1st, APOLOGIES for the long post...but it is what it is...
What amazes me is the main issue at hand: SIDESHOW CONTINUES TO PUT OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT INTO THE BOX AND SHIP IT.
If the QC was so great, and we know it isn't because it's hit or miss, simple things like spots on bodies or in my case a small ding on the base wouldn't be packaged.
I was sent a replacement base which doesn't fit properly. I was then told there's no more replacement bases. I've gone all around with sideshow on this one. It wouldn't be so bad and I'd probably be more accepting of the credit if this didn't turn out so well for all of the early shippers. But I get the short end of the stick on something that turned out so well for most people.
As stated earlier, yes, we get our full money back, but really, that's a standard business practice nowadays. There's of course exceptions, but that's standard. But that's mainly a Buyer's Remorse situation. This is not Buyer's Remorse, it's faulty product. If YOU deliver faulty product, you're not doing any favors providing a 100% refund, you OWE that money back for poor quality if the customer decides they want to return. It's not entitlement, nobody is asking for anything beyond a product with no defects. Getting a full refund back is not a privilege if faulty product was delivered.
In the cases of Sideshow statues it comes down to the fact that one handful gets a great production while the other handful gets problems, which leads to disappointment from that crowd. That's where I'm at. Honestly I'll be the first to admit my issue isn't too bad. What's too bad is judged differently by different people. The frustration for me comes from the fact that many before me had no problems at all so to get any type of problems after waiting through the delay is just a frustration. I don't think it's unreasonable to feel like that. Even with my issue not being too bad, line it up with a problem free piece, nobody would prefer mine. If I tried to sell it (and I have no intentions to, I buy every statue with the intent to keep) best believe I wouldn't get full market going rate because that mark on my base would be scrutinized.
But late batches are a punishment, at least on this one. Pray you get a good one because the bad ones are showing up and there will be no satisfying remedy.
It's great to be on the good side of things... My Batman pits were superior (not perfect) out of the box; my JSC Spider-Man has a better wash application than others I've seen; my Apocalypse, again not perfect with it's 3 missing paint spots, is still leaps and bounds better than others, I prefer looking at that over this Superman, especially since my rusted cables were replaced. But on the flip side it sucks to have problems when you see others having no issues at all. I've been down this road with Psylocke and Spider-Woman, worse situations I'll admit.
In any event, I'm cutting my PO list with Sideshow. I have 6 current POs now, the least I've had in over a year. I'm all in for Fett, Vader and ASM2 when they go up for PO, but gone are the days of 9+ POs at one time. I'm skipping that awful Emma that I wanted to give a chance. I was going to give Daredevil a chance, now I'm not. I still want Dr. Doom but I'm not sure if I'm up for more of sideshow's QC shenanigans. Same with Batgirl, looks like I'm skipping her, too. Point is I'm not going to be extra about it, like "I'm done with SS!", lol. They still pump out some incredible stuff. But the failures are real. It's time to make a real decision so I'm cutting my spending with them. If they can't take the time to make sure defective product doesn't even go in the box in the first place, they no longer deserve as much of my money.
I'm frustrated, but I still hope this long ass post came across with some level of reason and not just mindlessness. Congrats to those with no issues, and for anybody still waiting, I hope this one works out well for you.