FAQ

hoshiiya_customHave a question? We’ve got answers!

We love helping our customers, so if you have a burning question, please read through the frequently asked questions below for fastest service!

If your question is not addressed here, please visit our contact page to send us an email and we will respond to your question within 48 hours!

Or, if social media is more your style – send us a tweet or leave us a message on our Facebook page!


Where is Hoshiiya located?

We are happily located in Tokyo, Japan! However, Hoshiiya does not have a physical shop. We operate solely online and this allows us to cater to customers all over the world!


Where do you get your items from?

All of our items come from various stores within Tokyo! All of our items are 100% authentic and we will never deal with anything bootlegged. Most Pokemon merchandise comes directly from the Pokemon Center MegaTokyo.


What types of payment do you accept?

All of our payments are handled safely and securely through Paypal. Using Paypal, we can accept all major credit cards, as well as payments from bank accounts. Don’t worry, you can still use it if you don’t have an account!


What is a “pick up” item?

Items listed as “pick up” mean they are currently not in hand and will be picked up from the store once your order has been processed. We use the “pick up” system for items that haven’t been released yet or mostly items from the Pokemon Center.


What if my “pick up” item isn’t in stock?

Sometimes this can happen if items are especially popular. Although we line up hours in advance for our pick ups, somethings things are out of our control. If your item isn’t in stock you will be contacted & refunded promptly.


But I’d still like my item, is there anything you can do?

We understand! If your “pick-up” item is sold out, we will contact you giving the option for “restock”. This means we will go back to the shop the following week to see if the item has been restocked. If the item hasn’t been restocked at this point, you will be refunded.


Where do you ship your items from?

All items are shipped from a smoke & pet free environment in Tokyo, Japan.


How do you package orders?

All items (with the exception of mascot plush & miscellaneous small items) are packaged in sturdy boxes. We understand that even a bump could be potentially devastating to a collection, so we pack every order with the utmost care.

Small items & mascot plush are usually sent in padded, bubble mailers.


When do you ship your items?

If your item is a pick-up item, it will be shipped once it has picked up from the store. Usually within 1 week after receiving payment. If your item is a preorder pickup, it will be shipped once the item has been released. Again, this is usually within 1 week after the item has been released (release dates on preorder pickups are always listed on the product page). If your item is currently in hand, it will be shipped within 3-4 business days after receiving payment.

If you have ordered a combination of preorder pickups with items already in stock or normal pickups, unless you contact us, your order will be shipped within 1 week of the preorder pickup item’s release. This helps save you shipping costs!


How fast will my item get to me?

It all depends on shipping methods and your country. We ship all items via airmail with Japan Post so most items get to North America and Europe within 6-10 business days.


It’s been 4+ weeks & I still haven’t gotten my item!

Sometimes this happens because customs in your country is being overly thorough or sometimes it just gets at the bottom of the mailbag. If you still haven’t gotten your item after 4+ weeks, please contact us.


What’s included in the shipping & handling fee?

The shipping & handling fee is inclusive of all costs involved in getting your item to you! This includes postage, packaging (note that cards, doujinshi, flat items and posters also factor in additional packaging to get the item safely to you), bank transfer fees (getting the money from Paypal to a Japanese bank account to buy your items), transportation expenses. These might sound scary and excessive, but we try to keep everything as reasonable as possible. Of course you will always see a total before you complete your cart transaction, so don’t worry!


Do you accept refunds?

We try to describe our items as best as possible, complete with pictures. If something has gone wrong along the way, please don’t hesitate to contact us.


My item has arrived broken/in unacceptable condition!

If something has been damaged in shipping, please contact us! We understand condition is everything to collectors & try to package things as best as possible.


Can I cancel my order after it’s been placed?

Unfortunately we cannot accept cancellations once orders have been placed. Please consider all purchases carefully!