So... like some other here... I really like the news that many of the Arms Micron figures would be sold in individual packets. However, if you check BBTS/TFSource and whatnot... they're 8$ a pop. Bit pricey for tiny figures... So I check RobotKingdom out... hey... FOUR DOLLARS each! Sounds great! ...until you calculate ship price. System generates a whopping 43$ for my 14 figures... End result... about 7 bucks per figure... sure it's a dollar less per fig than locally... but that's not much a savings. I suppose it'd get me a deluxe TF at my local toy store... but still... no where near as tempting/nice as 4$/fig =( Bit the bullet though just to give RK a shot... hope they're worth buying from. Ever had a case where you debated whether its worth trying a new vendor or not for sake of small savings?
That's why people still use BBTS. And then you also have to worry about overseas shipping. Takes a lot longer for stuff to get to you and more opportunity for something to get lost.
This is a fun thread since not everybody is in the US and has different vendors. Being outside the US and importing all the time from both US and Japan, I generally prefer sellers\stores with a broader variety of shipping options disregarding item cost. BBTS and HLJ automatically switch to EMS\USPS International express if your order exceeds X amount, which kills any chance that customs might blink at my item. Furthermore, for such a huge market as the US, pricing sure is a determining factor when figuring in shipping from a "US or just foreign" source. When it's just "foreign import", I tend to go with a source in the country\region of the origin of the item. Case in point: MP10 Convoy costs about 220 USD at robotkingdom with a 50 USD pricetag to Greece. The same figure costs 250 USD at BBTS with a 50-60 USD pricetag to Greece. See my point?
I live in the UK and even ordering from the US with the exchange rate in our favour, I've found that prices at places like BBTS and TFSource are so high that even with reasonable shipping costs it works out around the same or actually more expensive than it is to buy domestically. I don't know how you guys who buy their stuff in $$$ can afford it!
Yea I do agree on it depends on where you live. I have bought from RK plenty of times and most of the time, I will go there to save a few bucks as well as they sometimes get items in and shipped and delivered before some of the US stores even get their stock in (i.e. Hercules). So it all depends on what you like and are comfortable with. I do a lot of comparing final prices after shipping and sometimes I will just switch up vendors every now and then...so I am pretty random I guess
this is the same in the UK sure figures might be cheaper if I buy from HLJ but once shipping is added plus tax man having his share it costs about the same
I remember looking into how much it would cost to ship in a Jetwing Prime from a member on here, where they were on clearance for like $100. Shipping to get it here was like $160. Sucks a little.
It's why I don't order from HLJ... 'THIS IS SEVENTY PERCENT OFF!!!" Sal shipping? fourty... for a ten dollar item. =/
Nah. Makes sense to switch up if you can save a decent bit. Just curious... you ever ordered from RK using Registered Air Mail? It was the only way to make a significant savings, so I opted for that. Work well enough, or should one stick with EMS?
