rktoys web store FAQ section

It's rare but sometimes there is insufficient stock to fulfill your order. I sell to hundreds of customers over a dozen channels and cannot always sync inventory counts quickly enough. If you're really interested in something, it's best to order sooner than after it's skyrocketed on other marketplaces.

Unfortunately, I had been operating under the belief that eCrater/Stripe had automated notifications and thus refrained from sending what I expected would be duplicate alerts. Now that I've been dinged for this, I will make a point to notify customers as soon as it becomes necessary.

eCrater is just one of many channels that I sell through. Unfortunately, it's on the slower end with a bare minimum of notifications. Thus it sometimes take longer for me to see that a sale is pending. I do my best to fill the order and, if that's not possible, refund your money. I have NEVER kept the money for something that I could not ship.

Yes and no. I primarily sell at conventions in and around Philadelphia. The American economy prioritizes rent-seeking so a real store is just a bankruptcy waiting to happen.

Yes and no. My record on eCrater took a hit over some communication issues so I wouldn't want get anybody online worked up. However, at shows, where that uncertainty is not a problem, I sometimes accept trades. It just really depends on the situation. Trades occur at retail price for new stuff and market price for older stuff. A list of trade items accepted can be found at: [http://www.rktoyandhobby.com/XP/RKTOYS/RKTRADES.PHP]

I had a misunderstanding over what I thought were automated notifications. One of those was with a scalper who was upset that I'd sold out of some items that he wanted to flip. Unfortunately, happy customers are statistically far less likely to leave feedback so the impact of those is disproportionate. All of those customers were refunded. My feedback on eBay, going back nearly 20 years as both a buyer and a seller, is stellar in comparison.

I ship USPS Priority Mail calculated by distance and weight. While I understand that many channels have conditioned shoppers to look for free shipping, I don't feel that it's in their best interest. There is no such thing as free shipping. Customers either pay that cost in the form of a higher base price or in poor packing and slower delivery. Further, it's unfair to customers who live close by or order multiple items that end up subsidizing those who don't.

Besides mail fraud being a federal crime? Well, I do check my reail mail every day so orders that come through that channel are far less likely to slip under the radar.

Unfortunately, Amazon has sent enough professional fraudsters my way that I can no longer give everybody the benefit of the doubt. All orders over $200 will require signature confirmation for now.

Sure. In many cases I use stock photos but I can take a real picture upon request. Sometimes it's a matter of finding where the heck I put the item in question though!

Yes. However, I cannot do so on single purchases. Shipping for second and third items is practically free. Orders over four I'll be very inclined to ship completely free unless one of them is large and/or heavy. Please contact me BEFORE placing such an order so I know it's coming and can adjust the charge accordingly.

Unfortunately, by the time people get around to ordering from me, manufacturer orders are closed and retail is not an option. So in most cases, I don't have, and can't get, another to replace yours. There are many toy reviewers on YouTube that can tell you what to expect from your purchase(s).

I'd love to sell lots of toys at a price that we're all happy with. Unfortunately, the reality of the market in 2017-2018 is that small sellers have very little bargaining power and such low sellthrough that every dollar counts far more than it should. eCrater's low fees allow me to sell for less than anywhere other than conventions. If you want a deal, your best bet, short of waiting for Toys R Us to go bankrupt, is to purchase more than one item at a time.