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Where Can I Buy Stuff?

-Smaller Local Shops
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-Large National Stores
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-UK-Based Mail Order
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-US Stores
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-Japanese Stores
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-Other Countries
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-Ebay & Other Online Auctions
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

-Other Shops Etc.
---What Are They?
---What Can I Get There?
---What Are Their Prices Like?
---How Do I Find Them?
---Anything I Need To Watch Out For?

Keeping It Legit.

-Spotting Pirate & Bootleg Goods.

-Legal Implications Of Buying From Abroad

Where Can I Buy Stuff?
Smaller Local Shops

What Are They?
Most reasonably large towns have "geekstores", shops that specialise in comics, science fiction, film memorabilia and, of course, anime and manga. They are often small, privately owned affairs, run and staffed by people who work there because it's their hobby, as well as their job. Not many of them can afford the costs of a highstreet storefront, so you are more likely to see them in the quieter, more off-the-beaten-track streets.

What Can I Get There?
What this kind of shop keeps as regular stock often depends on the personal tastes of the owner as much as market forces. Most will have a selection of translated manga, UK DVDs, games and maybe some action figures and model kits. The more otaku-biased shops tend to stock posters, artbooks, original Japanese manga, rarer toys and models and so on.

The great thing about these places is that most will be willing to order you anything that they don't have in stock from their suppliers, so if you know what you want, ask if they can find it for you. And don't forget to have a good look around in the pokey-corner end of the shop (they all have them) - you might find an old rarity that's been overlooked since it was first ordered in.

What Are Their Prices Like?
You're probably looking at paying UK RRP, simply because smaller shops don't have the muscle to negotiate big discounts with suppliers, and with no larger company backing them, their profit margin has to put a roof over their heads. There are bargains to be had, however, especially when old stock is being cleared out to make room.

Think very carefully before scarpering off elsewhere to save a small amount - customer loyalty is vital to this kind of shop, and supporting them means you will be able to continue to buy stuff from a convenient, local supplier.

How Do I Find Them?
If you have a local club, they should be able to tell you what the good shops are in your area. Asking on internet forums can also be helpful.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
Other than the Jack Black lookalike who hangs around the counter and criticises your taste in purchases (They seem to gravitate to these shops. Don't insult them - they might be the owner) and the kids sitting on the kerb outside playing Pokemon, you're pretty safe.

Large National Stores

What Are They?
Big, national chains like HMV, Borders, Virgin Megastore and the ubiquitous Forbidden Planet. They're usually big, shiny monuments to consumerism strategically placed in prime town centre or shopping park locations.

What Can I Get There?
The music/video places like VMS and HMV regard anime as another niche to be milked, so expect to see easily-recognised, big-name titles from the UK release lists. Borders are very similar, only with added manga.

Forbidden Planet are a little different, due mainly to their sci-fi shop beginnings. Most of their stores will have anime, manga, games, action figures and so on - in fact, most of the stuff that the smaller shops stock as standard.

The selling experience is more faceless than than in smaller shops, so don't expect to be able to order obscure titles or collectables in specially.

What Are Their Prices Like?
Pretty much whatever it says on the manufacturer's tin, so no bargains normally. The thing to watch out for are the special offers that offer big discounts for buying multiple DVDs at once (Sometimes up to 70% down from RRP), student discounts (around 10%) and so on.

Unsold stock is usually shipped back to the distributor, though, so you're unlikely to get many bargain bin finds outside the regular offers.

How Do I Find Them?
It should't be too hard to spot the more behemoth-proportioned stores, and the information desk in shopping centres will normally be able to help you out.

An alternative is to wait for a shoplifting pikey to leg it past you, then follow the direction of the alarms...

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
Remember the staffing policy at these places is not based on knowledge of the stock; you will get little more than blank stares if you actually try and ask questions Think 1-star McDonalds employee on Ritalin. Expect to have to give up on the fourth attempt at asking for the anime section and resign yourself to trying to find "those Japanese manga cartoons". Forbidden Planet are a welcome exception to this, of course - your biggest problem there will be Preacher fanatics bitching about how all Japanese comics are really derivative and unoriginal.

Also, remember that the returns policy in a large store is based on using the correct lie. Saying "I bought this DVD but it has been edited to remove the tentacle rape scene wot I wanted to watch" will not go down well.

UK-Based Mail Order

What Are They?
Mail order comapnies who operate out of the UK, from the big guys like Amazon.co.uk down to the small specialists, work by not having a shopfront so they can keep their prices down. Some shops run mail order systems as well, though. The anime and manga specialists like United Publications, Otaku UK and Natsuki are well known to most UK fans.

What Can I Get There?
It depends who you go to. The more general sellers like Amazon can supply you with mainstrem stuff like UK-release DVDs and manga, as well as some of the associated books like the How To Draw Manga series. Going to one of the specialists will likely as not give you access to almost anything that can be brought into the country, and anything not in stock can probably be ordered without too much trouble.

What Are Their Prices Like?
Most of the time, cheaper than you'll get in a regular shop, even once you take postage charges into account. Bear in mind that anything that seems expensive, like a rare artbook and so on, will be priced to reflect the amount of time and hassle required to get hold of it.

How Do I Find Them?
The two best known are United Publications and Otaku UK. Others can best be found through web search engines or asking on a forum or at a club meet.

The specialist companies almost always put in an appearance at conventions like AmeCon, and United Publications and Otaku UK both attend the monthly open days of the London Anime Club.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
With mail order, you can't have a look at your goods before buying them. Now, this isn't it as bad as it sounds - Amazon has a good returns policy if what you've bought turns out to be not what you were expecting, and the specialist shops know their stock well, and should be able to answer any questions you have.

Although the packaging most companies use is pretty tough, stuff can still get damaged in transit. Most of the time the postal services are good, but there is one tale that sticks in the memory:
A friend of a friend ordered some electronic goods, which get sent round to his house - but he's out at the time. So the ever-helpful postie - undoubtedly, to quote Jasper Carrot, a six-foot troglodyte with a forehead that keeps the rain off his feet - decides to lob matey's package over his garden fence (the gate was locked), then left a note saying that the parcel was in the back garden. Not something you want to happen to your polystone statuette...

The moral of the story is that, if you're buying something rare, delicate or expensive, spunk the extra cash for insured delivery just to be on the safe side.

US Stores

What Are They?
Most of the US shops you deal with will be over the internet (unless you visit one while you're over there, in which case see the notes about local shops, above). As such, the shopping experience will be much like buying online from a UK company.

What Can I Get There?
Just about everything - if you know where to look. Almost all English-language material originates in the US, so you should be able to find manga or DVDs that you aren't able to in this country. As noted previously on this page, there are differences between US and UK products, so make sure you know what you're buying.

What Are Their Prices Like?
Ultimately, this depends on the current exchange rate between the Dollar and the Pound, but for the most part, prices are reasonable. Don't forget that, because you're outside the US, you don't have to pay the sales tax, so the price you see is the price you pay, but you may have to pay VAT on whatever you buy when it reaches the UK. I say "may", because it's not that likely that customs will stop your package, so you could get away without it - but factor in how much it will cost if they do charge you, and make sure you're still getting the deal you want.

Also, the shipping charge will be higher for international customers, particularly if you go for a fast delivery. If an overseas price isn't quoted, contact the shop and ask before ordering. Don't forget to include any insurance charges etc.

How Do I Find Them?
Other than searching on the internet, most of the larger companies like Robert's Anime Corner Store advertise in NewType USA. Ask on forums or at clubs if anyone knows of a particularly good shop.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
As mentioned above, shipping and VAT. Also, bear in mind that returns policies are almost always exclusive of delivery charges - so you won't get that money back, and will have to pay for the return of the parcel, too.

You will find it an awful lot easier to buy from the US with a major credit card, but other options (PayPal, money transfer, cash etc) may be viable - ask the shop.

Certain uncut DVDs that are allowed to be sold in the US may get you into hot water over here - think carefully about what you're ordering.

Japanese Stores

What Are They?
Shops in Japan!

What Can I Get There?
All the kooky stuff that never gets an overseas release, such as limited edition items.

What Are Their Prices Like?
You can get an absolute bargain, especially if it's something that has a high markup in western countries, but Japan has never been the cheapest country, so check carefully that you can't get a better deal elsewhere.

How Do I Find Them?
Mostly by internet searches and adverts in NewType Japan.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
Firstly, all the sites you look at will be in Japanese (except for Amazon.co.jp, which has a handy "in English" button), and all the people you deal with are unlikely to speak English.

Also, you will have the same issues with shipping and VAT as mentioned for US shops. Personally, I would not advise buying direct from Japan unless you are 100% sure that you know exactly what you're doing.

The best compromise I have found so far has been The J-List. This is a site selling items directly from Japan. It's in English, and is run by an American guy who has lived in Japan for over ten years, which means the shopping experience is similarly easy to buying from the US.

Other Countries

What Are They?
Most countries have some kind of anime-selling presence in them, but it's most likely that we will be looking at eastern areas like Chine and Singapore

What Can I Get There?
The unkind answer is "every bootleg item in history", but to be fair, there are genuine items for sale - often as a result of the fact that much of the manufacturing of anime merchandise takes place in china.

What Are Their Prices Like?
Often as not, very cheap - but remember, sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

How Do I Find Them?
Many sell through Ebay, so you are most likely to find them through there.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
On one hand, there should be nothing different from dealing with any other country. However, the simple truth is that China contains an awful lot of people selling pirate goods or running scams. Personally, I would avoid this option if at all possible.

Ebay & Other Online Auctions

What Are They?
Internet sites where you can bid on items put up for sale over a certain length of time. Highest bid when the time runs out gets the sale.

What Can I Get There?
Absolutely everything!

What Are Their Prices Like?
If you find an auction no-one else has spotted, and you're the only bidder, you could get a bargain. If you're not careful, though, you could find youself bidding higher and higher to try and get an item, and end up paying much more than it would cost you through a shop.

How Do I Find Them?
Either http://www,ebay.co.uk, or internet searches.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
Auctions are not actually responsible for the actions of sellers, so be on guard for scams. One favourite is foreign (usually Chinese) sellers listing their location as "UK" - check postage costs before bidding!

Notes previously on shipping and VAT apply to foreign sellers.

Items are not always new - read the description carefully, and ask if you're unsure.

Bidding represents a contract - if you're highest bidder, you're legally obliged to pay that sum. On the other hand, the seller is legally obliged to give you exactly what was stated in the description.

Often you are dealing with private individuals, rather than companies - this makes getting refunds etc from uncooperative sellers difficult to impossible, especially if they are overseas

Other Shops Etc.

What Are They?
High street shops with no connection to anime or manga.

What Can I Get There?
The occasional toy, model, DVD etc.

What Are Their Prices Like?
It depends what you're buying. If a shop has trouble selling an item, they may reduce it's price, so you get it a lot cheaper than at a specialist shop, especially if they don't know what they're selling (especially true for things like rare console games - most regular shops would stick them in the bargain bin with the other "old" stuff).

How Do I Find Them?
It's a case of just keeping an eye open when out shopping - this is a very opportunistic way of buying anime & manga goods.

Anything I Need To Watch Out For?
Nothing really - this is more about happening on something by chance than going out looking, so it's likely to be a very "what you see is what you get" type situation.

Keeping It Legit.
Spotting Pirate & Bootleg Goods.

Ok, this is actually a very short section - not because there's nothing to say, but because it has already been written about in Joe Curzon's excellent Piracy FAQ. This covers pretty much all known issues to do with piracy of anime & manga goods, so there is no need to duplicate his work here.

Legal Implications Of Buying From Abroad.

This is not an exhaustive list of possible issues, but I have tried to cover some basics:

By importing an item over a certain value (excluding printed material like books), you are obliged to pay VAT on it when it comes into the country. The threshold at which VAT applies is also higher for items sent without charge, such as gifts. Now, not every parcel will be inspected, and if yours isn't, you won't be billed for VAT. It's a gamble - if you are asked to pay the VAT on an item, then you have to do so before it will be released to you. Some people get whoever is sending their item to mark the package as "commercial sample" or "gift" to avoid VAT, but this could be seen as attempting to avoid tax, which customs do not look upon kindly. For those of you who are not aware of the fact, UK Customs & Excise are effectively above the law, so I would not advise you to piss around with them.

It is not illegal to buy non-Region 2 DVDs, provided the material they contain does not breach UK law. However, selling them in the UK is another matter - any video material sold in the UK is meant to be certified by the BBFC, and selling material that has not been certified is illegal. Unless you are buying huge crates of DVDs at a time, and thus seen as being a trader, it's unlikely that you will encounter this as a problem.

If you have an issue with a seller in another country, it is their local law that will be most influential. If a DVD you bought from Taiwan turns out to be pirated, then there is little or no chance that you will be able to do anything about it.

Last note: Porn & obscene material. Anime and manga are, unfortunately, linked with porn in the (small) minds of many people - mostly as a result of reading too many tabloids, combined with a readiness to believe whatever they are spoon-fed.
  Anyway, anime & manga does not mean "porn", but there are pornographic titles available, and this is the issue. The US, and other countries, are far more lax in their laws on what kind of things can be sold, particularly when it comes to comics and DVDs. Generally, the legality of material comes down to the question of its content - sex and violence. Any material which advocates or glorifies non-consenting sex, rape, sex with minors etc is Bad. Not small "b", capital "B". Bad. There is a mini-industry producing Doujinshi (Fan comics), and some (not all, I hasten to add) of the pornographic ("Hentai", a Japanese word basically meaning pervert) ones feature extremely graphic sex scenes involving underage characters. In the US, the fact that they are drawn artwork rather than photographs means they are not classed as child porn, but this is not something you want to be testing out in the UK. I'm not saying all doujinshi are porn, as they aren't - many are the cute-and-fluffy type - but the simple fact is that if you buy a comic book that shows a ten-year-old girl getting pleasure from being raped, and it comes to the attention of the law, you stand a good chance of ending up in a very unpleasant legal situation. Don't be bloody stupid.