Open a toy; Get junk. What is your next move?

[Team Jetfire]

We have all been there and unfortunately it seems that it has been more regular that before. You finally track down the toy that everyone has been looking for. You get back from the store (or you are in the parking lot depending how toy-crazy you are) and disaster strikes. Your just-got-a-new-toy-high has been shattered by a glaring QC issue on the toy.

What do you do?

Pack it up and head back to the store to return the POS?

Keep it and display it proudly as a special variant.

Use your awesome skills as a craftsman and fix the issue yourself.

I have done all three, except the Awesome skills bit I have tried though

[Malwave]

well...when I buy a toy that ends up having QC issues, it usually involves loose joints if anything.

Been lucky that way I guess xD, but that's why I always keep the receipts ;)

[Prowl_2009]

Keep the reciept and return it as soon as you can.

[Mumps]

I have never had a major QC error on any of my figures. But that doesn't mean I never will, and if it does happen, back to the store it goes.

[jourdo]

I remember opening up Energon Omega Supreme to find one of the arms missing form his headmaster. He went back to the store the next day.

Otheriwse it might be a loose joint here and there, which doesn't really bug me all that much and can be fixed easily (for the most part). Those guys I hang on to.

As for the "variant" thing... I kept a Pixar Cars item once that was missing the paint aps on the eyes just because it looked different, but never for the robots in disguise we all know and love.

[Tekkamanraiden]

Return it for a new one.

[BadJeff]

Other than one SWTF (cockpit cover busted right off @ hinge) a couple years ago i've been quite lucky - no real issues. Then again, i don't sweat the fine print. Loose joint, blemish in paint - i'm more you get what you get because once it's up on the shelf it'll never bother me.

[Shepp]

March it right back in as soon as possible and demand an exchange. The next day may be too late, and they may be out of stock.

But it really depends on the problems. I brought Animated Shockwave (purple) back because he was a ragdoll that looked and felt brittle. But I waited like 2 weeks. Didn't bother with an exchange, just got my money back. I have a few figures with paint smears and chips, and unless it is really horrible, I don't care much.

On other figures, like Animated Bumblebee with his exploding plastic arms, I went back right away.


Overall, I try to inspect packages before I buy to prevent instant regret over missing parts or QC issues. If I suspect there's an issue, I don't buy.

[Mighty_Galvatron]

I've had three instances where this has happened.

(1) AN VOY Skywarp
- He was missing a thumb. So I exchanged him for another Skywarp - told the CS dude that it was missing parts and thus, defective.

(2) MP Megatron
- One foot was suffering the rust, so I had a replacement foot sent to me.

(3) RotF VOY Bludgeon
- A scratch (big) on his brown head - so I bought another - I MEANT to exchange them, but have since decided to keep both cause he is just too cool. I may repaint the one with the scratched head one day, as soon as I figure out how to that is.

[Terminal Hipster]

In a lot of cases I'll attempt a repair on my on, unless it's something really bad. Paint smears, loose joints, untrimmed flash... that's all stuff I can handle. Heck,

Snapped or missing parts... well, I've actually never had anything like that, so I don't know. I guess I'd return the figure. Even then, though, it'd depend on how obvious the break is.

[Rietzey]

Guess it depends on how big the issue is, and where I got it. The only one I can think of that was bad is Animated Voyager Starscream missing a thumb, so he was promptly exchanged. I got a Universe Drag Strip from TFSource earlier this week missing a paint app on the knee, but they won't exchange an opened figure unless it's a major manufacturer defect (and I can't blame them for that, since they're a small operation), and it's easy enough to fix with some silver paint. If it's something that doesn't really affect the display quality, I can deal. I've had figures whose missile launchers don't work (Energon Ironhide and Megatron) but since I don't use them, it's no big deal.

[pulsedragon20]

I usually just return the fig

[Foxw]

Really comes down to severity and/or if i'm planning a custom from it (if custom fodder, i just don't care).

If it's down right missing peices, Back it goes.

But blessfully if it's a QC error like
-loose joints,
-missassembly

those are all self fixable. alas missing parts are not something i've run into often, and genreally i've been seen going thru a entire shelf just to look over 4+ copies to see if i can spot any defects before i buy.

THe "YAY I FOUND IT" high is great, but tempered with a bit of wearyness over Hasblow's obvious lack of interest in thier QC always makes me look before i leap.

[SamiWCP]

I got the Binaltech 18 clear Mirage and he had 2 left hands, same thing with ROTF Bludgeon..Both just got put away in my collection as is.

[Team Jetfire]

The most recent one that made me post about it was Recon Ironhide. I bought it from Wal-Mart in the states and it had a really bad connection peg at the mid section. Thinking I could fix it, I did more bad then good and had to re-buy it in Canada and swap. Either way it was the first time I returned a figure due to defects. The new one wasn`t much better, but I was able to do a small fix that will work for display.

[Dark Rage]

I thought this was another Robot Kingdom review.

[Mighty_Galvatron]

QC issues are huge with just about any product you buy.

TFs aside, I can't remember how many, for instance, DVDs I had to return because they were scratched up. I'm thinking maybe 20-odd exchanges I had to make on them, and this is withing the last year! I've even bought DVDs that look normal physically, but when inserted (:eek:) into my machine they started to vibrate like crazy and my DVD player started getting really hot.

Seriously for the price we pay for the products we buy, we should not have to go back and forth exchanging them!

[GMfan]

Depends, usually I try to fix it first. Most of the time things are simple, overpaint removal, adding a missing pin, ball joint tightening, etc.

But if it's missing a piece or has 2 of the same hands or feet I'll take it back....fortunately I can only think of 2 figures I had to return, my first ROTF Sideways had faulty spring that didn't push the glass up in robot mode over the shoulder so it just flopped there, and Universe Darkwing ad 2 left feet...the same angled feet kept causing him to drop sideways like me after a convention :P

[Batman]

I usually fix it if I can.

My most recent QC error (see Buster Prime QC thread) is totally messed though, and there is not a whole hell of a lot I can do about it.

[Nocturn]

I don't return unless it's actually broken. Of course, then you have to make sure to tell the employees that it's broken, so some poor kid doesn't kid it.

[Cheers Ian]

I pretty much do the same as GMFan.

Except when Lockdown's hand snapped right off after opening him. That M-Effer went back to Wally-Mart faster than the Flash.

Cheers!
-Ian

[racerguy76]

Use your awesome skills as a craftsman and fix the issue yourself.

[Pascal]

Depends on the defect. If it's easily fixable, I'll keep it. If it's major like missing paint apps or parts or damaged parts, I'll return it right away.

[pud333]

Depends on the problem. If it's not something I can fix in fifteen, twenty minutes, forget it.

[Dragon Knight]

Fortunnetly I usually like a toy when I get him out of the box...when it comes to transformers I'm very selective about them.

The only I didn't really seem to like or care about was Universe Blaster...he stays in vehicle mode for me.

[Malwave]

well, thinking about it actually, sometimes buying figures that are "broken" get you discounts on them.

I got my Leader Bulkhead for 20 bucks off cuz the button on his chest was pushed in xD

[onecoin]

Stop buying Hasbro TFs.

[Icetron]

Return if it's serious, or else I keep it for a while hoping to find a new one to exchange.

[Team Jetfire]

Stop buying Hasbro TFs.

Aww...that is too bad. I guess you didn't read Batman's (sidebar: everytime I read ypur (Batmans) post, I get a mental image of Batman in the batcave reading up on the latest about transformers....weird) post about Buster Prime QC issues.

But I guess in your eyes that may not count as it is related to ROTF and therefore is shit anyways....

[GMfan]

Aww...that is too bad. I guess you didn't read Batman's post about Buster Prime QC issues.

But I guess in your eyes that may not count as it is related to ROTF and therefore is shit anyways....

Oh good, I'm not the only one that noticed that flawed logic.

[SleeplessKnight]

Back in December I got Neca's cyberdyne showdown Terminator figure (the one with the minigun) from a local store. After I got home with my catch of the day I took a second look at it and realized it was missing the handle to it's minigun accessory.

When I finally had the opportunity to go back to the store the next week they had sold out of this particular figure, there wasn't anything I wanted to exchange it for and I really didn't feel like arguing with the stores "no return" policy.

I tried E-mailing Neca's customer service for a replacement part and didn't get a reply. I pretty much just had to suck it up and accept being disappointed.

btw, anybody want to buy a MISB terminator figure? It's missing the handle to his minigun tho...

[Scrapper6]

I don't return them for two of the same part, but then I haven't bought any Transformers with two of the same something that detracts from their look. Cybertron Wreckloose has two left hands, but you don't even notice it unless you really look. And Energon Wideload... Or was it Duststorm. Anyway he's got two left knee joints.

Means he can't pose very good, but I always figured on replacing him some day and useing the faulty one as an extra drone or something.

The one time, ONE time I had to return/exchange a figure was because Cybertron Mini-Con Thrust was missing an arm. (F**king Wal-Mart put that thing right back on the shelf, damn bastards.)

I didn't even try to return my TFC 00 Convoy because of his broken smokestack. (That's right his left hand smokestack came broken in the box, don't ask me how it broke off, all I know is it did.) Considering I have plans to pick up 25th Prime, even with the shortened smokestacks it wouldn't bother me. (Of course if I could figure out how to put his arm back together properly with the spring that fell out of it back inside when I took it apart to remove the busted off cap that was used to hold the smokestack, I might be able to fix it. But I think I threw away the little metal piece that also fell out... after so many years of being sick and tired of fiddling with it.)

Er, anyway, the point is Convoy is still serviceable as Convoy, and there are so many reissues of the guy I could probably buy a cheapo one and switch out the cabs. (If I was that interested in doing so.)

So I guess my policy on this is, don't return it unless it's missing the piece. Because it'll still display ok otherwise. Heck, I didn't even notice the Wreckloose defect until like months after he was bought.

DVDs on the other hand, if there's some problem with them I will exchange them. Unless I forget or don't bother, my copy of Singin' in the Rain still suffers from jump skip at the beginning. (You know when the picture does that wierd breaking up thing.) And even after going through THREE sets of Murder She Wrote Season One, one of the episodes still does the same thing. F**KING double sided discs and their crappy defective transfer thingy.

[BadJeff]

^ uh... Murder She Wrote?

[Scrapper6]

^ uh... Murder She Wrote?

If you don't know about the show, just google it, if you're asking why I like it... HELLO Murder Mysteries. It's a secret passion of mine. Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Jessica Fletcher it's all the same to me. Fun who-dun-its.

Plus as an Actress Angela Lansbury has always been a favorite of mine.

I also enjoy Matlock, though I haven't picked up any of those box sets yet. And I have a passing interest in Columbo... I mean those were cop style shows that didn't have all the stuff the ones like CSI and all that have these days, but they do have some fine good actors, well known actors, that can act and that I can enjoy on screen. (I have watched an occassional CSI episode, but in all honesty stuff like Matlock and Murder She Wrote are just more ingrained in my psyche... All those years watching them with Grandma and Mom when I was little I guess.)

[Terminal Hipster]

Scrapper: You gotta check out The Rockford Files. James Garner is a total, stonecold, certified badass.

[onecoin]

But I guess in your eyes that may not count as it is related to ROTF and therefore is shit anyways....

Yes. Not even worth downloading.

[Sokar]

If it's broken, missing peices, or requires extensive work to fix the item, then I return it if I can.

If it's something like a missing paint app, loose joint, or something else I can fix myself I tend to keep the item (my bludgeon has some weird scratches all over the helmet for example).

It's sort of a cost/risk thing for me. If I keep it I either live with it as is or it costs me time to fix it. On the other hand, if I return it, I might actually end up getting something worse, like a figure with no head. I just have to consider if it's worth the risk of getting something worse to get that whatever is wrong with it fixed.

[Matrix_Holder]

I had a lot of QC problems with Transformers animated figures. I had to exchange almost every second figure that I bought. I exchanged skywarp 4 times because of missing or very extremely loose parts. I refuse to keep a figure that is defective, I always inform the CS that it is defective. I have only had a problem at zellers, when trying to return a deluxe figure and the CS tried to tell me that they do not accept returns of figures with bubble packaging ie all deluxe figures, I called bulls#!t on that and made her take it back or id call the her manager and BBB on her. I got the refund for the figure.

it was the marvel crossover gray hulk. she also said that since it was open, she could only give the the "product look up price"
which is a price of a similar item from that department, I paid 19.99 plus tax she wanted to give me $5. Needless to say I didn't let her get away with it, I got the full price I paid back. Don't let them get you with that fake policy, every thing she "looked up" was $5.
stick to your guns and get what you are owed.

[Bruticus82]

I will try and fix it myself if it's something minor (extra glob of paint, or something small like that).

I had an issue with the launchers on the Star Wars AT-AT way back when power of the force came out. It seemed one of the launchers was defective, and I went through another 4-5 boxes at toys r us (with customer service watching) and they all had more or less the same issue, so I just kept mine. *shrugs*

[Detective Barricade]

Had to return a Recon Ironhide I got the other day because it was missing the right arm cannon. Managed to get another that's okay.

[joshimus]

I try to open my toys as carefully as I can should I need to repackage it. Good looking toys can end up as crap toys and if you choose to return it, you should.
Wish I had done that with ROTF Jetfire. Unfortunetly I just kept putting it off for months. I might disasemble him and use his parts as powered up prime parts.