Celestial Toystore
The Celestial Toystore is a website selling unlicensed, high-quality replica props and costumes as featured in the popular BBC Television series’ Doctor Who and Sherlock.
As far as we know the owner of the site is a British citizen, but many of his products are manufactured, sold and shipped from an aeronautics industry factory in China. The apparent reason for this is simple; he does not have a license from BBC Worldwide and therefore cannot trade directly from the United Kingdom, for fear of incurring the legal wrath of BBC Worldwide. So his manufacturing base is in China.
We believe he once applied for a BBC Worldwide license to manufacture and retail replica Sonic Screwdrivers, based upon those utilsed in Doctor Who. Apparently turned down by BBC Worldwide for reasons unknown to us, he decided to go ahead and manufacture anyway! Any slight on the quality of his replicas and his workmanship is usually met with a torrent of abuse and self-righteous fury!
They claim that money was never the sole reason for their manufacturing and selling replica props and costume parts, but to give a small minority of fans the opportunity of buying "high-quality, high end replicas at a fraction of the cost of so called 'Artisan' replicas". This claim is understandable, as CT is possibly the worst salesman in the history of commercial enterprise.
His on-line shop makes interesting reading, especially the FAQ which reads like a “Please don’t sue me!” begging letter; the 'Contact Us' page where he shows his utter contempt for anyone daring to ask the most seemingly innocuous of questions, and his terms of service and sale. None of which are in keeping with English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Ireland, and/or UK-wide retail laws! Under English Law, such as the Sales of Goods Act and others, retailers are legally obliged to conduct their business under certain terms and conditions, all of which CT seems to blissfully ignore; safe in the knowledge that he has made himself above English Law.
He has a Facebook and a Twitter account, which are sometimes private to only his friends, loyal customers and other sycophants. However, he has a Blogger account, which is publicly accessible BUT NOT SAFE FOR WORK! His NSFW blog does make interesting reading and gives us an insight into the kind of man he is!
While one can understand his wanting to defend the quality of his workmanship and his products, the way he handles himself can only be described as psychopathic, cowardly, and downright stupid! Hiding behind a pseudonym and a Chinese manufacturing base, and thus protecting himself from legal threats, he happily reveals the identities of several Doctor Who and replica props forum members. He also descends into a psychopathic fit of childish insults and swear words!
Not very sporting of him; not exactly cricket, Harry!
Furthermore, he seems intent on demonising the entire cosplay community, despite the fact that they are his past, present, and future potential customers. So let us thank the Saint of Prop Making that he has decided not to give up his industry day job, as a customer base that was already small to begin with must be rapidly dwindling!
Even more incredibly, by continuing to manufacture after being turned down by BBC Worldwide, he has alienated himself from the BBC, which just happens to be the biggest television production company and broadcaster in the UK; biting a very large hand that could have fed him! OOPS! Meanwhile, other UK prop makers are gainfully hired by the BBC to make assorted props.
Based on his reaction to being rejected for a license by BBC Worldwide and his disregarding of it, as well as the way he conducts himself on the Internet and his interesting terms and conditions of trade, his chances of securing other licenses from other TV and film franchises are slim! Double OOPS!
CT is afflicted by the Internet medical disorder commonly known as “Typing before engaging one’s brain”! Whereas most cases can be dealt with by reason and common-sense, CT appears to be a terminal case and beyond any cure.
1, 2, 3, 4... I declare a Time War[edit]
CT has recently declared all-out-war on the Replica Props Forum (RPF) and its owner; CT is banned from the site and any mention of him or his products strictly forbidden, which considering CT's reputation is unsurprising. Interestingly, the official Facebook page of the RPF has 29,872 likes, whereas CT's official Facebook page only has a mere 448 likes. CT is also banned from Gallifrey Base, a large Doctor Who forum and again, all mention of him and his products is verboten.
How to engage with CT[edit]
- Tell him you think the MFX Sonic Screwdriver is far more accurate than his own.
- Tell him the MFX Sonic Screwdriver is now screen-accurate (having appeared in Day of the Doctor) and thus his own Sonic Screwdriver is no longer screen-accurate.
- Tell him you bought a Sonic Screwdriver off eBay, signed by Christopher Eccleston.
- Quote the UK Sales of Goods Act!
- Tell him you think the Wand Factory Sonic Screwdrivers are far more accurate than his own.
- Tell him he uses Chinese cheap labour force to keep his costs down.
- Tell him he only manufactures and ships from China to prevent his ass being sued off by BBC Worldwide and the countless number of prop collectors and cosplayers he has libelled.
- Tell him you question how much involvement he actually had in the process of making the prototypes and the retail items and how much of the credit should go to the Chinese factory.
- Tell him he hides behind a pseudonym to prevent his ass being sued off by BBC Worldwide, and the countless number of prop collectors and cosplayers he has libelled.
- Report his Blogger account to Google Inc
- Tell him you are a cosplayer.
... Any one of these is likely to cause CT to go off on one.
The moral of this story is to avoid doing business with a psychopath with anger-management issues and a hatred for his potential customer base! Just say no, kiddies!
YouTube[edit]
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
celestialtoystore
CelestialToystore
ctoystore
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