I definitely think Sideshow now has lots of competition than in the past and thier designs are more simple compared to other statue makers...They have really good flexible payment plans which is good for statue collectors on a budget. And if you're a Star Wars fan Sideshow is great...They do alot of star wars statues,props and busts. But if you are a really serious hardcore statue collector Sideshow just doesn't cut it anymore.
Sideshow is inferior! They make hollow statues for the masses to buy! Keep this hobby for the rich man only who can afford solid statues! Sideshow belongs at flea markets 🤣
As a new collector, Sideshow has been the most affordable and the “layaway” helps me afford some of the higher costing statues. Also, the art prints they have are pretty awesome. They do a lot for for the artist and give them a lot of recognition. Lastly, Sideshow seconds is pretty awesome!
I still buy, but not as often. I’m more picky, I’m sticking to the x-men line, and some of the Star Wars mythos. Can’t have it all, and don’t have enough space for more.
Everything I’ve collected for the past two years has been with Sideshow. Being able to pay with layaway and also with Affirm makes it so easy and shipping is affordable.
I was never a fan of Sideshow, but seeing their new statues I’m becoming a fan, their new Joker I think is the best Joker statue I’ve ever seen. For me it’s perfect, the pose is incredible with one bloody hand with a buzzer outstretched for a handshake, hiding a crowbar behind his back, his body is twisted with his legs crossed. Then a really nice base, a bath of chemicals with skulls in it, with a clown face sign thrown on top of it. And it’s only $600 which is crazy cheap. It’s just an amazing statue. Then their new Dark Knight Returns Batman with the big bolt of lightning is also amazing.
That one pissed me off. I have it on order through a distributor and am paying MORE and it’s still not here. I could have got that one for cheaper and faster. Congrats though!
@@TheXtremeChannelMrX See, if you weren't over there playa hatin, you coulda got that SS: Super Sale. J/k, but seriously, I'm at the point where I'd rather wait to see how prices move, because Sideshow. Has been having good sales. Spec Fiction has good early bird prices, but it takes me a while to decide on stuff, and I usually miss out. But SS's payment system is the most modernized. Spec fiction bills shipping as a separate order. Iron Studios doesn't process preorders seamlessly, you have to go back and place an order for the item you pre-ordered. 🙄 Absolute nonsense.
I stopped buying from sideshow because of shipping prices and tax and started buying from specification and comic concepts but I kind of want to get back to sideshow because they do have customer service. Received some broken pieces from comic concepts Joshua said to contact the company directly pretty much saying there was nothing he could do and from specification the communication is touch and go you can get an answer really quick or you may never get one
Similar to your story I used to always buy from Sideshow. I think as I grew more into the collection I became extremely upset with their products where I think of them as GALLERY. At times lol. So now I go to spec fiction for a lot of XM pieces. Then I learned a few places from you and a couple other manufacturers from Sideshow because they’re a third-party company. As far as sideshows actual work goes, I think it’s taking a pretty massive dive, and it’s kind of a shame in my opinion. I don’t think it’s a bad place to buy stuff from or whenever you’re buying their particular work I know I’m extremely specific on what I’m going to buy from them. I usually wait for it to be released and watch other people’s reviews before I purchase anything sideshow makes. They do have the best customer service, and their points system like you said is also pretty fantastic! There’s other people like spec fiction and comic concepts, who also have great points as well. Sideshow will forever be a company I will buy a piece or two from when I’m really intrigued, but I think I only have four pieces with them now and only one of them is an actual Sideshow piece lol.
Valid points! I’ve collected sideshow for 15 years and your point is 💯 valid back in the day there was a lack of competition, they ran the show. Now we have so many choices in different scales and price points that collectors standards and expectations have increased immensely. Still a great company with the best customer service and affordable pricing, but sometimes we expect more and other companies are filling those expectations.
As a retailer, Sideshow is unmatched. Their post purchase support is far beyond the other companies that will just give you excuses saying “our statues will have minor differences”
They are great! I get my P1 statues from them. Easy returns if you need to. Granted I’m very close to them, my shipping has never been more than 115 dollars👍🏻
Sideshow Collectibles is my go to company for buying statues. Mainly because of there reward system, which allow me to take advantage of some serious discounts. I'm hoping that this will continue into the future. Right now, it seem like the economic slows is affecting them. I would like to continue to buy from them, but I might have to consider other options depending on how things go.
What's a bummer is that all the advancements and evolution of statue making have devalued owning statue lines like bowen_ bowen at one time was the tops
I used to buy every statue from Sideshow but now barely any. While they have great customer service, their products are not typically what I'm looking for anymore.
I like SS. Their prices, customer service, rewards program and payment plans really make it for me. I wish they would do some Predator and Alien pieces again to give P1 some competition since their prices are ridiculous!
As a collector from the UK I only tend to buy from Sideshow if it’s an Exclusive version otherwise if it’s a non exclusive statue I go with a UK retailer as it works out cheaper. Though every time I’ve purchased from Sideshow it’s been a perfect transaction with great customer service and I haven’t received anything damaged so far.
I've literally just pre-ordered my 1st sideshow piece yesterday. In fact it's my entry point into 1/4 scale statues. I'm hoping I haven't made a mistake
I’ve been buying on Sideshow for 8 yrs. Mostly as a distributor if on a budget for Tweeterhead, Hot Toys and PCS. Their customer service payment plans and rewards points are great! And I recently won two items from their giveaways. Quality is lacking in their PF statues. So I started buying from Spec Fiction and Prime 1, their rewards points and customer service differs from Sideshow’s but much applied to their statues and busts are 2 to 6 times more expensive.
As someone in the UK it's all about shipping and customs for me. I have 4 statues with one more on the way. Each statue just for shipping and customs alone is about £100 each. If they had a UK warehouse then I'd buy from them a lot more.
We get a lot of Sideshow stuff here in the UK, I actually really like there 1:6 action figures, I've got quite a few Hellboy & Buffy figures from sideshow, also Is there any statue company's based out of the UK?
I’ve actually started going back to sideshow more and more. Compared to some XM not only do they beat them on price but often on design. Sometimes less is more in the design.
I just picked up a very cool piece Mr X, it’s the wall hung big chap mouth closed version, what are your thoughts on that piece, thank you sir for your input
Sideshow pieces have such large edition sizes that they usually sell for cheaper on the aftermarket. I pretty much stick to that now and have gotten my last two pieces well below retail.
I hope prime 1 comes out with another statue that looks as nice as the alien dog that’s not available to buy, I absolutely love the paint job on the head where you can see through to the brain
I had new berserker armor guts from prime 1 paid off through sideshow and waiting to ship. I was so excited then I got the shipping email and shipping was $480 and I couldn't do it and canceled it. It sucks if it was another time and shipping wasn't as bad I could maybe have that piece on the way right now.
I used to buy from Sideshow but primarily by XM pieces now because of their Spidey line. I would still order from Sideshow if they come out with something I'm interested in.
I am not a huge statue collector, but what I do have is from the Sideshow. What I do know is their reward program is incredible, and so is the customer service and support.
Still pretty new to the collecting world been only 3 years but Sideshow was definitely my go to in the beginning. Recently though, Spec Fiction is my main company to purchase through. For me, feels like I’m supporting a local smaller distributor instead of the big corporation in Sideshow. Nothing wrong with Sideshow just my preference. Customer service from Spec Fiction has been extremely on point and I just enjoy scrolling through their site searching for my next piece.
Spec Fiction is my go-to for things I can't get anywhere else. It's thanks to them I have the stunning Darth Revan by XM. To me, that piece is a grail. Love it. SpecFiction has certainly helped me acquire a few hard to get pieces. I'm also getting the InArt Joker from them. Great place for statues/figures.
I mainly buy from Sideshow for the exact reason you mentioned: Customer Service. Any issue I have, they respond competently and resolve the problem. Especially for my $2-3K orders, I want peace of mind.
Sideshow has amazing artists, but I think it comes down to their design choices. They want smaller bases and simple statues to keep the prices down. That way, they keep the cost of production cheaper all the way from design, factory cost, packaging, and shipping. I believe that if they didn't care about raising their prices, they could make more intricate pieces. I still like them, but sadly, they are not producing much now days.
Great comment! I totally agree! I honestly like the smaller footprint of their statues. But I do feel some of the prices they set are still high for what you get. And with edition sizes being such an important factor for many collectors, the prices Sideshow set simply isn't desirable for many. I'm like you, I like what they put out but lately it isn't much... or rather, too much of the same. I mean they released a new Catwoman while the previous one was still in stock! Like, come on!
Just like you Mr. X I started collecting 1/6 scale Hot Toys & moved to Statues. I love sideshow because of their pts system & lay away program BUT last year I showed them how one of my book shelves gave in and it broke my Thanos & Silver Surfer statues. They asked for pictures to show them that I am not a reseller trying to purchase more statues to sell which I provided. & They agreed for me to repurchase both statues. But due to Financial issues I was not able to buy both at the same time. So I bought the Thanos first. Then when I tried to repurchase the Silver Surfer they changed their mind and wont allow me to do so anymore. That made me actually quit collecting statues.
Im still waiting for a replacement head for my 1/6 scale Snake Plissken figure from 2014. The paint on the face of my figure started to crack after 4 days out the box, in a room with soft weather. Im stuck with a figure full of white scratches in the face...eat shit sideshow (yes im still angry).
As far as their own statues SS definitely has big hits and big misses, I think they’ve had some big hits recently though with Vader and TDKR. As a distributor I’ll use them every chance I have. I do think pcs has upped their game but I still wouldn’t have them anywhere near XM’s level. And while I haven’t seen that many Prime 1s in person and don’t like 1/3 scale, I’ve been thoroughly disappointed with every prime 1 I’ve seen in person.
As a fairly new collector I primarily order from sideshow for all the points you mentioned. They have, by in large, carried everything I have wanted so far. I am sure as I get more into this hobby I will vary the buying sources more.
I recently shifted from sideshow to XM…but I’m a 1/4 scale collector. Since P1 is going 1/4 now…prob will go that direction too. Just happy there are so many companies to choose from
Waiting for a statue I ordered almost 2 years ago. The internet seems to have received it. It's cheaper on other websites and seemingly available. This is the Jinx Myethos figure.
I started buying directly from Sideshow and I feel the reason for that is they are well known so a common first recommendation for collectibles. After I started watching channels that focus on collecting, I was introduced to different companies like the ones you mentioned and a few more. Once that happened it changed my behavior, when I want to pick something up I look around more. One of my favorites is BBTS, I find their pile of loot option super helpful. In the end I think it's the variety of options that is likely reducing some of the sales for Sideshow.
I think you nailed it with there being much more competition nowadays as opposed to an outright drop in quality at sideshow. But their points and layaway features are the best in my opinion and keep me purchasing a majority of pieces through them.
I am the same way, I purchased a ton of HT figs and later PF statues, but through the years SS just got left behind. Their constant failures with lines like Alien/Pred/Term on their more recent pieces turned me off. The old Stan Winston/Amalgamated collaboration pieces were amazing, but they never could do it by themselves. The owner really does not care about in house production anymore and really just wants to turn into the Amazon on the hobby where they distribute and just take a piece of everybody else's products. He does not go to China for QC or anything, they mostly now just rely on their distribution stranglehold and their name. That is one reason the products have slipped, but customer service is still outstanding. Prior to this "sale" season I hadn't ordered anything from them for years. Unless the sales continue, I probably will go back to ordering elsewhere, and even if they do with the higher than everyone else's ship prices it might not matter. Most items direct overseas from P1 are cheaper to ship which is nuts. I hope they can work that out and not be doing that in the future. Their warehouse "expenses" and such are part of their cost of doing business and shouldn't be passed on to the consumer. If they can't make a profit at retail price without overcharging shipping, they need to negotiate a better deal with the manufacturers.
Yea Prime1 is crazy on shipping too, they just increased the shipping on my 1/4 scale Guts by $300, from $740 which was already crazy expensive to $1,010. Over $1k shipping for a 1/4 scale is just bonkers.
I’m very new to these high end statues, I’ve bought 6 pieces over the past month, if I’m going to spend this much money I’m going to look at the best company that I feel makes the best looking statues and that’s P1. Sideshow needs to come down on price if they want to compete I think. Another company I’m new to in FNC, they seem good, I picked up a couple nice pieces from them on pre order
@@TheRoleplayer40k ah yes your correct thanks, I’ll have to look who makes the items I got, one of them it’s 1/4 scale and I have not seen it anywhere but there, but as soon as I made the pre-order, I stopped looking for it elsewhere so who knows. Have a good day bud
I was going to pick up their new Mythos Vader, but I saw one video review where the guy was changing out the light saber blade, and the hilt of the saber actually came loose in Vader’s hand. That and there were some other minor issues, but still, it gave me pause.
I only collect Batman-related Statues and I have some of their PF-Line, but they don't bring anything new. They just re-do the same Characters over and over again. That's my biggest Frustration with SS. Still they have awesome Customer-Service and I've also become a Fan of their Art-Prints. I ordered mostly those at SS lately.
I mainly go with Sideshow because they are best for my budget. I don't order nearly as much as I use to when I first started, like most new collectors that start, you go nuts with ordering when you first start, but now I'm more select with what I buy and it's mainly through Sideshow and Sideshow statues. The other companies statues are just getting out of my budget reach these days.
Sideshow is a great place to get into statue collecting as their pieces are probably best value for the money. But their es has gotten much greater and that’s turned off some of the more serious collectors who want rare pieces like you, Mr x
I started collecting sideshow premium formats from the get go and loved it but after so many years and rising prices I scaled back on my buying from them. I also hate the fact that all sideshow seems to do now is batman, spiderman, etc. Its always the same characters. I changed the focus of my collection to focus on just one character so mass collecting different lines from sideshow isn't for me anymore. I do however order art prints from them. They are my go too for good art to hang on my walls.
I buy off and on from Sideshow. I've been buying from them directly ever since they put out the Highlander figures for the 1st time. That was about 18 years ago. I miss the old days when they were doing more themed specials to go along with the holidays like the Halloween specials. Their website was much more interactive back then. They have closed so many lines well before people were finished with them. Spooktacular just isn't what it used to be.
They’re prices,on one sale or another, can be fantastic. This includes pieces from any brand. Also, if you’re buying one of their pieces, and you want the deluxe, you have to get it from them. Finally, in the past the high quality photos of the pieces they do carry are always better than competitors.
My very first statue was from sideshow, and i have multiple sideshow pieces that i have bought. 2 i ordered via the website, and shipping and taxes killed me coming from the US to Thailand, i payed over 1000 dollars for superman call to action and carnage. Luckily i found a distributor here that sells pieces for retail in a place called mega plaza and it really helped boost my collection. Love the x men pieces and picked up some awesome batman statues. I am still waiting to get my first prime 1 piece. I definitely see that prime 1 and customs are coming out with more intricate pieces.
I still buy from Sideshow and other distributors but I just wish that we had more companies out there like Sideshow to offer more competitive prices and shipping costs, so everyone can start this kind of hobby.
Full disclaimer: I have never purchased a statue, because I am poor. But if I were to buy one, I think my first choice would be to get one through big bad toy store because although their prices are more expensive than the other options, they’re more front of the price more so then with the other guys and they also offer four dollar shipping which is pretty much unbeatable especially nowadays.
I have been grabbing up x-men sideshow statues for about 5 years now. I am in no way a "power" collector. I have only got the x-statues I like (Colossus, Rogue, Gabit, Juggernaut, Domino, and I have Psylocke on preorder) and it does not seem like they release a huge amount of their own stuff quickly that I need to shell out tons of money to keep up. So they release a pace I can keep up with and I'm more than happy to buy from them. I find it hard to justify paying over $1k for a statue and then more for overseas shipping. The quality of the ones I have are amazing but I do not have anything else to really judge them buy. I see other companies works in pictures and at cons but I don't find them to be worlds apart. Just about what style you like.
Mr X I think you have to take blame or praise, I used to by from sideshow all the time. But I found your channel and I started buying from spec fiction and secret compass. So I am praising you for give us more options. Still haven’t bought direct from XM or prime one yet
Side show is the only place I buy my figures. I like that they are in the US, they have great customer service ,I love their point systems and they have great sales. I will continue to buy from them
Sideshow has many things going for them others don't imo. Their employees and artists are from old school garage kit roots. They have a flexible payment plan and great customer service. Their prices aren't insane like Queen or P1 for example, and their pieces don't take up huge amounts of unnecessary space for no real reason other than overkill. Remember when Valve made great video games, but slowly just became Steam, a hub to buy games from? That's what's happening to SS.
I've been collecting 1/4 scales for less than a year and for new collectors you just cant beat Sideshows price range. The quality may not be as good as XM or P1 but there's still some great pieces to choose from. Personally i love Sideshows whole 1/4 X-Men line. That being said i can definitely see myself moving towards the better quality producers as my collection grows and space constraints force me to be a little more selective. I'm hoping to grab that P1 1/4 Superman Hush when it goes up for preorder and it will probably be my first P1 piece so who knows how my outlook might change once i actually see the difference in quality for myself.
I came into the hobby from the GK and custom angle so Sideshow wasn't the first, second, or even third statue I bought. Some of their Premium Format is hard to ignore, but there is a lot of competition out there.
I have been moving away from Sideshow over the last couple of years. This is mainly because of shipping to the EU. Nowadays I order through EU based distributors. It might take a little longer, and they dont have a point system as Sideshow does, and they were hard to find. But they deliver and are often super friendly and run by fans. Looking back I think my impulse buys are often still sideshow, my PO's are through EU based distributors.
I don't order from them as much as I use to. In the last year just 1. Buying directly from companies like Prime 1 now a days. But your right about their reward program and giveaways. Won 3 different hot toys and statues from Sideshow.
Lately the Sideshow preorders are getting discounted mere months after release if not making it to Sideshow Seconds. Also, I'm not sure if it was Sideshow, PCS, or both but the signed JCVD Frank Dux / Bloodsport preorder was sold out for a year before release and seeing more pop back up in stock and with several rounds of discounts...curious. Could have taken a chance with the Kumate and waited for the discounted release.
I still use sideshow for most of my orders they have the largest Star Wars selection so it’s a no brainer since it’s mostly what I collect. Also I feel like their 1/4 pieces are still good quality especially for the price!
If you're on more of a budget and don't have a ton of disposable income, Sideshow is perfect to buy from as you can do the "built in" payment plans and their statues are the best bang for your buck, for sure. Some of their pieces are exceptional for the price, like the new Mythos Vader is incredible for the price I got him for (seconds + points). I think their new Batman is also very good. The Carnage you got is exceptional for the price, I like the Sideshow piece more than the XM piece. Pose and base are more interesting on the Sideshow piece. So they clearly still have their place among the industry, but I think the biggest factor is the level and diversity of competition now. There's just simply more options now, and that's a good thing! Sideshow customer service is second to none though, they've treated me really awesome every time I've opened a ticket with them. So yes, I do buy from Sideshow. I have 10 open orders from them now and 6 are statues I believe. I've been branching out to XM for their 1/4th scale X-Men line though. And maaaaybe will snag one of the 1/3rd scale Magneto statues.
I've purchased from both SS and Spec Fiction since they're both local to me. They both have great deals, offer customer rewards and superb customer service. I recently won a SS contest during the holidays too! Though I've been interested in evolving my collection into other companies such as Prime 1 & XM, I just haven't pulled the trigger on their offerings at the moment with so many other new companies out there cranking out amazing pieces. Would love to build my collection to a fraction of Mr. X has!
I buy sideshow, but I was upset with the deals as it only recently started. I also am looking for higher end ones and it just doesn’t really make it good to do so. I shop around now.
I still buy from Sideshow. But just as my bourbon pallet has expanded to higher level bottles, my expectations in statues have also expanded. As such they can not compete for the most part. Like you, I only have two on pre-order, although even those are made by different companies. In the end won't abandon them completely. They still are the best cost value out there IMO.
Unfortunately due to the GBP falling in value against the USD I don't order from SS anymore also the rising import taxes here in UK I've stopped ordering overseas. I'm now looking at some of the European distributors or UK based stores for future pieces
I started with Sideshow 20 years ago and before that Bowen, Dynamic Forces etc. I use to pick up anywhere from 6 to 12 pieces a year from SS alone. However as competition grew and a once obscure hobby became mainstream everything changed. Over saturation, crazy price hikes and insane ES's and ohh boy customs. The statue game is nothing like it was back then. I still enjoy it but it's definitely lost just a bit of its sparkle. I maybe pick up one or two SS pieces every few years now a days; n those have to drop my jaw. My main purchases come from Prime 1 and only one customs group. I don't ever see myself getting completely out, but less is way more now a days.
These "sit down and just talk about a topic" videos are a great palate cleanser in between the statue reviews. Also I'm just ordering the Darth Vader on throne statue from sideshow then after that it'll be difficult for them to get me to order from them again.
I like sideshow and will continue to buy as long as they produce stuff I want. Last year I bought alot from them. But this year I have very little on order from them. My attention has been turned to other companies because they are making stuff I really want.
I definitely think Sideshow now has lots of competition than in the past and thier designs are more simple compared to other statue makers...They have really good flexible payment plans which is good for statue collectors on a budget.
And if you're a Star Wars fan Sideshow is great...They do alot of star wars statues,props and busts.
But if you are a really serious hardcore statue collector Sideshow just doesn't cut it anymore.
Who have you started gravitating towards?
@@sf6ftw833 Well as a matter of fact IPA’s are better than regular f***king beers 😂
@@nvcameron4983 IPA's make regular beer taste like dogwater.
@@lunarlives468IPA’s taste like Dogwater
Sideshow is inferior! They make hollow statues for the masses to buy! Keep this hobby for the rich man only who can afford solid statues! Sideshow belongs at flea markets 🤣
As a new collector, Sideshow has been the most affordable and the “layaway” helps me afford some of the higher costing statues. Also, the art prints they have are pretty awesome. They do a lot for for the artist and give them a lot of recognition. Lastly, Sideshow seconds is pretty awesome!
🤦♂️
@@sf6ftw833 Right! Face palming is so rude.
🤦♂️
Yeah I am too! I love Sideshow and the Layaway option helps quite a bit :)
I still buy, but not as often. I’m more picky, I’m sticking to the x-men line, and some of the Star Wars mythos. Can’t have it all, and don’t have enough space for more.
Everything I’ve collected for the past two years has been with Sideshow. Being able to pay with layaway and also with Affirm makes it so easy and shipping is affordable.
A lot of good points here. When I first got into statue collecting, Sideshow was more enticing to me and a big part of that was pricing.
I was never a fan of Sideshow, but seeing their new statues I’m becoming a fan, their new Joker I think is the best Joker statue I’ve ever seen. For me it’s perfect, the pose is incredible with one bloody hand with a buzzer outstretched for a handshake, hiding a crowbar behind his back, his body is twisted with his legs crossed. Then a really nice base, a bath of chemicals with skulls in it, with a clown face sign thrown on top of it. And it’s only $600 which is crazy cheap. It’s just an amazing statue.
Then their new Dark Knight Returns Batman with the big bolt of lightning is also amazing.
Just ordered Prime 1 Dawnbreaker from them two days ago. 30% off and $75 shipping was an absolute no brainier.
That one pissed me off. I have it on order through a distributor and am paying MORE and it’s still not here. I could have got that one for cheaper and faster. Congrats though!
@@TheXtremeChannelMrX See, if you weren't over there playa hatin, you coulda got that SS: Super Sale. J/k, but seriously, I'm at the point where I'd rather wait to see how prices move, because Sideshow. Has been having good sales. Spec Fiction has good early bird prices, but it takes me a while to decide on stuff, and I usually miss out. But SS's payment system is the most modernized. Spec fiction bills shipping as a separate order. Iron Studios doesn't process preorders seamlessly, you have to go back and place an order for the item you pre-ordered. 🙄 Absolute nonsense.
@@bluscorpion The distributor I used was originally cheaper
I stopped buying from sideshow because of shipping prices and tax and started buying from specification and comic concepts but I kind of want to get back to sideshow because they do have customer service. Received some broken pieces from comic concepts Joshua said to contact the company directly pretty much saying there was nothing he could do and from specification the communication is touch and go you can get an answer really quick or you may never get one
That sucks
Similar to your story I used to always buy from Sideshow. I think as I grew more into the collection I became extremely upset with their products where I think of them as GALLERY. At times lol. So now I go to spec fiction for a lot of XM pieces. Then I learned a few places from you and a couple other manufacturers from Sideshow because they’re a third-party company. As far as sideshows actual work goes, I think it’s taking a pretty massive dive, and it’s kind of a shame in my opinion. I don’t think it’s a bad place to buy stuff from or whenever you’re buying their particular work I know I’m extremely specific on what I’m going to buy from them. I usually wait for it to be released and watch other people’s reviews before I purchase anything sideshow makes. They do have the best customer service, and their points system like you said is also pretty fantastic! There’s other people like spec fiction and comic concepts, who also have great points as well. Sideshow will forever be a company I will buy a piece or two from when I’m really intrigued, but I think I only have four pieces with them now and only one of them is an actual Sideshow piece lol.
Valid points! I’ve collected sideshow for 15 years and your point is 💯 valid back in the day there was a lack of competition, they ran the show. Now we have so many choices in different scales and price points that collectors standards and expectations have increased immensely.
Still a great company with the best customer service and affordable pricing, but sometimes we expect more and other companies are filling those expectations.
As a retailer, Sideshow is unmatched. Their post purchase support is far beyond the other companies that will just give you excuses saying “our statues will have minor differences”
That is 100% on the nose. SS customer service is amazing, Prime 1 on the other hand absolutely atrocious.
They are great! I get my P1 statues from them. Easy returns if you need to. Granted I’m very close to them, my shipping has never been more than 115 dollars👍🏻
Sideshow Collectibles is my go to company for buying statues. Mainly because of there reward system, which allow me to take advantage of some serious discounts. I'm hoping that this will continue into the future. Right now, it seem like the economic slows is affecting them. I would like to continue to buy from them, but I might have to consider other options depending on how things go.
What's a bummer is that all the advancements and evolution of statue making have devalued owning statue lines like bowen_ bowen at one time was the tops
I used to buy every statue from Sideshow but now barely any. While they have great customer service, their products are not typically what I'm looking for anymore.
I like SS. Their prices, customer service, rewards program and payment plans really make it for me. I wish they would do some Predator and Alien pieces again to give P1 some competition since their prices are ridiculous!
Yea I LOVE the Queen and King Alien. Wish they'd do more aliens
As a collector from the UK I only tend to buy from Sideshow if it’s an Exclusive version otherwise if it’s a non exclusive statue I go with a UK retailer as it works out cheaper. Though every time I’ve purchased from Sideshow it’s been a perfect transaction with great customer service and I haven’t received anything damaged so far.
Same here bro .good comment
That is a really nice sweater Mr X. 👍
Hoody
Good thing I watched this. Didn't realize those points expired.
I've literally just pre-ordered my 1st sideshow piece yesterday.
In fact it's my entry point into 1/4 scale statues.
I'm hoping I haven't made a mistake
You are. RUN
I’ve been buying on Sideshow for 8 yrs. Mostly as a distributor if on a budget for Tweeterhead, Hot Toys and PCS. Their customer service payment plans and rewards points are great! And I recently won two items from their giveaways. Quality is lacking in their PF statues. So I started buying from Spec Fiction and Prime 1, their rewards points and customer service differs from Sideshow’s but much applied to their statues and busts are 2 to 6 times more expensive.
As someone in the UK it's all about shipping and customs for me. I have 4 statues with one more on the way. Each statue just for shipping and customs alone is about £100 each. If they had a UK warehouse then I'd buy from them a lot more.
We get a lot of Sideshow stuff here in the UK, I actually really like there 1:6 action figures, I've got quite a few Hellboy & Buffy figures from sideshow, also Is there any statue company's based out of the UK?
I’ve actually started going back to sideshow more and more. Compared to some XM not only do they beat them on price but often on design. Sometimes less is more in the design.
I just picked up a very cool piece Mr X, it’s the wall hung big chap mouth closed version, what are your thoughts on that piece, thank you sir for your input
I really like it. I just don’t think it’s true life sized
Sideshow pieces have such large edition sizes that they usually sell for cheaper on the aftermarket. I pretty much stick to that now and have gotten my last two pieces well below retail.
Their customer service is 100% and that's why I purchase from them. Never had any issues.
And their Alien Queen and Alien King are epic
Sideshow was the 1st that I ordered from & I still do. I order from whom ever offers the piece I want.
Thank you for the vid! Sideshow’s rewards system and layaway options make it easier to collect all the different product lines I’m into.
I hope prime 1 comes out with another statue that looks as nice as the alien dog that’s not available to buy, I absolutely love the paint job on the head where you can see through to the brain
I had new berserker armor guts from prime 1 paid off through sideshow and waiting to ship. I was so excited then I got the shipping email and shipping was $480 and I couldn't do it and canceled it. It sucks if it was another time and shipping wasn't as bad I could maybe have that piece on the way right now.
I used to buy from Sideshow but primarily by XM pieces now because of their Spidey line. I would still order from Sideshow if they come out with something I'm interested in.
Gotta love their payment system. So nice not having to contact them. Just bought jungle hunter through them. Might do City hunter as well.
I am not a huge statue collector, but what I do have is from the Sideshow. What I do know is their reward program is incredible, and so is the customer service and support.
Where did you get that hoodie? My nephew is a huge venom fan and would love that.
Bought it online over 10 years ago
Still pretty new to the collecting world been only 3 years but Sideshow was definitely my go to in the beginning. Recently though, Spec Fiction is my main company to purchase through. For me, feels like I’m supporting a local smaller distributor instead of the big corporation in Sideshow. Nothing wrong with Sideshow just my preference. Customer service from Spec Fiction has been extremely on point and I just enjoy scrolling through their site searching for my next piece.
Spec Fiction is my go-to for things I can't get anywhere else. It's thanks to them I have the stunning Darth Revan by XM. To me, that piece is a grail. Love it. SpecFiction has certainly helped me acquire a few hard to get pieces. I'm also getting the InArt Joker from them. Great place for statues/figures.
I mainly buy from Sideshow for the exact reason you mentioned: Customer Service.
Any issue I have, they respond competently and resolve the problem. Especially for my $2-3K orders, I want peace of mind.
Sideshow has amazing artists, but I think it comes down to their design choices. They want smaller bases and simple statues to keep the prices down. That way, they keep the cost of production cheaper all the way from design, factory cost, packaging, and shipping. I believe that if they didn't care about raising their prices, they could make more intricate pieces. I still like them, but sadly, they are not producing much now days.
Great comment! I totally agree! I honestly like the smaller footprint of their statues. But I do feel some of the prices they set are still high for what you get. And with edition sizes being such an important factor for many collectors, the prices Sideshow set simply isn't desirable for many. I'm like you, I like what they put out but lately it isn't much... or rather, too much of the same. I mean they released a new Catwoman while the previous one was still in stock! Like, come on!
Just like you Mr. X I started collecting 1/6 scale Hot Toys & moved to Statues. I love sideshow because of their pts system & lay away program BUT last year I showed them how one of my book shelves gave in and it broke my Thanos & Silver Surfer statues. They asked for pictures to show them that I am not a reseller trying to purchase more statues to sell which I provided. & They agreed for me to repurchase both statues. But due to Financial issues I was not able to buy both at the same time. So I bought the Thanos first. Then when I tried to repurchase the Silver Surfer they changed their mind and wont allow me to do so anymore. That made me actually quit collecting statues.
I have nevered ordered from Sideshow. I think the shipping charges are way over priced
They have produced some sleepers the past couple of years. To me their biggest hit this year is the Darth Vader premium format.
Im still waiting for a replacement head for my 1/6 scale Snake Plissken figure from 2014. The paint on the face of my figure started to crack after 4 days out the box, in a room with soft weather. Im stuck with a figure full of white scratches in the face...eat shit sideshow (yes im still angry).
As far as their own statues SS definitely has big hits and big misses, I think they’ve had some big hits recently though with Vader and TDKR. As a distributor I’ll use them every chance I have.
I do think pcs has upped their game but I still wouldn’t have them anywhere near XM’s level. And while I haven’t seen that many Prime 1s in person and don’t like 1/3 scale, I’ve been thoroughly disappointed with every prime 1 I’ve seen in person.
As a fairly new collector I primarily order from sideshow for all the points you mentioned. They have, by in large, carried everything I have wanted so far. I am sure as I get more into this hobby I will vary the buying sources more.
I recently shifted from sideshow to XM…but I’m a 1/4 scale collector. Since P1 is going 1/4 now…prob will go that direction too.
Just happy there are so many companies to choose from
Waiting for a statue I ordered almost 2 years ago. The internet seems to have received it. It's cheaper on other websites and seemingly available. This is the Jinx Myethos figure.
I started buying directly from Sideshow and I feel the reason for that is they are well known so a common first recommendation for collectibles. After I started watching channels that focus on collecting, I was introduced to different companies like the ones you mentioned and a few more. Once that happened it changed my behavior, when I want to pick something up I look around more. One of my favorites is BBTS, I find their pile of loot option super helpful. In the end I think it's the variety of options that is likely reducing some of the sales for Sideshow.
I’ve only gone through BBTS a few times but other than delays always been smooth
I think you nailed it with there being much more competition nowadays as opposed to an outright drop in quality at sideshow. But their points and layaway features are the best in my opinion and keep me purchasing a majority of pieces through them.
I am the same way, I purchased a ton of HT figs and later PF statues, but through the years SS just got left behind. Their constant failures with lines like Alien/Pred/Term on their more recent pieces turned me off. The old Stan Winston/Amalgamated collaboration pieces were amazing, but they never could do it by themselves.
The owner really does not care about in house production anymore and really just wants to turn into the Amazon on the hobby where they distribute and just take a piece of everybody else's products. He does not go to China for QC or anything, they mostly now just rely on their distribution stranglehold and their name. That is one reason the products have slipped, but customer service is still outstanding. Prior to this "sale" season I hadn't ordered anything from them for years. Unless the sales continue, I probably will go back to ordering elsewhere, and even if they do with the higher than everyone else's ship prices it might not matter. Most items direct overseas from P1 are cheaper to ship which is nuts. I hope they can work that out and not be doing that in the future. Their warehouse "expenses" and such are part of their cost of doing business and shouldn't be passed on to the consumer. If they can't make a profit at retail price without overcharging shipping, they need to negotiate a better deal with the manufacturers.
Yea Prime1 is crazy on shipping too, they just increased the shipping on my 1/4 scale Guts by $300, from $740 which was already crazy expensive to $1,010. Over $1k shipping for a 1/4 scale is just bonkers.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- Cost of statue should have no bearing on shipping charges. Only size/weight/destination.
I’m very new to these high end statues, I’ve bought 6 pieces over the past month, if I’m going to spend this much money I’m going to look at the best company that I feel makes the best looking statues and that’s P1. Sideshow needs to come down on price if they want to compete I think. Another company I’m new to in FNC, they seem good, I picked up a couple nice pieces from them on pre order
Fnc is just a distributor, they don’t make anything …
@@TheRoleplayer40k ah yes your correct thanks, I’ll have to look who makes the items I got, one of them it’s 1/4 scale and I have not seen it anywhere but there, but as soon as I made the pre-order, I stopped looking for it elsewhere so who knows. Have a good day bud
I do think that the rewards points often offset the shipping
I was going to pick up their new Mythos Vader, but I saw one video review where the guy was changing out the light saber blade, and the hilt of the saber actually came loose in Vader’s hand. That and there were some other minor issues, but still, it gave me pause.
I only collect Batman-related Statues and I have some of their PF-Line, but they don't bring anything new. They just re-do the same Characters over and over again. That's my biggest Frustration with SS. Still they have awesome Customer-Service and I've also become a Fan of their Art-Prints. I ordered mostly those at SS lately.
what is the jacket you are using? looks awesome
It's a hoody I bought over 10 years ago somewhere online
I mainly go with Sideshow because they are best for my budget. I don't order nearly as much as I use to when I first started, like most new collectors that start, you go nuts with ordering when you first start, but now I'm more select with what I buy and it's mainly through Sideshow and Sideshow statues. The other companies statues are just getting out of my budget reach these days.
Sideshow is a great place to get into statue collecting as their pieces are probably best value for the money. But their es has gotten much greater and that’s turned off some of the more serious collectors who want rare pieces like you, Mr x
I started collecting sideshow premium formats from the get go and loved it but after so many years and rising prices I scaled back on my buying from them.
I also hate the fact that all sideshow seems to do now is batman, spiderman, etc. Its always the same characters. I changed the focus of my collection to focus on just one character so mass collecting different lines from sideshow isn't for me anymore.
I do however order art prints from them. They are my go too for good art to hang on my walls.
Sideshow might not be the highest quality, but it's the best bang for your buck.
Great video Mr. X
I buy off and on from Sideshow. I've been buying from them directly ever since they put out the Highlander figures for the 1st time. That was about 18 years ago. I miss the old days when they were doing more themed specials to go along with the holidays like the Halloween specials. Their website was much more interactive back then. They have closed so many lines well before people were finished with them. Spooktacular just isn't what it used to be.
If the recent sales are any indication, not many people are buying from Sideshow as much as they used to...
They’re prices,on one sale or another, can be fantastic. This includes pieces from any brand. Also, if you’re buying one of their pieces, and you want the deluxe, you have to get it from them. Finally, in the past the high quality photos of the pieces they do carry are always better than competitors.
I’m brand new to statues. Watching to learn before I make a purchase
My very first statue was from sideshow, and i have multiple sideshow pieces that i have bought. 2 i ordered via the website, and shipping and taxes killed me coming from the US to Thailand, i payed over 1000 dollars for superman call to action and carnage. Luckily i found a distributor here that sells pieces for retail in a place called mega plaza and it really helped boost my collection. Love the x men pieces and picked up some awesome batman statues. I am still waiting to get my first prime 1 piece. I definitely see that prime 1 and customs are coming out with more intricate pieces.
I still buy from Sideshow and other distributors but I just wish that we had more companies out there like Sideshow to offer more competitive prices and shipping costs, so everyone can start this kind of hobby.
Full disclaimer: I have never purchased a statue, because I am poor.
But if I were to buy one, I think my first choice would be to get one through big bad toy store because although their prices are more expensive than the other options, they’re more front of the price more so then with the other guys and they also offer four dollar shipping which is pretty much unbeatable especially nowadays.
I have been grabbing up x-men sideshow statues for about 5 years now. I am in no way a "power" collector. I have only got the x-statues I like (Colossus, Rogue, Gabit, Juggernaut, Domino, and I have Psylocke on preorder) and it does not seem like they release a huge amount of their own stuff quickly that I need to shell out tons of money to keep up. So they release a pace I can keep up with and I'm more than happy to buy from them. I find it hard to justify paying over $1k for a statue and then more for overseas shipping. The quality of the ones I have are amazing but I do not have anything else to really judge them buy. I see other companies works in pictures and at cons but I don't find them to be worlds apart. Just about what style you like.
I do have to say that SideShow’s customer service is good. It’s the quality-control on some of their statues that has been the issue for me.
Mr X I think you have to take blame or praise, I used to by from sideshow all the time. But I found your channel and I started buying from spec fiction and secret compass. So I am praising you for give us more options. Still haven’t bought direct from XM or prime one yet
Side show is the only place I buy my figures. I like that they are in the US, they have great customer service ,I love their point systems and they have great sales. I will continue to buy from them
Sideshow has many things going for them others don't imo. Their employees and artists are from old school garage kit roots. They have a flexible payment plan and great customer service. Their prices aren't insane like Queen or P1 for example, and their pieces don't take up huge amounts of unnecessary space for no real reason other than overkill. Remember when Valve made great video games, but slowly just became Steam, a hub to buy games from? That's what's happening to SS.
I've been collecting 1/4 scales for less than a year and for new collectors you just cant beat Sideshows price range. The quality may not be as good as XM or P1 but there's still some great pieces to choose from. Personally i love Sideshows whole 1/4 X-Men line. That being said i can definitely see myself moving towards the better quality producers as my collection grows and space constraints force me to be a little more selective. I'm hoping to grab that P1 1/4 Superman Hush when it goes up for preorder and it will probably be my first P1 piece so who knows how my outlook might change once i actually see the difference in quality for myself.
I came into the hobby from the GK and custom angle so Sideshow wasn't the first, second, or even third statue I bought. Some of their Premium Format is hard to ignore, but there is a lot of competition out there.
Where did you get that hoodie from? Does anyone know?
Bought it over 10 years ago online
As someone new to statues thanks for sharing the company’s that you order from !
never bought a statue, but sideshow does have some cool pieces
I have been moving away from Sideshow over the last couple of years. This is mainly because of shipping to the EU. Nowadays I order through EU based distributors. It might take a little longer, and they dont have a point system as Sideshow does, and they were hard to find. But they deliver and are often super friendly and run by fans. Looking back I think my impulse buys are often still sideshow, my PO's are through EU based distributors.
Sideshow has been known for their accurate comic statue representation.
I don't order from them as much as I use to. In the last year just 1. Buying directly from companies like Prime 1 now a days. But your right about their reward program and giveaways. Won 3 different hot toys and statues from Sideshow.
Lately the Sideshow preorders are getting discounted mere months after release if not making it to Sideshow Seconds.
Also, I'm not sure if it was Sideshow, PCS, or both but the signed JCVD Frank Dux / Bloodsport preorder was sold out for a year before release and seeing more pop back up in stock and with several rounds of discounts...curious. Could have taken a chance with the Kumate and waited for the discounted release.
I think it really depends on which character you like most
Sideshow has the best refund policy out of all of the distributors that you listed. So, they are still the best in my opinion
Very valid points my bro I got into collecting with sideshow too show I still always show love
I still use sideshow for most of my orders they have the largest Star Wars selection so it’s a no brainer since it’s mostly what I collect. Also I feel like their 1/4 pieces are still good quality especially for the price!
Still so sideshow myself for me it's what's affordable without breaking the bank
If you're on more of a budget and don't have a ton of disposable income, Sideshow is perfect to buy from as you can do the "built in" payment plans and their statues are the best bang for your buck, for sure. Some of their pieces are exceptional for the price, like the new Mythos Vader is incredible for the price I got him for (seconds + points). I think their new Batman is also very good.
The Carnage you got is exceptional for the price, I like the Sideshow piece more than the XM piece. Pose and base are more interesting on the Sideshow piece. So they clearly still have their place among the industry, but I think the biggest factor is the level and diversity of competition now. There's just simply more options now, and that's a good thing!
Sideshow customer service is second to none though, they've treated me really awesome every time I've opened a ticket with them. So yes, I do buy from Sideshow. I have 10 open orders from them now and 6 are statues I believe. I've been branching out to XM for their 1/4th scale X-Men line though. And maaaaybe will snag one of the 1/3rd scale Magneto statues.
I've purchased from both SS and Spec Fiction since they're both local to me. They both have great deals, offer customer rewards and superb customer service. I recently won a SS contest during the holidays too!
Though I've been interested in evolving my collection into other companies such as Prime 1 & XM, I just haven't pulled the trigger on their offerings at the moment with so many other new companies out there cranking out amazing pieces.
Would love to build my collection to a fraction of Mr. X has!
Ive only really shopped with Sideshow but recently have been buying more 2nd hand/used
I will always buy from Sideshow because their customer service and rewards point system is the best I’ve seen compared to other competitors.
Thanks for all the information. I am new to this. I only have 1 piece. It's a Sideshow from Ebay. Looking to learn a lot from you. Thanks!
Welcome to the party pal! (I actually am watching Die Hard right now too!)
I love that Venom hoodie, where did you get it from?
Bought it online over 10 years ago
Sideshow still produces ones of the most amazing statues out there. I’d get my Hot Toys somewhere else though
I buy sideshow, but I was upset with the deals as it only recently started. I also am looking for higher end ones and it just doesn’t really make it good to do so. I shop around now.
Also when I pre-order, the estimates are very broad and tend to not be accurate for a few statues
I still buy from Sideshow. But just as my bourbon pallet has expanded to higher level bottles, my expectations in statues have also expanded. As such they can not compete for the most part. Like you, I only have two on pre-order, although even those are made by different companies. In the end won't abandon them completely. They still are the best cost value out there IMO.
Sideshow just produces way too many pieces, so there is no incentive to order ahead. You can get them aftermarket cheaper 99% of the time.
Unfortunately due to the GBP falling in value against the USD I don't order from SS anymore also the rising import taxes here in UK I've stopped ordering overseas. I'm now looking at some of the European distributors or UK based stores for future pieces
I started with Sideshow 20 years ago and before that Bowen, Dynamic Forces etc. I use to pick up anywhere from 6 to 12 pieces a year from SS alone. However as competition grew and a once obscure hobby became mainstream everything changed. Over saturation, crazy price hikes and insane ES's and ohh boy customs. The statue game is nothing like it was back then. I still enjoy it but it's definitely lost just a bit of its sparkle. I maybe pick up one or two SS pieces every few years now a days; n those have to drop my jaw. My main purchases come from Prime 1 and only one customs group. I don't ever see myself getting completely out, but less is way more now a days.
Just started with my first sideshow collectibles this week.
The industry is very competitive. Great short vid.
These "sit down and just talk about a topic" videos are a great palate cleanser in between the statue reviews.
Also I'm just ordering the Darth Vader on throne statue from sideshow then after that it'll be difficult for them to get me to order from them again.
I try and go every other. I actually already have enough statue reviews filmed to cover all of Feb but am trying to pace them out.
@@TheXtremeChannelMrX Sounds great!
❤❤
I like sideshow and will continue to buy as long as they produce stuff I want. Last year I bought alot from them. But this year I have very little on order from them. My attention has been turned to other companies because they are making stuff I really want.