Has anyone ever bought a Prime 1 from Bigbadtoystore?

They appear to perpetually leave things in pre-order, and won't give a straight answer when asked about status or whether it will even materialize. So I'm just wondering--are they just ********ting to collect email addresses and deposits as a sort of interest-free-loans? Is there any expectation they will ever ship something listed on the site?

dib_ said:

They appear to perpetually leave things in pre-order, and won't give a straight answer when asked about status or whether it will even materialize. So I'm just wondering--are they just ********ting to collect email addresses and deposits as a sort of interest-free-loans? Is there any expectation they will ever ship something listed on the site?

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BBTS has been around for a very long time and are reputable. If you have a question about a Prime 1 product, you should ask Prime 1. Retailers only know what their supplier tells them. If you don't like the answer, go straight to the source.

Odds are Prime 1 are being cagey with their answer, hence BBTS' response to you.

SwedishHeat said:

BBTS has been around for a very long time and are reputable. If you have a question about a Prime 1 product, you should ask Prime 1. Retailers only know what their supplier tells them. If you don't like the answer, go straight to the source.

Odds are Prime 1 are being cagey with their answer, hence BBTS' response to you.

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I know they've been around, but I'm doubtful on their ability to stock Prime 1. And the company are similarly vague when it comes to these questions.

It takes a bit longer than some other retailers to get their stock — BBTS is one of them. The real onus is on Prime 1, not BBTS. As SH said, contact Prime 1 and see what they have to say — but I’m guessing with what’s going on in the world, they’re not going to be able to give you much of a straight answer, either.

dib_ said:

I know they've been around, but I'm doubtful on their ability to stock Prime 1. And the company are similarly vague when it comes to these questions.

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Why is that?

I bought the Alita Prime 1 from a small shop in Kansas (and paid a deposit) but I am not expecting it anytime for months after other collectors get their hands on her first. Which I?m OK with.

Unless a company is the official distributor, it?s typical for a longer turnaround to get an item in stock and shipped to you.

I consider the slower turnaround at BBTS or other shops a fair trade off in order to save on (for example Sideshow?s) insane shipping fees and sales tax. For a Prime 1 statue, that?s easily $100+ in savings. If you buy multiple figures/statues, that?s potentially thousands of dollars.

When I first got into this high end hobby about a decade ago, I was impatient as well but now that I?ve built up a backlog of unboxed collectibles and a lack of shelf space, I don?t mind the long delays.

BBTS does offer $4 flat rate shipping on multiple items but recently (for some items) they built in the shipping into the price of the item (like the Ecto-1 vehicle).

Another weird quirk is Sideshow is the main distributor for many companies. When I buy from smaller shops, Sideshow ships it to them first (instead of directly to me). Then the shops deliver it to me. What a waste of time and fuel to ship back and forth, so this contributes to the delays.

I remember for the Threezero Drogon, Sideshow (CA) sent it to the shop I ordered in Kansas. Before the KS shop sent it back to the West Coast where I?m based, they discovered it was damaged upon inspection. SSC made them destroy the $1,300 statue and shipped another one to repeat this back and forth delivery cycle. Not to mention there?s one less Drogon out in the wild (an estimated 144 limited run). [emoji21]

Has anyone had any problems getting replacements from places like BBTS on Prime items? I've ordered 4 statues from Prime 1 directly and everyone of them I have had to contact Prime1 for replacements, so far I have seen poor QC by P1 sadly. At least they come through and so far have replaced items (including the entire main body of the knightfall batman).

dib_ said:

They appear to perpetually leave things in pre-order, and won't give a straight answer when asked about status or whether it will even materialize. So I'm just wondering--are they just ********ting to collect email addresses and deposits as a sort of interest-free-loans? Is there any expectation they will ever ship something listed on the site?

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Had a long delay on an ASMUS Thranduil record when first released. E-mailed BBTS and they explained that toy companies/shippers don't bother to keep THEM informed. I asked if Thranduil was gonna show up at all - yes. Which he did. BBTS said sometimes they aren't informed a shipment is coming until it shows up at their door.

I'd order a pricey item from them, sure. For one thing, their shipping is stellar; double boxed, bubble wrap. If I could afford the Gandalf/Balrog piece I wouldn't have a problem ordering from BBTS. I'm more bothered by hearing comments now and then that Prime One - and I don't have anything from them - time to time isn't as perfect as the price they are asking.

But when piece comes in, you need to pay off, far as I know. Unlike Sideshow with their PO plan.