Question about Ami Ami

I've never used the site before but I'm pretty interested in one of their listed dolls and the process seems pretty straightforward: I already have the doll in my cart and I'm at checkout setting payment information and shipping. 

So my questions are pretty basic but critical: are they reliable to order from? Where do they ship from? How many days does it take to get shipping confirmation?

I'll appreciate any valuable information you guys could have regarding previous experiences.

Thanks!

 

1 hour ago, puxlavoix said:

I've never used the site before but I'm pretty interested in one of their listed dolls and the process seems pretty straightforward: I already have the doll in my cart and I'm at checkout setting payment information and shipping. 

So my questions are pretty basic but critical: are they reliable to order from? Where do they ship from? How many days does it take to get shipping confirmation?

I'll appreciate any valuable information you guys could have regarding previous experiences.

Thanks!

 

Based on my previous experience alone.

AmiAmi is very reliable. They ship from Japan as far as I know. The package is shipped after they confirm that the payment is done, which is usually the next day. Sometimes it may take day or two longer than that.

Also worth noticing is that the shipping can be quite pricey from AmiAmi if the package is big.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Lynn
It would be good to read the question carefully, me.

@puxlavoix Buying from AmiAmi is a lot like buying from Mandarake. Shipping is usually as fast as the method you pick. I tend to go with DHL since it's cheaper and faster than EMS where I'm at. I would say in that sense they're comparable in speed. Also in packing. However I have never purchased a doll from them, only figures. But there are certainly people who have, and their more coveted Dollfies usually sell out fast. They are, to my knowledge, reliable. I found out about them through a friend who had already been using them for years when we were in junior high. My last purchase from them was earlier this year.

I mostly know AmiAmi as a physical store and don’t really use their online shop much. They’re one of the biggest retailers of hobby merch in Japan, so it’s a bit strange to me that you seem a bit wary of them, but I guess because they don’t show off the way Mandarake does they’re not as well-known outside of Japan (fun fact: AmiAmi has a bigger market share and actually outperforms Mandarake domestically 🙃)

I did the forbidden thing and have two accounts, one Japanese and one foreign. Both shipped my orders the day after I paid, and when I had stuff sent to family overseas, it arrived in three days via DHL. Shipping was reasonable, but expect to get hit with a customs bill if your country taxes doll stuff.

I've never had much of a problem from them, mostly just shipping issues due to the pandemic stuff, but that whacked up a lot of things, imo.

Just got home tonight to an email saying they shipped my latest purchase, so we'll see how long DHL gets it to Tucson...

(will update when it gets here!)

Update: DHL is giving an estimated Dec. 19th. delivery!!

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by battrastard

22 minutes ago, battrastard said:

I've never had much of a problem from them, mostly just shipping issues due to the pandemic stuff, but that whacked up a lot of things, imo.

Just got home tonight to an email saying they shipped my latest purchase, so we'll see how long DHL gets it to Tucson...

(will update when it gets here!)

You did the thing and I did the thing on the same night, for the same reason, methinks. 😂

On 12/15/2022 at 12:11 AM, PolitelyNefarious said:

You did the thing and I did the thing on the same night, for the same reason, methinks. 😂

Y'know, you may just be right!! 

She won't get here before the Arizona meet this Saturday, but it'll only be a few days wait, anyhow.. 

(Gotta go find some sun dresses and a straw hat, as I previously threatened to do if I'd get her, now!!)

 

(Update: DHL is giving an estimated delivery date of Dec. 19th. by the end of the day!) 

RE-Update: (12-21-2022) Picked up my package on my way to work today and just got home. DHL doesn't really deliver 20+ miles outside of Tucson, 

so, they passed the package off to a courier, who delivered it yesterday, after I had stopped in to check on my way to work. 

It's currently 40 F when I got home, so I'm letting her warm up before I get her out and dressed. 

Intro for her, and my other two recent ones to come soon.....

 

 

Rick

Edited December 22, 2022 by battrastard
expanded content/hint & updated delivery

Quick update relevant to this topic: 

After she warmed up, and let out of her box, Skadi is doing fine! (not putting her outfit on her, I saw Stain-Monster written all over it, even before I opened the bags!! She'll get all the sundresses and straw hats, just as I promised!) 

On 12/14/2022 at 8:23 PM, PolitelyNefarious said:

Buying from AmiAmi is a lot like buying from Mandarake. Shipping is usually as fast as the method you pick. I tend to go with DHL since it's cheaper and faster than EMS where I'm at. I would say in that sense they're comparable in speed. Also in packing. However I have never purchased a doll from them, only figures. But there are certainly people who have, and their more coveted Dollfies usually sell out fast. They are, to my knowledge, reliable. I found out about them through a friend who had already been using them for years when we were in junior high. My last purchase from them was earlier this year.

Well, being overseas I really really know them from the figure market because yes, everyone gets theirs from them but actually never knew they sold dolls or Dollfie Dreams until very recently thats why i was asking for advice. Even more so, i read somewhere online that apparently there was some recent 'drama' involving dollfie dreams with them and just wanted to be sure. And yes, it really seemed so much like Mandarake that I just wanted to be extra-extra sure about it!

 

On 12/15/2022 at 12:34 AM, ragnamuffin said:

I guess because they don’t show off the way Mandarake does they’re not as well-known outside of Japan (fun fact: AmiAmi has a bigger market share and actually outperforms Mandarake domestically 🙃)

They show off? 

I'm really a scaredy cat when it comes to buying overseas, which is really the ONLY option for me since DD are just like unicorns or dwarfs where i live (impossible to come by, legend like) so i tend to stick with what i really really know and ive used Mandarake for like 10 years now. But seeing how everybody swears by them, ill be sure to add them to my list of preferred sites, thank you!

On 12/15/2022 at 12:47 AM, battrastard said:

Just got home tonight to an email saying they shipped my latest purchase, so we'll see how long DHL gets it to Tucson...

(will update when it gets here!)

Update: DHL is giving an estimated Dec. 19th. delivery!!

Oh you’re so lucky! Please make sure to share some pics will ya?

I actually ended up going with another option I had. It was either Sakura Matou from Ami Ami or Airi from Queens Blade from ebay (yeah yeah I know but i had a great experience getting Rin last time and also didn’t got ripped off). If were 100% sure about Ami Ami i would have gone with Sakura because I've always had a soft spot for her; i like her character and the DD evenmore.  Same case with Airi. 

So in the end i ended almost flipping a coin and got Airi which has been more of a bittersweet because Christmas came and went and the seller hasn’t shipped her yet after 10 days because it turns out that they’re out on vacation (i think) and just left their store open not to lose sales. Its a reputable seller and all but aargh can’t believe my luck!!  

2 minutes ago, puxlavoix said:

It was either Sakura Matou from Ami Ami or Airi from Queens Blade from ebay

You're lucky, because I almost picked up Sakura Matou myself! (still thinking about her, because of how long she's been on there, poor girl!) 

I've wanted Skadi since her pre-order/lottery, but didn't have the funds then, and Amiami had a decent price.. But, seeing Sakura-chan still up there for so long is making me feel pretty bad about how no-one's picked her up yet.. (no, no more kiddos...) LOL

 

2 hours ago, puxlavoix said:

Even more so, i read somewhere online that apparently there was some recent 'drama' involving dollfie dreams with them and just wanted to be sure.

Do go on… 👀

2 hours ago, puxlavoix said:

They show off?

AmiAmi only has two physical stores that I know of, and both are in Akihabara. They’re both very bland and you could easily mistake them for any other nondescript store selling anime goods.

Mandarake, on the other hand, has physical stores in just about every large city in Japan (multiple in Tokyo), and they tend to have wacky interiors decorated with gaudy vintage toys and collectibles—sometimes they look more like museums than stores, and I always recommend people visit them for the experience (not necessarily to find rare collectibles, because they have so much stuff it’s like sifting through a landfill).

Because of its flashiness, you would think that Mandarake was the biggest player in the industry, but according to a business owner I know in that field, Mandarake just tries to make itself look bigger and better than it actually is, but it’s actually AmiAmi that’s the industry leader while everyone else is fighting to get a piece of its marketshare.

3 hours ago, ragnamuffin said:

6 hours ago, puxlavoix said:

Even more so, i read somewhere online that apparently there was some recent 'drama' involving dollfie dreams with them and just wanted to be sure.

Do go on… 👀

As a side theory, I guess it might have something to do with how AmiAmi sells second hand stuff, at least the Louise MDD I bought from them only had a picture of the box and a condition grade for the box and item (a B and C in my case if I recall correct). unless they've changed this you are buying a bit blind versus Mandarake where you get multiple photos of the doll and accessories.

based on that one doll I've gotten from AmiAmi their pricing is fair versus condition, but if you've gotten accustomed to the occasional deal from Mandarake where something is overly discounted by surface defects that can be washed or massaged away it might be a learning experience.

 

4 hours ago, ragnamuffin said:

Mandarake just tries to make itself look bigger and better than it actually is, but it’s actually AmiAmi that’s the industry leader while everyone else is fighting to get a piece of its marketshare

to me comparing Manda and AmiAmi is a bit awkward, since if I've understood correct Manda deals mainly in second hand stuff where AmiAmi is more brand new item retail (with a sizable second hand side too), and even way back when most of their turnover came from online ordering, so even the storefront isnt a direct showcase of what they were up to (or this is what I recall from an article by He Who Shall Not Be Named did back in the day ... also the times before they opened up the online store for foreign orders, and you needed a proxy to deal with them).

58 minutes ago, finnleo said:

since if I've understood correct Manda deals mainly in second hand stuff

They do, but they also sell a lot of stuff new (they do auctions too). It’s pretty standard for these kinds of stores to sell both new and used because anime/manga/games have so many limited edition products in such small production runs that there’s always demand for them, and Japanese collectors tend to keep stuff in pristine condition specifically in case they need to resell them to these secondhand shops, so there’s always supply too. AmiAmi, animate, Lashinbang, Mandarake, Suruga-ya, etc. all operate similarly and are all part of the same market.

34 minutes ago, ragnamuffin said:

It’s pretty standard for these kinds of stores to sell both new and used

Im not saying that they dont overlap, but the core business idea will also affect how your store is presented. Mandarake (and Jungle osaka for instance) being more second hand focused will need to have their diverse inventory on show in an effort to sell them more efficiently which might make them on the surface seem more bigger than they are in terms of financials, versus AmiAmi where they only needs to keep X ammount of items on show, and then just fetch more from their warehouse as needed.

Edit, the difference in core business also shows on how the two do the second hand sales, where mandarake makes a high effort in showing you what you are getting into with a second hand item, versus AmiAmi giving the bare minimum of information.

Browsing mandarake on occasion is also interesting when you suddenly think you've wandered over to Toranoana, something that you wont experience on AmiAmi's site.

Edited December 26, 2022 by finnleo

@battrastard Biggest congratulations! Skaddi's a tough one to catch- she always flies off of Mandarake. I've flirted with her more than once, but decided trying to catch Anthy, Dream Choice in tan, and guy bodies was challenging enough. Her eyes are beautiful- she looks so serene. All the sundresses for her!

 

3 hours ago, finnleo said:

To me comparing Manda and AmiAmi is a bit awkward, since if I've understood correct Manda deals mainly in second hand stuff where AmiAmi is more brand new item retail (with a sizable second hand side too), and even way back when most of their turnover came from online ordering, so even the storefront isnt a direct showcase of what they were up to (or this is what I recall from an article by He Who Shall Not Be Named did back in the day ... also the times before they opened up the online store for foreign orders, and you needed a proxy to deal with them).

 This is correct. AmiAmi is primarily a shop for new preorders, and their used section for most items is quite limited. Dollfie might be one of the only things they handle exclusively secondhand- usually it's all stuff they've had in stock at some time. Case in point: my highschool friend used to preorder his Busou Shinkies from them. I got into the hobby, but couldn't afford new ones at the time. This year I went back and they are still stocking secondhand Busou Shinkies when they get them, so I picked up three I'd wanted for the price of a higher-end one. One of them had loose hips, but they were otherwise intact.

Mandarake meanwhile is largely secondhand. They do host some preorders, including Angel Philia for those of us who like vinyl, and they make note of these on their main page. But overall, it's like a well-organized Ebay or Y!Japan without the bidding, save for a small selection of curated premium goods. Going to a Mandarake outlet would be a personal goal were I able to travel to Japan. Just to see the stock.

 

He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, eh? 🤣  I do miss Figure.FM- twas a great resource back in the day.

41 minutes ago, PolitelyNefarious said:

He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, eh?

We did coin the term "Dolldemort" at some point, but we have been trying to play nice on occasion.

12 hours ago, finnleo said:

Im not saying that they dont overlap, but the core business idea will also affect how your store is presented.

None of this changes the fact that they’re part of the same market. This isn’t something I’m just randomly speculating about—the business owner I know knew their financials precisely because he’s in direct competition with them (and his business doesn’t sell new either, so that isn’t the issue).

Edit: If you’re focused on how the stores present stock (new or used), AmiAmi’s physical store looks similar to animate, Lashinbang, Suruga-ya, etc. The latter two, like Mandarake, also deal primarily with secondhand goods, but like AmiAmi, don’t show detailed pictures online and don’t decorate their physical stores in an over the top way like Mandarake does. Jungle is the only one that tries (and fails) to replicate the zany Mandarake decor. So whether a store deals in new or used goods does not necessarily equate with how they present stock either.

Edited December 27, 2022 by ragnamuffin

2 hours ago, ragnamuffin said:

clearly not an industry insider

I'll leave it to the experts then, and shan't comment any further.

carry on.

1 hour ago, finnleo said:

I'll leave it to the experts then, and shan't comment any further.

carry on.

My apologies, my response came off a lot snarkier than intended.

Edited December 27, 2022 by ragnamuffin

On 12/26/2022 at 1:08 AM, battrastard said:

Quick update relevant to this topic: 

After she warmed up, and let out of her box, Skadi is doing fine! (not putting her outfit on her, I saw Stain-Monster written all over it, even before I opened the bags!! She'll get all the sundresses and straw hats, just as I promised!) 

Congratulations, she's beautiful!! Really like the angle of your pic here. Most pics ive seen tend to show her from an higher perspective but this one really shows off her delicate features!

 

On 12/26/2022 at 1:40 AM, battrastard said:

You're lucky, because I almost picked up Sakura Matou myself! (still thinking about her, because of how long she's been on there, poor girl!) 

I've wanted Skadi since her pre-order/lottery, but didn't have the funds then, and Amiami had a decent price.. But, seeing Sakura-chan still up there for so long is making me feel pretty bad about how no-one's picked her up yet.. (no, no more kiddos...) LOL

 

Well I ended up not buying her a plane ticket. I kinda feel bad myself too! I thought she was some of the toughest ones to snatch due to the franchise and everybody loving her character but I guess she's just sitting there cause she hasn’t been spotted by the potential buyers yet, don’t think she will last long. Id bring her home if i had the budget for two -three- xmas presents

Congrats again on snatching Skadi!