Frequently Asked Questions
As you can see, this is a brand new website! We have launched this with confidence that there shouldn’t be any more glitches, but if you encounter any issues, let us know via email and we’ll look into it!
Most Recent Updates
Is your site broken? I won't stop getting a "There has been an error processing your request" page.
+Some browsers have released updates that change the way stored site data and cookies interact with the current versions of our site. If you see this error, just click the lock icon next to the URL entry field on the address bar. You'll see an option to clear all temporary internet data for gundamplanet.com. Do this, refresh the page, and you're all set!
I got an email from "[email protected]." Is this a legitimate correspondence?
+Yes! Many email providers have ramped up their spam filters across the board to prevent scam and phishing emails. For this reason, we separate outgoing emails that we write ourselves from the ones that are generated and sent by the automated server. You'll still get order confirmations and shipping confirmations from "[email protected]," but emails we write ourselves will come from a gmail address.
GP Points
I can't apply points while checking out. Help!
+There is an error with the reward points plugin that can prevent the "apply points" button from appearing and functioning on the checkout page. However, you will be able to use and apply points from the "View and Edit Cart" page! Just use the collapsible menu on the right side of the screen and apply points using the reward points header. Then proceed to checkout and you're all set!
I preordered an item and I haven't received the points for it. Help again!!!
+Reward points for orders only become available to use once an order reaches "complete" status. We know this is disappointing, but it became a large issue that people would preorder expensive figures, use the points accumulated from the order, then cancel the original preorders. This update is the only way to prevent that.
"These Unprecedented Times"
I've noticed prices have gone up across your store. What gives?
+Unfortunately a massive variety of factors contributes to this. Not only are items getting more expensive to buy from all sources (every distributor has added surcharges to item prices, every carrier has increased freight prices, every packing material manufacturer has increased costs, and our distributors have even increased item prices between when we place orders and when we receive them), but carriers have also increased parcel shipping prices to get items from us to you. As a result, we have to constantly evaluate our prices to make sure we can continue to deliver the same excellent service you've come to expect.
Why did you cancel some items in my order?
+Especially in cases of orders containing multiples of a single item, we sometimes have to use our discretion and cut down orders of quantities greater than 1-2 pcs to ensure that all customers have a fair chance at purchasing an item at MSRP. We understand reselling has always been a thing, but now it is affecting our hobby in ways that we never could have anticipated due to severe manufacturer and distributor shortages. Even though you may need 7 HG Zakus to complete your diorama, we hope you'll understand that we want to spread the limited available stock fairly between as many builders as possible. This is a great hobby that everyone should have a chance to experience, and filling an order for 25% of item stock to a single order will prevent our ability to provide that!
Store Status & Hours
Are you open/when will you open?
+We are open! Our showroom hours are currently Monday-Friday from 3-7PM, and Saturday from 11AM-7PM! We are closed on Sundays.
Can I come in just to look around?
+Sure! As long as you're coming during normal business hours!
Curbside Pickup
How does your curbside pick-up work?
+When you place an order with us that has an NJ address, you’ll see “Curbside Pickup” as a shipping option. This will mark your order as a pick-up on our end. When you check out, you’ll get a confirmation email, but this is only your e-receipt. In 1-2 business days, you’ll get another email from us that says “Your Order #123456 is Ready for Curbside Pickup!”, which is when you know your order is ready! Please read through this email, as it will contain instructions on when and how to pick up.
Is curbside pickup available every day?
+At this time curbside is only available from 12-7PM, Monday through Saturday. If you are unable to come during those times, you can email us and we'll do our best to accommodate you by making sure a staff member can be here for you to pick up during another time.
Can I come by and place an order while I’m there and pick it up right away?
+Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate this. Our staff processes orders in the order they are received, so please make sure to place your entire curbside order at once.
Orders & Tracking
Are you guys still shipping online orders?
+Yes! We're working extremely hard to keep up with all orders every day and ship them from our warehouse in 1-2 business days. If it's been longer than that for you, please send us an email so we can look into it! Please note that we are not open on weekends, so if you place your order after our pickups on Friday, the absolute earliest it could ship out is Monday.
How long will it take my order to ship?
+Please allow 2-5 business days for any in-stock order to leave our warehouse. Although we many times ship out orders same-day or next-day, there is a high chance that our warehouse is simultaneously working on receiving inbound shipments, processing outbound preorders, and processing in-stock orders, which can slow down outbound orders.
Can you guarantee delivery time?
+Because of the nature of supply and the numerous factors that affect shipping times, we cannot guarantee you a specific delivery time. If you need your order by a certain date because it's a gift or used for an event, we recommend that you contact us and order well in advance.
Can I specify which carrier you ship my order with?
+Yes, you can request that we ship via a certain carrier. Please note, if the specified carrier costs more than our default selection would, we will invoice you for the difference between the shipping cost paid on the order and the true postage value.
I didn't get my confirmation email!
+All orders have confirmation emails sent to the email on file once the purchase has been completed. Please check to make sure your email address has no typos, and please check your spam folder to make sure your confirmation email isn’t there. If it’s not, you can email us and we’ll see if we can locate your order information and help you figure out why the confirmation email didn’t reach you.
Note: many Microsoft email clients don't recognize our domain, so our automated emails frequently go to spam folders. Check there, and if the email isn't there either, add our domain (gundamplanet.com) to your safe senders list.
How will I know my order is shipped?
+You will receive a second email confirmation once a label is generated for your order. It will have your tracking number as well as the associated postal carrier. If you have not received this email, your order has not been processed for shipment yet.
My tracking number isn't working / My package is still in pre-shipment!
+Please make sure you’re checking with the correct postal carrier! The correct carrier will be in the email. You can also paste the tracking number right into Google, and it should identify the carrier automatically.
Please note tracking numbers are generated with each package, but they can actually take 24-48 hours to actually generate a page on the carrier’s website for you to search! If you just got your tracking number, just give it some time to generate a page and work. Please also consider the time of day and day of week that you received the tracking number. If you got a tracking email at 7PM, the package will not be in the hands of the carrier until the next daily pickup. If you get a tracking number after hours on Friday, you will not see movement until end of business on Monday.
My order says a label has been made but it hasn't moved in a couple days. What gives?
+If your order has a tracking number, it means that it will be in the hands of the carrier with our next daily pickup. However, USPS and UPS are dealing with staffing shortages and exponentially higher volume, so you may not see movement within their system for a couple days. This can be because of an increased package volume in their system, or just because someone on their staff missed a scan for your item when they move it through their network, making it look like there’s no update when it is moving.
For this reason, we have disabled the priority mail shipping option. We've found that many people were paying higher postage costs for priority shipments that weren't even reaching origin facilities for 2-4 days. For those who are regular online shoppers, it may take some getting used to, but everything is taking longer than it used to. Unfortunately, in times like these, the best solution is sometimes to just be patient and give logistics companies a little extra time to handle everything.
It’s been a while since my package has moved / updated tracking.
+Please allow one week for tracking to update! Postal carriers have been hit hard by the pandemic and other issues, and sometimes packages take a while to update tracking or get missed during the scanning process as a result. There’s a chance your package will still be delivered just fine, so give them one week from the last update for any new information.
If it’s been one weeks and you don’t see any new updates, you can file a missing mail claim with USPS. That can help put packages on their radar! Please check to make sure you’re filing a missing mail and not a lost package claim at that time. These are two different claims.
If you file a missing mail claim and you still don’t get your package after a week, then you can file a claim for a lost package. If/when you do file a lost package claim, please notify us so we can keep an eye out for any USPS/UPS inquiries.
My package says it's delayed!
+Then it just means that it’s been delayed in transit and it’ll take USPS/UPS longer than expected to deliver it to you! Don’t worry, it should still get there, just later than they thought.
What should I do if my package looks like it won’t arrive in time?
+Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to speed up package deliveries. Once a package is accepted by the postal carrier, they’re in charge of making sure it reaches you. There’s no impact we can make to help speed up the delivery process. We encourage patience and utilizing the "give a picture of the gift that hasn't reached you in time for the birthday / holiday" strategy when the situation calls for it!
My package says it’s been delivered, but it’s not here yet.
+If it’s the same day as the delivery date, please allow 1-3 business days for it to be delivered! There have been cases where postal carriers accidentally mark something as delivered, but it actually shows up a couple of days later--this happens particularly often with packages marked as delivered on Saturdays. In the meantime, we also recommend looking around to see if there are any neighbors who may have received your package by mistake!
If you wait a couple of days and still don’t find it, and none of your neighbors have received it, please contact your local postal office or speak with your regular delivery person, who may be able to help. If they’re unable to help, you can file a claim for a lost package. If/when you do file a lost package claim, please notify us so we can keep an eye out for any USPS/UPS inquiries.
My package arrived, but it’s damaged!
+Please scroll down to the Damages section of the FAQ or refer to our shipment policy page for a thorough breakdown of how the insurance process is handled.
My package arrived, but the items inside are missing/wrong.
+Please contact us at [email protected]. Please provide your order number, photos of the products received, the invoice, and the brown shipping box it arrived in. We will assess the situation based on the provided information and advise you on how to proceed.
Shipping
Can I pay for faster shipping?
+We have disabled priority shipping and it will remain that way until further notice. We found that people were paying an extra $20.00 to $40.00 for priority mail and still didn’t get their package as soon as they wanted, due to postal office staff shortages. Because this issue is persisting, we’ve disabled this option until further notice.
How long will it take for my package to reach me once it ships?
+Please refer to your tracking number for this information! Once a package ships, it’s the postal carrier’s job to get a package to a customer. They will be able to provide you with an estimate for your package’s delivery date. In all honesty, if you ask us, we’ll just be checking the tracking information ourselves since we don’t have a way to estimate otherwise.
Do you ship globally / Can you ship to [country]?
+We ship to a large variety of international locations (please note that all prices on our site are in USD), but we are not able to ship to every country on Earth. As a general rule, you'll be able to tell if we ship to your country if you are able to receive a shipping quote prior to checkout. Any address that says "no quote is available at this time" cannot be shipped to.
Do I have to pay customs fees?
+Recipients are responsible for any customs duties and taxes where applicable; we strongly recommend you check your country's importing restrictions and be aware of any possible fees or taxes your shipment will incur.
International orders containing paint or other liquid hobby supplies may be denied by customs. In this case, we will not be able to refund the shipping cost of the order.
Preorders
I want to preorder an item but I will be very annoyed if it gets delayed or if I see it on Amazon Prime even 48 hours before I get it from you.
+We receive ALL of our stock in bulk freight shipments from authorized, licensed distributors around the world. This means that stores utilizing smaller, faster, non-freight shipment methods and selling direct on global marketplaces will have items available before us in 95% of cases, simply due to the nature of global logistics and the fact that we are 3000 miles away from the largest domestic importing locations from Asia. Please keep in mind that the likelihood of manufacturer and/or distributor delays is extremely high for any preordered figure, and that this fact is completely outside of our control.
Rest assured that we will process your preorder as soon as humanly possible once it reaches our warehouse. Believe it or not, we do not want to keep you from getting your order for any amount of extra time!
I preordered an item from you but now I see other stores have it earlier. Why do you hate me and my family?
+There are various factors in this industry that can lead to an item being available at different times from different places, some of which were outlined in the previous question. For the most part though, stores that sell direct from Japan or have a Japanese location will receive their items at least 4-6 weeks earlier than any business operating in the US. All of our items have Japanese "street dates" when they become available (much like videogames and movies in the States), but no manufacturers have extended that system to the global market.
When will my preorder item ship?
+Preorders will ship immediately after we receive them from the manufacturer (Please refer to item page; we will update release info as the arrival date nears).
Prices, specifications and release dates are subject to change without notice due to fluctuations in exchange rates or manufacture delays. All preorders are subject to allocation based on distributor availability.
Please get in touch with us before placing an order to guarantee that your item will be delivered to you in a timeframe that you are okay with.
For details on preorder cancellations, please refer to the cancellation section of our shipping policy.
How do preorders work?
+You place an order on our website for an item that is slated to release, but hasn’t released just yet. When we receive our stock of this item, the purchased quantity of this will be automatically pulled aside for your order. Your preordered item will be shipped to you or placed in the hold section, based on whether your entire order is ready to go out or not.
When do you charge for preorders?
+We always charge transactions immediately at time of purchase, which is for several reasons. Due to our business structure, we many times use preorders as a way to gauge customer interest in items; the low commitment of preordering without payment has historically resulted in a significantly lower order completion rate. (Even in the past when we would allow "pay shipping cost later," almost 40% of orders utilizing this option would cancel their order when payment for shipping was requested.)
Additionally, this system allows for less confusion because the customer knows exactly when their money is leaving the account. If we charged at the time of item arrival, we would have to individually contact sometimes thousands of people to notify them of the charge, which would slow down the time for the products to get to you drastically.
Lastly, due to the current nature of the industry and the resulting item delays, many customers have payment methods change between placing the order and receiving it. Due to the size of our facility and the space we would need to utilize to set items aside while we wait for updated payment information from customers, this "pay later" system is not currently an option. Thank you for your understanding!
When do you close preorder sales?
+We typically do not close presales for products until the item arrives at our warehouse, or we’re out of stock. For this reason, we don’t have set presale close dates.
There was an item I wanted to preorder, but it’s out of stock now! Will you have more available on release?
+This depends on the item! With kits, there’s a chance we may have some available for sale later (but it is not guaranteed), while with figures, we usually will not have any left for sale if it’s out of stock now. You can always sign into your account and hit the "notify me when in stock" button on any item to be safe though!
When will my preorder arrive?
+Please check your invoice! It should have a release date month on it. If the date has passed, it means your item was delayed. Please check our Release Date Schedule sheet for more information.
My preorder has been delayed! What gives?
+Unfortunately, the pandemic has caused serious lingering staff shortages worldwide that have caused all kinds of delays when fulfilling preorders. There are a lot of steps that go into getting an item released in Japan and then brought over to America, and many of those steps are encountering issues that are causing delays. Delayed items tend to delay subsequent items as well, so the issue persists.
How do I know if my preorder is going to be delayed?
+Even the most consistent manufacturers have delayed items in the past 18 months, so if you're wondering the likelihood of an item (particularly a figure) being delayed, it is very safe to assume it will be.
What happens if I preorder something with an item that’s in stock? What if I have two preorders, but one comes in sooner than the other?
+All orders do not ship until all the items are accounted for. Items available before your preorder or final preorder arrive will be placed in our Hold Section, and will wait until it can be shipped out to you with everything else you ordered. As the preorder checkbox on every preorder item page states, your entire order will not ship until all items become available.
I didn’t know that my in-stock item would wait until my preorder arrived! I want my in-stock item now. What can I do?
+You can either email us and ask us to split the shipment, but this will come at an additional shipping fee, since we’re now shipping two packages instead of one. Please note if you got free shipping from your order and both of your split packages are less than the free shipping threshold, you’ll have to pay shipping twice.
Alternatively, if you have anything else you want to order, you can place an order as normal and email us, requesting for us to put your in-stock hold from your other order into your new order!
I have a preorder but the card I used for purchase has been lost / stolen / replaced / etc.
+All orders are charged at the time of purchase, including preorders! There should be no issue with payment if you no longer have the original card used for the purchase. The only time this may present an issue is if you need to process a refund for it. If this is the case, you can contact us and we can go over it with you to ensure you get your money back.
I'm moving to a new address; how can I change the address on my processing orders?
+If you need to update an address, we'll be happy to do it for you! Just email us your order number with the new address and we'll make the change in our system.
PLEASE NOTE: Changing your default address in your account will not affect processing orders, and they will be shipped to the old address unless you contact us!
Damages
Can you guarantee perfect box condition for items?
+We receive restocks and shipments multiple times a week from various sources all over the world, and unfortunately there is no way to guarantee that a given item will be in flawless condition. Many boxes have minor scuffs or dents from the way they were packaged and shipped to us.
Small creases or scuffs are fairly normal with all items packed in cardboard, but if we notice a major notable defect in the packaging while preparing your order, we will absolutely contact you prior to shipping.
My package was damaged in transit, can you send me a new item?
+We can not provide replacements for cosmetic package damages. In the event that the pieces to an item are broken, we will go through the carrier claims process to provide a refund or replacement once the claim is paid. Please note, even if pieces have been knocked off the runners and are loose in the plastic bags, that does not constitute a damaged item if the piece in question is still intact. We appreciate your understanding! You can read a more thorough summary of our insurance policies on our shipment policy page.
I’m missing a runner.
+We recommend checking throughout where you were building, and the trash! We know it sounds obvious, but it’s pretty common that people just wound up misplacing a small (or transparent) runner or inadvertently threw it out with the plastic packaging. This is especially common with certain runners, as most plastic containers for the runners have more than one runner and a lot of people forget some of the other runners in the plastic bag! Some runners are also pretty small too, so it’s even easier to miss them.
If you’ve looked and still can’t find it, please contact us with your name, order number, and the issue. We’ll advise you on how to proceed.
I contacted the manufacturer about a replacement, but they haven’t gotten back to me.
+Please give the manufacturer up to 2 weeks to respond. If they haven’t responded within two weeks, you can try contacting them again. If you used their contact form, then we recommend trying their direct customer support email this time (or vice versa, if you used their direct email the first time).
The manufacturer is going to take too long to ship the replacement to me!
+Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do to help speed up the process of getting a replacement shipped out. Our distributor has specifically instructed us to have them handle all replacement issues, so there’s no additional action we can take at this time.
Restocks
When will you restock (item)?
+With the exception of exclusive items and single-run figures/models, everything will return to stock eventually; if we don't have it, it's because it's not currently available from our distributors. We post all our restocks on our facebook page and shipment schedule on our site located at this link, so those are the best ways to track item availability. We always make sure to keep stock of every item that is available to us!
Are you going to be restocking on older kits?
+If they're available to us, most likely! The reason we don’t have older kits is mostly because they aren’t being made anymore, not because we actively choose not to carry them.
How do restocks for model kits work?
+Bandai utilizes a "rotating" production schedule, meaning that they plan to reprint model kits on a quarterly basis, allowing them to keep almost their entire catalog in production for many years. Any other manufacturer like Kotobukiya does not do this, and will instead announce a "reissue" as a new preorder with a new release date. Because of this, Moderoids, Zoids, Megami Device, and other such lines are typically not "restocked" in the traditional sense, and will instead be listed as a new preorder again.
How do restocks for figures work?
+Unfortunately, most figures are a one-and-done kind of deal. They generally do not get restocked after their initial production. That being said, unless it is clarified as being limited, it is always possible for it to be re-released as a new preorder, but we have no way of knowing if this will happen.
General / Checkout
Why am I receiving a server error when I try to place my order?
+This error is the result of mismatched billing information between what is on file with your bank or credit card and what is being entered on our site, causing the transaction to be blocked by fraud filters. To prevent this error, you can either check out using your card through the PayPal express method, or you can copy/paste your billing address directly from your financial institution into our checkout page.
In some cases, it may still appear that a transaction posted to your statement. However, this is only a preauthorization that will drop off within a business day.
Why are the prices so much higher than the Yen MSRP? The exchange rate is good!!
+While Yen price and exchange rate used to be the top factors determining domestic item costs, the exponential increase in international shipping cost has made that no longer the case. Manufacturers now provide domestic distributors with region-specific MSPR that factors in elements like the cost of manufacturing at the time of production as well as the cost of shipping the items internationally upon release. Because of this, you'll see USD prices of roughly 1.2-1.3 times higher than what the Yen value would indicate. We recommend not basing your expectations of final cost on the initial Yen price announcement.
Is it a problem to have two different addresses for billing and shipping?
+If you have two different addresses for billing and shipping, you can check out using the Paypal Express payment method and select the "use a debit or credit card" option. If you opt to not use this option, your order will be put on hold for security review and we may ask you to email us a copy of your photo ID on your first transaction to ensure safety. If we don't receive verification within 5 business days, the order will be cancelled automatically for security reasons.
What are GP Points?
+You can find all the info here!
Is inventory at your physical location the same as the website?
+Our physical location is our warehouse, so inventory is exactly the same.*
*Please note that some premium collectibles that are not eligible for discount on the website will also not be eligible for the Bonus Card discount on-site. Additionally, all per-customer quantity limitations apply to purchases in our showroom also.
Do all kits ordered from you have Bluefin distribution stickers on the boxes?
+Since we work with various distributors all over the world, there is no guarantee that a particular kit has the Bluefin sticker. If you receive a kit that doesn't have one and would like to return it, you are welcome to ship it back at your own expense to receive a full refund of the purchase price, minus the shipping cost.
Are Gundam Planet Gift Cards available online?
+Gift Cards are not available online at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.
Does Gundam Planet have a physical location?
+We do! You can find all the information about our store on our Google Business listing or on our location page at this link!
I received a pre-assembled model, but I wanted an unassembled model kit. Why?
+Please double check the item condition on the item page to the right of the main image. There is a "Condition" field that will show whether the kit is a model or a pre-assembled figure. We can not provide prepaid return labels for items purchased in error as a result of not checking the condition!
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