Sorry to hear that you had issues with your item. Although I don't have this figure, I do empathize with your situation.

Clarification: @rubadubspawn is not a retailer/reseller. It just happens that he had done some group buys to help some folks out.

Some resellers ask for a video, so that they can properly identify the issue and send out the proper replacement part. Maybe that's what happened here. From your post, they were not clear on what they were looking for, but hopefully they get you the part that you need. Good luck!

 

@daimchoc thanks it's all good.

I still appreciate the fact that there is any after support at all and if a retailer asks for evidence of an issue I'm more than happy to accommodate.

Has anyone noticed if the diecast piece on the front upper thigh is/isn't spring loaded? On my copy, one thigh is definitely spring loaded and pops up when pressing it, while the other appears to be missing the spring cause it doesn't pop up at all. Not a big deal at all as far as I can tell (not even sure why they are spring loaded in the first place).

Does anyone know why it's spring loaded or worth getting a replacement spring?

 

So I got one today and I honestly don't think I'll ever get a singular transformer toy this size ever again. It's just been a headache the whole time.

 

No editing required, nor a tripod tbh. You can literally place the figure on the table, hold the phone and record for a few seconds that the thing is broken, and then send. it takes maybe an extra 30 seconds compared to a photo.

Man you'd think people would be complaining about not being able to get a replacement part, not about how they are too lazy to get one.

 

What are you guys editing?? I do agree a photo is a more reasonable/normal thing for them to ask, but that doesn't make it challenging. Here's a recipe:

• Hold phone in hand,
• Hold figure with loose or broken part in other hand,
• Film and zoom in on the socket or something for <10 seconds,
• Upload file.

If you want both hands on the figure for any reason, just lean your phone on a box like. Or a shoe.
I don't think they mind if you're filming in a bush or a professional studio lol

 

... so you didn't bother to read my post at all, then. You know, the part where I told you I need both hands to show an attempted fix failing, which means I can't hold the phone? Or that the specific issue (stripped screw hole) is actually not something you can "provably" demonstrate to be true in a video if they didn't already believe the damage shown in photos?

Or, you know, the part where maybe, just possibly, having to beg for parts is extremely dumb, and all of this is really just an excuse for a retailer to not do the absolute bare minimum of support?

Is this what the hobby has been reduced to? Just people shelling out hundreds of dollars for the privilege of fixing someone else's mistake? Why do we accept that customers have to literally do a factory's job for them?

There is a distinct difference between "I will try to do some fixes myself, because I think I can", and "I have to do fixes for myself, because the retailer and/or manufacturer won't take responsibility and I have no choice". People paid $160+ for Zeta Flash, and somehow we just accept that having the damn thing fall apart is totally fine, and that begging for crumbs is a good thing.

There was a post a little while back in this thread, where I said that, despite several recent high-profile fuckups, I didn't think it was useful to make generalizations about 3rd party quality possibly declining. I'm starting to regret saying that. You don't need a whole pile of bad figures to bring down an industry -- it only takes one really bad experience to permanently sour things for a customer. I've personally decided that it's no longer worth the risk to buy anything from Chinese sellers that I can get domestically -- and that if the domestic price premium is too high, then I'm OK just not buying anything at all. I'm sure other people hit that point long ago, specifically with regard to FansToys pricing nonsense. I've seen enough posts in this forum from people who want to quit the hobby after they pick up their personal grails. None of these things are signs of a healthy customer base.

 

Do you have a laptop or desktop with a camera you could use to record the video instead?

 

Maybe your fix was a little too good, then. at this point is it even possible to demonstrate that there’s something wrong with the right shoulder?

 

Re: messing up a 'fix'...

In general, because this hobby contains some collectors who like to modify or fix stuff themselves (which can sometimes be a good thing vs. bad thing), I think it's sometimes hard for retailers/manufacturers to discern if parts are required because a collector botched something themselves or if it's really an issue with the figure's construction itself.

It becomes further muddled when a figure has a known issue and a collector decides to "fix it" and then makes a mess, and then demands parts or a return or whatever. I mean if I bought a car, then made made some modifications and then crashed the thing, I doubt the dealership would look to kindly on me or be obligated to assist.

Re: specifics on this figure....

I love this guy. Besides the weird spring missing in one of the thighs (does anyone know if this impacts anything), and the worrying thing with the arms, I much much prefer zeta over MA. Just feels so much more solid and better held together. I haven't tried transforming (and probably won't since it's been reported as unpleasant and may make the arm worse. It sucks that we need to handle the arm with kid gloves and I do hope they Zeta figures out a fix and makes it available to retailers.

 

I have the same thing with the thighs, I think both of them have springs, but one is loose and the other one is tight. Wierd, but It doesn't seem to affect anything.

 

Replacement parts just arrived for shoulder assembly. Interestingly they sent me the correct shoulder piece but the incorrect intake piece.

 

Mine arrived last week and I haven't tried to transform him yet (and to be honest after reading this thread.... that might be a once only event!). But I'm having problems with the wings that came in the separate box, when I plug them they just flop around as if the pegs are too small for the holes. How are they meant to connect? Any review I've watched they're either already attached or they just seem to plug right in and stay firm.

Thanks

 

So, from what I’ve gathered, those that are getting replacement parts…nothing’s really fixed with the shoulder joint?

Thinking about getting this, and I normally just display in bot mode so I’m not as worried about the shoulder. But if it were a possibility they’d have a truly fixed shoulder joint, that would make it even better.

 

I’ll take a closer look at the replacement assembly, from the initial look I doubt anything is different from the faulty assembly.

 

mine wings are like yours too. They sent replacement , the newer parts have peg that fit in tight and snug. But i only receive one side. dunno if I can jusst glue the wing in and not affecting transformation

 

Reading this thread after I just got him was helpful but disappointing. For a figure of this cost, dealing with reaaaaaally floppy wings and fins, and worrying that transforming him is going to break him is kind of the final straw with Zeta for me. I might still get their seekers since I have Neptune/Uranus/Pluto and they're fine, but their support as a company is nonexistent and I just don't feel like forking this amount of money over to get something with such poor QC. It's a shame because he *does* look good but the problems they're having really seem like some amateur hour stuff in terms of design. I had a lot of problems with the individual bots in Kronos also, so... yeah. No more Zeta for me.

 

tried to transform today,....
...
oh my fucking god.
at least I knew it's doable , but man...

 

Really I hated the transformation at first but emgo's video is super detailed and if you do everything as he does without shipping steps it gets way easier (I now wnjoy UT more than MA's)

 

OF course it is better than MA , but a cumbersome transformation is cumbersome.
So many place has to maneuver in a weird angle , combine with tolerance issue.
Not to say it's the worst because I can see myself doing it again sometimes but definitely not an intuitive design.

 

Yeah it’s not that smooth but thankfully it’s a lot better than say, TW. I want to transform him again at least. The only issue is I’m scared of the arm flying off.... atm he’s a jet and idk if he’ll survive the trip back....