Crow’s World of Anime recently became an affiliate of CDJapan! They sometimes have merchandise that outlets in my region (United States/North America) can’t get. They also offer specials and bonuses during some first releases. You can their take on why you should shop from them here.
I really enjoy shopping there. Not only can you find great merchandise at fair prices, they deliver promptly and have what’s probably the best wrapping of any vendor who’s shipped me product! I also geek out sometimes by searching for the “From” address in Google Maps and use Street View to see where the package came from.
Yeah, it’s the little things in life that keep me amused!
A Positive Buying Experience
If you’ve never shopped there, there are a few things I’d like to share with you to improve the chances you’ll have a positive experience.
First, let’s talk about anime movies and series. I recently bought a first release of Kizumonogatari Part III, which was, as you might expect, a great movie. Since it was a special edition, it came with some extras, like a silk printing of Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade (which alone justified the slightly extra cost for the special edition) and some pre-production sketches, which were also very cool.
However, I make a rookie mistake. I didn’t check what kind of subtitles it had! Here’s an example of the listing at CDJapan:
Yeah, I messed up. I didn’t see that a) the audio tracks were both in Japanese and b) there were no subtitles.
Compare that to the listing for the movie at Right Stuff Anime:
The lesson? Don’t do as I did! Check the subtitles and audio track listings to make sure it’ll work for you!
CDJapan accepts both credit cards and PayPal. I’ve purchased merchandise using both methods, and both work without incident. I generally prefer using the credit card, though, because if you fund your PayPal from a saving or checking account, the extra process can delay your order’s shipment. There’s also a conversion fee, described here, if you’re paying in US dollars. If using a credit card, you may incur a currency conversion fee. In my case, it was dollars to yen. For example, on a purchase of about $9.76, I paid a conversion fee of $.29 (twenty nine cents).
Bit of downer, but it’s not a huge amount.
Speaking of amounts: Shop around! Sometimes, CDJapan has great deals or special features that justify an extra cost. At other times, you might be able to obtain the same product from Amazon (where Crow’s World of Anime is also an affiliate!) or Right Stuff Anime for a better price.
The last thing to consider is how you want the item shipped. Exact prices vary. For example, if I use Nendoroid Saga of Tanya the Evil Tanya Degurechaff as an example, it cost 4000 yen. Here’s what the shipping costs look like:
You can ship it very inexpensively for about 700 yen. However, before making the cheapest choice, look at this delivery schedule for the various kinds of shipping:
If you go with the least expensive method, it could be a month and half before you see your merchandise! Fortunately, CDJapan lays it all out for you so you can make an informed decision. I usually go with Registered Airmail or EMS, depending on how valuable the package is. I’ve had more than a dozen packages shipped, and I’ve not had a single problem with any of them.
Crow’s World of Anime’s Commitment to You
I’ve become a CDJapan affiliate because I’ve had excellent luck with them for years. That’s why I’m comfortable putting my reputation on the line to recommend them! As for the specific product recommendations you’ll see here: I won’t recommend junk. I’ll only recommend things I’d want to buy or have already purchased.
I hope that you found this guide helpful!
Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade
One thought on “We’re a CDJapan Affiliate!”