Deluxe Series 1 - Jabba's Palace

[Outkast34]

I went with NCSX for a pre-order

[JediJman]

NCS has their pre-order up:

NCS Deluxe Series 1

Again, it's higher than HLJ at $175.90, but the domestic shipping will probably end up being less.  Decisions, decisions...

Sweet.  I'm going to go with NCS for this I think, but am going to wait to see if Jeff can get us a group rate.  I thought about pre-ordering anyway just in case, but that could hurt the chance for group discounts.  If too many pre-orders come in they may not feel the need to offer a group rate.  Likewise if they just see a bunch of cancelled pre-orders replaced with JD group rate orders, they're probably not going to offer a deal again.  Hope we can get a better deal!

[DSJ™]

$655 plus for a MC... ordered!  

Can always change my mind when I see what NCSX charges.  

Well I placed an order yesterday with HLJ on a MC for $655. plus shipping. Now the NCSX has the preorder up for $703.60 plus shipping I way the odds for a better route.

HLJ: MC $655. + Ship $60. = $715.00 US. The shipping is based on what I paid for a Series 10 MC last year & that could go up.

NCSX: MC $703.60 + Ship $41.18 = $744.78 US via USPS Priority Mail Int.

 $744.78
-$715.00
------------
$29.78    

A $30.00 US difference, cheaper at HLJ. I am also taking 2 things into account on with whom to go with. Up here in Canada we pay a customs duty fee so ordering from either place I will get hit with that but then again maybe not, it's a hit & miss with Canada Post & thus far it has been good, not really a biggie for me.

This is the big factor tho & I'm sure for those who were around when Series 4 came out & just before we found out about Robby.jp will remember. I placed an order more a MC from HLJ. I have odered from them in the past with no problems but this one had my heart racing.

Instead of a factory sealed MC, HLJ sent 4 boxes of 12 in another box which was bigger than a MC box. I had no idea what to expect but I did fear the worse. Upon opening the boxes & checking things out, it turned out that HLJ opened a MC & plastic wrapped the 4 boxes & shipped them in a larger box. It all turned out well in the end but if it was to ever happen again, I have no choice but to return them back to HLJ for a refund & no doubt I would be screwed getting a sealed MC as by that time they would be discontinued.

Here are pics of what you would get in a MC & what I go from that Series 4 back in 2005.

Sealed MC:



Opened MC from above:



That is what you should get from the Medicom factory.

This is what I got from HLJ:





Definitely not a FSMC, an opened MC & repacked.

Now, since Robby.jp sold out his business (RIP), we scrambled to find another source, NCSX was found. I went back to HLJ last year for Series 10. All was good with both places, NCSX worked out very well for Jeff thus far. HLJ cancelled his massive order which was very strange but my order went through.

Now what I am getting at here is, do I take a chance with HLJ again for a cheaper price & hope like hell it's a sealed MC or do I pay the $30. more & know that I wll get a sealed MC?

With HLJ, you can place an order & cancel anytime & no charge till they get them & the item is processed so that is nice to hold onto. With NCSX, looks like the same so nice to have that too.

I am going to take a gamble here & go with NCSX for the extra bit. Untill I hear back from HLJ that they will guarantee me a FSMC, NCSX wins IMHO.

Please note that I have nothing against HLJ, I have ordered many items from them & would do it again in a heart beat but that Series 10 fiasco just sits in the back of my head especially since this Series has will...

include a pop-up cardboard display which is designed to look like Jabba's palace in each Master Carton of 4 factory cases.

Hate like hell to pay uber $$$ for this set & expect a FSMC & when it arrives, it's the other way around with no display insight.  

Sorry for the ramble but I'm sure you can see what worries me.  

I hope this Series pans out well for all of you & if Jeff can get a deal, that would be awesome.

Bloody Medicom, they keep giving me a reason why I love to hate them.  

[I Am Sith]

HLJ: MC $655. + Ship $60. = $715.00 US. The shipping is based on what I paid for a Series 10 MC last year & that could go up.

NCSX: MC $703.60 + Ship $4.68 = $744.78 US via USPS Priority Mail Int.

DSJ, you may want to check your Canadian math again.  Doesn't $703.60 + $4.68  = $708.28?  It does in the US...  Not sure where the $41.18 amount came from that you added to the MC price to get $744.78...

[DSJ™]

Fixed. The math is right but this keyboard on my laptop is a pain in the ass, keeps missing the odd key when I type. 

[Dan]

Good points Dale, there is a lot to take in to consideration, and many questions remaining.

I'm going to sit tight for a while. If there is one thing recent kubrick series have shown, it is that waiting doesn't come with too much of a penalty. I want more information on the series, pack-ins, chases, displays, and who knows what else before I decide what to get and where to get it from.

Medicom sure knows how to keep it exciting...

[JediJman]

The re-packing issue is what bothers me about ordering outside of NCS.  While I have not ordered a MC, I did order two boxes of S10 and 2 boxes of the Fett series from them.  (1 of each for me and 1 of each for Jay).  Out of those four boxes, we landed a Gree Chase, an L-Slot Fett, and a 4-arm Grievous. 

For me, it comes down to a matter of trust.  If there is any chance at all the boxes are going to be tampered with to lower the chance of my getting a chase, then I might as well just go the Ebay route to get the basic sets and chases I want.  NCS did right by me last time, so I'm probably going to stick with them again on this, especially if we can get a group order pulled together to lower the cost.  In fact, pending a group cost I might be willing to go for two boxes with NCS instead of one to increase my odds and help prove the value of partnering with JD.

[Morgbug]

The re-packing issue is what bothers me about ordering outside of NCS.  While I have not ordered a MC, I did order two boxes of S10 and 2 boxes of the Fett series from them.  (1 of each for me and 1 of each for Jay).  Out of those four boxes, we landed a Gree Chase, an L-Slot Fett, and a 4-arm Grievous. 

For me, it comes down to a matter of trust.  If there is any chance at all the boxes are going to be tampered with to lower the chance of my getting a chase, then I might as well just go the Ebay route to get the basic sets and chases I want.  NCS did right by me last time, so I'm probably going to stick with them again on this, especially if we can get a group order pulled together to lower the cost.  In fact, pending a group cost I might be willing to go for two boxes with NCS instead of one to increase my odds and help prove the value of partnering with JD.

But your situation with NCS regarding the chase figures is luck, nothing more.  I've ordered four single boxes over time, either from NCS or HLJ and have ended up with two chase figures in total.  Strangely that works out to the exact odds Medicom has.  Your order has a higher ratio but the sample size is too small to actually matter statistically.  You are facing a 1/2 shot in ordering a box that you will end up with some chase figures, that is all.  HlJ doesn't tamper and seems to realistically be the only other retailer.  Granted they repacked Dale's box, but I suspect they felt the other box was more secure for overseas shipping, nothing more than that.   

I get your point about a tampered box on ebay.  I've sold unopened boxes on ebay before but honestly those were the boxes I knew had nothing in them from the way Master Case openings played out here online.  I told anyone that asked that there would be no chase figure, so didn't mislead anyone. 

I just don't see any great saving coming from NCS.  They are a retailer attempting to make money.  They are largely the only domestic seller of master cases or boxes of Kubricks.  While the market appears large based on the population here at JD, we're realistically what?  20-30 guys?  That comprises what percentage of their business?  Sorry to be a negative nelly, but I don't see any great merit coming out of the request. 

[I Am Sith]

You are facing a 1/2 shot in ordering a box that you will end up with some chase figures, that is all.  HlJ doesn't tamper and seems to realistically be the only other retailer.

To further your point, I ordered Series 10 from them and received the Grievous chase and ordered the BFC and received no chases...  50% success rate as well...

They are largely the only domestic seller of master cases or boxes of Kubricks. 

There's another domestic e-tailer that will be taking pre-orders for these and has posted as such over at KubrickNation but I'm not really sure whether they will be offering untampered MC's and randomized boxes of 12 or not.  For anyone interested the name of the store is Toys+Life and they are based out of NY.  They have a bunch of Kubricks and Be@rbricks for sale currently.

[efranks]

I like the looks of the Jabba's palace backdrop but you guys are right, it's quite similar to the Hasbro set.  Still, pretty cool.  The way it's packed, maybe less cool.

I don't think I'm going to be buying the Jabba set, but I'm interested to see the details on how the build-a-figure is packed as that'll give us an idea of how the AT-ST is shipping.  That set, Hoth, I am interested in.  We'll also find out if there are any chase figures when the Jabba set gets released.  I'm assuming there will be, but confirmation is always nice.

I was happy with my order at NCS for the Fett Collection so I'll probably go back to them for the Hoth set when it comes.  It'll probably depend on how the boxes and parts are packed, though, as it might be more economical to buy a set than a box.  We'll see, I guess.

   E...

[JediJman]

But your situation with NCS regarding the chase figures is luck, nothing more. 

Oh of course.  I never meant to imply that anyone would definitely get chase figures if they order from NCS.  I just don't have experience ordering Kubes from a merchant other than NCS, so I'd rather stick with the company that has done right by me.  Repacking of boxes (even if it was to protect them) does not sit well with me knowing how closely people watch box and carton chase placement. 

As for statistics, here was the breakdown for the Fett series.  Out of 15 NCS boxes, 10 had either a rare or commone chase.  I will take that over the 50% odds we've seen elsewhere.   

chap - L-Slot chase (NCS)
bigj22 (box 1) - L-Slot chase (NCS)
Jeff (box 1) - L-Slot chase (NCS)
Justin - L-Slot chase (NCS)

Jeff (box 2) - common chases (NCS)
bigj22 (box2) - common chases (NCS)
knashdx - common chases (NCS)
Dan - common chases (NCS)
Stewbacca-common chases (NCS)
Jayson - common chases (NCS)

Scott - no chases (NCS)
evenflow - no chases (NCS)
efranks - no chases (NCS)
I Am Sith - no chases (NCS)
Outkast34 - no chases (NCS)
Morgbug - no chases (Mediacom)

[Jeff]

Who wants more info on Deluxe Series 1 - Display Base and Build-a-Jabba?  I knew you did... 

For those too lazy to click and read...
- The Display Base is not intended for sale, but rather to be used as a promo item by shop owners
- Build-a-Jabba is 6 pieces, one with each figure. If you buy the basic 6, you should have everything you need to build one.
- Secret means secret, duh!

[chap]

I brought this up last year, but what would be involved to get a wholesale deal through HLJ?  What is the minimum order Jeff? It seems to me when kubricks drop there is more than enough interest in at least a few master cases worth. .

[efranks]

I can see why Medicom is doing the cardboard palace as a sales promo, but man, that's cool enough that if they packed one in each box it would probably actually get me to buy one.

Thanks for the info, Jeff.  Sounds like when the Hoth set rolls around I'm probably just going to buy a box, take  a shot at a chase figure, get a set and build the AT-ST. 

   E...

[DSJ™]

I brought this up last year, but what would be involved to get a wholesale deal through HLJ?  What is the minimum order Jeff? It seems to me when kubricks drop there is more than enough interest in at least a few master cases worth. .

Ahh, no. You gotta be an actual business & as for a website, this is a forum not a retail online store so I can't even see that happening even if it was suggested for members to get a bulk discount. Jeff had his bulk order cancelled last time as I mentioned a few posts back & that can happen again.

HobbyLink Japan offers wholesale pricing to dealers/resellers who meet some basic requirements

You have an actual business, i.e. your own store, distributorship or website (reselling on eBay or similar does not qualify);
You are prepared to make purchases of at least 180,000 yen minimum per order (smaller orders are possible, but discounts will be lower);
You are prepared to make full payment prior to shipment; and
You are prepared to conduct business by the Internet only (we will not use faxes for routine contact).

If you believe you meet these requirements and want to discuss with us further the possibility of beginning wholesale purchases from HLJ, please send an e-mail to tell us your name, the name of your business, a description of your business, and what sorts of products you're interested in.

HLJ is sorta like Robby.p was, you have to be a actual business for wholesale pricing but they also sell to the public at the rastes given. With Robby, some of slipped under the wire & got in & others had questions asked about what business they operated & so much for that.