First-Time Buyer’s Guide: How to Order Anime Figures from Japan (Step by Step)

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through one of them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend stores I’ve actually ordered from or researched thoroughly — my opinions are my own.

The Problem: You’ve Picked a Store, But the Checkout Process Still Feels Unfamiliar

You’ve done the homework — maybe you’ve already read through which stores are actually trustworthy, you know which type of figure you want, and you’ve got a rough idea of what customs and shipping will actually cost. But there’s still a gap between “I know what I want to buy” and actually clicking through checkout with confidence.

In my experience, this is the point where a lot of first-time buyers hesitate the longest — not because the process is actually hard, but because it’s unfamiliar, and nobody wants to mess up an order for something they’ve been looking forward to. This guide walks through the entire process from start to finish, so you know exactly what to expect at each step.

Who This Article Is NOT For

• If you’ve already ordered from Japan before, most of this will be familiar — you might still find the preorder payment timing section useful, since that trips up even some experienced collectors.
• If you haven’t picked a store yet, back up to my store comparison guide first — the checkout process below assumes you’ve already landed on somewhere like HLJ, CDJapan, or Solaris Japan.
• If you’re specifically worried about receiving a fake, that’s covered separately in my guide to spotting bootleg figures — this article assumes you’re ordering from a legitimate retailer, where that risk is minimal to begin with.

How This Walkthrough Is Organized

I’m splitting this into the two paths your first order will actually take: buying something already in stock, and preordering something that hasn’t released yet. They work differently enough that it’s worth understanding both before you start clicking around a store’s website.

Part 1: Creating Your Account and Setting Up Your Details

Most Japan-based figure retailers require an account before checkout, even for a one-time order. This is normal and usually takes under five minutes.

1. Sign up with your email, or in some cases through a social login option
2. Enter your shipping address in the Latin alphabet. International retailers are built to handle this — don’t worry about needing to know any Japanese
3. Set your currency and language preferences, if the store offers them (most of the retailers I recommend default to English automatically for overseas visitors)
4. Add a payment method. Credit and debit cards are almost universally accepted; some stores also support PayPal

One small tip: double-check your address formatting matches what the store expects (some ask for postal code before city, others after) — a mismatched address is one of the more common reasons for a delayed shipment.

Part 2: Buying an In-Stock Item

This is the simpler of the two paths, and a good way to get comfortable with a new store before committing to a preorder.

1. Search for the item by name, or browse by category if you’re not sure exactly what you want yet
2. Check the product page carefully — confirm it’s the actual release version you want (re-releases and variant colorways are common, and it’s easy to grab the wrong one if you’re skimming)
3. Add it to your cart, and check the shipping cost estimate at this stage rather than waiting until final checkout — most stores let you preview this before you commit
4. Choose your shipping method. This is usually where you’ll pick between faster/more expensive and slower/cheaper options
5. Complete payment. For in-stock items, you’re typically charged immediately
6. Wait for processing and dispatch. Most retailers process in-stock orders within a few business days before it actually ships

Part 3: Placing a Preorder (Where Most Confusion Happens)

Preorders work differently from in-stock purchases, and the details vary meaningfully by store — this is genuinely the part I’d recommend reading closest before your first preorder.

1. Find the preorder listing and confirm the estimated release month (these are estimates, not guarantees — delays of a month or more aren’t unusual, and can happen for reasons entirely outside the retailer’s control)
2. Check the payment timing policy before you commit. This is the detail that catches people off guard: some stores charge your card in full the moment you place the preorder, others only charge once the item is ready to ship, and some take a deposit upfront with the balance due later. HobbyLink Japan’s “pay when it ships” model, for example, means your money isn’t tied up for months before the figure even exists — worth knowing if you’re preordering something releasing far in the future
3. Confirm what’s included. Check whether bonus parts, first-run extras, or store-exclusive accessories are part of the listing, since these are sometimes tied to ordering before a specific date
4. Place the order and note the estimated ship date, but hold that date loosely — treat it as a rough guide rather than a fixed promise
5. Watch for a payment reminder if your store takes payment closer to release rather than at order time — missing this can result in your preorder being cancelled

Part 4: Waiting, Tracking, and Delivery

Once your order (in-stock or preorder) has shipped, here’s what typically happens:

• You’ll receive tracking information, usually by email, once the package leaves the warehouse
• Delivery timing depends on the shipping method you chose — express options are faster but pricier, economy options take longer but cost less
• Customs may add extra time and cost at this stage, depending on your country. If you haven’t already, it’s worth reading my breakdown of shipping and customs costs by country so nothing at delivery catches you off guard
• Inspect the package before opening the figure fully, especially for your first order — check for shipping damage on the outer box before assuming any issue is with the figure itself

Tips for a Smoother First Order

• Start smaller. Your very first order doesn’t need to be an expensive preorder — a small in-stock item is a low-risk way to learn how a specific store’s process works before committing to something bigger
• Keep your confirmation emails. If anything goes missing from a multi-item order, having the original confirmation makes resolving it much faster
• Don’t mix preorders and in-stock items in one order unless you’re prepared to wait. Many stores ship combined orders together, which means your in-stock item could sit waiting for months until the preorder is ready
• Know your figure type before you shop. If you’re still deciding between styles, my Nendoroid vs Figma vs Scale Figure guide covers the tradeoffs
• Budget for the real total, not just the sticker price. Between shipping and potential customs charges, your actual cost is often meaningfully higher than the listed price — plan for that ahead of time rather than being surprised at checkout or delivery

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to speak Japanese to order from these stores? No. HobbyLink Japan, CDJapan, and Solaris Japan are all built for English-speaking overseas customers, with English product pages, checkout, and customer support.

When am I actually charged for a preorder? It depends entirely on the store — some charge at order time, others when the item ships, and some take a partial deposit. Always check the specific store’s policy before placing a preorder, since this varies more than most first-time buyers expect.

What happens if a preorder gets delayed? Delays of a month or so are common in the industry and usually stem from manufacturing, licensing, or shipping logistics outside the retailer’s control. Legitimate stores will typically update the estimated ship date on your order rather than leaving you in the dark — if a store goes silent on a significant delay, that’s worth following up on directly.

Can I cancel a preorder if I change my mind? This depends on the store’s policy and how close you are to the release date. Some stores, like HLJ, explicitly allow preorder cancellations before release — this is one of the reasons I recommend them for first-time buyers specifically.

Final Thoughts

The actual mechanics of ordering from Japan aren’t complicated once you’ve done it once — the friction is almost entirely in not knowing what to expect the first time. Start with something small and in-stock, get comfortable with how your chosen store handles shipping and confirmation emails, and the rest tends to click into place quickly.

If you haven’t already picked a store, my full comparison of HobbyLink Japan, CDJapan, and Solaris Japan is the natural next step before placing your first order.