Our awesome Australian 2005 Boards Member griffin-of-oz is bringing us the updated list of Japan / Hong Kong imports for Australia via Ozformers. The list includes AD-32 Deluxe Stinger and MP Star Saber.
“Lost Age AD-32 Deluxe Stinger is now confirmed for March, but not sure if it is exclusive to one store.Japanese Masterpiece MP-22 Star Saber is also for March, exclusive to ToysRUs.
And the Japanese reissue of Masterpiece MP-10 Convoy, likely for mid-year, but too early to know specific details.
More details should be known at the Australian Toyfair in March.”
For more info, visit the first post of the thread associated with this news post.
cliffjumperraj
Oh thank you I'll check them out, hadn't thought about those. I want Magnus too, $300 is a wee bit hard with school just back.
soundwaverulls
Oh great. Now I have to risk impulse buying this. Something that almost never happens to me online.
Rippersnapper
Wait for a 20% off sale when Magnus is down to $240, i can guarantee a lot of people will be whistling a different tune.
BidoofdudeofOz
Was about to post this. I'm actually going to Japan in September, so hopefully it stays strong against it.
Starscream Gaga
The Australian dollar isn't doing too badly compared to the Yen, you're still making a significant loss buying from Australian TRU's instead of Amiami, HLJ, Nippon Yasan, etc, even after Express postage,
cliffjumperraj
I got Bee at Tru online for $88, haven't seen wheeljack yet. And with the Aussie dollar so bad, buying overseas has gone a little on hold, postage is just too expensive too. Local it will have to be for a bit, unless I impulse and I do!!!
zzyss
I was just in Singapore recently (now back in Australia), and the prices are basically the same as Singapore plus shipping. Unfortunately the AUD is tanking badly right now, lost about 20% of its value against US and Asian currencies, so although the prices seem extortionate, the gap between them and importing isn't as big as it might have been in the past.
griffin-of-oz
Oh, and impulse buys… that's another one. Someone who remembers something from their childhood, or is with a kid who REALLY WANTS something.
I've heard a lot of stories of people seeing others in stores buying these things on impulse, but are not a dedicated collector to know of other options.
(and the number of nagging kids I see in stores getting what they want… sheesh, it's disgusting)
icemanff23
I guess some people would pay it as they dont trust online retailers still, such as how most of us purchase video games from overseas stores to save on purchasing them in Aus for insane prices… but then there are those parents that don't wanna pay online so they have to pay for higher prices when they don't know that there is a cheaper market out there.
griffin-of-oz
Ability to exchange or refund if faulty is the big one. Australian Consumer Law protects you for the "expected life" of the item… which some people have been able to get refunds years later.
That's something that is difficult or impossible from foreign sources. (it's the reason I don't shop at RobotKingdom anymore, because they refused to respond to me, let along deal with faulty products)
Another reasons is the convenience. Not everyone likes to shop online, or has credit cards to risk online transactions.
Also there's the price guarantee – it might be expensive compared to imports, but when the item overseas sells out fast during pre-orders and doubles in price as soon as its released, we've sometimes had items here that ended up being cheaper.
Plus stores like TRU and Myer price their items for a future discount sale, so if you wait for the sale, the price ends up being close or less than importing with postage. (like the Platinum Edition Movie sets – they were cheaper on sale than importing, and that is how Myer prices their items)
Starscream Gaga
I don't understand why anyone would pay these insane prices rather then simply import them themselves.
griffin-of-oz
For those Australians who don't have the ANZ news topic bookmarked (recommended if Australian), and for any non-Australians who are interested in these items that are a special import here (so has no impact on Hasbro's own versions or the products in other countries).
Hot off the Hasbro Australia presses (big thanks to them), these are the upcoming items to be released in Australia, from Hasbro Hong Kong (who releases Japanese Transformers).
Lost Age AD-32 Deluxe Stinger is now confirmed for March, but not sure if it is exclusive to one store. (Original details here at Ozformers)
Japanese Masterpiece MP-22 Star Saber is also for March, exclusive to ToysRUs. (Original details here at Ozformers)
And the Japanese reissue of Masterpiece MP-10 Convoy, likely for mid-year, but too early to know specific details.
More details should be known at the Australian Toyfair in March.
This is the release schedule of the upcoming items, and the recent items that are still being found here in Australia…
NOVEMBER
– JP/HK MP-20 MASTERPIECE WHEELJACK (TRU – AU$100) – OUT
DECEMBER
– JP/HK MP-21 MASTERPIECE BUMBLE(BEE) (TRU – $100) (first shipment – 240 units) – OUT
FEBRUARY
– JP/HK MASTERPIECE Ultra Magnus (TRU – $300) (first shipment – 240 units) (online purchases come with bonus HK Coin)
MARCH
– JP/HK MASTERPIECE Bumble(bee) (TRU – $100) (second shipment – 264 units)
– JP/HK AD-32 Lost Age Deluxe Stinger
– JP/HK Masterpiece Star Saber (TRU – $???)
APRIL
– JP/HK MASTERPIECE Ultra Magnus (TRU – $300) (second shipment – 160 units)
JUNE
– YOTG Optimus Prime – TBC
– YOTG Soundwave (with 5 cassettes) – TBC
JULY
– JP/HK Masterpiece MP-10 Convoy reissue – TBC
For those new here or unfamiliar with these – these are just the Japanese/HK stock, in Japanese packaging, through a special arrangement between Hasbro Australia and Hasbro Hong Kong.
Unless your country and your Hasbro branch has a similar arrangement with Hasbro Hong Kong, these are NOT going to show up in other Hasbro markets (which is why I usually post the minor updates in the Australian News topic, so that it doesn't confuse collectors or irritate people).
Some of these have their instructions and/or bio translated into English, but those bios are unique to the Australian stock – those translations or bio content shouldn't be what shows up on a future Hasbro America release (if one happens).
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