Helloooo!
This part is more me than “us” because I’m the owner, the runner, and pretty much everything else behind Panda Media & Records.
Panda Media & Records is my very own project. It started with a simple thought: if so many people love all these things in common, why not make a one-stop shop a reality? A place where everyone with these interests can come, find what they need, and build a bigger community around it without it feeling like you’re just shopping at some faceless mega corporation. That’s how Panda Media & Records was born, starting with Vinyl, Manga and Games, which are my biggest passions. (Though I’ll admit, I’m more of an anime enjoyer than a manga reader. I read manga when it’s exclusively manga-only at the time :3) And I’ve got even bigger expansions planned for figures and Funkos, because collecting them is a big passion of mine too.
So where does Panda land in your life?
For me it’s about the connection, and making it feel more like a real in-shop experience. We might end up chatting about something when you message me with a question, which makes it less corporate and more human. My hope is that Panda becomes the first place that pops into your head when you’re thinking about what to buy and where to buy it, or even just to swing by and see what’s new in the store.
On quality
Every item I source, I make sure it’s the best available. I only work with proper distributors and suppliers, and I’ll happily pay a bit more for stock if it means the quality stays top.
On shipping
I know that as much as I try to give good prices on the items themselves, shipping costs can put people off. So I’m working to give everyone as much flexibility as I can with delivery options, and I’m always trying to do everything on my end to make it the best possible experience.
On packing
I don’t cheap out, and I pack everything properly — exactly how, item by item, is set out on the Condition & Packing page.
I’ll be honest about one thing though: I do reuse boxes from suppliers wherever I can. First because it genuinely helps with costs (boxes are expensive, and I don’t have a ton of space), and second because recycling is just the right thing to do.
On trust
I’m a registered business. The KVK and BTW numbers are on the Terms page and you can look both of them up in about thirty seconds. Payments run through Mollie, so your card details never reach my site at all.
Beyond that, there’s no helpdesk here. You message the shop, I answer — same person who packed the parcel and wrote the product page. That holds as long as the volume doesn’t get completely out of control, which I do hope it one day does, but only time will tell :)
The big dream
One day, I’d love to open a physical store built on this same concept, combining all these categories into one nice space while keeping everyone entertained. That’s still a long way off and it really depends on how the webshop does, so realistically I’m looking at around 2030. Where in the world it’ll be, I honestly don’t know yet. I might move somewhere better, I might stay right here. Only time will tell, but the dream stays the same: open a physical store someday (probably under a different name) and keep Panda Media & Records running as the webshop with the same concept, hopefully until 2035–2040, for as long as my pandas are intact :)
Thank you so much if you read all the way to here. It really means a lot to share this passion with everyone who’s into the kind of stuff I sell. I hope we can make this big enough to climb the ladder together and build something nice for all of us.
I wish you all a great day,
Panda Media & Records
(Owner, CEO, Janitor, Accountant, CFO, which are all, in fact, me)
Stay in one spot, another day of monotony’s gotten me
To the point I’m like a snail, I’ve got
To formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot
Success is my only motherfuckin’ option, failure’s not
Mom, I love you, but this trailer’s got
To go, I cannot grow old in Salem’s Lot
So here I go, it’s my shot, feet, fail me not
This may be the only opportunity that I got
Eminem — Lose Yourself (the very best)