$20 Cancellation Fee Sucks

[karamazov80]

Then there would be no penalty for cancellation.

Well like Pikachu says, it would ultimately be money in Sideshow's pockets one way or the other. But yeah, guys who buy from Sideshow and who will continue to wouldn't see it as a penalty at all.

 

[devilof76]

They go through the trouble of providing the service for the sake of a sale. If they did the work and don't get the sale, then have to go through the trouble of refunding the customer as well. I think they're entitled to claim that fee for their efforts. If there is no consequence to cancelling, they'll be jumping through a thousand different hoops for nothing, but the customer who abuses it still gets a payment plan for whatever product they choose.

Seems crazy to me. Then again, I'm not real big on "the customer is always right, and thus must have their backside smooched until you can see your reflection in it."

 

[karamazov80]

Well I'm just thinking that there could be a benefit to Sideshow doing what Pikachu suggests. I mean, they throw out those $15-20 discounts like candy anyway, trying to get folks to put them towards orders on their site. If the money just went toward an account credit, then it could benefit Sideshow by providing an incentive for a customer to eventually order something.

Having said that, the system as is it is currently set up is straight forward, and I don't think folks who lose NRDs due to cancellation should complain too much because that was what they agreed to.

The only thing that bugs me about SSC's customer service is when they don't do right in terms of accounting for their QC mistakes, something I recently ran into that left a really bad taste in my mouth, but that's a discussion for another thread. . .

 

[devilof76]

No, I fully agree that the QC fouls are not adequately dealt with, and that is the kind of customer service that is critical. Waiting over a year in anticipation of a statue only to end up with a refund sucks. The type I'm deriding is when a company bends over backwards to satisfy ridiculous demands, simply to prevent an irrational customer from having a fit. I see it a lot in the hotel industry and it's gross.

I can also see the benefit of enticing customers with discounts, but that's in their control. People repeatedly cancelling FlexPay orders and then getting a statue when they rack up enough credits isn't something that they can ensure works in their favor. It's impossible to abuse a coupon...I think.

 

[karamazov80]

I was thinking about the NRDs alone. FlexPay would seem a different animal to me. I think it more clearly benefits SSC to dissuade folks from trying to transfer FlexPay payments into credits. Just too much money and room for potential abuse of using SSC as their own private savings account. . .though SSC has been encouraging more and more of that kind of thing recently.

 

[devilof76]

Money in the bank.

 

[Darth Pikachu]

They go through the trouble of providing the service for the sake of a sale. If they did the work and don't get the sale, then have to go through the trouble of refunding the customer as well. I think they're entitled to claim that fee for their efforts. If there is no consequence to cancelling, they'll be jumping through a thousand different hoops for nothing, but the customer who abuses it still gets a payment plan for whatever product they choose.

Seems crazy to me. Then again, I'm not real big on "the customer is always right, and thus must have their backside smooched until you can see your reflection in it."

This is not about irrational customers abusing the system. This is about regular customers that spend hundreds to thousands of dollars and sometimes need to delay or cancel an item.

Companies that sell products regularly have to perform services for which they don't get to charge every customer every time for. That is just part of the customer service experience and is built into the overall profit of the company's bottom line. Putting a product on "layaway" and billing in increments is not an excessively time-consuming or resource-heavy endeavor.

The policy is more a punitive measure to prevent speculators using it as their own personal inventory that they can liquidate if they're unable to flip it. It is not because is costs Sideshow so much to set up a payment plan.

Now, inventory DOES cost money to hang onto, so maybe it would be fair to implement my suggestion but also limit the number of Flex Pays an account can have simultaneously. That would limit abuse.

 

[barryo]

that or put some kind of time limit to how long a transfered NRD credit can be used.

won't sideshow work with you if you have to cancel an item for unforeseeable problems & you don't have a bunch of previous cancellations?

 

[devilof76]

The policy is more a punitive measure to prevent speculators using it as their own personal inventory that they can liquidate if they're unable to flip it. It is not because is costs Sideshow so much to set up a payment plan.

Now, inventory DOES cost money to hang onto, so maybe it would be fair to implement my suggestion but also limit the number of Flex Pays an account can have simultaneously. That would limit abuse.

If cancelled FlexPays weren't a problem for them, they wouldn't charge a fee. If they didn't prefer that people follow through on a payment plan, then they wouldn't impose punative measures as prevention. There is no fee for cancelling a single payment order that has no NRD. I doubt the difference is arbitrary.

 

[Darth Pikachu]

If cancelled FlexPays weren't a problem for them, they wouldn't charge a fee. If they didn't prefer that people follow through on a payment plan, then they wouldn't impose punative measures as prevention. There is no fee for cancelling a single payment order that has no NRD. I doubt the difference is arbitrary.

It's not because it costs the company $20-60 for someone in the warehouse to pull a product from the layaway section and return it to stock.

They obviously do not want Ebay speculators to have them hold a bunch of product while they presell it and cancel whatever drops in value. Then they get stuck with excess inventory for which the market has gone soft.

You can only cancel single payment on preorders.

 

[Deckard]

Flex Pay - a dumb gimmick for dumb people.

Self Control - something that saves you cancelation fees.

Somewhere theres a thread with about 40 pages of people saying they don't see a differance in flex pay, well here it is folks. If he had simply ordered these and saved on his own for when the time came instead of a payment plan and relying on essentially a threat from Sideshow, he wouldn't be out $60 for nothing.

 

[Star Puffs]

Then there would be no penalty for cancellation.

But Sideshow would not lose anything either. The only way the customer would get their money "back" would be by completing a future purchase.

This is why BBTS gets almost all of my business. I pay a bit more, but have the right to be fickle.

 

[devilof76]

They lose the time they invested in managing the payment plan.

It's not because it costs the company $20-60 for someone in the warehouse to pull a product from the layaway section and return it to stock.

It doesn't matter what it costs them. All that matters is how they prefer to deal with it. If they don't want to deal with the trouble of cancelled FlexPay, then they charge a fee.

And how does FlexPay help scalpers, exactly?

You can only cancel single payment on preorders.

No kidding.

 

[thenammagazine]

I have a suggestion for Sideshow:

How about converting the cancellation fees to Sideshow account credit?

This would allow us loyal customers to cancel when these situations arise and still apply toward future purchases, but would discourage random speculators and less serious shoppers who may never actually buy anything?

Even a long-time customer will get a sour taste in their mouth having to pay for nothing, but knowing that the money is in your account for later eases the discontent.

How is it Sideshow's fault you have to cancel something?

When you order something you're essentially asking them to reserve it for you. Then, when you back out of your obligation to purchase it, for whatever reason (save for QC issues which would be entirely justified), you're sticking them with a piece to sell because you couldn't fulfill your obligation.

Too many people have done this over the years, sticking Sideshow with unwanted product clogging the warehouse, which is the whole reason Sideshow charges us NRDs now.

 

[Chicky]

This is not about irrational customers abusing the system. This is about regular customers that spend hundreds to thousands of dollars and sometimes need to delay or cancel an item.

For customers who may sometimes need to delay a schedule, we assist them without penalty. Customers have also been extended a one time waiver of fees due to unfortunate and unexpected circumstances described in this thread. If a product is significantly delayed due to manufacturing, we offer penalty free cancellations of those flex pay plans. Also clients are able to cancel penalty free before the payment plan starts, which may be a time frame of WEEKS to MONTHS to reconsider your order. I believe we have an incredibly fair policy in this respect. The cancellations only become a problem for those whom over order what they can actually afford.

Companies that sell products regularly have to perform services for which they don't get to charge every customer every time for. That is just part of the customer service experience and is built into the overall profit of the company's bottom line. Putting a product on "layaway" and billing in increments is not an excessively time-consuming or resource-heavy endeavor.

There are many companies that provide additional services without charge, as we do for our clients. However, many stores who offer payment plans do require service fees for these specialty programs, as that's what they are- special. Even insurance companies charge an extra $5 just for the option to split your payments up. I politely disagree with your assumption that flex pay is not a time consuming endeavor for us. Unless you are on this end, you have no clue and (pardon my bluntness) are out of your freakin' mind.

With the up and down economy, we have seen a surge of clients requesting payment plans on almost our entire library of items. We have had to hire additional people to handle flex pay specifically, we have had to put specialty programming in place to meet the demands and weird requests of these clients, and we have had to create custom processing in order to handle these specialty orders. These expenses are only fractionally covered by a part of the sale. No sale at all and we are left with a lot of effort that is not worth the doing, hence a modest cancellation fee for the effort.

The policy is more a punitive measure to prevent speculators using it as their own personal inventory that they can liquidate if they're unable to flip it. It is not because is costs Sideshow so much to set up a payment plan.

The cancellation fee is not a punitive measure to thwart speculators. It is to offset the cost of a plan that they agree contractually to follow. Although the new NRD policy insures that clients really want the item of a certain dollar value they are selecting and may deter speculators that we have seen abuse our system. The product quantity limitations also help curb speculators.

In the end, if you can save the money on your own each month that is certainly an option. Or you can use the flex pay system we have in place. I believe many people have benefited from this system and I have seen thousand of our customs use this service without complaint and without incurring fees.

I appreciate all of your feedback and always look forward to implementing our client suggestions in any way we can!

 

[SwedishHeat]

Unless you are on this end, you have no clue and (pardon my bluntness) are out of your freakin' mind.

Too many people on this board get away with telling companies how they should be doing business.

I'm happy to see you sticking up for yourself (and your co-workers).

 

[Chicky]

Too many people on this board get away with telling companies how they should be doing business.

I'm happy to see you sticking up for yourself (and your co-workers).

Don't get me wrong, our clients our our biggest asset in improving our systems and procedures. The suggestions in threads of this nature could prove to benefit all involved! What is disturbing is when people present their 'assumptions' as fact, in turn allowing others to get the wrong impression of our business, it's services and policies.

If anyone has any other questions about our flex pay plan I would be happy to answer them and clear up any misunderstandings! I have book marked this thread and will check back for responses!

 

[Ktjn]

Too many people on this board get away with telling companies how they should be doing business.

I'm happy to see you sticking up for yourself (and your co-workers).

Well put. But its not just SS, but near every company has to put up with this type of BS. Think of it as ambiguous moral; for I am always right, all deserving.

 

[DrQ2]

Flex Pay - a dumb gimmick for dumb people.

Self Control - something that saves you cancelation fees.
Somewhere theres a thread with about 40 pages of people saying they don't see a differance in flex pay, well here it is folks. If he had simply ordered these and saved on his own for when the time came instead of a payment plan and relying on essentially a threat from Sideshow, he wouldn't be out $60 for nothing.

Really ? I have only cancel once I was not charged then again they miss their date. Check Calif law's. That in mind I have 6 (fox will be 7) on fp. Yes I can pay out right and if a item comes in before the last payments I just pay it off. But my gf can not. So its fp all the way.

I will was going to cancel a pf and order a ex pf. At 1st I was going to be charged. But ss back down on their own. In the end the ex would have cost me about $200 in shipping (us mail,send someone to drive and stand in line for 2 hours, not counting ALL us mail item was ran over by a who knows what that week). So I never stop it.

Sorry. Only one problem and it was with a top end cs person. 46 item's since Oct 2011.

 

[devilof76]

Too many people on this board get away with telling companies how they should be doing business.

I'm happy to see you sticking up for yourself (and your co-workers).

Chicky rules.