[Primacron]

Before I go any further, this isn't an attack on BBTS, they've served me very well over the years and I'd happily recommend them to anyone.

For about the last 4 years I've bought most of my stuff through BBTS, I've just shipped my POL (which I build up to fairly huge size to save on shipping), and I've been stung with some hefty customs charges (not BBTS's fault but still a factor in my thinking) in the region of US$180.

Lately, it seems that it's taken BBTS longer to get stuff in (Doctor Strange anyone?), to the point where I've seen it in the UK first, in addition their prices have gone up - US$14.99 for some MU figures (more expensive than UK retail), and then for some waves you can't buy individual figures so have to buy the entire wave.

After the latest set of custom charges I realise that the only reason I use BBTS is the pre-order system is very convenient (I have to admit to small sense of satisfaction if I pre-order a figure to later find it 'pre-order sold out').

It used to be that you could remove items from your Pile of Loot, but now they've removed this feature (understandable because of the abuse it suffered), really they don't have any great advantage over any other retailer.

I've decided that I'm now to be doing my shopping at retail and eBay, if I can't find the figure at retail, then it makes sense to get the figure from Hong Kong or China and cut out the middle man. I think doing this will be cheaper and I get my stuff quicker.

I'd be interested to know how other non-US based toyarkers get their toys.