I'm sure we've all noticed the change over the last few months. More and more products are requiring a non-refundable deposit when we pre-order an item.
What do you all think about this? Has it changed any of your habits?
I get why they want a deposit. If tonnes of people pre-order and then cancel, that can really screw up their numbers. But what's reasonable?
The first item I ordered with a NRD was the Hot Toys Luke. I ordered it back in November expecting a March (?) release. I guess we're hoping for November now. I paid the NRD at the time, and made my first flex payment back in, I think, February. No idea when I'll get the figure, but in the meantime, they have my money.
The Hulk HT figure was just announced. It has a 10% NRD and they skipped the free shipping. The shipping estimate is March. No idea if that means it will ship in March, or June, or November. I ended up placing my order with Big Bad Toy Store instead of Sideshow. They didn't require the NRD, they charge about half as much as SS for shipping, and their price is $25 lower. The NRD, coupled with the lack of free shipping, cost SS my business this time.
I would love to grab the R2 and C3PO statue which is scheduled to come out in January. It's $800 and has a big NRD. No idea if it will come out in January, or March, or December 2013, but they want a sizeable deposit now. So, why should I pre-order? Why lend them my money for between 4 and 12 months???? If I want it, I'll pre-order the month before release.
I guess, given that release dates are so unpredictable, I'm not sure pre-ordering well in advance and paying a significant NRD makes sense. What do you all think? Has the change affected your habits?
What do you all think about this? Has it changed any of your habits?
I get why they want a deposit. If tonnes of people pre-order and then cancel, that can really screw up their numbers. But what's reasonable?
The first item I ordered with a NRD was the Hot Toys Luke. I ordered it back in November expecting a March (?) release. I guess we're hoping for November now. I paid the NRD at the time, and made my first flex payment back in, I think, February. No idea when I'll get the figure, but in the meantime, they have my money.
The Hulk HT figure was just announced. It has a 10% NRD and they skipped the free shipping. The shipping estimate is March. No idea if that means it will ship in March, or June, or November. I ended up placing my order with Big Bad Toy Store instead of Sideshow. They didn't require the NRD, they charge about half as much as SS for shipping, and their price is $25 lower. The NRD, coupled with the lack of free shipping, cost SS my business this time.
I would love to grab the R2 and C3PO statue which is scheduled to come out in January. It's $800 and has a big NRD. No idea if it will come out in January, or March, or December 2013, but they want a sizeable deposit now. So, why should I pre-order? Why lend them my money for between 4 and 12 months???? If I want it, I'll pre-order the month before release.
I guess, given that release dates are so unpredictable, I'm not sure pre-ordering well in advance and paying a significant NRD makes sense. What do you all think? Has the change affected your habits?
Around $350 shipped from SSC (w/CA tax) for a measly $15 in RPs sent me to order from BBTS for $287 shipped. 
