So, why are funko pops expensive? And who are they for anyway? Next, we dive into what contributes to the value of a funko pop and what warning signs you should keep an eye on.
According to the official Funko App, there are up to 8,366 figures, and the company’s official motto says, “Everyone is a fan of something.” Age doesn’t play a factor when it comes to collecting.
Most of the Pops stands 3.75 inches tall and weigh around 4 ounces. However, although the figures for vinyl plastic material are relatively cheap, they can be worth thousands of dollars. Pop Price Guide shows the most expensive Funko Pops can get you a used car or even a house.
Funko recently changed the price of exclusive funko pops from $10.99 in the United States of America to $15.00 due to increased demand. In addition, Funko recognized resellers were making profits from flipping pops.
If these questions ‘Why are funko pops so expensive?’ and ‘Who buys funko pops?’ have been bothering you, this is your article as we go in-depth to explain how it works. So, buckle up as we take a trip to Funko Pop world to make some discoveries!
Who Are Funko Pops and why?
When you read comments from Funko Pop naysayers, you might think Pops are a bunch of 3.75 inches plastic tall pieces of nothing. However, not everything makes sense to everyone.
There are specific groups (fans) of people who treasure the Funko Pop figurines. They are more than just a piece of vinyl plastic, and that is why they are willing to pay top-dollar for them.
Collectors look at these pop vinyl action figures as investments for the future or items they get a lot of joy from (emotional support at times).
A list of different type of funko collectors you’d expect
- Super Fans
- Loyalists
- Flippers
Which are you? And you could be a combination of many at different times; however, this is what we typically see as the types of people who collect funko pops.
In this regard, here are groups of people who collect Funko Pops:
Fans of cult TV shows, movies, books, comics interested in collecting related action figures and toys make up most collectors.
To them, the Pops give them a chance to have a physical representation of their cult heroes that they couldn’t meet. So, for instance, if you are a Stranger Things fan, you can collect the Stranger Things Pops of your favorite characters like Dustin with Compass or Steve with Sunglasses. Who doesn’t like Dustin Stranger Things Funko Pops?
Super Fans Love To Pre-Order To Get Expensive Funkos Cheap
On the other hand, Funko Pops is an excellent collectible for adults who want to relive their youthful days.
For instance, having a Chuck Norris Pop could bring fond childhood memories. Some collectors even claim that specific Pops bring back childhood memories they hold dear. As a result, the Pops value is more intrinsic than monetary to them. Such Pop owners would never sell these pieces for whatever price, mainly.
Flippers Buy Large Bulk Orders Of Funko Pops To Make Profit
There is also a group of Funko Pop collectors who do it for the money. Often called ‘Flippers,’ and are only in it to make a profit. They chase after certain valuable items and hold on to them to create an artificial scarcity to shoot up the prices. Then, once the prices shoot, they sell them to the highest bidder.
Such collectors understand the dynamics of the Funko Pop market like rare pops, which ones can fetch more money, and which Pops are likely to be in high demand. If you understand these dynamics and want to do business buying and reselling Pops, it is a real business opportunity.
Loyalists Buy Funko Pops They Love And Adore
Finally, there are those individuals who are looking for something to buy a loved one. For example, it could be a father looking to buy his son a present on his birthday. The father could buy his son a Funko Pop like Ant-Man Black Out Suit, depending on what the son loves.
Unfortunately, such gestures usually end up with people having expensive Pops, and they don’t even know about it. Sometimes, they might even throw it in the trash can if they don’t like it!
If you haven’t seen our twitter account (@popandfigures) we love funko pop memes and this one fits perfectly!
Why are Funko Pops so Expensive?
Several factors help to determine the price of Funko Pops. If you receive a Funko Pop Vinyl from a friend or loved one as a gift, think twice before tossing it away, as it could be worth a fortune. Here are some factors that make the Pop figures so expensive.
1. Licensing and Intellectual Property
You might be wondering how can a Vinyl plastic figure cost so much? Before Funko manufactures a Pop, it has to get character licensing and intellectual Property to pay to get the rights to use. As a result, each character carries some cost for that.
Funko has more than 1100 licenses with different companies. They usually track a character’s popularity to help determine when to move on to another character.
2.The Laws of Demand and Supply
Funko typically produces a limited number of Pops. In the end, there are not enough Pops for every collector. As a result, there is always a higher demand for Pops than what is in the market. For instance, a Loki figure from 2012’s The Avengers that was only available at that year’s San Diego Comic-Con usually sells for more than 1000 USD.
3. Rare Pops Cost More Than Common Pops
What are rare pops? The main thing that makes a pop rare is when a small number of Pop figures and whether it is a regular or a Chase Pop Vinyl. However, this alone would not make the price of the pops shoot up. Collectors’ demand plays a crucial role in determining the price of pop, whether it is a regular or a Chase.
What’s a chase funko pop?
A Chase is a Pop Vinyl variant having something different about it. Funko produces Chase Pop Vinyls at a ratio of 1:6 to regular Funko Pop Vinyl. Other chase variants have even rarer ratios like 1:24, making them harder to find.
The rarer a Pop figure is, the more valuable it becomes. You can buy a Pop by chance at retail or by pre-ordering for a regular price. However, they immediately become more valuable, and the price shoots up when you step out of the store.
What are convention exclusive funko pops?
Another category of rare Pops is the Convention Exclusive Pop Vinyl. Nowadays, many Convention Exclusives at local pop culture retailers. Meaning, not all Convention Exclusives are rare.
However, most of the funko pops released before 2015 are rare. For instance, if you have one of the Dragon Ball Z Convention Exclusives, then there is a high chance that your item costs over 100 USD. These are arguably the most famous Pop Vinyl figures because the franchise has a massive following.
Besides the Chase Pop Vinyl’s and Convention Exclusives, some unmarked Pop Vinyl figures are rare because they are older or no longer sold. An example is the original mold of Ursula from The Little Mermaid is a rare plain Pop Vinyl in the market. You can get it for a minimum of $300 USD.
Funko Pops Are Expensive Due To Market Demand vs. Supply
Funko Pops figurines mean different things to different people. Unfortunately, the value people give each Pop and its rarity in the market make these 3.75 inches tall and 4 ounces heavy pieces of Vinyl plastics expensive.
These various reasons also inform why people collect the Pops. So whether you are a super fan, flipper, or loyalist, funko pop hunting and collecting is for everyone, no matter the age.
Are you a Funko Pop collector? Why do you collect Funko Pops?
