Does Pop! popularity mean lower quality?

[Ditch]

I have been noticing lately that the quality of Pop! vinyl figures is getting realy bad. Is this because the new found popularity means the factories are rushing them out.

I realy think the quality control needs to be addressed and soon because if the poor quality keeps up i think a lot of retailers will stop selling them. I have been disgusted by the poor paint on recent Walking Dead Pop! vinyl either unwanted paint or missing paint. Im all ready finding lots of Pop! vinyl figures are being left on the shelf or refused due to poor paint quality.

[gruppetstudios]

You'll always be able to find at least ONE paint flaw with any pop. It's not really a economy over quality thing

[Squird]

There have always been paint issues, so I don't think its a problem with volume/popularity. It is an unfortunate part of the hobby, but most collectors accept it and work around it...by not buying the ones that are really messed up. I don't think any of us have ever looked at it from the retailer side and being left with unsellable product.

I'd love to see QC improved, for the sake of collectors and retailers.

[MadLove]

I wouldn't say it has to do with popularity. It's a toy that's average $10 retail, made in China....There's your reason right there. Now the ridiculous # of things that are back ordered for retailers the next few months, THAT has to do with popularity

[dustman94]

I KNOW FUNKO HAS GONE THOUGH THIS BEFORE, BOTTOM LINE BRIAN AT ONE POINT WILL DEAL WITH CHINA AND THIS ISSUE

[haydenstorm]

I posted this in your similar thread.

The last time I saw questions like this it ended up being a garbage article to try and trash funko. No offense, but the quality issues are hit or miss with any product. If you don't like them, don't buy them. The piece will come around with a better paint job.

[Konidias]

Popularity could mean pops will actually get better quality and more expensive... As in, Funko could afford to pay a better factory to paint the pops, and more demand means prices will increase (at least on the secondary market)

We are already seeing prices climbing on new exclusives. Used to be like $10-$15, now some exclusives are starting at $30.

I think it's mainly: Higher Quantity = Lesser Quality.

Though really it just depends on how many workers they pay and how rushed they are.

[CyberGhostface]

Yeah I'm really frustrated with the shoddy quality with some of these. And I don't think them being mass-produced is really a legitimate excuse as there are plenty of mass-produced "made in china" items which look as they're supposed to.

[haydenstorm]

Then don't collect

[CyberGhostface]

But I like to collect them, that's why it's frustrating.

[haydenstorm]

I'm not trying to be snarky I promise. Its just one of those things. We live in an imperfect world and sometimes the things we like are imperfect also. No one is making any of us collect. Just wait it out and a better paint job will show up. Its frustraiting to hear these posts sometimes because they should be sent to the company that makes them. I get on here to relax. Look at all of us as human beings its the little imperfections that make us all unique. If not just wait till a better one comes along

[dustman94]

SOMETIMES THE COMPANY SUBCONTRACTED SUCK AT PAINTED, IT HAPPENED DURING AN X MEN SERIES. I'M MORE THEN SURE FUNKO WILL TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. UNTIL THEN, O WELL.
PS: HOW WELL DID YOU PAINT WHEN YOU WERE 5 OR 6.

[shogunjlips]

would you pay $3 more per POP if they were USA made?

[Panthera]

If you don't like them, don't buy them. The piece will come around with a better paint job.

Then don't collect

I realize these comments weren't aimed at me, but they still hurt.
I can't go in a shop and pick and choose my funkos, and I can't send back bad products (shipping out of Norway is very expensive). I can mitigate a bit by having American friends check the quality for me, but for anything else than normal store bought pops it would mean double shipping, at least.

I love pops, but I also want then to look pretty. Does that mean I'm not a collector? That the forum and funko would be better off without me buying their products and caring about the quality? Because it kinda feels like indirectly you're saying this.

I have a whole collection of Tokidokis, and none of them have even close to a bad paint flaw, even though they're all bought unseen on eBay, made in China, and only cost a few dollars more than Pops.
I would pay more for pops with less paint flaws, if I had the option. (And I kinda do already)

[edorice]

I'm not trying to be snarky I promise. Its just one of those things. We live in an imperfect world and sometimes the things we like are imperfect also. No one is making any of us collect. Just wait it out and a better paint job will show up. Its frustraiting to hear these posts sometimes because they should be sent to the company that makes them. I get on here to relax. Look at all of us as human beings its the little imperfections that make us all unique. If not just wait till a better one comes along

Ha! I was starting to think I was rubbing off on you!

[gruppetstudios]

This thread is gonna end up getting locked.

[Squird]

I don't see why it would. As collectors we've all learned to accept paint flaws as something that happens. We work around it by not buying pieces we feel aren't up to snuff. The original poster is a retailer and has a legitimate issue. HE'S the one who gets stuck with the product that we don't buy. Have you ever gone into a store and seen the same five or six pieces all the time? The one's with the off-center eye and the goofy box? If QC becomes problematic, will he continue to carry Pop?

We can tell him if he doesn't like it to stop buying it, because, hey, this about fun and he's not being any fun, and these are cheap little toys from China so who cares if they have smudges or whatever. Maybe he does stop buying it, taking his ball and going home as it were. And if other retailers do the same, where does that leave us?

I think its interesting to hear from the retailing side of things, we don't typically consider it. I also think his timing sucks in light of the Bleeding Cool article on paint issues. That's a tough break.

[Alleycat]

This thread is gonna end up getting locked.

Not necessarily. I believe it's good for Brian to read feedback - both good and bad - from his biggest fans.

[dustman94]

WONDER OUT OF THE 100,000 OF THOUSANDS MADE ARE BAD. I WOULD BET FUNKO PRODUCED CLOSE TO A MILLION PIECES

[kevinbuddha]

Anything and everything that is produced, painted, sprayed, manufactured, molded, etc, in China will have some kind of defect. Quality is not their first objective, quantity is usually their first objective.

2000 workers earning $1.50 per day is why most things are produced in China.

[TheVinylDead]

Why do pops have so many paint issues while the mystery minis have awesome paint jobs? I would assume smaller figures would be harder to paint.

[MyLittleFunkos]

Why do pops have so many paint issues while the mystery minis have awesome paint jobs? I would assume smaller figures would be harder to paint.

I had the same question. The paint jobs on those minis are pretty spot on, yet on the POP's you can see the paint strokes on some of the pieces. Even the wobblers seem to have very good paint jobs in comparison to POPs. Then again, I only own a handful of wobblers so I might have just gotten lucky.

[MadLove]

Why do pops have so many paint issues while the mystery minis have awesome paint jobs? I would assume smaller figures would be harder to paint.

I had the same question. The paint jobs on those minis are pretty spot on, yet on the POP's you can see the paint strokes on some of the pieces. Even the wobblers seem to have very good paint jobs in comparison to POPs. Then again, I only own a handful of wobblers so I might have just gotten lucky.

I imagine the minis have a different method of being painted. Their paint looks more like almost a decal.

As a retailer you can return ones with particularly lame paint jobs. It's a pain in the butt but you can. I make a point of checking each POP as I take it out of the box. If I see any glaring flaws I point it out to the manager. Sometimes I am deemed "too picky" and it'll go on the shelf but someone will by it eventually. Otherwise if she agrees, yeah that's no good we send it back and get replacements. Same with POPs that are broken/missing pieces and we'll ask for new boxes if the boxes are too dinged up from shipment. Yes it's a pain and you have to wait even longer but as a retailer you can pick out the ones deemed unacceptable.

[Reverend]

Claire your hired to travel everywhere in the world to receive every ones Funko orders for all retailers

[MadLove]

Claire your hired to travel everywhere in the world to receive every ones Funko orders for all retailers

in a perfect world..... I've actually been known to lecture my coworkers on the importance of checking the paint and boxes on the rare occasion in comes in when I'm not there and usually end with "You should have just called me and I would've done it off the clock! Next time just save it for me!" Not that I have a problem or anything

[MyLittleFunkos]

Claire, they need someone like you at all my local B&N's! I call them the POP outlets, since they tend to carry the crappiest pieces!

[MadLove]

Claire, they need someone like you at all my local B&N's! I call them the POP outlets, since they tend to carry the crappiest pieces!

seriously. I'm not sure if I've always been picky or if I piled it up catering to picky customers (comic geeks are kinda the apitamy of picky customers) and I don't expect things to be totally mint or perfect, that's just not realistic or practical, but EVERYTHING I check in gets a quick glance over and I figure if that 1-second glance reveals any flaws than it'll be even more obvious to someone who is shopping for the item. Retailers of the world: fraction of a second! It doesn't take long and doesn't even take great eyesight Just some attention to what you're doing.

[Alleycat]

After sharing this thread with Brian, here's his response:

".....we actually believe quality is improving..we monitor closely.
People compare us often with MUCH more expensive items which is unfair. But we keep trying!
brian mariotti"

[MadLove]

After sharing this thread with Brian, here's his response:

".....we actually believe quality is improving..we monitor closely.
People compare us often with MUCH more expensive items which is unfair. But we keep trying!
brian mariotti"

Sweet! And I agree it is! The amount of POPs we've had to send back has definitely decreased even though the number we order at a time has greatly increased! Best example I can think of was the first time we ordered Khal Drogo most had messed up shoulder stripes. That was when they first came out. Haven had problems since.

[MyLittleFunkos]

Thats awesome to hear! Besides my loacal B&N's, I haven't really had any significant problems with paint quality. When I order online I know I run the risk of getting a lower quality piece but I don't mind, gives them character

[EZA]

Flaws are part of the toy collecting hobby, the difference is with Pops its a low coast per item as oppose to Masterpiece Transformers which are $300 per toy. Pick and chose the one that is close to perfection and don't worry about it too much. Or collect protos exclusively which have no paint on them at all :-P

[Ditch]

I would just like to point out that yes i do sell these but only because i loved the idea of them. I have stocked these ever since i first saw them in Previews and it was the Horror and Rock line that interested me in the beginning.

I still lament the fact that i never got my order of Alex Delarge from A Clockwork Orange as i loved that piece and its one of my favourite films.

I recently went through a case of 36 Merles because i foolishly agreed to sort a good set out for a customer and i did not find one that was even close to perfect. I even found multiple Ricks in another case that had no paint on his watch.

I have started a small collection myself that i display in my shop so i'm not just moaning as a retailer if the minis can be painted well i see no reason that the Pop! vinyl should be any different. If its the cost how do all the other £8/$10 depending where you are seem to be so much better.

I would realy appreciate if you would be so kind as to let me know what you deem acceptable with paint application. I try hard to satisfy my customers with quality product but lately its getting harder and harder.

Recent eg. Is the odd paint specs on the face acceptable or the scratches on the logo transfer? Im not even mentioning the arm.

[Squird]

It would be nice to have an OCD checking every order at every store. Do you travel, Claire?

Let's be honest B&N just doesn't care. The one near me carried Pops, but never displayed them anywhere logically...with toys, no. At the registers, no. With the music and video and 'other' stuff, no. I found them accidentally on a lower shelf in the kids section, behind stuffed animals.

And yes, comic geeks are the absolute worst when it comes to 'picky' - might have something to do with a lack of other interests.

[Reverend]

I would just like to point out that yes i do sell these but only because i loved the idea of them. I have stocked these ever since i first saw them in Previews and it was the Horror and Rock line that interested me in the beginning.

I still lament the fact that i never got my order of Alex Delarge from A Clockwork Orange as i loved that piece and its one of my favourite films.

I recently went through a case of 36 Merles because i foolishly agreed to sort a good set out for a customer and i did not find one that was even close to perfect. I even found multiple Ricks in another case that had no paint on his watch.

I have started a small collection myself that i display in my shop so i'm not just moaning as a retailer if the minis can be painted well i see no reason that the Pop! vinyl should be any different. If its the cost how do all the other £8/$10 depending where you are seem to be so much better.

I would realy appreciate if you would be so kind as to let me know what you deem acceptable with paint application. I try hard to satisfy my customers with quality product but lately its getting harder and harder.

Recent eg. Is the odd paint specs on the face acceptable or the scratches on the logo transfer? Im not even mentioning the arm.

Answer:

As a retailer you can return ones with particularly lame paint jobs. It's a pain in the butt but you can. I make a point of checking each POP as I take it out of the box. If I see any glaring flaws I point it out to the manager. Sometimes I am deemed "too picky" and it'll go on the shelf but someone will by it eventually. Otherwise if she agrees, yeah that's no good we send it back and get replacements. Same with POPs that are broken/missing pieces and we'll ask for new boxes if the boxes are too dinged up from shipment. Yes it's a pain and you have to wait even longer but as a retailer you can pick out the ones deemed unacceptable.

[unoudid]

Just an FYI. The mystery minis are produced by a different factory then the pops are. This is one reason we don't really see the mystery mini protos. Two different factories with different quality control departments producing two different types of products and each having different production standards.

[MyLittleFunkos]

Dang, I have some bad eyes, I didn't even notice the arms on the above Sheldon! I was about to say he doesn't even look that bad...I guess he kinda does...

[Reverend]

Just an FYI. The mystery minis are produced by a different factory then the pops are. This is one reason we don't really see the mystery mini protos. Two different factories with different quality control departments producing two different types of products and each having different production standards.

[unoudid]

Just an FYI. The mystery minis are produced by a different factory then the pops are. This is one reason we don't really see the mystery mini protos. Two different factories with different quality control departments producing two different types of products and each having different production standards.

Show off

[Reverend]

but I agree there wan not one Mystery Mini proto at SDCC that I remember

[unoudid]

I heard this from one of the funko designers. It seems that the prototypes that show up are just a full on production samples. Not the sculpted protos we are used to seeing with the pops and wobblers.