Still loving those flash sales and prices from hzj even with a decent paying job. Less money on one figure means more figures overall. But I’m focused on legend scale so I can’t speak to other 3P stuff.

 

I have a great paying job yet I still prefer to save money with Ebay flash sales. When it comes to spending on entertainment/hobbies/stuff I don't actually NEED for daily survival and function I'd rather save money whenever possible. I've been going the Ebay route for over 3 years and have only been scammed twice. One or two bad experiences isn't enough to deter me from using Ebay. I don't care if I was a billionaire, If I can get an item for less through a certain avenue, then that's the route I'm taking. For me paying full retail is the route, if and only if, there are no other cheaper options. I ordered and received MP-17+ Prowl for $63 shipped during an Ebay flash sale. Thanks to TB I spent about $100 shipped for FT Quietus now I've got my sights set on TFC's rolling Thunder for about $135 shipped. If I ever decide to sell these items used in the future I come out on top yet again because I can make a little bit of profit since I got them below market to begin with. Totally worth it for me. Props to Ebay, Showz, and Taobao.

 

dude I gotta hang out with you. Most of these, by the time I realize I want them, they are beyond sale prices.

 

I daresay Chrome Magnus is probably the ultimate in finding the "best price" for 3P items, just follow his posts in the eBay sale threads and you'll see.  

 

Another factor is nearly all of my orders from Baba or Ebay have come with crushed boxes and not one of my ShowZ orders have arrived damaged. On top fo that, ShowZ's shipping is very quick and Baba is starting to stretch out longer and longer. I used to be very stingy with my spending but since my new gig began I can literally afford almost any TF I want, now it's just a matter of what do I actually want to own. I've been pretty lucky about not being scammed but it happened on a $100+ figure and while that's not a world ending amount of money it was still annoying.

 

Individual results will vary.
I've ordered 2 things from ShowZ, they both took just shy of a month to get here and arrived with the product box beat to hell. The figures were fine but the boxes were trashed. Baba gets things to me about a week faster and I'm probably about 50/50 on damaged boxes from him. I've been very lucky though, even with lots of damaged boxes, I have yet to receive a damaged figure. I've nothing against ShowZ, these were just my experiences.

 

Similar situation, job and financial security-wise. Gotta admit, the sales is when I search for items in order to exploit the savings to their fullest extent. "20% discount w/ a $100 max? Well, let me stock up since that's better than the 15% off $50 max that I used twice." "up to 13.3% off already low, in stock prices from ShowZ? oh yeah, gotta maximize on that." Funny how 'interests' have grown since early stages of different colored jetfire/valkyrie/veritech figures to now... this and that and these and them at etc., etc., etc.... I still have purchases I haven't unboxed yet, but have been piling up. Almost as if the the seek/hunt in order to check off certain lists is what is the focus rather than enjoying what I've gotten. I'm sure it'll come in time... at some time. I was thinking that I'm near the end of characters/figures, but then color variants that ooh and aah me become the next-in-cart (I mean,   a gold chrome Reximus and a silver chromed Reximus? Oh, yeah, gotta get one (or both eventually )) .

Well, got an email earlier today that instock purchases from ShowZ during the sale have been shipped. Funny how this set just edged over the 750 mark to get that 100 off.



Was waiting on Victory Leo for a minute... Baba at around 150 after the 5 discount, had me waiting on a 20% flash sale, but 140 plus the 13%? oh yeah...
Official Chrome MP10 for less than 130, pre-discount? Okay, I'll get a regular colored chrome KO to go along w/ it for just over 80 pre discount.
A lot of negative talk about transform & roll out Jazz, but I recall oogling over that figure along w/ Omnigonix prior to its release. I figure worse case, the QC is along Omnigonix lines (which I'm doubting will be the case) and I figured that this price plus the discount would put it at around the same 'at release price.' (Sidenote: Omnigonix, whom I enjoy the look of, is also on sale at BBTS for ~35).

 

You spent almost a full stack an order? Wow. Now that's dedication.

 

I’m sure we all go through our own reasoning for justifying a purchase...   A few of mine have been:
-wellllll, I purchased a foreclosed house that ‘needed a bit of work’ a couple of years back, so I’ve now been without a monthly mortgage or rent payment for some time. 
-welllll, I didn’t go to a TFcon this year, so there were no expenses for flights or hotel stays incurred.

I recall a preacher that used to speak in open areas on college campuses saying a few years ago, “I’m not that smart, until I want to justify something I want to do. Then I turn downright genius.”
So, perhaps some of that comes into play. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I'm handling it quite well…  

 

You're a better man than I am then.  

 

I will say…
After waiting 50+ days… having the original item returned to sender (thanks SpeedPak)… then shipped to the wrong customer…
whom I graciously shipped my wrong order to another customer of Baba's, to swap with my correct one… which I won't get until next week at the earliest…

I am a bit disappointed that Baba, did not offer, and then declined to either reimburse me $10-20 dollars or give me a $10-$20 disc. on a future order.
He certainly did not have to…
But having been in the Customer Service business before, it would have been the right thing for him to do. 

I'm not bitter on him… and will probably order from him in the future…
But I'd be lying if I said the experience didn't leave a sour taste in my mouth.  

 

Having zero mortgage payments is the greatest feeling in tbe world. I recently paid off my house and have been going crazy buying figs.

 

We're just now embarking on that road but having dual income certainly helps free up money for toys.

 

For anyone who has been paying attention, can we expect a flash sale this coming Thanksgiving/Black Friday?

 

I think we can expect two. The big one on Thanksgiving and a smaller one the day after. Or it could be Wednesday and Thursday.

I am basing this on last year.

 

Let's hope so.

 

What were last year’s discount percentages?

 

Can't quite recall. It might have been 15 off 75 or something similar. Last year is not a good comparison because the whole 15/20% off has been much more frequent this year.

 

From page 50 of the thread: