Awesome, somehow, my package got shipped back to showz again, so hopefully 3rd times the charm and it actually comes to me this month. I wanna say its weird that my package is having this much issue shipping to me, since last time I shopped at showz, my package delivered fine, but I wouldn't be surprised if COVID's been making things difficult for delivery.

 

One of them does (the left, if I recall correctly). The other seems fine. Probably just needs a little material taken off the body side, but it'll wear slightly in time so I'm not hugely fussed by it.

 

Mine does too but considering the other QC issues I could have got I'm not gonna twist about it.

 

I’ve tried to get replacement parts from Planet X via TCP in the past. My Pluto was missing his back spikes. After ten months of insisting they were on the case, and ignoring my pleas to just do a return, they admitted that Planet X was probably ignoring the parts requests and refunded me.

Meanwhile, I ordered Mars from BBTS. When he arrived in a state of disintegration and I called the CS number, the dude just chuckled and replied, “You too? So did mine and everyone else’s!” Emailed him some photos, and I had a full refund within an hour. Even took a chance and bought Mars again when they clearances him and got lucky with a good copy!

TCP is great because of their points plan, fast processing, and their payment system lets you utilize PayPal’s “pay in 4”; which is all great for expensive stuff like this. I go with them doe official toys and stuff like MMC, which I know will probably be solid. They’re nice people. Their customer service is garbage, because all the good intent in the world doesn’t matter when you’re a small-fry shop and manufacturers leave you on read. If Cacus has a 50/50 chance of being kaka, go with BBTS if you actually want the issues fixed right away.

I also would not hold out hope for the next version of this guy to necessarily have any better QC. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Most companies know at this point that they don’t have to fix anything at all to ensure we’ll keep buying. Fanstoys, Transcraft, BMB, Devil Saviour, Toyworld, G-Creations, BFB, … they’ve all knowingly shipped defective product, batch after batch, because we keep buying it. It depends on how Planet X is feeling about it, but they have to know by now that they could just lie, or even do nothing, and we’ll psyche ourselves up enough for version 2 that they can just sit back and do nothing.

I’m not anybody but if you want anecdotal advice from a stranger on the Internet, I say pull the trigger on this first release via a big retailer like Toy Dojo or BBTS. Don’t wait for a hypothetical version that’s *probably* going to happen (if the bad QC doesn’t change that) and *might* be better quality, and go with a company that is big enough to turn Planet X upside down and shake them until replacement parts start to rain down like loose change.

 

WORD OF CAUTION re the hands!
I may be one of the very few that really like his red hands, so I changed them today, just to realize that IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST IDEA!

I got a stress mark on each of the little hooks, though I was gentle as a snowflake falling onto a freshly cleaned arse!
I'm even guesstimating that the very initial insertion (at the factory) produced these very stress mark.
In my case, they go halfway through the not-that-thick plastic of the hooks.
No, I don't have a pic since I'm too fucking scared to ever touch them again!

That's what I thought the past couple of days as well while reading the thread.
A 2nd version-to-be (if ever) may not see any fixes at all.

And especially not for the basic transformation which is frankly a pain in the arse!

Hopefully I'm wrong but I would be astounded if their re-issue of Pluto wouldn't suck where the first version did!
Same then likely for Cacus!
Happy to be proven wrong though!

Any hoot! After my initial stupidity with the light up feature, I may belong to those who - for now - have no single QC issue!
Which is great. But I'm equally afraid. Seeing what just happened with his hands when simply changing them GENTLY, once...I don't wanna know what's to come down the road with this figure.

I simply think it's a no-go, irrespective of the price!

Hell, I feel even safer transforming MMC's Cyclops!

 

I have had no major problems. His left doni arm popped off due to not being screwed in. the screw was there just not attached, easy fix. On the same arm the outer forearm popped off. Went back on with a satisfying click and is now fine. I guess not enough pressure during assembly. I also changed to red hands without any issues but was terrified when my son just popped the black ones off because of how tight they were. Oh and the right hip skirt likes to pop off the peg during transformation. All minor issues.

 

Decided to try my hand at cracking him apart while I wait on a (hopefully) definitive solution. Turns out it was a lot easier than I anticipated. Four screws in the back and the upper torso happily comes apart. Then you can just slide the neck plate out along with the shoulder butterflies.

Seems the issue on mine was the ratchet somehow got glued together and whoever assembled/packaged it just torqued it straight off. The left arm has a bit of give in the ratchet when I push from the other side. The broken gear won't budge at all.

 

This whole 10 month wait thing with The Chosen Prime is a pattern I wish I was aware of before I started buying from them. At least you got a refund. My case is into it's 10th month now and I am still waiting.

I ordered Cacus from Toy Dojo with zero concerns. If it arrived with a problem I knew they would immediately resolve the issue. I hope TCP eventually comes through.

 

I'm just kind of tired of the "I'm a small business" excuses for higher prices, inability to offer real aftermarket care, and lack of refunds and only store credit. I've had only a few interactions with the Chosen Prime and more have been negative than positive. Once Cacus ships I'll be glad to be done with them. And if he's defective, then I'll be out 200 hundred dollars. I'm not gonna run around to get my money for close to a year.

And "FUCK YOU" Planet-X, for raising the prices on everybody and shipping a poorly QC'd product. I was all in on your Dinobots, now you'll never see another cent from me, even if my Cacus comes with no problems.

 

The increasing prices could easily be due to the retailers just pumping them up as they see demand is high. Seen that happen quite a bit recently

 

It seems to be from what they said in reply to someone who messaged them about it here do to costs for things just going up kind of like how MMC’s Overlord reissue when up from like $179 to $270 or so

 

I've had pretty good luck with my transformer purchases, but this broken shoulder on this Planet-X is a real bummer. I had never purchased a Planet-X figure before, so I wasn't sure about why the cost was so high. The aesthetic design is top notch, but the dual plastic ratchet set-up in the shoulder is just bizarre. The transformation lacks any feeling of quality. Or maybe I am just annoyed that it arrived broken with no easy fix.

 

Yeah, but there's years between those preorders. Cacus jumped in price DURING the preorder window.

 

You are more than welcome to offer your solutions on how to deal with a 50% increase in freight costs over the last year as well as a manufacturer price raise on the item.

As far as our policy for refunds goes, no one forced you to make that payment up front. It is not required by us and that is why we do not refund them. If a customer makes it. It creates a great deal of additional work for us as well as added costs because we do not get refunds on merchant fees or transaction fees.

 

Cacus jumped up in price only shortly before they revealed that instead of flat colored plastic, he'd have a full metallic paintjob for release.

That could easily be the rationale.

 

Yeah, it jumped a little after the first review which was the flat-colored plastic with the red cover on his dino neck.

 

So, "We're a small business"?

Also, why can't we complain? When was the last time you saw TFSource on here responding to criticism?

That's unfair to the customer to raise the price when money has already been exchanged. Also if you're going to do that then fucking make sure your QC is on mother-fucking point. The anger is not directed at you.

 

You can complain all you want, but I am on here because I'm a collector myself. I hold my business to a high standard, so when our credibility is attacked for something that is completely beyond our control I will absolutely respond.

 

This is how a heavy large scale diecast figure should be shipped.

 

As a person who owns a small business I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with social media stuff. I don’t have a social media presence on purpose. My wife shows me the shit other local businesses get dragged into and it’s just sad. Most the time it’s a person who doesn’t understand “how everything works”. Nothing better then having an unemployed guy in a filthy apartment on a Facebook selling wall insulting a family business based on miss information and then advising how he feels the company should be run.