Pre-orders have become a contentious issue among collectors.
In recent years, several retailers have closed down, leaving customers out of pocket for figures that were never delivered. The liquidation of a number of well-known businesses operating in European and international markets has further undermined collectors’ confidence.
Some collectors have lost hundreds or even thousands of euros on orders placed more than a year before the product was due to be released.
As a result, many collectors have decided never to pre-order again.
This reaction is understandable, but it creates another problem: in a market where figures are often produced in limited quantities, waiting until they arrive in stock may mean missing out altogether.
Pre-orders are not unique to the collectible figure market. They are used successfully in many other industries. The main risk lies in the way some retailers require their customers to pay.
Collectors can continue to pre-order while keeping that risk to a minimum by following a few simple principles.
In this guide, we look at the key points you need to consider so that you can collect with greater peace of mind.
Why are collectors wary of pre-orders?
When a collector pays in full for a figure that will not be available for another twelve, eighteen or twenty-four months, they are handing their money over to a retailer for a very long time.
Until the order is delivered, they have neither the figure nor the money they paid.
If the retailer runs into financial difficulties, cannot pay its supplier or ceases trading, the customer may never receive the order.
By the time the problem becomes clear, it is often too late to benefit from the protection offered by PayPal or the customer’s card issuer.
Payment protection is subject to strict time limits. PayPal, for example, allows 180 days to open certain disputes relating to an item that has not been received. Yet many figures are announced more than six months before their release.
Paying in full so far in advance therefore leaves the collector particularly exposed.
Pre-orders nevertheless remain essential
Pre-orders are not simply a way for retailers to collect money before delivery.
They play an essential role in the way the collectible figure market operates.
They allow manufacturers to estimate demand
Many figures are released as limited editions or are manufactured only during a relatively short production window.
Before production begins, the manufacturer must decide how many units to make. Orders collected by distributors and retailers are one of the main indicators used to make that decision.
Pre-orders therefore help manufacturers estimate demand more accurately.
If too few figures are produced, many collectors will be unable to obtain the piece they want. The product may also immediately become the target of heavy speculation.
If too many are produced, manufacturers, distributors and retailers may be left with large quantities of unsold stock that eventually have to be heavily discounted. This can reduce the perceived value of the product and undermine the investment made by collectors who bought it.
Some manufacturers, including Good Smile Company, openly explain that the production quantities for certain figures are determined by the number of pre-orders received.
They allow collectors to secure the figures they want
For collectors, a pre-order ensures that a unit is reserved for them.
Once the pre-order period closes, the manufacturer may cap or permanently end production.
Retailers then receive a fixed allocation. Once every unit has been reserved, the product is sold out, sometimes several months before its official release.
Refusing all pre-orders also carries a risk
Many collectors now tell us that they stopped pre-ordering because they were afraid of losing their money.
They then contact us once the figure they wanted has finally been released.
Unfortunately, by then it is often too late.
The item may already be sold out with the manufacturer, the distributor and every authorised retailer.
The collector is then left with three options:
- give up on the figure;
- wait for a possible reissue that may never happen;
- pay a much higher price on the secondary market.
This is unfortunate, because collectors should not have to choose between two extremes:
- paying in full for a figure long before it is delivered;
- refusing all pre-orders and risking never obtaining the piece.
There is a more balanced option: reserve the figure with a limited deposit, then pay the balance once it is actually available from the retailer.
Pre-orders work very well in other industries
The principle of pre-ordering is not unique to collectible figures.
When a customer orders a car that still has to be built, they do not usually pay the full price a year before taking delivery.
They pay a deposit when placing the order, then settle the balance when the vehicle is available from the dealership.
If the purchase is being financed, the credit agreement is normally arranged when the balance becomes due. Repayments therefore begin when the customer receives the vehicle.
They do not spend a year paying for a car they cannot yet drive.
The same principle should apply to collectible figures:
- the collector pays a deposit to reserve the piece;
- the retailer orders the corresponding unit from its supplier;
- the balance is requested when the figure arrives;
- the customer pays outright or uses a genuine instalment-payment service such as Alma or PayPal;
- the figure can be dispatched immediately.
Pre-orders can therefore work perfectly well when payments are handled sensibly and follow two basic principles.
First principle: only pay a deposit before the product arrives
The simplest way to reduce the risk is to avoid paying the full price until the figure is available.
A deposit secures the reservation without unnecessarily tying up the entire purchase price.
For a figure priced at 500 euros, the amount at risk is very different depending on whether the customer has paid:
- a deposit of 100 euros;
- or the full amount of 500 euros.
With a deposit, the customer’s financial exposure remains much lower.
Why is paying in full when placing a pre-order risky?
Some retailers require full payment as soon as the pre-order is placed.
The customer may therefore have to pay the full price of a figure that will not be delivered for another eighteen months.
This places almost all the risk on the collector.
The retailer receives the full amount immediately, while the customer must wait for the product to be manufactured and delivered.
Several problems may arise during that period:
- the manufacturer may experience delays;
- the distributor may reduce the quantities allocated;
- the retailer may run into cash-flow difficulties;
- the retailer may fail to pay its supplier;
- the business may cease trading;
- the deadline for disputing the payment may expire.
Full payment can remain an option for customers who prefer it, but it should not be the only way to reserve a figure whose release is still a long way off.
Second principle: wait until the product arrives before starting an instalment plan
Many collectors believe that they must start paying for a figure several months before it arrives in order to spread the cost.
They do not.
The customer can pay a deposit when reserving the figure, then use a genuine instalment-payment service once the item is in stock.
They can then receive the figure immediately while repaying the finance provider according to the agreed schedule.
How does a genuine instalment-payment service work?
With a service such as Alma or PayPal Pay in 4, the financing is handled by a specialist provider that pays the retailer on the customer’s behalf.
The retailer receives the full purchase price immediately. The customer then repays the finance provider under the agreed terms.
The agreement clearly sets out:
- the number of instalments;
- the amount of each payment;
- any applicable fees;
- the eligibility and acceptance conditions;
- the identity of the company providing the financing.
This type of service is useful when the product is available.
It allows the customer to spread the cost without having to wait until the final instalment before receiving the figure.
Why is starting repayment early a bad idea?
Consider a figure priced at 600 euros, with a release date twelve months away.
The customer immediately agrees to a payment plan of 50 euros per month for one year.
By the end of the plan, the customer will have paid the full 600 euros. The figure, however, may still not have arrived.
In other words, the customer will have paid in full before the product is even available.
They could instead have set aside the same 50 euros each month in their own bank account, then paid the balance when the figure arrived.
This would allow them to retain control of their money throughout the entire production period.
What are the other warning signs?
No single warning sign is enough to prove that a retailer is about to go bankrupt or is using questionable practices.
However, several warning signs appearing at the same time should prompt extra caution.
Beware of in-house payment plans
Some retailers organise their own monthly payment plans for pre-orders.
They send the customer a payment link each month or arrange recurring charges to their bank card.
They may use Stripe or another service that supports recurring payments.
In this situation, however, Stripe is simply a payment-processing tool.
Using Stripe does not turn the retailer into a financial institution, nor does it give the customer the protection associated with regulated consumer credit.
In most cases, the arrangement works as follows:
- the retailer divides the price into several payments;
- it collects each instalment directly;
- it gradually receives the full purchase price;
- the customer is still waiting for the figure to be manufactured.
The risk is therefore not genuinely shared.
The customer is simply paying for the product in advance, one instalment at a time.
What does the law say about payment plans?
A retailer cannot simply invent a twelve- or eighteen-month credit arrangement as though it were setting up a basic subscription.
In Belgium, payment plans lasting more than two months fall within the scope of consumer credit rules.
A company wishing to offer credit directly must comply with specific requirements. Depending on how the arrangement is structured, it must either have the appropriate status as a lender or work with an authorised provider.
Access to lender status is supervised by the FSMA, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority.
This involves far more than completing a simple administrative form. The company must submit a full application and meet requirements relating to its management, organisation and financial position.
In France, interest-free payment arrangements lasting no more than three months currently benefit from a simpler legal framework.
Beyond three months, the arrangement may fall within the scope of consumer credit law, in which case additional rules must be followed.
What you need to remember
It would be highly unusual for a small independent figure retailer to have both the organisation and the authorisation required to operate a genuine consumer credit business itself.
To our knowledge, figure retailers offering in-house payment plans do not generally provide evidence of:
- authorisation as a lender;
- a clearly identified financial partner;
- a formal credit agreement;
- an assessment of the customer’s ability to repay;
- the information and disclosures normally associated with regulated financing.
Sending a Stripe payment link every month is not the same as providing a genuine credit service.
If no financial provider is clearly identified, customers should assume that the retailer is simply collecting the price of the figure in advance.
The question to ask is simple: which financial provider is managing the credit?
If the retailer cannot provide a clear answer, the arrangement is probably not comparable to the instalment services offered by Alma, PayPal or a bank.
This information reflects the rules in force at the time this article was published. European regulations governing certain instalment-payment services will change from 20 November 2026.
Should a discount for full payment concern you?
To be blunt: yes.
Some retailers offer a discount to customers who pay the full price of their pre-order immediately.
The offer may appear attractive:
- pay a deposit and keep the standard price;
- or pay in full immediately and receive a discount.
That discount comes at a cost to the retailer. It is giving up part of its margin in order to receive your money sooner.
At the very least, this shows that receiving the cash immediately is particularly valuable to the business.
This practice does not automatically prove that the retailer is in financial difficulty. It may, however, indicate a strong need for cash, especially when:
- the discount is substantial;
- the product’s release date is still a long way off;
- the retailer repeatedly runs this type of promotion;
- delivery delays have already been reported;
- full payment is strongly encouraged on every new pre-order.
Before accepting the offer, ask yourself whether the saving really justifies the additional risk.
Saving 20 or 30 euros does not always justify handing 500 euros to a retailer for eighteen months.
A retailer cannot postpone delivery indefinitely
The law requires the seller to provide a delivery date or delivery period before the customer places the order.
For a pre-order, this may be expressed as a month, a quarter or an estimated period. A retailer cannot simply state that the product will be delivered “when the manufacturer sends it”.
The date or period stated when the order is placed is binding on the seller.
A delay at the manufacturer may explain a postponement, but it does not allow the retailer to keep changing the delivery date indefinitely without giving the customer a choice.
What can the customer do once the delivery date has passed?
Once the stated date or delivery period has passed, the customer can ask the retailer to deliver the order within an additional reasonable period.
If the figure is still not delivered by the end of that additional period, the customer can cancel the order and request a refund of all amounts paid.
The retailer cannot hold the customer captive
A retailer cannot keep postponing the delivery date while refusing every cancellation request.
Nor can it take away the customer’s legal rights by imposing:
- cancellation fees after the delivery period has expired;
- a refund issued only as store credit;
- a requirement to wait until the manufacturer officially cancels the product;
- a clause allowing delivery to be postponed without any limit.
The contract is between the customer and the retailer, not the manufacturer. The retailer therefore remains responsible for delivery and refunds, even when the delay originates with its supplier.
Delays are common in the figure market, but they do not remove the consumer’s rights.
Why does Myth Factory set a six-month limit?
At Myth Factory, the date displayed on a pre-order product page is an estimate.
We clearly state on every relevant page that this date may change.
Unfortunately, figure manufacturers often miss the schedules announced when pre-orders open. In our experience, delays of several months are common in the industry.
We have therefore set a clear limit that reflects this reality without leaving customers waiting indefinitely.
If the delivery date stated when the order was placed is exceeded by more than six months, the customer may request a full refund of the pre-order.
No cancellation fee is charged in this situation.
This six-month period allows us to:
- give the manufacturer a reasonable amount of time to complete production;
- take account of the delays commonly encountered in the industry;
- give the customer a clear deadline;
- prevent a pre-order from remaining open indefinitely.
Manufacturers need reasonable leeway to manage delays. Customers, however, must always have a clear way out.
Customer reviews do not always tell the whole story
Reviews posted on Google, Trustpilot, Facebook and other platforms can help customers assess a retailer.
However, the overall rating should never be the only factor considered.
A retailer may have successfully delivered thousands of in-stock orders while experiencing serious problems with older pre-orders.
When its rating begins to fall, some businesses ask large numbers of satisfied customers to post positive reviews in a short period of time.
There is nothing inherently wrong with asking customers to leave genuine reviews.
However, a sudden influx of positive ratings can bury recent warnings without resolving the underlying problems.
Before placing a pre-order, look closely at:
- reviews published in recent months;
- comments specifically concerning pre-orders;
- the way the retailer responds to dissatisfied customers;
- testimonials posted in collector groups;
- sudden changes in the number of reviews;
- repeated complaints about the same issues.
A strong historical rating does not guarantee that the retailer is financially healthy today.
Checks to carry out before placing a pre-order
Identify the company behind the website
Check that the following information is clearly available:
- the company’s legal name;
- its address;
- its company registration number;
- its VAT number;
- the country in which it is established;
- a working means of contact.
Do not hesitate to call the telephone number provided to see how responsive the customer service team is. This is also a good opportunity to ask any questions you may have about how the pre-order system actually works.
Read the most recent reviews
Do not rely solely on the overall rating. Look for reviews that specifically mention pre-orders, refunds and customer service.
Check how much you are being asked to pay upfront
Ask yourself how much money you are handing over to the retailer and how long it will be held before delivery.
Identify the actual instalment-payment provider
If a retailer offers financing, the name of the company managing it should be clearly stated.
Read the cancellation terms
You need to know:
- when you are entitled to cancel;
- whether any fees will be deducted;
- whether the refund will be returned as money or issued as store credit;
- what limit applies in the event of a significant delay.
Check how long your payment protection lasts
Do not assume that PayPal or your card issuer will protect you until the order is delivered.
Contact your payment provider or bank to find out which deadlines apply.
How do pre-orders work at Myth Factory?
Myth Factory is a Belgian company that has specialised in collectible figures and statues since 2012.
We do not claim that pre-ordering is entirely risk-free.
A figure that is still in production can never offer exactly the same level of certainty as a product already stored in our warehouse.
Our aim is to reduce the risk by applying clear and straightforward rules:
- the displayed delivery date is clearly presented as an estimate;
- a deposit option is available for the relevant pre-orders;
- the balance is requested as the figure’s arrival approaches;
- the customer can use a genuine instalment-payment service when paying the balance;
- the figure can be dispatched as soon as it becomes available;
- new dates provided by manufacturers are updated whenever they become available;
- customers can track changes to the expected delivery dates of their orders from their personal account;
- a full refund may be requested if the date stated when the order was placed is exceeded by more than six months;
- no cancellation fee is charged in that situation.
Customers who prefer to pay in full immediately may still do so.
However, full payment should remain a choice, not a requirement for reserving a figure.
Conclusion
Should collectors stop pre-ordering figures?
No.
Pre-orders remain essential because they allow manufacturers to plan realistic production runs and collectors to secure the pieces they do not want to miss.
The problem is not reserving a figure.
The problem is handing the full purchase price to a retailer long before the product becomes available.
Collectors can continue to pre-order while limiting their exposure by taking a few sensible precautions:
- reserve only the pieces you genuinely want to obtain;
- limit your initial payment to a deposit;
- pay the balance when the product becomes available;
- only start an instalment plan when the product is ready for delivery;
- check the cancellation terms;
- monitor recent reviews;
- avoid orders with no clear limit on delivery delays.
The two essential rules to remember
Rule 1: until the figure is in stock, only pay a deposit.
Rule 2: do not start paying in instalments until the figure is available and ready to be dispatched.
These two rules do not eliminate every risk associated with pre-orders.
They do, however, significantly reduce both the amount entrusted to the retailer and the length of time during which the collector remains financially exposed.
Before reserving a figure, do not simply ask which retailer offers the lowest price. Ask which retailer provides the reliability and safeguards needed to manage your pre-order properly.