Every Star Wars Fan know how important the condition of what you are buying is. But one thing they ofter overlook is where you are getting it from, or when you will get the time. In responce to this Growing trend of Pre-sale items or sale of "rare" items, both authentic and fake, this review is your guide to buying Star Wars Props and Collectables !

Props: These are somethings you might want to ask about when buying a Star Wars "Prop"

-Prop Doesn't always mean it was used in the Movie ! Many SW items are listed as Props because they either (a) are made from the same items as the props in the Movies (i.e. a razer handle for a Comlink, a flashgun handle for a lightsaber, etc), (b) are made form casts of the origional Movie props (as in the case of some Armor, blasters, or lightsabers), or (c) are custom made to LOOK LIKE the props from the movie, but might not be screen accurate and are not authentic.

You also need to look at what the Prop is Made out of... Some people list props such as lightsabers soo cheap we think they are stupid, untill we get the item and find out why, it's cast of resin. Resin, while not a bad material for Props, CAN and WILL chip and crack though use or even the slighted of manhandling. Also check what armor is made out of too, Some is made out of ABS plastic, durable and light weight, but can snap if compressed to hard, and others out of Fiberglass, which looks great but is HEAVY and can Crack or shatter if dropped or smashed... it's also a bit more expensive.

Also with Props, look into it's history and the history if the seller, has this person sold SW props before, does he custom make them or make them off Casts from origional props. Has this person worn this armor before (i.e. it's USED...) and if so, is there any ware on the prop/armor (scratched on a chest plate from that time <blah> <blah> <blah>). Some used armor is great though, it's gone to the Con' and survived, proving it was made well. Some times WHERE this prop maker is selling from is important... If they are selling from USA, you might not think anything of it, but if they are selling from, say, East Asia, you might want to raise a few eye brows and check their history, see if they have "Sold" this item before.

Lastly with Props is how you will get is. Some people show pics of a finished item but list in the small print of the listing that what you are buying is NOT a finished product, but a raw casting or a Kit, which might mean you might need to trim, paint, assemble, etc. And if you arn't a prop export or don't konw any one who is, you might want to pass on that auction.

Star Wars Collectables buying guide-

When buying Star Wars Collectables, the Condidion of the item is important. If the seller doesn't offer much of a discription of the item, ASK ! Is in Sealed in the box still ? Does the case show any ware (bent corners, creases in plastic, etc.) ? Photos are a good thing, but if you want to examine a spacific item up close, most sellers are willing to send additional photos, just don't ask for a porfolio of them, even sellers have their limits.

Who are you buying it from ? Are you buying from a collecter who is selling 1/2 his stuff to raise money for a wedding, or a store. Most non-pro sellers arn't trying to rip you off when they are selling stuff. but some do forget to mention stuff when listing items. Some are just selling one thing cause they want something else more now (SW busts for SW figures, or visa versa). But who you are buying from is important. So read the listing Carefully about the item and who owned it and where they got it. Stores are a bit more reputable, and dread negitive feed back so they will aim to make you happy, but remember Pro-store sellers are in this for the business, not as a way to make some extra cash, so they will list something thoughly, and will clearly tell you "It's not my fault if you didn't read the item description". Non Store sellers (i.e. you, me, anybody) will just say "I'm sorry, forgot the mention that" and than it's up you the both of you to decide what to do now (send item back, keep it, refunds, etc)

What the item is. Some people don't think about it, but it's not hard to find non-liscened merchandice on Ebay for Star Wars, imitation SW brand watched, lighters, even replica Kotobukiya figures can be found on e bay! So who you are buying from and where they are counts almost as much as what you are buying. For the most part, many items are safe (few would be dumb enough to try to make Star Wars figure toys and sell them on e bay as authentic and actually be able to pull a profit off it), but not all. So just keep that in mind.

Where you are buying it from ? Yes, you might of gotten that rare statue for $X dollars less than retail, but what if shipping is quoted at two times $X ? Do the math, it might not be such a good deal.

And while we are talking about Shipping. INSURANCE ! If you get that figure in a box with a huge dent in it's side that matched the one on the box it was mailed in, it's your fault for not asking for insurance. The same goes for delivery conformation and other shipping issues, ask about it before buying or all you might be buying is the shattered remains of a Star Wars Tie figher plate and a broken dream of compleating your collecting. Not all sellers are perfect at packaging stuff up, so if some guy in Milwakee sent you an item in a box that can get smashed too easily, try not to get too angry, we all make mistakes. Most such sellers are willing to work with you on such issues.

Pre-SALE ! Ouf ! This is one we are seeing more and more. If you are buying something presale, SAVE ALL YOUR INFORMATION REGUARDING THE SALE ! Not all sellers keep the best of records, so just in case, you'd better do so ! Also check when the item is being released. If it's not being released for 6 months, you might want to wait unless you've "GOT to have it". Ask the seller if he's getting the item early or what time he expectes to get his allocation of the pre-sale item (If item is being sold in January, is he getting in the begining of the month, middle, end ?). Also look into the seller himself, is he reputable ? Has he sold pre-sale items before and been in selling stuff on e-bay for over a year or two ? Also check the company actually selling the item, Can you get it directly from them ? (Might save you some money if you do) And when are they releasing the items ? These are all important things to consider for any E-buyer.

The last thing to remember when buying stuff in E bay is this. Prepare to be ripped off at least once in your purchases. It's inevitable, some times it's an accident (they sent the wrong item, or forgot to list it as opened/damaged) and some times it's delibrate (new seller dissapeared like a fart in the wind with your money in hand). Just try to be cautious about what you are buying, read all descriptions, and use come E-sence while shopping on E-bay... thank you !