I am still saddened about the price tag. It would cost me 600€ to get full bundle to Finland, over douple the cost of H&M. I am even GM:ing the Runelords, just starting Book 4 tomorrow after two years of gaming it.. but nay.. I got no such money to waste.
Dunno, I hope there is Yule discount or something coming.. cutting off 20% of the price and if I managed to convice friend of mine to share the cost.. maybe.
I am still saddened about the price tag. It would cost me 600€ to get full bundle to Finland, over douple the cost of H&M. I am even GM:ing the Runelords, just starting Book 4 tomorrow after two years of gaming it.. but nay.. I got no such money to waste.Dunno, I hope there is Yule discount or something coming.. cutting off 20% of the price and if I managed to convice friend of mine to share the cost.. maybe.
In case you haven't seen it, you could consider this.
I am an odd duck in that I could not care less about completion rates. I have never tried to get a full set of any prepainted mini sets i have bought into. There are always figures I wished to have lots of and some I didn't like so didn't care if I got.
For me, the real issue is how to get more copies of some and how to offer the ones I did not want to others without going the ebay route. I do miss the trade that took place early in the D&D minis but it seems folks are more into selling on ebay.
I do wish good luck to those who do want a complete set though.
I am still saddened about the price tag. It would cost me 600€ to get full bundle to Finland, over douple the cost of H&M. I am even GM:ing the Runelords, just starting Book 4 tomorrow after two years of gaming it.. but nay.. I got no such money to waste.Dunno, I hope there is Yule discount or something coming.. cutting off 20% of the price and if I managed to convice friend of mine to share the cost.. maybe.
In case you haven't seen it, you could consider this.
Thanks for the tip burgleyman.
If we didn't share rather nice collection of plastic miniatures with my friend, I would have absolutely picked those up for the RotR-campaign that I have really enjoyed GM:ing.
Choises choises..
Unfortunately I've had a bad experience buying these minis. I bought a brick at a retailer and quite enjoyed the models. That retailer couldn't get more so I bought another brick at a different retailer and got EXACTLY the same models. I've complained to customer service over at http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz6mhr?Duplicate-Brick#7 but all I get are excuses. My point is that the boxes say "Random assortment" and so I should expect an actual random assortment and now I'm told (and have read on this messageboard) that the boxes seem partially prepacked so that if you buy an entire case (!) you are pretty likely to get a complete set. This, however, is not explained on the boxes at the retail store.
I'm pretty annoyed anyway; maybe I'm in the wrong here with my expectation of a random brick but I don't think so.
I can see your point, however I'm not sure about the expectation. It's always going to be a partial, not true randomisation anyhow (since I'm sure the process isn't going to put three identical mediums in one booster and you'd presumably accept that level of filtering).
The issue here, it seems to me, is where one draws the line as to how random they are. All I can say is that the wizkids/paizo approach seems reasonable to me and (as an assiduous reader of these threads) I've never seen anyone else share your expectations. That doesn't really help, I guess, but that's my impression.
If you're interested in trading, send me a pm - I have a bunch of spares and would be happy to send you basically whichever minis you'd like in one-for-one exchange. Might cost a few shipping dollars, but you'll get exactly what you want...
Thanks for your response; perhaps you're correct in that my expectations were too high. Next time, if I buy miniatures at all, I'll buy one brick and pick up the rest on the singles market. It seems like (after having read the boards)that multiple bricks tend to stick people with far too many of named figs and not enough commons anyway.I am interested in trading but I'm not sure if you're up for being stuck with more named figs you probably have enough of anyway. Not sure what shipping costs; I'm in Canada so it's likely to be a bit more if you're down in the States.
Anyway, I'll send you a pm later, I'm off on errands.
Thanks again for the response and offer.
Cheers.
No worries. I'm in Australia (so shipping will be worse) but I have access to reasonably cheap freight. I'm sure we can work something out for next to nothing.
I'm not too stressed about which figures you'd like to trade. I have more than I need for all of them and a vested interest in the status quo. (So its not a purely altruistic offer!)
I'll keep an eye out for a pm.
There are some very nice minis in the standard boosters and overall I'd have to say that they are significantly better than the previous set. I have picked up a number of these from my LGS.
However, I have a few overall comments about the line and its future.
Firstly, I would particularly like to see figures for creatures that are specific to Pathfinder, if possible. For example, Strix! At least 2 poses, please! I would really love to see some Strix figures, I think the Strix are pretty awesome, and they are specifically a Pathfinder creation, so you won't find them anywhere else. Many of the minis duplicate minis that are available elsewhere, such as the old D&D minis which can still be found all over the place. Whenever possible Paizo should be releasing minis that will not duplicate minis that can be found elsewhere.
Secondly, as far as the mixture of figures go, I would like to see some thought on product value when deciding what figures are intended to be rare or common. Blind buy is obnoxious enough without deliberately saddling people with figures they cannot use. What I mean is that figures which are meant to represent player-characters, unique monsters, or distinctly identifiable NPCs should always be the rarest category, because nobody will ever need more than one of any such figure.
Thirdly, I hope that Paizo will consider releasing some non-blind-buy figures. For example, if you released a box that has a single copy of each goblin figure you have released so far, I would buy at least four of them. Anything that requires you to have hordes of something would be a good candidate for a box with a collection of figures.
Anyway, keep up the good work!
Peet
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I think one of my minis was broken.
While breaking the boxes down I found this
http://imageshack.us/a/img827/9154/p9200612.jpgalso the staff of my two 52 runelords
and my 50 highlady
and my 32s all are bent.
Check your Ameiko figure(s), I'm pretty sure that's her scabard.
My point is that is doesn't say that on the box in the retail store where I purchased it. I expected that "random" meant random, which is what the box said.
The problem is that what you bought isn't designed for consumer-level purchase. A brick is a package made for a retailer to put on a shelf and allow customers to buy boosters from it.
Just as a case (four bricks) generally constitutes a complete set, one brick constitutes a quarter set. Letting a customer buy two bricks from one case is "safe" but a customer who buys two bricks from two different cases stands a decent chance of having severe overlap.
The problem is - through no fault of your own - you tried to buy a half-case but didn't. The minis are randomized, but as one increases the size of one's purchases, that randomization by design starts to break down until at the case level there's only superficial variation. You might have one less X than someone else who has one less Y than you do, repeated over a handful of commons.
Point is... if you had walked into two stores and bought two boosters, you wouldn't have had this problem... odds are very high you would have got completely different product. It's just the mass-purchases you made that hosed you.
The problem is that what you bought isn't designed for consumer-level purchase. A brick is a package made for a retailer to put on a shelf and allow customers to buy boosters from it.
This is not true at all.
And I didn't address the rest of his post, but, I will point out (and this is also addressed in the thread "Duplicate Brick" that the boosters aren't randomly packed.
They're packed according to a directive to achieve as close to 100% set completion as possible, which throws any randomness out the window, and, as evidenced by the report, most definitely not random when an entire brick is identical.
If the minis were packed truly randomly, there wouldn't be an assurance of a complete set per case (seriously, how could there be with 128 minis per case of a 60-mini set?), and two separate case lots wouldn't contain identical bricks.
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The concept of Random has to do with a single booster bought at any given FLGS. Paizo and Wizkids worked to give a huge bonus to case buyers by seeking to provide the buyer a complete set. With other random formats like the DDM line the singles market was usually the best way to complete a set.
So with the Patfinders Battle line there are more than one way to complete a set. I applaud their efforts for this historically has not been the case with other miniature lines.
Cheers,
Mazra
Actually, in DDM, one could typically buy a couple cases and have a high probability of getting a complete set.
Additionally, at $180/retail per case, 2 cases were cheaper than 1 case of PF minis, and one ended up with 192 minis instead of 128 minis.
So, yeah, historically, this has been the case with other miniatures lines (at least, the other pre-painted minis line that's directly comparable to PF Battles).
And, again, I point out something that people seem to keep trying to avoid acknowledging, since you've pointed out that "random" applies to buying single boosters: It's been reported by folks on this very forum that they've bought and received IDENTICAL boosters (3 of them).
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Brian Harris,
When I was buying cases of DDM minis.. I can certainly tell you that typically I had to buy 4-5 cases to get a complete set IF I did not go to the private sector and buy singles. So please do not sit there and tell me it was cheaper to go and buy multiple cases of DDM minis to get a complete set then it is to buy 1 case with Wizkids and Pathfinder miniatures.
A few people got identical boosters.. so what I got that with DDM as well.. not once but probably closer to 15-20 times. I happens. There was only 65 minis in the line and of the 65 5 of them were not in the standard booster set.. so yes there is going to be some identical boosters as will happen when you do not have that many in a set. Now if you had 1000 minis in a set the chances of getting an identical booster go down drastically.. but this is not the case with this set.
Oh and $180 dollars was on the cheap side for DDM minis. You were lucky to get them for THAT price if at all and even then it was for the cheaper and smaller sets of the DDM minis.
\
And yes I have almost complete sets of the DDM too.
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Actually, in DDM, one could typically buy a couple cases and have a high probability of getting a complete set.
Additionally, at $180/retail per case, 2 cases were cheaper than 1 case of PF minis, and one ended up with 192 minis instead of 128 minis.
So, yeah, historically, this has been the case with other miniatures lines (at least, the other pre-painted minis line that's directly comparable to PF Battles).
And, again, I point out something that people seem to keep trying to avoid acknowledging, since you've pointed out that "random" applies to buying single boosters: It's been reported by folks on this very forum that they've bought and received IDENTICAL boosters (3 of them).
I bought three or four cases of each DDM release (except for the very first where I bought a lot of boosters individually) and I never came close to having a full set. I always had to go to the secondary market to fill out the set. Usually having to buy 20 to 30 minis to get what I wanted. Sometimes more.
As far as price. The new minis are so much better quality wise that I am totally willing to pay more. And the price of oil has gone up significantly since the DDM minis were done. The current minis by WOTC using old sculpts are nearly $3.00 a mini.
I personally am very happy with the line and I am working out how many cases I want in future releases. I think two seems to make the most sense for me after the first couple of releases.
I agree with the Shem and Deanoth. I never got a full set buying several cases at a time. But what I miss the most from the DDM days was that I could fill out most of my sets by trading for the ones I needed. There was a website with a vibrant trading community where you offered to trade rares for rares etc. So I almost never had to go to ebay etc to "buy" the remaining ones I needed. Unlike now where I did have to buy the Pathfinder Battle minis I need/want.
As for boosters with the same minis in them, this happened to me with both DDM. Pathfinder battles, Mage Knight, and Battletech. They all had only so many combos they put out. But I accepted that random does not mean even distribution. It means I can't see what is in the box.
Lastly, I just want to comment that if they are going to error one way or the other, I like that they are erroring toward a case having a near complete set.
Oh and $180 dollars was on the cheap side for DDM minis. You were lucky to get them for THAT price if at all and even then it was for the cheaper and smaller sets of the DDM minis.
That was retail price. $14.99/booster, 12 boosters per case, $179.88
Unless it was a huge case, then it was $21.99/booster, 6 boosters per case, $131.94.
If you were paying more than $180/case for a 12-booster case, you were getting shafted.
As for everyone else's experience of needing to buy 4-5 cases and still not getting a complete set, I guess our experiences obviously differ, as I rarely needed more than a couple minis outside of the two cases to complete a set.
I must have been astronomically lucky, as this was my experience through most sets.
I'll let that aspect go, as it's not really pertinent to the whole "random isn't really random" debate, and count my blessings on what must have been fantastically excellent pulls.
But I accepted that random does not mean even distribution.
Of course it doesn't. An even distribution would be statistically improbable.
It means I can't see what is in the box.
That's actually "blind" not "random".
Lastly, I just want to comment that if they are going to error one way or the other, I like that they are erroring toward a case having a near complete set.
I'm torn, myself.
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As for everyone else's experience of needing to buy 4-5 cases and still not getting a complete set, I guess our experiences obviously differ, as I rarely needed more than a couple minis outside of the two cases to complete a set.I must have been astronomically lucky, as this was my experience through most sets.
you normally ordered your cases at the same time I take it? They took care in how they packed the pallets to go to dirtributors so that the cases would appear more random..
There was a time I could tell you if a elder blue dragon was in a case of the Lords of Madness expansion by the case number.
It means I can't see what is in the box.That's actually "blind" not "random".
Fair enough.
I think the key point I really do not want to loose in this is: For the moment I can not get good pre-painted minis at this price point from anywhere else. And so far the figures they have put out cover some great stuff. So I will deal with how ever they elect to package them.
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No worries. I'm in Australia (so shipping will be worse) but I have access to reasonably cheap freight.Did you buy the case bundle? How much did you pay for shipping?
Shipping just the case bundles (without the rune giant) is $100.15 less the $10 discount.
If I include a rune giant, the shipping goes up to $104.51 - $10.00.
You can always check your shipping options and costs by adding a bunch of stuff to your shopping cart and then proceeding to checkout. Nothing will go on your card at that point, but a shipping estimate will be generated. It's only once you confirm your order that a hold will possibly be placed on your credit card.
If you're shipping by international priority mail, this exercise is often worth it since sometimes (depending on sizes and weights and so forth) you can add half a dozen books without affecting the shipping costs. A core rulebook costs me $52.35 shipping, for example - but I can include 4 AP installments/campaign sourcebooks and the shipping price actually drops by $10 (due to the discount paizo offer for orders over $100). It's worth experimenting a bit if the shipping price bugs you since occasionally you find the reverse can occur - ie that the addition of just one book will double your shipping costs.
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Further to the pondering above (re figure releases catching up with the current AP), are there any APs that could be skipped, or released in 'minor' sets, like Encounter Packs?
As a new Pathfinder GM I'm currently running the Price of Immortality module series but am planning to run ROtRL as soon as that's over. After that I think I'm more likely to jump into another AP that's specifically designed for PFRPG rather than one that was designed for OGL and hasn't been updated. Obviously, I still have a while to go before that becomes the case - probably late 2013 - but the availabiliy of minis is likely to be a determining factor (but not the sole factor) in which AP I choose to run.
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Shipping just the case bundles (without the rune giant) is $100.15 less the $10 discount.
If I include a rune giant, the shipping goes up to $104.51 - $10.00.
You can always check your shipping options and costs by adding a bunch of stuff to your shopping cart and then proceeding to checkout. Nothing will go on your card at that point, but a shipping estimate will be generated. It's only once you confirm your order that a hold will possibly be placed on your credit card.
If you're shipping by international priority mail, this exercise is often worth it since sometimes (depending on sizes and weights and so forth) you can add half a dozen books without affecting the shipping costs. A core rulebook costs me $52.35 shipping, for example - but I can include 4 AP installments/campaign sourcebooks and the shipping price actually drops by $10 (due to the discount paizo offer for orders over $100). It's worth experimenting a bit if the shipping price bugs you since occasionally you find the reverse can occur - ie that the addition of just one book will double your shipping costs.
You're right - adding the RotRL Delux Collector's Edition nearly doubles the shipping cost. That makes it nearly a whole grand for the ultimate RotRL experience! Now ... is it worth it?
Well I'm something of a paizo-holic, so...yes. Go for it. :)
(If dollars is an issue, I'd go for the RotRL collector's edition from Paizo and look around for cheaper options for the minis. Another "budgetarily sensible" option would be to get the Anniversary edition rather than the collector's one - same book, just without the handouts, prints and spiffy case).
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Well...Rise of the Runelords *is* often referred to as Paizo's best Adventure Path. It hits all the nostalgic high notes of fantasy roleplaying—ancient ruins, wizards, dragons, giants, mysteries, ogres, goblins, just to name a few—and really showed off Paizo's chops post-Dragon and Dungeon magazine days.
There's a reason an updated, converted, and improved version was made. :)
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Well I'm something of a paizo-holic, so...yes. Go for it. :)
(If dollars is an issue, I'd go for the RotRL collector's edition from Paizo and look around for cheaper options for the minis. Another "budgetarily sensible" option would be to get the Anniversary edition rather than the collector's one - same book, just without the handouts, prints and spiffy case).
If I cut out all my other entertainment spending for a while I can afford it, but I want to get the right balance between sensible and awesome. I could the anniversary edition and the set of cardboard minis from my local game shop for <$A100, so the monetary difference is around 1000%. I'll run both options by my gaming group when we next meet up.
The thing I don't like about this sort of thing is the comic shop or hobby shops I have ever been into open up every last one of these and sells them piece by piece for huge profits. I cannot seem to buy my own pack or whatever size and they seem not interested in selling or ordering it from any hobby shop I have been in. The only other recourse would be to order online which i don't like giving my credit info out and the idea of my own Canadian government charging me huge shipping fees and such. Last time a family memebr ordered something online (40 dollar item with 40 custom handling UPS) and it came to my door even though it was prepaid delivery they charged a toll custom fee (brokerage fee).So knowing all this I guess i cannot get any of these..greedy government and greedy hobby/comic shops..never going to pay 20-30 dollars for a small plastic mini each at a shop..It is crazy.
The thing I don't like about this sort of thing is the comic shop or hobby shops I have ever been into open up every last one of these and sells them piece by piece for huge profits.
Interesting. The two shops closest to me sold them as boosters and one still does nto sell singles. The one that does still sell singles also has boosters on the shelf.
I hope you can find a way to get some that does not cost the $20-$30 you speak of.
Are they in Ontario? I tried Sarnia, London and Toronto areas. I asked for a pack or booster and they all seem to say. This is how we sell them individually. I check the prices Piazo sells for individuals and the shops i been to seem to charge double that price as listed.
I could list the names of these shops I have been to but then I probably would get banned from this for some flaming of those shops.I suppose, also some here could even work or own these shops and don't like me calling it what it is. truth been told, i have seen it before even with the the old DD ones and the collector card games and such, they rip them out of package and the owner and employees get thier set or whatever out of it and try and cash in for what the rest are. They figure, which in all truth, that they can get a better price piecemail of each, then selling or ordering a booster or package.I guess it might also pay to know the owners personally, maybe they would order for a friend but then you figure offering cash to order them and paying in advance would count.
I do not mean to troll this forum, just stating a fact from my own experience since these sets came out. It seems hard to get them, or order them.
I do not agree with taking them out of the packaging and increasing pricing personally.Can anyone name a product that someone opened and it becomes more valuable without packing. Most collectors have the item in original box with original packaging.The shops i have visited they offered the minature without a box and increased pricing or they didn't have any or would not order any.
I am glad the rest of you got them and it still gives me hope that i can find a shop to buy the unopened original or I am going to have to order online and deal with the brokerage fees.
Thanks for the hope you found some i shall keep looking.
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Well...Rise of the Runelords *is* often referred to as Paizo's best Adventure Path. It hits all the nostalgic high notes of fantasy roleplaying—ancient ruins, wizards, dragons, giants, mysteries, ogres, goblins, just to name a few—and really showed off Paizo's chops post-Dragon and Dungeon magazine days.
There's a reason an updated, converted, and improved version was made. :)
Alright, you talked me into it. I've got the case bundle and rune giant on order. Hopefully I get it before Christmas. Not starting this campaign until March, but I'm keen to rip open the boxes and check out these minis.
The only other recourse would be to order online which i don't like giving my credit info out and the idea of my own Canadian government charging me huge shipping fees and such. Last time a family memebr ordered something online (40 dollar item with 40 custom handling UPS) and it came to my door even though it was prepaid delivery they charged a toll custom fee (brokerage fee).So knowing all this I guess i cannot get any of these..greedy government and greedy hobby/comic shops..never going to pay 20-30 dollars for a small plastic mini each at a shop..It is crazy.
NEVER NEVER NEVER use UPS! They're fees are ridiculous! I've refused to pick up packages before because companies have sent via UPS without telling me. If you do ever choose to order online again, always pick USPS/Canada Post.
NEVER NEVER NEVER use UPS! They're fees are ridiculous! I've refused to pick up packages before because companies have sent via UPS without telling me. If you do ever choose to order online again, always pick USPS/Canada Post.
+1!!!
Shipping to Canada is relatively cheap. Most of the times the package does not even get flagged for tax and duty -- but even when it is, it is a relatively small amount.
UPS are extortionists, and I also refuse acceptance of their packages. I ensure that I tell anyone that I buy items from, that I will NOT accept UPS as a shipper. In truth, their handling fee is their fee they charge for completing some essential paperwork, which you as a the importer can complete, thereby eliminating their excessive fees. Whenever possible, Canadians should only buy items from US shops that ship through USPS.
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Man I was sweating it, opened my second case and I was scared I would not get the final 2 minis I still needed. But alas finally 1 Mithral Mage and 1 Warchief Ripnugget.
Now I am content. I even had one really odd pack with 6 minis in it, the 2 halves were a mirror image, 1 Harsk, Dwarf Ranger,1 Shining Child,1 Lamia Kuchrima.
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I was sorely disappointed today, as they had sold all the boosters at my FLGS and now apparently have trouble refreshing their stock. Don't you guys ship them overseas to Europe anymore, or is this just some kind of a glitch or misunderstanding? I ended up buying Shattered Star boosters, but there are still lots of RotRL minis I'd want to have (and I'd prefer not to order them as singles, due to shipping costs and brittle material).
As I understand things, wizkids don't produce many (if any) cases beyond their preorders.
That might have changed, since I remember that discussion from more than a year ago, nonetheless it may be that once a distributor has distributed their preorder....that's it.
CEO
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I was sorely disappointed today, as they had sold all the boosters at my FLGS and now apparently have trouble refreshing their stock. Don't you guys ship them overseas to Europe anymore, or is this just some kind of a glitch or misunderstanding? I ended up buying Shattered Star boosters, but there are still lots of RotRL minis I'd want to have (and I'd prefer not to order them as singles, due to shipping costs and brittle material).
Paizo doesn't handle any aspect of Pathfinder Battles miniatures other than buying some for us to sell here on paizo.com. All sales to distributors around the world are handled by WizKids. I know that WizKids is out of stock on Rise of the Runelords, so I don't expect that there are any restocks available if the distribution chain is sold out also. Paizo bought quite a large quantity so we can have it in stock here for up to two years. Distributors tend to buy stock that will only last 4 to 6 months. Sorry that I don't have better news.
-Lisa
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I was sorely disappointed today, as they had sold all the boosters at my FLGS and now apparently have trouble refreshing their stock. Don't you guys ship them overseas to Europe anymore, or is this just some kind of a glitch or misunderstanding? I ended up buying Shattered Star boosters, but there are still lots of RotRL minis I'd want to have (and I'd prefer not to order them as singles, due to shipping costs and brittle material).Paizo doesn't handle any aspect of Pathfinder Battles miniatures other than buying some for us to sell here on paizo.com. All sales to distributors around the world are handled by WizKids. I know that WizKids is out of stock on Rise of the Runelords, so I don't expect that there are any restocks available if the distribution chain is sold out also. Paizo bought quite a large quantity so we can have it in stock here for up to two years. Distributors tend to buy stock that will only last 4 to 6 months. Sorry that I don't have better news.
-Lisa
Okay, thanks, Lisa! :)
Now that I know this, I'll try to snatch up as many Shattered Star boosters as possible!
I am ordering a case along with a case of the shattered star minis and the promos to go with them but I don't have the funds for 3 weeks. Anyone know of a way I can guarantee they will still be available. I see that smaller orders are now unavailable which is worrying me
I am ordering a case along with a case of the shattered star minis and the promos to go with them but I don't have the funds for 3 weeks. Anyone know of a way I can guarantee they will still be available. I see that smaller orders are now unavailable which is worrying me
One thing you could do is combine them with your next subscription shipment, which shouldn't be until September - then you wouldn't get charged until September.
I am ordering a case along with a case of the shattered star minis and the promos to go with them but I don't have the funds for 3 weeks. Anyone know of a way I can guarantee they will still be available. I see that smaller orders are now unavailable which is worrying meOne thing you could do is combine them with your next subscription shipment, which shouldn't be until September - then you wouldn't get charged until September.
I was thinking the same thing but I have a subscription order headed to me at the end of august. if they are still available after it ships that's exactly what im going to do though
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CEO
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I am ordering a case along with a case of the shattered star minis and the promos to go with them but I don't have the funds for 3 weeks. Anyone know of a way I can guarantee they will still be available. I see that smaller orders are now unavailable which is worrying me
The chances of us selling out in three weeks is almost infinitesimal. Not impossible, but almost.
Lisa