Master Made SD-style SDF-1 "Makuros"

[Saburo]

Mine updated from 17th delivery to 18th? Must be coming by boat... Hahaha

[Roy's Blues]

Mine arrived today from Lunar. It's a very nice SD toy, and it looks great next to a Yamato SDF 1/3000.

Even my GF thought it was cute.

It's going on my SDF shelf, next to The Yamato SDF and some Joke machines.

Transformation is pretty easy. The only complaints I have are the removal of the 4 guns and the center rotating portion was scary stiff.

[xrentonx]

Just got mine today and had some minor issues. First, the box was a little dinged up. The shipping box was immaculate so I think this was a result of the shipment from overseas. Second, the toy itself has a little nick in the plastic when I opened it for inspection. I got two pics. It's not a huge deal but still...

I'll have more impressions on it when I play around with it a bit more but overall it's really nice other than the small issues I had.

[MacrossJunkie]

Sorry man, that sucks. I wonder how something like that even happened.

The plastic is somewhat on the softer side though.

The left leg on my pseudo VF-1J broke. I put on the alternate bent leg and it was so tight that when I tried to move the leg, it twisted the peg in half...

So you guys may want to be careful using the alternate legs. Maybe lubricate the hole first before putting it in. Hmmm... that sounds bad taken in the wrong context...

[xrentonx]

Yeah, be careful with the joints on the mini-Valks. They are tight and I can see people snapping them by accident. I'm thinking I'll just cut that nick off and do some fine sanding or something but someone needs to tell the manufacturer to be careful on the QC.

[UN Spacy]

[akteon]

Just got mine today and had some minor issues. First, the box was a little dinged up. The shipping box was immaculate so I think this was a result of the shipment from overseas.

I had a similar problem. The USPS shipping box was in great shape but the toy's box was pretty damaged on one corner. I didn't even risk opening the box to checck for damage.

To top it off, I contact Lunar Toy Store and they start giving me the run around saying their exchange policy doesn't cover box "imperfections" and that if I cared about having an undamaged box I should have specifically asked for one

[evilcat005]

I had a similar problem. The USPS shipping box was in great shape but the toy's box was pretty damaged on one corner. I didn't even risk opening the box to checck for damage.

To top it off, I contact Lunar Toy Store and they start giving me the run around saying their exchange policy doesn't cover box "imperfections" and that if I cared about having an undamaged box I should have specifically asked for one

I offer you solutions, and you rejected. Add to it, you didn't answer me if your going to open the box or not. You just straight up claim i have back customer service.

Below is my initial email responds to your complain about the box condition you have posted.

"I'm sorry to hear that you received a damage box. We ship out our package randomly as we unpack them from the case, and we check to make sure the one we shipped out is not damage to the point that will have impact on the toys inside. How badly damage is your box? Is the toy damaged? If the box is still factory seal then the toy itself should be fine. Do you intend to open the figure?

What we can do for you are 2 options.

1) You can do an exchange with us, and we can try to ship you a new unit, but you will need to pay for the round trip shipping expense. (Reason being that our return/exchange policy do not cover box condition)

2) You can keep the current units, and down the line we can ship you a replacement box for your unit if you still care and want it in the future. As of now manufacturer are not issuing any replacement parts until the figure have been circulating for a couple of months.

Feel free to maintain contact with me about this situation, and I will try to help you as much as I can.

Thank!"

After this email you just go ahead and express more unsatisfactory to my above email. Add to it I also offered you refund after you express your unsatisfactory. No one gave you the run around. Refund was offer after 2nd Email exchange.

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005

[akteon]

The "run around" is telling me that in order to get a replacement product I would have to pay for return shipping to you AND shipping back to me of the replacement.

After I showed you photos you still were dismissive saying that "imperfections" aren't covered. Look again at the photos, that's not an imperfection, that's damage. I still wanted to do business with you and had looked forward to doing business with you in the future, but you blamed ME for not asking for a un-damaged box.

[geodude]

 

I had a similar problem. The USPS shipping box was in great shape but the toy's box was pretty damaged on one corner. I didn't even risk opening the box to checck for damage.

To top it off, I contact Lunar Toy Store and they start giving me the run around saying their exchange policy doesn't cover box "imperfections" and that if I cared about having an undamaged box I should have specifically asked for one

 

I have the same issue as xrentonx and akteon. USPS box undamaged but toy box is damaged in multiple places. I also refrained from opening it before I was able to get a hold of Lunar Toy Store but here's the kicker: I sent an email Friday and they didn't even extend me the courtesy of a response.

This is totally unacceptable. These are NEW/MIB toys we paid for and we expect that to be the condition they would arrive in. I am still waiting for a response as of this writing. I didn't want to publicly call him out before and wished to settle this privately but this is ridiculous. If anybody has a direct line to him, please let him know he has some issue he needs to resolve. If I don't hear from him tomorrow, I am taking this up with my credit card company. Unfortunately, from his response to akteon, I don't think he has any intention of rectifying this so I'm expecting the worst. He doesn't seem to care about customer service and I will definitely take my business elsewhere in the future.

[evilcat005]

I will offer you both the same solution to your issues. as i stated. by the way Geodud sorry for not responding. I was setting up NJCC all weekend. I need break from all matter during weekend as well.

And same question I will ask as well

How badly damage is your box? Is the toy damaged? If the box is still factory seal then the toy itself should be fine. Do you intend to open the figure?

What we can do for you are 2 options.

1) You can do an exchange with us, and we can try to ship you a new unit, but you will need to pay for the round trip shipping expense. (Reason being that our return/exchange policy do not cover box condition)

2) You can keep the current units, and down the line we can ship you a replacement box for your unit if you still care and want it in the future. As of now manufacturer are not issuing any replacement parts until the figure have been circulating for a couple of months.

I don't mind people taking this public, i stand behind my customer support. People need to work with me on there issues, if not, then there are always full refund, long as the toy is not opened. Also, for the purpose of this form, i don't want to have this form end up with all argument between people.

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005

[akteon]

Frankly, it's none of your business if someone plans to open a toy or not. People are paying $100+ for a new collectable toy, of course they don't want a damaged box regardless of what they plan to do with it.

Asking someone to pay shipping x2 on top of the original price to just get what they already pre-ordered is NOT good customer service. Telling someone after the fact that if they wanted an un-damaged box, they should have asked for one beforehand is NOT good customer service. If you receive damaged boxes from the manufacturer, take it up with them - passing the damaged items on to your customers blindly is NOT good customer service.

As usual, the only recourse we have as consumers is to vote with our wallets. So assuming Lunar does actually give me a refund (I fully expect them to pull a surprise restocking fee or something at this point) who else is selling this toy that I can support?

Edited November 10, 2014 by akteon

[evilcat005]

Frankly, it's none of your business if someone plans to open a toy or not. People are paying $100+ for a new collectable toy, of course they don't want a damaged box regardless of what they plan to do with it.

Asking someone to pay shipping x2 on top of the original price to just get what they already pre-ordered is NOT good customer service. Telling someone after the fact that if they wanted an un-damaged box, they should have asked for one beforehand is NOT good customer service.

As usual, the only recourse we have as consumers is to vote with our wallets. So assuming Lunar does actually give me a refund (I fully expect them to pull a surprise restocking fee or something at this point) who else is selling this toy that I can support?

Because if you do plan to open the toy then the replacement box option makes more sense! If not then we work something out. Thats the work with me part, and thats the part at the end of the email "Feel free to maintain contact with me about this situation, and I will try to help you as much as I can."

PS i have yet to charge restocking fees to any one, so go for it Vote with your wallet and return it.

Try RK, and Chumingming. Maybe they are willing to provide you with free round trip international shipping because you have a dented box corner.

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005

[geodude]

I will give you the benefit of the doubt about your intent to reply. But here is my response:

[How badly damage is your box? Is the toy damaged? If the box is still factory seal then the toy itself should be fine.]

Just for the sake of argument, the box is damaged on two separate edges, with one corner crushed. I do not know if the toy is damaged because I HAVEN'T OPENED IT YET.

[Do you intend to open the figure?]

I don't think you have any right to ask that question. Whether I want to open it or not is my discretion. I might or I might not. The point is that these are collectible toys. With that classification comes availability and CONDITION. Damaged boxes lower the overall collectible value of an item. I'm sure in your line of business that you understand this.

[What we can do for you are 2 options. You can do an exchange with us, and we can try to ship you a new unit, but you will need to pay for the round trip shipping expense.]

I have so many issues with this recourse. I should not have to pay additional shipping for something I already paid good money for (and expect to receive undamaged) in the first place.

[You can keep the current units, and down the line we can ship you a replacement box for your unit if you still care and want it in the future.]

And what guarantee do we get that we would actually receive this replacement "in the future"? If a business can, in all good conscience, ship knowingly damaged items to paying customers, can you actually expect those same customers to trust said business to do the right thing? For all we know, we'd be asked to pay shipping the replacement to us, and we'd have the same issue as your option #1 above.

I have another option/suggestion for you, if akteon (or anybody else who received a damaged item for that matter) is amenable:

1) You put in writing that you will send out replacement boxes, with a specific ETA date, at YOUR expense, and

2) As an act of good faith, you provide us a partial refund immediately for our inconvenience (and in case #1 for some reason is not fulfilled)

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Edited November 10, 2014 by geodude

[evilcat005]

There will be replacement box, but there are no ETA, as I can't read in to time, and I don't make the box. Manufacture make the boxes, and make the decision when they see fit its good time to release it to me.

Any how, for the sake of ending this argument I'm going to process you refund as well. Heck, I will provide you and akteon return shipping label. I will Email the return label and return instruction to you both. Please send out the return product ASAP once you received the return label.

Return label sent to your email. Please send out the return product ASAP.

Thanks!

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005

[geodude]

When can I expect to receive the full refund (including the pre-order fee)? I'd like to place an order elsewhere ASAP as well.

[evilcat005]

When can I expect to receive the full refund (including the pre-order fee)? I'd like to place an order elsewhere ASAP as well.

Yup, your PO fees will be return as well. As soon as I received the return package, as the condition I shipped to you.

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005

[MacrossJunkie]

I think the lesson learned here is that collectors can be fairly anal about what they receive. It's why a lot of other stores sell toys with banged up boxes at a discounted price. They tend to ship out the ones with boxes in good condition (without dings and such) first to the preorders. Then sell the extra stock with good boxes at normal price and offer the dinged up ones at a discount for those who are willing to sacrifice the box condition to get the toy at a lower price. Otherwise it is normally implied that when one orders something, unless specified otherwise, they are getting a toy with the box in pretty much pristine condition.

Personally, I don't care about the box condition itself too much as long as it is intact and there is no damage to the product itself and related materials inside. I destroy any resale value on my toys with what I do with them which makes caring about the boxes pointless for me. But there far more people who sell or make trades with stuff in their collections whether it be action figures, dolls, etc and packaging condition can figure into that quite a bit..

[Kicker773]

ugh..i have two en route.. i'm a little worried....it was in chicago on friday and for some reason its onto wisconsin...wtf...i don't live there..

[xrentonx]

Yeah, I care less about the box (it's not in terrible condition) than I do about the chipped plastic.

[evilcat005]

Yeah, I care less about the box (it's not in terrible condition) than I do about the chipped plastic.

Did you get the chipped plastic one from me?

[xrentonx]

Yeah, it's from you.

[akteon]

What's funny is that evilcat005 does know that box condition affects the value of collectable toys, this is taken from the Lunar Toys website:

•Mint Box - Mint box are those boxes in the finest condition. Nice fine corners all around without any sign of damage.

•C9 Box- C9 Boxes are still very nice and very collectable worthy. There might be signs of minor dings around the corner, and imperfection, but it won't affect it’s over all apparent.

•C8 Box - No one can predict what will happen during shipping, and this is where the C8 comes in. C8 boxes have visible imperfection on the box, and some bend area. C8 boxes are still considered to be new, and the item inside the box is MISB. If you’re a buyer who don't care about the box condition, and would like to save a few bucks, C8 box is your best bet.

http://www.lunartoystore.com/pages/c-rating-disclosure

However, no where on the order or pre-order page is this set as an option to select this nor is box condition mentioned. Therefore one would reasonably assume you're getting a mint box.

What offends me most about all of this is frankly the arrogance that it's the customer's fault. That expecting an undamaged box is some unreasonable request, that we did something wrong. The offer to provide geodude and I return shipping labels comes off as doing us a favor to shut us up, not because it's the right thing to do - evilcat005 still doesn't think it was wrong to knowingly send out damaged boxes. Heck even the response to my asking the forum where else to buy this was just as dismissive:

Try RK, and Chumingming. Maybe they are willing to provide you with free round trip international shipping because you have a dented box corner.

I'm really disappointed because I was looking forward to not only this toy but the future toys in this line and was originally happy to find someone like Lunar to deal with. Now I'll just have to pay more to purchase from someplace else, even if it's overseas, that at least respects their customers.

Edited November 10, 2014 by akteon

[geodude]

What's funny is that evilcat005 does know that box condition affects the value of collectable toys:

I have no doubt about this. It is UNTHINKABLE for collectible sellers to not know about this. It just all screams a tad shady to me. I was honestly thinking of letting it slide if he had at least replied to my inquiry graciously and offered a partial refund or some extension of goodwill (e.g. waiving pre-order fees for future purchases, etc).

But the fact that I got no response for 2 days and after reading the discourse you had with him just rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, I thought mine was an isolated case (once is an accident and all that). Then I saw xrentonx's post (twice is a coincidence) and yet I still kept quiet, hoping to resolve this in private if possible. It wasn't until I saw your post that I knew I had to say something, if not just as a warning for anybody else in the same boat.

The offer to provide geodude and I return shipping labels comes off as doing us a favor to shut us up, not because it's the right thing to do because evilcat005 made a mistake.

Yeah, this feels all "stop-gap" to me. I thought what I proposed was fairly reasonable. If you received a damaged box, you ought to receive a discount/partial refund for it if you're amenable to that option. Every other retailer I know follows what MacrossJunkie has outlined, especially on the point of treating those who went to the trouble of pre-ordering from you.

Heck even the response to my asking the forum where else to buy this was just as dismissive

That was indeed a tad snarky. I wouldn't go so far as to call what transpired as downright unscrupulous (your mileage may vary) but it's definitely unprofessional. To be fair, it's my first time dealing with Lunar/evilcat005 so I can't comment on what his MO is (if he turns around and resells our returned items as new then that's just evil).

I'm really disappointed because I was looking forward to not only this toy but the future toys in this line and was originally happy to find someone like Lunar to deal with.

Me too. Very unfortunate situation all around. It's negative incidents like this that sucks the life out of collecting for me. And even when I do finally get this item from somewhere else, whenever I look at the toy it will always be somehow marred by this experience. And I was so looking forward to getting it. *sigh*

[evilcat005]

Yeah, it's from you.

You can contact me for replacement parts if u like.

[xrentonx]

I'll send you an email after work. Thanks

[Raya1823]

AAGGGHHH!!!!! Mine might be lost somewhere, it shows leaving NY on the 6th but no updates. The worst part another item went through the same PO on the same day and arrived with no issues. AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!

YAHOO!!!!!! It's says it will be delivered today!!!! ALL RIGHT!!!!

[anime52k8]

Jesus Christ, it's a frakking dented box, get over yourselves.

[Kicker773]

Hey man how would you feel if one of the anime figures you bought and saved your money for came dented? It's always easy to say things when it's not happening to you.

[Kicker773]

Unless my sarcasm radar is off

[anime52k8]

I've had things delivered in far worse condition. How do I deal with it? I Crack the thing open to make sure the toy is OK and if it is, I move on with my life because it's a box. Now if the toy itself was damaged, I'd expect a reasonable degree of customer service (which lunar has provided imo). What I don't expect is to be showered with free stuff because of a dented box.

[ChaoticYeti]

I've had things delivered in far worse condition. How do I deal with it? I Crack the thing open to make sure the toy is OK and if it is, I move on with my life because it's a box. Now if the toy itself was damaged, I'd expect a reasonable degree of customer service (which lunar has provided imo). What I don't expect is to be showered with free stuff because of a dented box.

I am not one to be upset over a dented box as long as the contents are ok, but some collectors are in it for the packaging as much as what's inside. Boxes get graded for a reason.

[akteon]

What I don't expect is to be showered with free stuff because of a dented box.

Showered with free stuff? I just wanted what I paid for - I didn't want anything free.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an un-damaged item, I even offered to pay the shipping to return the item to Lunar. Unfortunately they demanded I pay roundtrip shipping, when Lunar/evilcat acknowledged they sent out damaged boxes. Offering to split the shipping between the two of us shows I was trying to work with Lunar, but they were not willing to work with me to resolve the issue.

The Lunar Toys Website states that damaged boxes are worth less than un-damaged boxes, but I was charged the same as everyone else. Like I said, I wasn't expecting nor did I ask for anything for free, I simply wanted what I pre-ordered and paid for.

[Kicker773]

It was blown out of proportion because of the initial response and remarks. I don't think wanted free stuff. If it was a shipping damage I can understand but both situation stated that the shipping box was undamaged which means it was from the initial shipment. If I was a retailer, wouldn't you want to check the box before you ship it out to customers. I'm referring to the actual items box of course. Because wouldn't you know ahead of time that there will be complaints coming? I'm sure lunar wants to stand by it's customer service, but the response could have been handled differently.

Sorry but when I buy an item I am anal, why because these toys are expensive. Our perceptions might be different but I'm sure we both feel the same way about proper customer service .

[evilcat005]

I provide reasonable service to all, Long as people willing to work with me. I don't believe people should get damage toy, and that is why when people encounter defective product I provide replacement part, and if that don't work, I provide full exchange, or refund. From my first responds to any issues people might have, I stated "Feel free to maintain contact with me about this situation, and I will try to help you as much as I can." I ask those question regarding if the collector want to open the box is for collector to work with me. Because some collector keep it in box never open, and if i provide replacement box it would been pointless, and from that point we would of work something else out. Instead you reply with email stating i have bad customer service, and want a full refund, which i agree to refund and then you brought it to this form.

Here is your responds to my initial email attempt to help you.

"Just to be clear, you're saying that if I return the item since you shipped it

to me damaged that I would have to pay both return shipping to you, and the
shipping back to me?

I'm fully aware that most companies expect someone returning an item to pay
return shipping, but frankly I'm quite disappointed that you expect me to
additionally pay to have the item shipped back to me when YOU sent me a
damaged item.

These are collectible toys, part of collecting these items is the box. You
seem to understand this because on your site you list the difference between a
Mint Box, C9 and C8 boxes. Also your return/exchange policy mentions box
"imperfections" which by your own definitions would be a C9 not a C8 or worse
when there is major box damage.

Take a look for yourself, I've uploaded some photos of the box damage.

In the photos you can see it's not a minor box imperfection as mentioned in

your return/exchange policy. Since there was no damage to the USPS shipping
box, you can't blame them. Obviously you sent me a damaged item.

At this point I don't even want an exchange, I want refund so that I can take
my business elsewhere. I'm quite willing to pay more somewhere else than deal
with your poor customer service."

Bottom line I believe this is perspective, and if people's perspective can't be met, then a refund is due. Which I have provided in the very beginning of this incident. I stand behind my customer service, and i always will. I have plenty of customers who are very happy for what i have done for them, because they are willing to work things out with me, and let me know their situation. If your saying you situation is none of my business then I provide people hassle free refund.

Edited November 10, 2014 by evilcat005