Comments, Compliments, and Concerns for NDK 2011

[Sakura Cherry Blossom]

Overall I had a great time this year and didn't see any problems. Yeah lines suck, but these lines are way better than some cons I've been too. (Trust me after 3-4 hours in a two mile long line that wraps around the back side of a convention centre just to get into the con an hour early, you will be apreciating the lines here 10 fold)

I would also like to add a thank you to the Mariot for putting up with us. While I did not hear any negative feedback, they had their hands full with unruly guests at Starfest in April. Not the least of issues being the stairwell vandelized with profanities. I'm fairly certain they were not looking forward to another convention but handled it as professionaly as they could. Thank you.

I'd like to add my observations and purhapse another point of view on a couple of things discussed.

Guest gifts
I attended a Starfest a couple of years ago and heard one of the actress's explain why she will not personalize autographs. She stated she had a few run ins with the "crazy" fans who thought a personalized autograph meant please come stalk me and I will marry you. While there are other reasons for gift bans, and this was defiently a personaly experience, I can see this also being a potential issue. You never know who the crazy fan is going to be.

Passkey system
As someone who attends Starfest and has had to deal with the rooms assignments, let me be the first to say Passkey rules. I do agree that a heads up would be apreciated for booking, but being able to say I booked ___room and got ___ room is so much more refreshing. I have had years where it was all we could do to get an atrium room. If mom could walk better we could just take a tower room and be done with it, but she hates having to walk from one end of the con to the other just to go up to the room for something. As it is I have been in the lobby seeing people break down in tears, cursing out the desk staff, and being overall frustrated that they couldn't get the room they wanted. I do try and decorate for the balcony contest at Starfest and had spent alot of money for one years balcony and had to spend almost three hours on a friday mornining to get an inside atrium room. I think we got the last one available. After that we started scraping together enough money so we could go on thursday. All for a precious atrium room.  This year at NDK was the first year we were unable to get an inside atrium room, but were more than happy with our outside atrium room. There was construction outside so, we never opened our curtains, but who cares. Not having to have a knock down drag out fight with the desk to get a room is by far a better alternative. No, the system is not perfect, but I almost wish Starfest would convert to it.

Thank you everyone for everything you do and I can not wait for next year!!!!!!!!

[sailormoonstars]

The Dealers Room was better then last years but it can be better for ndk 2012 i mean alot of things people can get on there self's online we want to see more anime imports next year i hope?

[Skrae]

The problem with getting Dealers who specialize in imports means that we would have to dedicate more time to checking for bootlegs.  There are a lot of honest vendors out there, and some not so honest ones, and then there are the ones who just didn't notice it.  As it stands, we occasionally have bootlegs slip through, and I remember dealing with it all con.  When you have a table full of imports, there are going to be people trying to pass the bootlegs off as the real thing, and will more easily get away with it.  Then, there's also the problem of region encoding.  Yes, there will be some people out there with either region unlocked or Japanese region DVD players, but the vast majority of attendees probably don't have access to those gadgets.  However, we'll still be bringing in a lot of the vendors with import merchandise, of course, like every year.

Honestly, though, if you spend enough time online, you can find just about anything.  The advantage of cons is perhaps finding something a little bit easier, and at a relatively lower price, or even finding something you didn't know you wanted.

Do you have any more feedback for Dealers Room?

[GimmeAnime]

Just a couple of notes:

Vendors are shying away from imports for several reasons. First and foremost is the lousy dollar-to-yen exchange rate. This makes a moderately priced item into an expensive one. So even if they try to get cheap items because of the economic downturn, they stop being cheap once you add in the exchange rate and shipping.

Secondly is that a lot of people aren't willing to buy big ticket items anymore. And more vendors are focusing on items that move. Which is why you see things like lots of the same Naruto or Bleach or One Piece stuff, because more people are willing to pay for them.

It comes down to money. If you want more imports at NDK, you have to buy them when available. If you see an item, but don't pick it up because you'll get it cheaper on-line, the vendor is going to remember that he could move 100 Naruto headbands and didn't move that import item. As such, when planning his orders, he'll order more headbands and won't order similar import items because it took so long (be it several conventions or several years) to sell them. Expensive items (foreign or domestic) are tough to make a gamble on and most won't unless they see someplace has a track record of attendees buying those items. Buy the product and they will come.

[sailormoonstars]

I see what people are saying i am all so talking i seen dealers this year have the same products and selling them higher last year to this year like a Mai SNK figure last year for 40 dollars and this year for 60 dollers and series of Panty & Stocking of Panty figure for 60 dollars i seen online for 30 to 40 dollars & a dealer selling that same Panty figure for 65 dollars so because once a year ndk is round they can have the right to take a vantage of us anime fans & hike up the prices on us that's not right like dealers anime usa and asylum anime.

[Masurao Tsukino]

@sailormoonstars I really don't think they are taking advantage of the buyers at NDK.  Remember you have to understand that they are business, they thrive on money, as most things in the world. First to reiterate what Gimme Anime said: The Dollar to Yen ratio is lousy.  According to YesAsia currently the Yen to Dollar ratio is: $1.00 = ¥77.268.  Thing with buying from 2nd hand retailers, which is what predominately U.S. vendors are, and the fact that they are having to cover for the cost of Shipping.  Chances are if you are buying online shipping is going to be AT LEAST ~$30. (Since most of the time they are based on a weight system. 

Take for example me:  I buy DVD's from Japan time to time, and I bought the starter boxset to Higurashi no Naku koro ni Kai, from Rakuten, the price on the website was about 552JPY (Approx: $7.20) with international shipping (which was 1,860JPY or $24.18) the total came to 2,440JPY or approximately 31.72, and this was an empty box, with two DVD's in it.  (So you can imagine the price of a figure that weighs more than this)

This is why American stores sell it for so much higher, it pretty much is covering what you would cover if you were buying it from Japan yourself, the only difference, instant gratification, the fact that you have spoken your word on buying things like this in the dealers room, and the fact that you helped an American vendor, which is nice because, unless they are working with a Japanese website to sell their items to an American audience, they don't get much of a profit selling imports.

[GimmeAnime]

If I can throw something else in there. Most people don't seem to figure shipping into their equation. Yes, that figure you ordered from ImportAnimeStore is about $20 less than at TheAnimeCon. But then you have to add in the shipping cost from Japan, which could suck up that $20 and more. Or you get the super-cheap shipping, but it takes 3-4 weeks or more to get to you and you may have saved $5 after shipping cost.

So when comparing prices, think about the added cost as the built-in shipping cost to bring it to you so you can look at it, touch it, and purchase it right away.

[mesona]

It's not wise to put real names online more so when it's pre reg, PM one of the staff all your info and they will fix it.

[Lojackzer]

Heres another question... I wish to submit art fo asvertising but im not getting any responses....where do I go and who do I contact?