The ordering, shipping and arrivals thread

I've ordered from most of the places so here are my takes:
(Note that all my orders until recently have been mostly H!P... AKB stuff i've just started ordering.)

CDJapan
My preferred shop for pre-ordering CDs because they let you know if first pressing regular editions are still available. I'm a sucker for bonus extras, especially posters (some stores charge extra for them). I'll also include DVDs, only if i want them at the same time as other things. DVDs are usually cheaper elsewhere. Shipping is expensive but I get my items pretty quickly. If the items come out Tuesday JPN time, i'll receive them via USPS (EMS) by Friday or Saturday.

Amazon.jp
I usually use Amazon for photobooks, magazines and DVDs. DVDs are usually 25% off if you pre-order. Amazon is usually the quickest, but again expensive shipping... especially when ordering heavy items like books. Again, with a Tuesday release, I'll most likely get via DHL by Thursday or Friday. The shipping amount is an estimate but i've found it very accurate... i've never had them change the shipping cost (unlike other shops). I sometimes tack on some limited singles to the order if the release dates correspond.

HMV Japan
I used to order from them for photobooks... but they've screwed me before. Long story short... some books were really delayed. One was delayed by 2 weeks (understandable) but when that one finally came in and the order , one that they HAD instock was out-of-stock. They didn't reserve it when they had the chance. argh! Another few weeks and my order is ready. But they send me an email that they had misquoted the shipping cost and it would almost double. My shipping cost was way more than the books. lol. I could have declined but the books by then were hard to get from other retailers. I only use them now as last resort.

YesAsia
I used to order from them the most. They cost more than the japan retailers because their "free" shipping is built into the cost of the items. Plus sometimes they charge for the extras, which i don't like. It's a crapshoot whether or not you'll get a first press regular edition, so I normally order defined limited editions or singles from artists that don't do first presses. Shipping is slow for their "free" shipping method.
I pre-ordered Bingo! regular and limited editions recently from YesAsia. They're still sourcing the regular. I only picked them because they were still had pre-order stock for the regular.. other shops showed sold-out/out-of-print. But they were LYING! argh.

Sorry for the long post.

 

The major bonus for YesAsia for us Brits is that they are custom tax free. I've been stung many times by CDJapan (not actually their fault of course) on that.

 

Amazon.jp, for photobooks, cool.

even hard to find gravure idol photobooks, that can only get in Japan?
i'd pay the higher shipping costs, if it is some gravure idol pb that i am seeking.

thanks again for the info.

 

Apparently it took only two days to get through customs this time. That's got be be a new record for the EU.

 

sweet.....nice dvd/bingo cd's.

i didn't get both versions though, just the one with the cd-dvd version. comes with stickers and trading card eh.
how long did it take you to get them?

 

And they were delivered today, the 24th.

 

Hehe! I got my Uncle Richard, and Aunt Angie to order me AKB48's frist tour pb, and AKB48 BINGO! Cd with Dvd single!

 

Hurray! My Bingo! singles finally shipped.

 

coolness...

one of my three items just shipped on 7/23, yesterday. The other two will ship in the next week or so.
the AKB48 1St Concert 2007 - Haru no chottodage Zenkoku Tour - Madamadaze.
also getting Bingo in the other order and another cd-single of AKB.
yeah!!

 

Hmm. I just bought some Team B photos from the official shop (despite the fact I said I wouldn't... yeah I suck at willpower), but I don't know which set I got. The site says Part 3, but the picture is for Part 4... all part of the fun and mystery I guess!

Either way, Team B *prays for at least Mayu or Nacchan in there*

 

ah..you got it too?! there are different series? hmm i forgot the cost, was it 2000 yen? i wonder which series i got of Team K...
here are a few of them again, from the set Team K i bought...scanned

 

Team B are up to Part 4 at the moment. Each set is just different outfits. Part 3 was the AKB kimonos. Part 4 is the white Virgin Love dresses

 

OOoooo, i would love to get the other sets.....how much per set again?
the other sets, is it all Team K, or Team A?

 

I'm only following the Team B sets right now, so I can't help you with Team A or K The Team B sets are 1000 yen for a random set of 5 photos. You don't get the entire team.

 

the photo set i got was...of the entire team K, 4 of which i posted above...it must've costed 2500 yen, i am guess..i don't quite remember.

Team B, the only one that i know of, and interested in is Urano Izumi...did i get her name right?
she's one of the older team members on Team B.

Is there anyway to order photo sets or individual from an online store...i know AKB48 doesn't have an online store that i know of...maybe trading with other fans is the way to go...

 

You mean Kazumi?

http://www.e-na.co.jp/akb48/item/index.html is their online store. Pretty sure you need a Japanese address to buy things from it though.

 

yeah, that's her name....i got it confused....Kazumi-chan, i think she is 22 years old..

ah...a japanese online store...Japanese address....**crys**...oh well. looks like they have an extensive list of photos, etc....nice.
did you order from there?

 

Yeah, she's 22 this year

And I did. Now the waiting game begins. Not sure how long it'll take the photos to arrive, but hopefully not forever.

 

It's too bad there isn't a place for "one stop shopping". HMV is the only one that currently has Boku no Taiyo and the Fan Book. But I waited over a month for the Spring Tour PB which was finally cancelled and have two more items that are "in progress".

CDJapan is fast. They just need to have ALL the items we want.

Edit: Just ordered that Fan Book and the K2 concert DVD from YesAsia. Would've like to have gotten the groovy Boku no Taiyo, but they didn't have it.

 

Got MINE AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

ILL POST PICS SOON!!!!!