Are you here because you would like to know how much it costs to make an action figure? Well, you are in the right place.
Action figures are fantastic representations commonly made of plastic. In the majority of the case, they are based upon characters, which may derive from a film, video game, book, and in the last period social influencers.
Anyway, making an action figure is not limited to those types of people, as today there are many options present in the market that allow you to create your action figure at not a high price.
The only problem is related to the minimum purchasing quantity that some company requires; this variant may make you increase the price, so how much does it cost?
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How Much Does it Cost to Make An Action Figure?
The cost to make an action figure ranges from $8 to somewhere around to 15$ each; however, most of the companies that produce action figures may offer affordable prices for just 10$. 6 inch tall action figures may cost you around $8 to 15$ each if you order 5,000 pieces. In comparison, a smaller action figure of 4 inches may cost you $3 to $8 per piece.
The cost to make an action figure is variable because it will depend upon the character design, the size, the painting requirements, and the packaging.
Important Things To Know Before Making An Action Figure
The cost to make an action figure should not be your only problem, as there are many other important things that you have to consider before you jump on it and start asking the company to produce it.
Making an action figure is a long process and requires a lot of people involved in it.
Some of the things that you have to consider before making an action figure are to have in mind a goal and ask you why you want to produce it.
If you have clear in mind that type of answer, you can proceed to the next step that is the most important one, “the design.”
If you are in an advantage stage and you have your team of designers or you are a designer with a clear vision about the design of the action figure, you can save a lot of money on it.
This is because finding the right design that suits on the best way possible the message that you want to transmit is the most challenging part.
Action Figure Cost By Size
Now that you have a clear vision about the most important things that you have to know before making an action figure, it is time to look at the major size you can choose.
If you have in mind that your potential buyer will keep the action figure on the desk, the best option that you may choose is the size of 3 to 8 inches tall.
That type of size may cost you on average $6 per piece if you make a big order of at least 5,000.
Other standard sizes are 11, 5 inches, 12, and 18, but as you can imagine, it will increase the overall cost as more material is required to produce it.
Action Figure Cost by Materials and Colors
During ordering it, the producer will show a variety of materials and colors that may be used for the future action figure.
The most common materials that are used to produce action figures are:
For plastics like Vinyl, PVC, ABS, and polyester, the choice of the material to be used will vary depending on your budget and the purpose of the action figure.
Articulation Action Figure Cost
If you have an ambitious project in mind and the cost of making an action figure given until now is not scaring you, the next thing you can do is produce an action figure with articulation.
The articulation points guarantee the action figure to move, rotate or disconnect.
The number of articulations will depend on you; it can go from just one until 14-18.
Of course, a considerable number of joint articulation on the action figure will require a lot of jobs, and it will drastically increase the production cost of the action figure.
If you decide to produce an action figure with articulation, you can easily consider an increase of the price of at least 20%.
Cost of Branding And Logos on Action Figures
Transmitting your brand and logo when an action figure is produced can be considered the most important part of the process.
If you require special types of engraving into the figure, the producer of the action figure may increase the final cost.
Packaging of Action Figure Cost
We all have some experience of opening gifts, and its beauty starts from the packaging.
Having a good packaging style will increase the overall value of the action figure, and it will transmit a fantastic experience to the buyer starting from the beginning.
Some of the most common styles of action figure packaging are:
Blister cards, card gift boxes, acrylic display cases and many others.
If you require some of this, you can expect an increase in the cost, but it will guarantee you an advantage point on the final project.
How Much Does a Prototypes Action Figure Cost?
Until here, we have an overview of the cost to make an action figure, but in the majority of the case, especially for a person with a tiny budget, it is supposed that he/she would like to know and look at a prototype of the final project.
The majority of the company will produce a prototype concept of an action figure, but as you can imagine, it has a cost.
If the producer has to make the action figure from scratch, from the illustrations until the packaging, you can expect to pay at least $500 to $1,500.
This cost may be high, but it has many parties involved, and it can justify the cost.
Some of the parties involved are designers, colors, use of the machine, human works.
Conclusion
The cost to make an action figure is variable; many things involve the process of the production of it. The final cost of producing an action figure will depend upon you; high-quality materials and complex action figures will make you spend more money than a simple action figure type.
