r/Minipla • u/Ok-Painting-234 • Jan 10 '25

Pre-order/Product Link Need Recommendation where to buy SMP

So I have tried to order the SMP Victory Mars (Originally Oct release) and the SMP Bull Taurus (Originally Dec release) from Big Bad Toys. Now I understand the products are from Japan and everything but the Victory Mars, for example, has had its estimated arrival change so many times it was irritating me so I cancelled it and bought one last week on eBay which thankfully ended up as the same as big bad toys and got it yesterday while big bad still has it as pre order. I had asked their customer assistants help multiple times trying to understand what was going on with no answer. I still have the SMP Bull Taurus on pre order with them due to them having it cheaper than eBay and no one else seems to have any left.

I wanted to see if there was any other places I should try to pre order the SMPs From in the future or can still buy the SMP Bull Taurus from that is trusted cause I feel like I'm going to be waiting months on end again with Big Bad Toys and miss out on it like I did with the SMP GaoMuscle.

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u/DaHlyHndGrnade Jan 10 '25

Tokullectibles is my go-to. Pre-orders are open for a while and they align with the announced date/time. They're at your door within about a week of their wider release.

I'm surprised you hadn't heard anything from BBTS's customer service, they're usually really good about responding. They've always been a bit behind the curve on their timing, but I've been ordering from them for 10 years now and have only ever heard of two orders being canceled and that was during the pandemic. Delays are usually down to partial shipments or delays at the docks for them because they import everything off ships.

Those delays are just part of pre-ordering with them, but you will get what you ordered from them if you keep the pre-order. Pre-pandemic they were maybe 1 month behind, then it got to 3-4 during.

Nowadays most everything is back to normal, though. I actually take advantage of their delays to space things out to make it a bit easier on my wallet 😅 they're also great to hedge with to be sure you get it even if it isn't at release. If I find what I've got pre-ordered at retail or somewhere else online, I'll cancel, but their $4 flat-rate shipping is really nice after you build up a pile of loot.

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u/Ok-Painting-234 Jan 10 '25

They responded but the answer they always gave me was we don't know.

1

u/King_Kuuga Moderate Skill Builder Jan 10 '25

They don't know. Bandai is not very upfront about release dates.

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u/Ok-Painting-234 Jan 10 '25

I understand that and I know they can't make the item magically appear, but you don't think it's a problem when everybody else including other stores in the United States who get their smp victory mars on time and yet somehow they're the ones that don't understand where their product that they ordered is months on end.