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CharlesXavier

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Posts posted by CharlesXavier

  1. Actually it's pretty much true that in any product, it all boils down to simple demand and supply. insufficient supply to meet demand = inflation.

    And the shops or online retailers have no obligations to limit or restrict sales per customer. At the day's end they just want to clear their inventory fast and get their revenue.

    Certain retailers will limit 1 piece per customer because they are confident that they will sell out the item. You don't see them set any limits for lesser popular items such as figuarts Zero or Robot spirits. they will allow from 3 up to 12 or even 24 pieces per customer.

    Of course it gets frustrating for us if we cannot even secure a piece when we see other collectors get their 2nd, 3rd, 4th or more pieces. But it's up to your luck, efforts and resourcefulness to be able to these highly sought after toys whether or not it serves to fulfill collectors or scalpers who are purely getting them for profits. I don't like paying more than PO price for the items but sometimes it just can't be helped when there isn't enough to go around, such as the Metal Build Strike Freedom Soul Blue version. You win some you lose some, though there are those who always have lady luck shining on them. Good for them.

    As for us buying extras, a lot of us are guilty of that. Some of us buy extras to display the toys in their various forms and some of us do that so that we have a brand new unopened piece to satisfy that collector's quirk in us. But sometimes down the road we might sell some of our extras for various reasons such as space constrains, financial needs or lost of love for the toy. Some of us will sell it to fellow collectors at cost or PO price, some of us will sell it at the market price, which can be higher or lower than the original PO price. Some toys appreciate in value while some just plunge totally.

    While there are true honorable collectors who sell their spares at cost (whom I totally salute and respect wholeheartedly), I will be blunt to say others are self-righteous collectors who claim to have this "principle" of selling/buying at PO price or slightly above as a code of honor, but this "code" only applies to the toys whose values have inflated 50%, double or even more than their original PO price. If the value of the toy has dropped to below PO price, do you still see these collectors honor their "code"? Most likely not. People will scorn those who profits but never sympathize with those who make losses. This is a very screwed and selfish mindset. Personally I have made profits and losses from the extras I have, whether I sold them soon after release or months after that. And I am not bothered by what others say because the price is dependent on the market forces and ultimately it's a willing buyer willing seller situation.

    So as we collectors continue to discuss, harp, complain or bitch about this demand and supply driven trend, the ultimate entity that can impose some initiative to ease this tension, would be Bandai itself. Perhaps Bandai intentionally wants to control the quantity to keep the demand high so that their Metal Build line continues to be the premium highly sought after line. Or maybe there are manufacturing restrictions that doesn't allow them to make more than what the factories can deliver.

    At the day's end, it's a hobby. You are supposed to enjoy it. If you aren't, perhaps it's better to move on to other less heart wrenching or stressful stuffs. Do not point your anger and grievances to scalpers or retailers. If there's one direction to point at, it is Bandai.

  2. Just read on the Hong Kong toy forums that mainland Chinese have gone to Japan and Hong Kong in hoards to sweep off all the Metal Build EVA stocks on launch day. This is absolutely insane! The Japanese are also complaining about it on twitter. I hope this craze doesn't spread to DX Macross and make it even more difficult and expensive for us to secure POs or upon launch.

  3. 38 minutes ago, jenius said:

    I'm with you, and I'm shocked as I usually go through CDJ because they usually don't have shipping shenanigans.

    Thanks for sharing. CDJ would usually be “in shipping process” by now. It’s odd that they are a little slow this time round. 

  4. The way to get these highly sought after Macross DX and metal build, is to be able to crack the method of how to find the listings before they turn up on the main site. 

    This is applicable only for HLJ and CDJapan. For HLJ it used to be the advanced search where you can find the new listings before it pops up under the default search.

    For CDJapan I have yet to figure out how to find the new listings. But obviously a lot of people have figured it out hence the metal build is sold out in a minute after the link is shared in forums. Is there anyone here who is willing to share the trick to find new listings in CDJ?

    For amiami, AE and HS, it’s purely based on luck on how fast the placeholder pages reload and the checkout process. 

    For NY you have to follow and keep refreshing their twitter cos the link appears on twitter faster than on its website and if you fresh and get the link via twitter at the instance it’s up, high chance you will secure an order on NY. 

  5. 1 minute ago, seti88 said:

     

    Ah right, if your local can get you a 31S at original PO prices, then by all means get that. I haven't seen any pre-ordered orders being cancelled as frequently online.
    But with the DX 1J announcement, you never know right? Folks might be cancelling to save cash on  that...:lol:

    My local shops are still in dreamland thinking that they can reap a handsome profit off DXes. So none of us here are going to buy their stocks. By the time they wake up to reality, they probably have to sell it much lower to clear their stock.

    Aside, I am pretty confident of getting the 31S at below 20k yen in the next few days. =)

  6. All DX are always sold out during PO period but recent delta DXes prices have been stable and are available at PO price or lower after release. even my local shops have reopened their PO for the 31S, a sign that stocks are aplenty.

    I think we can wait a few days to observe the prices but those contented with the current 21-23k price should just go ahead to get it.

    We never know for sure if the price will spike up or go down over the next few days.

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