Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[SpaceCowboy]

What is a legit place that even has them at markup discounting NY?

[gingaio]

7 minutes ago, beatsing said:

How many peeps are returning these toys?  I think most would keep it even with a minor defect.

Thanks.  That extra $50-100 is probably trivial.  It's probably not worth our time and sleep.  

It can add up though.  That's another HMR.  Or the Strike pack itself.  

Ahem you guys' wives must be cool about scalping.  

My wife actually told me again--after seeing how wrecked I was this morning--to just pay the mark-ups and get to bed at a reasonable time. As you get older, health becomes way more important than saving a few bucks.

That and my toy collection is pretty small, especially with Macross. I'm definitely small fry compared to some of the more hardcore collectors. By the time I retire from collecting--and things like PO Madness are making retirement come sooner than later--I'll probably have no more than 3-4 DX valks, assuming Bandai makes the ones I really want. Given that, I really only need to pay a mark-up on a few items, and that'll be it for me. That's why to me, it's not such a big deal. 

Edited June 4, 2019 by gingaio

[beatsing]

2 minutes ago, gingaio said:

My wife actually just told me again--after seeing how wrecked I was this morning--to just pay the mark-ups and get to bed at a reasonable time. 

That and my toy collection is pretty small, especially with Macross. I'm definitely small fry compared to some of the more hardcore collectors. By the time I retire from collecting--and things like PO Madness are making retirement come sooner than later--I'll probably have no more than 3-4 DX valks, assuming Bandai makes the ones I really want. Given that, I really only need to pay a mark-up on a few items, and that'll be it for me. That's why to me, it's not such a big deal. 

Your wife is cool.

Your collection (projected) sounds nice.  I've got quite a few of the HMRs, since I couldn't really get into the DX Frontier line.  It's looking like Frontier preorder madness again.  I think that's what's cool about the HMRs, no preorder madness.  

The DX collection is so cool.  But this scalper thing makes it not cool.  They're just screwing us.

If I were Shoji, I'd be pissed that my fans were getting screwed, and the money the fans pay wasn't going to the artist but some creeps.  

[Mommar]

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

[Matt Random]

12 minutes ago, gingaio said:

My wife actually told me again--after seeing how wrecked I was this morning--to just pay the mark-ups and get to bed at a reasonable time. As you get older, health becomes way more important than saving a few bucks.

That and my toy collection is pretty small, especially with Macross. I'm definitely small fry compared to some of the more hardcore collectors. By the time I retire from collecting--and things like PO Madness are making retirement come sooner than later--I'll probably have no more than 3-4 DX valks, assuming Bandai makes the ones I really want. Given that, I really only need to pay a mark-up on a few items, and that'll be it for me. That's why to me, it's not such a big deal. 

Same here. I only pick up a few items a year so I don't mind an occasional markup if I can't get it otherwise. 

[DYRL VF-1S]

4 minutes ago, Mommar said:

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

Nah a couple people have received shipping notifications. Mine is still prepping though, but I ordered mine a few months after PO opened so guessing they process first come/first serve?

[JetJockey]

I think there are individuals or perhaps even small companies or groups that are taking advantage of online companies that are unwilling to use methods that would stop bot purchases. Then of course flipping their wins on ebay and other auction sites via various different accounts.

 

The way pre-orders happened last night was way too fast. Just like with Mondo posters and popular things I've read about like concerts, restaurants, shoes, and other similar items. They all sell out way too fast for a human going through the methods. Plus carting an item with the majority of these sites doesn't mean sold which makes it even worse. And if a normal person gets the purchase order they were just very lucky in refreshing at the right time and having a few things preset like address or a copied credit card number to paste in a field.

 

The problem is with the companies that allow this sort of thing. Either fix the system so bots won't work. Or have your pre-order be an actual pre-order without a set amount of inventory. That will get rid of the flippers fast if not immediately. As I can assure you that few flippers go after Mondo and other gallery posters when they see "Timed Edition" on posters and everyone who wants one can get one. Few fans will put up with this sold out pre-order nonsense forever.

[Guyffon]

2 hours ago, treatment said:

The only way to stop scalpers is to not buy from them.

Scalpers will scalp as long as there are people that continue to be willing to pay scalper-pricing.

 

 

 

Agreed, thus I told my wife not to get one from yahoo japan auctions, even though she wanted to please me

[seti88]

42 minutes ago, Mommar said:

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

CDJ has shipped mine.

[vlenhoff]

I gave up on DYRL HIkkie's 1S. I will pay a mark up for Roy, tv Kakizake, and hopefully a pair brownies. This is the result of your lack of planning Bandai. I could have bought all of them at pre-order price, but now 3 or 4 more at mark-up will do. 

Edited June 4, 2019 by vlenhoff

[beatsing]

14 minutes ago, JetJockey said:

I think there are individuals or perhaps even small companies or groups that are taking advantage of online companies that are unwilling to use methods that would stop bot purchases. Then of course flipping their wins on ebay and other auction sites via various different accounts.

 

The way pre-orders happened last night was way too fast. Just like with Mondo posters and popular things I've read about like concerts, restaurants, shoes, and other similar items. They all sell out way too fast for a human going through the methods. Plus carting an item with the majority of these sites doesn't mean sold which makes it even worse. And if a normal person gets the purchase order they were just very lucky in refreshing at the right time and having a few things preset like address or a copied credit card number to paste in a field.

 

The problem is with the companies that allow this sort of thing. Either fix the system so bots won't work. Or have your pre-order be an actual pre-order without a set amount of inventory. That will get rid of the flippers fast if not immediately. As I can assure you that few flippers go after Mondo and other gallery posters when they see "Timed Edition" on posters and everyone who wants one can get one. Few fans will put up with this sold out pre-order nonsense forever.

Check out the scam that Ticketmaster got caught on last year.  They get fees from professional resellers (scalpers) and lied to the press that they don't allow bots and scalpers.  Some reporters posed as scalpers and were recruited to scalp with hundreds of accounts, and ticketmaster got a cut.

[chyll2]

47 minutes ago, Mommar said:

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

raised a ticket last night, got a shipping notice today in the morning

[beatsing]

I don't think it's Bandai, but probably just a few employees who are running the DX preorders like this.  They're probably also getting the kickbacks from the pro scalpers.  

[Guyffon]

1 hour ago, beatsing said:

Your wife is cool.

Your collection (projected) sounds nice.  I've got quite a few of the HMRs, since I couldn't really get into the DX Frontier line.  It's looking like Frontier preorder madness again.  I think that's what's cool about the HMRs, no preorder madness.  

The DX collection is so cool.  But this scalper thing makes it not cool.  They're just screwing us.

If I were Shoji, I'd be pissed that my fans were getting screwed, and the money the fans pay wasn't going to the artist but some creeps.  

I personally wish a batman type figure will go to every scalper’s house and break a few fingers and tell them to stop their nonsense, but thats just my sick mind dreaming

[Dirtyboy]

I paid the inflated price of 25,800 on NY after the cart jacking on other sites. 

With regards to scalpers, this is a reality of other toy lines and any other event really. I mean have you ever tried buying tickets for sporting events or gigs? 

There is no real way to stop it. 

However those that buy multiple Valks on here, with the title of being a collector, does that make you a scalper? Are you going to sell them on later at cost price if you decrease your collection for whatever reason? 

[beatsing]

2 minutes ago, Guyffon said:

I personally wish a batman type figure will go to every scalper’s house and break a few fingers and tell them to stop their nonsense, but thats just my sick mind dreaming

 

Or like Mr. Healy (Russel Crowe) in "Nice guys" so they'll get the "message".  

Now, I feel like Cartman was right.  "Preorder doesn't mean sh!t...You know what you get... a big d!ck in your mouth".

Preorders should be easy, considering what we pay.  Not a rip off and crap show.

[beatsing]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyboy said:

I paid the inflated price of 25,800 on NY after the cart jacking on other sites. 

With regards to scalpers, this is a reality of other toy lines and any other event really. I mean have you ever tried buying tickets for sporting events or gigs? 

There is no real way to stop it. 

However those that buy multiple Valks on here, with the title of being a collector, does that make you a scalper? Are you going to sell them on later at cost price if you decrease your collection for whatever reason? 

I just mentioned the Ticketmaster case earlier today.  If it's big enough of a deal that reporters send in an undercover squad, it's a big deal.  

 

I also mentioned that collectibles do appreciate in value over time due to their collectibility.  But twice the price in 2 minutes at preorder date, five months before the actual release of the toy is almost criminal.  

If a collector holds the toys for years or decades and they appreciate in value, the collector has taken the risk (and probably enjoyed the artistic value) of the toy.  How many of your toys depreciated in value?  Especially when they were rereleased in larger quantities.  Holding it for a long time as a scalper would take up space, and inventory costs rent.  Collectors aren't holding it; they're typically displaying/playing with their toys.  The intent is different.  The collector collects whether it appreciates in monetary value or not.  The scalper is in it for profit.  The offers on auction mean that the scalper isn't holding on to the product; it'll sell before it's even released.

[Guyffon]

5 minutes ago, Dirtyboy said:

I paid the inflated price of 25,800 on NY after the cart jacking on other sites. 

With regards to scalpers, this is a reality of other toy lines and any other event really. I mean have you ever tried buying tickets for sporting events or gigs? 

There is no real way to stop it. 

However those that buy multiple Valks on here, with the title of being a collector, does that make you a scalper? Are you going to sell them on later at cost price if you decrease your collection for whatever reason? 

I really don’t mind a fan getting multiples, at least they appreciate the toy and want to display them in all their various forms, even for those that keep them in msib, it is those that have no love for the franchise and are doing it for the quick buck that gets to me.

 

On that note, if only the supply meets the demand, like good old yamato days, I guess that would be a dream

[Guyffon]

9 minutes ago, beatsing said:

 

Or like Mr. Healy (Russel Crowe) in "Nice guys" so they'll get the "message".  

Now, I feel like Cartman was right.  "Preorder doesn't mean sh!t...You know what you get... a big d!ck in your mouth".

Preorders should be easy, considering what we pay.  Not a rip off and crap show.

This is too funny, one can only dream right?

[beatsing]

9 minutes ago, Guyffon said:

I really don’t mind a fan getting multiples, at least they appreciate the toy and want to display them in all their various forms, even for those that keep them in msib, it is those that have no love for the franchise and are doing it for the quick buck that gets to me.

 

On that note, if only the supply meets the demand, like good old yamato days, I guess that would be a dream

Yup.  If a fan is enjoying displaying all three modes, or staring at a mint box, they're enjoying it.  The scalper just treats it as inventory.  Collectors generally collect/hoard.  Scalpers flip.

Days when you could walk in a store, and look at all the variants in the big boxes with plastic windows, the valk and it's missiles and decide, do you want the plain valk, the hero valk, the low viz, the stealth, the set with the strike parts.  No rush, no scalping, no bs.

6 minutes ago, Guyffon said:

This is too funny, one can only dream right?

So far we're only dreaming.  Both Max and 1S have been nightmares.

Edited June 4, 2019 by beatsing

[ArchieNov]

1 hour ago, Mommar said:

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

I got mine from NY last Saturday 6/1.

[DYRL VF-1S]

54 minutes ago, chyll2 said:

raised a ticket last night, got a shipping notice today in the morning

I figured I might do the same. Could be coincidence but within 10 min got a shipping notification as well. I’m out of town next week so need it this week to sign for.

[F360]

Another reason for the delay of N-Y shipping out TWE items (missiles)  is that they have to use another address beside their own to place the order as P-Bandai place restrictions on how many they can place per address.  (24 orders per address).   With their no rush policy since everything is already pay for, it can take a while to get some guys from that address to bring it to the office or someone from the office to go get it.  And especially with a upcoming preorder night which seem to delay shipment processing even more.

[That one dude]

4 hours ago, Darth Mingus said:

4 hours ago, beatsing said:

We should complain to shoji and Bandai.

 

 I understand that producing more high valks takes up factory but it’s like the iPhone.  It wasn’t Apple’s bread and butter.  But it sold.  Even though it was so expensive compared to the competition.  So Apple now gets 60% of its revenue from iPhone sales(I saw that on the news, don’t quote me).  

How many full shelves  of Hg and Mg and rg and pg gundams have you seen at plenty of stores?  Is that stuff flying off the shelves?  And when they have a popular model kit or toy figure they reissue those quite often.  Even less popular robots get rereleased.

 

it doesn’t make sense 

There is a huge difference in manufacturing plastic model kits, which Bandai does themselves in Japan and the toys division that does the majority of the manufacturing in China.  Given the standards they hold the product to, there is probably a lot of rejected stock.  The profit margins on the toy division is probably a fraction of the profit on the model kits.

This, Gunpla and Tamashii Nations are two completely different divisions with different standards of practice, factories and rules. 

Not reproducing products is cool for collectors but not when you can't get one to begin with.

The whole EVA reproduction seems to be the only exception I can see, so unless we can get Kawamori to complain and make a fuss I don't see anything changing without a serious management shake up.

[Lolicon]

I emailed Bandai and asked if they were going to produce extra VF-1S units to meet demand and got their response:

 

[tekering]

1 hour ago, Guyffon said:

On that note, if only the supply meets the demand, like good old yamato days, I guess that would be a dream

The "good old" Yamato days led to their bankruptcy.  Supply exceeded demand, retailers had to sell at a loss, and it was a nightmare for everyone involved... except the fans, of course.  

58 minutes ago, beatsing said:

Days when you could walk in a store, and look at all the variants in the big boxes with plastic windows, the valk and it's missiles and decide, do you want the plain valk, the hero valk, the low viz, the stealth, the set with the strike parts.  No rush, no scalping, no bs.

And no profit.  

As frustrating as it is for us, I understand why Bandai's manufacturing is so conservative.  They'd rather not take the risk of overproducing a product for a niche market.

[gulan]

https://www.plazajapan.com/4573102558008/

from plaza japan if anyone still wants one.

edit: price is 19440 yen and the total came out to 22380 yen after shipping.

Edited June 4, 2019 by gulan

[Atomski]

2 hours ago, Mommar said:

Are everybodies missiles at NY still in preparation?

Got my ship notice tonight for it.

[Lolicon]

1 hour ago, Dirtyboy said:

I paid the inflated price of 25,800 on NY after the cart jacking on other sites. 

With regards to scalpers, this is a reality of other toy lines and any other event really. I mean have you ever tried buying tickets for sporting events or gigs? 

There is no real way to stop it. 

However those that buy multiple Valks on here, with the title of being a collector, does that make you a scalper? Are you going to sell them on later at cost price if you decrease your collection for whatever reason? 

Depends on what you define a scalper is. The description you gave? I don't think so. To me a scalper is someone who buys things for the sole purpose of immediately reselling them at an inflated price.

As for "just pay the scalpers/mark-up so you can get some sleep" advice? That's well and good if you can afford it. Not everyone has that kind of disposable income; for some peeps $100 is a lot of money.

I've said on more than one occasion that these are luxury items so if you can't afford them it shouldn't be a big deal. Nobody needs valkyrie toys. But it's still pretty shitty if you're forced out of collecting because the combination of scalpers and Bandai producing extremely limited quantities has driven said items out of your price range.

For my part, $100 isn't a huge deal. But I refuse to pay inflated prices to scalpers or NY or whoever on principle. And staying up for PO nights is no problem since I work nights anyway, so I'm not losing any sleep. But it is a bit of a hassle speed preordering on a phone.

I've been through many PO madness nights like this, but they've gotten better over the years, until the recent Max 1A BS, and now this. Goddammit Bandai, why is this crap getting worse? Last night was just F-ing frustrating as hell. Bandai is making something that is supposed to be fun into a frustrating chore. Don't know how much more I'll put up with before I just give up altogether.

[Lolicon]

4 minutes ago, gulan said:

https://www.plazajapan.com/4573102558008/

from plaza japan if anyone still wants one.

I don't see any add to cart button. Sold out already I guess?

[dafob]

 

3 minutes ago, gulan said:

https://www.plazajapan.com/4573102558008/

from plaza japan if anyone still wants one.

Sold out within a few seconds of this posting... lol

[gulan]

dam didnt think that many people will be looking at plaza japan too since its not as well known =/

[jenius]

Good to know another store though, think I've seen the name before but never had them on my list.

[drumondo]

I managed to score one (or get an order payment confirmation anyway) from NY last night.

Are they a reputable seller? I've seen some feedback each way from my searching today.

[jenius]

Just now, drumondo said:

I managed to score one (or get an order payment confirmation anyway) from NY last night.

Are they a reputable seller? I've seen some feedback each way from my searching today.

Yeah, assuming no glitches you'll be fine. They're not fun to deal with if you have problems, and they sometimes are fast to ship and then extremely slow to ship your next item, but they come through.