Toybot Importz feedback

[Batfan007]

they dont even let "customers" post in that group anymore - well not most of them anyhow

[Batfan007]

Yeah that's what I was getting at.
I went through all this BS with PC way back when.

[Batfan007]

Asking for a refund due to them constantly missing delivery dates is not you the customer asking for a change of mind refund, which they are entitled to say no to, it's you asking for a refund due to failure to deliver which is covered under ACCC guidelines.
I've said it before but I'll say it again. They can put whatever they like in their terms but if those terms break Australian consumer laws then they are invalidated, no store terms can supersede a customers consumer rights.

I mentioned this stuff before in the debacle with he who shall not be named. Businesses must not accept payment for products if they know, or should have known, they would not be able to supply the products within the timeframe indicated.
And based on what is now at least a year of them failing to meet delivery dates for many customers they very well should know that they cant/wont meet the dates they have listed on their website.
Them saying "those dates are just estimates" is not an acceptable excuse as far as the ACCC is concerned, if an item is a month overdue any customer is entitled to a full refund if they don't wish to wait and see how things play out.

Wait as long as you wish but I suggest you keep in mind your chargeback deadlines, even if they say "the items are coming next week" if next week would put you over a deadline open the case.
We've seen online stores use that tactic in the past as a way to make people miss their chargeback windows so it's not worth the risk even if they are being honest and it's definitely certainly in the mail.
Chargeback cases can always be closed if the vendor delivers but they cant be opened if the deadlines have passed.

Yeah that's what I was getting at.
I went through all this BS with PC way back when.

I'm waiting til at least Jan, and if they STILL can't deliver (or have shipping notice) of the overdie otmes I'll really have no choice but to try bank chargebacks.

I don't want to..........but what option are they leaving for people?
The infinitely shifting goal posts, the never arriving items and the shitty attitude they have now towards their customers are not winning them any more customers.

Been buying from there for around 3 years, and I can't beliieve how badly things have detoriated in the last 12 months.

STILL no notification of any of the overdue items on 11/12/19

Yeah the FB pages now you can post a comment on existing post, sending a post or msg to page just goes to limbo.
My last one was "pending" for two months. It was just asking about the previous order from november last year (the one they DID refund for and never received)
Yet they can't refund for this years missing orders?

If you give your monet to a Jordan Belfort, you don't expect to see it again, I trusted TBI, they had a good rep but their business practices lately are not trustworthy in my opinion.

[Batfan007]

Asking for a refund due to them constantly missing delivery dates is not you the customer asking for a change of mind refund, which they are entitled to say no to, it's you asking for a refund due to failure to deliver which is covered under ACCC guidelines.
I've said it before but I'll say it again. They can put whatever they like in their terms but if those terms break Australian consumer laws then they are invalidated, no store terms can supersede a customers consumer rights.

I mentioned this stuff before in the debacle with he who shall not be named. Businesses must not accept payment for products if they know, or should have known, they would not be able to supply the products within the timeframe indicated.
And based on what is now at least a year of them failing to meet delivery dates for many customers they very well should know that they cant/wont meet the dates they have listed on their website.
Them saying "those dates are just estimates" is not an acceptable excuse as far as the ACCC is concerned, if an item is a month overdue any customer is entitled to a full refund if they don't wish to wait and see how things play out.

Wait as long as you wish but I suggest you keep in mind your chargeback deadlines, even if they say "the items are coming next week" if next week would put you over a deadline open the case.
We've seen online stores use that tactic in the past as a way to make people miss their chargeback windows so it's not worth the risk even if they are being honest and it's definitely certainly in the mail.
Chargeback cases can always be closed if the vendor delivers but they cant be opened if the deadlines have passed.

Thanks for the tips /reminding me.

I may have to do that sooner than later for the reasons you mentioned.

[Batfan007]

I’m still waiting on FansToys Berserk which I ordered in 2017. But this still hasn’t been released (even though I’ve asked for a refund with no reply). Also waiting on 3 Siege Refraktors which has August as an arrival date. And some NECA TMNT which has an October arrival date. Looks like I need to get in touch with the QLD Fair Trading. Considering I’ve spent over $8000 with these guys and to be fobbed off, is pretty disgusting in my opinion.

It is.

I received my Reflector from them around mid year. So that one is a bit odd.
NECA stuff typically sells out in the US, and import stores have to wait for another run or whatever stock is not alloted already to usa (im guessing, but it appears that way)
I've made no new orders at TBI in last two months and I did order some neca shredder/ movie 6" stuff with Robotoyz. Just one items / order for now and will see how that goes. I've bought there before but only in stock items.
I've been going with them now for speciality stuff, amazon for hasbro stuff (as they actually SHIP it) and show Z for 3P type stuff, as found them super reliable over last four years.

[DarkHyren]

It does make me wonder if all these unreliable Australian stores have had the same dodgy supplier, and if their arms have been tied in some fashion regarding non-disclosure of late delivery reasons.

While yes it's likely that certain stores use shady characters that basically only buy dead stock and stock that's fallen off the back of a truck I'm very doubtful that there is some contract forbidding these retailers from saying "our supplier is having trouble sourcing these items, sorry".
It's way more likely that they just don't want to admit that they are using unreliable suppliers in order to cut costs since stating that means they are admitting they can't guarantee that any orders will be fulfilled, which should obligate them under Australian law to refund any customers that don't wish to play some kind of lottery when they are trying to buy toys.

IIRC this was confirmed as the type of supplier that PC was using and we found out near the end that he hadn't secured any stock, that he was basically taking money for items that might become available but were in no way guaranteed.
Since taking payment in full for items that might not ever be able to be provided is at the least in a legally grey area it's no wonder these stores would rather just say "shipping/manufacturing issues", when they deign to say anything at all.
A lot of the more reputable stores that don't have guaranteed stock secured, or that sell pre orders for items that might fail to reach the manufacturing stage (for example, any cancelled third party "masterpiece" toys), only take a deposit which generally is fully refundable.

At the end of the day we can only make educated guesses but it certainly makes one want to avoid small Australian retail and stick with major retailers and overseas businesses.

I’m still waiting on FansToys Berserk which I ordered in 2017. But this still hasn’t been released (even though I’ve asked for a refund with no reply). Also waiting on 3 Siege Refraktors which has August as an arrival date. And some NECA TMNT which has an October arrival date. Looks like I need to get in touch with the QLD Fair Trading. Considering I’ve spent over $8000 with these guys and to be fobbed off, is pretty disgusting in my opinion.

You are completely entitled to a full refund for items that have not only been manufactured but are also widely available in retail stores but things might be a bit trickier with items that have legitimately been delayed.
It might still fall under breech of sale laws however, even though there was no product to provide the store still made a promise to deliver by a certain date and failed to meet that date, so I think they are still legally obligated to honor any refund request made.
Definitely talk to fair trading but due to how much time has passed since you ordered FansToys Berserk you might only be able to take them to court if you want to see that money again. Or hope that if it does get released (BBTS says releasing this month but TFSource says not till Feb so it's anyones guess) they actually send you one.

Thanks for the tips /reminding me.

I may have to do that sooner than later for the reasons you mentioned.

No worries, it is sad when good options for getting these items for reasonable prices go bad since we generally have to overpay for anything but it seems to be a continuing trend.
After the issues I had with TBI last year I could see the writing on the wall and thought it would only be a matter of time before things got worse, I was hoping I'd be wrong and I could start shopping with them again with confidence but it isn't to be.
So while it may end up costing more I've taken most of my business overseas and to Amazon as well as reliability matters so much more.

[ArchAngelDM]

I've lodged a dispute with Humm. whilst I haven't been waiting as long for my item as others, I find their blas? approach to customer service to be disturbing. I pre-ordered New Age Megs (limited Edition) paid in full via Humm. Apparently it has been delayed, although other Australian online retailers have had the item since Late September. It took a while to receive a response from Stuart, who I must say is quite arrogant considering the negative feedback their poor excuse for a business has received as of late. I have requested a refund on multiple occasions, he has blatantly refused referring to their Terms and Conditions which they mistakenly believe override Australian consumer law. Apparently the item is stuck in customs since 19 November, their site still states it is en-route. They seem to be full of the same excuses in their play book. I would rather my hard earned money not line their pockets and refunded back in mine. I believe in giving everyone a go, however from what I have witnessed and read, I would not waste my money on Toybot Importz. They seem to have their staunch supporters though.

[GoktimusPrime]

Everything is very reminiscent of what happened with Premium Collectables. Also, that Jonathan Sorensen guy was previously backing TBI to the hilt -- which in itself is fine -- but was also being really belligerent towards any would-be critics of TBI! In a previous post he said:

Ignore anyone who is just to spit venom and bile for (sic). Trouble makers (sic) don't make good customers, let them move on!"

I can understand singing TBI praise if his personal experience has been nothing but positive. That's perfectly fine. But to go and attack other people for criticising them? Really? Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and all of our opinions are going to be based on our individual experiences with TBI. But to rubbish other people's views just because they're contrary to his own? It also makes this person look silly now that he's singing a different tune, as according to his very own words, he is now a venom-spitting troublemaker (his words, not mine).

This is why emotive language and logical fallacies like ad homina should just be left out of discussions. Had this person just said all those positive things and left it there, then he wouldn't look silly. Basically the positive words he said at the time were true, and the negative comments that he's saying now is also true. Both are true in the context of when they were posted, because really - it wasn't all that long ago that TBI was still reliable. It's actually quite astounding how they've allowed everything to fall down so quickly, and the reason why many customers tolerated them for so long is because they used to be trustworthy. And the reason why so many customers are angry now is because they feel that TBI have betrayed that trust.

[DaptoDog]

The lesson for all of us is to never pre-order items from these small time Australian online sellers. It just always ends in tears. They are not built to handle volume. They are no cheaper than the big international online retailers anyway and at best you are waiting months extra to receive your order.

IF you must do business with them, only order in stock items through them and pay through PayPal with credit card or use humm, Afterpay etc for the protection. All pre-orders should be made with reputable international retailers using PayPal. The only domestic retailers I would pre-order from are Zing or Amazon.

I have empathy for everyone who has been through this. I've been caught too but thankfully always got my money back with chargebacks etc. It's just a pain to have to deal with that so the best option is to avoid these situations.

Hope everyone is able to get a resolution.

[yoshi594]

The lesson for all of us is to never pre-order items from these small time Australian online sellers. It just always ends in tears. .

That's a bit much. There are other aussie online toy shops with no problems like robo toyz. You just need to do your research before purchasing. How responsive they are, how transparent they are, how detailed are their updates, and you have to read their policies! Tbi has one about no refunds, sorry mate, consumer law overrides ur bull****.

They still haven't posted their update and the non update they gave said some items are en route. What does enroute even mean in this case. one of the items en route was mp-43 megatron and that came out in march LOL.