Price is the main reason, availability is another. If Autobots United were a shared TRU exclusive people would have a second online source as well as their own local stores as a chance. Now it's BBTS or nothing, so if you miss out, you're a triffle fucked.

And BBTS may be great to US residents. But $20 for international shipping plus duties/tariffs kind of sucks for anyone not in the US, which is a lot-alot of people. My last BBTS order cost me more in combined shipping and duties than the cost of what I bought, (which was a $50 item) it was absurd. Only BBTS has ever done this to me. Shipping internationally isn't even fast. Once took a month for me to get something. High cost for slow service.

So considering BBTS will very likely charge over $100, let's say $130 generously, it could very well cost me $170, maybe even $200 given the size of the box and price of the item. (which tariffs are a percentage) If I'm lucky.


Now if it were TRU? I could get it online, probably even on sale (TRU.ca runs sales often) or promo deal with way cheaper shipping (maybe even free as they tend to do taht for expensive items) and no customs charges.

Can't speak for everyone of course but that's why, for me, it really sucks that BBTS has it.

 

plus it's so much easier to spend the $100 or whatever in person compared to dropping $100 and waiting a week or more for your toys to arrive. plus if you get fucked over on paint apps it's easier to return it... plus some people just can't order online.

 

The reasons just keep piling.

It should've been a shared exclusive. Especially since we still don't know what the damn thing costs.

 

I see. Those are all definitely legit good points.

Well all we can do is hope that it won't cost TOO much.

 

I tweeted BBTS and asked about the price. Waiting to see if they answer.

 

This

 

BBTS said pricing will be listed as soon as preorder solicit is provided. In other words, we wont know until they list it.

 

Yeesh. Hope it's soon-ish. But with a December release date tehy could very well take their time.

I just want to know how much I need to set aside, or if I even will set anything aside if it's too much.

 

Someone said the box is comparable to a board game, so...whatever it costs to ship a board game, I guess. Maybe less, due to TF's being lighter than board games.

Also, BBTS sells the Bruticus vs. Grimlock set for $100. I'd say that could be the price of AU (maybe less, maybe more, it has less than Bruticus vs Grimlock so it could be less) plus $10 for shipping... Then add tax (not sure what that'd be in Canada), but in the US it'd be roughly another $10.

That's $120 for US buyers. Maybe almost $200 for people outside the US, once adding additional shipping and stuff.

 

Wait what? Autobots United is a BBTS exclusive?

This is literally the first I'm hearing about this.

 

Can you provide the source for that? That seems to be quite an assumption given no information is really known about the box yet other than it has a flap.

 

I have to wonder why Canada was brought up, since running the numbers on BBTS myself, I get the price of shipping to Canada as being $20 for air mail before customs taxes. Of course that's also $20 in US currency, since Canada's money isn't exactly the same so the number could vary.

Are you sure you did your checking right, NR97? You also mention sales tax, which actually isn't always applicable because usually, sales tax only applies when people buy stuff from online retailers within the same state. From the one time I used BBTS (unintentionally, I brought Busou Shinkis Pomock and Partio through Amazon and didn't realize I was dealing with BBTS until the box actually arrived though I had no issues with how they were shipped), the tracking said BBTS is located and ships from their warehouse in Wisconsin, so I don't think tax applies unless people ordering from BBTS live in that state.

 

I only just noticed today when I actually looked at the Comic-Con pics lol.

 

Because I live there, and want that set.

Then for a $100 item that's be about $15 in tariffs, and I honestly can't remember the customs percentage for items over $30, but let's also say $15.

That's $150. Which I'm not sure about, since I bought a $70 order from BBTS once and ended up paying $150 all said and done. (and waiting three weeks)

I always get hit with tariffs when ordering from BBTS, which is Canadain sales tax on an item I didn't buy from Canada, because yay.

Funny, because I shop from Amazon.com often, and never have I paid customs. They charge an "import" fee when you order, and it's always really low. Must be some kind of deal worked out.

 

Ah, my bad, then.

Really? Huh. I did not know that. (And knowing is half the yadda-yadda). I'm afraid the best I can suggest, then, is to contact BBTS customer support or work through a middleman based in the states to bypass the tariffs.

I'd assume so. Amazon is like the Walmart of online shopping that way.

 

I just wish they would post the set already.