mechaninac Posted October 17, 2005 Posted October 17, 2005 hmmm, for me, the best customer service is when you never have to contact the company. 337299[/snapback] True enough, but if you have a problem with a Yamato product you have to contort yourself through all sorts of hoops to get it addressed. For most of us the difference is that, residing in the US, getting replacements from a Japanese toy company is an exercise in frustration the like of which is rarely encountered short of a trip to the DMV; at least Toynami tries to make amends. The problem I have with Toynami vs. Yamato, vis-a-vis QC, is that Toynami's approach seem to be what is referred to in the consumer product arena as a "post purchase complaint" mentality...as long as they make the sales quota, it makes the marketing department look good, no matter how many items are returned for refund, repair, or replacement, and how many disgruntled buyers will look elsewhere for a future purchase. In this regard, you see the disparate corporate cultures at work (American vs. Japanese): Toynami has sub-par engineering, inferior materials procurement, incompetent assembly, and horrendous quality control, but a fairly decent customer relations and service...reminds me of Detroit car makers in the '80s: send the buggy, misaligned, unreliable pieces of junk out the door and let the dealers deal with the customers. Yamato has competent engineering, good materials sourcing, good assembly, and decent QC (things do get by them occasionally), but they are very aloof in the customer response department. Quote
eugimon Posted October 17, 2005 Posted October 17, 2005 hmmm, for me, the best customer service is when you never have to contact the company. 337299[/snapback] True enough, but if you have a problem with a Yamato product you have to contort yourself through all sorts of hoops to get it addressed. For most of us the difference is that, residing in the US, getting replacements from a Japanese toy company is an exercise in frustration the like of which is rarely encountered short of a trip to the DMV; at least Toynami tries to make amends. The problem I have with Toynami vs. Yamato, vis-a-vis QC, is that Toynami's approach seem to be what is referred to in the consumer product arena as a "post purchase complaint" mentality...as long as they make the sales quota, it makes the marketing department look good, no matter how many items are returned for refund, repair, or replacement, and how many disgruntled buyers will look elsewhere for a future purchase. In this regard, you see the disparate corporate cultures at work (American vs. Japanese): Toynami has sub-par engineering, inferior materials procurement, incompetent assembly, and horrendous quality control, but a fairly decent customer relations and service...reminds me of Detroit car makers in the '80s: send the buggy, misaligned, unreliable pieces of junk out the door and let the dealers deal with the customers. Yamato has competent engineering, good materials sourcing, good assembly, and decent QC (things do get by them occasionally), but they are very aloof in the customer response department. 337305[/snapback] well, you need to take into account that their macross line isn't supposed to be sold in the US and that by supporting those lines they open themselves and their retailers up to possible legal action... and yet... they still send out replacement parts. Also, Yamato is not above making revisions in their toys to take care of known issues, while Toynami will not make such amends and prefers instead to just send out replacement parts... Quote
mechaninac Posted October 17, 2005 Posted October 17, 2005 (edited) well, you need to take into account that their macross line isn't supposed to be sold in the US and that by supporting those lines they open themselves and their retailers up to possible legal action... and yet... they still send out replacement parts.Also, Yamato is not above making revisions in their toys to take care of known issues, while Toynami will not make such amends and prefers instead to just send out replacement parts... Point taken on the HG perpetrated Macross embargo, and it's effect on customer service outside of Japan; but I've also been led to believe that Yamato has as a policy not to supply replacements unless it can be proven that their product was defective from the factory...to dissuade customizers and unscrupulous ebayers from ordering multiples of some of the most sought after parts (BP8, heads, etc.) Your second point basically bolstered my complaint of Toynami. To further elaborate on my Automobile industry analogy, when a Japanese car company discovers a potential design flaw, defect, or possible consumer complaint issue, they almost immediately issue a recall order for free repairs. American car manufactures will almost always sit on known problems for years until the backlash in lawsuits and bad press is so high that they have no choice but to do the right thing. Hence my "post purchase complaint" quip. So, Toynami has no choice but to have a decent customer service...If they were as "close to the vest" with their ability/willingness to offer replacement they wouldn't be in business very long, terminally gullible Robotech fanboys who'll buy anything HG not withstanding. Edited October 17, 2005 by mechaninac Quote
Macross73 Posted October 20, 2005 Posted October 20, 2005 (edited) Has anyone gotten an official or otherwise reply from toynami about future QC issues good or bad? Edit: i mean wil this be SOP for every new item asking for replacement parts and not making better products Edited October 20, 2005 by Macross73 Quote
Osean Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 (edited) Here's some new Beta Fighter news, but its not official. Supposely the Beta will come in all four alpha colors. Here's the link: http://www.robotech.com/community/forum/re...7227&forumid=23 Posted by bryan_f_davis "I had the opportunity to talk to a member of the design team. (I live down the street from Robotech world HQ, aka, Harmony Gold). This, and my job, allows me a great opportunity to do some snooping around. My big question was, "Why is it taking so long for the Betas?" He informed me the reason the Beta is taking so long is the cockpits. Apparently, the cockpit of the Beta will be the centerpiece of the toy. Highly detailed, able to hold a figure. But the design of the cockpit, I have been told, "will blow my mind." He also confirmed there will be 4 versions of the beta produced. Blue, Red, Green and Black. No word on who will be on the spine. Another point of design is the connection between the Alpha and the Beta. I asked if it would connect to the Alpha in Battleoid. He did not give me a straight answer, but laughed. ????? I asked if there were going to be Cyclones. The answer "If the Betas sell, there will be Cyclones." SWEET! I just hope they are not the 1/55 scale. There was more, but I promised not to talk about it. I have seen the Betas the COMIC CON, and they are amazing. I was hoping to cross paths with SDF COMMANDER, who was there and who actually got to talk to TOYNAMI reps in great detail. He has a forum someplace that is pretty rocking. I am not sure where, but...." And the rest is blah blah blah. Edited October 27, 2005 by Osean Quote
aaajin Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 He informed me the reason the Beta is taking so long is the cockpits. Apparently, the cockpit of the Beta will be the centerpiece of the toy. Highly detailed, able to hold a figure. But the design of the cockpit, I have been told, "will blow my mind." I dont mind if it blows my mind. But I do mind if it blows right out of the box sorry, couldnt resist this. Quote
magicsp00n Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 I figure I'll add my tidbit to the rumor mill, since I haven't seen it anywhere else. I was recently talking to somebody I'm acquanted with who worked on the Robotech:Invasion game. He told me that Toynami had given them prototypes of a cyclone toy for reference purposes. The toys managed to break pretty quickly. That's all he told me about it. The game has been out for a year or so now, so Toynami must be sitting on those cyclones for awhile if it's actually true. Quote
Osean Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 He informed me the reason the Beta is taking so long is the cockpits. Apparently, the cockpit of the Beta will be the centerpiece of the toy. Highly detailed, able to hold a figure. But the design of the cockpit, I have been told, "will blow my mind." I dont mind if it blows my mind. But I do mind if it blows right out of the box sorry, couldnt resist this. 339992[/snapback] Agreed. Quote
Cyclone Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 It's possible they were in fact model kits instead of toys, as VC also got given other older non-Toynami toys like certain rare toy from a French company... Quote
Anubis Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Guy is a frigging genius making his email address his user name. Quote
Guppy Posted October 28, 2005 Posted October 28, 2005 and reading his post, it sounds like a sales pitch. I kinda doubt all 4 colours will come out. If they're copying the Imai kit for their Cyclone, no surprises that it's breaking. I've got one and it's like a leper. Everytime I touch it something falls off. Quote
Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0 Posted October 29, 2005 Posted October 29, 2005 So they are working on a tiny ass cockpit, and thats the centerpiece of this huge potentially expensive toy? This sound funny to any of you? Don't get me wrong, I am glad it is being made, and of course its nice to add stuff to the cockpit, but CENTERPIECE?! Quote
Osean Posted October 29, 2005 Posted October 29, 2005 So they are working on a tiny ass cockpit, and thats the centerpiece of this huge potentially expensive toy?This sound funny to any of you? Don't get me wrong, I am glad it is being made, and of course its nice to add stuff to the cockpit, but CENTERPIECE?! 340529[/snapback] The guy is just getting too excited about the cockpit. The centerpiece should be really the docking mechanism to the alpha. These guys better not screw up the missles bays like they did in the alpha's forearm. Quote
eugimon Posted October 31, 2005 Posted October 31, 2005 And better add some diecast parts in it. 340652[/snapback] ugh, enough with the metal all ready... the alpha didn't need it and adding just mucked it up and made it floppy. just use high quality plastic Quote
mechaninac Posted October 31, 2005 Posted October 31, 2005 And better add some diecast parts in it. 340652[/snapback] ugh, enough with the metal all ready... the alpha didn't need it and adding just mucked it up and made it floppy. just use high quality plastic 341054[/snapback] Indeed. Couldn't have said it better myself. The Alpha seems to use diecast for diecast's sake, and not for the better. Quote
Macross73 Posted November 2, 2005 Posted November 2, 2005 (edited) how about All diecast small scale vf-1s/a/j etc that would be cool i'm not saying hotwheels size but smaller than the Alphas and still tranform kinda like the Henshin robo Alphas, but they make all our favorites That would be something I really want. not just diecast for the sake of it. And they could come with little runways that join to make a longer landing and take off strip. they'd be strong, heavy, and durable. What do you think ? edit:grammar spelling Edited November 2, 2005 by Macross73 Quote
kensei Posted November 2, 2005 Posted November 2, 2005 Here's some new Beta Fighter news, but its not official. Supposely the Beta will come in all four alpha colors.Here's the link: http://www.robotech.com/community/forum/re...7227&forumid=23 Posted by bryan_f_davis "I had the opportunity to talk to a member of the design team. (I live down the street from Robotech world HQ, aka, Harmony Gold). This, and my job, allows me a great opportunity to do some snooping around. My big question was, "Why is it taking so long for the Betas?" He informed me the reason the Beta is taking so long is the cockpits. Apparently, the cockpit of the Beta will be the centerpiece of the toy. Highly detailed, able to hold a figure. But the design of the cockpit, I have been told, "will blow my mind." He also confirmed there will be 4 versions of the beta produced. Blue, Red, Green and Black. No word on who will be on the spine. Another point of design is the connection between the Alpha and the Beta. I asked if it would connect to the Alpha in Battleoid. He did not give me a straight answer, but laughed. ????? I asked if there were going to be Cyclones. The answer "If the Betas sell, there will be Cyclones." SWEET! I just hope they are not the 1/55 scale. There was more, but I promised not to talk about it. I have seen the Betas the COMIC CON, and they are amazing. I was hoping to cross paths with SDF COMMANDER, who was there and who actually got to talk to TOYNAMI reps in great detail. He has a forum someplace that is pretty rocking. I am not sure where, but...." And the rest is blah blah blah. 339980[/snapback] Well, I don't know if he was credible, this was the guy who put out rumours that the third editon of the Roy VF-1S 1/48 by Yamato was going to be in a TV grey, plus ROy pilot and TV Hands and paint scheme. Quote
Osean Posted November 2, 2005 Posted November 2, 2005 Guy is a frigging genius making his email address his user name.  340113[/snapback] Not to make fun of the guy, but he's a member here under the same user name. I didn't notice this until today where his user name showed up on "online users" section. And Kensei, I guess we'll find out how credible he is in due time. Quote
kensei Posted November 2, 2005 Posted November 2, 2005 He's an amicable bloke, I'm not against him or dissin him, maybe he just got screwed from his sources. As for his handle, well, maybe he just likes to chat. Quote
Skull 0ne Posted November 11, 2005 Posted November 11, 2005 (edited) Here are some pictures of the proto-beta........ Can some one say big chunk of plastic? Edited November 11, 2005 by Skull 0ne Quote
mechaninac Posted November 11, 2005 Posted November 11, 2005 Can someone say overpriced chunk of plastic and diecast with horrendous QC? Those images have been posted before; I don't think there has been anything new on the Beta/Tread in some time. Quote
Rabidweezil Posted November 15, 2005 Posted November 15, 2005 I scored a new Shadow Alpha from Gamestop for $9.99 this weekend. I had ordered one a while back when it first came out but it took forever to transfer from another store. So the manager transferred one from a different store. (Which was cool that it took so long, because by the time it came it was down to $39.99.) Well I went in this weekend to buy Resident Evil 4, and the manager told me that the other one finally showed up. She still had it sitting under the counter. It rang up as $19.99 and I had a $10.00 off coupon So I just had to buy it.... Quote
jenius Posted November 15, 2005 Posted November 15, 2005 Man, all the stupid Gamestops near me got wise to the fact that everyone just waited until the were marked down to half price so they just stopped ordering them altogether. I scored four alphas for the half price and I very much feel that they are a good buy at $39.99. Now, $19.99???? I would have bought a truckload of 'em (and resold them whenever I was low on cash for a handsome profit ) Quote
baronv Posted November 15, 2005 Posted November 15, 2005 I've haven't seen any Alphas at all at amestops here in So. Cal, where did you buy them? Quote
Rabidweezil Posted November 15, 2005 Posted November 15, 2005 the Shadow was the only one they had or else I would have bought more. I've haven't seen any Alphas at all at Gamestops here in So. Cal, where did you buy them? 344846[/snapback] I live in Northern California. My gamestop never had any on the shelf, I had to have them transfer from another store. I looked on the website when they were offered, went to the page for the Alpha I wanted, put in my Zip and it showed me what stores in a radius had them in stock. Then I called my store and gave them the store that had it for them to call and get one. Quote
jenius Posted November 15, 2005 Posted November 15, 2005 I used the same technique to find the Gamestops with Alphas near me. The only crappy thing about that is they would take them off the website just before the first mark down (after Rook's was released) so you couldn't find out where they might still have some. There was one in San Jose and one in Daly City that seemed to get them pretty consistently. I think there was also one in SF but I never quite checked that out. Quote
Sephiroth Posted November 28, 2005 Posted November 28, 2005 I just saw this on Alpha auction on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/Toynami-1-55-Alpha-Fig...1QQcmdZViewItem Quote
Mechamaniac Posted November 28, 2005 Posted November 28, 2005 Yeah, that's one of our guys... http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=16995 Sucks too, cuz I need arms for my Bernard Alpha, but his are in worse shape than mine. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.