Hot Toys - TMS032 - The Mandalorian - 1/6th scale Dark Trooper Collectible Figure

[CrankbaitJon]

Mine shipped out from Popcultcha on Tuesday, arriving Monday. Have one still on preorder from KGHobby but decided to get another when I saw Pop getting it in now (Now Gideon will have a flank!).

KG Hobby is the absolute slowest these days. I still don't have mine.

 

[choombaz]

Yeah not sure what’s happened to mine either. Bought from Go Figure who normally get figures in reasonably quickly but again Popcultcha have it in stock and they don’t.

 

[Tee-Kay]

KG Hobby is the absolute slowest these days. I still don't have mine.

Yep. Following a request, they are expecting (partial?) shipment end of December. Not garanteed we'll get ours then though.

 

[MyenShi]

Mine arrived today, just snapped a quick pic (they might remove the batteries now but I had the right size with TROS Kylo Ren)

View attachment 610110

I’m curious as to how IKON handled the battery removal?

Did it look like someone at the distributor or retailer level opened the shipper box and art box and took them out?

From having received cases of Hot Toys from Popcultcha, I know they get US spec figures so I imagine that was still the case for this figure.

Seems like a pain if someone at IKON or Popcultcha or the individual retailers have to open every box to take out all the batteries.

Would appreciate any insight you - or anyone else who bought this in Australia like @ObiGlennKenobi - could provide.

 

[NoenGaruth]

I’m curious as to how IKON handled the battery removal?

Did it look like someone at the distributor or retailer level opened the shipper box and art box and took them out?

From having received cases of Hot Toys from Popcultcha, I know they get US spec figures so I imagine that was still the case for this figure.

Seems like a pain if someone at IKON or Popcultcha or the individual retailers have to open every box to take out all the batteries.

Would appreciate any insight you - or anyone else who bought this in Australia like @ObiGlennKenobi - could provide.

Honestly it didn't appear like it had been opened at all, the whole opening process looked like any regular sealed figure, only you find the batteries missing. Like I bought the 1/4 mando from popcutlcha where they took the batteries out and it was appearent it had been opened with new tape and some accessories had moved around. With the dark trooper it wouldn't surprise me if they've gotten Hot Toys to send their stock without batteries from the factory going forward.

 

[MyenShi]

Honestly it didn't appear like it had been opened at all, the whole opening process looked like any regular sealed figure, only you find the batteries missing. Like I bought the 1/4 mando from popcutlcha where they took the batteries out and it was appearent it had been opened with new tape and some accessories had moved around. With the dark trooper it wouldn't surprise me if they've gotten Hot Toys to send their stock without batteries from the factory going forward.

So the shipper looked factory sealed? Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

If that’s the case then I guess they had enough time to make the figures Australia spec at the factory in time.

A little sad taking out the batteries is all it took to make the figure compliant (at least for now) after they clearanced out a bunch of figures when the law went into effect.

 

[choombaz]

The whole battery thing was badly handled. I can still buy cell batteries from the supermarket with those easy to rip open packaging but Popcultcha couldn’t sell figures with batteries behind five levels of plastic, cardboard and tape.

 

[MyenShi]

The whole battery thing was badly handled. I can still buy cell batteries from the supermarket with those easy to rip open packaging but Popcultcha couldn’t sell figures with batteries behind five levels of plastic, cardboard and tape.

Seemed like a mess from the get go. Feels like it disproportionally targeted the wrong places.

But that’s dumb. People can buy them at the market to snack on like chiclets and adult collectibles can’t be sold with them…

 

[ObiGlennKenobi]

I’m curious as to how IKON handled the battery removal?

Did it look like someone at the distributor or retailer level opened the shipper box and art box and took them out?

From having received cases of Hot Toys from Popcultcha, I know they get US spec figures so I imagine that was still the case for this figure.

Seems like a pain if someone at IKON or Popcultcha or the individual retailers have to open every box to take out all the batteries.

Would appreciate any insight you - or anyone else who bought this in Australia like @ObiGlennKenobi - could provide.

hey hey!!
just seen your message here @MyenShi
I've yet to order the Darktrooper but with Pops 20% off sale on now,I may yet.
Will update once I know.
cheers.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

Anyone still waiting for their Dark Trooper?

 

[choombaz]

Anyone still waiting for their Dark Trooper?

I’m normally the absolute last lol and I have mine. Where did you order from?

 

[CrankbaitJon]

I’m normally the absolute last lol and I have mine. Where did you order from?

KGHobby. They are getting slower and slower.

 

[choombaz]

KGHobby. They are getting slower and slower.

yes i have a couple of orders from them as well and they really are. if they don’t lift their game I’m moving away from them. finding a good retailer these days is getting harder and harder.

 

[Tee-Kay]

Anyone still waiting for their Dark Trooper?

You are not alone. Waiting for KGH to fulfill my order as well. As we get closer to Chinese new year and festivities last for nearly a month, i fear we won't have it in hands before spring

yes i have a couple of orders from them as well and they really are. if they don’t lift their game I’m moving away from them. finding a good retailer these days is getting harder and harder.

Stopped pre ordering from them last summer. The few figures i POed since were from local store and more recently i gave OSK a try.

 

[ObiGlennKenobi]

Awaiting Popcultcha to ship mine out.

 

[Tee-Kay]

KGH gave an update on FB about coming Hot Toys releases.

Though a few will be invoiced and sent before Chinese New Year (Batman Forever Batman and Robin, Doc Brown, Armored Deadpool or NWH Doctor Strange) no Star Wars figure will make the cut.

Dark Trooper, Bo-Katan, Echo, Blurrg and Blurrg & Mando set are all expected to be in stock in February.

 

[sithlord13]

KGH gave an update on FB about coming Hot Toys releases.

Though a few will be invoiced and sent before Chinese New Year (Batman Forever Batman and Robin, Doc Brown, Armored Deadpool or NWH Doctor Strange) no Star Wars figure will make the cut.

Dark Trooper, Bo-Katan, Echo, Blurrg and Blurrg & Mando set are all expected to be in stock in February.

Kghobby defintely seem to be at the back of the q at the mo.

 

[Tee-Kay]

Kghobby defintely seem to be at the back of the q at the mo.

Seeing the delays on some of those references (more than 6 months on the Dark Trooper or Grogu set), i'm wondering if they are actually letting Hot Toys know about customers constant inquiries about availability. This situation can't be good for their business. Pretty sure PO numbers must have fallen quite a bit in the last few months.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

They should raise the issue with HT. I used to buy from them a lot. I stopped recently because of their speed. They also said Dark Trooper was Nov and then Dec before saying it is now Feb.

 

[choombaz]

I’m wondering if Kghobby’s physical location move in 2022 has something to do with it. They have always been 1-2 months behind, but since that move the delays have increased significantly.