International Shipping - New Deal

[Fisto]

Hello Everyone,

This is by far the piece of news that dissapointed me the most. I have really wanted a shipping method that offers insurance and also delivery to my Post Office Box. With the announcements that we would be gaining a number of new shipping methods, I thought Mattel had listened to me on this one, by offering more options. However, if it is true that international fans are only going to recieve two options DHL or USPS, than nothing has really changed. DHL like UPS will not deliver to a Post Office Box and USPS will not provide insurance. I really feel Mattel let us down by not offerring greater choice. Please, Toygury, please address this.

Take Care,
Darren

[Haephestus]

Whao. So, figures are now $27.00 instead of $22.00 (for cherry pickers). And shipping for a single figure is now $13.75 instead of $9.95.

So, each figure is automatically almost $10.00 more? I'm already selective about what figures I purchase when they cost $30.00 each. I'm only going to be more selective when they cost $40.00 each.

And the fact that Mattel thinks that they can just ignore all shipping issues if customers won't pay the higher shipping charges is mind-boggling. I know Mattel pretty much have a monopoly when it comes to decent action figures aimed at the kids of the 80's who are now grown up and don't live in the US. But that doesn't mean they should treat us with so much obvious contempt.

[synthalus]

I have always got the cheapest shipping method. Mattel lost my Faker figure (when he was FIRST on sale in March). The rep said Mattel would send me a new one or send me a replacement, but they wanted me to wait one more week. Still nothing. I call back and I was told it's Mattel's policy to do nothing since I didn't pay $30 for UPS tracked shipping and it was my fault. I explained I was told I would get a replacement or my money back. I was told no. I called another time, different rep, same answer. I explained I would do a charge-back with my credit card company because I have a policy of NOT paying for things that do not arrive. She said she couldn't stop me. Well, after that...Mattel blocked my credit card from being able to make any other purchases. Nice, right?

So, I had to use my mom's credit card ever since.

Anyway, the "screw you if we lose your parcel" isn't a new thing. Faker was in 2009, right?

The same thing happened to me when I was living overseas and it was also with Faker back in March 2009! My order status actually showed that Faker was somehow send back to DR, but DR even denied the proof I had over the phone & email! I also was told I should have purchased the $30+ shipping option... It was sooo frustrating
I did a charge-back on my card and DR blocked me from ordering as well. After that happened, I ordered my MOTUC together with a friend who also has someone else who collected MOTUC so that way we were able to purchase the higher shipping with tracking at a more affordable price with a more secure 'we get what we order'.

Bottom line, This is not new to me either. DR has always denied any help for packages without tracking...

[Balthus Dire]

Good God I didn't realize shipping went up as well as the price of the figures.

Holy frig...this is a serious dilemma for me. I want the sub, but $27 plus $13 shipping per figure? And if the package is lost I eat the cost?

Geez, Matty...you're not making the sub very enticing.

[tmc1984]

even if i wanted to subscribe, i would have to force myself not too ...

cherry-picking is the only way forward for me now, it's worked this year - so im sticking with it ...

the price hike for figures i can understand, but shipping too?! ... too much ...

[Draego-Man]

They actually can't do that from a legal perspective. Sellers are responsible to put goods in your hands once you've paid. You can file a claim with Visa or Mastercard, and the BBB.

[EtherianChronicles]

They actually can't do that from a legal perspective. Sellers are responsible to put goods in your hands once you've paid. You can file a claim with Visa or Mastercard, and the BBB.

Actually, that's not entirely true.

It is their responsibility to get it to the shipper, and their responsibility ends there. At least that's what the law says.

The true issue here is that International Post does not offer sufficient world-wide tracking.

I feel terribly for those who have to pay more or face not getting figures, but I don't know what option Mattel has here - cheaper International Shipping does not offer worldwide tracking, and people don't want to/cannot afford to pay for a better option that does with DHL. As someone who works with shipping companies on a semi-regular basis, I'm not sure what other option there possibly would be.

[Eterniandreams]

I always took the sub, but I think I will go Ebay then.
Shipping is cheaper an custum taxes are avoided.

[omee]

I have always got the cheapest shipping method. Mattel lost my Faker figure (when he was FIRST on sale in March). The rep said Mattel would send me a new one or send me a replacement, but they wanted me to wait one more week. Still nothing. I call back and I was told it's Mattel's policy to do nothing since I didn't pay $30 for UPS tracked shipping and it was my fault. I explained I was told I would get a replacement or my money back. I was told no. I called another time, different rep, same answer. I explained I would do a charge-back with my credit card company because I have a policy of NOT paying for things that do not arrive. She said she couldn't stop me. Well, after that...Mattel blocked my credit card from being able to make any other purchases. Nice, right?

So, I had to use my mom's credit card ever since.

Anyway, the "screw you if we lose your parcel" isn't a new thing. Faker was in 2009, right?

I'm not sure that this is a hard and fast rule. Last year when Snout Spout was released there was a bit of a mix up when the figure wasn't delivered to my house but rather went to my local post office. I got a note in the mail saying I could come pick up my figure but it just so happened I was out of the country on vacation and the post office has a rule that if the item is not picked up within 7 days its shipped back, which is exactly what happened. When I got back I called Matty and explained what had happened and if they could ship the item back and they said they could not because the figure was sold out (I dont get that part since I know FOR SURE they had at least 1. My 1) but they would refund me my money, which they did very promptly.

So it seems as though it's a case by case thing. Anyways it still sucks that shipping is going up because for the last 2 years ive only ever paid between $8-$15 on shipping to Canada. Also, in the past 2 years I havent ever had a figure go missing in transit, the above situation was unique though.

Side-note: After hearing my story, knowing that Snout Spout was my most cherished childhood toy, my girlfriend bought me one for my birthday, so not a total loss

[Calderon]

I made some calculations and every single sub figure is 29.5% more expensive for us international customers while DOS single figure is 27.5% more expensive. Does it make any sense?

[Crusader]

I'm all happy about the figure reveals ... but totally gutted about the price increases. It's not that I don't have the money, but this is getting really expensive.

And knowing that a lot of the product will have QC error and bad paint apps doesn't help. For this price the figures (and the cards) should be flawless.

[Shadow-Ra]

Why can't Matty just mark the deliveries as 'gift' ?

[Dragonbait]

Good Gods of Ethernia, this is insane!!! Not only we will pay more for figures, but even more for shipping (International Post) that do not care about send it to you in time or not! Im waiting (and still do) for my Slushead and only what i get that i have wait another week mail after mail. I dont like it at all! Beacose of that im thinking to quit of collecting this figures NOW at this moment!
Im not a billionare, even i dont have that much money to pay for DHL or UPS that is 100% price of the only ONE fiugre, it ist as paying for 2 figures but you get only one -_-.

I really like new figures, but with that attitude from DR and Matty... Ill never buy subscription. In this year many fans abandoned the line, and now they are diggin a big hole under their feets.


If that 40% up cost of shipping would go on tracking, ok that would be great! But no, **** you. Why?

[JimPansen]

Scott knew it. He always said, it will be the price increase that kills the line. Its gonna be tough 2013 and i don´t want to think about 2014 I cant afford a sub under those conditions. Im really sad Its to risky now with the unsecured shipping. I want my Ram Man damn!

[Darkspecter]

The same thing happened to me when I was living overseas and it was also with Faker back in March 2009! My order status actually showed that Faker was somehow send back to DR, but DR even denied the proof I had over the phone & email! I also was told I should have purchased the $30+ shipping option... It was sooo frustrating
I did a charge-back on my card and DR blocked me from ordering as well. After that happened, I ordered my MOTUC together with a friend who also has someone else who collected MOTUC so that way we were able to purchase the higher shipping with tracking at a more affordable price with a more secure 'we get what we order'.

Bottom line, This is not new to me either. DR has always denied any help for packages without tracking...

Faker is the bad luck figure!

I'm not sure that this is a hard and fast rule. Last year when Snout Spout was released there was a bit of a mix up when the figure wasn't delivered to my house but rather went to my local post office. I got a note in the mail saying I could come pick up my figure but it just so happened I was out of the country on vacation and the post office has a rule that if the item is not picked up within 7 days its shipped back, which is exactly what happened. When I got back I called Matty and explained what had happened and if they could ship the item back and they said they could not because the figure was sold out (I dont get that part since I know FOR SURE they had at least 1. My 1) but they would refund me my money, which they did very promptly.

So it seems as though it's a case by case thing. Anyways it still sucks that shipping is going up because for the last 2 years ive only ever paid between $8-$15 on shipping to Canada. Also, in the past 2 years I havent ever had a figure go missing in transit, the above situation was unique though.

Side-note: After hearing my story, knowing that Snout Spout was my most cherished childhood toy, my girlfriend bought me one for my birthday, so not a total loss

I'm glad everything seemed to work out for you!

[Fisto]

I actually can deal with the increased cost of shipping. I just wish that Mattel could offer a shipping method with insurance that will deliver to my post office box? Is this shipping option really that unreasonable?

Take Care,
Darren

[Calderon]

Made even more calculations...
Total sub costs in the best case scenario (no customs) would be around 670$ (550€ ,435£)
Total sub costs in the worst case scenarion (customs every month) would be around 950$ (780€, 615£) (I applied Spanish custom and handling fees)

Months with just one figure are likely to avoid customs but a expensive one like the fighting foe men month would be insane: 138,25$ in best case scenario (unlikely) or 176,25$ for 4 figures (FFM+monthly figure) . But if single figure get stung by customs then you would have to pay 61 for each monthly figure and that's completely out of limits.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

Oh great! There always seems to be a sting - so does that mean each month we'll get a cusoms charge in the UK?

[Invicta]

Oh great! There always seems to be a sting - so does that mean each month we'll get a cusoms charge in the UK?

You know, its funny. The prices do rise with inflation (in general) but custom levels do not seem to change much at all, making it eventually rather unfair for consumers. I can't even remember when the customs level last changed.

[Teitan]

I would stick with UPS International than DHL, costs! Never seen ordering from overseas as no risk. Is always risk and gamble with customs. Although I always received my all orders from Matty!

[Agent Gibbs]

The Customs threshold for the UK lowerd from £18 to £15 this year in the UK, so we will get screwed every single month

Increased shipping
+
no refunds/returns on lowest option
+
sub holders can buy all sale day stock early (meaning no sale day potentially for cherry pickers)
+
$25/$27 a figure
+
not seeing this increase in paint apps/accessories

all add up to me not getting the sub!

there is far more negative now against the sub than in favour.

Price increases will kill off international sales, then to offset this prices will increase in 2014 further and that will kill the line

[brutal81]

International Post...

1: 13.75
2: 21.70

Damn. Looks like i'm only buying one figure per order. If i can afford any

[MOONCHILD]

I'm anoyed by this news. I live in Portugal and all of my purchages with mattel came with the international Shipping, only one got lost (1st issue Stratos). With the increase of figures price, and the shipping my only option (again) is not buying a Sub. I won't commit again to secure all the figures (when there are some wich i'll pass) and risking the damn Costum Taxes, everytime they ship more than 2 regular sized figures.
I'm sorry, but i'll have to act this way, and believe me when I say that I'm a huge fan of this line.

[Tribal Spaceman]

I can live with the price increases, althought I do think it's too much of a jump, it's the resulting customs charges that will kill me.

Right now it costs me around £22 for a single subscription figure shipped on its own, but with these extra charges it will end up at almost £40.

[Orko's Magic Hat]

So it will cost around £24.87 for a single figure each month with the basic shipping option.