Question. Why on EARTH would you preorder something??

[Raymond F.]

Here's a question sure to open up a can of worms... I've always wondered why so many people pre-order items? To me i see no benefits in doing this in the slightest.

I'm not talking about special circumstances. I.e. Sideshow exclusives or customizer's offerings with limited copies up for grabs. In those cases it makes perfect sense. I'm talking about the standard, run of the mill mass market releases that will be all over the place at generally the same time. I.E Bad Michael Jackson.

Is it price?? I don't think so. Sometimes Preorder prices seem a little lower but you can always find it for that same price somewhere when it starts hitting the market.

Is it ensuring you get it first? Surely not. If you preorder something somewhere you're stuck waiting until they get their stock. They could be first but it's a lot better of a chance that they won't be. There's nothing worse than walking into your local store and seeing something you preordered off the internet and leave knowing you could have had it today but have to wait until wherever the hell you ordered it from gets theirs in. And then they STILL have to ship it to YOU after that so you have to wait some more. AND not only that but you've already spent the money on it, same as you would have the afternoon you walk into the store but you still don't have it yet.

Is it a budgeting reason?? Knowing how your money goes and where i goes at what time? Nah, it's nothing a piggy bank doesn't do. Only with a piggy bank you can break it open and get your cash back when you see something you want more than what you already preordered and wish you didn't.

I'm waiting for someone to give me one good reason to preorder something

 

[uscmhicks]

Price mainly for me in the past. Abc Express ( who I usually only buy my hot toys stuff from ) usually raise their prices once the figure is in stock and seeing as though I trust them if I have the money at the time why not knock a figure out of the way and get it paid for.

 

[galactiboy]

I don't always pre-order regular release items, unless its one I'm really worried might sell out. When I placed the order for the MJ Thriller it was uncertainty if the figure would be a large run or not... with others its to secure it from a dealer before they sell out of their stock; especially since you can usually get the 10% of MSRP.

Some regular release figures do sell out quickly, but I agree most don't and I typically try to gauge which ones are likely to be hard to find later on.

I have one local store that carries most of the 1/6 product from Sideshow, but with sales tax I'd pay I'm likely to break even and I do generally get stuff from an online retailer before the local store gets it.

 

[Nuka Cola Kidd]

Also, a lot of places don't get stock twice or dont do it very often, so if you dont pre order it and your slow at buying it, the item could go out of stock or production by the time your going to commit to buying.

 

[karamazov80]

Pre-ordering makes less sense for items that will eventually be released in large numbers (like most Hot Toys releases), but yeah, if you want to get it really early, you will probably need to pre-order (and from the places that get these things in early, of course).

 

[robbiethepainter]

I don't preorder anymore either. I have yet to see a figure sell out before it I can get it. There is a price difference some times so what I do is wait till Sideshow ships and preorder at that time. It gets me the price break but doesnt make me wonder when its going to get here. AlterEgo is who I use the most and the good thing is they dont charge till it ships anyway so its not that big of deal. But I dont use PayPal either.

 

[Centrocal]

Because the stores sell out. And then when they get them back in stock, price goes up. Pre-order is always cheaper. But the biggest reason I've learned the hard way: These things disappear Theres no guarantee it'll be waiting for you when you finally decide to get it

 

[thenammagazine]

Here's a question sure to open up a can of worms... I've always wondered why so many people pre-order items? To me i see no benefits in doing this in the slightest.

I'm not talking about special circumstances. I.e. Sideshow exclusives or customizer's offerings with limited copies up for grabs. In those cases it makes perfect sense. I'm talking about the standard, run of the mill mass market releases that will be all over the place at generally the same time. I.E Bad Michael Jackson.

Is it price?? I don't think so. Sometimes Preorder prices seem a little lower but you can always find it for that same price somewhere when it starts hitting the market.

Is it ensuring you get it first? Surely not. If you preorder something somewhere you're stuck waiting until they get their stock. They could be first but it's a lot better of a chance that they won't be. There's nothing worse than walking into your local store and seeing something you preordered off the internet and leave knowing you could have had it today but have to wait until wherever the hell you ordered it from gets theirs in. And then they STILL have to ship it to YOU after that so you have to wait some more. AND not only that but you've already spent the money on it, same as you would have the afternoon you walk into the store but you still don't have it yet.

Is it a budgeting reason?? Knowing how your money goes and where i goes at what time? Nah, it's nothing a piggy bank doesn't do. Only with a piggy bank you can break it open and get your cash back when you see something you want more than what you already preordered and wish you didn't.

I'm waiting for someone to give me one good reason to preorder something

Why do you call ahead and make reservations at a hotel? Or a busy, well known restaurant? Or car rental place? Why do you pay rent at the first of the month? It's all the same principle, to reserve it.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I think the budgeting reason is a good one. At any point I can log into the SSC website and see what I have coming down the pike. Could I do that with excell? sure, but as long as there is no cancellation fee I'll preorder it.

 

[a-dev]

Well when it comes to HT figures I am never faced with the scenario where I walk into a shop and see it there but can't buy it because I ordered it online. In Ireland theres only Forbidden Planet that would ever stock high end 'toys'. The situation did arise last year RE: a wave of Star Wars figures which I unexpectedly found in my local toyshop, that was kinda annoying but then I rarely go out on the hunt anymore, I order from overseas just about everything these days....so why not preorder?

And in the case of HT figures, yeah even regular non-exclusive MMS, there is the fear that it will run out of stock, with some figures going up and up in price thereafter.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I would imagine most people pre-order for fear of early sell outs. I think those HT Colonial Marines and the absurd amounts they were going for on ebay put the fear of God into everybody.

 

[Raymond F.]

I don't personally buy the reasoning of guaranteeing you'll get one. I mean I've never had a problem getting a non-limited release within the first few months it came out If i waited a year maybe. In fact anytime i've preordered something i end up hating myself because i always see it in the store or find a place that gets it weeks or even months before.

 

[Rorywan]

Great thread topic. I have only pre-ordered a couple of times, HT mainly. And that was a price thing. But you are right there is never a problem getting anything within a certain amount of time. In my experience anyway.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I don't personally buy the reasoning of guaranteeing you'll get one.

That's the only reason to pre-order. If people thought they wouldn't have a problem getting whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it without having to pay a higher premium, nobody would pre-order.

 

[thenammagazine]

That's the only reason to pre-order. If people thought they wouldn't have a problem getting whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it without having to pay a higher premium, nobody would pre-order.

And a good chunk that don't usually piss and whine about missing out because they assumed it would be easily picked up on the secondary market once released.

 

[Minimodel]

As Beyonce says"If you liked it then you should ve put a ring on it."

 

[xenofreak]

that is a question I've always wanted to ask because I am one of the few who rarely pre orders.

However, there has been several times that I didn't preorder something I wanted and later found out that the item was not put into production due to "lack of interest."

 

[EVILFACE]

Here's a question sure to open up a can of worms... I've always wondered why so many people pre-order items? To me i see no benefits in doing this in the slightest.

I'm not talking about special circumstances. I.e. Sideshow exclusives or customizer's offerings with limited copies up for grabs. In those cases it makes perfect sense. I'm talking about the standard, run of the mill mass market releases that will be all over the place at generally the same time. I.E Bad Michael Jackson.

Is it price?? I don't think so. Sometimes Preorder prices seem a little lower but you can always find it for that same price somewhere when it starts hitting the market.

Is it ensuring you get it first? Surely not. If you preorder something somewhere you're stuck waiting until they get their stock. They could be first but it's a lot better of a chance that they won't be. There's nothing worse than walking into your local store and seeing something you preordered off the internet and leave knowing you could have had it today but have to wait until wherever the hell you ordered it from gets theirs in. And then they STILL have to ship it to YOU after that so you have to wait some more. AND not only that but you've already spent the money on it, same as you would have the afternoon you walk into the store but you still don't have it yet.

Is it a budgeting reason?? Knowing how your money goes and where i goes at what time? Nah, it's nothing a piggy bank doesn't do. Only with a piggy bank you can break it open and get your cash back when you see something you want more than what you already preordered and wish you didn't.

I'm waiting for someone to give me one good reason to preorder something

To make sure I get what I want and for as close to original price or cheaper if possible.

Example, Hot Toys made a Begins costume for their Dark Knight line . . .

 

[Penn]

Mainly, to release some endorphins.

 

[niennumb1]

Why on Earth would I pre-order?

Easy! As Ol' Ronco would say, you can....

SET IT AND FORGET IT!


Seriously though it's nice to have it all done so you can forget about the hassle of finding it later if it does become hard to find.

Look at some of the other toy collectors out there buying lines of figures. No need to run around to the stores, they can just order the set once and forget the rest. Toys will be on his/her doorstep!

I have no problem with the idea of pre-ordering anything at all! No worry, no mess!