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Source.

Funko has warned investors that it may not survive another year after reporting a sharp decline in sales and issuing a formal notice about its financial stability.

The collectibles giant behind the Pop Vinyl brand posted net sales of $250.9 million for the third quarter of 2025, down 14% from the same period last year, and recorded a net loss of roughly $1 million, according to its latest financial filing. The company cited falling demand, higher tariffs, and tighter retailer inventories as major challenges in what it described as a “difficult retail environment.“

I've always hated Funko Pops. They're invasive (taking up entire walls at some geek stores), and on top of that, they're just so dull. Well, it seems they've finally worn out their welcome.

.

The sooner they’re gone the better.


Next do LEGO.

Caring this much about things that you don't like and don't affect you is a choice.

 Ahtman wrote:
Caring this much about things that you don't like and don't affect you is a choice.

(Credit)

.

Trying to turn dakka into 4chan, I see.

You realise one reason the store has a lot of Funko is cause it sells and thus generates profit for the store to keep the lights on to then be there to sell other stuff right.

Same as how MTG cards help drive sales support for many stores.


I've never understood the popularity of Funko nor had any interest in it at all ever. However I don't wish ill on them or those who enjoy it and clearly many people did

 Ahtman wrote:
Caring this much about things that you don't like and don't affect you is a choice.

This aimed at me?

I barely typed two sentences, hitting less than 0.07 The Last Jedis on the Caring About Stuff That Doesn’t Affect You meter. I think I’m alright.

Remarkable you can take the thick end of $250m, yet lose $1M

Let’s pull the plaster off now, and spot the operative word Tarrifs.

I don’t think it will go away. It has decent takings, so presumably may yet be a restructure away from success. May depend on how much debt it’s carrying, and whether that debt can be renegotiated.

Newsflash: sales drop when you oversaturate a market, film at 11.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Newsflash: sales drop when you oversaturate a market, film at 11.

It's also not the best business model to offer no conceivable value beyond "collectability" (and decorative value) in a market that is per definition mostly composed of leisure budgets. Even among the "unnecessary" hobbit expenditures, these things tend to be the first to get cut once personal budgets tighten - stuff like books, gaming pieces etc. are a little easier to justify citing relatively high "enjoyment units per dollar" if you can actually use the or do something with them, purely ornamental pieces that are useless in actual hobby-related activities much less so.

Tl:dr: Look at the time, it's Beanie Babies™ o'clock again.

There's always collector markets - Beanie Babies, Pogs, Sticks, Beyblades, Decorative painted plates, Comicbooks, Funko

They are nearly all boom-bust.

A few of them such as Comics and Magic the Gathering manage to out-last the trend and last long term on a viable large market (though as of late MTG has been chasing the investor market so at some point will likely have a bust like comic investor market had in the 90s)



Of course Funko is also going up against cost-of-living and tariffs both combining together in the US market to really hit them hard. Even those markets outside are still reeling from the trade war; Ukraine War; raised shipping costs and cost of living.

So its a REALLY tough time for any market.

I’ve a friend who collects Funkos, focussing on films she likes.

But I’m also aware of folk with truly vast collections.

I’m wondering if given collector mentality? Once your cost of living has meant you forgo adding a Funko or two to your collection, the spell is broken, and the compulsion to collect goes away?

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
II’m wondering if given collector mentality? Once your cost of living has meant you forgo adding a Funko or two to your collection, the spell is broken, and the compulsion to collect goes away?

It's why I never started. I'm a completionist, and it was obvious from the get go that I could never have them all. Even if you limit yourself to only a few IPs, the hyperproduction is insane. And, as you say, once you skip one...

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I’ve a friend who collects Funkos, focussing on films she likes.

But I’m also aware of folk with truly vast collections.

I’m wondering if given collector mentality? Once your cost of living has meant you forgo adding a Funko or two to your collection, the spell is broken, and the compulsion to collect goes away?

No. It does not.

I used to work in a Comic Book store many eons ago, and we'd have people drop their pay check on stuff and then come back later in the week trying to return things when they couldn't pay their rent.

Sometimes the compulsion to collect your thing, is an actual addiction.

 lord_blackfang wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
II’m wondering if given collector mentality? Once your cost of living has meant you forgo adding a Funko or two to your collection, the spell is broken, and the compulsion to collect goes away?

It's why I never started. I'm a completionist, and it was obvious from the get go that I could never have them all. Even if you limit yourself to only a few IPs, the hyperproduction is insane. And, as you say, once you skip one...

Yeah I've passed on a few things like that cause I realise that the desire to own it all would be crippling - its one reason I avoid MTG even though I really love the artwork. I just know that at the rate they release things the fun would fast vanish unless my disposable income increased dramatically to the point where whole boxes of boosters were "throwaway/backpocket" cash.


For many people though if its their only or primary hobby its doable; or if their income is sufficient; or if they really lean into the whole "wheeling and dealing" side of collecting; esp whilst the hobby is in its most popular phase.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:

 Ahtman wrote:
Caring this much about things that you don't like and don't affect you is a choice.

This aimed at me?

I barely typed two sentences, hitting less than 0.07 The Last Jedis on the Caring About Stuff That Doesn’t Affect You meter. I think I’m alright.

You didn't make a thread in a forum about movies, tv, books, and music to petulantly whine about something that is none of those things. Admittedly you are important, but not that important. There isn't any critique here just someone in a hobby gaming forum bitching that other people's hobbies are wrongstupidbad. I've seen people with basements full off unbuilt/unopened warhammer miniatures which I imagine many people outside the hobby would look poorly on as well. "Stupid people collecting stupid things!" proclaim the plastic crack addicts.

I imagine just like Beanie Babies and video game microtransactions the majority don't buy anything, some buy just a few that interest them, and then there is a small number of whales that spend excessively. I know people that have Pops but no one that collects them. If one doesn't like a product don't buy it and move on to the stuff you do like. I think Lububus are ridiculous but I'm not going to make a thread just to say how stupid they, that I yearn for their demise, and that the people that collect them are idiots.

You have to save that kind of vitriol for Alpha Legion players.

I've never understood the attraction to funko's.

In my game group it's become a term for modern mediocrity which keep replacing nuance and substance . Infantilization would also be a term but funkopop easily fit the bill and it stuck.

They’re…kinda easy presents.

Whilst I’m not into them myself? If you’re stuck for a reasonably priced birthday or Christmas present for a friend? A Funko based on a character they love is pretty reliably inoffensive. And it’s enough to show malice aforethought in said present buying.

Tsagualsa wrote:
Even among the "unnecessary" hobbit expenditures,

Such as Longbottom Leaf pipe-weed?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

You know, nothing enhances collectability like stopping production. Everything becomes a collectors' item.

Maybe the CEO has a big stash somewhere.

The late Carrie Fisher said that George Lucas has a personal warehouse stuffed with Star Wars merch and she used to hit him up from time to time for knick-knacks for her daughter to play with.

The draw of Funkos is how vast the variety of them are. Got a fandom? Whatever it is, there’s probably a funko for it. And they’re affordable.

 AduroT wrote:
The draw of Funkos is how vast the variety of them are. Got a fandom? Whatever it is, there’s probably a funko for it. And they’re affordable.

I don't see the appeal myself, but there are many more popular things I also don't like, so I don't put too much stock in my taste.

It looks like the launched the Pops in 2011, so they've had a healthy run. Outside of the pillars of the geek stores (Marvel, DC, WOTC, GW, Pokemon) not many products last that long. I think they benefitted from great timing, launching in the middle of the Marvel peak and the geek culture boom. They are also the coveted crossover product, being popular with people who are casual fans.

They’ve also outlasted, or at least out performed competitors. Mighty Muggs come to mind.

 AduroT wrote:
The draw of Funkos is how vast the variety of them are. Got a fandom? Whatever it is, there’s probably a funko for it. And they’re affordable.

My kids have some, and a lot of the appeal is that they have fairly obscure properties available, which causes fans to celebrate that they have "made it" into the popular culture. I wonder if the incredible proliferation has watered down that sense of accomplishment.

I saw a bunch of Star Wars ones at the Dollar Tree yesterday. That might be a clear sign that all is not well.

"Funkos are dumb!" Says the guy collecting toy soldiers.

As a nerd, I try not to judge what others enjoy too harshly. Other people like things different than I do. However, sometimes even I fall victim to it.

For example, if you like Marble cake.... you are an abomination. Just choose, either White of Chocolate! If you try to do both, you are just failing to make a decisiona and getting an inferior experience of both! Just make a decision! Ummmmm.... sorry..... what was I saying?

I think you were working up to “Red Velvet Cake Is Best Cake”?

It’s all about the chocolate ganache or the Swiss meringue buttercream.

My main beef with Funcos is that they pushed better quality tie in merch off the table. They’re like action figures you can’t play with or plushies you can’t snuggle or figurines you don’t assemble and don’t look particularly detailed. They’re chibi but worse, and they sucked all of the air out of the figurine/toy/tchotchke collectible market.

I dislike LEGO for similar reasons. However, LEGO bothers me more because it destroyed the tie in toy market, especially for things like micromachines and model kits, then jacked up their prices once the competition was eliminated. As a niche product, Lego is fine, but as 50%+ of the post-toddler toy section, Lego is overwhelming.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I think you were working up to “Red Velvet Cake Is Best Cake”?

Time to break out the asbestos suit...

"Everyone knows that Pies are superior to cakes.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I think you were working up to “Red Velvet Cake Is Best Cake”?

Time to break out the asbestos suit...

"Everyone knows that Pies are superior to cakes.

I'm sorry but that's not a real thing...

You can't have the two halves of the meal fight each other! They are united in awesome!