Should I buy local or direct from SS...A Canadian Story!!

[Bo Shrek]

Calling to all fellow Canadians who have experience purchasing direct from SS to their homes or direct from a local establishment. Are there Pros and Cons to both? In you experience can you please tell me which scenario you would recommend. I am assuming that the "grey" area would be customs. On average do you pay customs on all orders or is it hit and miss? What is the general charge in customs.

This is what I want to do:

Purchase Batman Returns using CON15 ($20 discount) + $30 shipping = $230 to my home (less customs fees) or do I go direct to ie (Toy Traders)?

Anyone here have Toy Trader experience? How are they?


Thank you for your help!!!

 

[EVILFACE]

Ballers order from SS.

 

[VincentVegaFFF]

I don't see any reason to buy from Sideshow if you can get something locally. The shipping is more expensive and I've always had to pay customs on everything I've bought from them so you're paying a lot more. Never used Toy Traders before so I don't know how they are.

 

[Bidmaster25]

Ordering direct from sideshow:

Pros:
-Get item much faster.
-Sideshows shipping is very fast. Usually get item within 3-5 days.
-Good warranty coverage if there is any problems. Never ordered from Toy Traders, so i am not sure what they are like.
-You can build up sideshow points. 5% of your purchase.

Cons:
-Most likely cost a little bit extra. Depends on where you are buying.
-If you order a lot from a local establishment you can usually get better pricing from them if you work something out.
-Custom fees work out to be $10 plus the gst on the full purchase in Canadian funds.
-You do pay customs on all orders.

For the most part I order the exclusive items direct from sideshow and the rest from my local store, or other places (Ebay, Amazon, from our fellow freaks). Got to be pretty good friends with the owner and its always nice to meet up with people who have the same interests.

 

[Bustajesse]

I'll only order from Sideshow for exclusives.

Otherwise I like to order from Imagination Hobby. They have a points system and prices are in Canadian dollars. Plus they ship the shippers in another box.

 

[Bo Shrek]

Great advice coming through the pipeline guys. Thank you

 

[(/'-')/Peanut]

I have only ordered two HT figures directly from sideshow, and have since avoided ordering from them because of the cost of shipping and customs (and now conversion). So far, I have had to pay 40-60 fees on receipt of each order. In my case, whatever price advantage SS may have offered was nullified, but then the figures I bought were not available locally.

I have never ordered from Toy Traders before, so I do not speak from experience. Whether it is a better choice for you, depends entirely on the cost of the figure from Toy Traders. If the cost is the same as Urban Samurai (288.46 CAD), I would stick to Toy Traders.

 

[Damien]

is there any store where you live that you can actually pick up in person?

 

[(/'-')/Peanut]

Since toy traders was mention, and I am almost certain they do not ship, I assume he resides in the area. Along with Toy Traders, Urban Samurai Hobbies (at Lougheed mall) has a pick up option for their orders.

 

[Bo Shrek]

Toy Traders is a great store and I do all of my "NECA" shopping from them. I have not yet started a relationship in the wonderful world of Hot Toys!! But I think I will soon!

 

[Sidewinder]

Looking at a few of the stores in Toronto, I would say it would be cheaper to order locally for many of the figures than to get it through Sideshow. Once you add that $30 shipping and the custom fees you'll get from Sideshow, the figure would definitely be cheaper ordering locally. If the dollar was good it would be a different story, but right now it's close to 25% lower.


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[Collectorcol]

As a Brit, I used to only order Exclusives direct ftom SS. Recently though local prices are around the same, if not more, as direct.

Order locally if it's cheaper and you're prepared to wait a bit longer otherwise go direct.
Don't forget the 5% in Reward Points offered.

 

[mah45]

I have no experience w toy traders. I have dealt w Toys Square and Urban Samurai.I only order exclusive from SS.

 

[Sardo Numspa]

I agree with most said above.
I'm located in Toronto. Sideshow is great if you want the exclusive (they do deliver quickly), but I've noticed a couple of things.
1) Pretty sure if the figure is listed at $200 or more, you will get hit with duty (I've paid as much as $44) - ON TOP OF SHIPPING COSTS
2) Shipping costs is almost always standard, can't get a cheaper shipping option
3) But you do get points. The point criteria makes them tough to use, but when you can build them up and use them, they are great.

Because the costs of figures have gone up in the last couple years, and I don't want to pay duty, I order anything non-exclusive through Toy Square, Imagination Hobby (out of Montreal), or Urban Samurai (in Vancouver). All 3 have great customer service, you avoid paying duty, and shipping costs are usually less.
If you're in the Toronto area, Toy Square (Hwy 7 & Steeles) lets you pick up in store (so no shipping costs!).

 

[ebor]

Toytraders have hot toys all in U.S. Dollars. I order from SS shipped to A freight forwarding company in Blaine, WA. Pay SS US shipping for Exclusives and items that Toytraders don't carry. When you factor in U.S. Pricing + 12% tax at toy traders it is cheaper to purchase SS shipped to Blaine, WA you also get reward points from sideshow.

 

[Sidewinder]

Canadian websites shouldn't be allowed to charge in US dollars if you ask me.


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[VincentVegaFFF]

Yeah, it sucks they charge US funds, especially when the dollar drops dramatically. That DeLorean I preordered last year is now significantly more expensive, which wouldn't have happened if it was charged in Canadian currency.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Canadian websites shouldn't be allowed to charge in US dollars if you ask me.

Why not? The standard for online business is the US dollar, regardless of what country the business is located in. If you're looking to attract a global market, you charge US dollars.

Since they must buy in US dollars, the other benefit is a stable retail price, as charging in Canadian means they'd have to shoot well above the exchange rate to cover fluctuations in the market - this is where 1.5 to 1.6x the US price is typical when the actual exchange is hovering 1.3.

The price to the consumer, regardless of the currency is exactly the same. I know in the past some Canadians haven't been able to do basic arithmetic to get this through their heads.

I run a business. I'm located in Canada. I charge US dollars. The vast majority of my business is to the US. I don't have the time nor patience to maintain different prices for different customers. That said, I'm willing to offer Canadians who want to pay locally in Canadian a preferential exchange rate at the time of the transaction. You'll find local stores like Toys Squared may do this as well.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Yeah, it sucks they charge US funds, especially when the dollar drops dramatically. That DeLorean I preordered last year is now significantly more expensive, which wouldn't have happened if it was charged in Canadian currency.

So the store would end up losing money then right? No, they'd have to change the price or they would have had to list it with a padded rate if they were smart and looking at the way the dollars were moving.

Setting a long-standing price in Canadian dollars is only feasible when you have inventory to sell so that you can set the price when you obtain the inventory, it's not good for pre-order businesses where the inventory purchase, delivery and sales will happen at a later date - sometimes at least a year out.

 

[Sidewinder]

Australian websites use Australian currency not US, but considering Canada allow US dollars to be spent in Canada, it's no wonder this is an acceptable practice.



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