Online TF shopping - where is the best place to spend your bucks?

[BigTransformerTrev]

I was wondering how people find the different options of ordering Transformers merchandise online and what positives and negatives they have encountered.

I used to be someone who every weekend would case a different shopping center in Melbourne and do the TRU/KMart/BigW/Target/Myers/JayJays check to see if anything new had come in. It was the thrill of the hunt and it also didn't hurt to take my wife for a shop around as well ;). Now that I live in Swan Hill all I have access to is a Target that occasionally restocks, a tiny Toyworld that NEVER restocks (ROTF toys still!?!) and a Jay Jays which actually isn't too bad. Subsequently I have moved almost exclusively to online shopping, which I have found not only saves me legwork or driving, but often has better deals. So I was wondering how people rate the different online TF resources. Now that we have a child (Orion Samuel) and my wife is on maternity leave pay, my TF budget will probably drop by at least 60% so this is an issue of some import for me :)


Here are some of the ones I have used and my experiences:

Ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/
Positives: You can find almost anything if you are willing to pay the price. Also sometimes you get a great deal (a guy a few years ago mislabled an Animated Wreck-Gar - no-one else bid on it so I got it for like $1.40).
Negatives: Dealers can sometimes be dodgy. Had a guy in NSW not send me my reissue Skywarp and Thundercracker until after 4 months I tried to get Paypal to get my money back. Had another guy put up a picture of a G1 Hun-Grrr, and then send me a crappy KO.

TFSource:http://tfsource.com/
Positives: Lots of 3rd party items that seem scarce elsewhere (got my Quintesson Judge & Prosecutor through them).
Negatives: You only get a shipping discount for orders over $150, and even then it's still pretty dear to Australia

BigBadToyStore:http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/default.aspx
Positives: Lots of new stock coming in fairly often and their emails often go into a lot of detail about what TF stuff has just arrived or can be pre-ordered. Also some good deals on older toys that people sell them. Their Pile of Loot option means you can combine orders to save on overall shipping. Currently serves as my No 1 online resource for TF toys.
Negatives: You can only use POL if you have a pre-order, without it you cant stockpile items that are already in stock. Often their estimation of when they will get merchandise in is way off. Early 2011 I had a wave of Generations toys ordered they estimated would arrive in March - was June when I finally got them.

Toys R Us Online http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=2255956
Positives: Very cheap figures (I ordered some small GDO figures from BBTS, then found the same ones for nearly half the price at TRUOnline) and a half decent selection. Shipping was quite affordable.
Negatives: Not all items can be shipped (GDO Wheelie) and sometimes they get things just weirdly wrong. For instance, I tried to order GDO Swerve (with pic) online and they said 'No shipping'. I then tried to order GDO Swerve (no pic) and they said fine. :confused:


Others I have not used but am aware of:

Jay-Jays: http://www.jayjays.com.au/shop/en/jayjays
Online shop has all the clothes that are in the stores. Have yet to have to use them but good to know there is that back-up if you miss out on a particular TF shirt or boxer shorts you wanted. Shipping is pretty cheap as it is an Aussie company.

Robotkingdom: http://www.robotkingdom.com/services/eshop/main.php
Part of the reason I started this thread. I have not used them, finding their user interface a little off-putting, but would love to know if they are worth the effort and what their postage pricing is like.



So, which store would you recommend as the best to do your online Transformer shopping at? Which do you think has the best/worst range, best/worst shipping costs etc? Are there some great ones I have not listed here that you recommend? Please keep your answers pertinent only to Transformer merchandise, not other collectibles.

[Bidoofdude]

Robot Kingdom has pretty decent postage, although it can sometimes be a bit tricky, they're pretty good and get a lot of stuff earlier. :)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

My biggest problem with RK is the inconsistency of service. NEVER EVER place an order with in in stock items and pre-order items... They often mess up orders and sometimes don't reimburse postage, despite their mess up.

I do hate the way the main page of an item says Available now, but the item is actually a pre-order. That's what I hate the most. PLus they don't have a postage calculator so you can't see how much the postage is until after they email you.

Having said that, the last couple of orders I have done with them have been pretty smooth.

BBTS is a good one I think, but postage can sometimes be high. And they will put prices up on a shortpacked item (as do RK)

Ebay, is well ebay. you take your chances there. I have never used TF source as I have little interest in 3rd party stuff and their postage seems very high.

[GoktimusPrime]

TFSource's prices seem rip offy too, if their ridiculous Artfire prices are anything to go by!
I rarely do online shopping, but I use HLJ.com when I do. Amiami.co.jp is also good and cheaper than HLJ. :)

[ILikeSoundwave]

TFSource's prices seem rip offy too, if their ridiculous Artfire prices are anything to go by!
I rarely do online shopping, but I use HLJ.com when I do. Amiami.co.jp is also good and cheaper than HLJ. :)

AmiAmi is a very good place to buy Takara figures but also popular, you have to be quick, I'm currently waiting for MP Swave to be instock but I doubt I'll get it in time, like Am Breakdown which I had to purchased on eBay since I missed it on Amiami but otherwise I highly recommend it.

[BigTransformerTrev]

TFSource's prices seem rip offy too, if their ridiculous Artfire prices are anything to go by!
I rarely do online shopping, but I use HLJ.com when I do. Amiami.co.jp is also good and cheaper than HLJ. :)

I had a look at HLJ.com. Not bad for Japanese exclusive figures (or if I wanted statuettes of anime girls, not sure the wife would approve though ;)). Sadly they taught Indonesian instead of Japanese in high school, so amiami is indecipherable to me

[kurdt_the_goat]

My biggest problem with RK is the inconsistency of service. NEVER EVER place an order with in in stock items and pre-order items... They often mess up orders and sometimes don't reimburse postage, despite their mess up.

I do hate the way the main page of an item says Available now, but the item is actually a pre-order. That's what I hate the most. PLus they don't have a postage calculator so you can't see how much the postage is until after they email you.

They do have a postage calculator... you add to cart and proceed to the last step before confirming and it'll tell you... actually i've never had an email from them about postage either, so i don't know what you're smoking there :p

[GoktimusPrime]

AmiAmi is a very good place to buy Takara figures but also popular, you have to be quick, I'm currently waiting for MP Swave to be instock but I doubt I'll get it in time, like Am Breakdown which I had to purchased on eBay since I missed it on Amiami but otherwise I highly recommend it.
Gah! I thought you meant MP Swerve* and got myself all excited until I realised you meant Soundwave. (>O<) But yeah, I usually pre-order stuff if I shop online, get earlybird discounts. :) Sometimes you see shelfwarmers going on sale.

(*cos in Japanese "a" approximates the same as "er" so I thought it might have been a mistransliteration)


I had a look at HLJ.com. Not bad for Japanese exclusive figures (or if I wanted statuettes of anime girls, not sure the wife would approve though ;)).
Heh. I use HLJ to preorder Japanese toys like reissues (currently have Encore Fortress Maximus on preorder from them).


Sadly they taught Indonesian instead of Japanese in high school, so amiami is indecipherable to me
Amiami is also available in Bahasa Inggeris dude. :) I wouldn't recommend online stores here that were exclusively non-English. I also sometimes us Amazon Japan, but I wouldn't openly recommend it as it's entirely in Japanese and you need a Japanese shipping address. But Amiami is also available in English.

http://www.amiami.jp/　<---their regular address
http://www.amiami.com/ <---their mirror site in English

HLJ is entirely in English as it's run by a Canadian dude and they exclusively service overseas collectors... which may explain why they're a bit more expensive than Amiami who are able to service collectors in and out of Japan. By expensive I mean that HLJ usually charges RRP whereas Amiami often offer discounts below RRP -- but both sites offer discounts with pre-orders. :) Almost all my online shopping is done through pre-orders. I can probably count the number of times I've purchased something online that wasn't a preorder on one hand.

[Kazza]

I hawk ebay looking for fair listings everyday, alternatively i would buy from RK and ehobbybaseshop.

[griffin]

Best sources for me, in approximate order - Ehobbybaseshop (nothing to do with Ehobby), Amazon US, Hasbro US (through a shipping agent), BBTS, Ebay.
Those 5 sites account for about 70% of my toys in the last year.... compared to 5.5% I bought in Australian stores. (and 24% is from US and SG retail stores bought in person)

(I never use RK now, because of bad service and being unreliable.)

[5FDP]

Been using RK for years and never had a problem. Only ever needed to contact them once, which was for my error, and received a response from Daniel within 30 mins.


I do hate the way the main page of an item says Available now, but the item is actually a pre-order. That's what I hate the most. PLus they don't have a postage calculator so you can't see how much the postage is until after they email you.

I agree with your first point to an extent (in most cases I'm ordering something that has not yet been released therefore I already know it will be a preorder), however they do give you postage costs prior to sending you the confirmation email or making a payment. It is displayed on-screen (see below).

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5725/42193815.jpg

[SharkyMcShark]

From my experience

The Good

RobotKingdom
In my experience the best if you live in Australia. Not that prohibitively expensive either for the figures or shipping, and the fastest shipping option usually arrives within the same week.


The Bad

BigBadToyStore
Really really really don't bother with this unless you can get it elsewhere. Really. They have notorious zealous markups on popular items (a lot of which aren't necessarily rare or shortpacked). Being based in America the shipping is either colossally slow or prohibitively expensive.

ToyArena
Same as BidBadToyStore more or less.


The Ugly

TFSource
Shady business practises abounds! Don't preorder from them, because they'll list a figure as coming in ASAP (I'm assuming to get preorders) and once they break this deadline they'll keep setting the figure release date back and back and back, which doesn't really matter to them because by this time they've already got your money.

[rocman12]

I use bbts, I know I pay more, but I've never had a problem and their customer service is great. Plus I don't paying for preorders until they arrive and the pile of loot system is great!

[Trent]

You CAN use the pile of loot system with in stock items at BBTS. you just have to pay by credit card and not paypal. And they are my preferred online shop because of that. If you are buying stuff that is readily available elsewhere and by using the POL shipping isn't to bad. The big positive I have with them is their service. I have had a few issues with online stores in my time and BBTS is way up the top in terms of customer service and that is worth a few extra dollars in my mind. It is not the only online source of my TFs, but it is my main source.

Have also used Toy Arena, RK, TFSource and Chimungmung and all have been good.

[seespotrun]

I prefer BBTS marginally over TFSource because BBTS will let you cancel a preorder (http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/help.aspx#preordercancel) if you're having second thoughts, while TFSource won't (http://tfsource.com/stat/faqs/#13). Both charge basically the same price, so that plus their respective combined shipping features means all my orders go to BBTS instead.

RobotKingdom usually have cheaper prices than BBTS or TFSource. They also ship from Hong Kong rather than the US, so it should be cheaper and faster. The tradeoff is that you don't get combined shipping on multiple orders, or any ability to cancel an order. I've bought from them once in the past and had no problems, but more people seem to have had problems with RK than BBTS or TFSource.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I'm not surprised to see in this poll it was almost even between ebay and BBTS. I've predominately been using BBTS but have been swinging back to ebay to pick up the odd G1 toy (Fizzle & Krok). Got Kreon Microchangers ordered with both (the first wave of 6 from ebay and the gestalt sets from bbts).

One thing that does annoy me about ebay, is that even when logged in as an Aussie, you still get all those products with 'free delivery' on them, when usually it is not free delivery to here. I got burned a couple of years ago when ordering a G1 Gnaw as suddenly I got slugged as well for this highly overpriced shipping, and I knew where I could obtain one here that would have been cheaper. Luckily the guy let me change the order, and I haven't made the mistake since.

[liegeprime]

I prefer BBTS even if I had to pay higher, I havent lost any shipment or item yet. My items are well packed and the POL system works well for me as at times the items i have there have been sitting for half a year hehehe


Ebay, Ive only been burned once on an Overlord - but this was early on - 2006. I was quite new in ebay I didnt even have a paypal account and I was paying for stuff by bank transfer and can only buy locally. After that Overlord scam I set up a whole new account and discovered paypal. I owe most of my G1 and g1 reissue collection from ebay.. but yeah It's hard coz i was sniping early morning ending ones just so I can get it cheap. Lost a lot of sleep those days:D:p.

I have used RK only 3 times. The fourth time I cancelled my order completely coz they effed up my order - Generations rumble frenzy - they had put "in stock" in their website but 10 days after ive placed my order and charged I receive an email saying they cannot fill the order. So, I cancelled the rest cos those were all collateral order and this item was the main reason Im getting from them but 10 days after notice is just not on - clearly something happened within those 10 days and my order wasnt on their priority that suddenly they dont have stock for mine when clearly it says "in stock" on the time I placed my order - up to a few days after that. Im still annoyed to this day of that.


I also bought a couple of times from Kapow Toys for UK, but on the 4th time they messed my order by sending wrong items and their postage program is really poor so I stopped getting stuff from them after that. Although Ive scored a couple of Euro released Tfs from them cheap at times - like Actionmaster Thundercracker for less that $30. They charge in Sterling pounds so gotta watch that otherwise if one does not notice you'd think they're selling stuff cheap but - on conversion - yikes!


Haven't used Toy arena or the rest.

[Deonasis]

BBTS has 3 main points of difference but this is a trade-off because they can be expensive.
-The are known to have the best customer service
-You can cancel preorders with no charge
-You are charged once just before the order ships instead of when you place the order.

E.g.
I would recommend them for big ticket purchases where if a +$150 figure arrives not as described you are not left high and dry with a +$150 pile of crap.

If you can afford them go with BBTS or you are taking a gamble.

[SofaMan]

I've bought stuff a couple of times through Plamoya (http://www.plamoya.com) now. I don't know if I'd say they were the best, but they certainly rate a mention. They seem to have relatively scarce items in stock regularly, and rotating discounts that change every few days. Some items are prohibitively expensive (since they seem to base of market prices rather than an RRP), but if you just go for the discounted items they're pretty good.

[Waxpython]

I like all of them except big bad toystore, tf source

my reasons

big bad toystore - your really not getting anything special and your paying extra customer service is good but so is everything if you open a dispute with paypal.

tf source - oh boy those guys really like to mark up pre orders, not let me cancel them ,and not reply to emails yeah great.

[Paulbot]

Mandarake came up in the awards as a favourite online store but I'd not heard of it before. I checked out their site and they have some items I want, but it's not apparent how you work out postage? There's a page of postage estimates based on weight, but the indivdual items' pages don't tell you their weight. It looks like you have to order and pay and then they give you a postage quote. Bit reluctant to try this without hearing from others first.

[Hursticon]

I've not had any issues with RobotKingdom myself, always great service with exceptionally reasonable postage prices & always well packed. :cool:

My next ports of call are often Hobby Link Japan & AmiAmi as they are also great stores that offer superb service, very reasonable postage price (Again) and also quite often offer 'Early Bird Special' on upcoming & preorder purchases - They also have regular sales too. :D

I then look to the US stores which I try to leave to last choice unless that choice is unavoidable on certain items; Postage from the US is always a killer (Unless you're Amazon, who baffle me with how they're able to offer such amazing postage prices) but TFsource I've found to have truly definitive customer service & superb packing :) - I can't speak for BBTS though as I'm yet to actually purchase anything from them. :o

Ebay has sadly become the playground of the amateur 'know-it-all' & false-collector (Scalper central too!), with many Sellers being absolute pains in the ass to deal with along with completely baffling prices attached to mediocre conditioned items - It's not the place it used to be which was quite enjoyable & whilst the odd bargain & decent seller can be found, it has increasingly become hit or miss. :(

[Waxpython]

i've noticed that too with the Australian eBay.

I guess it could just bad luck

[KalEl]

I've not had any issues with RobotKingdom myself, always great service with exceptionally reasonable postage prices & always well packed. :cool:

My next ports of call are often Hobby Link Japan & AmiAmi as they are also great stores that offer superb service, very reasonable postage price (Again) and also quite often offer 'Early Bird Special' on upcoming & preorder purchases - They also have regular sales too. :D

I then look to the US stores which I try to leave to last choice unless that choice is unavoidable on certain items; Postage from the US is always a killer (Unless you're Amazon, who baffle me with how they're able to offer such amazing postage prices) but TFsource I've found to have truly definitive customer service & superb packing :) - I can't speak for BBTS though as I'm yet to actually purchase anything from them. :o

Ebay has sadly become the playground of the amateur 'know-it-all' & false-collector (Scalper central too!), with many Sellers being absolute pains in the ass to deal with along with completely baffling prices attached to mediocre conditioned items - It's not the place it used to be which was quite enjoyable & whilst the odd bargain & decent seller can be found, it has increasingly become hit or miss. :(

I can agree with Hursti, Generally never had a problem with RK, in fact they tend to be cheapest and great with communication in most instances.
Bbts if my preferred source as there no commitment preorders and pile of loot make up for their more expensive postage.

I also buy from sideshow collectors but that's a different story.

I use ebay generally when something is out of stock else where and just take my time and do my research.

[Bidoofdude]

I go with RK mostly, seeing as they are the cheapest. I don't really care for the POL on bbts that much, seeing as I don't do that many online purchases in close time proximity.

[Robzy]

Seems like Robot Kingdom is the leader now, and with good reason! I love them!! I've been buying from them for years and their service/items/delivery has always been exemplary! :) My items always arrive very quickly (mostly after only 3-4 days, and that's generally because they are stuck in Aus Customs for 2 days :rolleyes:).

I would never recommend HLJ to anyone. Quite the opposit in fact - I would deliberately try to turn people AWAY from them! After a very poor experience with them several years ago, I can say they are very deceptive and have ZERO customer service competence. I would also have to agree with many others that, sadly, ebay has gone downhill in a major way! For years, it used to be my Number 1 source for TFs. But these days it's filled with scalpers or people who have no appreciation of the worth of individual figures. Stuff is generally either over-priced, or fake/scams.

[Omega Metro]

I have never bought from Robot Kingdom. Just something about it that I don't like. BBTS is my favourite then ebay.

[Tober]

Mandarake came up in the awards as a favourite online store but I'd not heard of it before. I checked out their site and they have some items I want, but it's not apparent how you work out postage? There's a page of postage estimates based on weight, but the indivdual items' pages don't tell you their weight. It looks like you have to order and pay and then they give you a postage quote. Bit reluctant to try this without hearing from others first.

Mandrake are a second-hand store. A lot of their stock in in unopened condition, otherwise MIB. I've bought from them many times with no problems. Once you place an order they send you the postage cost and whether you want to go with SAL or EMS. If you don't like the shipping charge you can cancel.

-----------------------------------------

I'm a big fan of anime-export.com and 1999.co.jp/eng/ (Hobbysearch). Their pre-order prices can sometimes be better than amiami.com (whose English storefront is amiami.com, as opposed to their Japanese storefront amiami.jp )

[crankcase76]

I personally have found TFsource to be reasonably priced as i check between the 3, BBTS,RK,TFsource. I find that the packaged items i receive to be done extremely well. and as a last resort i will check on eBay. I have pre-orders with TFsource but use the pay later system which if the price goes down i am charged at that price.I have also used BBTS and they are not that bad either. when it comes to online ordering postage is sometimes expensive, but when we get figures that are not available to us here in OZ it seems to be the advantage of this system.:D

[i_amtrunks]

Mandarake came up in the awards as a favourite online store but I'd not heard of it before. I checked out their site and they have some items I want, but it's not apparent how you work out postage? There's a page of postage estimates based on weight, but the indivdual items' pages don't tell you their weight. It looks like you have to order and pay and then they give you a postage quote. Bit reluctant to try this without hearing from others first.

Tober got everything 100% correct concerning Madarake.

I've used them a couple of times, mostly for Dragonball figures. They have great customer service and do their best to answer any questions in english. The one thing to look out for is they are a collection of shops, so ship different items from different stores, meaning if you get two items from two different stores, you'll have to pay two lots of shipping.

Shipping has always been fairly reasonable, I think it normally ends up about $15 for most bulkier items. They sometimes also charge a 500 yen handling fee.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well, the original reason I started this thread was in part to see if Robot Kingdom was any good, and judging by the fact it won the poll I guess I have my answer. Currently have a big POL & Preorder going with BBTS but might have to move my online shopping in the future - thanks guys :)

Just one minor extra whinge about ebay - has anyone noticed how many of these sellers try and sucker you in with the postage? For instance, I was looking at a G1 Windsweeper tonight - he was $28.77 - which isn't cheap but isn't stupidly expensive. Then I noticed down below it the seller was trying to charge nearly $40 for the postage on this tiny toy! Dodgy buggers! I paid less than double that for the postage on my G1 Fort Max from the same country!

[Paulbot]

Mandrake are a second-hand store. A lot of their stock in in unopened condition, otherwise MIB. I've bought from them many times with no problems. Once you place an order they send you the postage cost and whether you want to go with SAL or EMS. If you don't like the shipping charge you can cancel.


I've used them a couple of times, mostly for Dragonball figures. They have great customer service and do their best to answer any questions in english. The one thing to look out for is they are a collection of shops, so ship different items from different stores, meaning if you get two items from two different stores, you'll have to pay two lots of shipping.

Shipping has always been fairly reasonable, I think it normally ends up about $15 for most bulkier items. They sometimes also charge a 500 yen handling fee.

Thanks for that information guys. I'm going to give them a try.

[griffin]

Well, the original reason I started this thread was in part to see if Robot Kingdom was any good, and judging by the fact it won the poll I guess I have my answer. Currently have a big POL & Preorder going with BBTS but might have to move my online shopping in the future - thanks guys :)

Just one minor extra whinge about ebay - has anyone noticed how many of these sellers try and sucker you in with the postage? For instance, I was looking at a G1 Windsweeper tonight - he was $28.77 - which isn't cheap but isn't stupidly expensive. Then I noticed down below it the seller was trying to charge nearly $40 for the postage on this tiny toy! Dodgy buggers! I paid less than double that for the postage on my G1 Fort Max from the same country!

As long as their postage amount is close to what they charge, they aren't to blame - because if they want to protect themselves from a dodgy buyer (someone who receives an item but claims they didn't), they need to use the more expensive tracking postage options. Some will still take advantage of it though, but take a note of the postage amount when it arrives and ask them for a refund of the difference or else you'll report them to ebay (there is a specific item relating to over-charging postage that you can select when reporting someone).

[kurdt_the_goat]

There's a heap of reasons why they'll boost the postage - either to dissuade international shipping for whatever reason, or just to initially appear cheaper in the listings (pretty pointless given the filter for 'price + postage - lowest first').

Take this for example - a credit card sized toy (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pocket-Power-Glo-Bones-Sega-Tomy-100-complete-Rare-/230923847043?pt=Vintage_Antique_Toys_US&hash=item35c4224583#ht_500wt_1414).. shipping at USD $95.36 with UPS "Worldwide Saver". Saving what i wonder...:rolleyes:

At the end of the day though if you agreed to the postage initially I don't see why anyone would complain after the fact.
It's likely you know you're getting ripped off before you see for sure (once it arrives)... but you just don't care :D

[SkyWarp91]

BBTS - never had a problem with them. NEVER.

[DELTAprime]

I buy my Takara figures from RK, is see no point in paying extra to have the figure shipped to BBTS then have them ship to me. Fort Max is going to be up to $70 extra at BBTS because it has to be shipped to the US first. I've used RK for about 5 years, no problems.

I have used BBTS in the past for Hasbro figures but I stopped because Hasbro Australia was doing a better job at getting their figures in stores here. But now that local stores haven't gotten anything new since the PRiD first wave I'm reconsidering where I Hasbro figures from. Might try Amazon or TRU for the Generations stuff thats been shown at Toyfair this weekend.

I recently got a bunch of TFs for eBay, but it's a minefield.

[CHILENO20]

I've never used RK or TFSource before, the pricing has always come across as a bit much. I've used BBTS a few times and no problems with them. Packaging is always first rate and arrival times are what I've expected. I do agree with everyone here that eBay has gone down hill big time! So many jacked up prices on supposed "original MIB" or "guaranteed not a KO" and on shipping. Most of the time I try to buy multiple items from a seller just to keep costs down. Though I have to give a thumbs up to transformerland . I have bought of the guy's website for years and never had a problem. Shipping is fairly priced, always willing to negotiate, well stocked (though the popular stuff goes fast) and great communication. CapturedPrey also gets a nod from me. I've added numerous stocked items to a pre order I have with no problems.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Though I have to give a thumbs up to transformerland . I have bought of the guy's website for years and never had a problem. Shipping is fairly priced, always willing to negotiate, well stocked (though the popular stuff goes fast) and great communication.

I bought a G1 Fizzle from Transformerland a month ago and when I got him he had not been transformed in a few decades and broke with the merest touch. That said, I contacted the seller and he sorted it out for me.

[CHILENO20]

I bought a G1 Fizzle from Transformerland a month ago and when I got him he had not been transformed in a few decades and broke with the merest touch. That said, I contacted the seller and he sorted it out for me.

Ouch. :( Hope he sorted it all out for you dude.

[Iriorne]

I've used the following:

Amiami - Good prices if you can find an item they have stock of. Their catalogue seems to be full of items that have long since sold out so it can be frustrating trying to work out what they actually have on hand. Dealt with their customer service once and they seemed ok.

HLJ - Have ordered model kits from them in the past with no issues.

Robot Kingdom - Cheap prices, cheap shipping. Have heard some people have had problems with items not being reserved correctly but most people seem pretty happy with them.

TFSource - Prices seem like they might be a tad on the high side but not too bad. Shipping is quite expensive, though. Customer service is very helpful though it emails occasionally disappear into the aether. Good responses to 2 out of my 3 emails to them. In my one experience with them, they can be a bit slow to ship new items (MP Soundwaves didn't start shipping for nearly a week after other stores.

BBTS - Prices seem more or less the same as TFSource. Heard good things about their customer service. Shipping costs are substantially lower than TFSource. For an equivalent service (USPS express) on identical items, BBTS charges $35, TFSource charge $70.

Toys'r'us (US) - Very cheap compared to Aus retail and reasonable shipping.

Anime-export - Limited stock but prices can be quite a bit lower than else where. I have the MP cassettes on order for $35 each ex. shipping, which is half what they're going for elsewhere.

Ebay - Really depends on the seller. Postage can feel like a bit of a rip off sometimes but should be ok if you stick to high feedback sellers with a returns policy. Worth contacting a seller to see if they can reduce postage at all. Have had excess postage refunded once, which was a nice surprise.

I've not used Captured Prey but they're getting a lot of good rep over Quake Wave. Prices are slightly lower than BBTS but shipping seems to sit about halfway between TFSource and BBTS (for the same item and service as above). Customer service is very good, by all accounts.

Also heard good things about a site called chimungmung, but again I've not ordered anything through them.

I'm happy to use any of them again, it just depends on who has stock and at what price.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well, after a few years abscence, I rejoined the Transformers Collectors Club and I can assure you that it is definetly NOT the best place to spend your bucks online. Surley communication, an uninspiring club exclusive toy this year and a Figure Subscription Service that you join up for and then find out no longer functions (and when I enquired about it was told I should have known that it no longer functioned because they put up the end date six months ago (the report of which resides in an old news archive that no new member like myself would bother to fully read through before joining) :mad:). Should have spent my $80 at Robot Kingdom or BBTS instead :(

[DarkHyren]

I mostly use ebay and RobotKingdom for my Transformers shopping.

ebay is, well ebay, I've had some good experiences and some bad ones like we all have.

RobotKingdom are good, I've used them without any major issues before, one time they didn't have one of the items that I ordered but a quick email and they refunded me the money for the figure no questions asked.
I'll also note that even though I have selected Air Mail each time they have upgraded it to EMS at no extra charge.

I've used HLJ once only for some Gundam model kits, they arrived quickly and safely packed, no hassles dealing with them so I'd use them again.

I have just started using BBTS, haven't received anything yet but I've made an order using their "Pile of Loot" system, it seems like a great way to save on shipping as well as allowing me to spread out my purchases over time.

After reading about some of the other stores mentioned here I'm also thinking of trying out AmiAmi and HobbySearch, though they don't seem to have much in the way of transformers atm

[ohmic12]

Have used BBTS and yahobby and didnt have a problem with them

Ebay havent had a problem yet just annoying when you come a across a cheap "buy now" figure but the dare shipping cost compared to similar figures from same country/area

Dont know if its old news or not but a couple of days ago came across ToyRUs (US) now do international shipping

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well I'm glad that TRU didn't get any votes as the best online store, considering the Masterpiece Soundwave debacle. :mad::(


I spent a frustrating morning trying to order from the hasbrotoyshop.com. They wont deliver to Australia and need an American credit card (cheers to Ultra Marginal for the info). What I've subsequently found out is that they wont even accept a payment from an aussie paypal account, even if you provide an american billing and postal address :mad: :mad:

Very frustrating these american online stores don't want to take our money :mad:

[DELTAprime]

Anyone know why BBTS always seems to get the latest waves after everyone else?

I ended up canceling my Springer/Blitzwing order at BBTS and going with Amazon. Sandstorm has been on shelves for a long time and they haven't gotten him yet. Now the IDW wave is showing up at US retailers and BBTS hasn't got them yet.:mad:

EDIT: Well just found Sandstorm on Amazon, cheaper to buy from them than to have it added to my POL at BBTS. Another canceled order BBTS.:mad:

[UltraMarginal]

Anyone know why BBTS always seems to get the latest waves after everyone else?



You could email them and ask them?

[BigTransformerTrev]

Anyone know why BBTS always seems to get the latest waves after everyone else?

I ended up canceling my Springer/Blitzwing order at BBTS and going with Amazon. Sandstorm has been on shelves for a long time and they haven't gotten him yet. Now the IDW wave is showing up at US retailers and BBTS hasn't got them yet.:mad:

EDIT: Well just found Sandstorm on Amazon, cheaper to buy from them than to have it added to my POL at BBTS. Another canceled order BBTS.:mad:


You could email them and ask them?

I did that earlier this year in regards to why their Generations Grimlock was taking so long. When I get home from work I will try and find the email and put it up. However if memory serves it was much like the response I got from TRU, they listed a multitude of reasons without giving me the specific one. I think the main point of it was that the way they keep prices down is that they get all the stock in cargo containers by sea from China, which means that they often do not know the specific date that items will show up and/or they may be behind other companies in getting products.

I'm wondering how long they are going to be as well. I've got the 3 triple changers and the IDW wave on order with them, they all say 'arriving July' but they are fast running out of time - could well be pushed back to August. :(

[DELTAprime]

You could email them and ask them?

I doubt they will answer but I guess I could try.

[Sinnertwin]

My sources:

BBTS
RK
Swindle's Salesyard
Australian Retailers
TFSource
HLJ
eBay

[Iriorne]

[...] the way they keep prices down is that they get all the stock in cargo containers by sea from China [...]

I'd imagine this is the case for most retailers in the US. I suspect the real issue may be order volume. BBTS is a relatively small supplier compared with the likes of TRU, Walmart, etc. so they're probably last in line to get their stock allocations from Hasbro.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've been buying stuff of Amazon (USA and Japan) lately -- all for things that aren't available here and the total price incl. shipping matches AU RRP. :)

[drifand]

I thought some item from Amazon US don't ship things to AU. has this been changed or applies to certain products?

I couldn't order Gundam decals from Amazon a year ago or so.

[DELTAprime]

I thought some item from Amazon US don't ship things to AU. has this been changed or applies to certain products?

I couldn't order Gundam decals from Amazon a year ago or so.

Some items will ship others wont. I last year I bought some Hasbro Star Wars figures from Amazon. I could only order about half the ones I wanted, the others wouldn't ship to Australia. It made no sense that I could have figure A but not figure B when they came out of the case.

So you can order from them but they might still tell you no you can't have that item.

[GoktimusPrime]

I thought some item from Amazon US don't ship things to AU. has this been changed or applies to certain products?
Those might be from some independent sellers on Amazon rather than Amazon themselves. I rarely shop online anyway... really prefer just to buy from local stores.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Anyone know why BBTS always seems to get the latest waves after everyone else?

I ended up canceling my Springer/Blitzwing order at BBTS and going with Amazon. Sandstorm has been on shelves for a long time and they haven't gotten him yet. Now the IDW wave is showing up at US retailers and BBTS hasn't got them yet.:mad:

EDIT: Well just found Sandstorm on Amazon, cheaper to buy from them than to have it added to my POL at BBTS. Another canceled order BBTS.:mad:

The triple changers arrived last night at their store. Kinda annoyed that my POL was/is the size of a friggin shipping container yet I still got slugged $24 postage to add this order on. :mad:

[Sinnertwin]

The triple changers arrived last night at their store. Kinda annoyed that my POL was/is the size of a friggin shipping container yet I still got slugged $24 postage to add this order on. :mad:

I remember something similar when i purchased a Legion Class figure, not as much though. I think it was an extra $12, but i can't recall the exact amount. It'd be nice if they would offer discounted shipping considering how much i've spent there.

[UltraMarginal]

The triple changers arrived last night at their store. Kinda annoyed that my POL was/is the size of a friggin shipping container yet I still got slugged $24 postage to add this order on. :mad:

it's still only $8 each for shipping from the states for a voyager sized figure, that's not bad at all when compared to shipping them individually, or even if you'd just bought those 3 and had them shipped as a group.

[BigTransformerTrev]

it's still only $8 each for shipping from the states for a voyager sized figure, that's not bad at all when compared to shipping them individually, or even if you'd just bought those 3 and had them shipped as a group.

Well I got charged another $48 for shipping to add Metroplex to my POL on 1/8. I pressed the 'ship my order' button, finally happy to get this POL going since I've been building it for 4 months. Then several days later, early this morning I got the following email:



Hello,

Thanks so much for ordering from BigBadToyStore! We truly appreciate your patronage and we wanted to let you know there may be a shipping delay on your order. The delay is due to an all-time record amount of new product arriving at the same time last week (Metroplex, Star Wars Black, Marvel Legends, DC Direct, TF Generations, TMNT, Play Arts & much, much more). We apologize for the delay and we are working feverishly to get as many orders out the door as possible each day. We have pulled people from other departments to work in the warehouse, added new employees, and will be working overtime until we are current on orders. Your patience is greatly appreciated, and we are very sorry for the delay.

Sincerely,
Joel Boblit
President
www.bigbadtoystore.com



Pretty annoyed this is happening, even if it is kinda understandable. But my last shipment took ages to get here and went awry because I had an Alternators Skids in it and they had shipped it to the wrong person so had to change my order. They since got him back and I put him in this POL - maybe he's a bad-luck bot or something.

[DELTAprime]

^ That must be why my POL got stuck in "the warehouse" and didn't ship for a couple of days. Wish they told me. Hope the other people and new people know what to put in each box.

[DELTAprime]

I have seen in the past HLJ items the are "Order Stop" status reopen for orders close to release. Does that happen all the time or only occasionally?

I'm trying to decide if I should keep hitting up HLJ in hopes of getting a cheap MP-17 and 18 from them or just give up and go with RK.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've never seen it happen, but admittedly I very rarely shop online... what's RK's prices like? I saw their preorder price for MP19 Smokescreen and I thought it was pretty good -- only about $9 more expensive than Amazon JP. It's certainly below RRP so I think it's a good price. You'd want to avoid playing full RRP for TakaraTOMY MPs though... they're just not worth it. :o

[DELTAprime]

I've never seen it happen, but admittedly I very rarely shop online... what's RK's prices like? I saw their preorder price for MP19 Smokescreen and I thought it was pretty good -- only about $9 more expensive than Amazon JP. It's certainly below RRP so I think it's a good price. You'd want to avoid playing full RRP for TakaraTOMY MPs though... they're just not worth it. :o

$59US for each of them at RK vs $51AU at HLJ. I have every man line MP so I'll be picking up these two, but as they are my least favorite MP characters so far I'd prefer to pay HLJ's price.

[CBratron]

TFSource: Bit pricey but chances are they have it if it's transformers related. Royally screwed the pooch when I shipped my stack and they hadn't set aside an MP Soundwave for my preorder and would have to wait for a restock but by then the main reason for getting the Takara version (getting Soundwave early) would have disappeared and thus make the larger price tag unjustifiable.
I don't buy from them any more.

Big Bad Toystore: Much like TFSource except they haven't failed me spectacularly. And BBTS stocks more than just Transformers.

Hobbylink Japan: Not bad. I got most of my Play Arts Kai and Figmas from them.

Robot Kingdom: Their website looks so shonky it scares me. But they have proven a very quick and affordable option for single items.

Ebay: Good and bad. My last resort.

[Omega Metro]

I was comparing some items of interest yesterday with Big Bad Toy Store, Robot Kingdom and Ebay. And surprisingly, Ebay was cheaper than the other two.

[GoktimusPrime]

$59US for each of them at RK vs $51AU at HLJ.
US$59 ≈ AU$65. Amazon JP's price is 4963JPY (≈AU$56).
Either way the full RRP is 6825JPY (≈AU$76), so while $65 may be a more expensive preorder discounted price, it's better than paying the full $76.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I'm starting to think the best place online to spend your bucks is on Ozformers and with people you know. Got an awesome deal from Hursticon on Universe Drag Strip & Overkill, and got my MP Soundwave from emailing an old friend in the states. :D

Both instances have been a lot more reliable and enjoyable than the dealings I've had with TRUOnline, BBTS, TCC & HasbroToyShop over the past few months ;):)

[Jim_jim]

For Botcon, I joined Transformers club, so, nothing to loose.

And for others, I hooked up with a store in HK where he will he me to gather TFs and Japanese models that I want and then do my a bulk shipment monthly or bi-monthly depends on what is being release that month. the price here is a rip off.

[drifand]

I was comparing some items of interest yesterday with Big Bad Toy Store, Robot Kingdom and Ebay. And surprisingly, Ebay was cheaper than the other two.

but those aren't exactly the cheapest stores as well to begin with.

[drifand]

I have seen in the past HLJ items the are "Order Stop" status reopen for orders close to release. Does that happen all the time or only occasionally?

I'm trying to decide if I should keep hitting up HLJ in hopes of getting a cheap MP-17 and 18 from them or just give up and go with RK.

I read this late, but actually Hobby search restock more often than HLJ for the car masterpieces, but this is from my knowledge and experience. HLJ's order stop means you may have a chance to catch it closer to date.

I emphasise "May" as I have gotten to "discontinued" immediately.

[5FDP]

After experiencing my last couple of purchases through BBTS I've decided to stick with RK. It looks like everything they've sent me has been kicked around in their warehouse and as a MISB / MOSC collector, it's just not up to standard. Even stuff bought I've bought from Target or Kmart look better than what they've shipped to me. Online purchases should be easy - you want something they have, money exchanges hands, the item is shipped and received in an acceptable condition. I shouldn't have to follow up every purchase with an email to the seller asking for an explanation.

[Megatran]

After experiencing my last couple of purchases through BBTS I've decided to stick with RK. It looks like everything they've sent me has been kicked around in their warehouse and as a MISB / MOSC collector, it's just not up to standard. Even stuff bought I've bought from Target or Kmart look better than what they've shipped to me. Online purchases should be easy - you want something they have, money exchanges hands, the item is shipped and received in an acceptable condition. I shouldn't have to follow up every purchase with an email to the seller asking for an explanation.
You have the option of paying a bit extra and upgrading to Collectors Grade? I haven't done this myself so can't comment on how much better the boxes are compared to standard grade.

[Sinnertwin]

You have the option of paying a bit extra and upgrading to Collectors Grade? I haven't done this myself so can't comment on how much better the boxes are compared to standard grade.

i've used it a few times. they're wrapped in plastic & then placed into their own custom cut box.

[millhouse]

After experiencing my last couple of purchases through BBTS I've decided to stick with RK. It looks like everything they've sent me has been kicked around in their warehouse and as a MISB / MOSC collector, it's just not up to standard. Even stuff bought I've bought from Target or Kmart look better than what they've shipped to me.

I've never had an issue with BBTS's standard grade, nor their shipping methods. Also, their customer service has always been top notch, reliable, and easy.

[Omega Metro]

I've never had an issue with BBTS's standard grade, nor their shipping methods. Also, their customer service has always been top notch, reliable, and easy.

Yep, agree. Unlike RK and Chimung.

[5FDP]

You have the option of paying a bit extra and upgrading to Collectors Grade? I haven't done this myself so can't comment on how much better the boxes are compared to standard grade.

Yeah, I've seen that as an option however I never expected standard grade to include crushed / broken / cracked plastic bubbles. One was so bad that the bubble was almost completely separated from the cardback. In one case the figure inside was damaged (factory defect) and it could be clearly seen without opening the toy. I shouldn't have to pay extra for collectors grade to avoid these situations. BTW, this is from 3 separate orders over a 6 month period.

[drifand]

Is a way of protecting themselves so that if you do complain about the standard grade, they will point you to the collectors grade and more insurance from there on.

[ampoldj]

Just wanna share where i got my Takara Transformers Masterpiece lately. I met one seller from ebay (kit11670) and ordered MP14 alert and MP12G lambor G2 both with coins. He took it out ebay and just paid him thru Paypal total 170aud. The item arrived in 4days from taiwan and in very good condition. After that i was able to order the following:
MP 15 and 16: 150AUD with coins
MP21: 100 AUD with coin and mask
MP22: 250 AUD with coin
MP13: 215 AUD with coin
Only MP21 bumble got issues which could be postage handling by AU Post, the box looks like it was kicked on the top side...yup that little box.

I think new items from him are on par with other online stores' pricing and will only take 5days at most to receive your package.

[Zommael]

I've never had anything but good experiences with BBTS. I'm not a MIP collector, but even figures I've ordered which were graded as substandard have often come in what I would consider perfectly acceptable boxes (on the other hand, at least one item graded as substandard was in a "lol might as well be loose" box that looked like someone had stepped on it, but like I said... substandard).

[MayzaPrime]

Yep, agree. Unlike RK and Chimung.

You really did have a bad run with RK.

Me I am the totally opposite, they have been nothing short of awesome for me. I even asked them to chuck in the Dark of the Moon collector card folder in my last order even though I hadn't spent the required amount.

[Trent]

Never had a problem with BBTS, everything I've ordered has arrived safe and sound.

My other go to has been Chimungmung. The main reason was his prices. They were always significantly lower than BBTS and others. However, lately I've noticed that the difference between them is only around $5-$10 dollars and once you add in the pile of loot function and excellent customer service of BBTS, I'm finding less and less reason to spend my money with Tony.

[Omega Metro]

BBTS is a massive attraction for me. I don't buy a lot so it's great that I can buy 1 item and keep it locked away for a few months until I buy other stuff to go with it. It's different if you are a plastic crack addict and buy heaps. Pure win personally. Great service too. And twice as fast shipping as RK.

[prjkt]

I've actually found RK ship quicker than BBTS in my experience, often it'll sit in the warehouse for up to a week before it's marked as shipped, and tracking details indicate it's actually posted a few days after that... but then on other occasions they've been really quick.

RK is more consistent, and HLJ has never been a problem

EDIT: having said that, I really appreciate BBTS's Pile of Loot and HLJ's Private Warehouse (basically the same thing, the only difference is BBTS charges shipping up front, HLJ only when you ship it)

And I do have pre-orders current with all three atm

[Bidoofdude]

Isn't it the norm that RK has pretty fast delivery. The few orders I've had from them arrived in about a week, maybe less. BBTS usually take the end of the second week (after Saturdays being added to the delivery times).