Amiami and Hot Toys

[V8_Club]

The only issue there is Exclusives. Sideshow is the only company that has Hot Toys exclusives with add on items.

 

[potato]

The only issue there is Exclusives. Sideshow is the only company that has Hot Toys exclusives with add on items.

for example?

 

[V8_Club]

Here you go : Raiden from Metal Gear with the extra sword. Loki with the Ether. Thor light armor. The last example is a totally different outfit .

 

[bandito]

Here you go : Raiden from Metal Gear with the extra sword. Loki with the Ether. Thor light armor. The last example is a totally different outfit .

To be precise: It's a different arm variant, not outfit per say.... and it also comes with a diorama base...

 

[koonfasa]

Shipping for a clone from SSC is $53 for me, otherwise it's generally $40 or so (for a Hot Toy or Sideshow 1/6), and I'm sure I've had $20-30 international when I started. Only time it's ever more is when it's on sale or with gift vouchers it seems...

Ami is cheaper for me after shipping most of the time, but only just and I miss out on any Ex's. Then you have to preorder very early and can't cancel.

 

[potato]

Here you go : Raiden from Metal Gear with the extra sword. Loki with the Ether. Thor light armor. The last example is a totally different outfit .

are those only available via SSC, or just for folks in America?

 

[bandito]

are those only available via SSC, or just for folks in America?

VIP from HK store, through SSC, through suppliers (with 20 to 30% hike), ebay resellers, and probably also through HT's Japan store....

 

[chipgau]

You're guessing

My theory is HT is simply now enforcing region restrictions (maybe pushed by SSC if what "chipgau" said is accurate). SSC are restricted from selling to asian regions, so maybe they feel that asian regions should be restricted from selling in the regions SSC are allowed. I usually buy from SSC anyway, even if it costs a bit more, because I like their return policies, & reward points. But I'm kinda sad to be missing out on what might be some crazy discount deals at Amiami, for figures that aren't selling well.

Of course, what you say Dave might be accurate, but we are both guessing.

I was a manager at a local comic shop last year when I reached out to SSC for a wholesale account. They really stressed to us about we would breach our contract with SSC if we'd offer discount of more than 8%. Then they mentioned that Amiami was offering discount of more than 8%, and told us not to do that.

I got HT The Boss from Amiami when they deeply discounted it. Can't beat a $80 shipped brand new HT figure! Guess SSC was angry that they were stuck with The Boss

 

[bandito]

I was a manager at a local comic shop last year when I reached out to SSC for a wholesale account. They really stressed to us about we would breach our contract with SSC if we'd offer discount of more than 8%. Then they mentioned that Amiami was offering discount of more than 8%, and told us not to do that.

I got HT The Boss from Amiami when they deeply discounted it. Can't beat a $80 shipped brand new HT figure! Guess SSC was angry that they were stuck with The Boss

HT japan has an odd hike-up price.... the standard Amiami's practise of 18 to 22% discount brings it on par with prices in Asia, .... it's the price almost every-where in Japan as well (except for HT's Japan store, I suppose).

Amiami has the practise to reduce to 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%.... even to 70% (best bargain that I can recall, a HT figure for 5k Yen or so...) for stocks that remained for 2 months or more .....

 

[kloug]

I buy a lot from AMIAMI, but I would never have bought any HT from them.

HT doesn't seem to sell well in japan, and it's frequent to see half-priced deals at AMIAMI, however they're generally too big for surface air lift, meaning the bloody horrible EMS & massive taxes in europe that will more than double the price. I suppose it may be a good deal to the US, though. & quite possibly EMS doesn't suck as much in the US.

I get good prices either in HongKong or europe itself (HT european dealers must be getting good deals, as they're priced right)

 

[rodriv]

I buy most of my hot toys from amiami. I email them the 2nd day i cant access the hot toys page on amiami. That was 2 weeks ago. I have 3 pending pre orders with them. They say they will honor them.

 

[V8_Club]

They said they will honor my previous orders too. However I'm beginning to be doubtful. Elder Predator has been available for some time but have heard nothing from them. Similarly people are getting their Robo sets and Batman armory sets and I have both on preorder from them with no notice...

 

[Taibhse]

Hmmm.. eBay Sellers in Hong Kong and Singapore are likely to benefit from this, since they do not have to worry about Corporate distribution agreements.

 

[V8_Club]

Just got payment request emails for both Elder and the Mark 42. Hope they send it for Robo and Armory soon.

 

[rodriv]

Same for me on my 42.

 

[potato]

The thing i hate about SSC is that they were the ones who started the trend of Exclusives, sure, they usually pair their exclusives with lesser items as a bonus but it started the trend for companies to have exclusives which comes with more than a "token accessory". Why can't they just release them as standard instead? The cost of adding small quantities of extra accessories certainly doesn't work well with the return, unless they are "sacrificing" themselves by giving a small group of people some high quality item at the cost of other buyers who have no choice but to purchase the normal version at similar price.

 

[Gully Foyle]

You guys don't seem to be getting it - these stores that are offering the figures at such a deep discount aren't getting them through legitimate channels.

To be fair, I don't think amiami one of the largest if not the largest online retailer of Japanese toys and collectibles would be receiving their goods through unofficial sources.

Agreed. The assertion by the <ahem> sideshow mod that AmiAmi's HT figs are "greymarket" seems specious at best.
Nice touch throwing some condescension at your board members, though.

preorders for HT figures had some discount to them, but they weren't that much cheaper than ordering them from domestic sites here in the states especially when you take in account shipping from Japan brings them back to the same price.

Not always true. For example, my Silver Centurion cost $244 complete with shipping from AmiAmi.
BBTS was charging $250 just for the pre-order. Shipping not included.
AmiAmi offered significant savings, if one chose to pre-order early.
The catch has always seemed that they have less stock, and thus sell out more quickly.

I suspect the real story here is Sideshow didn't like the competition, so Hot Toys elected to specify to which territories their distributors can sell.

Net result: fewer options for customers, and Sideshow gets to protect its domestic profits. Another example of the illusion of the "free market" and another reason not to patronize Sideshow.

But by all means keep paying ridiculous retail for those ten dollar lumps of polystone!

 

[SuperHobo]

Agreed. The assertion by the <ahem> sideshow mod that AmiAmi's HT figs are "greymarket" seems specious at best.
Nice touch throwing some condescension at your board members, though.



Not always true. For example, my Silver Centurion cost $244 complete with shipping from AmiAmi.
BBTS was charging $250 just for the pre-order. Shipping not included.
AmiAmi offered significant savings, if one chose to pre-order early.
The catch has always seemed that they have less stock, and thus sell out more quickly.

I suspect the real story here is Sideshow didn't like the competition, so Hot Toys elected to specify to which territories their distributors can sell.

Net result: fewer options for customers, and Sideshow gets to protect its domestic profits. Another example of the illusion of the "free market" and another reason not to patronize Sideshow.

But by all means keep paying ridiculous retail for those ten dollar lumps of polystone!

LOL, when I wrote that statement I thought I put "usually the same price as domestic prices". The current exchange rate could have also changed the current differences in prices. 1USD is 109.28 yen. We are in the golden age to buy high end toys from Japan right now.

 

[Lawrence]

Amiami has been one of the main online stores I've been using for toy purchases, but they have one of the harshest policies for damaged statues.

The material used for this figure is brittle in nature and there is a very high probability that several parts will break or be damaged during shipping to you. We ask that you keep this in mind when buying these products and repair them yourself in the unfortunate event that they arrive in imperfect condition.

Not sure how they would handle requests for replacement HT parts. Sideshow is pretty brilliant with replacement/return requests. Well, they have been for me anyway.

 

[rodriv]

My theorys on amiami. I am not an expert.
1.) Yen exchange. Pre ordered items promised at a lower or higher exchange rate.
2.) Maybe they have a fight with hot toys replacement for international orders.
3.) japans new tax.