DX Chogokin VF-171 Cannon Fodder

[xrentonx]

Thanks for posting that

[Kanedas Bike]

There is so much I want to say in response to one or two threads and or forum members, instead I will just say thank you to Major Focker for emailing HLJ and posting the reply.

-b.

[Major Focker]

you're welcome.

er, how do i cross post this to the scalper's thread? i've seen some folks do it, but know how to do it myself. if someone else could, i'd appreciate it. thanks

[Hikuro]

well, I can't order anything until I move into my new apartment........what crap.

[Lupin The Third]

so i wrote HLJ yesterday and got a response

and the response from Scott i got this morning:

Hello [edited],

Thank you for contacting me about this product. Allow me to start by saying that I hope you can believe me when I say that we are as infuriated and frustrated by the situation surrounding Bandai Chogokin Valkyries as our customers are.

It appears at this point that Bandai is limiting production of these items to just a few thousand pieces. We are literally only able to acquire a few dozen. This is despite the fact that we could probably easily sell between 500 and thousand pieces. When I think about how much money I'm leaving on the table…

As for the order situation, yes, these did sell out almost instantly (at least the quantity that we had decided to allow for preorder did). The order quantity limit had been left at the default of 10 for short period, but we noticed this, corrected it, and have since redistributed the piece allocations to other orders from the two people who did place an order for 10. [EDIT: In other words they DID make a correction because we complained]

Your "simple request" about the piece quantity limits is eminently practical, and we are once again trying to revamp our systems for this to make sure that allocations are fair. Believe me, it is not as easy as it seems. Items like this can cause us to have several dozen open shopping carts at once all with the same limited item in them, and it's quite challenging for IT programmers to keep it all sorted out.

Again, it is quite frustrating for us that we have to try to program around, and apologize for, shortcomings that are caused solely by Bandai's refusal to meet market demand for the product. Until they change their ways (don't hold your breath) this is going to continue to be a difficult situation for both us and our customers. I can only promise that will try to do our best.

Thank you for your support over the years, [edited}.

so i guess it boils down to the messaging, sticking to facts not speculation, and keeping a level head (and demeanor, if i might add).

the silver lining here, is that it seems HLJ has set aside part of their allocation to only be available upon release.

I would like to point out that if you read my initial email to HLJ I contacted them to confirm the quantities they allowed to be purchased. Their employees then informed me that they allowed up to 10 to be purchased. Because their story has now changed does not negate the fact that they said from the beginning that they allowed such large quantities to be purchased. Additionally I cannot help but think that the discussions here, along with those of us who did email them asking why they would do such a thing, DID in fact play a factor in the "correction" he is claiming they made. In fact it is obvious the backlash made an impact because if they had corrected the large orders at the start I would have been informed in that first email response that the 10 unit limit had already been corrected. So your implication here that some of us spazzed for nothing is a bit absurd. No one was speculating anything, HLJ employees outright said they allowed them to be purchased in quantities up to 10! How is it speculation to say that is bad customer service on an item this limited?

For the record here is the 2nd email I sent directly to Scott after HLJ employees informed me they allowed up to 10 to be purchased:

I am writing to you in reference to the Bandai Chogokin macross preorders that went up last night and information that I was provided when contacting HLJ. There was a debate on the Macrossworld forums regarding whether HLJ actually allowed up to 10 units of each to be purchase and most users are incredibly incised about their concerns that this was the case. Obviously these items are being very limited by Bandai to generate an almost false sense of scarcity but that is not my concern.

Personally I attempted to purchase three of one of the items and my qty was corrected to 1 upon checkout. I presumed that there was a limit of 1 per customer just like Amiami, CDJapan, etc; and that the option to purchase 10 units was merely the page default as virtually everything on HLJ seems to default to a max of 10 units. My concern is that I then decided to email HLJ to inquire if your company had in fact allowed purchases of up to 10 of these items by a single customer. I was then informed that purchases of up to 10 units had been allowed.

I am shocked and stunned that a reputable business such as yours would allow this. There is no one who needs 10 of a particular Chogokin Valkyrie; you and I know for a fact that anyone ordering more than a few has already listed theirs on Ebay and is selling them for more than twice retail right now. I do not understand the logic in denying actual customers in favor of supplying directly to the scumbag scalpers who have helped to make owning these products such an incredible hassle. It is incredibly frustrating for your ACTUAL customers, many of us being in the West and thus having to stay up late into the night to try to secure a preorder, to quite literally be disregarded as consumers while complete dirt bag ebay sellers are rewarded with buying large quantities of the product from your company, and at less than retail price to boot!

I have traditionally had a very good impression of HLJ. My first import item ever directly from Japan was the massive MSIA Dendrobium Gundam, of which I purchased 2 from HLJ; one for myself and one for my brother as a Christmas gift. I have never hesitated recommending your company even while I have mostly been out of collecting for the last couple years. But the handling of these preorders however has completely soured my perception of your company; especially when your competitors take steps to assure that everyone at least has a fair chance at securing an order.

I would highly recommend that HLJ considers reducing the qty per customer on these items and relist the stock so that CUSTOMERS rather than scalpers have an opportunity to buy. I would also highly recommend that a more modest limit ~2-3 per customer please be instituted for future Macross Chogokin releases in order to assure a more diverse distribution of the product.

Bandai has done an amazing job of turning many collectors off of their product in the last year with their theatrics, and I understand that this has created difficulties for the vendors. However I cannot imagine that HLJ would want to be associated with preferring to supply scalpers than actually providing the high quality customer service that your reputation has built over the years

Thank you for your time,

I'm not sure how anything in that isn't level headed given that HLJ informed me that they sold them in scalper-friendly quantities. So I do not appreciate the less-than-veiled implications. But that's what I get for trying to help out fellow collectors, a mistake I will never make again.

For the record this proves that HLJ did initially sell them in quantites of 10 and changed that due to the backlash. So all of you who attacked me here and in the other thread....GO frakk YOURSELVES BECAUSE YOU WERE COMPLETELY WRONG AND ALL YOUR ATTACKS ON ME WERE BASELESS. Bunch of frakking idiotic children.

EDIT: Haha....forum autocorrection..hilarious. I'm sure you can figure out what I actually told you to go do with yourselves.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Lupin The Third

[Kanedas Bike]

How were you trying to help out fellow collectors? I ask seriously because I don't see what your end-game was. More quantities weren't going to be made available as a result. Additionally, who are you to judge how much of any is too much? Many non-scalping collectors buy several copies of a given item. Take a look at the pictures of long time forum members.

Your pro-scalping thread was accusatory and not based on fact, only your view or interpretation of how things unfolded. You're hot about HLJ about how many of a particular item a given customer is allowed to purchase, some like myself are hot at Bandai over quantities produced, but the end result is the same. Throwing tantrums about how you're never gonna do this, that or the other don't change anything and only add to the opinion of non-level headedness.

Just relax.

-b.

PS just read your edit about what people can do with themselves. You're a class act alright. Go "help" some other fandom.

[kaiotheforsaken]

How were you trying to help out fellow collectors? I ask seriously because I don't see what your end-game was. More quantities weren't going to be made available as a result. Additionally, who are you to judge how much of any is too much? Many non-scalping collectors buy several copies of a given item. Take a look at the pictures of long time forum members.

Your pro-scalping thread was accusatory and not based on fact, only your view or interpretation of how things unfolded. You're hot about HLJ about how many of a particular item a given customer is allowed to purchase, some like myself are hot at Bandai over quantities produced, but the end result is the same. Throwing tantrums about how you're never gonna do this, that or the other don't change anything and only add to the opinion of non-level headedness.

Just relax.

-b.

PS just read your edit about what people can do with themselves. You're a class act alright. Go "help" some other fandom.

I think I remember reading that he bought 5, with the intent to sell 2 here at cost. So it isn't like he didn't get one (provided I'm recalling the correct person).

The whole debate seems silly to me. The renewals are tough to get, this isn't new, and as consumers (especially those of us outside Japan) we pretty much just have to roll with it.

[Kicker773]

Kanedas is referring to people like me. If they made ten and I had the means I would buy ten and create a fleet. By no means am I scalper. Most of you know me already by now. = )

Like I said it was an error. Lets move on. The owner is generally responsible for his workers, but can you really blame him. That email alone proves that they will always get my business.

[Kanedas Bike]

I think I remember reading that he bought 5, with the intent to sell 2 here at cost. So it isn't like he didn't get one (provided I'm recalling the correct person).

The whole debate seems silly to me. The renewals are tough to get, this isn't new, and as consumers (especially those of us outside Japan) we pretty much just have to roll with it.

Agreed, it is silly. But it doesn't have to accompany the other foolishness like random hostility towards forum members or accusations against reputable retailers based on speculation.

-b.

[Kicker773]

Hmmmmmmm......it's a forum and people have opinions but lets try to keep it civil. If not then I guess mods can pursue the next step.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Kicker773

[Kanedas Bike]

Kanedas is referring to people like me. If they made ten and I had the means I would buy ten and create a fleet. By no means am I scalper. Most of you know me already by now. = )

Like I said it was an error. Lets move on. The owner is generally responsible for his workers, but can you really blame him. That email alone proves that they will always get my business.

As well as for myself, though I generally don't post any pictures. I've made a lot of purchases with HLJ, AmiAmi and others and as long as I feel I get the value for my dollar then I'll keep giving them my business.

-b.

[Kicker773]

Ssshhhhhh ok got it. I should stop posting pics too as well so people won't know I have multiples (^,~)

Edited January 16, 2013 by Kicker773

[Rabidweezil]

Congrats Lupin. You brought down the mighty HLJ by uncovering a scalper/supplier operation that was going on under all of our noses. We all owe it to your "HLJ pro-scalper" topic. I'm sure at least 1-2 people actually bought your story and emailed strongly worded letters to HLJ resulting in a PR disaster for the company. I'm amazed how quickly they recovered and managed to stay in business despite the horrific backlash you brought upon them.

clap, clap, clap.

I'm sorry I doubted you.

[Kurisama]

Wowza - trying to steer this mood around;

I too after a beer late last night, decided to e-mail Scott - his response was as informative as it was humorous and courteous. I may have mentioned that I, and I quote "gots the Macross fever bad."...

But yeah - hate to have seen his inbox after this fiasco... Lol.

I wonder how many ppl just from this forum alone e-mailed him.

[xrentonx]

I didn't email nothin'. Innocent until proven guilty and all that...(this is Amuurrrika...er Japan...or something to that effect)

I appreciate other people taking the initiative over my lazy ass though

Edited January 16, 2013 by xrentonx

[Lupin The Third]

How were you trying to help out fellow collectors? I ask seriously because I don't see what your end-game was. More quantities weren't going to be made available as a result. Additionally, who are you to judge how much of any is too much? Many non-scalping collectors buy several copies of a given item. Take a look at the pictures of long time forum members.

Your pro-scalping thread was accusatory and not based on fact, only your view or interpretation of how things unfolded. You're hot about HLJ about how many of a particular item a given customer is allowed to purchase, some like myself are hot at Bandai over quantities produced, but the end result is the same. Throwing tantrums about how you're never gonna do this, that or the other don't change anything and only add to the opinion of non-level headedness.

Just relax.

-b.

PS just read your edit about what people can do with themselves. You're a class act alright. Go "help" some other fandom.

True that many of us do buy multiples, but with the way these are being scalped you're really going to go along with the claim that someone buying 10 of these isn't scalping? Ok...who lives in lalaland now?

Also did you even look at my other thread? Because the title HAS QUESTION MARKS IN IT YOU TOOL! I was questioning how HLJ could engage in selling habits that would allow for easy scalping. This is a perfect example of the braindead, public-school education level of stupidity that I've been attacked by for the last few days. You people don't even read what is written and suddenly think you're an authority on the subject. My "objective" was merely to point out to HLJ that it was pretty craptastic to allow people to buy up to 10 of these instead of limiting them and allowing everyone a fair chance. That was it...my nefarious scheme revealed for all to see.

As to my frak you comment. I stand by it. I've been completely attacked by most of the forum for the last several days for daring to suggest that we point out that a retailer's practices were to our disliking. Now HLJ is beginning to reply to emails about the subject and they are basically saying "hey, we hear you. we messed up and we'll try to do better." That is exactly all I hoped to accomplish from day one. But instead I got attacked by shitheads like you.

Congrats Lupin. You brought down the mighty HLJ by uncovering a scalper/supplier operation that was going on under all of our noses. We all owe it to your "HLJ pro-scalper" topic. I'm sure at least 1-2 people actually bought your story and emailed strongly worded letters to HLJ resulting in a PR disaster for the company. I'm amazed how quickly they recovered and managed to stay in business despite the horrific backlash you brought upon them.

clap, clap, clap.

I'm sorry I doubted you.

Wow...none of that is even remotely what I said, implied, or even remotely intimated. I never thought us voicing our dissatisfaction with their handling of the preorders was going to hurt HLJ in any way, shape, or form; nor did I want or have any reason to want hurt upon them. Maybe you should have read some of my comments before replying like an uninformed buffoon? Then you wouldn't sound like the complete imbecile that you do right now. Let's recap since idiots like you are unable to simply look a few pages back and see what transpired:

-EVERYONE in this thread blew up at HLJ's handling of preorders and were furious that HLJ allowed up to 10.

-I said I didn't believe anyone actually purchased 10, as everything on HLJ seems to default to 10, and emailed them to confirm that because I thought the forum was making an inaccurate claim about HLJ.

-HLJ emailed me back and confirmed that they did allow a max of 10 units.

-I posted their response and encouraged everyone to let them know that was crap and that they needed a better policy that gave more folks a chance to make a purchase (just like Amiami, CDJ, Hobby Search, etc)

-The forum completely blows the frakk up at me and makes all kinds of attacks on my character for no reason whatsoever other than the fact that I was trying to be helpful.

I started out trying to defend HLJ, shared what they told me with the forum and encouraged everyone to let them know they handled it poorly, and then got attacked for confirming what everyone was blowing up about to begin with! Stunning, like they say, truly no good deed goes unpunished. So yeah....go frakk yourselves! Especially those of you in the RVF thread who completely made crap up about me and tried to put false words in my mouth. I hope those of you who attacked me pay $500 for every Valk you buy from now on and they fall apart as you pull them from the box.

So yeah, go ahead and attack me some more. I definitely deserve it for trying to be helpful.

[jenius]

I vote for a thread lock

[Kurisama]

Agreed.

[Kicker773]

Let the name callin begin. Sits down and grabs some popcorn.

[eugimon]

this reminds me of those comic book crossovers where you had to read a dozen different books to get the whole story... but in this case it's a half dozen threads.

[Lupin The Third]

Me too. Let's lock it up!

Nahhh....I'm sure everyone would just prefer I get banned that way they can just attack me without rebuttal! Actually I find it strange that after 4-5 days people are still on me. Seriously just let it the frakk go people! If you stop attacking me I'll stop replying....GASP! What a crazy concept!

this reminds me of those comic book crossovers where you had to read a dozen different books to get the whole story... but in this case it's a half dozen threads.

Hahahaha...that is hilarious. I actually think that's what happened in the RVF thread. They attacked me for "bad mouthing" Bandai...which didn't even occur. I think they were confused about which thread they were posting in. But I like where you are going with this....Super Dimensional Macross Hyper Forum Thread Battle Crossover....featuring Gundam and Hello Kitty!

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, now that we have HLJ's response, I think there's little point in having this go any further.

[Lupin The Third]

I vote for a thread lock

Honestly I'll just stop posting. All that's going on is I'm pointing out the same thing over and over again to people attacking me, they ignore what I actually said instead creating these weird conspiracy theories, attack me some more, and then I rebut. So I will officially drop it for the good of the forum. Maybe someone can tell the crossover threads.

Edited January 16, 2013 by Lupin The Third

[David Hingtgen]

Whoa, whoa---I just closed the wrong thread and had to re-open, thinking that THIS was the "HLJ scalping" thread. Yeesh, what happened? I may have to move the last dozen posts from here over to there, then close THAT thread.

Can you keep your arguments to a single thread please, and not duplicate everything across the boards?

[Kicker773]

Heheh lupin has magical powers I didn't know that

[xrentonx]

Oh man. This was JUST starting to get good too

no it really wasn't

Edited January 16, 2013 by xrentonx

[Lupin The Third]

Whoa, whoa---I just closed the wrong thread and had to re-open, thinking that THIS was the "HLJ scalping" thread. Yeesh, what happened? I may have to move the last dozen posts from here over to there, then close THAT thread.

Can you keep your arguments to a single thread please, and not duplicate everything across the boards?

I am damned if I do, damned if I don't.

Heheh lupin has magical powers I didn't know that

Lupin has the magical power to make ladies' panties disappear...apparently it also affects the time space continuum of web forums as well. Plus I'm a fairly decent jewel thief also...maybe I should round up the gang and pull off a hesit at the Chogokin factory? Valks for all my forum peeps!

[Major Focker]

@ Lupin

to be honest i don't get how you interpreted my post as an attack on you, or that i had singled you out. have i done so in this or the other threads? or for that matter, have i attacked anyone in this forum ever, veiled or otherwise? check my post history please. because despite what you think, there are people here who agree with your point of view, and you are not alone in your frustration over the situation. so what i wrote about speculation and keeping a level head applies to all, not just you, despite what you may think.

if you felt slighted, i apologize. it wasn't intended, nor do i stand to gain anything from it.

but frankly, up until you started claiming you were being attacked, i found none of the earlier posts from other members were of that sort. perhaps a few were in jest, perhaps some were too veiled that i didn't pick up on it, but none of them deserved the verbal abuse they got for expressing a different point of view or for questioning what is fact or speculation.

so if i may ask you nicely: desist from making accusations about me for a perceived slight.

[Lupin The Third]

@ Lupin

to be honest i don't get how you interpreted my post as an attack on you, or that i had singled you out. have i done so in this or the other threads? or for that matter, have i attacked anyone in this forum ever, veiled or otherwise? check my post history please. because despite what you think, there are people here who agree with your point of view, and you are not alone in your frustration over the situation. so what i wrote about speculation and keeping a level head applies to all, not just you, despite what you may think.

if you felt slighted, i apologize. it wasn't intended, nor do i stand to gain anything from it.

but frankly, up until you started claiming you were being attacked, i found none of the earlier posts from other members were of that sort. perhaps a few were in jest, perhaps some were too veiled that i didn't pick up on it, but none of them deserved the verbal abuse they got for expressing a different point of view or for questioning what is fact or speculation.

so if i may ask you nicely: desist from making accusations about me for a perceived slight.

Apologies for misunderstanding your comments. I guess the barrage of attacks the last few days has me overly sensitive and I misread what you were saying. My bad. Let us engaged in the Macross Fighter Acrobatic Sky Dance of Love!

Edited January 16, 2013 by Lupin The Third

[Kanedas Bike]

Overly sensitive? Understatement of the century.

On topic, I wonder how many will actually be available at the time of release. Judging by HLJ's response I'm betting 9.

-b.

[namsdraug]

Seems like NY preorder is opened again

[charger69]

Seems like NY preorder is opened again

My accidentally second purchase

[Jasonc]

This has happened over and over with Bandai over what, the past year? I'm not going to blame HLJ for anything, nor would I even bother writing a letter to them. While it's great and all that they will "redistribute" the large purchases, Bandai has made the choice to make so few. If anyone feels the need to let their nerd rage runneth over, do it with Bandai. I'm sure they care, like having a bullet in the head. I've always been late to the preorder party, and managed to get them all so far, so it can't be the end of the world because of it.

Seems like NY preorder is opened again

Proves my point.

[Mommar]

Proves my point.

Yeah but people want to have their cake and eat it too. They want it available at the cheapest place possible. NY is considered evil now because they inflate the price. I always buy from them now, at least I'm guaranteed.

[eriku]

...my quest against the collar on the V2's battroid mode. Stupid collar... looks like a robo-priest.

This issue will be fixed on the V3.

Back on topic....Can't wait for this one. I got rid of my Alto to make way for it. I still wish Alto's would have had less tampos on it, more like the early photos showed. The final version looked way too busy to me, more like a NASCAR VF or something.

Edited January 16, 2013 by eriku