Forum - View topicHelp with buying Tharja PVC
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DKL
 Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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This is the product in question:
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10232679 So, I've been trying to buy this for forever. I ended up on Amazon, but my initial order got cancelled because the seller didn't ship the thing for over 30 days. I then try another seller, but I think the same thing is going to happen again because the release date, which I understood to have been December 2013, is actually February 2014? So, what I'm getting at is that I'll probably cancel the Amazon order soon enough... where would be a nice English-friendly place to get this at? I'm thinking Play-Asia (I have an account there), but I'm open to other places that people on here may have bought this kind of stuff at. (I think the above site I linked is also viable, but is it as simple as just placing the order and putting in a credit card? Any potential problems?) So yes, please help. Thanks a lot in advanced. |
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Polycell
 Posts: 4623 |
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I didn't have any problems with HobbySearch when I used them, though I've found AmiAmi usually has better prices along with a wider array of shipping options.
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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Okay, so I'm strongly considering AmiAmi.
What is usually the best shipping option if I'm out here in the west coast? Preferably, I'd like tracking... Yeah, I'm looking at the shipping options and it's a little overwhelming since it's using a bunch of stuff I'm not familiar with, but I'm to assume that I'm looking at around $30 in shipping (SAL parcel?)? EDIT: Also, I should have no problem using my domestic debit/credit card on this site, yes? Or should I do the paypal thing? |
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Sailor S
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If you want tracking, then SAL Small Packet (Registered) is the cheapest choice. It'll take a bit longer than EMS, but if speed isn't your priority, it's a good deal cheaper. AmiAmi accepts credit cards, I use mine all the time now since it doesn't charge extra for foreign transaction fees. If yours does, you might want to try and figure out if it would be cheaper to take the hit with the worse exchange rate from Paypal, or go with the foreign transaction fee. I don't know of any easy way to do that other than trial and error though.
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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At this point, I just wanna be sure that I can actually get it x_x
They've stopped accepting preorders at HobbySearch... As soon as Amazon returns my money (damn card authorization crap or whatever), I need to jump on this ASAP |
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Polycell
Posts: 4623 |
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Unless it's a really expensive item, preorders at AmiAmi and HobbySearch don't charge until they ship, so don't worry about having the money right now - just be damn sure to have it then.
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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So I'm assuming they don't try to validate the card or whatever?
This is my main issue with Amazon right now... the money is just tied up in a whole lot of nothing. EDIT: It doesn't matter now, I just put in the order. Thank god this is over. EDIT EDIT: Oh, wait, it does validate the card... but instead of doing something stupid like charging the entire god damn amount, it does something sensible like charging 96 cents. And then they give back the 96 cents right away. Good stuff. That said, vaguely doing the math, this entire thing was a lot cheaper than Amazon... but I don't know how high shipping and other fees will get, but at this point, I'm kinda tempted to go in and get one more thing >_> EDIT EDIT EDIT: Oh my gawd, they have an R18 section YAS EDIT (remainder omitted): Okay, I think I'll get this to experiment with the prices: http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIGURE-000535&page=top This site is amazing. |
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Sailor S
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Depending on how big your figure is, how much it weighs, you can reasonably expect to pay like $20-$30 in shipping. For some orders that have multiple figures in them and weigh a lot I've spend over $80 just in shipping. Usually when I get big orders like that, I go with EMS because it's really only marginally more expensive than SAL Parcel. But for most smaller sized 1/8 scale figures I only spend $20 or less for them with SAL Small Parcel (Registered).
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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So, apparently, how this works is that when your stuff is ready to ship, AmiAmi sends you an e-mail in which you validate the payment (they don't just charge your account and need you to okay the payment before some due date, which was about a week).
(though, the above could be wrong... I actually didn't check my account before authorization and this is just my general impression) After shipping (SAL registered) and stuff (though maybe it'll go higher... I'll keep my eye out for the next few days), the final amount for the Totori statue goes for $77.52. I... really like how this place does things... are all Japanese places like this? I must now worry about not getting caught in the figure vortex. Anyway, great purchase, great experience. (though let's see if this thing gets to me in one piece...) Thank you to everyone in the thread that helped. |
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Sailor S
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You are correct in that AmiAmi does not charge anything until you confirm payment. This is done when the figure is ready to ship, and in the case of preorders you don't pay anything until it's actually ready to ship. That can be a bit of a double edged sword in that when you preorder a figure you might be fine to pay for it, but when it actually comes out 6 months later, you might be in a different state.
If you used your credit card, then the price might fluctuate slightly due to changes in the exchange rate, since I think the final price is based on the rate when the charges are actually posted to your account and not just when it's confirmed. But again, that might mean a dollar more or less. Nothing too crazy. Lastly, I have never had any figures from AmiAmi damaged in transit. They pack things well and in good packaging, plus the figures are already over packaged from the figure makers so someone would really have to be trying to wreck things in order for things to break. Not saying it can't happen, but I wouldn't worry about it much. The figure vortex is a tough one to get out of, I'm trying to escape it myself. Hope you can keep it under control! |
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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It's too late... I'm already looking at that Kuroneko swimsuit figure. OH WELL |
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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Oh yeah, so the Totori statue has shipped... tracking it in Japan makes sense, but what about once it hits US soil?
Can I still use the website they gave me to keep an eye on it? |
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Polycell
Posts: 4623 |
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You can, but Japan Post won't get that information very quickly. For the timeliest updates, you should use the site for the country it's in(the same tracking code will work on both - the arrangement is very different from SmartPost/Mail Innovations/Global Mail/etc).
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DKL
Posts: 1962 Location: California, USA |
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As a final update, I am happy to report that Totori has made her journey across the pacific in one piece:
Thanks to everyone in the thread that help make this happen... She actually got here on the 6th, but I wasn't at the door when they came knocking and had to go to the post office to get the thing sorted out... I should perhaps consider an option or instruction or something where they just leave the thing at my door. That said, now I'm off to get that Kirino statue... |
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