Mandarake's New Site Layout

Discussion in 'Whatever' started by hellointerloper, Mar 24, 2015.

  1. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Mandarake's New Site Layout
    No, I think the listings are all still there, so if you've saved the bookmarks, it should still work, but finding them, on the other hand, is very difficult, if not impossible. I was able to use a cached page to find a link via search, but only because I had the item number. I honestly don't know why this started, maybe they just needed to purge their servers of space; it used to be you could see listings going back many years, which was wonderful. Glad to know I am not the only one obsessed with diving into the 'archives.' I could write them, might be they don't even know [since you can find the listings], but it is an odd thing as I only know how to contact each store, and the whole language issue is often a barrier.
     
  2. SPACED

    SPACED Toy Prince

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    Seems complicated and troublesome as with buying sofubi there in person. Lots of variety but they're lumped and stacked to the point of low visibility behind their locked showcases. Store assistants seem wouldn't let you put your hands into that stack to grab something you want to check out. They'd have to handle that themselves.

    I still love Mandarake anyway. Wonderland of sorts.
     
  3. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Mandarake's New Site Layout
    Yes, that is true. The display cases are kind of a nuisance, I will admit, but as with everything in this hobby, just takes a little patience.
    I have found if you ask nicely, and are patient with them, the clerks are more than happy to be patient with you as well. I think they are not as used to 'browsers' as such, and don't expect people to come into the shop and check out every figure - which is completely fair too. And you also have to consider the massive range of people that must come into their stores that they have to deal with; including looky-loo tourists and 'weird stuff' oglers. And, as with any shop, clerks are as individual as any person, so you have to keep that in mind. So all that being said, I'll grant it isn't a simple task perhaps, but I wouldn't want it to be, and all around I rate it far more in the positive column.
     
  4. akum6n

    akum6n Vintage

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    I haven't really noticed any vanishing past listings. If you search by typing in the keyword in the search box (in Japanese), the results have been pretty consistent. The tags and linked search terms in the individual product pages don't work so well.

    However, it seems like Mandarake now overwrites old product listings when they list the same item again. So the sold listings aren't always the most reliable in showing the price trends.
     
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  5. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    ^^^ Thank you Daniel, I think the overwrites must be what I'm experiencing.
     
  6. SPACED

    SPACED Toy Prince

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    I agree. Looking at how the inventory is and how they're always busy, no complains. I've been to Tokyo Mandarakes a few times and the always amazed at how the Akihabara staff work with the interesting system that they have. Whatever gripes anyone will have, they'll definitely keep returning to Mandarake. Flawed online system or not.
    I personally enjoy the in-store experience overall.
     
  7. GhostTrainGray

    GhostTrainGray Toy Prince

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    I've been to some of the stores in Tokyo and I really love the experience, too. The staff are pretty nice and make an effort to understand what I'm looking for, even though I don't speak any Japanese.
     
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  8. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    Looks like Mandarake is making everyone verify their info, as of today. My "profile page" even has my name as "last name-san" :D
     
  9. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    I kept getting rejected and it said my zip code was wrong. Took me 4 tries and I know what my zip is. :roll:
     
  10. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    Same problem with the zip code. I had to log off and back on a few times, then re-entered the zip code, and it finally stuck.
     
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  11. patrickvaz

    patrickvaz Addicted

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    Also had the zip code problem, after several attempts I got it sorted.
     
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  12. xSuicide Squadx

    xSuicide Squadx Super Deformed

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    Wonder why they decided to have an account confirmation? I think I've had mine for about four years, maybe longer, and this is the first! I clicked the postal code check button, selected Phoenix, and it registered me after the first try.
     
  13. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    I wonder if they've converted to an https site? My old bookmarks beginning with http, no longer work.
     
  14. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Mandarake's New Site Layout
    Not a site change, but I received this notice after an enquiry from the Nakano Broadway shop today (and it will become clear why):
    This is really unfortunate news, as for me, one of the principal reasons I use Mandarake for shopping is that the shipping rates have [nearly always] been very reasonable, and I rely specifically on the SAL small packet rates to be able to afford my relatively cheap and basic toy buying habit. :( From this message, the change may apply only to Nakano at the moment, but if it is a Japan Post wide change as suggested, I could well see it affecting all of the stores. Which means a fairly significant added cost (double) on top of any order. I presume that, with the extra expense for SAL shipping costs now, it might not warrant any selection of SAL over EMS; though some other factors may come in to play (importing for one). Argh!

    Unfortunate news, but I wanted to share here so people can be aware of the change.
     
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  15. doomboy

    doomboy Addicted

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    Mandarake's New Site Layout
    SAL shipping has risen from 680 to 890 yen for smalll stuff as far as I can tell.Also it seems to have increased post sale processing time by about 5 days.edit this was from Shibuya and Nagoya
     
  16. badteethcomics

    badteethcomics Post Pimp

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    Bad day for Mandarake users..

    Just tried to place an order through Sahra, paying with Paypal and the payment was aborted due to what my AVG program picked up as a phishing attempt? Tried twice on my laptop and once on my mobile with no luck.
     
  17. Roger

    Roger Vintage

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    Ugh, wish I had focused on that notice when I was doing some late-night buying this week. An order for four items totaling only 1,700 from Sahra ended up incurring 2,300 worth of shipping charges.

    It's okay, I can justify it by telling myself that these were items I would have paid $10 each for in the states, but I need to tack some more stuff on next time to make that shipping charge worth it.
     
  18. moodydoom

    moodydoom Addicted

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    Question for any tech people out there. Is it possible that people could be using bots/scripts on Mandarake's daily new item listings? I swear i see things there often that are sold when they hit the site, and at super-random times, so i'm started to suspect foul geekery...
     
  19. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    It is definitely possible, but I think there might be a less sinister reason for this. Without going into too much detail, the page updates are not exactly 100% on what is available (even online). It also seems to vary on how you access the site. This is further hindered by convoluted searching matches. So, basically, what I am saying is that there can be a 'live' listing for a given item, but unless the circumstances align just correctly, you might not immediately see it. And, as a result, when it does come up (for any one of us), another person - especially those with speedy fingers or some type of auto-checkout enabled (again, I think this depends on where you are from) - may have checked out with said item. :( It sucks, but it does happen.

    But yes, there are bots as well, we know from other sites; at this point I wouldn't rule anything out in this state of the hobby. But that is easier to implement for specific drops/websites, which you can program in advance. That's more difficult with a general retail site that can update at any time.
     
  20. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    ^^^ Unsure on the customer shenanigans but I've noticed the price of items jump once they sell ie. Something listed (and I presume sold) for ¥6,000 appears in the archive at ¥8,000 giving it a fictitious higher perceived value.

    Also the price of the same item being 'adjusted' when store stock ships to the SAHRA facility . . . two bites of the cherry if the store screws up one way or the other.
     
  21. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    ^^^Thank you for mentioning that! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, when I saw those price changes! :shock:
     
  22. ultrakaiju

    ultrakaiju Die-Cast Staff Member

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    Once again, just for clarity's sake, this isn't something so sketchy as it might seem. What actually happens is that when the item sells, the site 'defaults' (for whatever reason, but they clearly programmed it this way) to the most expensive listing when multiple of an item have been available in the past (which is nearly always the case). Thus, a 'cheaper' version might sell out, and the website will return the thumbnail listing on its results page corresponding to the highest value/sale of that item once this happens. So it might appear that the price increased, but in actual fact is for a different listing [of the same item]. Misleading yes, and certainly a cause of easy confusion, but not intentional price alterations. Note that this explanation is not accounting for the price 'bumping' which the shops will do, using the sold listings as a direct reference point - this most certainly does happen.

    I have clearly been spending too much analysing the workings of Mandarake, and on the website in general. :oops: [Much to the chagrin of my bank account]
     
  23. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    ^^^Thank you Prof. Stevie! That is a keen observation! :shock: Thanks for the explanation! Good to know that there is a logic in all of this.
     
  24. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    Just as easy to program it to default to the cheapest/most recent or not at all . . . still sketchy in my eyes! (but thanks or the explanation)
     
  25. Mr. Humphreys

    Mr. Humphreys Mini Boss

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    So all of a sudden, my computer won't connect to Mandarake. Works fine on a really old tablet, but my new computer times out when I try to access the site (used Chrome, IE, Mozilla Firefox--all a no go). Anyone else experiencing problems, I wonder?
     

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