wait til sunday

buy online?

Buy from Ric and Rik, they've supplied 98% of my entire collection.

My friends pretend they don't have enough money. Like if a figure is 13, they pretend they only have 10. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Steal it.

>>1854328
My friend told me to do that at AN there wasn't a single discount there sunday on anything I bought.

>>1854338
In the cases where it doesn't work, just walk away, then come back maybe 15 minutes later and do it again.

Steal it, faggot

>>1854387
Don't have the balls to. Heard stories about a fatty that tripped a theif in front of a dealer and they got caught and escorted out.

Protips:1) When he/she says the price, take a disheartened look and say you saw it somewhere cheaper (make the difference belivable IE if its 15, say 10.)
2) Shrug and say you only have *so and so*
3)Walk away and say you'll wait and buy it online/somewhere else (this normally gets them)

>>1854459
This. And if you don't have a game face, bring a friend of yours that does and have them play along.

Also, if you have a friend who's buying something around the same price, let's say it's $25, ask if you can do $40 for two of them, they'll usually do that.

Wearing sunglasses while you haggle is always advantageous as it prevents the merchant from knowing what your thinking.
Also, the walk-away is practically the lynchpin of all haggling, you get them worked up about the possibility of a sale and then leave. You'll get callbacks if you do it right. Remember though, a walk-away can backfire and you can lose your position. Buying online will always be cheaper (except when you facotr in shipping sometimes) but haggling when you really get going it just plan fun.

>>1854338
hell yes. that's how i got my prinny plush for like 10bux.

>>1854340
Don't steal at cons. They are exceptionally vigilant and in the highly likely event of being caught you will most certainly get kicked out, and possibly prosecuted.

>>1854699
Agreed. You do NOT want to become a meme for being a dumbass. Picture related.

>>1854793
This.

You have to be a costumer who looks like they have the money to buy, I guess. Also, be nice. I might be kinda a dick, because I love to scrutinize the figure in the box, always looking for how well its done. I haven't bought too many exceedingly large figs, but I'm getting there. Also, I look at what kind of pose the fig is doing, to see if it's something I like. I don't like figs that are laying down.

Talk them down if there are obvious and glaring defects, otherwise the prices aren't usually too off from what they should be, depending. Mostly anything Kotobukiya or Good Smile Company will be excellent quality, and the price you see can easily reach over $60 to $100. As others said, wait to Sunday to see if they're willing to cut a deal. Not many people buy figs, most congoers seem to just buy cheap little shits, peons.

>>1854843

Oh wait, are you guys talking about crappy $15-30 dollar figs? Why even bother to haggle, shit's cheap.

I've successfully haggled down prices before. One specific incident comes to mind at AnimeNEXT, when I was about to buy this little Zelda figure/phonestrap you attach to a phone. It was $5. I told the guy I'd buy Link too if he sold me the pair for $8 and not $10, otherwise, I was just buying Zelda. And he agreed. (They were the cute Minnish cap ones. <3)

My views on haggling;

-Some dealers will absolutely turn you down no matter what. Larger places like Kinokuniya REALLY won't haggle with you, from my own experiences/what I hear. Smaller dealers however, will be more likely to work with you.


-You can usually only haggle a price down so much. Case in point, the figures above. A small price reduction is more likely to happen than cutting the price of something in half. If you start off with a huge price reduction, then go up, you probably won't get any at all. XD

-If you haggle on the last day of the convention, you'll be more likely to get results as opposed to the earlier days.

-If you cut them a deal like I said above where they'll be selling more stuff (I'll buy more if you give me a slight price reduction for doing so) you might see results. I've haggled down some Dynasty Warriors 4 figures this way, also. :B

>>1854848
I dunno... $15 for one fig sounds pretty expensive.

>>1854861

Well, yeah, the best way to drive down prices it to buy multiple things and then subtract from the sum. I've done it with doujinshi a few times before. My friend got this awesome Chaos Gate figure down to $80 from $85. But he's a local retailer anyway, so selling off his merch isn't a necessity for him. It's always sad that the figs 1/8th size and up usually never sell, they're always sitting their all con if they're not bought on Friday. I should have bought that nurse/teacher from Bible Black, but it was more expensive than haggling would allowed to price to get to.

Had I the money, there was this amazing fig 1/6 fig that had like..three pairs of swappable breasts with different nipples on them. Pretty sure someone bought it, it was awesome. I'd only probably pay straight up for an expensive fig if it were that Cattleya that comes with Rana.

Its generally worth asking if the dealers offer a panelist discount -I've gotten a few bucks knocked off here and there.

Just this past weekend I got 5 bucks knocked off a shirt for cosplaying the character on it. That was pretty cool.

>>1854699
Eh. If you're not cosplaying and are incredibly average like I am, then it's not that hard to steal.

>>1854342
PROTIP: You get deals on stuff on Sunday by haggling, not because it's all marked down. They're not THAT desperate to sell.

And Anime North's dealer room is crappy because Canada Customs are huge douches and make it a giant nuisance for the big US dealers to come, so it's mostly just the locals enjoying the captive audience.

If you wanted deals, you should have checked out the Nomi-whatever flea market on Friday.

PROTIP: If you're going to haggle by saying you only have a certain amount of money, be damn fucking sure you have exact change and no more than that in your wallet.

>>1854319
>>Unfortunately, I have no game-face and always end up paying up.

If the figure is far more expensive than online or wherever, make it very clear you'll just walk away if he expects full price.

"I really like that figure, but I've seen it for half that price online. Can you do Reasonable Price Here instead?"

Ordering online is a nuisance and you don't get to check the figure for painting errors (and dealers' room tables aren't free), so obviously don't get greedy and try to get him to match the lowest price you can find online.

I got a discount on this Asuka bunny figure at Anime North last year by doing exactly that.

I sell them the spaces in the dealer room and they usually offer me a discount at some point on the con should I be intersted in anything cos Im an organiser.

wheee

Tell them I only have XXX amount of money left.
It saved me $100 once. :D

>>1854944

nomioichi. i got a really good deal, too -- this guy originally (at the beginning of the night) wanted $50 for a GBC, $30 for Pokemon Gold and $5 for a wormlight, but then reduced the first two to 30/20, I got all three for $35

>>1854961
This. Nothing pisses me off more than trying to be nice to a customer and give them a few bucks off and then they hand over a $20 after lying about not having enough. Douche bags like that have pretty much cut my willingness to haggle off at the knees.

The dragon/fairy figure guy at Oni-con gave me a discount without my asking because the pieces originally were a set or something.

He was such a nice, laid-back guy.

>>1854699
>>1854793
You would seriously have to be a fucking moron to get caught stealing at a con. My friends and I have been doing it for YEARS, multiple cons a year, and have never got anywhere even near being caught.

Shits so easy.

>>1855081
>>1854961


can someone elaborate on these?
Do people say they have X amount then what...I get lost..

>>1855111
Say I haggle the price down to 15. And then I hand you a 50.

>>1855121

then what?
Would the dealer not sell it at all or just be really pissed and let it slide?

its easier to haggle if you're a girl. I just let the dealer take a couple of photos of me in cosplay or just make kissy faces at him, or even give them some pocky. Just butter them up and you'll get stuff alot cheaper!

Well considering the seller probably agrees to haggling the price out of trust (that the customer only has x amount of money) they'd be pretty rightfully angry I think.

>>1855140
If I were the dealer I'd just charge full price again.

>>1855176
slut

>>1855176
Shit doesn't work that well nowadays. Some girl tried that this weekend at AB to get a discount on a copy of X-change 2. After seeing that it wasn't working, she just paid full price and kept it moving.

>>1854975

>Ordering online is a nuisance and you don't get to check the figure for painting errors (and dealers' room tables aren't free), so obviously don't get greedy and try to get him to match the lowest price you can find online.

This is exactly why I prefer buying figs in person, you get to fully check it out and make sure it's the thing you want. Like my friend bought a Sega Arcuied, and he said online the only picture for it was from the boxart, which was an illustration, not a picture of the fig. You can't buy figures like that in good confidence. Just be firm with your haggling and know what the figures are worth. If you don't like the price and he won't go lower, I'd just just give up unless you're deadset on owning it.

Last day = best day for shopping. Usually the dealers NEED to sell their stuff, so they offer it at good discounts

>>1855246

True, but it depends on what you want. If they only have 1 copy of a super rare item, you're gonna try and buy that shit ASAP before someone else does.

Also, I'm kinda curious, what are some of the most expensive item you people have bought? Mine's only been a MG Gundam kit, the price was acceptable so I didn't haggle. Friend bought a much more expensive Good Smile Company figure, like $100.

I've found being friendly, and really understanding really helps. Chat with them about the products, about the cons. Don't hold them up too much- they have other customers. But if you're friendly and return with friends, then they might be more willing to cut a deal. Don't go in aggressively. That will just tick them off.

Keep in mind that some places have storefront businesses, and are part of a larger company, and therefore can't give you discounts: Case in point, Kinokuniya, which is a far larger bookstore chain, has set prices for what they can sell things for.

And, of course, some things are pricier for a reason. Books are hella expensive to import. I never fight with the vendors about book prices. At one point I was getting a bunch of KERA and Gothic & Lolita Bibles. I said they were so much less expensive in Japan (450 yen or something for Kera- the price literally triples overseas!), but I knew that importing the books was expensive, since they're heavy. The lady was really surprised that I didn't fight her, so I got one of them for free! (The G&LB, too- those aren't cheap!)

So, passive resistance, I guess? I never bicker with AA tables, since I know they're scraping for money as it is.

>>1855280
I bought a $250 Angelic Pretty One Piece at Otakon last year... The thing sells for something like $350+ now. But I don't think that counts...

As far as merchandise goes... I think it was a $60/70 art book. Ouch. But I use it often for reference, so I think it was worth it.

I usually don't buy things, simply because I never have enough time to just look around.

However, I've found that if you're nice to the people in Artist Alley they're nice back to you. At my last con a girl in AA gave me a discount because I was cosplaying the character I bought art of. Then she gave me another discount because we talked and made nice. Then another one because I gave her a two dollar bill when I paid.

Some people are just cool like that.

>>1855259
If you want to buy rare stuff, you want to hit the dealer's room right when it opens at the start of the con.

If you want deals on common stuff, wait for Sunday.

Most expensive thing I bought was a $250 Trinity Blood artbook at AX 07 in Long Beach. Ugh, it was the only one there and I refuse to buy online.

>>1855280

Some good smile figures are actually priced well at 100 even.

>>1855848

I hope it was the real thing for the amount of money you shellacked out for it.

In the real ones the blues don't shade to purple, or something akin to that.

>>1854505
lol no.

Wearing sunglasses just makes them think that either you're trying to fuck with them to haggle, or that you're about to steal.

Walking away, though, defenitely the way to go. If I don't get a price I like, I'll turn around and leave. Also, I discovered that "my girlfriend will KILL me if I spend this much when I can get it for ten bucks cheaper online" works pretty well.

Also, if possible, use cash. Way easier to negotiate.

>>1854319
I shop around. I'm big into Gunpla and at ACen this year I picked up 2 models I've been looking for for awhile and didn't want to pay double the cost through the place I get them online(they were both $15 cheaper than online pricing AND there wasn't a $30 SAL shipping charge). Pic related, build the 2 of them in like...2 days.

>>1855916
It is the genuine article and I love it.

Dealer's don't want to ship stuff back home.

My best ways for a discount:

1) Buy bulk and ask. "If I buy the set, can I get a discount?" I've gotten a free enamel pin and the equivalent of a less than half price plushie out of that.

2) Series knowledge. I got a keychain from Houshin Engi a year or so ago for nearly half price. It had to have been laying around for YEARS--I had bought another from the set over half a decade ago and it was already a couple years old then. Old merchandise that doesn't move, of course they're going to want to get rid of it.

3) Browse. Do a quick tour for any GOTTA HAVE items you're looking for and mental price check.

4) Be reasonable. I don't do the lying thing--if I tell a dealer I only have so much spending money left on me, it's the truth (extra money being food/travel money if there is any other money). Dealer's WILL hold stuff for you if you don't have money on you at that moment, but they won't hold them for long. I usually don't even carry money in with me the first time through to prevent stupid wasteful impulse buys.

5) Be lucky as hell. I had a friend who got EVERY single figure she was looking to get from those mystery figure sets this year, first try, no doubles. Also, I got a Ouran themed "The Puppet made me do it" shirt for only $10 (full price $20 I think) because it was the last one and it was a small--I highly doubt there were many there with money that could wear it by that day.

Non con related: At a local festival I got a $1 joke "Bald man's hairbrush" for free because I laughed on seeing it and then relayed a story about a customer of mine with a hilarious comb over who was in denial.

Camaraderie never hurts. And it's even more likely to help in Artist Alley. (I got free stickers for cosplay, and for sharing food, and swaps can work out too!)

>>1855969

Hot damn!

>>1855976
THIS THIS THIS on the food swaps for AA.

A lot of AA artists literally cannot leave the table for the whole day, and while some may have a table monkey to go get them food, most times they're sort of stuck. If you offer some munchies or a favor- ("I can take this over here for you or go buy this print for you/fetch something from the dealer's room/whatever") It might be a good exchange for something. Not only will you get some stuff, but the AA artist will be very grateful!

I got one of the 12" Metal Gear Solid 4 Old Snake figures for $130 at a time- it was originally $175.
Just stood there and talked to the guy for a long while, and then started walking away when he said no to $160. He called me back pretty fast.

Definitely haggle reasonably. Last thing you want to do is ticking off the seller and make them not want to complete transactions with you.

Also scout the entire dealer's room before you start buying anything. You want to have a solid idea of which booth has got what and where the best deals are. It shouldn't take more than an hour, unless the whole con is a dealer's room.

I got an Alter figurine for $30 from the original $40 which was marked down from the original 4200 yen MSRP.