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As an iconic symbol of the Star Wars franchise, the lightsaber is a quite popular collector’s item for Star Wars fans all over the world. Unfortunately, the high demand for these fictional energy swords has led to several fans being disappointed and scammed by bogus online stores that claim to sell rare and authentic replicas of the lightsaber. It is important that you do not let the excitement of owning a lightsaber make you fall for these false claims. Below are some of the mistakes you should avoid when shopping for a replica lightsaber online.
Do not Ignore the Buyer Protections for Lightsaber Purchases
Typically, an online lightsaber purchase goes well when you pay a seller and the seller sends your order within the agreed upon time frame. This will also include your lightsaber being received safely and in the best condition. Unfortunately, not all online purchases go this way and you will need adequate buyer protection in case anything goes wrong. Do not ignore this!
Different types of payment methods have different levels of buyer protection. Platforms like PayPal offer good buyer protection on Goods and Services payments (a buyer can open a claim in their resolution centre within 180 days of payment). On the other hand, paying with concealed cheques or cash in the mail is very risky, as it offers no buyer protection should anything go wrong. Another payment method that offers strong buyer protection is a credit card but you will need to check in with your credit card company.
Expecting High-end Features From a Cheap Lightsaber
With replica lightsabers, you get what you pay for. If you pay for a cheap lightsaber, the model you get will have the usual blades that can light up and hilts that are pretty decent and make lightsaber sounds. However, if you’re looking for top quality features (durable blades, strong hilt, smooth wing, quality sounds and effects, colour changing and Bluetooth features) that make your replica lightsaber more authentic and realistic, you will need to go for the more high-end and expensive ones – such as a neopixel lightsaber.
Don’t Fall for the Hype Surrounding Latest Lightsabers
Indeed, some lightsabers are better than others, but just because there is a lot of hype surrounding the latest model doesn’t mean it will be the best. Many of them are just marketing campaigns to promote new products, so it is important that you don’t get swayed. There are several top quality replica lightsabers out there and all you need to do is focus on getting a lightsaber that has all the features you want (regardless of its reputation and price).
Assuming That Your Order Will be Shipped on Time
Unfortunately, shipping delays are pretty common with online lightsaber purchases, especially with custom sword companies. Just bear in mind that your order may be shipped at a later time than originally claimed, so it’s better not to put your complete trust in a seller’s supposed shipping window. At the end of the day, your focus should be on the accuracy of your received order and not the shipping pace but you can still check in with the seller ahead of time to confirm that the shipping window is correct.
Avoid Disregarding the Risks of Pre-Orders
A good number of custom lightsaber companies tend to accept pre-orders on new lightsaber models. However, what most customers don’t know is that most of these models are far from complete and it could be months before they are released. Most of the custom lightsaber companies offer pre-orders because they hope to use the money you and other customers pay to fund the lightsaber run. Pre-orders run the risk of delays due to a number of factors, such as; shortage of parts, defective batches and issues with research and development. In addition to delays, pre-ordered lightsabers have no customer reviews you can read, so you won’t know if the product would be worth it.
Conclusion:
Buying a replica lightsaber online requires a lot of careful consideration, and avoiding the above mistakes ensures that you do not end up disappointed with your purchase.
