Forum - View topicYahoo Japan Anime Auctions
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menator
Posts: 8 |
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Hi All,
I made a page with some information on how to buy Mysterious Cities of Gold items from Yahoo Japan, but this could be applied to other animes also. http://www.themysteriouscitiesofgold.com/How_Yahoo_Japan.htm Regards, Jason |
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mahoro
 Posts: 310 |
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Caveats: First, I am not a spokesperson for any of the DS (deputy service) mentioned and I am not affiliated with them. I gain nothing from this analysis other than the satisfaction of sharing my knowledge and experiences with others on this forum. Second, for purposes of this forum I must forewarn against irresponsible use of any DS. The prospect of discovering a DS can help you obtain goodies on YJP (Yahoo Japan) is exciting, I agree as all newbies have been there. But since I also know many people on this forum are young and are not versed in dealing with Japanese businesses, so please note, some DS (not all) do not adhere to the concept the customer is right or customer service is number one. Third, there is a large variety of DS available each has their own advantages and disadvantages. You ultimately want to find one who can give you the best change of winning, the costs at all DS are not cheap, so... winning is paramount. Some DS will bid for you, others are structured to allow you to bid in real-time. However, what will largely vary are the costs and fee structures involved to: initially open, maintain, internal shipping, wire transfers, closing auction costs, and EMS shipping/insurance to you. All of these costs even at the cheapest DS add up quickly and should give you reason to pause and reconsider, are the item(s) you so desperately desire, actually worth the costs, heartache and will the DS help you realistically win?
If you are serious about obtaining items from YJP or other JP stores, you must thoroughly research the numerous substantial costs involved, when using a DS. Assuming you accept them and you still wish to use a DS, hopefully you are familiar with YUS (Yahoo U.S.) and should have little difficulty navigating through the YJP site. If not, find a DS you can understand and afford and think offers you the best chance of winning. However, what will ultimately differ between YUS and YJP is that even if you managed to navigate YJP, obtain a username and you can read Japanese, sellers in JP generally (nearly 90% of the time) refuse to ship overseas and internationally. If you attempt to bid and reveal you are a fraud, e.g. cannot read, write Japanese and/or you ask questions in English many sellers will find it offensive and annoying. Sellers do cancel bids for seemingly incomprehensible reasons. 
Amongst DS users, there is a consensus that all of the user and newbie errors can and should be avoided, as much as humanly possible. DS have existed for over six years now, offering bidding assistance on YJP and other Japanese companies. However, sellers on YJP are keenly aware of this practice and some do not appreciate it and will even block DS user ids. Reducing the newbie and user errors helps curtail the annoyances and potential conflicts resulting from cultural business practices, misunderstandings and miscommunications. You would be amazed at how many DS are based in JP that do not understand the U.S. consumer mindset. Case in point, at the DS Celga, the co-founder Keigo is notorious for blaming and conducting himself unprofessionally. 
There are many DS available, here is but a small listing (in no order) of the well-known ones. I have used all of them to varying degrees of success, so if you have questions, ask before signing up with them. AnimeChaos (RTB = real-time bidding) http://www.animechaos.com Rinkya (RTB) http://www.rinkya.com Sato (AB = assisted bidding) http://www1.winknet.ne.jp/~cel/index.htm Hobby Shop K (AB) http://www.hobbyshopk.com Celga (RTB & AB) http://www.celga.com Note: Rinkya is perhaps the most expensive to set up, but it can be worth it. While Celga, HSK, and Sato bid for you, Rinkya gives you an actual ID and lets you bid -for yourself-. When the auction is won, they handle the transaction and send the cel to you. It is best to wait for multiple items before shipping, but watch out they do charge a storage fee. Rinkya’s system has a lot more freedom, but at a higher price. It is also good to know the specific conversion rate the DS is using & the current in JP http://www.xe.com/currency Also since most people need translation assistance, try for free: http://babelfish.altavista.com – It is not very good at working with phrases, but usually you can get the gist of things. I usually use it when I cannot read a certain word, for which is serves its purpose. To recap, here are twelve general rules to bidding on YJP: 1) research the various DS available/read reviews/ask questions, 2) understand the fee structures & determine which DS is best for you, 3) research the item(s) & seek translations as needed, 4) determine the recent market value/demand, 5) set a budget on the total cost of the item(s), 6) allocate sufficient funds for you to maximize your bid limit, 7) bid and/or have bids placed for you, 8) monitor auction & if necessary increase bid w/in your budget, 9) wait for notification by DS (keep for records) for initial fees & later shipping to you, 10) pay promptly, write succinct emails to DS, verify payment receipt (keep for records), 11) if after three months nothing arrives & no email from the DS, inquire about status, 12) if you encounter resistance, reference the records, cite them in your email, be patient and firm yet amicable. Naturally, what I have written is by no means an exhaustive guide regarding DS use, how to proceed and what to expect when using them. However, the guidelines should provide some semblance of an overview of what to be aware of. Each persons experience/mileage will vary and some may encounter more problems (or none whatsoever). As such, if you do encounter problems researching, bidding, or dealing with any DS, do not hesitate to share it here. There are other forums which are strictly dedicated to DS and YJP but most expect a certain level of experience and initiative on the users part. If anyone is seriously interested in the various DS available, mention it in your reply and we can discuss it further. Good luck to all and happy hunting! 
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