Octonauts is a children’s show featuring a young group of adventurers who explore the deep parts of the ocean.
The show is a hit among young children, so it was only a matter of time before action figures and other toys started to come out for sale.
Children can buy their favorite characters and come up with their own deep-sea adventures.
If your child loves the show, then you may have considered getting them a playset.
However, you’ll quickly discover that the price for many Octonauts toys is expensive.
Why Are Octonauts Toys So Expensive? (10 Reasons)
The average cost of Octonauts toys is around $50, but you can also find more expensive toys going for $150 or more on eBay.
The fact that there are limited edition releases, the popularity of the show, and the quality of the toys themselves are all reasons the toys have become as expensive as they are.
Let’s look at these reasons in more detail.
1. Limited Edition Releases
One of the reasons Octonauts toys are expensive is that some of them had limited releases.
Like many toys, some action figures and playsets only received a small release window.
Once that window closed, those particular action figures and playsets were no longer produced.
That makes the prices of those particular toys expensive because it means parents can’t just go to the store to get them.
They have to look on collector’s sites or in secondhand stores.
Because of the popularity of the Octonauts television show, a lot of those action figures and playsets were bought immediately.
Those who are looking to buy those particular toys today have a small market on which to look.
They’re reliant on parents with older children to sell those toys rather than donate them or throw them in the trash.
Since it’s dependent on parents re-selling the toys, the supply of those particular toys is extremely limited.
However, the demand for them is high.
With extremely low supply and high demand, the price of certain limited edition Octonaut toys is very high.
2. Big Hit Among Young Audiences
Another reason Octonauts toys are expensive is their huge popularity with young audiences.
Octonauts is a children’s television show that got its start on BBC.
It then got a new show on Netflix and has several shorts on YouTube available.
This made it accessible to children who have access to streaming and to those who watch the children’s section on YouTube.
The show specializes in entertaining children while teaching them a thing or two about the ocean and sea life.
Because it’s both educational and entertaining, parents like having their children watch the show, too.
Of course, with any popular children’s show, you can expect that children would want to play with their favorite characters that they see on screen.
When Octonauts released a toy line, it was unsurprising that children wanted to play with the toys.
It allows them to spend time with their favorite characters while imagining new adventures for them.
However, because of the popularity of the show, a lot of children want to get their hands on the toys.
This means there’s a ton of demand for them.
Whether a certain is part of a limited edition release or just not enough of them get produced, there isn’t always enough of a specific toy to go around.
For example, if a large number of children all like one particular character, there will be a lot of demand for that specific character.
The price for that character increases since manufacturers can only produce so many toys depicting that character at a time.
During the holiday season, when parents want to surprise their children with toys they know they’ll love, the demand is even higher for those characters.
As such, the price of certain Octonauts toys becomes very expensive.
3. Durable
Another factor that makes Octonauts toys expensive is the fact that they’re durable.
When you buy an Octonauts toy, you’ll find that it’s a thick piece of plastic.
This is important since children’s toys usually see a lot of wear and tear.
Children will throw them around the house or try to take off their body parts.
They need to be durable to last a long time.
However, this also makes producing Octonauts toys more expensive.
For one, it means that the company has to use high-quality materials.
If they were to use low-quality materials, then their toys wouldn’t last very long.
Since they’re investing in higher quality materials, it’s going to be more expensive for them to make their toys.
To offset the cost, the company has to charge higher prices for its toys.
Another reason Octonauts toys are expensive is that they use toxic-free materials.
Since children tend to put toys in their mouths, the materials in the toys must not be toxic to them.
Octonauts toys use toxin-free plastics to make their toys.
They’re safer for children, so that makes them more expensive as well.
Finally, because of how durable the toys are, it usually means parents don’t have to buy as many replacements when they get broken.
As such, the company has to make as much money as it can on the product when parents first buy them.
They can’t expect repeat buyers.
A lot of toy companies rely on repeat buyers to make a lot of money.
They can always count on sales because they know that their toys don’t last long.
Octonauts toys don’t have that same guarantee.
Instead, they have to get as much money from the sale as they can initially.
That means they’re selling the toy at a high price.
4. Stopped Production
One of the biggest reasons Octonauts toys are expensive is that Fisher-Price stopped production of them a few years ago.
Originally, Fisher-Price was responsible for the production of Octonauts toys.
They eventually parted ways with the brand, however.
This has made Octonauts toys expensive because you can’t usually find them on the shelves.
That’s changed recently, but before that, parents who wanted to get Octonauts toys for their children had to rely on secondhand markets.
Stopping toy production wouldn’t be a problem if the show had also stopped.
It didn’t.
Octonauts still releases specials on Netflix and YouTube to this day.
As such, it’s still adding new fans to its show each year.
Children catch sight of an episode and enjoy it, then want to watch more and more.
Their love for the show grows, and they want to play with toys that come from the show.
Since Fisher-Price stopped producing toys, however, those toys aren’t available at typical toy stores.
Instead, parents have to go to secondhand marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
The problem with those sites is that savvy parents are aware of how high a demand there is for Octonauts toys.
They can sell them at high prices to make a nice profit for themselves.
Parents who are desperate to get their children an Octonauts toy will pay the price just to make them happy.
The fact that Fisher-Price stopped producing Octonauts toys means that, for a time, there wasn’t any supply at all of any new toys.
With demand maintaining its height, if not growing bigger, and supply practically non-existent, it means the price for those particular toys has become extremely high.
5. Collector’s Items
Another main reason why Octonauts toys are expensive is that they’re collectible.
Like any big toy that gains a lot of popularity, collectors want in on the market.
There’s a huge market for collectible toys.
There are a few reasons Octonauts toys are collectible.
For one, they’re high-quality and durable.
That means they hold onto their value over the years.
It’s not unlike vintage desks or wardrobes.
Because they used high-quality materials to make those desks and wardrobes, they’re still useable today.
Those who take care of their vintage furniture can make them last for centuries.
Octonauts toys are also durable provided they’re cared for.
Their durability adds to their collectible value.
Another aspect is the fact that Fisher-Price stopped making them.
That means there’s a finite number of Fisher-Price-produced Octonauts toys.
Whenever there’s a finite number of collectible items, like a toy, it becomes far more expensive and far more collectible.
Someone who can get their hands on a set of toys could end up having a very valuable selection.
That’s because there are a lot of interested parties who would have an interest in buying that collection.
It might be parents or it might be other toy collectors.
Finally, some toys become more valuable with time.
There are toys made in the 1800s and even the 1950s that have a lot of value, too.
Savvy collectors may believe that Octonauts toys might have the same sort of value in a few decades.
Because the toys are collectible, it means there’s more demand for them.
That makes the supply of Fisher-Price Octonauts toys even rarer.
With scarce supply and high demand, the price increases.
6. Handsewn
While most of the production of Octonauts toys goes through an automated process, there is one part where actual workers get their hands on the toys.
Some of the toys have sewn-on clothes.
Those clothes are completely sewn by hand.
At the very least, someone handles the clothes and ensures it’s perfect.
Part of the reason the clothes get sewn by hand is that machines can’t quite sew as delicately as the toy needs.
The worker needs to stitch the clothing onto the toy to ensure it doesn’t fall off and get lost.
Since workers handle the dolls and handcraft the clothes, it’s a far more expensive production step.
Besides the price of materials, the company also has to pay the worker for their efforts.
Sewing can take time, and since the worker has to produce tons of clothing for each toy that comes off the line, they have their hands full.
Since their labor costs become a bit more expensive, Octonauts toys end up selling for higher prices.
Octonauts toys are expensive because some parts of the toy require human workers to make them rather than machines.
7. Large Toys
Some of the Octonauts toys are quite large.
The size of the toy also determines its price.
There are a few factors that make large Octonauts toys more expensive than smaller ones.
The first has to do with the simple cost of production.
Larger toys require more materials and time in the factory.
They have more pieces or sections that the factory needs to put together.
Since it costs more to make it, the company puts a higher price tag on it.
Another factor is that some large toys also come with more pieces.
For example, if it’s one of the Octonaut submarines or vehicles, then it often comes with a character, some set pieces, and other toys.
In this case, you’re getting a lot more than just one toy.
The higher price reflects the production costs of those toys as well.
Finally, bigger toys tend to be more exciting for children.
They feel more immersive.
Since children love big toys, the company puts a higher price on them.
There’s going to be a bit more demand for large toys.
Octonauts toys are expensive when they’re large sets.
8. Interactive
Some of the Octonauts toys are also interactive.
Some of them come with buttons to push that make sounds, turn on lights, or perform other functions.
These toys are more expensive to make.
The company can’t just produce a toy made of plastic.
They also need to install electronics and ensure those electronics are safe to be around children.
The last thing the company wants is to get hit with a lawsuit for electrocuting a child.
Then they need a soundboard, LED lights, and other parts that drive up production costs.
If some of the toys use soundbites from the show, then they might need to pay for permission to use those lines.
It essentially becomes more expensive to make interactive toys.
9. New Manufacturers
Another reason Octonauts toys are expensive is that they’re now under new management.
Fisher-Price used to make Octonauts toys.
Now, it’s a toy company called Moose.
Moose has also focused on making high-quality toys similar to Fisher-Price.
Except they’re producing toys that are also deluxe.
For example, they have a transforming playset toy that has a ton of features and is over 13 inches tall.
They’re spending a lot of money to make the best Octonauts toys that they can.
This has made the toys expensive because Moose is also selling them at high prices.
Since some parents are already used to buying the toys at high prices, the company is working off of that and selling them at expensive prices.
They also only recently started production.
This means they have a few debts they need to pay that are typical of starting a new production line.
To pay those debts as fast as they can, they have high prices on their items.
10. Lots Of Characters And Accessories
A final reason Octonauts toys are expensive is that there are so many characters and vehicles in the show.
Most kids and collectors want the whole set.
Then they want variations of the same set.
It isn’t enough just to buy one toy.
There are always new ones coming out.
This makes Octonauts toys expensive because most parents can’t get away with just buying one.
They’re going to have to buy a lot to appease their kids.
The toys are already expensive, but having to buy a lot of them means that they’re going to be spending a lot of money over time, too.
Octonauts toys are expensive because there are a lot of them to buy to complete a set.
Conclusion
Octonauts is a set of characters from a children’s television show that explore and protect the ocean.
Parents will find that due to production costs, new manufacturers, and a limited number of toys on the market will have them paying top-dollar for the toys.
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