Having recently visited Nin-Nin-Game, I learned that there have been some changes (and not the good kind), so I have decided to re-evaluate this import shop to keep you, my dear readers, properly informed.Nin-Nin-Game is a relatively small game store, but it carries some unique items that you may not find in other import shops. If you’re really lenient with spending, and if you’re looking for special edition versions of games, here’s a decent place to look, but I recommend searching other import shops or proxies before coming to Nin-Nin-Game. I would consider this store a last resort.
Nin-Nin-Game isn’t as reliable as it was when I made my first purchase. It’s a shame, really. I had great experiences with this store right off the bat, but somehow it went downhill. It’s truly disappointing.
Still, there are a lot of aspects that I consider a hit or a miss on this website. I will say this a few times throughout the review.
Product Availability
I have only purchased game-related products from this website, so the focus of my review will revolve around video games. However, Nin-Nin-Game does indeed carry a variety of products which includes figures/toys, DVDs, blu-rays, books, and music.
From what I have seen so far, Nin-Nin-Game generally lists gaming software and any upcoming special/limited edition products on its main page. If you’re interested in other products, you can take advantage of the search tool or explore any of the categories listed on the left navigation bar.
Nin-Nin-Game carries rare products that were released in the past but sold out quickly (probably because they were limited edition). Some items are also difficult to obtain because they're exclusive to certain countries. For example, Nin-Nin carries Final Fantasy necklaces that were only sold on Square Enix’s online store, which only catered to a small number of countries. Canada not being one of them by the way. However, Nin-Nin-Game does carry those necklaces and they do indeed ship worldwide. The insane prices may be the only problem in this case. Personally I would never pay almost $400.00 (plus shipping) for a necklace. Or $400.00 (plus shipping) for an old special edition. I can get some items cheaper using a proxy...New or used.
I am pleased to inform you that I found products that were sold exclusively at the Japanese Capcom store. Jenn and I purchased a set of Okamiden temperature sensitive teacups as a birthday gift for a friend from Nin-Nin-Game. These nifty items were sold out at CDJapan, but they were available at a decent price on Nin-Nin-Game!
In all honesty, it takes a bit of browsing to actually figure out what Nin-Nin-Game has. They won’t carry all the products sold at the Square Enix store or Capcom store. Sometimes they just happen to order them and have them in stock. Be sure to use the search engine!
Product Information
Nin-Nin-Game will make a list of what will be included in each item, which is all you really need to know. If you’re looking for in-game content descriptions, you’re better off looking elsewhere. On the bright side, Nin-Nin-Game offers the maximum information necessary for a customer to purchase a game. This in particular is excellent for special edition products.
Prices
The prices can be a hit or a miss depending on what you’re trying to buy. Although, from what I've seen as of late they're more of a miss.
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| This is more than double the original price, which is 21 090 ¥. And this product hasn't even been released yet! It's rare, sure but that's insane! |
The cost of limited/special edition products can be reasonable as long as they are not high in demand and as long as they are not really old releases. If they happen to be high in demand, I seriously recommend looking elsewhere. You may find yourself paying way more than you should if you buy something from Nin-Nin-Game.
On a more positive note, I find that you can purchase Japan-exclusive products at Nin-Nin-Game. An example would be the Final Fantasy XIII accessories you would find on the official Square-Enix shop in Japan. They’re extremely pricy, but available. Another example is the Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack which could only be purchased on the Ebten/Famitsu online store. Keep in mind that these products will come at a hefty price.
Most special editions will include a bonus (the pre-order bonus) without any extra cost. Some apparently have exceptions. If you want the pre-order bonus for certain special edition products, you may be charged extra. I really don't understand why they would charge extra for pre-order bonuses in some cases. I'm simply making note of it because I noticed it after looking at some special edition products recently.
Soaring prices
Keep in mind that prices might soar when you least expect it! This is more towards special editions, but let's hold that thought.
I ordered the Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack here at Nin-Nin-Game, which was 15 900¥ (Approx. $203.00 CAD) after selecting the EMS shipping method. The price of the item before shipping was approximately 13 500¥ (Approx. $172.00 CAD). That was actually pretty good compared to the other import shops at the time.
There is a catch to pre-ordering special editions at Nin-Nin-Game! If you want something, you might want to order it as early as possible. When the release date drew near for the Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack, the price shot up. It went from 13 500 ¥ to 18 000 ¥! That’s more than my pre-ordered copy plus EMS shipping, which is bloody insane. I can understand them raising the price of the products (not that I approve of them doing it for pre-orders). Demand must have gone up and quantities of this item were limited. I’m glad I pre-ordered Tales of Xillia a month before the release date.
Some of the older special edition products are also very high in price here. If the item you are after appears to be extremely expensive here, then it probably is. Try out a proxy that is not Nin-Nin-Game.
Standard Editions
If you’re looking to import standard edition versions of videogames, I do not recommend Nin-Nin-Game. I find that their prices can be rather high, and they even charge extra for pre-order bonuses. It may range from 1000 ¥ - 3000 ¥, which I consider a stretch. This is the only store I know that does this and I consider it a big flaw.
I can understand if Nin-Nin wants to charge buyers for old pre-order bonuses, since they're no longer in print, but I find it unreasonable for them to do this for future releases. Consumers can order at Play-Asia and have a high chance of securing a pre-order bonus without having to pay an extra 1000 ¥ (Thank goodness).
Nin-Nin-Game won't get my money for standard editions unless I'm desperate or other import shops are out of stock.
Shipping
EMS shipping costs appears to have increased quite a bit. I checked the amount for the Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack, and the EMS shipping method now costs 3200 ¥. Previously it was 2400 ¥.
If you pre-order an item it will be shipped out on the release date. Or the day after. If you're just buying an item that has already been released, Nin-Nin-Game should ship it within 2 - 4 business days, but sometimes it can take up to a week. I suppose that’s not too bad.
Tracking?
I highly recommend you add tracking to your package. When I was doing some research , I read about some bad Nin-Nin-Game experiences from buyers. I learned that some goods were lost in transit. This happened more than once by the way.
If you don’t select an option where there is insurance then you will not be compensated if your package is lost. It’s sort of a given, but I’d just like to leave a reminder for those who prefer to use SAL.
Shipping prices
The cost of shipping standard edition games seems similar to Play-Asia. In other words, not overpriced. Standard edition games usually go for 380 ¥ SAL. When I chose EMS for my Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack, I paid 2400 ¥ for shipping, which isn’t bad considering how big the box was. Then the price increased over the past couple of months. EMS shipping is now 3200 ¥ which is at least 10.00 - 11.00 more than it initially was. It’s ridiculous.
Fortunately standard edition shipping costs remain more or less the same.
A little gift
When you order using EMS, you also receive a little gift with your product(s). There are some figures/toys you can choose from, but I only discovered that recently. Since this is a French website, not everything is fully translated in English. In French mode, you can actually see everything. If you select “Pick your gift! EMS” under the navigation bar in English, you’ll receive a “coming soon” message. However, if you click on it while you’re in French mode, you’ll see lots of pictures and lots of options!
Payment
When I first signed up, I attempted to add a credit card just to check out the procedure. It was surprisingly confusing to me. Somehow I led myself to the Paypal page... Odd, yes, I’m aware of that. I got lost trying to add a credit card. That’s definitely a first for me. I think their instructions are a tad confusing because English isn’t the staff’s main language...
Fortunately I had no intention of actually adding my credit card to Nin-Nin-Game. I preferred paying through Paypal. It’s easier and it’s safer. To be honest, I didn’t completely trust Nin-Nin-Game when I first joined. I was sceptical about the site because I hadn’t heard much about it over the internet at the time, even after researching it for days.
Even today I would still rather give them my Paypal e-mail address than my credit card number. Just keep in mind that they immediately take your money if you use Paypal, which is how it normally works.
Packaging
I think the amount of padding included in the boxes varies depending on what product(s) you ordered. My Tales of Xillia Famitsu DX Pack was packaged in a huge box, but there was almost no protection on the inside. I don’t know if you want to count two pieces of thick paper as padding...but that’s what I got. It was used for the poster only (which actually had a small dent that I had to pop back out). I suppose it makes the box lighter if there’s less padding. Plus the Tipo plush isn’t fragile. Everything still arrived safely and that's all that really matters!
I'm definitely going to compliment Nin-Nin-Game for being careful with fragile items. The Okamiden teacups were padded with a spongy/foamy material inside a little box.
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| The Okamiden Teacups are safe under this pile! |
Site Navigation
Navigating through Nin-Nin-Game is rather straightforward.
If you know what you want, just type in a few keywords in the search engine. If you’re using their navigation on the left of the page, you’ll find several categories and subcategories. Just keep clicking and you’ll go deeper and deeper!
It might not take long to find what you want because you can choose how many items show up on the page. You can see 10, 20, or 50 items at once. Plus you can also sort by alphabet (A-Z or Z-A) or by price. I’m a tad disappointed you can’t sort by release date though...
Another great thing about this store is that there are popular categories listed at the top of the page. That might help you find what you're looking for! At least it will give you a hint as to what is available at Nin-Nin-Game.
You'll notice Nin-Nin-Game likes repetition... For example, the information provided on FAQ and General Terms and Conditions are the same. You can also find repetition on your orders page. If you select the order number, you will see your order information. If you click on the "details" button, which is very close to the order number, you'll see the exact same order information. It's silly, I know.
Communication
If I’m planning on importing expensive products from any site, I want to be able to contact the staff members. Communication is extremely important to me because if something goes wrong with one of my orders I want to be able to solve any issues or get a refund. I mean, who wants to spend $400.00 and find out their merch is lost or was never shipped? Poor communication is the reason why I refuse to shop at Nin-Nin-Game now.
Recently I sent two e-mails through their “Contact us” button. One regarded their increased EMS shipping costs and the other was a product request. I waited two weeks and never received a reply from them. I once believed they would reply to me if I left a message on Facebook. Oh, how wrong I was. They answered other messages, but completely skipped over mine. The funny thing is that I left a message on their Facebook wondering if they still answered questions sent from their “Contact us” button. I received a clear answer on that one. Seriously, Nin-Nin staff, is it really that difficult to answer that question with a yes or a no?
Facebook seems to be Nin-Nin-Game’s main communication system these days. They still should have a few members on the side answering questions through e-mails, though. It does seem rude to ignore e-mails. Not everyone uses Facebook. However, even when people do use Facebook to contact Nin-Nin-Game, there is no guarantee they will receive a reply. My guess is that Nin-Nin game just likes to avoid conflict or anything they consider trivial.
The contact button really seems pointless. They might as well say “Contact us on Facebook!” Although, in my case they should just say, “Please don’t contact us at all”.
I recommend contacting Nin-Nin-Game as a test before making an order if you're worried about their communication.
Requests
If you select the "Contact Us" button it gives you various options, requesting a product being one of them. Don't bother with that because Nin-Nin-Game honestly won't answer you. I've tried it and haven't gotten a response since. You can most likely find what you want using another proxy. And it'll probably cost less.
Summary:
Product Availability: 7.5/10 (They’re slowly developing into something bigger, but they have a decent selection)
Product Information: 8/10 (you get what you need)
Pricing: 6.5/10 (If you’re pre-ordering a game you should be able to secure a pre-order bonus without having to pay an extra 2000 ¥. Prices of special editions will rise quite a bit before the release date.)
Shipping: 6.5/10 (They usually ship within 2 – 4 business days, but lately it seems they've been slow. Nin-Nin’s standard shipping prices decent as well. EMS recently became more expensive though)
Payment: 6/10 (Adding a credit card may cause confusion. Paypal’s the way to go)
Packaging: 8/10 (If items need protection, Nin-Nin-Game will provide it)
Site Navigation: 8.5/10 (It's relatively easy to navigate through the store)
Communication: 3.5/10 (If you're lucky you'll get a response)
I will probably only ever purchase special/limited edition games from this store in the future, and perhaps some Japan-exclusive game-related goods if I'm desperate and out of options. And by that, I mean if all other import shops don't have it or if the items they're selling are overpriced...like Yesasia.
I used to think I would make future purchases at Nin-Nin-Game because I had a good first experience, but I’ve changed my mind. Their prices are higher than they should be. I mean, Nin-Nin-Game is stationed in Japan. Or at least they ship from Japan, so they shouldn't make pre-orders for special editions so expensive.
Considering their poor communication skills and odd and expensive shipping costs as of late, Nin-Nin-Game would be extremely lucky if I purchased from their store again. I would definitely check out AmiAmi, CDJapan, or Play-Asia (in that order) first before hitting this store again. If you’re looking to import old games or other special edition products, try Mandarake or a reliable proxy like FromJapan.
Import at your own discretion.
Best of luck!
http://www.nin-nin-game.com/
~Suich
I want to preorder a $300 video game special - would you do it on nin-nin-game.com?
ReplyDeleteAfter my previous experience with this store I wouldn't do it. They ignored my questions (through email and on facebook) and communication is really important to me, because if something goes wrong I'll want either answers or compensation.
DeleteTo be fair though, I've ordered from them twice and I received my products just fine. It's really your choice in the end of course, but there are other stores you could probably order your special game from. If you don't mind me asking, which one is it?
~Suich
It's the Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Ultimate Box! I was too late in preordering so they're all sold out at Square Enix and other popular, reputable Japanese stores. :(
ReplyDeleteAh, I see! It really does seem sold out in a lot of places. Even the official Square Enix Store is sold out, so you can't even use a proxy. =/ I suppose at this point, you have nowhere else to order from. If you really don't want to miss out on this special edition, it might be worth a shot.
DeleteIf you plan on making the purchase, I recommend you test out their communication first. I've had bad experiences with them (their communication in particular) after my first two orders, so I'm not purchasing from their store...at least not until I'm desperate for an item that I absolutely can't get elsewhere for a good price. From what I've read in some forums, buyers get error messages every now and then when they're trying to send emails to Nin-Nin-Game, so just make sure you can contact them somehow before making the order. You can never be too careful when it comes to making expensive online purchases!
In terms of deliveries, my pre-ordered packages arrived just fine. I only used EMS when I ordered from this site, so at least I had tracking and coverage. I recommend you do the same for something as expensive as the Lightning Ultimate Box.
I wish you the best of luck! Let me know how it goes in the end!
~Suich
Jenn, Suich! Nin-nin is not so bad! I did receive my item and in good time too. There was a problem I encountered using EMS - it looks like my post office didn't give me a notice for pickup, so 2 weeks went by and it went into retention and was sent back. I unfortunately had to pay another $60 for Fedex shipping but it did get here. The shipping part wasn't Nin-nin but I bring it up because they were very prompt about bringing up the issue to me and helping to ship it back out very quickly.
DeleteThe item was well-packaged and survived two round-trip international flights!
Their communication is getting much better through email - facebook and twitter are still places they post and advertise but not communicate with their fans.
Any way, the Lightning Box is beautiful and just wanted to give you an update! Hopefully this will help others decide. I noticed others have been having problems but I say give them a chance! Great source for limited editions!
AND USE FEDEX INSTEAD! The shipping is easier on Fedex.com and it's more thorough as it tracks it every step of the way with no noticeable 'lag'. Fedex is also cheaper.
ALSO BE SURE TO SHIP TO A RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS if you can to avoid having to get a notice and require a signature at the counter.
Hi there! I'm glad everything worked out for you.
DeleteIt's odd though...when Nin-Nin-Game shipped out your box they should have provided you with a tracking number at least (because it's supposed to be provided with EMS) so even if your postal office held onto your package and didn't leave a slip at your door or in your mailbox, you still could have tracked it. I tend to recommend EMS first because it's fast, reliable, and you get good coverage. I've used FedEx/UPS a couple of times in the past and have been hit with customs/brokerage charges almost every time (which is usually another 30 - 50% extra on top of what I had already spent). I've only been hit with customs charges a few times using EMS. Other than that, that service has been awesome. In any case, I'm glad you were able to get that nice Lightning Box set.
It's good to know Nin-Nin-Game got back to you quickly too. It seems their communication isn't working too well with others. Hopefully they improve and customers have a good experience.
Thanks for sharing!
~Suich
Sui, as far as the tracking number, again that was my fault as I typed in my email address incorrectly! >_< and another bad luck is I was on vacation a few days of that week when it was being delivered (Holiday season) so I totally forgot about it! I think the first delivery would have been successful if it wasn't for me.
DeleteWhen does EMS charge for customs fees? When they deliver it?
Ah, I understand now. That certainly was unfortunate... but hey, it still ended up working out for you the end!
DeleteIf I'm hit with customs fees, I'm always charged at the door. The person delivering my package would have me sign for it and tell me how much I owe. Then I just pay by cash or credit card.
If I miss a delivery, they leave a slip and on the back they indicate how much I owe. I then pay at the post office when I pick up my package. I'm not sure if it's different for other countries/postal services though, but that's how it is where I am.
~Suich
hi, do you know of any other game shops more reliable?
ReplyDeleteHi there! I have a few places I can recommend.
DeletePlay-Asia (play-asia.com) is one of the first ones I ever ordered from. They have a wide variety of games and accessories. I would only order regular editions from them though, because they tend to dig deep on the special/limited bundles. Good thing about this site is that they have different deals each week. I believe they show new deals on the main page every Tuesday. I imported the Asian versions for Playstation 3 games like Tales of Graces F and Tales of Xillia 2. Asian versions are pretty much the same as the Japanese versions but cheaper, so I went for those.
Amiami (http://www.amiami.com/) sells games as well and sometimes you'll find them at a discount..mostly during preorder periods. Sometimes they'll have special edition bundles, but it's a bit of a hit and miss. I think it really depends on what you're looking for. They definitely won't have shop exclusive bundles (ex/ Lalabit market). I order from Amiami quite often and I find they're reliable.
You can also use a proxy (http://www.fromjapan.co.jp/) if you want it directly from Japan. I've used this proxy in the past and I've gotten all my orders just fine. It just takes more time because of all the shipping and payment processes. Using this proxy, you can order from stores in Japan or bid on goods on Yahoo Auctions. I've contacted them many times before and they've always responded to me, so they're pretty good when it comes to communication.
There's also Nippon-Yasan (http://www.nippon-yasan.com/lang-en/?force=1), which actually reminds me of Nin-Nin-Game. I haven't ordered from there (yet) but if you're curious you can always send some emails their way just to make sure they're responsive.
I hope this helps! Thanks for reading!
~Suich
P.S. Is there something you're looking for in particular?
Just FYI, I've been ordering most Japanese Blu-rays and some figures pre-order from Nippon-Yasan for about a year, and never had any problems at all. At least, they are far better from Nin-Nin-Game in terms of customer support.
DeleteHi, I recently came across the store as well. I have been looking for this for years
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nin-nin-game.com/lang-en/9362-kingdom-hearts-silver-charm-necklace-roxas-goods-import-japon-en.html
Is it a good idea to order here? The official Square Enix store is out of stock.
Thanks
Hi there!
DeleteIf finding a rare item was too difficult and I truly wanted it, I would consider ordering from this shop. That Roxas charm is definitely hard to come by nowadays since it came out quite a few years ago.
Considering the cost and rarity of this item, I highly recommend picking registered SAL (they just list it as REGISTERED) or EMS as the shipping method so you can track it. You also get coverage in case it gets lost. I checked out the options for this product at Nin-Nin-Game and shipping prices are reasonable...as they should be since the item is so small.
If you're concerned about their communication (like me), you can test it out by sending an email to Nin-Nin Game regarding actual stock of the item or coverage for lost items. I visited their Facebook page recently and it seems there are still customers out there who aren't getting responses from the staff at Nin-Nin (through FB and the email). This would be the only thing stopping me from making a purchase, because other than communication, everything else seems solid. If they're not responding to your questions then who's to say they will respond to you if your item gets lost in the mail? So before making your purchase you may want to make sure they're responsive. If they are (within 48 - 72 hrs) you're definitely good to go! If they're not...well, it's still up to you whether or not you want to make that purchase.
I wish you the best of luck! If you have any more questions feel free to ask! If you make that purchase let me know how things go!
Thanks for reading!
~Suich
Hey there
ReplyDeleteI recently came across your post but still preordered from them anyway. I paid for my item on Dec 22 and my item was released a couple of days ago. However, there are no updates on their site (I dunno if they shipped it or not) and they're not replying to any of my msgs. Considering I paid almost $350 that is unacceptable. I'm assuming they're taking Christmas and New Year's off but at least a msg on their site saying that they will not be answering msgs or shipping anything out for x number of days would've been acceptable but NOPE. I paid via Paypal so if nothing shows up by January 5 or at least if I don't hear from them by then I will open a Paypal dispute
Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about your situation.
DeleteWhile the game has been "Released" my assumption is that the staff is busy trying to get everything out for the holidays (you know, with the increased number of orders)
Unfortunately, updates aren't posted on Nin-Nin-Game's main website. They tend to use Facebook, and it looks like they updated yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/ninningame In their most recent post, they mentioned that they are working over the holiday and that they are somewhat behind (most likely due to an increased number of orders). They also left another message within their post saying they'll try to ship everything by tomorrow (12/30/2013).
If your order still hasn't shipped by the end of today, you can try leaving a message on their facebook page, but I can't promise they'll reply.
I hope everything works out for you! Best of luck! Let me know how things go!
~Suich
Hi there
DeleteThanks for getting back to me. I actually posted on their FB page asking when we should expect our orders to ship and they said "Hopefully by tomorrow" The next day I posted "Oh my order didn't ship today. Hopefully it will tomorrow" The next thing I know, they deleted all my comments and blocked me from commenting on their FB page.
Also, I've noticed that they've done this to everyone who has commented that they didn't receive their packages. On top of that, they had the NERVE to lie and say that FedEx is off until Monday January 6. That is utter bullshit. No business in its right mind would take so much time off especially during this time of the year. The losses would be immense. So I went on the FedEx site and looked for holidays and sure enough, FedEx Japan only had ONE day off and that was December 23. So not only are they ignoring messages, they are also lying and blocking their customers.
Here is a link to the Fedex site: http://images.fedex.com/us/international-holiday-schedule/pdf/en/Japan.English.pdf
Honestly at this point I'm just going to raise a Paypal dispute. I will pay Play-Asia the extra $50 because P-A are perhaps the best in the import business.
Oh and it gets better. Apparently if you try to open a dispute, you get the following message "This transaction is not eligible for Paypal dispute resolution" which is probably why they don't care what their customers think or say. If they don't ship it, I'll lose my money and they'll get away with it
ReplyDeleteHi there and thank you for your response.
DeleteI'm really sorry to hear about what's happened so far. It's a bit cringe worthy, really. It's hard to believe they actually went ahead and blocked you when you only left two comments regarding your order... It was bad enough that they weren't answering emails but now they're deleting FB comments? They seem to really want to avoid customers...
The FedEx situation is a bit strange. A lot of import shops, like Amiami and Hobby Search are closed until January 6th, 2013 as well. I looked into some of the Japanese FedEx schedules. I couldn't find this year's but last year's looked like this http://www.fedex.com/jp/about/local/servicenews/holiday_schedule.html (throw into Google Translations), so I think they may actually have until Monday off. But I can't be too sure because FedEx is an international delivery company.
I'm wondering if you can actually contact Paypal to discuss the situation. At the very least they can explain why you can't open a dispute... I have never had to open a dispute before so I'm not sure how the process goes, but you can certainly ask them. The Paypal community doesn't seem to have much information, so you may have to contact them directly.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope you get the item(s) you ordered! Or at the very least, a refund.
~Suich
Hello Suich
DeleteSo I figured out why the other customer couldn't open a Paypal dispute - it's because he placed his order in November and Paypal only allows you to open a dispute within 45 days after payment is made.
Anyway I received my package but boy is it in a horrible condition. The box is smashed on one side (seriously it looks as though someone has kicked it) and the other side has a big dent. It's an Amazon box so my guess is, they got my order from Amazon JP and shipped it the way Amazon sent it to them. So no bubble wrap. no news papers, nothing.
I did open a dispute before receiving the package and they seem so eager to have me close the dispute. Funny how they're so quick to respond to my Paypal messages now, even though they ignored my messages for two whole weeks.
Suffice it to say that I will NEVER EVER be ordering from them again and I will make sure to let folks on Twitter and Tumblr know what kinda business NNG is
That certainly is awful and unprofessional of Nin-Nin-Game. I'm sorry to hear that your goods weren't treated well. I'm not sure why the staff was so careless this time. The holiday rush and recent increase in the number of orders does not excuse poor packaging. It's incredibly disappointing.
DeleteYou should bring it to their attention...but that's assuming they will read and respond to your complaint. If you received damaged goods, you really should be compensated in some way, especially after your emails/FB messages had been ignored (and even deleted) all that time.
I hope you have better experiences importing goods from different shops in the future.
~Suich
Ah, I wish i would have seen this review before I purchased from Nin Nin Game. I cancelled an order 2 weeks ago and I've still not gotten a refund nor an answer on where the refund is.
ReplyDeleteI will never order from them again...
Hi there,
DeleteSorry to hear about your situation. If you paid by Paypal you can try to open a dispute on Paypal's website. You have 45 days (after payment is made) to create one though. Or if it's with your credit card company you can contact them about it.
I would also keep contacting Nin-Nin-Game about the refund....whether it's through email or on Facebook.
I hope you manage to get your money back!
~Suich
The order was a pre order so it is over 45 days old. Fortunately, PayPal gave in and a rep manually set up a claim for me.
DeleteI've also emailed N2G over 5 times about the refund, yet still no response. The lack of customer support is shocking!
Thank-you for your reply!
I agree with you on the customer support! Honestly, they were quite responsive the first two times I ordered...and I was quite happy too. I think they need more staff. Or just reliable staff. Anyway, I'm glad Paypal was able to help you!
Delete~Suich
Hey Sui,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned some goods were lost during transit, but I don't understand how that's Nin Nin's fault. Wouldn't that be the Shipping company's fault since they're the ones shipping the goods to you? Also, what is your favorite site so far? To get limited edition items/packs at a fair price?
Thanks for taking time to answer,
Jun.
Hi Jun and thanks for checking out this review!
DeleteYes, you are correct, but I actually just made note of it since it seemed to be a recurring issue with Nin-Nin-Game. When I read reviews for other sites in the past, I didn't seem to find delivery to be that much of an issue (not that I can recall at the moment anyway). I also did mention that it's good to have packages insured, but with Nin-Nin-Game's horrible communication skills, it'd probably be a while before you get any compensation if anything gets lost... Anyway, I do recommend adding tracking and insurance on expensive orders since you don't want to risk losing those. It's worth spending a little extra to ensure they arrive safely.
I actually don't have a favourite site at the moment, but I do recommend Nippon-Yasan for importing gaming goods. I've only started ordering from them recently (and Jenn has bought goods from them in the past), but they have a decent selection of games (standard and limited editions) and they are sold at reasonable prices...not so much older items, but we know those increase in value over time. Their communication seems solid so far. I sent them an email shortly after I made my first order and they responded within 24 - 48 hours. If you're concerned, you can send them a "test" email as well!
If we were talking about standard edition games, I would have said Play-Asia because they actually have a wider selection of games. The prices for their limited editions aren't the greatest, but they carry standard and limited edition games from various regions. They respond quickly to my inquiries as well.
Plus they have weekly sales, so that's worth looking into.
I hope this helps!
~Suich
Hi Suich, thanks for the review. I heard about these guys through some comments from Siliconera awhile back and I went to check them out. Some of the prices seemed too good to be true for imports. I'm interested in getting a Japanese Wii U very soon for an upcoming local anime convention solely for Taiko no Tatsujin Wii U since the final Wii version was a hit. I hit up the site again and saw a sale on a Wii U and was really tempted.
ReplyDeleteBefore that, I had to make sure this site was creditable because I've never heard of them before and I tried looking around and stumbled on your blog. I read it thoroughly at work and I'm a bit sad. Although some of the comments here have been a hit and miss experience. I tried my hand at contacting them to see if I would get a response, and today, I actually got not one, but TWO responses.
The first question I asked was how long it would take to ship a Wii U to my house, and the second one (the real question) I had in there was about the free shipping that appeared. They replied back and asked what product I added to my cart because they think there's a problem. I responded back with the Monster Hunter 3G HD bundle and Taiko Wii U (along with a link to the MH bundle.) This is what I got:
Hello,
Your cart is too heavy. Please make two orders.
We'll send your orders in one parcel and we'll refund you the extra shipping cost.
Thank you for your trust.
Best Regards,
--
The Nin-Nin team
So I guess that means I won't get free shipping? I'm skeptical now, especially about refunding me money. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Shin Star!
DeleteI'm really pleased to hear/read that Nin-Nin-Game responded to you twice!
I'm honestly sceptical as well since the shipping cost for both items is quite hefty. I highly recommend you follow up on that email and have them clarify on the whole refund situation. Make sure they clearly state what the process will be like. Ask questions such as how soon you will receive the refund? At least with that you'll have some proof that Nin-Nin-Game offered to refund a certain amount in x amount of time. Of course, this is in the event that they don't compensate you and you have to open up a dispute with Paypal. I'm not sure how much help it will provide, but it certainly beats having nothing.
I've never known Nin-Nin-Game to provide free shipping before and there doesn't seem to be any indication that they provide it now having looked through their FAQ. It's most likely a glitch in their system when your overall order is too heavy. I played around with it myself just now by adding the same products you want to order to my cart. On one browser it offered free shipping for both products but there wasn't a particular method selected. So I ended up picking one of the options they listed (FedEx, EMS, Economy Registered). That seemed to eliminate free shipping completely. I can't find an option for it anywhere after that. On another browser Nin-Nin-Game automatically picked a shipping method for me, so definitely no free shipping for the items I had I my cart. On another note, you save a little on shipping if you split the order.
From what I can see on the site you actually can put both items in one parcel but the shipping cost is quite high. Now, unfortunately it seems you're forced to select FedEx which in my opinion is the worst option out of the three. FedEx will most likely slap you with a brokerage charge, which can be up to at least 50% of what you had already paid for in your order. That's not to say you won't get hit with customs charges if you pick one of the other two methods, but I find there's a smaller chance if you're not using FedEx. You might want to see if you can select another method even though the product page for the Monster Hunter 3G Wii U bundle has a notice that says "Please choose FEDEX only as shipping method when purchasing this item" I suggest emailing Nin-Nin-Game about that as well.
I hope this helps a little and I hope things go well for you. If you have any more questions feel free to ask!
Thanks for reading!
~Suich
Suich,
ReplyDeletethanks so much for your response. After read it and thinking about it, I have decided not to order from them. I checked out the shipping and it makes me want to rip my hair out lol. Too much for my tastes so I'll just have to wait until there's a sale at another site or something.
Hi, I ordered two figures from nin-nin-games on March fifth and the transaction went smooth to a point that it said payment accepted. So its now been a week since I ordered and they still haven't shipped my items yet? I've tried to contact them through email and facebook but they still incline to not respond my messages. The silence is killing me and I don't know much what to think. I don't know if its normal for them to take long to ship an item. This was my last resort to purchase these figures. I hope my order gets shipped. This is the first time I've ever encounter a problem.
ReplyDeleteHi there! Sorry for the delayed response!
DeleteAlso, sorry to hear about the issue! Did you pay using Paypal? If so, you can at least open a dispute.
~Suich
Hi !
DeleteI had the same problem. I ordered an old artbook, 1 month later still no news from shipping nor answer from their support. So i opened a dispute on paypal, 3 days later *magic twist* an answer, telling me that my item was in was not in stock but they have it now and in order to ship it i have to close the dispute first...So, i answered them , it was my right at first because i already paid them and that i won't close it until they ship the book !
Apparently they did send it now, but i didn't close the dispute. For the moment, i'm still waiting an official answer on paypal but also to see if the package will really come.
So, don't hesitate, be firm and threat them otherwise they won't do anything !
(Sorry for my english ^^)
Hi,
DeleteI accidentally found this blog of yours when I was searching reviews about Nin-Nin-Game, because it's my first order from them, and I'm starting to worried because their lack of communications. I ordered Ghibli Japanese Blu-ray from them since March 23rd, and already paid. But since the day I ordered, the status remain "payment accepted" until now. Other sites, at least they show status like "preparing in progress" or such. With that way, as a customer, I could follow up the status of my order.
I've been trying to contacted them since, but they never responded. I once asked them via Twitter, and maybe I was lucky, they replied. But I found it strange when I asked when my order will be shipped how they answered, "I will ask my colleague in Japan and come back to you tomorrow morning."
Wait, what? Your colleague in Japan? So, who's running the twitter and keeping the updates? They never contacted me again, anyway, as they promised.
So, it's been 5 days. Is it normal shipping time from Nin-Nin-Game like this? Since I also read that you said they even could ship in a week.
I even already pre-order another product, and I don't know how to cancel it since they never give any responses.
Hello,
DeleteHaving the same problem here. This is my first time order from them. I already open a dispute, and still waiting for the response. In your case, 1 month waiting without any news is outrageous!
Hello there Mia!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your situation! I can't say for sure who runs the Twitter account, but I know Nin-Nin-Game has an Amazon store in France (http://www.amazon.fr/gp/node/index.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=A13V1IB3VIYZZH&me=A326O1U6LPGHXA&merchant=A326O1U6LPGHXA&redirect=true) It's possible they have representatives from both ends.
When I ordered from them my item(s) shipped in a timely manner. It's sad to say, but they seem to have gone downhill since then. Unfortunately it appears several others who have commented on this review have had issues with their communication. I highly recommend starting a dispute with Paypal first, assuming you paid using that. The only other thing you can do at the moment is message them (email, Twitter and/or Facebook) and hope they respond.
~Suich
Ordered a ps vita white - light blue in 20 of june, I paid with debit card and something odd happened, the money on my bank account just drop off from the balance, but there's no transaction... what it means? I message them, asking when my order will be dispatched, and they replied "soon as possible " but cause I took this item for my nephew's birthday I text them again, complaining the dispatching time, and NO Aswers. What should I do, I should go to my bank?
ReplyDeleteIt's best if you check with the bank. I'm not sure if it applies to debit cards, but sometimes when I'm using my credit card to make purchases there can be a "verified" transaction which sort of takes money from your account and returns it a few days later. If they actually took the money and didn't dispatch the item then you should look into it.
DeleteIf Nin-Nin-Game is saying "as soon as possible", I'm going to guess the item is back-ordered on their end, but I could be wrong...though frankly "as soon as possible" isn't a solid answer. They shouldn't be taking money from you when they're not releasing the item. I recommend people use Paypal when ordering from Nin-Nin-Game because at least they can start a dispute if the company does something fishy. I don't know what the bank can do for you but if that's an option, I recommend you ask them about it first. I really do hope it works out for you! I would still attempt to communicate with Nin-Nin-Game, either through email or social media. I don't think it will accomplish much but it's better than doing nothing. I wish you the best of luck!
~Suich