bforbryan Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum as well as collecting Macross valkyries which I have always wanted to when I was younger. Now that I have a decent job, I'm going to treat myself and catch up with some purchases that I have longed for the first time I ever watched Macross Plus. Anyhow, I have been searching through the forums as well as googling different online sites for reliable shops. It seems NY is used quite often here, so I'm wondering if there has been any negative experiences recently? I have read about their iffy customer service from some model review sites, but I hope those are a thing of the past. This will be my first purchase and quite hefty at around 60000 Yen and I don't want to be disappointed or hassled. The reason I am going with NY and not Amiami or HLJ is because NY still has stock of what I want which is the YF-29 Isamu custom and the VF-25F Alto custom. Thank you for your help in advance! EDIT: I left out that the 60000 yen includes the superpacks which I won't be getting as its way too much of a premium. 18000 yen :/ Edited January 29, 2014 by bforbryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaajin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum as well as collecting Macross valkyries which I have always wanted to when I was younger. Now that I have a decent job, I'm going to treat myself and catch up with some purchases that I have longed for the first time I ever watched Macross Plus. Anyhow, I have been searching through the forums as well as googling different online sites for reliable shops. It seems NY is used quite often here, so I'm wondering if there has been any negative experiences recently? I have read about their iffy customer service from some model review sites, but I hope those are a thing of the past. This will be my first purchase and quite hefty at around 60000 Yen and I don't want to be disappointed or hassled. The reason I am going with NY and not Amiami or HLJ is because NY still has stock of what I want which is the YF-29 Isamu custom and the VF-25F Alto custom. Thank you for your help in advance! wow, thats a hefty sum for 2 valks. Or if you dont mind used, I can point you to a used renewal VF-25 currently on ebay for $180++ (this is not my listing, just happen to come across): http://www.ebay.com/itm/VF-25F-MESSIAH-VALKYRIE-GE-54-Renewal-ver-Macross-F-Bandai-DX-Chogokin-Used-/151220055867?pt=US_Action_Figures&hash=item23356aef3b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSenpai Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 My first and only experience using NY was pre-ordering my YF-29. It went without any problems. My order shipped on 12/26, which was pretty much right after the release, and I got it last week. The only minor nitpick is that it took 4 weeks to get to me, but that was not their fault as I had chosen SAL for shipping which can take a while. Mandarake also has quite a few YF-29s and VF-25Fs available for decent prices... might want to check there. I purchased my VF-25F last year from them for 15,000 MISB. They primarily deal in secondhand goods, but they often have MISB items, and even their unsealed items are usually MIB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valk-1S Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I still use NY even though their service is not that great. The issues is possible slow sending out of items and in no logical order. Some people who preorder items later than you, might get theirs send out first before yours. Communication is the other issue with slow or no reply from them. They are reliable in regards that you will get your stuff. Just communication and sometimes slow sending out of the your order are the main issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bforbryan Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the prompt responses guys! wow, thats a hefty sum for 2 valks. Or if you dont mind used, I can point you to a used renewal VF-25 currently on ebay for $180++ (this is not my listing, just happen to come across): http://www.ebay.com/itm/VF-25F-MESSIAH-VALKYRIE-GE-54-Renewal-ver-Macross-F-Bandai-DX-Chogokin-Used-/151220055867?pt=US_Action_Figures&hash=item23356aef3b But NY has it for around 189 new. My first and only experience using NY was pre-ordering my YF-29. It went without any problems. My order shipped on 12/26, which was pretty much right after the release, and I got it last week. The only minor nitpick is that it took 4 weeks to get to me, but that was not their fault as I had chosen SAL for shipping which can take a while. Mandarake also has quite a few YF-29s and VF-25Fs available for decent prices... might want to check there. I purchased my VF-25F last year from them for 15,000 MISB. They primarily deal in secondhand goods, but they often have MISB items, and even their unsealed items are usually MIB. Good recommendation. Was wondering if storefront item means its used too? Some have "sold as is, second-hand" in the description and some don't. Somewhat confusing. Anyone know? EDIT: Also I'm curious if NY actually has these in stock and brand new as stated since their prices are just a little bit more than MRSP compared to most other sites. Edited January 29, 2014 by bforbryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDude Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) Was at Nakano Mandarake earlier looking for a 1/35 Votoms kit, long and embarrassing story. They had quiet a stack of Macross goodness (3rd floor to the right of the escalator). Having bought and sold there(Nakano) for over 15yrs their stuff is usually in good/great condition and they refuse a lot that they consider below bar. All their stuff is 2nd-hand bought but often never touched since purchase. For ease of mind and no hassles I would go with them, HLJ, AmiAmi or Hobby Search. But the final decision is yours. Edited January 29, 2014 by CrazyDude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negotiator Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 My experience with NY... I was missing a part on the vf-171 CF. NY would not exchange it and asked me to send it back (at my cost) so they can send it to bandai without any guarantee of the outcome. I just said F'it and lived w/ the missing part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemo Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 My understanding is that store front items at Mandrake means that it is being listed on line and display at the store at the same time, so it might be possible that someone at the store bought it before the online transaction was confirmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 My experience with them are so far so good. They seems to be able to get stock while the others show discontinued. Mind you, NY has a higher shipping charges than HLJ (using EMS), but they process their orders real quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaajin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) But NY has it for around 189 new.That NY price is before shipping. Price on ebay is with shipping, but used. And I thought youre paying close to $300 per valk, as you mentioned youre paying $600 for the 29 & 25F. Edited January 29, 2014 by aaajin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSenpai Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) My understanding is that store front items at Mandrake means that it is being listed on line and display at the store at the same time, so it might be possible that someone at the store bought it before the online transaction was confirmed. This. When you check out at Mandarake, they give you the option of cancelling your order if the item is not available. So they account for the fact that someone else could have bought the item of interest at the store. It seems that their inventory system does not automatically update the website when an in-person transaction takes place. Edited January 29, 2014 by SuperSenpai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scyla Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I never had problems with NY before. They are a good store if you just want to shop stuff. As soon as anything happens say missing/defect parts you might run into problems. With Bandai Renewals this is an even greater problem because Bandai does not offer a replacement service so even if NY would help you they often't can't. HLJ offers superior customer service. Another thing to keep in mind about NY is that they will not declare the proper value on the packaging which will lead to problems with the insurance if something goes totally wrong with your package (at least to my knowledge). On the other hand customs won't charge your package with fees if you live in a country that does such things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reïvaj Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 They do that for you to save on customs duties, but I guess they can declare the proper value on the packaging if you ask then to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrentonx Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Chiming in to say they've done right by me so far. I do note that others have had problems but so far I've been happy. That said, I use them sparingly for things I can't get anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bforbryan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 So I've been scouting it out at Mandarake and they seem to have some decent deals. Most of the items are new yet opened however. So I'm thinking they're the probably returns with minor defects, hence the lowered cost. Well if I'm shelling out that much already 20-30 bucks more for a chance at an unblemished Valkyrie is okay with me... Anyhow, I really appreciate all the feedback. For those who have corresponded with Mandarake stores, how long are average response times? Do they bother to clarify their vague descriptions to interested buyers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchemo Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) Most of the stuffs sold by Mandrake are pre-owned, used or unused, some of them are marked with a lowered price because of a damaged package. I was in Nagoya last month and there was a Gundam head money bank with an unopened but badly damaged box for 1,500 yen only. Too bad it was too big for my luggage. I never encounter any quality problem with them except maybe a few loose joints ( Those are Robot Tamashi Dunbines and was marked "box opened") Edited January 30, 2014 by alchemo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sreichma Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) Anyone have insight to anything that could be causing delays at Osaka International or at the Ports? I've had a package in transit from NY with no updates since the 22nd. I had it shipped EMS Express with tracking and insurance but wondered if anyone knew of any delays, circumstances, etc. Let me know if you do. Edited January 30, 2014 by sreichma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDude Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Usually and IME packages leave Japan fast but often overseas the tracking is not updated. Usually EMS is even faster than Air-Mail, had all packages arrive within a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSenpai Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 So I've been scouting it out at Mandarake and they seem to have some decent deals. Most of the items are new yet opened however. So I'm thinking they're the probably returns with minor defects, hence the lowered cost. Well if I'm shelling out that much already 20-30 bucks more for a chance at an unblemished Valkyrie is okay with me... Anyhow, I really appreciate all the feedback. For those who have corresponded with Mandarake stores, how long are average response times? Do they bother to clarify their vague descriptions to interested buyers? Mandarake is legit, IMO. Everything I've purchased from them has been either MISB or MIB. They appear to have collectors in mind and thus grade conservatively. For example, I've ordered several valks from them where the box was described as "damaged". Upon arrival, I discovered a few light scratches and maybe a dinged corner. If there is any actual damage to the toy itself, the listing will usually mention it. For all intents and purposes, whenever I order from them I basically assume that I'm going to get a like-new item, and I've never not have that be the case. The only thing that I find odd about them is that there can be great variability in pricing. Most cases you get pretty good deals, but every now and then they post something with a crazy price. Anytime I've e-mailed them, I've gotten a response within 24 hours. Not bad when you factor in the time difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDude Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Bit of history for mandarake. They started as a 2nd-hand bookshop at Nakano Broadway 3rd floor but expanded into anime collectibles. Many years ago they got listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and also got shops overseas. They are legit and also employ foreigners at their HQ in Nakano. As a side note Nakano has been the anime centre decades before Akihabara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 My experience with NY through multiple purchases has been quick, reliable and efficient. Nothing bad to say about them only praise. I'll definitely keep using them, even though they are slightly more expensive. NY are my first choice as an online retailer. Definitely prefer them for their fast shipping over HLJ which gets orders out of the door at a snail's pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon18 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 My only dealing with NY was for the YF-29 Isamu. Nothing bad to say about them there. The transaction was nice and smooth. They shipped it out within 1/2 days of having the item in-stock. I did pay for EMS though. So that might vary. In terms of customer service, I had no problems with contacting them. I had to change my order's shipping address and they replied my mails to them within 1/2 days too and it eventually got changed hassle-free. One thing to note is that I mailed both their FB page and the item details in my order. They responded quick on both ends. I think they have different teams on both pages too. Eitherway, both ends replied promptly and I had no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 It started out as a love/hate relationship - NY was the only place in town that I could get my Renewal pre-orders in, for some reason they consistently seem to have more pre-orders available than other online retailers. Now its become my retailer of choice mostly because of the way they under-declare the customs form which always saves me $50 at least in customs & duties in Canada, plus they offer Registered SAL for further savings. Even though they charge more, (never more than 5,000Y) I'd rather pay the retailer for obtaining the toy for me than the government from preventing these toys from being imported! Now, I've never had any problems so far... I'm sure if there were missing or broken pieces or if the package is lost, the under-declaring could end up working against me - but so far I've had nothing but good experiences. They used to include little hand written notes of thanks or a package of Japanese snacks in the box a few years ago, but I think they've grown so big that they are beyond those little personal touches now unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gakken85 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) I don't buy from them because they are very stubborn about combining shipping, and in general their PO prices are too high. Not to mention their site interface is a pain in my ass. Also, their customer service stinks. Their responses are confusing, vague, and bitchy. I haven't missed them. Either you make it easy for me to pay you for overpriced plastic or I go somewhere else. haha. I've had good interactions with them... How hard is it to take somebodies money and ship something? That doesn't mean they won't screw you when it counts haha. Edited January 30, 2014 by Gakken85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bforbryan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 @graham.. good to know @falcon.. yeah I'm looking for a new decent priced YF-29 Isamu myself.. @wm.. I'm from Vancouver ehhhh.. the choices here are too expensive @gakken.. I know, but not many choices right now.. higher shipping beats paying premium to scalpers.. Just like to give an update on my purchase but before that, thank you all for your constructive input. I appreciate such quick feedback that enabled me to make an informed choice. I have settled on just buying the YF-29 Isamu as the premium for the VF-25F was just too much. I've checked all the options suggested and as a real picky person I just want my stuff new. As only NY still have stock (hopefully, not sure if that inventory count is stale) I placed an order with them and paid for EMS as "SAL should not be used because of the anxiety it induces - xfj-01a." Payment accepted fast. Let's hope they ship it by tomorrow. I'm so excited right now lol. Let the countdown begin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackconvoy_D01 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 NY had a 2-3 day turnaround time from order placed to shipped. HLJ would take 1-2 weeks. NY is better for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bforbryan Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 @blackconvoy.. Off topic but I too am interested in them milfs lol (: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet_Sponge Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) The only complaint I have with Nippon-Yasan is that the preorder customers that miss the initial tiny batch, get screwed with super inflated prices. It's an insult that the day after a valk is released, it goes on clearance. After getting burned a couple times at $50+ each, I've learned my lesson. That's why I no longer pre-order anything through them. I had 1 issue with an order, but it worked out in my favor. I ordered a 2nd vf-171cf about 6 months ago, but they sent me a vf-171ex instead which goes for $50 more. Edited January 30, 2014 by Bullet_Sponge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anime52k8 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 They price gouge and suddenly changes prices without warning a lot. it sucks to the point that I don't like to order with them for anything I can get other places. I tend to order everything through HLJ first because I trust them and they let you cancel pre-orders without consequence, then anything that I 100% want for sure I order through AmiAmi. NY is basically just my go to for web exclusives if I feel like pre-ordering and not gambling on finding it through Mandarake after release. That said There's a little more satisfaction that comes from bargain hunting on Mandarake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gakken85 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Never had HLJ take more than 2 days. Did you use EMS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaajin Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 HLJ gives you the exact shipping charges before placing orders while Amiami & Mandarake will quote you shipping after you place the order, but if you do not agree to their shipping rates you can either : (1) Just pay to avoid the hassle or (2) cancel the order but will be banned in the future if you cancel too many orders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanedas Bike Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Mixed bag here. As others have said sometimes the way pre-orders are processed doesn't make a lot of sense, I seem to recall waiting a week or so for one item after it'd been released before it shipped. The only other negative/neutral experience I've had with NY was when they shipped me the wrong item. I contacted them to let them know of the error and have it exchanged but in reply I got a grocery list of hoops to jump thru as if I was making it up. The item they sent me was more expensive (not by a significant amount) so I just decided to forgo the hoops and keep what they sent. I've ordered from them since then and haven't had any issues that were under their control or their fault (see the long shipping times with SAL). Everything else has been "OK". I'd say ordering with HLJ, AmiAmi is preferable for me but they are not horribly-horrible it just means that NY is not my first choice for items with a wide-release. -b. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bforbryan Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Apparently it's been shipped! YES! OK if its in new and pristine condition when it arrives.. NY mad props! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've noticed that NY often has the most expensive shipping (of course this is usually offset by the fact I don't get charged customs & duties when they send their stuff to Canada - US residents don't have to worry about this). But this time I tried to order the GX-64 Bandai Yamato and their shipping was 70% more expensive than the next most expensive retailer - which is much more than usual. So check around paying special attention to shipping fees, I think this is where a lot of stores like to gouge now as its sometimes hidden till after you place the order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro2k6 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 That right...and when you PO something from them the shipping is more expensive. For example: P.O Vf-29 the shipping was about 40 on SAl. Now i order a second one and shipping was about 24 on SAL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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