Christmas--New Years 2010 Dealer Shutdowns

[bill937ca]

As usual, Japanese suppliers will be closing over New Year's for extended winter vacations. New Years is one of the longer holidays in the Japanese calendar. In addition December 23rd is a Japanese National Holiday so there are very few business days left this year.

 

Hobby Search

 

Hobby Search Winter Holiday Schedule

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/info_e.html

 

Hobby Search is on holiday during the times listed below and will not be shipping orders.

* All dates and times are listed in Japan time, GMT+9.

 

Winter Holiday : 12/30/2010 - 01/04/2011

 

- Our site will remain in operation during this time.

- We will not be able to ship orders or respond to phone and email correspondence.

- We will resume business on 01/05/2011 but will be taking inventory.

  Shipping of orders will resume on 01/06/2011.

- Shipments of orders may be delayed due to high shipping volumes during the holiday season.

  We recommend using EMS over SAL because it offers tracking and is a priority mail service.

 

 

[ Regarding shipments before the holiday ]

 

- Orders placed before 08:00 AM 12/25/2010 will be shipped out before the break.

- We will continue processing orders placed after 8AM 12/25/2010,

  but what does not get processed will be shipped after 01/06/2011.

* We may be unable to ship orders placed before the above date before the break

  if any items are out of stock and put on order.

 

* We will ship preorder items released before the break as much as possible.

 

* Please place orders as early as possible to have them processed before the holidays.

* Shipments will resume on 01/06/2011.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

 

E-mail: hs-support@1999.co.jp

Phone: 03-5833-3533

Fax: 03-5833-3534

 

Rainbow Ten

 

http://www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/news/salenotice.htm

 

New Year Vacation Notice

*Amended on 16th Dec

 

 

Thank you all for using Rainbow Ten mail order.

 

This year we are not taking long vacation during new year vacation time so please continue placing order!!

If you buy tracking(registered mail), we can still ship even in the shipping suspension period!!

 

1) Shipping suspension for Non-trackable delivery: from 18th Dec 2010 to 5th Jan 2011

Shipping suspension only for non-registered SAL, AIR, Surface shipment.

We can continue shipping registered shipment (registered SAL, registered AIR, registered surface, EMS).

 

2) Operation Slowdown and no shipping: from 28th Dec 2010 to 3rd Jan 2011

We can still respond but not as quick as we usually do.

 

3) No operation: 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st dec 2010, 1st, 2nd Jan 2011

No personnel will be on-line for those 4 days.

 

We will resume regular operation and shipping from 5th Jan 2011.

 

Important: Oversea Mail Order Dept is scheduling to take a week long vacation from 15th to 22nd Jan 2011.

During this time we are unable to respond to your inquiry and order, also can not ship.

Our Web cart system is working, so please use it if you need faster response.

 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understandings.

 

Hobby World Japan

 

The only information currently available is the calendar on their web site.  HWJ will be closed December 28, 29, 30, 31 and January 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

[clem24]

Anyone know what the heck is going on with Popondetta? I received a shipment from them last week but they royally screwed up and omitted an item (also happens to be the most expensive and rarest item in the whole shipment as well). I know they omitted it because it's on both the manifest attached on the box and also in the email shipment confirmation. That and I also paid for it. I've already emailed them twice but have not received any kind of response. They're usually pretty good at responding...

[disturbman]

Good question. I'm also having "problems" with them. I placed an order 8 days ago and they still haven't contact me back. Which is strange since they are usualy pretty swift. And like you, I'm still waiting an answer to an email I send them regarding that issue.

[Kamiyacho]

Poppendetta's response time was slower than usual on my recent taxi purchase (took them about a week to confirm) but it eventually went through with no problem.

[bill937ca]

Anyone know what the heck is going on with Popondetta? I received a shipment from them last week but they royally screwed up and omitted an item (also happens to be the most expensive and rarest item in the whole shipment as well). I know they omitted it because it's on both the manifest attached on the box and also in the email shipment confirmation. That and I also paid for it. I've already emailed them twice but have not received any kind of response. They're usually pretty good at responding...

 

Doesn't Popondetta only have a single English employee?  If that person is not there your orders, inquiries are going nowhere.

[to2leo]

Yup, it takes time, he/she is probably not available at the moment.  When I was in Popondetta last year, none of the staff spoke English.

[disturbman]

Got a quick answer from Popondetta.

 

Our shop is very busy, and a reply takes time now.

 

I could have guessed so with the upcoming christmas and gift rush. So, let's wait.

[clem24]

When I was in Popondetta last year, none of the staff spoke English.

 

None of the shops in Akiba that I went to had a single English speaker, not even the Shinjuku Kato Centre.

 

Got a quick answer from Popondetta.

 

Our shop is very busy, and a reply takes time now.

 

I could have guessed so with the upcoming christmas and gift rush. So, let's wait.

 

BAH! Oh well.

[bill937ca]

December 24: Plaza Japan is closed until January 5.

[gmat]

It is not hard to see why Japanese are becoming more reluctant to use English to help customers. The future for the average Japanese may not seem very bright. Hard times since the bubble broke as also seen a retrenching of the Japanese spirit, sort of a modern version of the Tokugawa isolationist spirit. 'We don't need the world to get along.' There was also a sort of resentment of the US (one of the more intrusive agents of having to learn English for the average Japanese) as the blame for the bubble bursting and other ills even before the economic meltdown in the US two years ago. Also the proliferation of foreign talents who are conversant in Japanese has lead to the expectation that if you come here, you should at least try to learn some language to get around. A far cry from the previous feeling that Japanese was unique and too difficult for foreigners to master. I also think that the JET program of having foreign assistant teachers has at times worked at cross purposes with the intended goals. Lack of qualifications, minimal training, poor work habits, and the inevitable friction that comes from sharing a class with another person often leaves a more lasting impression with the children than the willingness to help and cooperate that many JET participant try to give.

But last night, when I was buying a bottle of wine as a christmas present for my wife, the clerk, a young man, tried to use English for my benefit and couldn't have been more helpful. I wasn't trying to get detailed info, though.

 

I do remember many years ago when I went to a hobby store in Jiyugaoka, the clerk was friendly and I think tried to use some English. The next time he was more silent, and I later wondered if he had been given a hard time by his co-workers. He ended up hating the sight of me whenever I came in, even though I tried not to do anything to embarrass him.

Just some thoughts.

Merry Christmas/Mele Kalikimaka

Grant

[bill937ca]

HWJ finally tells what's going on.

 

Notice of Closure

 

Winter Vacation:

From 29/DEC/2010

To 5/JAN/2011

 

National Holiday:

From 8/JAN/2011

To 10/JAN/2011

 

HW JAPAN will be closed during above periods.

We can receive message/order/payment, but the rest of the transactions will be done one by one after above periods.

 

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

[clem24]

Popondetta finally answered my queries. I guess Mr. English speaker has returned from vacation.

 

Anyway, anyone here live in Japan that can help me out? I am a bit of a pickle here. They are being nice by offering a refund but I really don't want a refund!

 

Here's the full story. It involves the Microace 215 Holiday Express/Yamanashi set. I have been looking for this set (at the right price) for a long, long time now. Interesting little tale (and one of huge coincidences).

 

11/16: Microace set A0020 appears as a used item. I *immediately* order it. I have them hold it for me to see how much more crap I can buy in a month to ship together.

 

12/02: Microace set A0021 appears as a used item. I *immediately* order it and cancel A0020 because this one is cheaper *and* in better condition, plus order a ton of other crap to add to the order.

 

12/06: I pay for everything and happy as ever.

 

12/18: I receive everything in my box EXCEPT for A0021. I am crushed. I immediately email Popondetta but get no response.

 

Around this time, another set A0021 appears on eBay. I've not seen this item on eBay in ages. Figuring Popondetta made a mistake and just forgot my item, I don't bid on it.

 

12/19 - 01/02: I've emailed them numerous times but no response.

 

01/03: Finally get a response from them. They insist they mailed it, but are offering to refund just the cost to my Paypal, which I do not want. I am also out the shipping charges too.

 

As you can see I am quite frustrated as 3 of these things came up all in a span on 2 months, all of which were within grasp, and all of which I do not have. Even though they have an English speaker there, it's still not the best. I am really, really hoping that my item was just misplaced.

 

Also, I check Popondetta quite religiously and did not see my canceled item get relisted. Just more of a curiosity.

 

PS> On a related note, HW has definitely won my business for life. Even if their website sucks and is slow as molasses, they have bent over backwards with their insanely fast and great customer service. I ordered an item, one of the lights weren't working (this thing was over 12,000Y). Very minor quibble that I pointed out. Before I even knew it, a replacement was dispatched in the mail. How can you can argue with this level of customer service?

[Martijn Meerts]

It's strange that they insist they mailed it, since if it's not in the package, they can't possibly have mailed it. It could be possible customs somewhere opened the package to check the contents, and forgot to put all the items back in the box (I've seen what customs can do to packages once in a while), but it seems unlikely.

 

I've never used Popondetta, I don't really like the idea of having to send an email with the items I want to order, but I can't imagine they say they sent an item which they didn't. Might be the person preparing the package just forgot to add the item, and that he insists he added it in order to save his own arse. The fact that they're willing to refund shows that they do have some level of support.

 

 

Personally, I mostly use Hobby Search when ordering from Japan directly, but occasionally also HWJ. Really happy with both of them, even though Hobby Search doesn't do much to try and cut on shipping costs unless you specifically ask them to. They managed to send me 2 packages on the same day, and although they were 2 different orders, they could have combined them once they figured out they'd be shipping them on the same day ;)

[gmat]

Is it possible that your box was opened and the train removed en route? A small possibility, I admit.

 

It is possible putting a used item on hold and canceling it may have caused ill feelings, even if you ordered other things, from your point of view, to compensate for it. Perhaps a Japanese fan can shed more light on this.

 

Grant

[clem24]

I've never used Popondetta, I don't really like the idea of having to send an email with the items I want to order

 

Not really.. They've got a real time stocking system along with online cart and check out. The process is the same as HW or HS when paying through Paypal. But you do need to know how to read Japanese to navigate their site and see their items since most don't have pics. Although I do wonder how it works cause I would assume that as soon as they receive an order (and if the store is open), they would have to run to the shelf to grab the item and set it aside LOL.

 

Is it possible that your box was opened and the train removed en route? A small possibility, I admit.

 

It is possible putting a used item on hold and canceling it may have caused ill feelings, even if you ordered other things, from your point of view, to compensate for it. Perhaps a Japanese fan can shed more light on this.

 

Definitely not opened en-route. If customs opened it, I would've seen big yellow tape showing "opened by Customs". The original tape was definitely still on. It was definitely omitted because it was basically impossible to fit a train set inside that box.

 

In any case, I have no idea what happened. It could've been that they forgot it, or worst case, the guy sending it stole it. They're offering to refund me Paypal but instead of eating fees, I just opted to order more stuff from their site (namely a used 50000 Rapi:t in wooden presentation box - hahaha I am such a sucker).

[spacecadet]

 

Definitely not opened en-route. If customs opened it, I would've seen big yellow tape showing "opened by Customs".

 

Are you in the US?  US Customs at JFK definitely do not (or do not always) use this tape.  My business gets shipments from Japan all the time and every once in a while one of them gets stopped in customs, opened up, then sometimes sent along and sometimes held for formal entry.  None of them ever have yellow tape on them, they just have regular tape.  Sometimes it's easy to tell they've been opened because they're put back together really haphazardly, with half the tape falling off and sometimes the original tape hanging off the box, but other times they look pretty much perfect and the only way I know they've been opened is if I happen to rip the tape off rather than cutting it (which lets me see the old tape underneath), or if the invoice is missing from the inside of the box.

 

Still, I've never had anything (other than the invoice) go missing from being opened in customs.

[clem24]

 

Are you in the US? 

 

Canada. Package was definitely not tampered with. Plus I got it a few days before Christmas so I am sure Customs was to busy to open a useless package like me and probably just pushing everything through.

 

In any case, an update as to their postage calculations. I guess they package it up and then estimate shipping based on the whole package, so whatever I was charged was without my missing item (or so I interpreted it this way). So I guess they're only giving back my purchase price. Still, I don't want my money... I want my model!!!