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Posted

So, given that most pre-orders start around 2am in the morning (on the West Coast), and last maybe five minutes, how does a person manage to be in the right place at the right time to place an order? I'm curious as to how the bulk buyers manage to purchase everything before anyone wakes up. Any insight...

Posted

So, given that most pre-orders start around 2am in the morning (on the West Coast), and last maybe five minutes, how does a person manage to be in the right place at the right time to place an order? I'm curious as to how the bulk buyers manage to purchase everything before anyone wakes up. Any insight...

I'm guessing the bulk buyers are in Japan, where it is late afternoon or early evening when preorders tend to go up, or in Europe where it is early morning. Those of us in the US just get the fun of staying up all night to try to preorder. Which doesn't always work so well for anyone who has a job, school, life and isn't just sitting around all day collecting a government check and not contributing to society. So yeah...it's kind of ridiculous...Basically those of us in the US have the option of staying up absurdly late to try to get a preorder, preordering at an inflated price (ie NY and a couple others), or paying after market prices.

Posted

Don't most people here use site refreshers that notify them instantly when the website changes in any shape? Even then, with preorders selling out in seconds, you would need an incredibly quick reflex time or you'd literally have to be sitting there for hours, hawking over the site, or just get very very lucky.

At this point, I don't bother with sites like AmiAmi or HLJ. I enjoy both of them, and use them for Yamato releases, but when it comes to Bandai, it's too much of a hassle. Nowadays, I'll just pay the extra 40 to 50 bucks at Nippon Yasan and save myself a meaningful portion of my life (lol).

Just a thought though, I don't actually know how people jump on those pre-orders so quickly beyond that

Posted

well, it's really just a handful of clicks (aside from typing in your username and password, and some browsers can even do that for you) if you already have an account with them. i've had a few impulse purchases at Amiami and it probably clocked in at well under a minute. you just have to be really lucky to be there in that 2-5 minute window when the preorders open. unfortunately, that luck has continued to elude me.

Posted

So, for the folks that were awake in the wee hours of the morning to place preorders...when did the items shows up on websites? Are we talking 2am PST? Or give/take a couple of hours? If I can narrow it down to within an hour it helps. At the moment I do not have a day job and may try for an RVF-25 order from these retailers (if I can time it right). Hey, I like a good challenge. And, I think we are days away from preorders on this toy.

Posted

So, given that most pre-orders start around 2am in the morning (on the West Coast), and last maybe five minutes, how does a person manage to be in the right place at the right time to place an order? I'm curious as to how the bulk buyers manage to purchase everything before anyone wakes up. Any insight...

Heck, I'd hate to have to hold an all night vigil to get one of these babies. "right place at the right time" hits the mark I think. I'd gotten home from work, logged onto the forums, found that the first round of pre-orders for the CF-171's had ended...almost stormed off in disgust but hung around and then I noticed a post from neoexcaliber saying that CDjapan had pre-orders up! My first Valk toy! Yeah!...still have to wait for it.

Posted

Heck, I'd hate to have to hold an all night vigil to get one of these babies. "right place at the right time" hits the mark I think. I'd gotten home from work, logged onto the forums, found that the first round of pre-orders for the CF-171's had ended...almost stormed off in disgust but hung around and then I noticed a post from neoexcaliber saying that CDjapan had pre-orders up! My first Valk toy! Yeah!...still have to wait for it.

I'll hang around 'til 2am, as long as I know "when" pre-orders will open.

Posted

I'll hang around 'til 2am, as long as I know "when" pre-orders will open.

Agreed. That's been the most frustrating part of this process is the "when". I can stay up all night if I need to, but the fact that we never know for sure when these are releasing makes it a huge hassle to get them. Espcailly when everyone elsewhere in the world has the huge advantage of preorders going live while they are up at normal hours. It's kind of hard to stay up all night, every night in hopes that a toy might be going up for sale for a ~45 second-2 minute window.

Posted

I'm not staying up all night. I'll just go to NY and buy one for more money. I went to college so I could make more money so I wouldn't have to worry a bout spending so much time doing things. My time is worth more than money and I'd much rather spend my time sleeping.

Posted
Agreed. That's been the most frustrating part of this process is the "when". I can stay up all night if I need to, but the fact that we never know for sure when these are releasing makes it a huge hassle to get them. Espcailly when everyone elsewhere in the world has the huge advantage of preorders going live while they are up at normal hours. It's kind of hard to stay up all night, every night in hopes that a toy might be going up for sale for a ~45 second-2 minute window.

I'm from Singapore and we're about 3 hrs behind Japan. Whenever the orders go up for these, I tend to miss them anyway (even with constant refreshes), so it's not like it's any easier for us I'm afraid :(

During the YF-29 Reissue PO, I refreshed it like every minute, and it was still sold out when I finally got it to appear.

Posted

....

During the YF-29 Reissue PO, I refreshed it like every minute, and it was still sold out when I finally got it to appear.

That is true, it doesnt mean when you are online At the right time trying to order one of these things, you have a good chance. I was updated to the minute the preorder was up and I got zilch for both the 29 and the 171.

Posted

I'm not staying up all night. I'll just go to NY and buy one for more money. I went to college so I could make more money so I wouldn't have to worry a bout spending so much time doing things. My time is worth more than money and I'd much rather spend my time sleeping.

Haha, good point. I don't mind IF I know something is actually going up as I'm a bit of a night owl anyways and my business schedule is very flexible in case I want to sleep in. But you do make a good point that paying $20 more at NY isn't a bad deal in place of missing out on sleep.

I'm from Singapore and we're about 3 hrs behind Japan. Whenever the orders go up for these, I tend to miss them anyway (even with constant refreshes), so it's not like it's any easier for us I'm afraid :(

During the YF-29 Reissue PO, I refreshed it like every minute, and it was still sold out when I finally got it to appear.

Lies I say! All lies! :p:lol:

That is true, it doesnt mean when you are online At the right time trying to order one of these things, you have a good chance. I was updated to the minute the preorder was up and I got zilch for both the 29 and the 171.

I've said it before, it takes a Data Port in the back of your neck and built-in Full Body Wi-fi to snag these. Just watch out for power surges and the Puppet Master/Project 2501.

Posted

Nippon Yasan is my solution to this mess. I'll take a minimal mark up (at least when they first go up) or a bit higher shipping to avoid tearing my hair out. All my orders with them thus far have been excellent, and they seem to be able to fill every pre-order they take

Posted

I'm not staying up all night. I'll just go to NY and buy one for more money. I went to college so I could make more money so I wouldn't have to worry a bout spending so much time doing things. My time is worth more than money and I'd much rather spend my time sleeping.

:lol: That sounds very sensible!

Posted (edited)

I guess my issue with NY is that their prices seem considerably more than the other online retailers. That $160 retail toy ends up being around $200-$220 on NY. Also, their shipping rates are double to triple the price of the other retailers. If I absolutely must have the toy I'll shop NY, but otherwise I cannot afford the price difference every time I want to buy a valk.

Edited by funkymonkeyjavajunky
Posted

If they want to gain my regular business then they should change what they're doing. Otherwise I'll use them sparingly while the majority of my purchases go elsewhere...

Posted

Eh, if it keeps them able to stock hard to get items that other stores don't have, I'm fine with them doing what they're doing. HLJ is gonna be my go to web shop in japan either way.

Posted (edited)
Lies I say! All lies! :p:lol:

But it's true! :(/>

But you do make a good point that paying $20 more at NY isn't a bad deal in place of missing out on sleep.

Anyway, I'd go to NY more often, but their price mark-ups aren't very encouraging.

Edited by SaitouSad
Posted

But it's true! :(/>

Anyway, I'd go to NY more often, but their price mark-ups aren't very encouraging.

I was only joking, I didn't actually think you were lying. I'm not a big NY fan either. I do see the point in paying a little more and not jumping through hoops to get a figure, but outside of the first night preorders go up most of their prices are insulting and no better than an ebay scalper. Plus if you're up late the first night preorders go live you might as well try to get one for retail or less at another retailer who actually has a little bit of scruples and doesn't fleece the customer within the first couple hours.

Posted

I was only joking, I didn't actually think you were lying. I'm not a big NY fan either. I do see the point in paying a little more and not jumping through hoops to get a figure, but outside of the first night preorders go up most of their prices are insulting and no better than an ebay scalper. Plus if you're up late the first night preorders go live you might as well try to get one for retail or less at another retailer who actually has a little bit of scruples and doesn't fleece the customer within the first couple hours.

Yeah I know, I was just playing along :D

I agree on your point though. I do what I can to score one of these (since I'm so late on the Frontier boat), and hopefully score one, and if that doesn't work out, I just move on to the next choice (the lesser of whichever evil stores jack up their prices.)

Ideally, I'd pay retail price at most. I just can't stomach paying the grossly inflated prices some shops offer (unless I'm really desperate). We'll see how that plays out when the VF-25F/S get reissued (if that ever happens any time soon).

Posted

Yeah I know, I was just playing along :D

I agree on your point though. I do what I can to score one of these (since I'm so late on the Frontier boat), and hopefully score one, and if that doesn't work out, I just move on to the next choice (the lesser of whichever evil stores jack up their prices.)

Ideally, I'd pay retail price at most. I just can't stomach paying the grossly inflated prices some shops offer (unless I'm really desperate). We'll see how that plays out when the VF-25F/S get reissued (if that ever happens any time soon).

Whatever you just said doesn't matter because your new avatar is so awesome it defies all logic!

Posted

Whatever you just said doesn't matter because your new avatar is so awesome it defies all logic!

Haha thanks. I didn't realize the forum now automatically links to my Gravatar account. So that popped in there before I even noticed.

  • 5 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

Images has surface folks, time for sleepless nights again? <_<

Edit: Amiami status "On sale soon"

post-7962-0-44897400-1362118028_thumb.jpg

Edited by Valkyrie2008

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