I think it’s fair for people to want to wait for reviews, especially with the lower degree of QC on these increasingly expensive releases. It’s a little unfair to expect people to preorder items right away because they may be stuck with a $200+ figure they don’t enjoy

 

People are too afraid of selling MPs. Pre-order on Amazon Japan, if you don't like how it looks in previews cancel your order. If you don't like how it looks in in-hand videos, don't open it. Sell it at the price you paid for it and it's guaranteed to move. You can probably even make a small profit.

Doesn't make any sense to complain about the price if you knew about the pre-order period but you decided to avoid it. That's literally the price you pay for waiting. If you're that averse to selling MPs, that's also the price you pay for it. Real simple.

 

Curious what you mean about being too afraid to sell? Also, I think it’s a lot to ask people to preorder a $200 figure and don’t open it in case they don’t like it to resell. Its a big risk putting down that kind of money. What if they can’t make that money back?

Personally, the vast majority of my decision to preorder or purchase a figure is made before they are released. However, when the new batch of MPM were announced, I was all for getting MPM4. Thankfully, his horrid QC problems came to light before he got a domestic release and I didn’t lose $100+. That’s an example of a figure tbat probably lost it’s retail value even being misb because of its issues.

 

I don't know how else to explain why people don't want to jump in on the pre-order prices if it's not because they don't like selling MPs / are afraid of selling things online.

$200 is a lot to spend, but that's the cost of this line now. Put in a pre-order on Amazon Japan, between now and a week before release date there's time to save up a dollar a day. If someone isn't able to put aside the money, then cancel the pre-order. There will usually be online reviews on the day of release or even before.

I can't see how someone couldn't make their money back, especially if they keep the MP MISB. Paying $180 for MP-36, and selling him at $200 is still cheaper than the $220 American retailers were asking for him. Even if you open him and change your mind you should still be able to charge the price you originally paid, since these big MPs creep up in value right after they sell out everywhere.

 

A recent example would be mpm4- I exited post while you were replying

 

Yeah, wanting to wait for reviews is understandable. It's not a factor for me though, since I'm (mostly) happy with how the G1 MPs are turning out. So without doubts or second guesses, preordering is a given for me.

I could get burned by a major widespread QC problem, but that hasn't really happened yet. Even my Coneheads (Ramjet's shoulders and Thrust's waist, in particular) turned out fine. Maybe I've just had a ridiculous streak of luck, and it'll end someday. But so far, the worst QC mishap on any of my 35 MPs happened way back with MP-21. Bumblebee himself is fine, which is why I never did anything about it, but Exosuit Spike has either 2 left or 2 right "feet" (I forget which), instead of 1 of each. So in "bot" form he leans a little, and in "car" form one of the feet won't lay flush. Being Exosuit Spike, I'm not too bothered by it.

So I'm not seeing what you're seeing: "the lower degree of QC on these increasingly expensive releases." Sure it happens. Megatron & Sunstreaker have their share of potential issues. But we simply aren't talking recall levels of QC failure here.

And, even in the hypothetical case you were to get a defective MP through Amazon Japan, it shouldn't be difficult to get a replacement from them. One member here got a replacement MP-40, no hassle, within days of contacting them about the faulty copy.

Also, what he said.  

They might not make their money back. That's a risk inherent to this hobby. Most things in life involve varying degrees of risk. It's up to you to determine with what amount of risk you're comfortable.

As someone who buys things intending to keep them all forever, the resale aspect of the hobby means little to me, so I don't stress over it. In your case, though, I'd be following Sam's suggestions as a good place to maybe start looking at the hobby a little differently.

Again, what he said.  

 

Fair point. I can't speak for examples like MP-9 or MPM-4 which thankfully are far and few between. Fortunately, Amazon Japan have such a great return policy that there would be no problem in getting your money back from them when it comes to QC defects.

 

That's because Dinobot is "hot' right now. The repaints tend to end up more heavily discounted after release until supply starts to dwindle.

In the end it comes down to "risk-reward'. If you willing to except the risk that may occur you can save a lot of money with better discounts and cheaper prices than ordering domestically. If you are adverse to any risk and "play it safe" its only fair you reap none of the benefit, and are left to pay higher cost and risk that waiting the demand may exceed supply.

 

The thing is with Amazon Japan the risk is non-existent for US customers. Write to them when you have an issue and you can return the item free of charge with a full refund. Win-win, no?

 

Yeah, MP-40 dropped some after release  , then went back up a bit after I started seeing the usual "only ~15 left in stock, order now" messages.

 

HLJ is good. I had a figure break once, I wrote them a mail, they offered me my money back or a new figure, I got the later.

Of course it's no guarantee that they will help you with every issue there is, but when I got a real lemon of a figure they were really nice.

 

This 100 times.

US customers have literally ZERO to lose here. ZERO.

In most cases, amazon will LET YOU KEEP the defective copy and send you a new one if you want.

OR,

You could simply get your money back, and quite possibly KEEP THE FIGURE.

I’m simply amazed that QC is even being discussed for this very reason.

But hey, poor Joel at BBTS seems to need the money, so.

I simply fail to understand. But hey, it’s your money.

 

Is it just me who's a little bummed at how black the gray bits are on this guy? Having a lighter grey was one of the things I was looking forward to most about the lad.


As you can see, Wheeljack's grey was fairly light, distinctly not blackish, which oddly doesn't appear to be so on this figure. Also, shoutouts to Bumblejumper in the back.

It'll probably be fine in hand though.

 

I agree, but if it's like the grey on Tracks and Red Alert+ a lot of its value will come down to lighting. I also think WJ+'s grey will look noticeably lighter when directly compared to black plastic.

 

Well gosh golly, here I am waiting until the Nth hour to pre-order this guy at Anime Export ANNNNNND...

...the website won't come up. At all. Last no worries, but today, won't load.

Anybody else having this issue? I'm hoping that whatever it is it gets sorted out because the end date is the 28th, but with the time change, I might miss out on the pre-order discount. Too much dawdling on my part this time, maybe this will force my hand to try Amazon Japan  

 

You need your hand forced to try the best store for official MP's on earth?

 

I've always been an Anime Export guy but even I went with Amazon Japan this time. The difference in their shipping + tax (if you're in a country like me with import tax) compared to the shipping from Anime Export is hardly noticeable, especially if you were going to ship it EMS anyway. In fact, it's worth the slight difference because it'll ship even quicker!
And if you don't have to pay import tax then it should definitely be a done deal  

 

One does not even have to pay upfront at am-j for preorders, unlike at AE...