Quote:
Originally Posted by xueyue2
Why don't you buy/pre-order as soon as it available instead of asking if there will be a 2nd round?
|
Their are a number of reasons.
First regarding preorders. I use preorders extensively when ordering imports (such as the first run on all new original Takara MPs) and sometimes for regular releases but always from places where payment is asked for when the item comes in. I am just flat out not comfortable with paying up front for an item that isn't even stock yet as TRU requires.
Second of all despite having the page for it at both tru.ca and tru.com pinned and regularly refreshing both at least once every hour or two while I am awake (often several times an hour if I am not busy or bored) it seems my timing has been poor. Once I saw it available but by the time I got it added to my cart it was gone. I can only assume their are hundreds of others doing the same as me some of which have been luckier happening to refresh soon as its available unfortunately I am not that lucky.
Third most stores (at least where I live) either got none or only a couple of cases. Even if you call everyday their is excellent chance others have beat you to the punch and they are all being held for others. In which case they just tell you they don't have it.
All one can do is keep refreshing the pages, and call around pestering stores to check stock and then call the stores that supposedly have some trying to get lucky. I was finally successful last Thursday. The website claimed a store within an hours drive had stock as of the 21st but despite my local store confirming that the other store had 4 when I called the store supposedly holding the stock they claimed to have none and that they never had any. The following day my wife (convinced they were lying and that they would be more receptive to a normal person asking) tried to call them when they opened at 10am but because of busy signals she did not get through until 10:03am. Despite claiming they never had them the day before they now admitted to having them (they had held their stock for release the following day apparently) and that lucky for me my wife got through when she did because only one was left when she got through the other 3 had been snagged between 10am and the time she got through.
When Soundwave was released I called my local store 2 times a day every day and pestered the people at that store so bad that soon as the first shipment came in they set one aside for me and when I called the next time was told it was waiting for me. It was then I realized the folly of my obsession. I resolved to not be so intense call the store once every other day timed to when trucks come in if I am lucky then I am lucky if not then so be it. Better to not get the MP than to be thought of as a total asshat by ones local store, some bridges are just not worth burning.
The only reason I got a Starscream at all was that my wife didn't trust the store didn't have them and thought I was being too aggressive and thought to call in herself first thing. So very glad she did.
But I do think it illustrates the point that with how Hasbro and TRU distribute these MP releases its not like ordering the Takara versions. Unless you are willing to let getting it consume your every waking moment or are willing to pay ahead on a preorder then getting one of the more desirable ones depends on an inordinate amount of luck. I have been very lucky many of my friends have not. And this is a big part of why I am glad that Starscream is the last older release that I need.
For the last year all new MP releases that I want I have obtained via earlybird preorders of the Takara versions from Japanese retailers. So far I haven't missed a single one I want and have paid no more if not less than what TRU would charge, and no worrying about whether Hasbro will get around to releasing it. So I sincerely hope I will never have to subject myself to the madness of a TRU Exclusive MP release again.
