Author Topic: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?  (Read 8337 times)

Offline Matt

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Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« on: April 22, 2004, 12:44 AM »
So, with all of the rumors running rampant that the impending Vintage OTC line is going to be so "limited", I've bought into the hype, and am now seriously considering preordering a case of the first wave so I don't miss out on anything.

Problem is, I've never preordered an entire case from anybody, ever before.

So, I need advice from you guys that have and do preorder(ed) cases.  

Who's good?  Who sucks?  Anything I need to know in particular?

I've found four sites so far that are taking preorders on VOTC Wave 1 (Entertainment Earth, ShopStarWars, New Force Comics, and Kebco), and the prices range from $76.95 at Kebco, to $89.99 at EE and SSW.

I love you guys.
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Offline obi-dad

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2004, 05:19 PM »
I've had good luck at New Force and find their prices very reasonable, but I haven't preordered from any site in a long time.

SilverZ

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2004, 02:39 PM »
I always pimp EE when someone asks. Their prices are a bit higher, but the customer service and promptness in shipping (when cases actually get there from Hasbro) make up for it.

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2004, 04:22 PM »
EE is the way to go for me.  The other sites get too much stuff canceled on them, then they have to cancel on me.  Not that it's their fault, but I am personally sick of dealing with newforce, aislesniper, kebco, d&s, etc.  EE from now on for me.

 :P

Offline TheBlackDog65

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #4 on: May 2, 2004, 01:01 PM »
Good to know this also. I have basically quite hunting, well, I still go 1x a week but not everyday anymore. So I now order online for the SW and the LOTR that I want.

Here are the options I have seen:

AFX
BigBadToyStore.com
EE
New Force

Anyone have thoughts on the above four online retailers?

A general question on pre-orders though. I usually find stuff in the stores before the pre-orders come close to getting shipped out. Is the key patience and/or is this normal?  
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #5 on: May 3, 2004, 11:34 PM »
I think in the past 6-12 months we've seen a switch.  In 2003, etailers were ahead of the curve and got product before it showed at retail.  Some time in the fall, conventional retail seemed to regain a timing edge, often by as much as a month or more, depending entirely upon where you are situated and the usual luck your neighborhood stores have.  So of late, etailers have been on the back end of the shipping scheme.  Patience indeed seems to be a key.

I'm losing patience with newforce.  I ordered the Yavin wave from them, as has a buddy from snowtroopers.  I could care less if it shows up as I have found it here in Canada and already received it from the great people on this board.  But no word from Rick and no response to my buddy's emails.  A bummer.  

I'm about to order the VOTC and OTC cases, presumably from EE even though shipping is higher.  I want to expect the product will arrive, with out harassing the board members here for a change :-\
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Offline jokabofe

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #6 on: May 4, 2004, 12:43 AM »
the last few cases i ordered from ee i ended up cancelling, because they were taking way too long to get them in stock and i found them at retail or got them from somebody on the boards.

the first few orders i placed with them were great. i was getting cases faster than they were hitting retail, like you pointed out. but then, i don't know what happened....

hey, maybe they'll be better now. maybe they fired all the employees that were holding up getting cases, and the ex-employees all got together and opened starwarsshop.com  ::)

Offline Scott

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #7 on: May 4, 2004, 10:35 AM »
I'd rank it right now:

EE
???
???
???Newforce
???
???
???Shopstarwars???

Brent laid it out pretty well, I was a diehard Newforce customer for a long long time but recently have been none too impressed with their service.  I've ordered pretty much everything recently from EE but they have been stiffed by Hasbro for a while now (and so has Newforce for that matter).  

I used my $50 giftcard on a case of the "Vintage" figures from SSW.com, we'll see how that goes.

Offline Ben

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #8 on: May 4, 2004, 02:51 PM »
I've ordered from BBTS many times, and have always been pleased with the results. Last I knew, they weren't offering cases, just sets of four for the VOTC.
don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #9 on: May 4, 2004, 10:31 PM »
That set of 4 at BBTS is a heck of a deal, considering the case mix.  Same price as SSW.com if you break a case in half, but no doubles or triples and Leia is guaranteed.  Pretty good deal.  I've only ordered from them once, but I was pleased.  Like too the set of 9.
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.

SilverZ

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #10 on: May 5, 2004, 03:41 AM »
Well, EE has been coming through for me. I'm caught up through the Endor wave now, and they called with the Ultra wave 3.5 on Friday, only for me to cancel it after fiding the Ewok in Walmart. No guilt, no drama, and pleasant service was what I got when I asked them to return it.

I'm happy in my little lazy slow getting to the stores world now. I now fully understand those fishermen who just take a boat out into the middle of the lake and drop dynamite in. Life is much easier this way.
« Last Edit: May 5, 2004, 03:43 AM by Tydirium »

Offline Scott

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2004, 03:40 PM »
BTW...I don't think an announcement has been made yet officially but we recently picked up EE as a Site Sponsor...

Offline Jeff

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2004, 04:36 PM »
On the NewForce front, they shipped the Star Destroyer wave last week to most pre-orders, but not all.

No sign of the Endor Generals wave from them yet :(


Once I get that one, my pre-order days might be over for a bit...

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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2004, 04:42 PM »
I'm quietly sitting back and hoping Rick forgot about my order of the Yavin case.  I ended up with 8 Tie Pilots and a pile of the others as well, so I sure don't need a case of them.  

I've ordered a set of 4 VOTC from BBTS, so we'll see how that goes.  I'm not planning on ordering OTC stuff by the case, so prepare for begging from the north.  I only need the new ones, the remainder I will wait and see if they show up in snowland.  

Scott, what's our discount at EE :-*
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Offline Ben

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Re: Best Site from Which to (Pre)Order Cases?
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2004, 06:47 PM »
I read the case assortment for the ANH wave, and it looks like Luke is 3x per case whilst Leia is 1x.

Hasbro's been taking lessons from Mattel and Toy Biz again.

So if I order a case, I still have to find a Leia at retail, and I'll have a extra Luke.

Swivel on it, Hasbro. >:(
don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk