I liked their format. It must have been much easier not having to be on screen talking the whole time. I never saw the countdowns but did score some good stuff from them.
Did any of your orders placed before 10:00am PST on Saturday get cancelled? I hope not. I would concur the rules for Saturday could have been confusing because the website just says 9am-6pm PST for both GA and VIP while on air they were telling people the first hour on Saturday was VIP access only. As for Friday, I think it was made pretty clear to any ticket holders that was reserved for VIPs, and as far as I'm aware those were the orders that were refunded. I believe all the Godzilla toys were cataloged properly (image wise). Those were my top priority so I made it a point to find out what exactly would be available. They previewed most of them well in advance during 3D Retro's regular airtime and the rest the night before. They might have given them strange names since they can't read the Japanese labels but the pictures should have all matched the relative products. I'm pretty sure their shipping department looks at the image for reference so I think you should be OK. Unfortunately, when it comes to Japanese artists and licenses the guys at 3D Retro can be pretty clueless. They just don't have anyone on staff who is well versed enough in sofubi or the surrounding culture. Compared to the rest of their inventory their stock is fairly limited though. Most of it is sourced from Medicom along with other things they are familiar with—VCDs and BE@RBRICKs. As you witnessed on Sunday, they will frequently ask me to chime in when available because they know I'm more knowledgeable on the subject than most of the people who typically tune in, as well as their employees. Hiccups with the app aside I had a great weekend. I got a lot of really cool stuff I would have had to pay a lot more for anywhere else and got to know some really cool artists/makers I wasn't familiar with, all from the comfort of my own home (not big on traveling personally). I really appreciate all the vendors catering to both VIP and GA. I was VIP, but I didn't want GA to feel cheated. Virtually every vendor I shopped with saved some inventory for both Saturday and Sunday with very few exceptions. Some toys were only made available after 10:00am on Saturday or Sunday, so GA had the same chance as everyone else to grab some really limited pieces. Unless you were dead set on getting one of the more sought after Medicom items you really didn't need a VIP pass to have a good time.
The whole idea and pretty much every problem they had would have been instantly fixed by not charging for tickets. No angry VIP since they didn't pay. Customers who missed out wouldn't be mad because it was free and they lost nothing. Countless more people would have shown up and the artists would all get way more exposure. Way more people would have gotten the app itself. No purchases would have been cancelled or refunded or restocked. Gouging for ticket money fucked it all up. They were already getting something like 20% of sales anyway.
Maybe the piece didn’t match the picture as well or maybe I missed it but whatever. It was a different experience that I wouldn’t have had the chance to do if it wasn’t virtual. I wish they would get more of the Toho lines and the Bearbrick hype was too much, still it was a good time.
Really? Last I checked Popshop takes 9% but may offer a better rate based on sales volume. That’s basically the equivalent of eBay closing fees, but they cover the postage. Do you know if they increased the rate for DCON? If so and I had known I would have held off on some purchases and just bought direct after the event was over. I’m pretty sure even if it was free there would still be complaints. People have torn into NTWRK, a free app with similar drops (i.e. exclusive BE@RBRICKs), for failing to get what they want when they want it. To an extent I agree on doing away with the tickets, but it wouldn’t be a panacea. Unfortunately there is no pleasing everyone. The expressed behavior I have witnessed when some people “take an L” on a first world novelty is alarming, and I can assure you it has nothing to do with paying $65 for a VIP ticket. I have seen grown ass men and women ridicule a child—more than once—for winning a blind box chase figure via a call-in raffle on Popshop, claiming the system was rigged (a truly random selection) and that he was undeserving for no better excuse than being young and not possibly a “true collector.” Many who can afford to buy any of these toys to begin with are ingrates truly blind to their privilege. They devolve into Trumpian idiots when they lose, regardless of the stakes.
@useless toys I think it was Kozik. It took me some research, but it was an SDCC release from 2013. "Mr. Monsanto". There is some serious hate on Skullbrain toward the Salary Ika if you look back. I think he's fun, and the colors on this one are pretty sweet. I like the shading on both the suit and the face. I had the basic black and while guy back in the day.
Not just the Salary Ika! Kozik was a collector from way back, but that was a phase in history when a whole slew of the Kidrobot chumps and assorted hipster asshats decided sofubi was cool and all jumped ship to cash in. Despite them all swearing 'Sofubi or Death', thankfully they've all fucked-off onto whatever was cool next . . . as anticipated (hoped).
I guess as both a collector and a maker, you must stand by the two options?? The schizophreny is around the corner Andy !!
Definitely not a 'maker'! That infers some sort of craft or skill involved in my contribution! Apparently we've been around 6 years longer than Kozik lasted . . . and I'm hoping for a good few more! 'Death before Dementia!'
Thou shalt not fade the MANIMAL. Say what you will about Koz. But when he decided he wanted a new Motorbike and sold off a bunch of excellent and rare stuff at ORIGINAL cost (Hand paint Bemons.) That was good times. But I guess it depends which way your smoke blows on that one. I'll never forget not participating in the VIP Fridays program at Dcon. One dude whom I've never seen before flailing all over the place over my weekend previews saying how unfair it was I didn't participate and wasn't selling.. I guess I missed out on some 'sposure.
You think it’ll be in-person? Not sure if we’ll be solid at that point with vaccinations but it’d be nice.