Tweet
So, I was recently able to secure a set through a Disney Personal Shopper for $125 USD ($170 CDN), plus shipping. Should be delivered in a few days. The personal shopper only uses UPS for international orders, so I paid about $38 USD (Nearly $52 CDN) for standard shipping to Canada. Now, the bad news is that in addition to the currency exchange rate that does not favour Canadians, I woke up today to the news that I'll have to pay nearly $64 CDN for customs charges and UPS's 'Brokerage Fees.' I will say that the personal shopper was very pleasant to deal with and shipped out my package the same day, so I have nothing but good things to say about her. But at the end of the day, I am paying around three times what a collector in the US has to pay for this set.
I also learned today that the figures are now available for pre-order on the Disney EU site, but won't be available for shipment until October. After examining the situation - releasing this set in the morning in middle of the week when people have to work, and selling out so quickly (even with the limit of one per customer, and despite a higher production run) - it's my theory that Disney allotted FEWER Fantastic Four figures for the US website than the initial Spider-Man set, in order to to accommodate for the Disney Parks stores and the European website release. Perhaps Disney was hoping far fewer people would order from the US website? Who knows? But however you look at it, it's pretty bad that people are forced to resort to these measures and costs to obtain these figures.
I also learned today that the figures are now available for pre-order on the Disney EU site, but won't be available for shipment until October. After examining the situation - releasing this set in the morning in middle of the week when people have to work, and selling out so quickly (even with the limit of one per customer, and despite a higher production run) - it's my theory that Disney allotted FEWER Fantastic Four figures for the US website than the initial Spider-Man set, in order to to accommodate for the Disney Parks stores and the European website release. Perhaps Disney was hoping far fewer people would order from the US website? Who knows? But however you look at it, it's pretty bad that people are forced to resort to these measures and costs to obtain these figures.
Comment