Time to start looking for alternatives I guess.. Ebay and USA based stores are out for me, shipping from USA to Australia usually blows out the price way too much. Might have to ask around for similar stores based in Japan where back catalogue items are available.

Well ignore that bad advice.

Mandrake is just frustrating me from all angles.

We all know that their category placing's always been off, but at least before you could find what you wanted (mostly!) when you figured out their listing system.

My old search method is practically pointless now, and I can't find any certain rhyme for how they're setting it up. Maybe it'll just take adjusting, but that's gonna be hard to do when it's like this.

It's been mentioned recently that Category wise, items are All over the place. But just to cite how bad it is, some toys are listed under "Genre" only. Just genre! It's not just one mistake either. And they are all random types, meaning that item won't always be listed there either, like how you could always count on finding Yamomark under Bemon x Zollmen.

But I could always fall back on and rely on finding Yamomark pieces by searching specifically for them (in english x japanese). But forget about searching for the right results now. Chances are, unless maybe it's the hottest toy at the time and they put all they can into selling it for as much as they can, no matter how many variations of an item you plug in, not all of that item may come up. The labeling has either become minimal or they've just gotten more lazy. I first noticed this while doing a basic search for Godzilla and in allhis name variations, Japanese included. "Alright, so those are the gojis they have right now. Got it". Then comes my Marmit search, and "What the...?!" There were more Godzillas! with no title.

And I used to think TAG's search system was flawed.

Ha, Thanks. We'll split it

I know you get it, Jonathan, but yeah, I should explain...

Re: Christmas Kaiju Show TAG
http://skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=49154



And with the comic relief for the win -

Edited a bit for length. Not much, but I tried. Lotsa meat here (maybe some worm meat too). Go to http://skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=49154 for it in it's entirety.

Btw, Mandarake's search is just as bad in Japanese as it is in English. It makes no sense whatsoever. I've been surprisngly pleased by Rakuten's new site though. Works a bit better...

It seems strange to me . . . i'm pretty sure Mandarake's international sales have been rising steadily in the last few years and what do they do? They change their website so it makes international ordering harder not easier.

And when you do finally come across something you want to buy, they take 10 days (and counting..) to send out a payment email. Had a similar thing happen just after they switched over - never had to wait longer than two days for confirmation/payment emails during all the time using the old site.

Okay, I know I have complained about this a few times (see ad nauseum), and there have been ample discussions in threads of various types for Mandarake beefs, but lately, I am sure it is getting even more outrageous. And that is saying something. Before, you would come across the oddball toy on the online version that was overpriced for some reason, identifiable or no, and of course there was always the flipping paradise on 'RAREZ' and hyped toys there, so that is kind of a given, but now browsing the site it honestly has me questioning the direction the hobby is taking.

I still love Mandarake and probably always will, as an otaku paradise. And having access to the website is a blessing; we have all put up with the idiosyncracies and payments and prices and whatnot for the sheer greatness of being able to buy the stuff we collect from a foreign country, something otherwise extremely difficult to do, but now as I peruse listings on offer there I just am thinking more and more, "come on." It isn't even that I am upset or angry about the prices, I am more forelorn as my head hits my desk over seeing toys become more and more unobtainable for the average fan. The stuff is selling too, which is a extra dagger in the bag that makes it that much more difficult to stomach.

I have built up my very modest collection piecemeal, picking up nice stuff I liked when I could find it, digging through bargain bins (literally and figuratively), and hunting for 'junk' toys. I have spent years just to get what I have; and it took a lot of work and patience. Anyone who has spent time in this hobby knows that it takes love and dedication. It might not be beautiful and is not enviable by the masses, but the important thing is that I like what I have - I could care less what the hype-followers think when they see my toys. I appreciate the classics, and am happy to share that love with others who do as well. I have always been a student and am forever on a limited budget. I simply do not have the pockets to chase after stuff or fight auctions. I find a way to make it work. But when I see this trend of getting deeper and deeper into the realm of 'collectable' rather than a toy, and things which are automatically sold out, or skyrocket multiple times over in price within days of release, it just has me shaking my head and rethinking things. Yes, the Yen has fallen ( - against the USD though -) recently, and yes, admittedly prices will go up over time. Fluctuations and inflation are something we deal with in every aspect of life though, not just collecting. But what I see happening more and more on Mandarake, love it as I might, has me wondering what this is leading to? Is the majority of stuff released bought only to re-sell? Has the vinyl toy/kaiju market become so replete with 'designers' and so mainstream now, incorporated with all the D*nny and KR stuff, so filled up with artists and collaborations, that we are no longer really a niche hobby? And if so, what does this hold for the future? Modern level of acceptability of toy collecting or a bubble bursting? I am reminded a bit of the 'boom' in Star Wars collecting in the late and post 90s, or comics for that matter. Whereas before you might have got a quizzical look or ganered an eye roll from someone at best (or a snide comment about childishness at worst), your collection now just seems like another quirk in a personality checkbox.

I guess this has turned into more of a philosophical discussion on the hobby; but yeah, Mandarake is kinda getting to me. Even more than before.

Been noticing the sudden spike in prices over there and at first didn't take notice, thinking most of the items would sit there for months like in the past.. But seeing multiple things priced upwards of 60,000 yen selling has been really disconcerting. Im seeing more and more "collectors" on IG dole out the cash for that instant gratification or out of sheer frustration in not being able to get what they want and not being that cool-guy "collector" with all the hottest new stuff.

Whatever you collect that makes you happy is all that matters obviously, it doesn't matter what other people think. People who are in this for the love of the hobby are easy to spot and the ones who're just here for opportunity/(popularity?!) stick out even more! I don't think our collecting plastic dolls has become a social norm just yet so I wouldn't worry about that..

All of this stuff is discouraging but in the end things tend to work out, people come and go in this scene. Only time time will tell I guess, but Ive got faith they're are plenty of good people new and old collecting today.

I'm more concerned about the reduction of volume of things being listed. Before all the changes, I would find new stuff listed several times a day usually. Lately there have been spans of days without updates to stock, at least with my myopic GID searches. Luckily the current exchange rate being what it is using buying services to access the myriad of Japanese sofubi resources that don't ship internationally is quite affordable. If the exchange rate tanks again and Mandarake is still sucking like this... well I could probably use a little collecting break anyway.

I occurs to me that I ought to just get James to institute a new code button for [/steverant] on the board which can function like the 'Spoiler' tag, so people can effectively ignore this ilk and I don't have to subject everyone to my constant ramblings.

And yeah, you both have valid points. I am not on instagram or the other similar things, but it does seem like that is becoming more of a standard, or at least those with some disposable cash. And Yuck, it seems like it is a fair deal less to me as well, but with the new site being harder to navigate and find toys you are after, I wasn't certain. The break is nice, and better in the financial long-run, albeit not always desired in the heart.

Who knows maybe Mandarake will read your rant and change their ways

I didn't care for the new website at first, but has several advantages over the old one, once you get used to the quirks.

I just wish it was better at saving your search preferences between sessions.

not sure what browser you use, but have you tried clicking the up or down arrow on your keyboard ?

Glad that I'm not the only one who noticed this... The amount of modern sofubi being posted has fallen like crazy. Not sure how vintage sales are doing, but some days there's nothing new at all in the modern section. Not only that, but it seems that the team/persons who post stuff are lazy as hell when it comes to categorizing things. There's a whole section for American Action Figures, yet the sofubi section just got absolutely BOMBARDED with Batman and Spiderman action figures a week back.

Have you all noticed that the new mandarake has separate pages for Japanese (domestic) buyers and overseas buyers? I noticed recently after doing several searches in Japanese that sometimes I would end up on a product page that had the following notice at the bottom:

"All Items Listed in this Japanese website Are for DOMESTIC SALES ONLY. Click here for Overseas customers.
We do not accept any request of Purchasing Items Listed here from Overseas customers. For inquiry of the Items on Our website please e-mail us .
Inquiries about the product: Please contact each exhibition store. Contact us here .
※ inquiry reception time, making it up to 20:00 hours. Please note that later correspondence becomes the next day."

If you try to put the product in your cart from the domestic page, you can't buy it because it takes you to an address page with none of your stored info and only Japanese address options. If you click on the link for 'overseas customers," it takes you to the overseas home page, NOT the product you were looking at.

I have not had time to really play around on the site to see the implications of this, but it makes me wonder if possibly certain items are not being offered to overseas customers, at least not right away. Maybe we are getting fewer new toys because they are offered domestically first and we only get what does not sell out? Just a theory, but a scary one.....

cindy

Well, looks like my old link to "modern toys" hasn't been updated in well over a week, so I'm guessing I have to convert to the new layout.

Is this the current place to find modern toys now? Or does anyone have a better link they can give me?

has anybody got an alert with a different price of the listing it self?

i got an alert for a toy at 3000 Yen but when I go threw the listing of all the toys the price is 5000 yen ?!?

Hi folks,

is there an easy way to work out the customs charge due when you order from Mandarake? I am based in the uk. It is annoying but Mandarake has always been a reliable service for me so I am going to stick with them. I don't buy often so I think I will just factor it in now. Mind you I will probably find myself reading the small print on Yahoo auctions more often now.

Just let them know that you are happy to take the risk of them marking the value down when placing an order.

Other than the SAHRA facility all the stores seem happy enough to comply.

F*ck UK customs, I pay enough in taxes already!

I would blame the parasitic monarchy.

I'm a traditionalist and don't really mind Liz livin' large at my expense (I might change my tune if we ever have to call Chuck King!), it's the knownuthin' suits running the country that chaff my ass!

Trying to boost the economy by fighting the good fight and incentivising small businesses and entrepreneurialism . . . to then hike taxes on small businesses and entrepreneurs!

Sofubi and politics and I've not even had my porridge yet!