’ve heard of Hot Toys. The Hong Kong-based company has quickly become one of the most popular manufacturers of high-end action figures in the world, with products costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. All of which begs the question: just why are Hot Toys so expensive?
The short answer is that they’re extremely high quality, they’re highly sought after by collectors, they’re painstakingly handmade, they have limited production runs, and they’re based on popular entertainment brands.
Six Reasons Why Hot Toys are So Expensive
Let’s take a look a little bit more closely at the reasons behind Hot Toys hefty price tags.
1. They’re extremely high quality
The average Hot Toy is far superior to virtually any toy you’ll find on the market, using the highest quality materials and production processes to achieve their hyper realistic look and feel. Everything from the packaging to the final piece itself is given the highest level of detail and attention. In fact, Hot Toys own production processes continually improve, only adding to their quality (one need only look at some of the very first Hot Toys produced to see just how far they’ve come). As with other items that are finely made, the cost also goes up.
2. They’re highly sought after by collectors
Over the past few years Hot Toys has become more of a household name among collectors and pop culture fans. The brand is now distributed by the US-based company Sideshow Collectibles which has further expanded their reach and appeal. This increased popularity has allowed the company to raise their prices.
3. They’re handmade and hand painted
While a traditional toy or action figure is usually mass produced using assembly line technology, Hot Toys are painstakingly sculpted and painted by hand. This process means that can take hundreds of hours to complete a single figure. As with other handmade items, the cost goes up as highly-skilled artists need to be employed to carry out this work. In fact, Hot Toys maintains a dedicated team of sculptors and painters at their South Korea location.
4. They have limited production runs
With most Hot Toys figures having a limited run between 2,000 – 3,000 versions for their entire global distribution network. This scarcity leads to a simple supply and demand issue that can increase the cost. Additionally, as the popularity of Hot Toys has grown the limited nature of the action figures has only further increased their demand leading to higher costs.
5. They’re produced overseas
While Hot Toys is based in Hong Kong, most of their production occurs in their South Korean facilities. This means that their final products have to be shipped overseas to Western and European retailers, which means that added shipping costs, taxes and duties have to applied. These added costs are then passed along to consumers.
6. They’re based on popular (and expensive) IPs
Currently, Hot Toys has licenses with some of the biggest and most beloved intellectual properties in the world, including Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter and DC. Purchasing the rights to use these characters isn’t cheap and these costs are in turn folded into the final price of the figure. If Hot Toys still produced generic military figures (which is how the company first started out in 2000), no doubt they would be significantly cheaper than purchasing the Mandalorian or Captain America.
(For more information on pricing, read our blog How much do Hot Toys cost?)
Are Hot Toys a Good Investment?
If you’re wondering whether Hot Toys are a good investment, you’re not alone. After all, if you’re dropping hundreds of dollars on an action figure, you’d like to know that it’ll retain or even grow it’s value, regardless of how awesome it might be.
The good news is that Hot Toys do indeed seem to be a solid investment for collectors. While data on this is a bit scarce, you need only look at recent eBay sales to see just how how much value these figures can acquire over time.
Take for instance this Hot Toys Black Suit Spider-Man figure which retailed for around $200 upon release and now fetches several hundred dollars more on eBay and the local collectors market. This Hot Toys Thanos Infinity War figure is another example of a figure that’s still available for purchase from Sideshow, but has shot up in value a few years after its release.
And while most collectors are buying these items because they love them, there’s no doubt that there’s a brisk online trade of individuals flipping Hot Toys figures for a tidy profit. So it’s likely that Hot Toys do go up in value on a regular basis.
Amazingly, many of the latest Hot Toy releases sell out extremely quickly, particularly for limited editions. This is likely going to be the case for the foreseeable future, so if you’re looking to get in on the latest figures, you’ll likely want to check the Sideshow Collectibles website as often as possible.
There’s no doubt that Hot Toys figures are extremely expensive items, and not something that casual collectors on a budget are likely to be able to afford. That being said, for those who manage to snag these rare items, there’s also no doubt that they have an incredible piece of fandom that’s well worth the price. (For more information see our blog Do Hot Toys Go Up in Value?).
Where to Buy Hot Toys
If you’re looking to purchase a Hot Toys action figure, there are a few options online or in person.
- Sideshow Collectibles: Known for their own range of high-end collectible statues featuring the likes of Batman, Spider-Man and Venom, Sideshow is also the official distributor of Hot Toys
- Amazon: Amazon does offer a wide range of Hot Toys. And while prices can sometimes be a bit higher than you’ll find with other retailers, you can purchase from third-party retailers
- Wal-Mart: Locations in both Canada and the US do actually carry Hot Toys and you can purchase them in-store or online. The catch, however, is that their inventory can be limited
- BigBadToyStore: As one of the most popular online toy distributors in the world, BBTS does carry a wide range of Hot Toys. As with other distributors, however, selection can vary
- Toys Wonderland: Another large online distributor, Toys Wonderland also has a fair number of Hot Toys available and has become a go-to source for a lot of collectors
- Your Local Comic Shop: Sideshow does distribute Hot Toys products to thousands of physical brick and mortar retail stores in the US, Canada and throughout Europe (you can use their store locator to find one near you)
(For more information, read our blog Where to Buy Hot Toys Figures).
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. The answer to the question: just why are Hot Toys so expensive? Ultimately, as with anything in life, items are only worth what people are willing to pay. And in the case of Hot Toys collectors are continuing to snap them up despite the hefty price tag.
More About Hot Toys
Learn more at the links below or visit our Hot Toys Collectibles Guide.
Hot Toys Reviews & News
Check out our latest coverage below or visit our Hot Toys reviews page.
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