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Post by junktea1 on Jun 16, 2007 18:52:05 GMT -5
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Post by Tsurugi on Jun 18, 2007 11:02:24 GMT -5
damn joe, sorry about your situation bro.
I also ordered my goshogun from HLJ and it arrived with no problems and no damage.
I would be very upset as well if my stuff arrived with severely damaged boxes.
You should have them replace it for you and have them cover the shipping of you sending it back to them.
I have ordered numerous times from HLJ, in fact, I have four 1/48 yamato valkyries on the way. Now i cant help but wonder what kind of condition they are going to arrive in.
Good luck with getting this resolved man.
Erik
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Post by wilson on Jun 18, 2007 11:44:47 GMT -5
a few years ago i ordered a Yamato reissue and HLJ packaged the item in a box thats the same size as the bandai Yamato toy box it self. the toy box was a little damaged. i email HLJ and they told me that if the toy is ok then they will not do anything about it. i was a little pissed and decided not to order from them again unless its super cleanance items.
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Post by toystarr on Jun 18, 2007 12:41:18 GMT -5
sorry to hear that junktea1. the boxes really look bad, but I have the same experience
with HLJ as bro Tsurugi, so far. everything I ordered was in prime condition. I sure had
the occasional box that was manhandled by the delivery guys, but that was no fault from
HLJ.
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Post by junktea1 on Jun 18, 2007 13:08:11 GMT -5
damn joe, sorry about your situation bro. I also ordered my goshogun from HLJ and it arrived with no problems and no damage. I would be very upset as well if my stuff arrived with severely damaged boxes. You should have them replace it for you and have them cover the shipping of you sending it back to them. I have ordered numerous times from HLJ, in fact, I have four 1/48 yamato valkyries on the way. Now i cant help but wonder what kind of condition they are going to arrive in. Good luck with getting this resolved man. Erik Sh!t happens I guess.  Did your Go Shogun arrive packaged with only a cardboard insert on the base of the toy box and then plastic wrapped? No bubble wrapping or other styrofoam chips? EMS or SAL? It could be that the postmen on the way played basketball with the box. But anyways, regardless of the beating, if it was packed properly this wouldn't have happened. Remember that Gunbuster I sent? I bet you could send that thing to Iraq or Africa with tons of abuse and GB would be intact inside! ;D |
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Post by Tsurugi on Jun 18, 2007 15:05:39 GMT -5
damn joe, sorry about your situation bro. I also ordered my goshogun from HLJ and it arrived with no problems and no damage. I would be very upset as well if my stuff arrived with severely damaged boxes. You should have them replace it for you and have them cover the shipping of you sending it back to them. I have ordered numerous times from HLJ, in fact, I have four 1/48 yamato valkyries on the way. Now i cant help but wonder what kind of condition they are going to arrive in. Good luck with getting this resolved man. Erik Sh!t happens I guess. Did your Go Shogun arrive packaged with only a cardboard insert on the base of the toy box and then plastic wrapped? No bubble wrapping or other styrofoam chips? EMS or SAL? It could be that the postmen on the way played basketball with the box. But anyways, regardless of the beating, if it was packed properly this wouldn't have happened. Remember that Gunbuster I sent? I bet you could send that thing to Iraq or Africa with tons of abuse and GB would be intact inside! ;D the goshogun came wrapped in a plastic bubble but with no cardboard, which i thought looked a bit odd when they did that your shogun and revolt megs. i have my stuff sent by EMS (not patient enough to wait any longer than i have to :  so i dont know if that makes a difference as well. My cousin on the boards (Great Kaiser 2) just ordered and received the brave revival goldran from Ken from toy-wave and had it shipped via SAL and it arrived in perfect condition. maybe its just bad luck. but yeah HLJ should def take packing tips from you because the gunbuster you sent me was flawless  Erik |
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Post by junktea1 on Jun 19, 2007 11:44:18 GMT -5
This is HLJ's response:
Hello
Thanks for writing.
We're sorry to hear that your order was damaged in shipping. We ship thousands of orders, all packed the same way, and for the most part they arrive in good shape, but aside from wrapping your items many centimeters deep in packing materials (which would increase shipping costs significantly), nothing we can do will protect a package that receives the kind of handling your box received. Unfortunately, we have no control over how the post office treats a box. EMS orders are packed no differently, but since the post office knows that it is liable for damage on those orders, they tend to handle them more gently.
Were the actual products damaged in any way? Please see our policies page (http://www.hlj.com/overview/hlj_policies.html) and our FAQ on damage (http://www.hlj.com/faq/q17.html) for an explanation of our policies on box damage and charge backs. Please be aware that we will contest any charge back vigorously.
Thanks for shopping with HobbyLink Japan!
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My order arrived, but it was damaged in shipping.
Please do a careful inspection of your merchandise. If the "damage" is limited to the outer box of the product, such as a crushed corner or bent lid, we ask you to grin and bear it if at all possible (this doesn't happen very often). If actual kit parts have been broken (not just fallen off the runner), or a completed item has been damaged, e-mail us at trouble@hlj.com and we will arrange supply you with replacement parts or a new item (at our discretion) at no charge. In some cases we may request that you return the damaged item to us, but in these cases we will credit you for the postage you pay to do so.
In addition, if you ordered a large item that was shipped by "parcel" class (i.e. there was a light green shipping label stuck to the box that has "Postal Parcel" printed at the top), then you are entitled to compensation from the post office of at least 8,620 yen, but no more than 21,710 yen depending on the weight of the parcel. You do not need to have insured your package to receive this compensation. Exact procedures vary by country, but you should start by taking your order and the shipping box down to your local post office, showing them the damage, and inquiring about the procedure for filing a damage claim. If you happen to take delivery of your package from your mail carrier in person, and there is obvious damage, ask him/her to witness your opening the box, and get the carrier's name to bolster your claim.
Notice to Toy and Model Collectors: While HobbyLink Japan appreciates your business, we regret that we cannot accept requests for compensation or replacement of merchandise due to superficial shipping damage to outer packaging, such as bends, creases, minor crushing, etc. While we carefully package everything we ship in brand-new boxes, some cosmetic damage will occur from time to time with any mail-order service. We will happily replace items if the actual product is damaged, but if you absolutely must have an item with a "mint" condition outer box, we recommend you make your purchase from a shop that caters to collectors.
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So essentially they are saying 'too bad Charlie.' Maybe I can bring the box to the post office to get some sort of compensation as stated in their policy.
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Post by sketcher on Jun 19, 2007 12:13:58 GMT -5
When you use SAL, you are at the risk of the carrier. HLJ is not responsible for what the postal carrier has done to your package. I have received many packages from HLJ via SAL and EMS. I have never had a box as damaged as yours was when received. I have had some arrive crushed to a certain extent, but the contents are usually ok. However, I would be seeking compensation from the Postal carrier rather than HLJ. SAL is not an insured delivery method, as far as I know, and the fact that HLJ is still willing to replace when a product is damaged or missing is a step above what most sellers will do. If the inner box is damaged, this is sometimes a fact we have to deal with. If you want perfect collectors grade boxes with no dinged corners and the like, buy your toys from BBTS or another collector-specific seller. I display my toys, so box condition is not such a factor for me. While I do like to have nice boxes to store the toys, I am not totally concerned about a scratch or ding in the box. You have already done the right thing by taking pictures of the box as received and going to the post office to make a claim with the carrier is a good start. Keep this in mind though. If the product was not truly damaged (toy not broken), the post office may deny any claim. They are not concerned with collectors grade boxes etc.
Sorry your box was damaged in shipment.
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Post by KingboyD on Jun 19, 2007 14:59:24 GMT -5
I feel for you. I just experienced something similar, but with another reputable, well-known online store. I almost always buy my stuff through ebay. But I just found a great deal on an item through a store in Hong Kong. Although it was wrapped in about an inch of bubble wrap, it was not placed within a box - it just had a wrapper around the bubble wrap. So of course, the item's box was severaly damaged by the time it reached me. It didn't help that there was plenty of void space in the box, so crushing it would be mere child's play. Fortunately, the item was OK (I guess it helped that it was vinyl). For the price I paid for the item and shipping, I would expect more. I don't plan on contacting the store about my displeasure, but I will think twice before I order from them again unless I'm willing to accept this box risk. What hurts me the most is when I receive a vintage item that was poorly packaged, and it arrives damaged. In my mind, there are only a limited number of vintage items that survived through the ages, and therefore they are sort of irreplaceable. Newer items are produced in huge numbers, but it still hurts just the same to have one damaged, especially considering the money that these things cost these days!! (Please don't misconstrue my statements - I'm not trying to belittle your suffering because the item is new, just adding some additional misery of my own. This is my own individual perspective - I don't want to create a new vs. old rift.  ). This happened to me several times. The most memorable / damaged were a Nakajima Joe Kaisaka (the jet pack was in several pieces) and a Popy Message from Space Preastar. I did my best to repair these, but the parts are so fragile. I didn't complain because I got both for a steal. Anyway, your situation sux. And WTF is with this: "We will happily replace items if the actual product is damaged, but if you absolutely must have an item with a "mint" condition outer box, we recommend you make your purchase from a shop that caters to collectors. " ?!?!?!?! I thought HLJ was a collector's shop!! |
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Post by junktea1 on Jun 19, 2007 18:47:23 GMT -5
When you use SAL, you are at the risk of the carrier. HLJ is not responsible for what the postal carrier has done to your package. I have received many packages from HLJ via SAL and EMS. I have never had a box as damaged as yours was when received. I have had some arrive crushed to a certain extent, but the contents are usually ok. However, I would be seeking compensation from the Postal carrier rather than HLJ. SAL is not an insured delivery method, as far as I know, and the fact that HLJ is still willing to replace when a product is damaged or missing is a step above what most sellers will do. If the inner box is damaged, this is sometimes a fact we have to deal with. If you want perfect collectors grade boxes with no dinged corners and the like, buy your toys from BBTS or another collector-specific seller. I display my toys, so box condition is not such a factor for me. While I do like to have nice boxes to store the toys, I am not totally concerned about a scratch or ding in the box. You have already done the right thing by taking pictures of the box as received and going to the post office to make a claim with the carrier is a good start. Keep this in mind though. If the product was not truly damaged (toy not broken), the post office may deny any claim. They are not concerned with collectors grade boxes etc. Sorry your box was damaged in shipment. i guess i don't need to waste my time waiting in line at the post office then. |
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Post by junktea1 on Jun 19, 2007 18:48:43 GMT -5
I feel for you. I just experienced something similar, but with another reputable, well-known online store. I almost always buy my stuff through ebay. But I just found a great deal on an item through a store in Hong Kong. Although it was wrapped in about an inch of bubble wrap, it was not placed within a box - it just had a wrapper around the bubble wrap. So of course, the item's box was severaly damaged by the time it reached me. It didn't help that there was plenty of void space in the box, so crushing it would be mere child's play. Fortunately, the item was OK (I guess it helped that it was vinyl). For the price I paid for the item and shipping, I would expect more. I don't plan on contacting the store about my displeasure, but I will think twice before I order from them again unless I'm willing to accept this box risk. What hurts me the most is when I receive a vintage item that was poorly packaged, and it arrives damaged. In my mind, there are only a limited number of vintage items that survived through the ages, and therefore they are sort of irreplaceable. Newer items are produced in huge numbers, but it still hurts just the same to have one damaged, especially considering the money that these things cost these days!! (Please don't misconstrue my statements - I'm not trying to belittle your suffering because the item is new, just adding some additional misery of my own. This is my own individual perspective - I don't want to create a new vs. old rift. ). This happened to me several times. The most memorable / damaged were a Nakajima Joe Kaisaka (the jet pack was in several pieces) and a Popy Message from Space Preastar. I did my best to repair these, but the parts are so fragile. I didn't complain because I got both for a steal. Anyway, your situation sux. And WTF is with this: "We will happily replace items if the actual product is damaged, but if you absolutely must have an item with a "mint" condition outer box, we recommend you make your purchase from a shop that caters to collectors. " ?!?!?!?! I thought HLJ was a collector's shop!! any recommendations besides BBTS? any suppliers in hong kong maybe? |
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Post by nikodiablo on Jun 20, 2007 3:59:49 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about your predicaments.
I just received my 30% discounted Aoshima Getter 1 SAL shipped from HLJ. The package arrived in good order, no noticable damage except for the expected dents at the corners. I noticed that HLJ uses a box much larger than the merchandise box, and used plastic bubble (the pillow type, not the small bubble wrap type) but no cardboards. However, upon inspection, I noticed that the bubbles were deflated, but this might be done by the customs in my country when they performed the package inspection. I'm just glad that the package was not sent to another town after the inspection point, because seeing that the plastic bubble was deflated, another shipment may crush the package and the toy inside.
FYI, the only time HLJ used an outer box that is not much bigger than the toy box was when they shipped GFF 1001 Metal Composite RX-78-2 (also by SAL), even then the shipment did not damage the package, only careless customs d1ckheads who chose to rip the cellotape seal instead of cutting them off with a cutter.
For me, so far HLJ has not shipped improperly.
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Post by Tsurugi on Jun 21, 2007 0:07:07 GMT -5
Just to keep this conversation going and even more interesting let me contribute what I just got yesterday from HLJ. Seeing Joe's pics of his smaller items I got a bit worried being that these are bigger in size and one would think that with the items being bigger, they are more susceptible to shipping damage. Well here is what it looked like when it got here.    As you can see, the Valks are as snug as possible with only the Air Pocket shipping pillows as protection. But to my surprise this is the condition they came in.    I mean it was a relief but I hate to think that it's a gamble everytime I order from them. I guess its all random luck in the end  Hope that adds to the insight of this thread. Erik |
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Post by emerson on Jun 21, 2007 1:21:35 GMT -5
At the end of the day, there is always a risk that the post office will damage the shipment, sure. Somtimes you're lucky and things go smoothly. Other times you're not so lucky. HOWEVER, risk can always be mitigated. You can never remove it completely, sure, but you can sure as hell make an effort. My issue with HLJ is that they do not make much of an effort to safeguard their shipments from the inherent risks of overseas transit. All the examples above of an HLJ package arriving in good shape is not proof positive that HLJ's done their job...luck was just on your side. One hard knock to Tsurugi's HLJ big box o' valks would have said goodbye to that C10 packaging.
It's been this way for years. Nothing has changed, or will change. HLJ's prices are low, and if you don't care about C10 packaging, it's a good way to go. If you need everything to arrive minty fresh, HLJ is a gamble.
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Post by sketcher on Jun 22, 2007 0:20:41 GMT -5
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Post by junktea1 on Jun 22, 2007 1:00:17 GMT -5
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