How to Officially Pre-order Hot Toys, threezero, Good Smile and Bandai Figures
How do you pre-order a Hot Toys figure?
The official Hot Toys site (hottoys.com.hk) uses a verification wall, so its own pre-order rules cannot be verified. At the retailer Sideshow, some items take only a non-refundable deposit at checkout, with the balance and shipping charged when the item is ready to ship; monthly installments are also available (usually 2 to 8 payments). Other brands: the official threezero site is threezerohk.com, and cancellations are not accepted after payment; the GOODSMILE Online Shop ships directly to Taiwan, with pre-order shipping of NT$100 per item; Premium Bandai has a Taiwan site at p-bandai.com/tw. When imported into Taiwan, figures classified under 9503 (dolls, toys) pay 0% duty and those under 3926.40 (plastic statuettes) pay 5%, plus 5% business tax.
No. 好運器 only provides China→Taiwan consolidated shipping, with only a Shenzhen warehouse and a Taoyuan warehouse. It does not offer shipping from Japan, Hong Kong or the United States to Taiwan, and it does not act as a purchasing agent for any brand. Both GOODSMILE and Premium Bandai have official Taiwan channels; figures bought from official channels in mainland China (such as Tmall flagship stores) can be sent back to Taiwan with China→Taiwan consolidated shipping.
Which companies are behind Hot Toys, threezero, Good Smile and Bandai?
The table below is compiled from each company’s official site; fields without a primary source are noted.
| Brand / line | Company | Founded | Headquarters | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Toys | Hot Toys Limited | 2000 (as stated by retailer Sideshow) | Hong Kong (per Wikidata; cannot be verified on the official site) | hottoys.com.hk |
| threezero | threezero | 2000 | Hong Kong | threezerohk.com |
| Nendoroid, POP UP PARADE | Good Smile Company, Inc. | 2001 | Chiyoda, Tokyo | goodsmile.com |
| figma | Max Factory Co., Ltd. | 1987 | Chiyoda, Tokyo | maxfactory.jp |
| S.H.Figuarts, TAMASHII NATIONS | BANDAI SPIRITS CO., LTD. | 2018 | Minato, Tokyo | bandaispirits.co.jp |
| Sideshow | Sideshow (retailer, also makes its own products) | 1994 | — | sideshow.com |
| Prime 1 Studio | Prime 1 Studio Co., Ltd. | 2012 | Taito, Tokyo | prime1studio.com |
figma is a Max Factory line
figma was launched by Max Factory in February 2008 (2/2008). Max Factory is an affiliated group company of Good Smile Company, and the GSC online shop also sells it.
BANDAI SPIRITS belongs to the BANDAI NAMCO group
S.H.Figuarts and TAMASHII NATIONS were both launched in February 2008 (2/2008) and are now run by BANDAI SPIRITS.
Prime 1 Studio is a Tokyo company
Its official site states it was founded on 2012-03-30 and is headquartered in Taito, Tokyo; it is not an American company.
How do you pre-order Hot Toys? Is the deposit refundable?
The official Hot Toys site (hottoys.com.hk) has a verification wall, so this page cannot verify the manufacturer’s own pre-order and deposit rules. The rules below are those of the retailer Sideshow and do not represent Hot Toys itself or any other retailer.
- Some items take only a non-refundable deposit at checkout; the balance and shipping are charged when the item is ready to ship.
- Monthly installment plans are available, usually 2 to 8 payments.
- Sideshow’s list of restricted countries (updated 2026-08-11) does not include Taiwan, mainland China or Hong Kong.
This page could not find primary evidence of official Hot Toys authorized stores in Taiwan, or of whether there is an official Tmall flagship store in mainland China. Before buying, confirm authorization and warranty with the seller.
Where is the official threezero site, how do you buy, and how does it differ from Hot Toys?
The official threezero site is threezerohk.com; the company was founded in 2000 by Kim Fung Wong. To buy on the site, add items to the cart, register and log in, then choose a payment method and check out.
No cancellation after payment
The official site states that once an order is paid, cancellations, returns, exchanges and refunds are not accepted.
Delivery time and duties
In-stock items take about 3–7 working days to prepare; delivery to mainland China takes about 7–10 working days, and to regions outside Hong Kong and mainland China about 14–28 working days. Import duties are paid by the buyer.
Pre-order prices listed in TWD on the official site
For example, DLX Iron Man Mark 7 is about 17.5 cm, with a pre-order price of 3,500 TWD and expected shipping in Q4 2026; prices are as currently shown on the official site.
threezero vs Hot Toys
Both are Hong Kong brands. The threezero site says it was founded in 2000, and according to retailer Sideshow, Hot Toys was also founded in 2000. threezero sells directly on its site and publishes its retailers by country (Beast Kingdom and Wang Jung in Taiwan, GOOD SMILE COMPANY in Japan); how to buy directly from Hot Toys could not be found on this page.
Does the GOODSMILE Online Shop ship to Taiwan? How are pre-orders paid?
Yes, though the regions where each item can be sold vary by product. Nendoroid and POP UP PARADE are Good Smile Company’s own lines; when your account region is set to Taiwan, the GOODSMILE Online Shop ships directly to Taiwan:
- Pre-order items are charged NT$100 shipping for every 1 item (home delivery); items with different release periods are not shipped together.
- All payment methods are prepaid at the time of ordering (credit card or convenience store payment code); convenience store payments must be completed within 7 days of the order date, or the order is cancelled automatically.
- Most items are made to order; orders cannot be cancelled because of delays, and returns or refunds are not accepted after delivery.
- Official notice: actual shipments to Taiwan leave 1–2 months later than the scheduled shipping date.
How do you buy Bandai Tamashii exclusives? Do you need a Japanese account?
Not necessarily. The PREMIUM BANDAI Taiwan site is operated by BANDAI SPIRITS as a membership site with no joining or annual fees, and it includes a Tamashii Web Shop section; the counterparty for orders is its sales partner Global-e.
The Japanese Tamashii Web Shop runs lotteries
The Japanese Tamashii Web Shop runs limited-period made-to-order sales and lottery sales; whether each item is also sold on the Taiwan site depends on its product page.
There is an official store in Taipei
The TAMASHII NATIONS list of official stores includes TAMASHII SPOT TAIPEI in Taipei.
What official channels sell genuine figures in mainland China?
Below are official channels backed by primary evidence. Genuine figures bought through official channels in mainland China can be sent back to Taiwan with 好運器’s China→Taiwan consolidated shipping.
- Bandai: the Premium Bandai international portal links to the “Tmall Bandai Official Flagship Store”.
- Good Smile: the GOODSMILE Tmall flagship store and JD.com flagship store announced by Good Smile Arts Shanghai (announcement dated 2022-06-29).
- threezero: its official retailer list includes the “threezero Tmall store”, and the official site also ships to mainland China.
- Hot Toys: this page found no primary evidence of an official flagship store in mainland China.
Packing tips for high-value figures (editor’s notes)
Keep the original box, put it inside a larger carton, and fill the space around it with bubble wrap and foam corner protectors; sizes and fees follow the carrier’s rules.
How much import duty do figures pay in Taiwan?
According to the Customs Administration’s open tariff data (server file time 2025-04-24; neither the 2025-06-04 nor the 2026-01-28 tariff amendment changed the codes below), figures may fall under the following codes, and none has MW0 (mainland Chinese goods not permitted for import) in its import regulation column:
| CCC code | Description | Column 1 duty rate | Import regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
9503.00.21.00-9 | Dolls, whether or not dressed | 0% | C02 |
9503.00.41.00-5 | Reduced-size (scale) model assembly kits | 0% | C02 |
9503.00.62.00-9 | Other toys representing animals or non-human creatures, not stuffed | 0% | C02 |
9503.00.93.90-3 | Other toys | 0% | C02 |
3926.40.00.00-7 | Statuettes and other ornamental articles of plastics | 5% | C02 |
Not decided by the age label
In a 2021 “solar-powered ornamental figure” case, Kaohsiung Customs reclassified plastic ornaments that have a fixed base, are mainly for display and are not meant to be held and played with, from the declared 9503 to 3926.40 with 5% duty. This is a single case, and the decision was based on the nature of the product, not the age label; the HS Explanatory Notes state that 9503 covers toys for the amusement of children or adults, and the chapter notes to Chapter 95 of the tariff contain no exclusion for “items for adult collectors”.
Unsure? Apply for an advance ruling
This page found no individual classification case for articulated action figures. Before importing, you can apply to Customs for an advance tariff classification ruling.
Tax estimate
Business tax = (customs value + duty) × 5%, where the customs value is CIF; the trade promotion service fee is 0.04%, waived when it is NT$100 or less. For a CIF value of NT$10,000: under 9503 you pay NT$500 (only business tax); under 3926.40 you pay NT$1,025 (NT$500 duty + NT$525 business tax).
The NT$2,000 duty-free threshold has conditions
A shipment with a customs value of NT$2,000 or less is exempt from duty and business tax (except tobacco, alcohol, etc.). However, once the same taxpayer has used low-value duty-free clearance 6 times within the same half-year (months 1–6 or 7–12), it no longer applies from the 7th time; the count is based on the import date of the declaration.
Do figures need BSMI inspection?
It depends on whether the item counts as a “toy”. BSMI cites the definition in national toy standard CNS 4797: products designed, manufactured, sold, displayed or labeled for play by children aged 14 and under. Whether an item is subject to mandatory inspection is scored under the Principles for Determining Toy Products:
- Collectible figures or limited-edition ornaments labeled for ages over 14 and intended only for display score below 3 points in the examples of the principles, and are usually not toys subject to inspection. However, “reasonably foreseeable use” takes precedence over the maker’s statement, the final decision rests with BSMI, and if unsure you can request a product classification inquiry.
- Figures labeled with a children’s age range or claimed to be dolls or toys (including capsule-toy figures) score 3 points or more in the examples and are subject to inspection. Being “articulated” adds only 1 point and does not trigger inspection on its own; it is scored together with items such as the age label and intended use.
- For toys subject to inspection, the exemption for personal-use imports is: same declaration, same specification and model, CIF value of US$1,000 or less and no more than 5 units; over US$1,000, limited to 1 unit; the same specification and model can use this only once within 6 months.
C02 means that “some products” under that code are subject to BSMI mandatory inspection; it does not mean every figure has to be inspected.
What happens if you buy a counterfeit figure?
Genuine goods lawfully put on the domestic or foreign market by the trademark owner, or with the owner’s consent, and imported into Taiwan are, in principle, not subject to the owner’s trademark rights (Trademark Act, Article 36, Paragraph 2). Counterfeits are different:
- When Customs seizes goods and the trademark owner confirms they are counterfeit, the case is referred to the judicial authorities.
- Customs Administration press release of 2023-11-14: even if there is no criminal prosecution or the defendant is acquitted, Customs can still impose a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods and confiscate them under Article 39-1 of the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act.
- This page could not find any explicit exception stating that “counterfeits for personal use may be imported or are exempt from penalties”.
A Customs Administration press release of 2026-06-08 advises buying branded goods online from official websites or authorized agents and retailers, and avoiding sources priced clearly below genuine products.
What does research say about figure collecting and limited pre-orders?
- A master’s thesis at Chung Yuan Christian University (2015) studied buyers of 12-inch articulated figures and found that adult collectors’ motives partly come from childhood experience and life stress; it surveyed only one group.
- A 2022 experimental study in Marketing Review with 366 samples found that limited-time and limited-quantity signals raise purchase intention among high-involvement consumers; the study was not limited to figures.
- Limited editions and pre-orders can make people rush to order; read the cancellation, refund and delay rules before paying.
What should you check before pre-ordering a figure?
1Confirm the brand and official channel
Prefer the brand’s official site, official store or retailers listed on the official site; both GOODSMILE and Premium Bandai have Taiwan sites.
2Read the payment and cancellation rules
Some Sideshow items take a non-refundable deposit; threezero orders cannot be cancelled after payment; GOODSMILE does not accept cancellations because of delays.
3Check size and shipping time on the product page
A scale (such as 1/6) does not mean a fixed height; size and expected shipping time are as stated on the product page.
4Estimate taxes and inspection
Under 9503 the duty is 0%, under 3926.40 it is 5%, plus 5% business tax. Figures labeled with a children’s age or claimed to be toys need BSMI inspection; display-type collectible figures are assessed by the scoring in the principles.
5Declare the item name truthfully
State the item clearly, such as “plastic figure” or “articulated action figure”; the customs value includes freight and insurance.
What do common figure terms mean?
- Pre-order
- Ordering before the item is produced; shipping follows the expected date on the product page and may be delayed.
- Non-refundable deposit
- A deposit Sideshow charges at checkout for some pre-order items that is not refunded if you cancel.
- 1/6 scale
- Made at one-sixth the size of the real person or character; actual height varies by product.
- Lottery sales
- A sales method used by official Japanese shops in which the right to buy is decided by a draw.
- Advance tariff classification ruling
- Applying to Customs before import to confirm which tariff code the goods fall under.
What are the sources and the scope of fact-checking?
The sources below were consulted on 2026-09-27. Document dates and access dates are listed separately; where no update date is stated, none is invented.
Primary sources from government and official brand sites
- Customs Administration open data on the import tariff | Document date: not stated (server file time 2025-04-24); codes for 9503 dolls and toys have a Column 1 rate of 0%; 3926.40 statuettes and other ornamental articles of plastics have a Column 1 rate of 5%; none has MW0 in its import regulations.
- Laws & Regulations Database: Customs Import Tariff | Document date: amended 2026-01-28; the annexes of the 2025-06-04 and 2026-01-28 amendments did not change 9503 or 3926.40.
- Ministry of Finance press release: Kaohsiung Customs reminds importers to declare the correct tariff code for “solar-powered ornamental figures” | Document date: 2021-09-02; plastic ornamental figures with a fixed base, mainly for display and not meant to be held and played with, were reclassified to 3926.40; an advance tariff classification ruling before import is recommended.
- Customs Administration: Customs Import Tariff and Classification of Import & Export Commodities, bound edition (ROC year 112, Volume 2, Chapter 95) | Document date: 2023-10; the chapter notes to Chapter 95 list exclusions, but none for “for adult collectors” or for age labeling.
- Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance Japan: Explanatory Notes to the Customs Tariff, Chapter 95 | Document date: not stated (PDF properties 2026-08-28); official Japanese translation of the HS Explanatory Notes: 9503 covers toys intended essentially for the amusement of children or adults.
- Customs Administration: What taxes and fees apply to imported goods? | Document date: 2026-07-13; duty = customs value × rate; business tax = (customs value + duty) × 5%; trade promotion service fee 0.04%, waived at NT$100 or less; the customs value is CIF.
- Customs Administration: Express consignments | Document date: 2026-07-08; a shipment with a customs value of NT$2,000 or less is exempt from duty and business tax (except tobacco, alcohol and tariff-quota agricultural products); a taxpayer who uses low-value duty-free clearance more than 6 times in a half-year is considered frequent and no longer qualifies.
- BSMI: FAQ “Inspection” | Document date: 2014-07-09; cites CNS 4797: a toy is a product designed, manufactured, sold, displayed or labeled for play by children aged 14 and under.
- BSMI: Principles for Determining Toy Products (6th edition) | Document date: 2023-06-19; a total of 3 points or more means subject to inspection; examples: collectible figure ornament (over 14, display only) -2 points, articulated limbs labeled ages 3-8 4 points, capsule-toy figure (claimed to be a doll) 3 points.
- Laws & Regulations Database: Regulations Governing Exemption of Commodities from Inspection | Document date: amended 2019-11-21; personal-use exemption: same declaration, same specification and model, CIF value of US$1,000 or less and no more than 5 units; above that, limited to 1 unit; the same specification and model only once within 6 months.
- Laws & Regulations Database: Trademark Act | Document date: amended 2023-05-24; Article 36, Paragraph 2: the trademark owner may not assert trademark rights over goods put on the domestic or foreign market by the owner or with the owner’s consent.
- Laws & Regulations Database: Customs Anti-Smuggling Act | Document date: amended 2018-05-09; Article 39-1: importing goods that infringe trademark rights is punished by a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods and confiscation.
- Ministry of Finance press release: Customs urges the public not to import counterfeits for a bargain, to avoid penalties | Document date: 2023-11-14; even without criminal prosecution or with an acquittal, Customs can still impose a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods and confiscate them.
- Ministry of Finance press release: Check where goods come from when shopping cross-border to avoid counterfeits | Document date: 2026-06-08; recommends buying from official websites or authorized agents and retailers.
- threezero: About Us | Document date: not stated; threezero was founded in 2000 by Kim Fung Wong.
- threezero: Shipping & Delivery | Document date: not stated; in-stock items take about 3–7 working days to prepare; about 7–10 working days to mainland China, and about 14–28 working days to regions outside Hong Kong and mainland China.
- threezero: Return & Refund | Document date: not stated; once an order is paid, cancellations, returns, exchanges and refunds are not accepted.
- threezero: Retailer Lists | Document date: not stated; Taiwan retailers Beast Kingdom and Wang Jung; China lists the threezero Tmall store; Japan is GOOD SMILE COMPANY.
- threezero: DLX Iron Man Mark 7 product page | Document date: not stated; about 17.5 cm; pre-order price 3,500 TWD; expected to ship in Q4 2026.
- Good Smile Company: Company Profile | Document date: not stated; founded in May 2001 (5/2001), headquartered in Sotokanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo; group companies include Max Factory and Good Smile Arts Shanghai.
- Good Smile Company: Own Brands | Document date: not stated; Nendoroid and POP UP PARADE are GSC’s own lines.
- GOODSMILE Online Shop: Delivery to Taiwan | Document date: not stated; pre-order shipping to Taiwan is NT$100 per item; items with different release periods are not shipped together; actual shipments to Taiwan leave 1–2 months later than scheduled.
- GOODSMILE Online Shop: Ordering Guide | Document date: not stated (text mentions a 2024-02-28 revision); mostly made to order; no cancellation because of delays; no returns or refunds after delivery.
- GOODSMILE Online Shop: Payment Methods | Document date: not stated; all methods are prepaid at the time of ordering; convenience store payments must be completed within 7 days.
- Good Smile Arts Shanghai: List of sales channels in China | Document date: 2022-06-29; lists the GOODSMILE Tmall flagship store and JD.com flagship store.
- Max Factory: Company Profile | Document date: not stated; founded 1987-04-24; figma line started in February 2008 (2/2008); business partnership with GSC since 2001.
- BANDAI SPIRITS: Company Profile | Document date: not stated; founded 2018-02-15, headquartered in Mita, Minato, Tokyo.
- BANDAI SPIRITS: History | Document date: not stated; TAMASHII NATIONS and S.H.Figuarts launched in February 2008 (2/2008); Premium Bandai opened in April 2009 (4/2009).
- TAMASHII NATIONS: List of official stores | Document date: not stated; Tamashii Web Shop limited-period made-to-order sales and lottery sales; Tamashii Web Shop Taiwan; TAMASHII SPOT TAIPEI.
- Premium Bandai international portal | Document date: not stated; the region menu includes Taiwan; China links to the Tmall Bandai Official Flagship Store.
- PREMIUM BANDAI Taiwan: About Us | Document date: not stated; official online store of the Bandai Namco Group; membership-based, with no joining or annual fees.
- PREMIUM BANDAI Taiwan: Purchase Agreement | Document date: 2026-06-10; maintained and operated by BANDAI SPIRITS; the sales and order fulfillment partner is Global-e.
- Sideshow: About | Document date: not stated; founded in 1994; besides its own products, it also distributes brands such as Hot Toys.
- Sideshow: Hot Toys brand page | Document date: not stated; as stated by the retailer: Hot Toys Limited was founded in 2000.
- Sideshow: New to Sideshow | Document date: updated 2024-08-27; some items take only a non-refundable deposit at checkout, with the balance and shipping charged when ready to ship.
- Sideshow: Flexible Payment Plans | Document date: updated 2026-05-07; monthly installments, usually 2 to 8 payments.
- Sideshow: Country Restrictions | Document date: 2026-08-11; the list of restricted countries does not include Taiwan, mainland China or Hong Kong.
- Prime 1 Studio: About | Document date: not stated; Prime 1 Studio Co., Ltd., founded 2012-03-30, headquartered in Taito, Tokyo.
Research literature
Consumer Purchase Motives and Collecting Behavior: The Case of 12-inch Action Figures
Studied buyers of 12-inch articulated figures and found that adult collectors’ motives partly come from childhood experience and life stress; a single-group study that cannot be generalized to all figure buyers.
The Effect of Limited-Edition Products on Consumers’ Perceived Value and Purchase Intention: The Moderating Roles of Product Type, Involvement and Personality Traits
An experimental study with 366 samples found that limited-time and limited-quantity signals raise purchase intention among high-involvement consumers; the study was not limited to figures.
A Study of the Evolution and Creation of Figures as Pop-Culture Goods
Reviews the development and creation of figures as pop-culture goods; a design-and-creation study from an earlier period.
The official Hot Toys site could not be accessed because of its verification wall, so the manufacturer’s pre-order and deposit rules, authorized Taiwan stores and mainland China flagship stores were not verified. No customs classification case for articulated action figures was found. Brand prices are only quoted as shown on official sites, and price differences are not listed. Tmall store pages could not be opened directly because of verification, so links on official brand pages are used as evidence.
What are common questions about pre-ordering figures?
Hot Toys pre-order guide: is the deposit refundable?
What is the official threezero site?
How does threezero differ from Hot Toys?
Does the GOODSMILE Online Shop ship to Taiwan?
What is the import duty on figures?
Do figures need BSMI inspection?
Further reading
Figures bought from official channels in China, shipped to Taiwan
好運器 has only Shenzhen and Taoyuan warehouses and provides China→Taiwan consolidated shipping. Before shipping, confirm the item name, declared value and your EZ WAY authorization.
See China-to-Taiwan service