Hi from Hong Kong

[Sam]

Thanks for the tips Lisa!

I did end up making a short trip to Wan Chai this arvo and bought some figures. Held off on MP Magnus due to space issues (already posting a 20kg box back separately).

Wab Chai has some really nice stock and it was worth checking out all the prices before buying (one shop had Arcee for 298hkd while another had it for 228).

Hey Sam,

Welcome back to Honkers!

Hunting for TF's here kind of depends what you are looking for. CTMA is ok but unless you want Kidslogic stuff their TF's are thin on the ground. Marvel seems to be their flavour of the last 6 months.
Same applies to Sino at the moment too. I've found HK Island side seems to have a better range of TF's (and believe it or not cheaper(!!)) at the moment, although 12 months ago it was Mong Kok that had all the juicy stuff.
Wan Chai market has 2 shops that carry a decent range of authentic TF's. Freeway Toys - first toy shop on your left as you enter the markets from the MTR end has a lot of the newer stuff and Japanese imports. Problem is they inflate their prices a little (and if they know a figure is popular they inflate it a LOT) and don't negotiate. They know me by name and STILL won't come down in price for me!
Further down on the right is a set of 2 shops both owned by the same guy (can't remember it's name) - one of the shops is mostly cars, the other is a wide range of toys. They have some nice older TF's stuff but you have to look deep into the store and the glass cabinets to find the TF stuff as only the newer stuff is on the front shelves. They did have a few Encore TF's as well as some Alternators, Pepsi Convoy, etc, before Christmas. They won't negotiate on price either but are generally reasonably priced to start with given the vintage of some of their items. In terms of their modern stuff, their combiner wars were HK$20-30 cheaper/piece than Freeway toys for example.
Another place I've seen a few nice Japanese TF's at recently is animate in Wan Chai... they do have a store in Sino but I get the impression it is more books.
The problem is there are so many stores to hunt through here... my local toy shop for example has a nice range of the Japanese Go! collection on sale at the moment and a couple of the Metroplex's as well as a fair few Masterpieces, including Ultra Magnus at a VERY nice price compared to online.
TRU are pretty pathetic at the moment with their Transformers, although if you want Breakout Battle it was on sale for HK$599 at the Taikoo branch the other day. Hasbro tend to use the Causeway Bay store for most of their TF promotions so that and the Harbour City one tend to have the best range, but as I say - at the moment the pickings are pretty pathetic.
Pity you're pressed for time or I would say let me show you around a few of the worthwhile places. Maybe next time if I'm still here!

Good luck with your hunting!

[Bladestorm]

Haha - sweet Sam!
Glad you got some goodies. And that you heeded the shop around first advice.
If I'd known you wanted Arcee I could have given you one straight out of the case cheaper as I got a case of that wave to get the fembots for my daughter and have spares. Never mind.

See what I mean about the temptation of not spending $$ in these stores?
Wan Chai is like crack when they get their new figure shipments.

Thanks for the tips Lisa!

I did end up making a short trip to Wan Chai this arvo and bought some figures. Held off on MP Magnus due to space issues (already posting a 20kg box back separately).

Wab Chai has some really nice stock and it was worth checking out all the prices before buying (one shop had Arcee for 298hkd while another had it for 228).