Updated October 1, 2026 · LootCue Editorial Team
Character Online vs EMP
Where Character Online and EMP differ
| Compare |  Character Online |  EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Brand or store | Brand | Store |
| Price from | €6.95 | €5.99Lower |
| Return window | 28 days | 30 daysHigher |
| Markets | GB | DE, LU, FR, IT, PL, CZ, NO, CH, FI, IE, GB, SE, DK, NL, AT, SK, BE, ESCovers more |
| Pre-orders | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Officially licensed only (Yes).
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Key differences
- Price from is lower at EMP: €5.99 vs €6.95.
- Return window is higher at EMP: 30 days vs 28 days.
- Support channels: only EMP offers Chat.
- Founded is lower at EMP: 1986 vs 1991.
- EMP is available in 17 more countries.
- Products: only Character Online offers Prize figures, Plush.
- Products: only EMP offers Vinyl figures, Statues.
- Franchises: only EMP offers Anime, Video games, Marvel.
- Markets: only EMP offers DE, LU, FR.
Our verdict on each
Character Online
Character Online suits fans who want officially licensed figures, plush and collectible surprise figures rather than copies, and collectables from €6.95 keep a first order easy to run. The catalogue, the delivery terms and the returns window all come from one long-established company, so the same rules apply to every order you place.
EMP
EMP suits fans who want officially licensed anime, game and figure merchandise in one place, with preorders on new and limited runs, a loyalty club in selected countries, and a return window for anything that arrives wrong. Figures start at €5.99, so a first box is an easy way in.
Score breakdown
| Area | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Delivery in mainland UK adds nothing above £20, so a bigger basket costs no more to send. | Not confirmed |
| Offer | 9.2The catalogue spans action figures, prize figures, plush and more, under licences drawn from disney and sci fi. | 9.2Officially licensed merchandise, preorders on limited runs, a loyalty club and figures from €5.99 give collectors range and a low entry cost. |
| Trust | 9.8HigherA store run by Character Options Ltd, part of The Character Group plc, a business founded in 1991, rather than an unknown seller. | 9.7A named legal entity based in Germany, with support by chat, email, phone and more for preorders, deliveries and returns. |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €6.95 | €5.99 |
| Return window | 28 days | 30 days |
How they place
| Ranking | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Statues, action figures and collectibles | 21 of 64 | 22 of 64 |
| Blind boxes and designer toys | 11 of 48 | 12 of 48 |
| Game, band and pop-culture merch | 40 of 74 | 41 of 74 |
A third option
Shire Post Mint has price from at €3.59, against €6.95 for Character Online and €5.99 for EMP.
Shire Post Mint reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Action figures, Prize figures, Plush, Blind boxes | Vinyl figures, Statues, Action figures, Blind boxes |
| Franchises | Disney, Sci fi | Anime, Video games, Marvel, Dc, Star wars, Harry potter, Disney, Horror, Sci fiCovers more |
| Legal entity | Character Options Ltd, part of The Character Group plc | E.M.P. Merchandising Handelsgesellschaft mbH |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Germany |
| Founded | 1991 | 1986Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Chat, Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Fandom merchandise stores
| Fact | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Departments | Figures, Game merch, Plush | Anime merch, Apparel, Band merch, Figures, Game merch |
| Free delivery threshold | £20 | Not confirmed |
| Loyalty scheme | Not confirmed | Yes |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Character Online | EMP | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €6.95at the median | €5.99below the median | €6.95 |
| Return window | 28 daysbelow the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 39 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Character Online
Pros
- Figures, plush and collectible surprise figures are officially licensed, made under agreement with the brand owners rather than copied.
- Collectables start at €6.95, so a first figure or a blind box is an easy first order.
- Unopened, non-defective items can go back within 28 days of delivery for a refund.
Cons
- The 28-day return route is written for unopened, non-defective items, so a figure you have already opened sits outside it.
- Published delivery terms are written for the United Kingdom, so orders to other destinations get a set charge decided at checkout.
- Below £20 of goods, a mainland UK order still carries a delivery charge, so one small piece costs more than its listed price.
EMP
Pros
- Officially licensed anime and entertainment merchandise, so collectors get genuine franchise pieces rather than lookalikes
- Preorders on new and limited runs, so a small release can be secured before it sells through
- A 30 days return window, which gives time to open a figure box and check it before keeping it
Cons
- Delivery charges and times differ by destination, so shoppers in 18 countries including Germany, Luxembourg and France outside their own country can pay more and wait longer
- Prices are listed in euro, so a shopper billing in another currency watches the total shift with the exchange rate
- The loyalty club is for selected countries only, so the longer take-back guarantee is not open to every shopper
Who each suits
Character Online
Who it suits
- Fans of characters from film, television, comics and games who want licensed merchandise.
- Collectors starting a shelf without a large first outlay, with collectables from €6.95.
- Gift buyers who want room to change their minds, since unopened items can go back within 28 days of delivery.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone hoping to send back a figure they have already opened, because the return route is for unopened, non-defective items.
- Collectors after limited or artist-edition pieces, as the offer centres on licensed mainstream lines.
- Shoppers planning a themed set who need every piece in a single order, as this is a single brand store.
EMP
Who it suits
- Anime and manga fans who want officially licensed pieces from well known franchises
- Figure and statue collectors who want preorders on limited editions and 30 days to return an item
- Band and music fans buying merch, vinyl and pre-orders in the same order
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers outside the countries EMP serves, where delivery charges and times differ by destination
- Collectors who want a maker's own vinyl figure range rather than a store that also carries clothing, band and game merchandise
- Buyers who want their own currency on the page, since prices are shown in euro
Current offers
EMP
Current offer
Discount code
15% off your next order for newsletter signup: 15%
Valid for 4 weeks, online only; not combinable with other promo codes; excludes books, media, tickets, Rammstein, (Till) Lindemann, Die Aerzte, Die Toten Hosen, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, Broilers, Bohse Onkelz, vouchers and donation items
Source, checked October 1, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Character Online | EMP |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Finland | No | Yes |
| France | No | Yes |
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Ireland | No | Yes |
8 of 18 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Character Online
How much do the collectables cost?+
A collectible figure on the collectables pages is listed from €6.95, so a single piece is a modest commitment. Prices are shown per item, and larger boxed sets and playsets sit higher up the range, which makes the entry point the useful number when you are budgeting a first order.
How much is delivery, and is it included?+
Delivery inside mainland UK is charged at a set rate, and it costs nothing extra once an order passes £20. Orders heading elsewhere are given a set delivery charge at checkout, so the total only firms up in the basket. Buying a couple of small pieces together is enough to cross the threshold.
EMP
What do figures cost at EMP?+
Figure prices start at €5.99, so a first vinyl figure or mystery box is a modest outlay rather than a big commitment. That entry figure comes from one listing, while statues and jumbo figures sit well above it, so a larger shelf piece is a separate decision. Above that, price follows the size of the piece and how small the run is.
How long do I have to return an item?+
You have 30 days to return any item, which gives room to open a box, check the sculpt and finish against the listing, and change your mind. Keep the item and its packaging in the condition they arrived in while the return is arranged.