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2025/11/12 06:12:59
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
They're vinyl right? So if you don't have one on hand to taste you could try taking a bite out of some vintage records or the siding on a house or something....
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/12 14:49:55
2025/11/12 15:22:15
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
Nah, if they want to get into the flavour market, just pivot to vaping and have custom flavours made for each character. Ever wonder what Thanos' butt tastes like?
Funko Farts. Buy Smart, Taste S-hart.
2025/11/12 18:39:19
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
BorderCountess wrote: Just because you're doing something right doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing...
"Vulkan: There will be no Rad or Phosphex in my legion. We shall fight wars humanely. Some things should be left in the dark age." "Ferrus: Oh cool, when are you going to stop burning people to death?" "Vulkan: I do not understand the question."
– A conversation between the X and XVIII Primarchs
2025/11/12 19:52:32
Subject: Re:Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
I currently have two Funkos.
One, is Pinhead from out of off of Hellraiser. A birthday gift from a friend. And like all birthday gifts from friends, a treasured possession.
The other is a MIB Jack Skellington as Santa. Picked up on my New York trip as a gift for my Funko and Nightmare Before Christmas collector friend. Her husband helped me pick it out, as it’s about the only one she’s not been able to find in the UK.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
I was going to poor scorn on people for having them, until I realised I had an ultramarine (primaris rubbish) and a bloodangel - no idea how, gifts from someone I guess?
2025/11/13 13:11:51
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
I have too many random ones (started as gifts from friends), but still less than my cousin who only collects the Disney ones.
As a casual it does look like they're speeding up the release schedule, as well as bringing back some of the older, rarer ones (like Rocky Horror Picture Show).
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/13 13:12:11
2025/11/13 13:15:08
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
Bringing back rare ones can be a good move once you're past the "whale investor" curve because in general that's the only market that will whine about "rare ones" being back in production (and then they'll just go to - super rare first printing)
BorderCountess wrote: Just because you're doing something right doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing...
"Vulkan: There will be no Rad or Phosphex in my legion. We shall fight wars humanely. Some things should be left in the dark age." "Ferrus: Oh cool, when are you going to stop burning people to death?" "Vulkan: I do not understand the question."
– A conversation between the X and XVIII Primarchs
2025/11/13 13:38:02
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
Also, gonna take this opportunity for a quick whine which I might yet make a thread.
But it’s Splash Releasing in the toy collecting industry/hobby.
I still love me my toys. I’ve recently just rounded out a complete collection of Kenner’s Real Ghostbusters hero figures. Assembled over a few years, I got over the line when Hasbro did a convention exclusive release of the Ecto Glow.
Those have been stupidly expensive, as they were originally a US Exclusive. And massive Hats Off to Hasbro Pulse for making them available internationally via their website. That spared me from Scalpers.
But so often? Cool new toys I might want to add are Splash Released, and immediately Botted off the first hand market and into “think of a number” Scalper Paradise.
And. It. Sucks. I take a personal hard line about Scalping, and refuse to fund the naked greed of some *insert rude word* with a Bot Farm.
I do get the sense of Event and Convention Exclusives. But man, if Hasbro Pulse can put them up for sale online as well, any company can. It’s the best way to defeat Scalpers and drive them out of the market.
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
As I mentioned earlier, they have a HUGE array of fandoms. Movies, TV, anime, video games, and other assorted random things. People like to see their obscure (or sometimes not) interests get attention and like to show off their fondness for that IP. Then, they’re affordable. They’re only like ~$15 each. Far more affordable than that $200 anime waifu statue. So yeah, huge variety of IPs and an affordable price tag.
2025/11/13 14:57:36
Subject: Re:Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
As I mentioned earlier, they have a HUGE array of fandoms. Movies, TV, anime, video games, and other assorted random things. People like to see their obscure (or sometimes not) interests get attention and like to show off their fondness for that IP. Then, they’re affordable. They’re only like ~$15 each. Far more affordable than that $200 anime waifu statue. So yeah, huge variety of IPs and an affordable price tag.
Cool. Thanks.
Good thing they haven't released any Gundams (if they have don't tell me).
BorderCountess wrote: Just because you're doing something right doesn't necessarily mean you know what you're doing...
"Vulkan: There will be no Rad or Phosphex in my legion. We shall fight wars humanely. Some things should be left in the dark age." "Ferrus: Oh cool, when are you going to stop burning people to death?" "Vulkan: I do not understand the question."
– A conversation between the X and XVIII Primarchs
2025/11/13 15:14:46
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
As I mentioned earlier, they have a HUGE array of fandoms. Movies, TV, anime, video games, and other assorted random things. People like to see their obscure (or sometimes not) interests get attention and like to show off their fondness for that IP. Then, they’re affordable. They’re only like ~$15 each. Far more affordable than that $200 anime waifu statue. So yeah, huge variety of IPs and an affordable price tag.
Cool. Thanks.
Good thing they haven't released any Gundams (if they have don't tell me).
Okay I won't.
2025/11/13 15:17:51
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
I’m wondering if they’re just badly run.
Going back to the OP? I appreciate their sales have dipped and that will of course have an impact. But how can you have those takings, and still make a loss unless something is pretty rotten in your organising?
I suspect quite serious inefficiencies, and/or highly in debt, and it’s the serving of those debts that’s doing them.
Hence I’d be surprised even if the existing company goes kaput, that we’ll see the end of Funkos. I mean, $250m in a quarter is $1bn annually.
Buy up, fix up, and enjoy the profit.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/13 15:19:51
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
Going back to the OP? I appreciate their sales have dipped and that will of course have an impact. But how can you have those takings, and still make a loss unless something is pretty rotten in your organising?
I suspect quite serious inefficiencies, and/or highly in debt, and it’s the serving of those debts that’s doing them.
Hence I’d be surprised even if the existing company goes kaput, that we’ll see the end of Funkos. I mean, $250m in a quarter is $1bn annually.
Buy up, fix up, and enjoy the profit.
Potentially the licensing costs as well, since they have to secure the IP of so many different companies to pump out official products for those franchises they are creating their Funkos for. I can't imagine that bigger corpos like Disney don't get a big cut of that pie.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/13 19:00:26
2025/11/13 15:32:13
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
[DCM]
Chief Deputy Sub Assistant Trainee Squig Handling Intern
True. But that might come under inefficiencies. Like not negotiating favourable enough terms?
Kenner came a similar cropper on their Star Wars license. Given the success of Star Wars merchandise utterly revolutionised the toy and tie-in industry, they got frankly astounding terms. Was something silly like “you just need to send Lucasfilm an annual cheque for $10k and the rights remain with you”.
They…promptly forgot. Well, Hasbro did as they’d bought Kenner by then.
One imagines someone got sacked very quickly, and quite possibly received a shoeing behind the Hasbro Bike Sheds.
Oh they got it back, sure. But on much less favourable terms!
Apparently, the original deal was Lucasfilm gets a Nickel (that’s 5 cents, I think?) for every dollar, or a minimum of $10k a year. Provided that was met? They retained the rights with no renegotiating.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2025/11/13 15:34:05
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
The House M.D. subreddit popped up as a suggestion, and while I would normally scroll on it was about Funko releasing a House Funko. One of the first comments was of course about how stupid Funko are, with the responses being some variety of "no one else makes a House figure so I'm getting it".
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/13 15:56:32
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2025/11/13 16:37:19
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
I don’t get that. At the size and fidelity of a Funko, any Ken doll or GI Joe dressed as a doctor is just as much a House MD figurine. Unless…is the name brand what matters most to customers? Is that what makes generic doctor toys less valuable than a warped nightmare with the right product license?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2025/11/13 16:37:44
I wouldn't read too far into whether its an issue of management or anything like that. The most likely explanation for something like this going under is just that the well has run dry. The fad has run its course and something else will take its place. It will return in 10-20 years or so with a nostalgia wave.
2025/11/13 17:15:06
Subject: Funko might go bankrupt in the next year. Good riddance, I say.
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