Transformers Venting thread!

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

AH yeah, I was just mentioning the difference between the mall page you linked and this listing on their Transformers Official site they also have.
https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products...tf_kd/kd-ex-09

[GoktimusPrime]

Thanks to the recent stupid amounts of rain in Sydney, we've been having stupid levels of humidity in our home. I was quarantined in our master bedroom for a week when I had COVID, and during that time my Transformers room was locked up for that whole week. After my quarantine period was over, I was able to leave my bedroom and when I opened the TF room door I was hit by a really strong musky smell from the humidity that had been building up in there. There was also a thin layer of mould that had developed on some toys and shelves; more like a mouldy film... very thin and easily removable with a brush (or just wipe off with my finger). But still...

Since then I've placed a few cups filled with calcium chloride to absorb the moisture in the room, as well as an open box of bicarb soda to get rid of the smell. I'm also leaving the fan and air filter running in the room. The window in that room is completely blocked off in order to prevent any sunlight from getting in, but the downside is that I can't open the window to air it out either. So this is my alternative; moisture absorbers, fan, air filter (which I have in there to reduce dust) and bicarb soda.

Unfortunately, I don't have all these things in my basement (aside from the moisture absorber) and today I discovered that a lot of my packaging cards have been destroyed by mould. Including Beast Wars cards which I've been keeping since the 90s. They're unsalvageable so I've just binned them.

[Bemblebuu]

Bought my first few Legacy TF's today, and I'm not liking the shape of the boxes. Angled on all sides except the bottom means they can't be stacked (lack of plastic windows also makes them weak too). I guess it's no more keeping the boxes for me!

[ComradeRenko]

Opened up SS86 Sludge today, set him on the table and immediately watched him bend at the knees and collapse. A figure that back heavy needs stronger ratchet mechanisms (or what ever the term is for that specific joint type). Ended up opening the knee up and packing the hollow ratchet mechanism to reinforce it. I had to do the same thing with Slag/Slug when I got him as well. Really not a fan of the current hollow ratchets being used.

[GoktimusPrime]

Someone just PMed me asking if I would sell him a toy but post it to him for free.

Why would anyone do this? Do they think that Australia Post is going to generously let me send stuff for free? I only ever ask for a discount if I'm either:
a/ purchasing multiple items, or...
b/ I can do immediate payment and pickup
I never ask for a discount without offering something back. Isn't that how negotiating works?

Simply asking for a discount or free shipping without any form of counter-offer just feels demanding and entitled.
"Give me free shipping."
"Give me a discount."
Really? Why?!

I once asked a buyer why, and he said that it was too expensive; note that this was over a really cheap price too (you all know my "Not above RRP" price guarantee).
Anyway, I've told this person that he can have free shipping if he buys 3 or more items from me.

[GoktimusPrime]

LOL

Some dude abused me in private message (not here) because I declined his lower offer for a toy that I was selling.
Full disclosure:
* The toy in question is a MISB MPG01 Shouki.
* The RRP on this toy is 19800JPY or $215 before shipping.
* I pre-ordered my MPG Shouki from AmiAmi and paid $200 including post.
* I was selling this toy for $200; same price that I paid at AmiAmi. Was making no profit, and it's still below RRP!
* Buyer gave me no reason to accept a lower price (e.g. offering to buy more than one item etc.). Just wanted a lower price.

And yeah, so basically after I said no to him, he swears at me verbally abuses me. I know that there are sources out there where you can get this toy at a cheaper price, in which case, this buyer is more than welcome to go shop there. But $200 is what I paid for from AmiAmi and it's what I charged. I've since sold the toy minutes after this dude swore at me, and I had over half a dozen other interests to buy flooding my inbox, so I was never concerned about not selling this toy. It was a case of first in best dressed... wanna have a tantrum because someone said no to you? You do that then.

This is from supposedly a grown adult...

[GoktimusPrime]

Called my local Kmart to see if they had any Velocitron toys in stock, and the staff member told me no, but that another Kmart 9km away had stock. So I drove over to check, also while calling that Kmart to confirm if they had stock. Nobody answered the phone by the time I got there, so I went in to see for myself... only to find nothing. Staff there confirmed that they don't have any stock. The whole reason why I call these stores is to confirm if they have stock and not waste my time going on wild goose chases. I provided him with the SKUs, and he told me that the system said that the other Kmart had stock. Liar.

[Tranceblade]

Someone just PMed me asking if I would sell him a toy but post it to him for free.

Why would anyone do this? Do they think that Australia Post is going to generously let me send stuff for free?

Because modern day methods like using eBay have conditioned them into expecting so.

Either way, I've found that overpricing on eBay works, even if only to create that contingency to placate the single celled organism of a buyer that expects their offer to be accepted. And that's assuming they've properly read the listing.

[Autocon]

People expect you to over price now in anticipation of haggling. People always haggle on second hand goods, garage sales etc. Very annoying so I sell at higher prices on gumtree

[griffin]

I think that too many people are so used to "free shipping" from the various online retailers, they expect it, and don't realise that the shipping isn't really "free", they are paying for it in the items themselves... either with a more expensive price on everything (like Amazon), or non-competitive pricing (at RRP without sales) so that the retailer makes enough profit from the total price of larger orders to pay for the shipping over certain order amounts.
If there was no such thing as "free shipping", the pricing of the items would be cheaper, because that shipping cost has to come from somewhere, and the retailer/seller is not just going to pay for it with their own money.... that's the buyer paying for it with higher prices - they just don't realise it.