Alright, so I decided to finally grab that awesome Dark Souls figure I’ve been eyeing forever. Problem? The local shops here either don’t stock it or charge way too much. Time for an online hunt!
Step 1: Figuring Out What I Wanted & Where to Look
First, I got super specific. Was it Artorias? Or maybe Solaire? Ended up settling on a detailed Chosen Undead figure. Once I knew the exact name and maybe the manufacturer, I started hitting up places.
Started simple – just Googled the figure name plus “buy” and “online”. Looked at big general stores that sell figures, then went deeper into hobbyist sites specifically for gaming merch and collectibles. The usual suspects popped up, you know? Also checked community forums real quick to see where others mentioned buying theirs.
Step 2: Hunting Down the Best Deal & Dodging Scams
Found the figure listed on maybe five different websites. Prices were all over the place! I opened a bunch of tabs to compare directly.
This is crucial:
- Price: Found one site listing it for like 40% less than others. Alarm bells! Checked user reviews everywhere. Saw complaints about that super cheap place – “item not as described” or “never arrived”. Avoided that one like the plague.
- Shipping: This was a killer! Some places had cheap figures but crazy shipping costs halfway across the globe. Added everything to cart to see the real total cost.
- Seller Rep: Seriously read the reviews. Looked for mentions of fake figures or damaged boxes. If a site had loads of recent bad feedback, crossed it off my list.
Step 3: Pulling the Trigger & Paying
Picked the site that felt most legit based on reviews, had a good total price including shipping, and was in a region known for decent shipping times.
Went for PayPal checkout without a second thought. Just feels safer. Double-checked my shipping address a million times – shipping internationally is bad enough without messing that up! Clicked “Confirm Order” and took a deep breath.
Step 4: The Waiting Game & Tracking Torture
Got the order confirmation email right away. Good sign. The shipping confirmation took a couple of days, which was expected.
Then came the tracking number. Oh boy. Copied it into like 5 different tracking websites because the one they gave me wasn’t updating for days. Patience isn’t my strong suit! Finally saw it move… slowly… across oceans and continents. Wished it had wings.
Also mentally prepared for potential customs fees. Got lucky this time, avoided them!
Step 5: The Victory Unboxing
Box showed up at my door maybe 3 weeks later. Held my breath while opening the outer shipping box. Relief! The figure box inside was pristine.
Cracked it open super carefully. All the pieces were there, no broken bits, the paint job looked perfect. Slapped it onto my shelf. Worth the hassle!
What I Learned:
- Get super specific about what you want before searching.
- Compare final prices (figure + shipping) across multiple sites.
- Dig into seller reviews like a detective – ignore super cheap deals screaming “SCAM”.
- PayPal is your best friend.
- Use multiple tracking sites when the provided one sucks.
- Factor potential customs fees into your budget.
- International shipping takes FOREVER. Chill out and wait.
Got my Chosen Undead, saved some Souls (and real money), and didn’t get scammed. Success!