Quote Originally Posted by Cleon View Post
Whilst I think it would be great as a consumer, I think it wouldn't be a great idea from a business perspective.

My understanding is that these stores trade exclusively in used goods (correct me if I'm wrong), so you'd require an existing pool of consumers selling their goods to start up and be sustainable. Japan has this because the market for anime and pop culture is huge over there, where as here, it's a comparatively smaller (but very vocal) market.

Also, this is just my assumption, but I would think there'd be a larger "collector" market in Japan, with more adults owning these types of figures. So then in terms of the second hand market, the condition of these figures would be of better quality as well (and fit for resale).

If they did ship goods from Japan, it would be an added cost they don't currently bear (as we pay shipping costs), which they'd either absorb or pass on to customers.

Lastly, I would think that they'd essentially be a "cash converters" but for a very niche audience, an audience I would guess would be more savvy than the regular person. I can't imagine anyone here going to a cash converters to offload some of their stuff over an ebay or gumtree (unless time was an issue), because you'd be low balled to make a margin. A local mandarake style store would surely have to do the same.

I think they should try and increase their online presence to reach the AU market more, because even this forum (which is by no means a measure for the Australian market as a whole) only has a few threads talking about them, none of which reviewing the online store (a few have people talk about using them).

Anyway, one can only hope! (I certainly would love to see the figures before buying them)
Pretty sure at the five or so Mandarake stores I visited in Japan that they had a mix of brand new and second hand, and these just aren't a little dinky corner store, there a multi story stores and huge single story floorplans but they deal in every pop culture item imaginable A point in my initial post is with the tie to Japan they could have most of the second hand stock direct from Japan. You and Goktimus raise a good point about import duties and shipping (although when you ship a 40' container it's actually not that expensive comparative to the value of the goods) but yes these obviously add to the costs.
I'm not going to go into the whole ins and out of a bricks and mortar businesses but please note, my first two words were I wish in my earlier post
Also have tried to shop on their website and it is a horse's arse. But that is not their market, and perhaps they make enough money with over the counter sales that online is seen as a waste. Anyway, they are awesome in person and that's what a lot of shopping is to a lot of people.