As I become aware of more stores, I will post them here and a short update on the main blog page.
If you have any suggestions to add here, leave a comment! For reasons of breadth, I am leaving out the big box stores that have an online option (Walmart, Best Buy etc).
Pros: Very reliable store that is ultimately Canadian. They stock figures that would be either be harder to get on Amazon or at least at a reasonable price. Their shipping prices are decent, and when I asked a question via email they responded fairly quickly. Good!! I love having this store as an option, especially since Amazon canceled some of my figure orders.
Cons: I'm guessing if you're outside of Canada this isn't the best option for you.
BigBadToyStore:
Pros: This is a great website that has figures from every kind of franchise and company you can think of. Mainstream toy companies like Hasbro, DC as well as the imports like Bandai, Figma and Medicom. They also carry 3rd party figure and collectibles. The prices are in US dollars, and they also offer a flat shipping rate of 4$ in the contiguous US. The site is also great at updating on the latest toy releases from nearly all platforms.
Cons: Living outside the US makes shipping and the dollar exchange a bit expensive. Sometimes, BBTS lists a product as unavailable/out of stock/pre-order only where you can immediately buy it elsewhere for cheaper.
ToyWhiz:
Pros: Another store to order some of the latest toys from North American toy brands like Hasbro and McFarlane. They also sell a variety of collectibles like Funko Pops, comic books, LEGO and Magic cards. They have a Blowout section with some decent sales for some items you may be interested in. They also ship anywhere in the world. Bonus!
Cons: Ok a personal con for me is that the prices are US dollars, so that makes the rate a bit higher than the numbers would show. Oh well! I noticed with some of the older figures they've arbitrarily jacked up the prices to insane levels. An Arkham Origins Firefly for 170 US when the original price was 25-30? Hard pass.
Amazon:
Pros: Generally you can get some things cheaper with low to no shipping on items. I've found a few action figures that have gone down in price here. They access a variety of sellers so you can often get figures that aren't available at BBTS.
Cons: Sometimes their figures are RIDICULOUS in price based on the idea of their rarity or that they are no longer being produced. They typically do have import or domestic figures but usually not a ton of choice and you don't always get what you are looking for.
eBay:
Pros: You can often find the figure you are looking for. Sometimes they are used or sold only in a lot. Speaking of lots, if you are starting a line of figures, getting a lot of the line from a seller is a really good way and it's often cheaper than buying them individually.
Cons: Returns can be a pain if shipping takes a while. Shipping and import fees from the US can be high enough that what you save on the figure is offset by those costs. Also, as I've discovered, many sellers from China are selling you knock offs or never ship their figure. Buyer, check out the profile and ratings very closely if you are buying from a seller in China, or really anyone.
HobbyLink Japan:
Pros: A really great place for import figures. They stock most Mafex, SH Figuarts, Figma, and other figures from Japanese toy companies. They even have sales sometimes! They have a variety of shipping options, and you can get the website to list the prices in the currency of your country.
Cons: It takes a bit longer sometimes for figures to get to you if you live in North America, and the selection is really only Japanese figures (I mean...it is in the name!) so don't be surprised that Hasbro and other figures aren't there.
Mandarake :
Pros: When you need a really good deal on a Japanese import figure, this is a great place. It is also great because it is the first line of sale for Japanese figures. Whilst in Japan I got to see all the great pieces Mandarake stocks, both new and used. Speaking of used, the discounts are often really good and they will have figures that you couldn't otherwise find. I will give a full disclaimer that while I haven't ordered anything myself, my friend ISMOTU has, and has had success especially with Sofubi and other Sentai items.
Cons: The site is Japanese so requires that translation button (NBD though). It does take some refined searching tricks to find what you want though. It will likely take more time to get your item since it is shipping from Japan.
Lunar Toy Store:
Pros: Pretty much the same as Hobby Link. This is mostly an anime/Japanese import focused online store. I found this out through Jobby the Hong, a youtube toy reviewer. To be fair, he is sponsored by them but seems generally pleased with the figures he gets.
Cons: You won't find much else here except for anime related merch!
AmiAmi
Pros: See Hobby Link Japan! This also seems to sell more "age restricted" stuff if you're into that kind of thing.
Cons: Also a Japanese based store, so expect longer wait times and to do some more conversion to figure out cost and shipping. I ordered (and have been to the physical location in Akihabara Japan) from them and found their shipping didn't originally have pricing for each option. It was weird so I had to choose a random option, get an email detailing the price and shipping, and if it seemed unnecessary or too high, try again until I found an option. I don't know if this is still an issue or if I just missed something but there you have it.
Northmen Collectibles
Pros: If you're a Canadian and tired of paying the higher currency exchange, shipping AND import rates, Northmen Collectibles has a lot. Based out of Toronto, Ontario, they are up to date on the latest preorders for figures, and charge reasonably close to the MSRP. They also have free shipping on orders $99 and over! yay!
Cons: Sorry to everyone else? They are a Canadian store though they do now ship to the US.
Some of the preorder prices for Mafex stuff seem a tad higher than even importing from Japan, but that depends how you ship things!
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