Coming Mandarake BWA

[iceman57]

What are your opinions about the current situation of USD/JPY currency exchange? May this affect your auctions and offer a more tainted European presence?

Sounds to be consequently a good option to get favorite American HQ items at a lower price (inuyasha, kenshin, sailor moon,...).
And in the other hand a bad option to get favorite European HQ items (saint seiya, city hunter, cat's eye,...).

[Krafty]

The Yen is quite strong against the Dollar, Euro and Pound so it makes purchases from Japan more expensive than I would like. But, I'll still be buying from Japan because unique art won't come around again and somebody else will have it if I don't!

My recent BWA package was sent last week but it is held up at the parcel depot because of a Customs Charge to pay. This is rediculous. I'm charged 8 Pounds in tax but the clearance fee alone is 13.50 Pounds!!

I guess the declaration on the tax form was marked as only 3,000y even though the actual contents are 40,000y so that helps a bit.
Even so, it is this kind of charge that makes buying from Japan expensive.

[darksuzaku]

Mandarake's BWA is always the source of many rare jewels. Many people wait and prepare for them. It really doesn't matter if the dollar is strong or weak against the Yen, most high end pieces will always get astronomic prices.

Also, you seem to forget about japanese bidders. They spend a lot of money on BWA. In many of the auctions your "rivals" are likely to be japanese rather than overseas bidders.

I guess the declaration on the tax form was marked as only 3,000y even though the actual contents are 40,000y so that helps a bit.
Even so, it is this kind of charge that makes buying from Japan expensive.

Hey Krafty, an small tip for you. When ordering from Mandarake specifically ask them to put the declared value in US currency, something like $50-$75. The people at the customs are used to see "low" declared values (think that they are used to US/Euro/Pounds currency). A high value (3000 for example) brings their attention to the package and they might not stop to check that it's 3000 Yens and not 3000 Pounds. I mean, a high value raises the chances of having the package marked for inspection.

Since i use this little trick i have never had any mandarake package stopped at the customs.

[iceman57]

Also, you seem to forget about japanese bidders. They spend a lot of money on BWA.
In many of the auctions your "rivals" are likely to be japanese rather than overseas bidders.

Well, most of the items reappear the next weeks on YJP so I may appreaciate them more as "speculators" than competitors...

It really doesn't matter if the dollar is strong or weak against the Yen, most high end pieces will always get astronomic prices.

I may think that people will prepare a cash envelop for this event, but if Yen raise, they'll bid on 1 or 2 items instead of 3 to 5.
In the opposit if the Yen is more attractive, they'd feel more confortable and instead of buying 1 or 2 items, they'll buy 3 to 5.

The Yen is quite strong against the Dollar, Euro and Pound so it makes purchases from Japan more expensive than I would like.

Indeed, but if you've a look on ECB (European Central Bank) from the very begin of Euro during the last 10 years, and JPY currency is exactly at the average.
I think that this period of pre-BWA is good for European buyers to get American an UK items

[darksuzaku]

Also, you seem to forget about japanese bidders. They spend a lot of money on BWA.
In many of the auctions your "rivals" are likely to be japanese rather than overseas bidders.

Well, most of the items reappear the next weeks on YJP so I may appreaciate them more as "speculators" than competitors...

Well, well, reading your coment it might seem that you are labeling most japanese bidders as speculators and it's not true. Of course there are speculators, but if they want to get any money of their business they will have to target those auctions with low prices or else they risk to end up eating the items they wanted to get profit on.

Also, while it's true that you can find good deals on Mandarake i believe the BWA is more famous for their ridiculously high prices on the high end auctions.

It really doesn't matter if the dollar is strong or weak against the Yen, most high end pieces will always get astronomic prices.

I may think that people will prepare a cash envelop for this event, but if Yen raise, they'll bid on 1 or 2 items instead of 3 to 5.
In the opposit if the Yen is more attractive, they'd feel more confortable and instead of buying 1 or 2 items, they'll buy 3 to 5.

This may (or may not) apply for overseas bidders, but let me state again the presence of japanese bidders. This doesn't affect them as much. Of course a strong Yen helps them against oversea bidders, but in many cases their "rivals" are other japanese. They may have other domestic taxes though

[iceman57]

but let me state again the presence of japanese bidders.

Are they really present on BWA especially on things that are more "american" favorite or "european" favorite.
In my opinion they are positionned on items like "Future Boy Conan", other Miyazaki stuff, and toys.

TOTORO :
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 9950100003
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 9300100004

PORCO ROSSO :
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 0130100001
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 0150100001

LAPUTA :
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 0320100002
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/auc_e/item ... 0280100002

For them ok in BWA, but for the rest, certainly a direct supply through shops and private collectors network.

[Olivier]

My recent BWA package was sent last week but it is held up at the parcel depot because of a Customs Charge to pay. This is rediculous. I'm charged 8 Pounds in tax but the clearance fee alone is 13.50 Pounds!!

The same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. These £13.5 are a ransom change by Parcelforce.

[cutiebunny]

Exchange rates do not matter when it comes to the serious collector.

If there's an item that a collector really wants, they will bid and they will win.

I've seen examples of this several times during the past few BWAs. It doesn't matter if the end prince is 200,000 or 300,000 yen - if they want it, they'll go for it.

To a certain extent, your theory concerning the lack of potential bidders may be true for some items, but for those that are highly desirable, I see no negative impact in their selling price.

[iceman57]

I've seen examples of this several times during the past few BWAs. It doesn't matter if the end prince is 200,000 or 300,000 yen - if they want it, they'll go for it.

To a certain extent, your theory concerning the lack of potential bidders may be true for some items, but for those that are highly desirable, I see no negative impact in their selling price.

Question is "what are high range items" that'll not be affected ?
Because from a country to another this is radically different.
Last BWA was a "Saint Seiya" festival, I may suppose that they'll not make this a second time. So this may more affect medium range items.

Save 100,000 yens offers to buy next a nice item
From my last purchase in Japan for 300,000 yens, by using currency conversion point of view, I saved 11,000 yens by postponing my offer of 2 weeks. Apply now this unique purchase on a monthly BWA or a annual collector budget and you may estimate how much you can save.

Buying to private american collectors these days is exactly the same, this is like a 10% discount that easily covers overseas shipment and Paypal fees.