Update: Thanks to Kevin, who left a comment below, I checked my credit card activity and only have a pending charge for $38.15. So instead of having another reason to hate DR, I just dislike them a little more for being confusing. Please don’t let this discourage you from subbing to any of the Mattycollector subscriptions. Like I have suggested before – compare what figures you’re likely to get from the sub (pretty easy to do in case of Masters) against what you want from the line, and let that guide your decision-making. How you feel about Mattel, Toy Guru, or Digital River is just noise.
It’s more like seventy-five reasons – that’s what I was charged to pre-order the Club Infinite Earths subscription from Mattycollector. For two items that I will (potentially, if the sub actually goes through) get four and six months from now, I was charged the full price for the figures, the shipping, and tax. “Why are you surprised?” you may be asking – after all, I have subbed from the beginning. So I used the dreadful Customer Service link to find my previous orders to compare.
For reasons that are beyond my ability to fathom, the cost has gone up. Last year, for THREE subs, I was charged in the neighborhood of $150. Two years ago, for TWO subs, it was around $100. So, Digital River has found a way to increase what I’m charged four months in advance by 50% ($75 for one sub compared to $50).
But I suppose the more interesting thing here is that while this crappy practice of Digital River sitting on our money has been going on since the beginning, I didn’t even bat an eyelash before, even though the amounts were higher. I guess my dissatisfaction with Mattycollector and how Digital River handles the front end has been building up to the point where I don’t feeling good about buying from them. For someone who loves the toys, that’s saying a lot.
Anyways, time’s nearly up. What did you guys end up doing for the Mattycollector subs?
weird… i just got the MOTUC sub and was charged 64.09
with UPS as carrier
Are you sure that’s what they charged your card? My experience has always been that they just charge for the sub-exclusive figure, but the invoice shows the club exclusive plus what you’ll be charged in January. I bought two DC subs and was only actually charged the $35+tax for each Doomsday.
Also, vs. last year. the MOTU sub exclusive is $25, and the Watchmen sub had no exclusive figure, so the average per sub would definitely be cheaper.
Not really defending Digital River, just saying. 😉
@Kevin – you’re right. I checked my credit card activity and only have a pending charge for $38.15. so I guess instead of having another reason to hate DR, I just dislike them a little more for being confusing. 😉
a Twitter follower suggested I check my credit card activity – was only charged $38 and change – so even though the invoice is confusing, don’t let this discourage you from subscribing. sorry for adding any misinformation with the pre-order window closing…
SamuRon It is confusing for sure. Also, I believe when the first figure ships in January they show the exact same invoice showing the price for the sign-up fee for the exclusive+the January figure. Again, your card is only actually charged for the January figure and if you add the charges together it equals the invoice price. But they could really make it clearer
Calm down jesus. Same thing happened to me, however this is a pending charge. You get charged around $37 in the end. They don’t charge you for shit you haven’t gotten or been shipped except the initial $35 fee. Its funny how people fly off the handle any chance they get.
@Ed – I’m pretty calm, and I updated the post after checking my card activity. but I think you missed the point I was trying to make, which was that things have deteriorated enough for this long-time fan of the Mattycollector products that stuff that didn’t bother me before are a pain in the ass now. and judging by the latest counts on the sub meters, it’s not just me.
I’ve still subbed for DC, and I hope it and Masters will go through for the fans, but Mattel is in a big uphill slog that they should have done something about long ago.
The initial hold on my account was $127 for MOTUC & DCIE monthly subs, the actual charge 2 days later was only $64 as long as your used to the hold falling off then your good. I thought about doing the quarterly shipment option but figured the cost at once would be badly timed for my other bills.
It’s the same thing every year though. Your invoice states the cost of January’s figure, plus the subscriber exclusive, shipping and/or tax. What your title suggests may turn people off as other websites and Matty are trying to save these subscriptions.