Shiina Ringo/Tokyo Jihen CDs/DVD/Merchandise

[arutea]

Sorry if there's already a thread about this. X_x I've been looking and I can't seem to find it. I might be just blind.

Anyhowsies... I live in Australia... I've been hunting stores around Sydney but I can't find any Shiina Ringo/Tokyo Jihen CDs/DVDs... I'm just wondering where everyone buys their stuff (particularly concert DVDs and particularly more recent ones). I wanted to start a nice collection.

This might also be a good place to recommend some online stores so we know they're reliable, fast service... etc.

[badtzmaru]

Many of us are unfortunately in the same situation and buy our CDs online.

I use YesAsia, but I know Glathannus likes CDJapan better. There are also Amazon and HMV.

[Glathannus]

I think YesAsia is overrated. I would only use them because they sell Korean DVDs, and because they accept Paypal. On my ranking of priorities, Paypal isn't a close second - it's a distant second.

Between CDJapan and HMV Japan, HMV is a close second. They're both very fast with their shipping, but CDJapan takes their shipment packaging more seriously, and they provide you with specific information for whether first-press is or isn't available. HMV Japan sells vinyl, so that definitely gets them in my good graces.

Amazon.com (for westerners) is a huge rip-off. They sell CDs for nearly twice the Japanese prices, when Japanese CDs naturally cost a lot more than western-published CDs before any domestic or overseas vendor's price markup.

CDJapan is a "rip-off" if you're only buying a couple of discs. You buy 10 or more, and the base price plus shipping, is on a more level playing field with the other vendors, but with far better packaging, and you're making a more informed decision before you buy.

[arutea]

:O awesome! thanks guys!

[frecklegirl]

Yeah, I prefer Cdjapan too. They also tend to include bonus items, like posters, if one is supposed to go along with a release (which Yesasia will often not do).

[zarya]

I'll review all the websites I've tried. I live in Canada, and although I have a credit card, I much prefer using Paypal. I don't mind buying used cds when they're in good condition. These are my bias. The ranking is overall where I mostly buy my stuff from, and reflects my preferences.

1) YesAsia : I usually order from there.
+ The cheapest if you only order a few cds at a time
+ Have limited editions on sale for longer
+ You can pay by Paypal
+ They offer free shipping for orders over 39$
+ The way they organize their shipping, I never get customs charged no matter the amount of my order
+ They usually have promotions like coupons and free toys
+ Great customer service
- Their selection is limited, especially for older stuff, but if you can't find a new product for sale, you can email them and they usually add it right away
- Their base price is somewhat higher than other places
- I had one bad experience with preordering limited edition stuff, and a lot of positive ones, but this should be accounted as a risk

2) Ebay - the best place for a deal
+ You can find out of print stuff (found 2 copies of Electric Mole ltd edition)
+ You can find stuff for cheap if you don't mind the fact that's not brand new. And sometimes, it is.
+ Most stuff can be shipped as a "gift" and won't be opened for custom checks.
+ You can almost always pay by Paypal
+ You can have Ebay send you emails every time an auction for SR/TJ products appears
- You can get ripped off. The sellers are individuals, usually you should be more careful the less ratings the seller has
- The products can be bootlegs. This can be avoided if you know well the products, what they look like, and if you read the reviews the other buyers have left for the sellers. You can also get hints from catalogue numbers and pictures provided.
- The overall experience depends greatly on the seller.

3) Tokyo Recohan - run by a guy who goes record hunting in used cd shops.
+ The description of the condition is very precise and even though the cds are used, I have found them to be always in mint condition!
+ Unlike Ebay, you are sure about how good the deal is since the price can't go up.
+ The shipping fees are quite cheap and the package is efficient
+ Great customer service. You can even email the guy for requests and when he finds them, you buy through the website without having the other customers have the possibility to steal it.
+ You can pay by Paypal
+ The shipping is really fast
- It's first come first served, so if you see something you want, you have to grab it fast! And good stuff does get grabbed fast.
- Irregular stock; currently, they have no SR/TJ items for sale

4) CDJapan - for the stuff I really want that YesAsia doesn't carry anymore
+ Their website is very precise on their stock level, especially for first press and limited editions.
+ Their selection is great
+ Their base price is fair, and their shipping fees are "normal", i.e. you have a choice in the method and you get charged exactly what it cost them
+ They have a reward system, so you get yens off for future purchases
- For customs, it will depend on the method of shipping chosen (EMS shipping always get charged with custom fees), and on the total amount.
- They share their stock with their Japanese website, so the limited stuff gets sold out fast.
- No Paypal

5) Play-Asia - they specialize in imported games and toys, but they carry cds and dvds as well
+ Paypal accepted
+ Excellent communication and tracking of the order processing
+ Many options for shipping, the cheapest being reasonably low
= Selection is not that great, but they're not really known for their CD selling so the limited stuff doesn't get sold out as fast
- Base price even higher than YesAsia

6) HMV.co.jp
+ Huge selection
+ They also have a point system to get money off your next purchases
+ They sometimes have good sales
+ The shipping is fast
- They only ship through FedEx, so the shipping amount is high to start with, and that also means you can't get unnoticed at the customs ._.
- No Paypal

7) Amazon.co.jp (not the American one, their prices are just ridiculous)
+ Biggest selection of them all
+ They offer at least 2 different options for shipping
+ Have good sales from times to times
- Their packaging was poor (based on 1 purchase there)
- Their shipping is kind of expensive, because you get a base price + a price per item
- And their shipping was slower than the others
- No Paypal
- They have a used cd section that doesn't ship internationally. I feel those prices are just there to taunt me >(

What I've never tried: TowerRecords (heard you can also order in English), Amazon.com (for Japanese cds, because their prices are a rip-off), Shopping Mall Japan (for buying stuff on Yahoo Japan auctions).

Alternatively: if you live in / visit a city where the Japanese/Asian population is important enough, you can find stores that sell Japanese cds. Beware though of bootlegs and "oversea" versions.

[justriiingo]

Overseas versions are usually cheaper than Japanese versions and there is no significant difference in print quality or sound quality or whatever. My Taiwanese edition of KZK and Kyoiku came with Chinese translation sheet for the lyrics so it's sort of a bonus for me. I get my stuff from Yesasia and so far I'm happy with them. I'm usually not in a hurry to listen to my cds (because leaks usually surface on JPS before the cd launch date anyway) so I don't really see the point in paying extra for the fast shipping.

[frecklegirl]

Originally Posted by zarya

What I've never tried: TowerRecords (heard you can also order in English)

I used them to buy that Sakuran limited DVD thing while I was in Japan (they don't ship internationally, though you can set the website to English I believe). very fast, and good, but yeah, useless outside of Japan.

[zarya]

Originally Posted by frecklegirl

I used them to buy that Sakuran limited DVD thing while I was in Japan (they don't ship internationally, though you can set the website to English I believe). very fast, and good, but yeah, useless outside of Japan.

Their website says that they do ship internationally, they even provide the shipping rates... However, they specify that some products cannot be shipped outside of Japan, maybe that was the case for Sakuran?

[Glathannus]

Originally Posted by zarya

TowerRecords (heard you can also order in English), Amazon.com (for Japanese cds, because their prices are a rip-off), Shopping Mall Japan (for buying stuff on Yahoo Japan auctions).

Originally Posted by frecklegirl

I used them to buy that Sakuran limited DVD thing while I was in Japan (they don't ship internationally, though you can set the website to English I believe). very fast, and good, but yeah, useless outside of Japan.

Originally Posted by zarya

Their website says that they do ship internationally, they even provide the shipping rates... However, they specify that some products cannot be shipped outside of Japan, maybe that was the case for Sakuran?

I tried pre-ordering 3 copies of the second promo DVD back when Tower Records listed it. They indicated they would ship to me in North America.

Weeks went by, and when it was finally the release date, I received the following email:

Originally Posted by Tower Records

The item you orderd can not be shipped out of Japan.
It's supposed to be provided in Japan only.
We're really afraid, but your order has already canceled by us
according to above reasons.

We appologize to you about our inconvinience.
Thank you.

Why thank you, for "already" canceling my order...
at the last minute!

*shakes his fist at the skies like he's ready to ram it up somebody's ass*