DX VF-25 Renewal Series (Part III)

[Valk-1S]

I wonder whether they reduced any of their first batches orders to 1 piece as I noticed some people ordered more than 1 and they normally limit their first batch to 1 only.

[wolfx]

The irony of the armour and super parts was ppl were complaining that they were easier to get/order compared to the actual valkyrie itself back in the day. Now i guess we're finally reaching that point where the valk and armour part's quantities are levelling off.

[Chronocidal]

NY's out again it seems. Hope some people managed to get some before the next price hike, $175's still pretty reasonable if you do cheap shipping with them.

[wolfx]

Forgot to mention, it used to be 2200 yen to ship via EMS per valkyrie to me. Now its 3400 yen. NY's shipping charges are ludicrously high. I was forced to go registered airmail. I can wait.

[no3Ljm]

It appears they are marking up their shipping costs as well. If you put in a VF-25F, the shipping cost for EMS is 3,200 Yen while for the VF-25S its 4,000 Yen. No thanks. I just take my chances with HLJ or wait when it get released and try to get one then. If not, then just hope for another reissue.

This is true. They don't fix or make the shipping cost standard. But do note that it's still more expensive to get the VF-25F now even it has less shipping cost than the VF-25S at NY. VF-25F sells for Y21000. Whereas VF-25S sells for Y18000. Unless the price for 25S goes up, it will be unfair to keep the higher shipping cost rate even though they're both the same box dimension and weight. But I can't blame them. This is business. This is how they make their money.

[Valk-1S]

I think they will keep it at 18,000 Yen for a few rounds. They are not selling out that fast due to the high premium. Plenty of time to think whether to buy or not in both rounds, but decide to take my chances else where. If I remember correctly when the VF-25F was first reissued and when NY put their mark up rounds straight to 18,000 Yen, it sold much faster than the VF-25S. Upon release date, you could have got it from a lot of other places at retail or less, and I think even NY eventually drop their price below their mark up of 18,000 Yen.

This time round might not be the same though as NY might not get a lot of extra stock due to past experience of over stocking.

[no3Ljm]

NY's out again it seems. Hope some people managed to get some before the next price hike, $175's still pretty reasonable if you do cheap shipping with them.

True. Chose the Registered SAL instead to save some money.

Forgot to mention, it used to be 2200 yen to ship via EMS per valkyrie to me. Now its 3400 yen. NY's shipping charges are ludicrously high. I was forced to go registered airmail. I can wait.

Me too. I've been waiting for this to get reissued so what's extra 2-3 weeks of shipping.

[Valk-1S]

This is true. They don't fix or make the shipping cost standard. But do note that it's still more expensive to get the VF-25F now even it has less shipping cost than the VF-25S at NY. VF-25F sells for Y21000. Whereas VF-25S sells for Y18000. Unless the price for 25S goes up, it will be unfair to keep the higher shipping cost rate even though they're both the same box dimension and weight. But I can't blame them. This is business. This is how they make their money.

If you use Tenso, you can get the VF-25F at Amazon JP much cheaper. Currently being sold there as low as 13,200 Yen plus 500 Yen shipping to Tenso. Add Tenso handling fee and EMS shipping to you guessing about 4,180 Yen, total approximately 17,880 Yen shipped.

[no3Ljm]

If you use Tenso, you can get the VF-25F at Amazon JP much cheaper. Currently being sold there as low as 13,200 Yen plus 500 Yen shipping to Tenso. Add Tenso handling fee and EMS shipping to you guessing about 4,180 Yen, total approximately 17,880 Yen shipped.

Just like Buyee? Cool.

edit: Oopps. I just searched the site and it's not like Buyee. So it's direct shop proxy. Will read some more later.

edit2: I just checked my email to see if I get a confirmation email from NY. And voila! Looks like I made it via the 7pm window earlier. Didn't have a chance to check email earlier. Hehehe. Big thanks to for his never-ending advices. Thank you thank you! Hope he can point me to a good deal on my next objective. Thanks a lot, David!

Edited August 5, 2014 by no3ljm

[Kyp Durron]

I'm getting seriously getting tired of Bandai's games. I feel like selling my 25A and never looking back, I'd rather give Arcadia all my business, they make theirs to order, now that's how you do it right. Bandai has NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Kyp Durron

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Na, this is just simple business planning. Bandai designers will have a catalog of goods that they intend to release.

Those releases are dependent on profits from previous releases. The Tornado parts in this perspective are just a simple rule of having the VF-25F sellout at retail multiple times. Those profits opened up the next release, which would be the Tornado parts WE.

The VF-25G version gets made simply by expense sharing and double dipping. It really doesn't cost much to change colors during a tooling phase. Sales numbers on these maybe of less importance, however if they didn't get enough pre-orders to make budget on the numbers they have already planned. It would get canceled. I'm not saying Bandai doesn't have a plan, but it's not as .. Conspirical as you've put it. The 25S will no doubt pace the way for a G reissue. Simply because it's proving demand for reissues, double that with the recent WE G parts and you have a crossroads for the next release. However.. It maybe delayed, if they have already chosen their next design, and that design maybe ahead, in the molding phase.

i'm not sure if you're trying to be smart but according to your logic then all the super packs came out at the same time as well bc it doesn't cost much to change colors during a tooling phase

right so they are not conspirical?? but they release the 25F 3x for several years and skip over the 25s for a few years???? wow... lol

the 25s will no doubt pace to the way for a G reissues... however it maybe delayed... if they have chosen their next design maybe ahead in the mold phase...

so essentially you're saying exactly what i'm saying: that bandai intentionally chooses what comes out next and skips over re-releases and doesn't go in order of releases at their discretion.

Are you sure you aren't Tommy Yune?

[zulu]

Just curious to know but if you pre order a 25S from NY don't they email you a confirmation? I was lucky to get one ordered yesterday and went through the entire pre-order process and see it in my Order History but I still haven't received an email confirmation.

[Falcon18]

They should have sent you one. Try emailing them.

There's a chance that it was just a site error and you didn't actually get it?

[vsim]

I was sleeping through that last opening. I've got to work to pay for my damned toy addiction .

[The Old Man]

Had two email notifications today, missed out both times lol.

[Mechapilot77]

beginning to lose hope here. 8/1 morning opening...commuting to work. last night's 10:30ish opening==> showering (page tracker let me down only found out due to ny email). 3:30amish opening==> sleeping. so i've missed at least 3-4 NY openings along with the several on opening night i missed. i did get desperate order one opening night on yesasia but have no confidence that one will go through.

[skullmilitia]

Read and we shall all weep.

Thank you for writing. We had a little trouble, and did not set the quantity limit on VF-25s. But actually, it does not turn out to be an issue because the initial quantity we will be getting is way to little to fill all the pre-orders we received. We will both have enough to offer even 1 piece to all customers.

We are asking our distributors if they can supply us more, but it seems to be hopeless. We may have to send a few hundreds of emails apologizing to customers...

Best Regards,

Kunihiko Matsugu

HobbyLink Japan

http://www.hlj.com

Looks as if Bandai, is still Bandai, and is only selling in product runs.

Edited August 5, 2014 by skullmilitia

[Gakken85]

Yeah the shipping price gouging pisses me off the most.

$30 dollar markeup I can understand, due to limited amounts of a much wanted piece.

But trying to get away with shipping charges of $60 bucks is close to criminal. No way in hell that make sense based off size and weight.

The Registered air mail is about a week and half for $30 bucks, which is what EMS should be.

I can tell you if I find Ozma anywhere else they won't be getting my cash haha

[chyll2]

Read and we shall all weep.

Looks as if Bandai, is still Bandai, and is only selling in product runs.

I am not weeping since I am okay with one. No double rule.

[Mechapilot77]

I am not weeping since I am okay with one. No double rule.

depends what he meant by "We will both have enough to offer even 1 piece to all customers." did he mean "NOT" or "although" when he said "both"?

[technoblue]

I'm also wondering what "it does not turn out to be an issue" means.

I'm speculating here, but if HLJ is going to fill orders on a first come, first serve basis, then perhaps they will try to fill all orders and offer those who bought multiples the opportunity to buy the one or to cancel their order?

[Gakken85]

Obviously his english is bad.

He's saying they won't have enough to fill all orders, but the people who get 1 will only get 1.

How they handle multiple accounts is anybodies guess.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Gakken85

[technoblue]

That wasn't meant to be English commentary. I'm just trying to get a handle on the message.

[skullmilitia]

It's because one of questions was "why didn't you put a 1 per limit".

He's saying, it's not an issue because no one is getting multiple.

They are only getting enough to give everyone who ordered 1 piece.

I'm not going to panic. Wether it's at release, or a little but later, there will be restocks.

If the retailers complain about shortages, more will get made.

[Valk-1S]

I think they are saying that they don't even have enough to offer 1 per person. The words used "even" and at the end saying they have to send hundred of emails to apologise are indications not everyone who ordered will get one unless they can get more stock from their suppliers.

[technoblue]

Thanks for repeating the context, skullmilitia.

[Kanedas Bike]

It's because one of questions was "why didn't you put a 1 per limit".

He's saying, it's not an issue because no one is getting multiple.

They are only getting enough to give everyone who ordered 1 piece.

I'm not going to panic. Wether it's at release, or a little but later, there will be restocks.

If the retailers complain about shortages, more will get made.

Hope so.

-b.

[brouken]

So HLJ will limit all pre-orders to just one per customer?

As long as they don't cancel my pre-order outright, I'm okay with having just one. Anybody else email HLJ and get the same response? I'd feel better if they issue a general notice about this to all who purchased multiples.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I think they are saying that they don't even have enough to offer 1 per person.

+1

that's where they're at now..

if cd japan opens again i'll feel good.

Edited August 5, 2014 by davidwhangchoi

[no3Ljm]

Whew. No complaints from me. I'm just glad that I scored one even with that Y4000 markup from NY's second PO. I also ignored the markup too on the shipping cost that's why I just choose the Registered SAL. That's atleast $20 savings from EMS. As long that it has the tracking and insurance, I can wait. Because at the end of the day I still know that I got this cheaper than the ones posted on all online shops, whether auction or direct sales, months before for $400 and above. And since I'm a late-comer on this DX VF-25 Renewal stuff, I'm just glad I purchased one (fresh from the press) at MSRP price range.

if cd japan opens again i'll feel good.

Me too. I'm still hoping to get another one for less than what NY's offering now from the other stores. But if the other stores try to markup during the second wave like NY, I'll think about it whether to get another one or not.

[Hoshizora]

Hi MWers

More bad news for people who placed multiple orders from HLJ. It seems that they will indeed enforce 1 piece per account policy very soon. And people who don't cancel thier multiples may get their account banned.

This is the email I received from them today:

Thanks for writing. We're sorry to see that you placed extra orders for that item. The shopping cart limited that item to one per customer.

Our orders department will soon be canceling extra orders for this item. Accounts that placed extra orders may be locked. We recommend you cancel your extra orders as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding, and for shopping with us.

Best Regards,

Mark Kutsugi

HobbyLink Japan
http://www.hlj.com

Edited August 5, 2014 by Hoshizora

[Gakken85]

So how does our ranking go?

CDJAPAN - Fair item prices and fair shipping prices. Actually limits to 1 per customer some rounds and has lengthy windows.

HLJ - Cheapest item and shipping price, but incompetent when it comes to putting up PO's. Random times. Random systems and naming. Short to long windows. May list more.

AA - Cheap item price, fairly expensive shipping price, inflexible. Micro windows. One and done.

Hobbysearch/Madeinjapan - Later random PO's but fairly good prices. No sure on their shipping? Short windows. One and done.

NY - Inflated item price after first run. Inflated shipping prices. Bad communication. Multiple runs of other peoples stock. Short windows. Eventually drops price at release.

Anything I miss? haha

I'm still confused about HLJ. The PO said limited to 1, but they didn't limit it to 1 in the actual form. They were expecting people to go on the honor system? They don't get most of the stock they are promised. Plus people created fake accounts to get even more?

Sorry, but this is their issue. They should know how to handle these kinds of orders by now and actually limit it to 1 if that's what they can handle.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Gakken85

[brouken]

About twenty pages back:

[Kanedas Bike]

^HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

-b.

[Duymon]

Hi MWers

More bad news for people who placed multiple orders from HLJ. It seems that they will indeed enforce 1 piece per account policy very soon. And people who don't cancel thier multiples may get their account banned.

This is the email I received from them today:

Quote

Thanks for writing. We're sorry to see that you placed extra orders for that item. The shopping cart limited that item to one per customer.

Our orders department will soon be canceling extra orders for this item. Accounts that placed extra orders may be locked. We recommend you cancel your extra orders as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding, and for shopping with us.

Best Regards,

Mark Kutsugi

HobbyLink Japan

http://www.hlj.com

So....anyone believe me now? :0