DX VF-171EX from Macross Frontier

[boyarque]

Well, I'm not going to lose any sleep over this...if it's mine, then it's mine...if not...well, there are others...

Nitey nite guys!

[moncikoma]

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-RBT-2281&page=top%2Fsearch%2Flist%3Fs_keywords%3Dmacross%24pagemax%3D100%24getcnt%3D0%24pagecnt%3D1

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIG-IPN-3301&page=top

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN973673

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN975641

SOLD OUT IN 2MINUTE....

seriously??? this is conspiracy dr bandai...i knew it...

[Kelsain]

Yeah, this is seriously fd up. What a sh1tty way to treat your customers. I was starting to get interested in gundam again, but if this is how bandai is doing things now, I'll give my $$ to TT Hongli for their KOs.

(null)

[Lolicon]

F U BANDAI.

Preorders open for like 5 minutes overnight? Wonderful. Some of us have to actually sleep and work in the mornings.

[Mommar]

This is REALLY fraked up. Are Bandai only producing six of these things? Anybody from China/Japan see some of these other Bandai Valks sitting around a few shops? I think some of us who have to be asleep will need to organize a group buy in order to get one of these if they can be found locally.

I also hate the fact this board automatically changed the word I used to "fraked" instead because that word sounds weak and doesn't nearily emphasize the type of boning some of us are getting.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Mommar

[Matrix Soul]

Well, to be a devil's advocate, AmiAmi is mainly to serve Japanese customers, so for them, the activation time isn't the middle of the night. They are not missing sleep over it.

[OmegaD3k]

<Sarcasm>

I’d just like to say thank you to Bandai for being a very profitable partner for all eBay scalpers out there, who are LOLing on their way to the banks right now.

.

</End Sarcasm>

The demand for these figures is massive. The least they could have done was offer more than just 5 per online shop. More like 50 - and even then they'd still be all sold out. Going to have to dig deep in the wallet once these are up on eBay..

(edit: clarification)

Edited March 1, 2012 by OmegaD3k

[Kelsain]

I realize that, but a 20 minute window globally for preorders from multiple vendors? Even the native customers get screwed.

(null)

[Lolicon]

The fact that it happened in the middle of the night isn't what's really pissing people off. Being available for scarcely 5 minutes is what's ticking me and others off.

Japanese aren't limited to a handful of online shops like we are, and those shops have English sections for a reason.

Also, HLJ was started to serve international customers. Nice try, though.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Lolicon

[Mommar]

Yeah, waking up in the morning and discovering you didn't stand a chance in hell (not even a lot of the people awake at the time made it) because Bandai grossly underestimated demand is what sucks. I only hope there weren't too many jumpers at ishop2go because the price was so steep.

[valid]

me want one!! dear macross god!! please give me one!!!

[Ignacio Ocamica]

What a relief that I don't like the VF-171!! My money will go for the VF-17D instead

[mechaninac]

Well, I'm not going to lose any sleep over this...if it's mine, then it's mine...if not...well, there are others...

Exactly. I was more than willing to pre-order this sucker, even at near full MSRP, but Bandai's under production/under supplying of retailers means I'll be saving myself around $200+ that I can spend on other stuff or just not spend at all.

Edited March 1, 2012 by mechaninac

[Lolicon]

Well grats to those who managed to snag one. For the rest of us, we'll just have to console ourselves with one of Yamato's offerings later this year.

[Dutch]

I just hope Yamato doesn't start copying Bandai's 5 minute pre-order antics.

[Mommar]

I wonder if there's this same raging love for the 171 inside Japan as there is for a lot of us outside. Domestically is this lukewarm and it turns out it's just all of us in the international market who are clamoring? Will Bandai get reports about the amount of preorders and increase production?

[Kelsain]

Healthy attitude, lolicon. Maybe seeing the strategy here will help when (hope upon hope) the teal 171 is announced.

Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue. (or take my last dose of habit forming rx...)

(null)

[reeoyuy]

If I have a company that produces toy, I'd rather underestimate demand than overestimate and creating too many to sell. Also, that conspiracy theory about Bandai conspiring wit ebay scalper is ridiculous, since Bandai never really care about customers abroad.

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

So, just out of curiosity, does anyone know how many of these toys are produced with an original release? Seems to me like one or two thousand considering very few people can even place an order. Just my two cents...

[Mommar]

If I have a company that produces toy, I'd rather underestimate demand than overestimate and creating too many to sell. Also, that conspiracy theory about Bandai conspiring wit ebay scalper is ridiculous, since Bandai never really care about customers abroad.

There's a difference between underestimating and grossly underestimating to the point you piss off customers and they never want to do business with you again.

[Lolicon]

Not making money is not making money, whether it's because you produce too many or produce way too few.

[Mommar]

That's the thing. If they only make a few they'll say "eh, we only made a little money" and move on without realizing they'd sell a lot more if they met demand.

[eugimon]

If you look at the release date, chances are bandai already finished their run. They're just selling what they already made.

[Mommar]

Which is kind of dumb. Essentially they finsihed producing before advertising so they didn't even know what demand would be like before they made them.

[CF18]

I will just look at the high-res photos for now. There are quite a bit of photoshopping going on:

B mode pic 1: We should see more stuff on the tip of the wings instead of all white.

G mode pic: You can see something between the legs, probably the display stand.

Edited March 1, 2012 by CF18

[MacrossJunkie]

I wish Bandai could just have shops and dealers go forth and take as many pre-orders as they can for x amount of days/weeks. Then start manufacturing and do whatever they need to schedule the factories to produce enough to fill the pre-orders plus a little extra to go stores and such for those who miss pre-order while it was being done. They could then set the release date based on how long it will take for them to manufacture and assemble the toys and get them out. That way they wouldn't be leaving money on the table by not producing enough to meet demand or way over producing beyond what the demand is.

I mean isn't that what they're essentially doing with their web exclusives already?

Edited March 1, 2012 by MacrossJunkie

[Kelsain]

Miss the 171ex? Sorry, we only made 12... Can I interest you in this Gundam? It's practically the same color!

(null)

[505thAirborne]

Wow, sold out already and the tools on Ebay who have them are asking $249 & $299.00 for a VF-171. WTF??

[Mommar]

Yeah, I noticed ebay is already filling up with people selling their pre-orders. What a bunch of pricks.

[505thAirborne]

Yeah, I noticed ebay is already filling up with people selling their pre-orders. What a bunch of pricks.

Word!

[Reïvaj]

I will just look at the high-res photos for now. There are quite a bit of photoshopping going on:

B mode pic 1: We should see more stuff on the tip of the wings instead of all white.

G mode pic: You can see something between the legs, probably the display stand.

You're right. The low-res battroid mode photo showed what I think it was a bit of the display stand and that's why we see white wing tips now.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Reïvaj

[pud333]

I posted this on another forum, so Ima gonna copy past here...

I woke up his morning with a smile on my face knowing I got a preorder in. Then that smile soon faded as I realized I am going to have to go through this gong show every-single-time going forward with any of Bandai's Frontier releases. It was absolutely crazy last night. And from the looks of the comments after I went to bed, it doesn't seem like it got any better. It got even crazier in fact. Say what you want about Yamato: at least you know that if it sells well, there will be a reissue within a few months. Then another reissue after that. And another. So long as it keeps selling well, Yamato will keep producing. With Bandai, it sells well, then there is nothing. For months and months and months. And if there is a reissue, it's gone in a flash. Just look at how long it took to reissue the YF-29.

It makes me a little depressed. It's like trying to score SDCC exclusives on HTS. Only instead of once a year, this is going to happen several times a year with each release. I gotta seriously consider if I want to continue with this BS, or just wait until Yamato has access to the Frontier license - if ever.

The only advantage I had was the fact that I was on the west coast. It was 11:08 PM PST that I got mine, so I didn't have to stay up too late...

[falcon14141]

I kinda miss the Web-exclusives thingies, as they are in the end easier to get than regular items...

Edited March 1, 2012 by falcon14141

[Major Tom]

For members in Japan, you can still order at Hobbyone at regular price:

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hobbyone/4543112756411/

Goodluck

[Mechapilot77]

wow...WTF. i thought a twice daily check would be enough. i havea feeling there is a whole network of people contracted to buy these things the minute the go up and put them on ebay. this sold out WAY quicker than the vf-25's or the YF-29. ridiculous. no other options for US buyers huh?

i'm steamed

Edited March 1, 2012 by Mechapilot77