BC Community Thread For Non-Sightings Chat

[Ozrein]

From what I've heard AE tends to be a bit more than HLJ for shipping but their preorder prices are usually less. It's NY that really gouges on shipping, apparently (I've never used them). Not sure how AA factors into any of that as I haven't heard a lot about their pricing compared to shipping,

[Darth Cylon]

Originally Posted by protoform_ironhide

Whoa.. Big price difference between the two. Does AE overcharge shipping like NY??

Between AA and HLJ?

Takara MSRP is 12000 yen.
HLJ sells at their typical 20% off before 8% Japanese domestic sales taxes, so 9600 yen
AA sells at 30% after 8% Japanese domestic sales taxes, so 8990 yen.

610 yen difference is rather minimal.

NY is selling it 8280 yen. But their cart shows they are charging 2400 yen for EMS and 1740 yen for Registered SAL shipping. That is more than what AA and HLJ charge for shipping MP-29. MP-32's box can't be bigger and heavier than MP-29. So yes I'd call BS on NY's shipping charge again.

[kirbenvost]

I'm glad I can skip on this one. I'm really loving all the MP releases lately but it does get hard on the wallet.

[RocketGTR]

Honestly, once you add it all up, N-Y comes to about the same price as HLJ or AA. They charge less for the item but more for shipping vice versa HLJ charges more for item but less for shipping.

HLJ: 9,600JPY plus 1,290JPY = 10,890JPY
AA: 8,990JPY plus 995JPY = 9,985 JPY
NY: 8,280JPY plus 1,740JPY = 10,020JPY

The 1,740 is SAL registered with N-Y. I'm taking 1,290 for HLJ as that's the amount for shipping Tracks SAL registered. For AA I'm using the amount I paid for MP-27 Ironhide for the SAL registered small packet.

So really just a way to try and get people to buy from them instead of their competitor by "offering" a lower price. Costs just get shuffled around.

[pandaprime]

I guess pre-orders are considered non-sighting?

HLJ and AA have new ones up

Transformers UW-08 Computron
UW-08 Transformers - Computron

Transformers LG25 Blurr
Transformers Legends LG25 Blur

Transformers LG26 Scourge
Transformers Legends LG26 Scourge

Transformers LG24 Shockwave & Cancer
Transformers Legends LG24 Shockwave & Cancer

[kirbenvost]

Daaangit. I wasn't going to get Computron, but the Takara one looks really good in color.

[Darth Cylon]

Takara's UW line totally pwns Hasbro.

In the past I couldn't justify buying Takara because Takara and Hasbro had the same mold. Hasbro was good enough and I could custom paint them to make them look even better than Takara's fancy metallic paint. But in the recent years Hasbro had gotten really expensive compared to Takara. And then Takara started making different molds. Still hollow, but a better hollow mold, while Hasbro has gotten cheaper and cheaper in their production.

I don't have any CW/UW figure as I am only spending my money on MP these days...but I can see why more and more collectors are going to import Takara.

[RocketGTR]

I wish that Takara was using the hands and feet that were shown with the Hasbro figure though.

But like Darth I've been thinking it's time to stop with the small stuff and stick with Takara Masterpiece or third party masterpiece style figures to save space and money.

[kirbenvost]

I agree, other than the hands & feet, the Takara Computron is miles better.

The thing that bothers me is it's so hard to get Hasbro stuff recently. Retail just doesn't stock enough, and there aren't any Canadian hobby stores that don't have jacked-up USD prices. It's just not worth it to import. Japanese retailers cost less. I've been patiently waiting for CW Skylynx and Onslaught, but I don't know if they're going to show up here.

I'm not ready to give up on Generations toys yet, but I am starting to run out of space. Might be time to thin the herd elsewhere or rearrange the display.

[protoform_ironhide]

I love the masterpiece line and generations line equally. There is lots of variety in the generations line. Sometimes I feel that the G1 design is too plain. I love how they make those Generations tfs G1 style while making them not as boring. The team always try to do something impressive that I don't think I will quit the generations line anytime soon. I am like all of u, don't bother much shopping at retail anymore. Get mostly takara.. They make sure u will get the items with preorder. Hasbro is just bad at distribution, it could be tru or Walmart, who knows... I am also out of space and have a pile of bins with tf in them, that I change my display once in a while. It kills time when i am bored.