Real American Tariffs: Higher Prices Are There!

If you’re an adult collector in 2025—whether you’re hunting down that elusive G.I. Joe Classified figure, building a wall of Marvel Legends, or completing your Masters of the Universe shelf—brace yourself. The prices are going up. And not just a little.

Thanks to the newest round of U.S. tariffs on imports from China, the cost of your favorite hobby is taking a real hit. Tariffs on Chinese goods have now skyrocketed to as high as 145%, which is pushing up prices on nearly everything, including our beloved action figures (AP News).

It means that the same figure you picked up for $24.99 last year could soon cost $29.99 to $34.99 or even more depending on the line. Industry analysts are projecting 15–20% price increases across the board, hitting everything from collector lines like Marvel Legends and G.I. Joe Classified to retro favorites like Masters of the Universe Origins (ABC News).

Hasbro and Mattel are trying to absorb some of the hit, but there’s only so much they can do before prices have to change. And as you know, even before the tariffs, figure prices had been creeping upward thanks to inflation, tooling costs, and more elaborate packaging.

Remember those budget-friendly listings from overseas sellers on Amazon and eBay? You could grab an import version of a figure for less than MSRP, sometimes with free shipping? Say goodbye to those.

With these new tariffs, many Chinese-based sellers are planning to stop shipping to the U.S. altogether. They simply can’t stay competitive when the import taxes make their products 20–30% more expensive overnight. For U.S. collectors, that means fewer choices, longer wait times, and the loss of a major source of imports for hard-to-find items.

If you’re thinking this might blow over, don’t hold your breath. Tariff policy has been a political hot-button for years now, and changes don’t happen quickly. What’s worse, many U.S. toy companies are trying to shift production to places like Vietnam or Mexico, but China still has the infrastructure and expertise—especially for the kind of high-detail, articulated figures we love.

What Can Collectors Do?

For now, it’s a good time to:

• Pre-order early – lock in prices before hikes kick in.
• Support local comic shops – many small retailers may offer deals or bundles.
• Be selective – focus your collecting on key characters or specific lines.
• Keep your eyes open for sales – they may become rarer, but they’re still out there.

We’re entering a new era in the collecting world. It’s going to be a bit rougher on the wallet, but the passion for these figures doesn’t fade that easily.

So yeah—real American tariffs… and higher prices are definitely there. But hey, we’re collectors. We’ve survived repaints, scalpers, and sticker shock before. We’ll get through this too.