The Energon Pub

News Credits: 5 · by **--B--** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:48 pm

If you are frustrated with getting some TF United figures, don't bother to order from YaHobby, they have it all listed as "In Stock" but they have canceled all of my orders. Twice.

To make a long story short, I couldn't pre-order any TF United from any of the regular online retailers due to budgetary constraints, but a friend said he would have a few available if I wasn't able to order them.

At this point, my friend fell through completely, and now everything is out of stock or crazy priced. :BANG_HEAD:

What a kick in the dick!

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:53 pm

There's talk of a second run, and I think the first wave is even confirmed? Considering how fast these sold out everywhere, would probably be stupid of them not to...

News Credits: 2 · by **bionic_radical** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:57 pm

yeah, now is the time to play catch up with Robot Kingdom. Pretty sure they have almost all of the first two waves still, with the exception of Tracks an Jazz. Grab what you can at the lowest prices there now, and double back and take your time filling in the gaps.

p.s. Grab Wreck Gar now.

News Credits: 2 · by **bionic_radical** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:57 pm

p.s.s.

Im not joking.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:06 pm

Yeah, wreck-gar is pretty sweet.

News Credits: 1 · by **Pontimax 01** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:33 pm

My frustrations with United were not in the availability, but in the price-to-quality area. My WFC Prime might have shiny red paint, but it was poorly done and is so thin its semi see thru, has loose joints compared to my 2 Hasbro WFC Primes, and just overall disappoints me that I paid nearly 3 times what he costs here. Probably the last time I deal with United, so there should be that many more for you guys. ;)^

by **Astronopolis** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:36 pm

i don't really get all of the hullabaloo over the Japanese toys. sure, they have more and better paint operations, better packaging, and that specialness about them because they're from another country, but i have to say most if not all of my Takara's have had worse QC than my Hasbro's. do yourself (and your wallet!) a favor and make do with Hasbro! of course, that's not to say that United Megs isn't the best damn Megatron ever!

News Credits: 905 · by **Mach** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:24 am

Frankly, the cost of United toys might be higher, but the selling price and the cost is quite far away....
I think is more of the retail sellers that jack up the price as well as those on ebay....

Blame who? Takara or seller? Or even collectors? As i have some info on the cost, i blame the sellers more than anything else...

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:18 am

Law of Supply and Demand. Btw, you should have pre-ordered waaaaaaaaaay back last December 2010.

And, Wreck-gar is indeed sweet ( I had a back up supplier).

As for what the heck is all the hullabaloo over the Takara versions? See it to believe! Jazz, Wreck-gar..........sweetness! I can't wait for my Scourge,Wheeljack,G2 Convoy and Drifto

News Credits: 2 · by **Stockade** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:28 am

I've has only 2 issues with Takara figures from the Henkie line, and none with the United. So far so good for me.

News Credits: 5 · by **--B--** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:21 am

fenrir72 wrote:Law of Supply and Demand. Btw, you should have pre-ordered waaaaaaaaaay back last December 2010.

And, Wreck-gar is indeed sweet ( I had a back up supplier).

As for what the heck is all the hullabaloo over the Takara versions? See it to believe! Jazz, Wreck-gar..........sweetness! I can't wait for my Scourge,Wheeljack,G2 Convoy and Drifto

I wasn't really sure I would have a job in January 2011, so pre-ordering really wasn't an option. I had a choice between pre-ordering United or having money to pay my mortgage. Guess what I picked.

by **SJ21** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:37 am

I wasn't really sure I would have a job in January 2011, so pre-ordering really wasn't an option. I had a choice between pre-ordering United or having money to pay my mortgage. Guess what I picked.[/quote]

Good choice B.

I stick with the Hasbro versions.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:52 am

Hey........... this is an expensive hobby and no one, Takara or Hasbro forces us to buy their wares no?

As for choosing between the two (Takara or Hasbro) or pre ordering otherwise, on line shops only charge you once the items are available. So how come mortgage payments suddenly come to play here? And the post was directed to the individual(bionic radical) who IShaving trouble finding them not on guys choosing between paying for a mortgage or his hobby. Those are two different things. :roll:

Again, I for one would also want the same price range and the removal of any cosmetic differences between the Hasbro and Takara releases as it was generally speaking during the G1 days, but this is reality, I can't have my cake and eat it too.

News Credits: 3 · by **bvzxa** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:05 pm

Well, I really won't buy all of this line. The prices are two inflated, but it's the buyer who drives the price up. If you don't buy, and it don't sell, then the seller will have to reduce the price in order to get rid of it.

That;s what happened to Henkei line when the toys no one wanted became cheap...remember Ratchet, and now Ironhide

by **pfcparts** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:07 pm

The middleman buys it in bulk and charges
what you would have paid for it fully
imported and adds his shipping on top of that...

He then jacks up the price more if he is
the only one with the toy left... He may on
occasion cancel your pre-orders and sell what
you preordered with him at higher prices...

Why deal with him?

Cut him out of the equation, and buy from
the sources yourself.

Alot of the times you can get figures sent
EMS and have it still be cheaper than "retail"
here and you would spend alot less then the
figures combined total here sans shipping...

Import them yourself; we don't pay duties.
Buy figures cheaper and have them delivered
earlier. If you really need to save, have
them send it SAL. Stop supporting these online
retailer/scalpers.

News Credits: 3 · by **bvzxa** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:51 pm

pfcparts wrote:The middleman buys it in bulk and charges
what you would have paid for it fully
imported and adds his shipping on top of that...

He then jacks up the price more if he is
the only one with the toy left... He may on
occasion cancel your pre-orders and sell what
you preordered with him at higher prices...

Why deal with him?

Cut him out of the equation, and buy from
the sources yourself.

Alot of the times you can get figures sent
EMS and have it still be cheaper than "retail"
here and you would spend alot less then the
figures combined total here sans shipping...

Import them yourself; we don't pay duties.
Buy figures cheaper and have them delivered
earlier. If you really need to save, have
them send it SAL. Stop supporting these online
retailer/scalpers.

Exactly!!! You said it.

However recent events in Japan have prevented many from getting them at good prices. My United Jazz was $27, and United Drift was $22, the shipping was still cheaper than what Jazz is costing now.

News Credits: 2 · by **bionic_radical** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:16 pm

fenrir72 wrote:As for choosing between the two (Takara or Hasbro) or pre ordering otherwise, on line shops only charge you once the items are available. So how come mortgage payments suddenly come to play here? And the post was directed to the individual(bionic radical) who IShaving trouble finding them not on guys choosing between paying for a mortgage or his hobby.

I never said that I was having trouble finding them or that I don't have them already. I was just suggesting to -B- what his next move should be to relieve himself of his current predicament. If I had someone I thought to be a reliable source fall through on me, Robot Kingdom would be the place I would turn to. It sounded to me like he was looking for a solution to the problem of his pre order falling through, rather than IF he should be pre ordering.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:41 pm

Peace bionic radical. The response of the mortgage payments wasn't address to you, just to clarify.

That's why it's better to pre-order in advance. If you want to ensure you get your items ASAP, pre-order from either of the following (nope, I ain't their agent).

1.amiami
2.hobbysearch
3.hlj

amiami,hs have riders stating (the former anyway) that just simple reservation won't assure you of an item 100%.But they haven't failed me yet (amiami tends to have the cheapest but also sells out fast). I also pay sal registered hence eliminating the "middle man" and lessens the shipping costs. As I mentioned before, the pre-orders were all sold out since December 2010.

Try checking their site from time to time (for all indications United's 2nd wave is already coming)

News Credits: 2 · by **Nemesis Destron** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:53 pm

I have heard the problems fans are having with RTS Wreck Gar. Anyone pick up the United version and experience any problems at all?

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:49 pm

headless-united-wreck-gar-from-misb-the-retailer-did-answer-after-5days-t75181.php

Check my thread on headless MISB United Wreck-gar. Good thing I had 1 in reserve 'cause the on line store I originally got him from can't replace him because he's sold out.(Just a refund)

by **sancho's revenge** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:28 pm

Nemesis Destron wrote:I have heard the problems fans are having with RTS Wreck Gar. Anyone pick up the United version and experience any problems at all?

none.

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTEH!

News Credits: 5 · by **--B--** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:07 pm

A little frustration buster came in the mail today. Still no luck with Jazz, and I bought Goldbee in the hopes of a new 3rd party head

News Credits: 2 · by **Nemesis Destron** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:37 pm

sancho's revenge wrote:
Nemesis Destron wrote:I have heard the problems fans are having with RTS Wreck Gar. Anyone pick up the United version and experience any problems at all?

none.

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTEH!

Thanks for the tip sancho's revenge and pretty cool pic!

News Credits: 7 · by **alldarker** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:07 am

fenrir72 wrote:Peace bionic radical. The response of the mortgage payments wasn't address to you, just to clarify.

That's why it's better to pre-order in advance. If you want to ensure you get your items ASAP, pre-order from either of the following (nope, I ain't their agent).

1.amiami
2.hobbysearch
3.hlj

amiami,hs have riders stating (the former anyway) that just simple reservation won't assure you of an item 100%.But they haven't failed me yet (amiami tends to have the cheapest but also sells out fast). I also pay sal registered hence eliminating the "middle man" and lessens the shipping costs. As I mentioned before, the pre-orders were all sold out since December 2010.

Try checking their site from time to time (for all indications United's 2nd wave is already coming)

I wouldn't go with HLJ. I had United Wreck-Gar and United Wheeljack in a multipart pre-order (along with stuff from later waves). Because HLJ do not lay away pre-ordered stuff, they ran out of stock again of these items while waiting for the more recent wave to hit (including Rumble / Frenzy).
You actually have to actively send them a request to send your stuff, even when you are still waiting for more items from the same order with them. And yes, that does cost extra shipping every time you request a part shipment of your order. :evil:

So even when pre-ordering you are not guaranteed your items. In my opinion, Hobby Link Japan SUCKS and FAILS BIG TIME, and I wouldn't order with them ever again (although I do still have a pre-order waiting for their re-stock of United Kup).

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:13 am

That's why hlj is on the third in my list (as in desperation option)

In both price and releases (they tend to get the last bunch from the suppliers unlike amiami and hobbysearch)

But you have to pay them stat(more expensive in shipping that's true)but iirc you can pay, then ask them to combine the goods.

Btw to their credit, my United Jazz came from them, together with my headless Wreck-gar. :WHISTLE: