How long are their customers expected to wait for a replacement? I've been waiting 5 months for a replacement part or for them to offer me another solution. I have straight up just asked for a full refund and they keep giving me the runaround. Had I purchased this from BBTS they would have solved the issue within 24 hours or provided me a satisfactory alternative.

Am I being unreasonable? I realize the pandemic has caused all sorts of problems. I never expected them to help me out overnight. What I don't appreciate are my requests for a refund being ignored or them not providing me with a timeframe of when they intend to put the matter to rest. They can't get the part, fine. Give me a refund.

 

I'd imagine however long it takes the manufacturer to provide it to them. If they've submitted the part request on your behalf, it's just a waiting game for you and the retailer. What company is the product from?

 

Yeah, I understand that. However, I was never given any sort of ETA. You would think the manufacturer (in this case Generation Toy) would have provided them some kind of estimated arrival window. If they didn't, fine. I won't hold that against TCP. If that is the case then let the customer know and then provide them with a reasonable alternative. Personally I don't like being out $400 for several months. So I would just prefer to have a refund and be done with the toy all together.

 

@Chosen Prime

 

My experience is most manufacturers do not provide an ETA on a part request. The exception is if they happen to have it in stock and know they can ship it out quickly and then it's usually around 2-4 weeks turnaround, depending on shipping method. Sometimes they only send replacement parts with the next shipment of figures to that retailer. Some manufacturers don't provide after service at all (like Takara). I don't recall how GT is with replacements but if a retailer said they will try to get a replacement part for you, then they must believe they can do so. If you elected to get a replacement part rather than a refund, then it's a waiting game for the part. I'm sure it's frustrating.

Personally, I'd try going direct to the manufacturer in the future if possible, because I'd rather be able to follow up on it myself rather than bugging a retailer for it. And I don't believe a retailer will be as diligent to follow up on it as I will myself. For example, I had to continue to pursue XTB to get a replacement last year that I paid them for up front and then went for months longer than they originally stated before they shipped it. If I'd tried to do that through a retailer, it'd be way less efficient and the retailer would have gotten ire from me that they didn't deserve.

 

I appreciate the insight. Will definitely keep this in mind in the future.

 

This is not the first time I've heard this. They're good about helping when they can but they do tend to suck in this department. I've seen others wait months for a replacement part when they could've just taken from another item they had in stock and waited for the manufacturer to get back to them. It's part of the reason I don't use them anymore, not unless I have to. It's not worth the wait and the suffering. Toy Dojo, on the other hand, good people.

 

It took TFsource 9 months to get me a replacement leg for a mmc Insecticon. It took 3 weeks to get a replacement arm for a Maketoys figure.

Luckily those are the only issues I've had. I'd recommend checking in once a month or so. It may be a hold up on the manufacturer. I'm sure they will take care of you.

 

Do toydojo give you a completely new figure when you are waiting for a broken part replacement? That’s remarkable if so- I honestly never gotten anything from them so not sure. From TCP I have to say I’ve gotten pretty much all replacement parts needed but it does depend on manufacturer providing it. I’m still waiting on cang to give me a new thumb. They’re very responsive and helpful but I think this issue is often out of their control. I doubt they can afford the inventory for a swappable figure for everyone to wait on broken parts

 

I had a part issue with MMC Optus Pexus and Toy Dojo sent me a replacement figure the next day. They allowed me to either keep the replacement or take the part I needed. I took what I needed and sent them the rest back with their prepaid label. I really appreciated their quick response and their trust.

 

Ah quite cool. Still imagine for some figures even they couldn’t do that consistently for all part fixes.

 

Yeah, the figure I purchased from TCP had been around a while. Like I said, I didn't expect an immediate solution. I was willing to wait the estimated time they told me it usually takes. I even took the pandemic into account and waited longer. However, I can't be blamed for not wanting to sit on $400 for an undisclosed amount of time. They shouldn't expect that from any of their customers and they should have provided me with options. Instead the only updates I get are when I hound them and even then it's the same answer.... the part "hasn't arrived yet". Great, so how are YOU (the people I made the transaction with) going to make it right? I told them how, allow me to return the item and give me a refund. What do I get? More "we don't have the part yet".

 

Yeah, hearing that makes me not want to do much business with them, at all.

 

Personally, I have found TCP to offer great after service (same with Toy Dojo, Agabyss, etc.). There have been times where I have had to be patient while replacement parts are ordered, and there have been times where I have grown impatient and inquired regarding status updates. At the end of the day, TCP has never left me out hanging. In addition, there have been a pair of instances where Brandon has helped me out with figures I didn’t buy from TCP. That kind of thing goes a long way with me. If you are having an issue with TCP customer service, my recommendation would be to send Brandon another email asking for an update, and then give him the benefit of the doubt that he is going to make the situation right…even if it takes some time.

 

That's awesome!

TD (and A3U) have a closer relationship with MMC than others so it's an ideal pairing. MMC also generally has a pretty good direct parts service for customers as well. MMC are among the best with replacement parts, in my experience.

 

I have no doubt they are good people. The replys have been polite and professional. I also don't doubt things will EVENTUALLY be resolved. However, it doesn't change the fact I have made a reasonable request for a refund and they continue to ignore my request. They're trying to buy time by not acknowledging it and frankly, I find that insulting. I'm not trying throw them under the bus here. They simply need to see this is not how you handle a situation like this.

 

The Chosen Prime's always gone above and beyond for me in the past. Same with Toy Dojo, though because TCP is closer I get stuff quicker through them.

 

Man Been there, although I’ve been lucky lately… But the disappointment of the broken toy, combined with the aggravation of uninspiring customer service, followed by the mind-numbing wait of who knows how long… yeahhhh. Sorry bout that. It’s m not usually their fault but it’s not yours either… :/
Now that I collect legends it’s easier to just buy a new figure sometimes.

 

I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with TCP and that’s why they’re my go-to. For instance, I had a leg part on MP-47 Hound break so I emailed TCP to see if they could help me out. After emailing and before they responded the next day I realized I actually bought it from AJP. I immediately emailed TCP about my mistake but they still sent me an entire leg for a Takara figure (unheard of, I know) even though I didn’t buy it from them and I only needed a small part from the leg. They’ve been good to me so they get my business. I realize not everyone is going to have my same experience but I just wanted to chime in to support them. I’d suggest contacting GT and pursuing both avenues to get the part. I’m sure I’d be just as frustrated though if I had a $400 paperweight for 4 months.

 

We are not always happy with the response time with parts requests ourselves. This process is very tedious for us and frustrating at times. To explain things in the open, we send weekly requests to our vendors for parts needs, so at very most, a request would be with us for 6 days before being requested. At that time it is in the hands of the manufacturer. Some are very good and thorough, some are not to say the least. But we remind them all weekly and as we have grown as a company even have a specific person in charge of these requests, whereas before it was just myself. The other slowdown can be the mailing of parts to us, if the manufacturer does not send it with a product shipment and they choose to send them separately it can take several weeks for them to arrive to us as they come through standard China Post. From the time we get them in our hands they are in a customer's stash within 48 hours guaranteed.

For those that wonder, "why don't you just send a new one or why don't you just open one?". Simply put, we cannot afford to do that as business. The manufacturers do not reimburse us for any open product despite the reason.

I hope this helps shed some light on things from our side.

Thank you,
Brandon