Deposits on Exclusive Pre-Orders: Sideshow's New Policy?

[Enigma]

If people think flippers don't contribute to the edition size increase because of multiple accounts and orders and cancel later, then they are just naive.

1/6 figures are not included in this so arguing that point is moot. For statues, they have more hits than misses QCwise.

 

[Shai]

Awesome !!! Ex have just become more Elite.Shai in.

 

[The Mike]

Flippers by nature wouldn't cancel right? They'd take it and sell it. They do inflate edition size when Sideshow allows the edition to be open but if they canceled out they wouldn't be flippers would they?

What this policy is driven from and pointing towards is that people are going ordering crazy on anything exclusive that they think is cool whether they have the intention of keeping it or not and multiple mass cancels around time of shipping is leaving SSC with overstock that they are forced to eat until people buy it up. If people can't see that then they need to pull their heads from the sand and look around. Any thread of a popular license on ordering day has dozens upon dozens of "Ordered it!" or "All too easy!" and then come shipping goes "Had to cancel" or "Will pick it up later". That is where this is aiming. Unfortunately there are also a lot of "This looks horrible" or "That isn't anything like the proto" and because of that IMHO Sideshow hasn't earned the NRD yet.

 

[fuzzylojiks]

The fact that some people in this thread still think this has to do with Flippers is baffling.

Its not a bad policy per se, just premature. I love Sideshow, as a company they are better than most other collectible companies and they have fantastic employees but the product in recent times hasn't earn me the confidence to just go willy-nilly into the NRD with hope in one hand and a blind eye. Their QC has been getting significantly worse, I've seen 1/6 figures with yellow eyes, flat paint, googly irises and this is all on one figure and seeing such ballpark knockouts like Obi-Wan or Palpatine for example I know that they can do better. They have the current means to do better, it isn't like they need to go get another factory or go and adopt another company's styling, OWK and Palps came from their current factories. They just need to shore up the folks on that end to make sure there is a quality product is out.

Saying "From a distance you can't really tell" isn't okay with me. I don't want apologists driving it, we should be getting the quality simply because we are paying customers. Sideshow can do it, they've shown it and until they do it again I'll be sitting out direct pre-orders on anything with an NRD because I just don't trust the end result to be worth it, especially considering that the run times are anywhere from 5 months to a year.

Since they have left 1/6 figures out of this, what other statues have you had problems personally with that has not been resolved or which ended badly? j/w

 

[Enigma]

Flippers by nature wouldn't cancel right? They'd take it and sell it. They do inflate edition size when Sideshow allows the edition to be open but if they canceled out they wouldn't be flippers would they?

What this policy is driven from and pointing towards is that people are going ordering crazy on anything exclusive that they think is cool whether they have the intention of keeping it or not and multiple mass cancels around time of shipping is leaving SSC with overstock that they are forced to eat until people buy it up. If people can't see that then they need to pull their heads from the sand and look around. Any thread of a popular license on ordering day has dozens upon dozens of "Ordered it!" or "All too easy!" and then come shipping goes "Had to cancel" or "Will pick it up later". That is where this is aiming. Unfortunately there are also a lot of "This looks horrible" or "That isn't anything like the proto" and because of that IMHO Sideshow hasn't earned the NRD yet.

wrong, flippers order many and cancel what they do not sell.

cancel customers are the other problem.

both make up big edition sizes and overstocked warehouses.

this policy will address both.

 

[The Mike]

Since they have left 1/6 figures out of this, what other statues have you had problems personally with that has not been resolved or which ended badly? j/w

There are quite a few that don't come out looking like the proto or aren't quite up to snuff but the biggest ones are T-800 PF, Rambo PF, Darkness LSB (Look at King Darkness' heartbreak over that), Moria Orc PF, Conan PF, Iron Man 1:1 (thankfully mine are okay but the threads is littered with images of bad QC), Aragorn PF, Angel PF (especially the Human head), Slave Leia PF and those are just off of the top of my head. Now arguably some are worse than others but the point is that QC needs to be shored up. Whether this addresses 1/6 figures or not in terms of policy, the whole process needs some TLC and I personally think that Sideshow's efforts should be directed there with results before implementing something like this. Just my two pennies.

 

[IrishJedi]

Any thread of a popular license on ordering day has dozens upon dozens of "Ordered it!" or "All too easy!" and then come shipping goes "Had to cancel" or "Will pick it up later". That is where this is aiming. Unfortunately there are also a lot of "This looks horrible" or "That isn't anything like the proto" and because of that IMHO Sideshow hasn't earned the NRD yet.

t QC needs to be shored up. Whether this addresses 1/6 figures or not in terms of policy, the whole process needs some TLC and I personally think that Sideshow's efforts should be directed there with results before implementing something like this.

Once again... BINGO!

Again, here's the thing: I don't give a damn about Edition Sizes, flippers, or any other trivial element of collecting these days. The only thing I care about is a) is the product itself as good as can be for the money, and b) does it come out of production with the best Quality Control possible. The rest of the stuff everyone seems to be bringing into this discussion is completely immaterial and irrelevant to me.

I'm neither a cheapskate or a flipper (obviously), but I do have principles... so this new policy sucks.

 

[The Mike]

Agreed. I don't care if the edition sizes are 5 or 5,000 for a figure, PF or bust. If its cool and I like it I buy it but the expectation is that it looks like what I'm ordering. All too often despite the format they aren't looking that way and that is the big elephant in the room that people are looking past for dealing with issues about edition sizes and flippers for some reason.

 

[fuzzylojiks]

There are quite a few that don't come out looking like the proto or aren't quite up to snuff but the biggest ones are T-800 PF, Rambo PF, Darkness LSB (Look at King Darkness' heartbreak over that), Moria Orc PF, Conan PF, Iron Man 1:1 (thankfully mine are okay but the threads is littered with images of bad QC), Aragorn PF, Angel PF (especially the Human head), Slave Leia PF and those are just off of the top of my head. Now arguably some are worse than others but the point is that QC needs to be shored up. Whether this addresses 1/6 figures or not in terms of policy, the whole process needs some TLC and I personally think that Sideshow's efforts should be directed there with results before implementing something like this. Just my two pennies.

Well the main question is, was the shipping paid for the returns/replacements by Sideshow since alot of the concerns have been they won't cover QC issues. Have you personally had any shipping not paid for by Sideshow for statue QC problems?

 

[wicked_loki]

Okay, I have read most of the posts here and I can only surmise this is going to affect all of us at some point or another. I have certainly ordered my fair share of items and then have had to cancel them for one of several reasons, not the least is to many items coming at once. So, to some of you I would be a problem, but I have also spent an obscene amount of money with Sideshow. All this new policy seems to do is reduce my ability to purchase the figures I want. In reality for me it has helped me, because I know have a reason to reduce my purchases.
As to flippers, it seems to reason if you reduce the edition size of each of these figures and then post ahead of time the number of these you are producing, it just ups their perceived value and is even going to bring out more flippers. Hell wasn't that the argument in the past like when the Grey Hulk was sold, or the Spider-Man variations or any number of figures that sold out quickly. Everyone knew what the edition size was and they were scooped up in mere seconds. So please explain to me how telling the world ahead of time what the edition size is won't bring out the flippers? Hell, if they want to go that route, just name the edition size ahead of time...200 Beasts. So why is the deposit needed? You are making 200 hundred, if they sit in the warehouse, it has nothing to do with cancellations or flippers, it has to do with the fact no one wanted it. Flippers are like ticket scalpers, if they think they can make money they will come and by limiting the edition size and posting it ahead of time all you are doing is loading the ocean water with chum, ringing a dinner bell and waiting but not for long, the sharks will be coming.

 

[Enigma]

they do not have to earn anything. other companies have NRD or no cancel policy, Some don't even have as good a return policy.

you will still buy from Sideshow because they are the best out there, have the best return policy and other companies also have NRD/no cancel.

 

[IrishJedi]

Why are people continually shifting the conversation away from what should be the A #1 Priority and main concern for Sideshow and its consumers?: QUALITY CONTROL. That should always be taken care of before any other new processes are even considered, much less put in place. Period. This is the entire point that Mike and I are making here.

Sideshow can institute all the NRD policies they want... after they fix their flawed production process and inconsistent QC.

 

[Skiman]

Chicky, where's my Selene Comiquette to go with my awesome EX X-Force dio!? Sneak peek, pretty please!?.....

Cancel queen doesn't deserve these pieces, throw to the fires!!!!

 

[Enigma]

quality control is fine for me. never been out money for any returns for statues. have not seen any clams that anyone has.

 

[ozzfan84]

In reality, why would SS care about flippers? If they run up an ES, at least they're buying the merch. Then they go out and drum up interest, demand and value of Sideshow pieces.

This is not about flippers; it's about people who order and then don't pay for the stuff for one reason or another. I think upping QC will help it, but I also think collectors are undecisive by nature.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Personally, I generally avoid pre-ordering from places that require a deposit on their pre-orders. I understand why they do it, but from the customer point of view, it's too constricting when you've got 8-10 months of wait time to contend with.

I would think Sideshow would welcome some of their exclusives being on second chance or coming back into stock. Why do you want all of your exclusive items sold out during the pre-order process? Doesn't look good for new collectors who discover the site for the first time, yet are discouraged to order because nothing is in stock. Also, not everyone rushes to pre-order items. There have been many occasions where I've eyed pieces I was interested in, but waited until shipping. And to my pleasure found that the exclusives came back in stock and I ended up buying them: Evil Queen PF and Vlad being two recent purchases that come to mind.

Seems to me Sideshow is implementing this policy on lines they deem to be popular, like Marvel. I'm guessing SW and TMNT would fall under this category as well, while other lines would remain untouched. Doesn't seem fair to me to do that. Either implement the policy site-wide or not at all.

And I find the whole business of focusing on the "serious collector" ridiculous. Yes you have the flipper and the chronic canceller, but what do you define as a "serious collector?" Someone who pre-orders everything? Someone who spends X amount a year? Someone who values the piece for itself and not it's increased value? Someone who orders from Sideshow and no where else? I just feel it's a poor reason. They want to cut down on the volume of cancellations, plain and simple.

I agree, Choop. I'm already holding off on pre-orders because they come up so much cheaper in the aftermarket, so this is just more fuel for the fire.

Chicky already stated that Sideshow will accept returns and cover shipping if the final paint doesn't match the protos, so that's good enough for me. But I personally don't like to put down deposits on something so far in advance for something so expensive. If it was just a $40 item then I'm pretty sure I would be able to afford it no matter when it finally started shipping. But we're talking $100-$300 items (and several ones at that) and you just never know what your situation is going to be like in 6-8 months. Having the option to cancel was very reassuring.

However, like Choopie said, it'll be better for those who are not glued to this forum or Sideshow's site and come across a pre-order that didn't sell out in minutes and get the chance to pre-order something definitively instead of just being placed on the waitlist.

 

[The Mike]

Well the main question is, was the shipping paid for the returns/replacements by Sideshow since alot of the concerns have been they won't cover QC issues. Have you personally had any shipping not paid for by Sideshow for statue QC problems?

Let me come at this from another angle, since maybe its not being read clearly. It doesn't matter how good or how bad Sideshow's return policy is because that is an afterthought, its a moot point in an argument being made that they should be focused on QC of their product so it never actually makes it to that point. I already said that the policy itself and the clarifications made by Chicky are fine and as a policy its not necessarily a bad one only that they aren't there yet. You can't compare Sideshow's policy to Alter Egos from example because they are a store and Sideshow themselves are making these. If a product isn't up to snuff then its not Alter Ego's fault, they are just distributing where as Sideshow is actually making it which makes it a whole different ballgame in terms of an NRD because its from the source IMHO.

Carl and I are saying that whilst this is a policy made and not a bad one in its idea, its premature because the much larger looming issue of QC is still there and if Sideshow handled that it would help spotlight the fickle customers and not leave a variable that effect the company as a whole not just in returns.

 

[Enigma]

still no one out money for returns on statues?

where are the people complaining about money lost due to QC?

waiting...............

 

[IrishJedi]

still no one out money for returns on statues?

where are the people complaining about money lost due to QC?

waiting...............

You'll be waiting forever... because we don't need to respond to Straw Man arguments.

No one's talking about "money lost" by consumers due to bad QC. Instead, the discussion is solely on the fact that QC is sadly not a priority for Sideshow. If it were, this wouldn't even be an issue.

 

[The Mike]

Wow...okay we get it you love Sideshow...Here is the point broken down. The QC sucks. So people cancel before it ships or as its shipping because it does. Those cancelations lead to bloated stock in their warehouses. So, they need to institute something like this because they are stuck with merchandise. These people (if they are smart) aren't even letting it arrive home because they are watching boards like this like the metaphorical canary in the mine shaft and see a few crappy pics and cancel out. If QC was handled correctly you'd get less cancels and therefore less stock in the warehouse. Its not the whole problem but a big part in recent times.