volts
Junior Robot
Posts: 5
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Post by volts on Aug 4, 2012 7:09:13 GMT -5
hi, where in hong kong can i buy cheap chogokin toys and i can haggle?
thankyou
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Post by zankantou on Aug 4, 2012 7:29:47 GMT -5
If you're looking to haggle, that's not going to happen. With the price surge and Bandai raising prices on their items, a lot of dealers/sellers will not budge on the prices. Places where you can get Chogokin Toys are in Mong Kok or Yau Mai Tei. But do beware, there are a number of toy shops in Mong Kok that are rather notorious for reselling second hand toys as brand new.
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Post by Gold on Aug 4, 2012 11:38:12 GMT -5
Agreed, be mindful when buying, some shops resell second hand ones as brand new. It's hard to tell if you don't know what to look for.
Gold
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volts
Junior Robot
Posts: 5
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Post by volts on Aug 4, 2012 22:57:09 GMT -5
thanks guys, be street smart ;D. then where is the best location to look for chogokin items in hong kong ? i'll be looking for daimos, mekanda and if budget still hangs on voltes v. any idea for srp for these ? thanks
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Post by zankantou on Aug 5, 2012 1:28:24 GMT -5
thanks guys, be street smart ;D. then where is the best location to look for chogokin items in hong kong ? i'll be looking for daimos, mekanda and if budget still hangs on voltes v. any idea for srp for these ? thanks What's your email address? I'm in HK, so I can give you some locations. Not to mention I'm a dealer myself so perhaps I can pinpoint you to the right direction. Send me a PM ;D
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Post by mecha-mania on Aug 5, 2012 21:19:52 GMT -5
try a shop in wan chai, called hong sing, they are the distributors of soc in HK. i have only been there once, but only with the help of a tour guide ;D but definitly worth your while if you go there.
and as adviced, better dun haggle, wont work there haha
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Post by actionawesome on Aug 5, 2012 22:57:48 GMT -5
From dealing with zankantou I can tell you that you are in good hands should you choose to use his services. Just saying.
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Post by zankantou on Aug 6, 2012 7:33:08 GMT -5
try a shop in wan chai, called hong sing, they are the distributors of soc in HK. i have only been there once, but only with the help of a tour guide ;D but definitly worth your while if you go there. and as adviced, better dun haggle, wont work there haha Thanks actionawesome ;D Nope, Hong Hing is not the distributor of SOC's. Bandai-Asia is the one and only sole distributor for their merchandise. (Asian releases) The Japanese import there are other wholesalers aside from Bandai-Asia. There are also other wholesalers who distribute other Chogokin related items, but definitely not Hong Hing. Hong Hing is a load of BS, because the owner has become really greedy and prices are so damn expensive. They're a rip off, so I advise not to go there. It use to be a good place to buy stuff, but that is no longer the case.
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Post by mecha-mania on Aug 7, 2012 2:35:21 GMT -5
try a shop in wan chai, called hong sing, they are the distributors of soc in HK. i have only been there once, but only with the help of a tour guide ;D but definitly worth your while if you go there. and as adviced, better dun haggle, wont work there haha Thanks actionawesome ;D Nope, Hong Hing is not the distributor of SOC's. Bandai-Asia is the one and only sole distributor for their merchandise. (Asian releases) The Japanese import there are other wholesalers aside from Bandai-Asia. There are also other wholesalers who distribute other Chogokin related items, but definitely not Hong Hing. Hong Hing is a load of BS, because the owner has become really greedy and prices are so damn expensive. They're a rip off, so I advise not to go there. It use to be a good place to buy stuff, but that is no longer the case. really? that really sucked, their prices were really good when i visited them 2-3 years back, definitly better than my country's prices. only noticed that their stuff were pretty unfriendly compared to those i have seen in CTMA. but good that you pointed it out, i wont be looking for them the next time i visit HK ;D ok, they are not the distributors in HK, but were they in anyway the big boys among chogokin/bandai retail in HK present or in the past?
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Post by zankantou on Aug 7, 2012 5:47:12 GMT -5
really? that really sucked, their prices were really good when i visited them 2-3 years back, definitly better than my country's prices. only noticed that their stuff were pretty unfriendly compared to those i have seen in CTMA. but good that you pointed it out, i wont be looking for them the next time i visit HK ;D ok, they are not the distributors in HK, but were they in anyway the big boys among chogokin/bandai retail in HK present or in the past? Hung Hing is just your regular toy shop. They had always been infamous for their crappy services. Especially from the boss herself. That is why they had lost a lot of their loyal customers over time. There are a lot of choices, so a lot of collectors or enthusiast do not go to Hung Hing to buy toys anymore. There was one incident where a customer was asking if there is another box for the one he wants to buy and she told him no. The customer stopped for a minute because I can clearly see that the box was pretty banged up and the toy was a new release! She told the customer, well if you mind it so much then don't buy it then. Pfft.. what kind of service is that? You tell me. Their prices use to be reasonable, but it's not cheap. As for your question, they are one of the well known sellers in HK that stays true. This isn't due to reputation wise, but simply because they have been in the business for a while. Another reason why they give people the impression that they seem to be one of the 'big boys' is because the amount of stocks they order from Bandai-Asia. Unfortunately, Bandai-Asia has good ties with them; they are one of their biggest customer after all. From what I know Hung Hing orders a lot of stocks from Bandai-Asia monthly. That includes unpopular toys as well. So the bottom-line, if you're going to Wan Chai, don't bother to go to Tai Yuen Street. Hung Hing is located there and prices are way too expensive.
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Post by mecha-mania on Aug 7, 2012 6:32:24 GMT -5
Hung Hing is just your regular toy shop. They had always been infamous for their crappy services. Especially from the boss herself. That is why they had lost a lot of their loyal customers over time. There are a lot of choices, so a lot of collectors or enthusiast do not go to Hung Hing to buy toys anymore. There was one incident where a customer was asking if there is another box for the one he wants to buy and she told him no. The customer stopped for a minute because I can clearly see that the box was pretty banged up and the toy was a new release! She told the customer, well if you mind it so much then don't buy it then. Pfft.. what kind of service is that? You tell me. Their prices use to be reasonable, but it's not cheap. As for your question, they are one of the well known sellers in HK that stays true. This isn't due to reputation wise, but simply because they have been in the business for a while. Another reason why they give people the impression that they seem to be one of the 'big boys' is because the amount of stocks they order from Bandai-Asia. Unfortunately, Bandai-Asia has good ties with them; they are one of their biggest customer after all. From what I know Hung Hing orders a lot of stocks from Bandai-Asia monthly. That includes unpopular toys as well. So the bottom-line, if you're going to Wan Chai, don't bother to go to Tai Yuen Street. Hung Hing is located there and prices are way too expensive. That is so true for shops that have grown too big, same thing happened to some toy shops in my country, Singapore btw. They give you that "take it or leave it" kind of attitude. When that happens, I just walk off and go to the next one, simple as that. These people simply forgotten that we collectors are that ones that help them become what they are today, and sometimes, they just need a reminder or a wake up call.
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Post by Mazinish on Aug 7, 2012 12:55:13 GMT -5
i wish could go to hong kong for a chogokin shopping spree.
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Post by pryzmm on Aug 8, 2012 9:48:07 GMT -5
i will surely remember's your name sir zankantou, might ask for a tip or two when its my chance to visit hk ..... thanks for all the advice ... and since we are on the topic, might as well spill the beans on where to go for those shops that is good & had reasonable prices ... that is if you don't mind ,
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Post by actionawesome on Aug 8, 2012 16:03:47 GMT -5
Just do what I do. Email zankantou what you are looking for. Have him get it for you and ship it your way! He will get you a better deal than you yourself will and he will pack it better too!
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Post by locidm on Aug 8, 2012 18:20:19 GMT -5
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Post by 70's Super Robot Fan on Aug 9, 2012 1:37:24 GMT -5
Hi all,
I am lucky to visit Hong Kong every February to toy hunt ;D
The places I visit to canvass prices are:
A. Mongkok 1. In's Point, CTMA Center, SINO Center & Richmond Commercial Center B. Causeway Bay 1. Sugar Street 2. Toyzone 16 C. Wan Chai 1. Oriental 188
Cheers,
70's Super Robot Fan
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Post by zankantou on Aug 9, 2012 6:09:24 GMT -5
locidm, sorry to burst your bubbles man... but the places you wrote about, especially the first shop Hung Hing that is one of the notorious shops people should avoid at all cost when visiting Hong Kong. Not just for buyers, but also us dealers. Unless you don't mind paying lumps of money and getting crappy services, then be my guest. And just so you know, there is only 3 toy store left in Tai Yuen Street; and they are not good places to get stuff. Aside from the prices, the selections are getting less. Oriental 188 has a few toys shops, but ONLY 1 is trustworthy. The rest, prices are everywhere. So if you're not aware about it, you may get rip off. Causeway Bay, you guys can forget about it. The shop at Causeway Bay Center is long gone. AND PEOPLE DO AVOID THE TOY SHOP CALLED 'ANIMATE' AT ALL COST. THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, DESPITE BEING A BIG TOY COMPANY. (sorry had to use caps LOL~) Animate also has a shop in Mong Kok and avoid it for gods sake.... it's a good place to window viewing, but keep it that way! You've been warned! There is one shop you can consider going if you're in Causeway Bay, that is located in Causeway Bay Commercial Building called Toyzone. They deal with mostly vintage items, so it's a good place to check it out. But if you have breathing problems or asthma I suggest you to be prepared before going into their shop. They have a lot of toys stuffed up in a room that has almost no ventilation. Wonderland Store, forget it. The place is targeted towards families who are willing to spend big on their kids. Not for toy collectors like us. But if you want to check Wonderland, don't bother checking out the North Point branch but go to the Hung Hum branch. More options and selections there. Now for the Kowloon area. People who plan to check toys shops in Kowloon, do be careful especially in Richmond Commercial Building. Out of 10 stores 7 of them are notorious. This is one of the few places that a lot of people have been either ripped off or cheated. The part where I told other members on how some shops re-sale second hand items as first started from there. There have a lot of shops in there yes, but with that kind of reputation and other choices out in that area, why bother going? You make the decision. Like I said Animate is located around Mong Kok. Good for viewing, but crap for buying. You've been warned, the second time! Sino Center is ok place to check out toys. But over the few years a lot of toys shops have closed down and they have only a few toys shops left in that center. CTMA Center a nice place to check out toys. But prices can vary there. In’s Point is more or less near Yau Mai Tei (3-4 blocks from Mong Kok) and it has a lot of choices to select from. Prices vary and there are a few notorious toy shops in there, but it's nothing compared to Richmond Commercial Building. A good place to check things out but also be cautious on the prices. Hong Kong is a shopping paradise, especially for toys. HK releases are a lot cheaper compared Japanese import due to the low tax rate and because Bandai-Asia is located here. Their the ones who distribute items throughout the Asian region. (FYI) However, the market has drastically changed over the years. Things aren't the way they use to be sad to say. With the Yen price fluctuation and wholesalers raising prices, a lot of good and reputable sellers/dealers are forced to close down. Especially with Bandai-Asia, they have changed a lot. They force sellers and dealers to take on other unpopular items along with the stocks you order. For example the recent SRC Might Gaine. You are required to take 3 crappy models from Gundam AGE per 3 SRC Might Gaine. It's not your concern about these things, but the reason why I'm mentioning about this is because I hope you guys will try to understand why some of the prices may be seem to be high when you are shopping in Hong Kong; and why sellers/dealer aren't willing to haggle
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Post by locidm on Aug 9, 2012 10:12:06 GMT -5
Zantouku, thanks for the clarification although I just say most of your info is already on my writer up, which was done based on my trip almost two years ago.
I would like to say that although Animate may be pricey, they are trust worthy and worry free. You buy something from them and won't have to worry that it's actually a used product. I pay a little premium for that and I don't have a problem with it. Their display used to be one of the best but last time I went it got dusty and things may have gone further downhill.
As for wonderland, they stock all newest SOCs and CMs gokin, and is a good place to go for worry free puchases upon release, but I agree it's not a good place for older toy hunting. Nevertheless it's a good trustworthy store.
Most places in MK and Yau ma tei requires caution.
If you know of any place not mentioned in my write up please let me know. I will be there in Novemeber too!
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Post by acurael on Aug 9, 2012 10:21:35 GMT -5
Hi zankantou, you mentioned a lot of toy stores in HK where not to go, can you mention places where people SHOULD go?
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Post by zankantou on Aug 9, 2012 10:55:48 GMT -5
locidm, I know. That particular post was based on your write up alone It's only been 2 years, but the changes that have occurred is kind a big. Another place you can consider going is in Sham Shui Po called Fook Lee. They are the only few selected toy shops in that area that is ok. Wonderland is like going to Toys R'Us to buy Soul of Chogokin. The price will be on the double! XD acurael, I had to inform others about the crappy toy shops FIRST. I don't want to see other members getting ripped off or cheated in our big city. We're all a bunch of toy enthusiast and the last thing I want to see is another collector getting scammed. As for your question goes, places you can consider going is Mong Kok CTMA & Sino Center. Yau Mai Tei In's Point. Wan Chai Oriental 188. Those are the well known places to go to check out for toys. There are other places, but I doubt any tourist will go there. They are just too far.
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