Statue Weta Announces Barad-Dur

[Ballder]

The only thing I really don't understand are the shipping costs (UK warehouse):
Rivendell: 13'2 lbs (6 kgs) = 27'39 USD
Barad Dur: 22 lbs (10 kgs) = 97'15 USD
It's less than 2·weight and more than 3·Shipping price
And Rivendell was sent on January.

 

[The Josh]

Barad-Dur weighs 9lbs more than rivendell so it's going to cost more.

 

[VASith]

Barad-Dur weighs 9lbs more than rivendell so it's going to cost more.

Plus the dimensions are much bigger as well. Rivendell was flat...this is really long.

 

[The Josh]

Plus the dimensions are much bigger as well. Rivendell was flat...this is really long.

That's the other thing this is a monster really compared to anything Weta has done. I don't think my photos or anyone's can really make you see that.

Now bring me Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul.

 

[Valarauko]

A good number of people over on Shadow & Flame posted that, when they placed an order, it was denied due to 'insufficient funds'. Even if the funds are replaced within a certain period of time, it basically says that you have to have the full amount of an item available to order anything. That's the worst way to do a PO that I've ever heard of.

When I ordered Rivendell and Orthanc, it wasn't anything like that. It worked the same as it does when placing an order with Sideshow. I hope that this is straightened out. If not, I won't be ordering anything from Weta.

 

[VASith]

That's the other thing this is a monster really compared to anything Weta has done. I don't think my photos or anyone's can really make you see that.

Now bring me Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul.

I will pass on those two funny enough..the smaller scales are good enough. And those two are what got me collecting sideshow and weta stuff years ago.

 

[FlyAndFight]

$7.

I'm SO glad I still have the Danbury Mint piece.

 

[The Josh]

I will pass on those two funny enough..the smaller scales are good enough. And those two are what got me collecting sideshow and weta stuff years ago.

I still have my smaller mt and have th dm version but I want one that size at least by Weta. I don't have my MM piece anymore.

 

[Ballder]

Yes, I agree that the weight is bigger and has to cost more. But the proportion of the Shipping cost that has been increased is too high, IHMO.
Rivendell: 13'2 lbs = 27'39 USD
Barad Dur: 22 lbs = 97'15 USD
It's means 70 USD extra just for 9 lbs.
This is not normal, and the size is not the problem. The tower out of the base ir just a little bigger than Orthanc (and it's possible that comes in two pieces).

 

[FrodoEyes]

A good number of people over on Shadow & Flame posted that, when they placed an order, it was denied due to 'insufficient funds'. Even if the funds are replaced within a certain period of time, it basically says that you have to have the full amount of an item available to order anything. That's the worst way to do a PO that I've ever heard of.

When I ordered Rivendell and Orthanc, it wasn't anything like that. It worked the same as it does when placing an order with Sideshow. I hope that this is straightened out. If not, I won't be ordering anything from Weta.

I've never had to do this before... only since Weta updated their servers. I only have a debit card so no, the funds aren't there yet - but they would be by shipping time, i make sure of that.
Hell, they could have been ready for now if i had known that this was going to happen and how much i would need to have ready.

Words cannot describe how pissed off i feel with Weta right now, after the collection i've been building up since 2002, but 'betrayed' comes pretty close.

 

[gideon]

Ordered mine. Its only money.

 

[cstojano]

Honestly I hate to rag on Weta but with the Hobbit license they need to up their game with the payment system and not be so insular with this New Zealand based banking payment system they use. Its not like the NZD is a major currency in the world (pounds, dollars, euros). Anyway I feel for those affected by this. Another thing I don't like is that they price in US but it actually charges in NZD which leaves us all at the whim of our bank or cc companies. For example, I had retroactively applied points to Orthanc which they forgot to apply before charging and shipping. Darren corrected it quickly but my cc used a different (worse) exchange rate to refund the difference to my card. Total BS.

 

[gagaliya]

you guys take this way too serious.

Just get it after it's released or from a reputable us reseller like secretcompass, at this price & es it wont sell out for a long time.

 

[cstojano]

you guys take this way too serious.

Just get it after it's released or from a reputable us reseller like secretcompass, at this price & es it wont sell out for a long time.

I'm not sure about taking it way too seriously, but yeah totally I agree with your point. In fact if this doesn't sell out by the time it ships I will cancel the order and pick it up elsewhere if it makes sense. However, the 15% in rewards is a huge thing Weta has going for it. That said, if secretcompass wants to offer this for 20% off I am there. As a pre-orderer I can say that this is overpriced by any measure of sanity EXCEPT using the Prancing Pony as a price comparison (which I don't own and I feel was an even worse value than this piece).

 

[Indiana Fett]

Yes, still very disappointed about this. I really, really wanted this piece. It's one of my favorite designs from the films and Weta knocked it out of the park. Now I don't know if I'll ever be able to add it to the collection of 10 or 12 enviros I have already. Really disappointed. And what does this mean to future items, like Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul? I don't think I can order from Weta anymore if I need to have $800 ($700 for the piece plus shipping and exchange rate) available on my credit card every time for something that doesn't ship until next year.

I can understand wanting to change policy a bit, especially for something so pricey, but why not an NRD like Sideshow and others do? I would have been able to throw $100 down today to 'reserve' the fact that I can save up and pay for it in full by the end of the year...I just don't have $800 spare right now.

Really bummed. Obviously I'm not alone on this...and it's why Barad Dur is still available 5 and a half hours after launch. If we didn't have to put the full $800 down, this would have sold out all 1000 pieces in no more than a half hour. Guaranteed.

At least I'm not alone. Sounds like many a board member is suffering the same fate as I...

Fingers crossed we can all get one from a reputable seller and not get gouged by flippers on the 'Bay...

 

[The Josh]

Yeah, the price and the fact you get hit with a full charge (that does fall off after so many days) will slow down this selling out as fast as it might have otherwise.

 

[Adolfo]

Yeah, the price and the fact you get hit with a full charge (that does fall off after so many days) will slow down this selling out as fast as it might have otherwise.

It better had fall off!!!

 

[John Atreides]

It was a shock to see 700+ dollars deducted from my cash balance in my checking account after reading that no deposit was required for pre ordering. It's a big chunk of change to be on hand for a pre order.

 

[The Josh]

It better had fall off!!!

It does. Same thing happened when I ordered the fellowship #1.

 

[carbo-fation]

I hope this doesn't sell out. Really want this but just can't justlfy the price at the moment. Hopefully it'll be available next month.