The Energon Pub

[Oberon22]

International collectors, are you considering ordering your TFs from TFSource? Then DON'T.

I placed an order for a Masterpiece Ramjet way back in February of this year.

REASON NUMBER ONE YOU SHOULD NOT ORDER: Said Takara "recall" of the stock is a LIE.

As most of you know, TFSource claimed that they sent their stock back to Takara. I emailed Takara Tomy multiple times and they confirmed that this "recalling" never happened. TFSource hired some kid to open the MISB toys and fix the shoulders himself and that's it...

And they left us there waiting and waiting for the Ramjets to be "sent back from Takara". I kept waiting for FOUR WHOLE MONTHS until finally I got a notification that my Ramjet was available.

REASON NUMBER TWO YOU SHOULD NOT BUY: They treat international customers badly

After I paid them with my credit card and the transaction went as smooth as it gets (my bank said they did an address verification and everything was fine) - and again this was after leaving me there waiting for four months - they said they would cancel the transaction for racist reasons: they said they don't trust a customer from my geographical location paying with a credit card (later they claimed that they do this to ALL international customers on their first transaction). As a result of their playing with my bank I was fined a currency conversion fee of €15,77 that they DON'T WANT TO REFUND ME!!!!!!!!!!

REASON NUMBER THREE YOU SHOULD NOT BUY: Their "Discounted" international shipping is another LIE

I bought Ramjet from Big Bad Toystore (really professional and AWESOME people!!!) and the full shipping cost that BBTS charged me was in fact LESS than the "discounted" shipping from TFSource!!! And yes, shipping method was the same: USPS Express Mail.

So, if you are an international customer and don't know where to shop for your masterpiece needs, keep in mind what happened to me.

[fenrir72]

International collectors, are you considering ordering your TFs from TFSource? Then DON'T.

I placed an order for a Masterpiece Ramjet way back in February of this year.

REASON NUMBER ONE YOU SHOULD NOT ORDER: Said Takara "recall" of the stock is a LIE.

As most of you know, TFSource claimed that they sent their stock back to Takara. I emailed Takara Tomy multiple times and they confirmed that this "recalling" never happened. TFSource hired some kid to open the MISB toys and fix the shoulders himself and that's it...

And they left us there waiting and waiting for the Ramjets to be "sent back from Takara". I kept waiting for FOUR WHOLE MONTHS until finally I got a notification that my Ramjet was available.

REASON NUMBER TWO YOU SHOULD NOT BUY: They treat international customers badly

After I paid them with my credit card and the transaction went as smooth as it gets (my bank said they did an address verification and everything was fine) - and again this was after leaving me there waiting for four months - they said they would cancel the transaction for racist reasons: they said they don't trust a customer from my geographical location paying with a credit card (later they claimed that they do this to ALL international customers on their first transaction). As a result of their playing with my bank I was fined a currency conversion fee of €15,77 that they DON'T WANT TO REFUND ME!!!!!!!!!!

REASON NUMBER THREE YOU SHOULD NOT BUY: Their "Discounted" international shipping is another LIE

I bought Ramjet from Big Bad Toystore (really professional and AWESOME people!!!) and the full shipping cost that BBTS charged me was in fact LESS than the "discounted" shipping from TFSource!!! And yes, shipping method was the same: USPS Express Mail.

So, if you are an international customer and don't know where to shop for your masterpiece needs, keep in mind what happened to me.

Clarification

Once said item was available they refused to sell to you? So they charged your card but in mid transaction refused to deliver?

I am not shilling for them but I did get a cold shoulder treatment on another American based online store during the old prehistoric years before PayPal. Something about the country I am based in being a haven for scumbags so the CC isn't good.So did you make an inquiry with them first? Always do that before doing a transaction. Same with ebay.

That being said, the they're charging you then refusing(?) plus a currency conversion fee is just plain .Though PayPal has that "fee" but not €15,77 which is highway robbery!

[Oberon22]

To clarify:

1) I preordered in February giving them both my card number and address. The order was accepted normally. They sent me an e-mail saying that my card would be charged once the item becomes available. there was no indication that they had an issue with my card or billing address.

2) The item became available four months later. THEY TOOK THE MONEY FROM MY CARD. By this I mean my card was actually CHARGED (not just authorized) and they even sent me an email confirming that the item would ship soon.

3) Two days later they informed me that they believed (by their own admission for racist reasons based on my geographical location and NO other reason whatsoever) that the transaction was fraudulent.

4) They returned the money but because they gave me a "credit" rather than an actual "refund" (bank terminology) - I was charged a €15,77 currency conversion fee from my bank.

5) When I wrote to them they basically said they don't care what my bank did because of their irresponsible and unprofessional business conduct and that they were "happy" that I was pleased with the Ramjets I got from BBTS.

PS: Also for the record, I live in Malta which is a country in WESTERN Europe member of the European Union with one of the lowest credit card fraud rates in the EU (way lower than Italy or Spain as an example).

[fenrir72]

Well that sucks infinity! Who wouldn't be pissed with that. If you dotted the "i" and crossed the "t" then TFSource doesn't deserve your cash.

Another issue about being "racist", well there is a Japan based store which I also used to use direct CC payments. Well, just like yours, they used to accept all my CC transactions. I had a verrrrrrrrrrry awesome credit history but suddenly they are requesting a 3D secure doohickey which my bank does not offer. To make it short, I can pay via PayPal on some items but can't on CC which is the source of PayPal of mine. Despite pleading with them and reminding them of my awesome record, the company mentioned that their "clearing agent' was the one who insisted because of the high fraud in the country where I am assigned.

I feel for you kimosabe Almost shame sh*tty treatment too but mine was from a store which I had excellent dealings.

[MemphisR56]

-New member shows up
-Posts new topic with obvious highly click-bait title
-grand total of 2 posts, only on this topic
-shits all over one product/service
-sings the praises of another product/service in direct competition with it

Now I'm not going to straight up call you a shill here, but you must admit, this looks highly suspect.

Do you have any email paper-trail to verify this poopy experience?

[Oberon22]

I am sorry to hear about your experience Fenir That's sad and unfair.

About me being a new user : yes, I confess, I signed up on this and another 2-dozen forums to write about my story because I admit I am p**sed that they left me waiting FOUR MONTHS accepting my credit card and billing address only to cancel my order when the item finally became available for no valid reason and having me pay a €15,77 fee. Here's my Facebook profile to see that I am real: https://www.facebook.com/arthur.burlo

About click bait title I do SEO for a living and it's a bit of a "professional handicap". I am sorry if you feel that's offensive.

I am angry at TFSource (or rather furious) so yes, I wish them nothing but BAD karma. Am I a bad, angry person? Well, again they left me waiting for FOUR MONTHS telling LIES about the products being sent back to Takara and then they refused to ship the item I had been waiting for. In the end all I got was a €15,77 charge and an email in which they mocked me and said "they were glad I was happy with the Ramjets I got from BBTS". Would you not be angry if you were in my shoes?

BBTS took my order, shipped and delivered my Ramjets in less than a week and they treated me with RESPECT, so I am grateful to them despite that I will keep buying the regular releases from HLJ because of the much lower prices. That's all there is to it.

PM me an email where you want me to provide you with the "proof" and I will be happy to do so. I have the email where they accepted my order in February, the one that shows they took my money and where about to ship the item, the one that says they cancelled my transaction because of my geographical location, my bank statement that shows the bank fee of €15,77 and the email in which they mock me saying this is the way they treat ALL international customers.

[Burn]

-New member shows up
-Posts new topic with obvious highly click-bait title
-grand total of 2 posts, only on this topic
-shits all over one product/service
-sings the praises of another product/service in direct competition with it

Now I'm not going to straight up call you a shill here, but you must admit, this looks highly suspect.

Do you have any email paper-trail to verify this poopy experience?

There is nothing untoward about people signing up just to post their negative experiences. Your post was an unnecessary attack on a new member.

[MemphisR56]

-New member shows up
-Posts new topic with obvious highly click-bait title
-grand total of 2 posts, only on this topic
-shits all over one product/service
-sings the praises of another product/service in direct competition with it

Now I'm not going to straight up call you a shill here, but you must admit, this looks highly suspect.

Do you have any email paper-trail to verify this poopy experience?

There is nothing untoward about people signing up just to post their negative experiences. Your post was an unnecessary attack on a new member.

I understand your position here Burn, but I disagree. At no point was I uncivil with the user, I even made a point to say that I'm not calling them a shill. I feel a bit of scepticism was justified, and they seem to be happy to indulge me in that.

I certainly do not feel that I attacked them in any way. But if you want to give me a warn for sassing your moderating, then let me have it. I'll take it on board and say no more about the matter.

[Burn]

No warning necessary, I had my say, you had your say, lets drop it and move on.

[william-james88]

Thanks for clarifying their "lower international shipping", I was always curious what that meant. I never dealt with them.

Also, something that should have been fishy from the start aboutthe "recall" is that Takara didnt even make these Ramjets. These are sold under Hasbro Asia. So if a company was to recall them, it would be Hasbro Asia and not Takara. Didnt they also wthout warning apply extra paint to send to people who ordered exhaust so that he wouldnt infringe copyright law?

[Oberon22]

To be fair, when I wrote to Takara, they said that it is their product. I emailed from the Japanese website so I guess it's not a Hasbro Asia thing or maybe a joint venture (?). Nonetheless they said they know nothing about the recall.

Thanks for clarifying their "lower international shipping", I was always curious what that meant. I never dealt with them.

Also, something that should have been fishy from the start aboutthe "recall" is that Takara didnt even make these Ramjets. These are sold under Hasbro Asia. So if a company was to recall them, it would be Hasbro Asia and not Takara. Didnt they also wthout warning apply extra paint to send to people who ordered exhaust so that he wouldnt infringe copyright law?

[william-james88]

To be fair, when I wrote to Takara, they said that it is their product. I emailed from the Japanese website so I guess it's not a Hasbro Asia thing or maybe a joint venture (?). Nonetheless they said they know nothing about the recall.

Did they say they are the ones who sold these to TF Source? Because technically, Takara only provided for TTMall.

[Oberon22]

It took me like four emails for them to reply. I told them that the store I was buying the toy from said they sent back the figure to have it fixed and that I wanted to know what the status of the "recall" is. They replied:

"Dear Sir, thank you for contacting Takara Tomy on MP11NR Transformers Destron Ramjet. The item is a Takaratomymall.com exclusive. We don't have special arrangements with other store and are unaware of the situation you are describing. We regret we cannot help you."

[william-james88]

It took me like four emails for them to reply. I told them that the store I was buying the toy from said they sent back the figure to have it fixed and that I wanted to know what the status of the "recall" is. They replied:

"Dear Sir, thank you for contacting Takara Tomy on MP11NR Transformers Destron Ramjet. The item is a Takaratomymall.com exclusive. We don't have special arrangements with other store and are unaware of the situation you are describing. We regret we cannot help you."

Yeah, precisely, they had nothign to do with the batch TFSource got. Which means that TFsource flat out lied. At no part in their transaction is Takara even involved.

[Fox Thiagarajan]

I had a bad experience with them as well. Bought a Wonderfest Dai Atlas non transforming action figure. The thing crumbled in my hands from merely handling it. I reached out and got an unhelpful response along the lines of "tough break."
In addition that same purchase, according to my bank, lead to my checking account getting robbed by some hacker from overseas (I live in the US). Bank was very helpful but TF Source didn't seem to care.

I def feel for you Oberon22. I'd be just as upset. Since then, all online TF purchases for myself are through: amazon, BBTS, HTS, and occasionally TRU and Target.

[Oberon22]

I just want to thank the admins for the way they handled my complaint. I think of all forums I visited, this is the one I will stay on.

[william-james88]

I just want to thank the admins for the way they handled my complaint. I think of all forums I visited, this is the one I will stay on.

Hey man, this is a place to let loose in our hobby so no worries. One thing though if this happens again, try writing it here instead: carbombya-buy-sell-or-trade-f36.php

That is the sales thread and we place feedback here so it could be the best place to voice complaints

[X3ROhour]

-New member shows up
-Posts new topic with obvious highly click-bait title
-grand total of 2 posts, only on this topic
-shits all over one product/service
-sings the praises of another product/service in direct competition with it

Now I'm not going to straight up call you a shill here, but you must admit, this looks highly suspect.

Do you have any email paper-trail to verify this poopy experience?

Maybe.

But, if you have purchased from either;

BBTS is way cooler.

Less hassle
Excellent communication and customer service
Beautiful return policies
Loot Bag
Pre-orders paid only when it shows up
No restock or bullshniky fees

Just cooler.

[X3ROhour]

No warning necessary, I had my say, you had your say, lets drop it and move on.

Mostly
Your both right.