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

[kl241]

You are very close man, your almost there...

Enigma.................n

maybe in a few years

 

[Enigma]

no thanks. don't want to cuss out people's names like you guys. pretty low.

 

[Kabukiman]

You are very close man, your almost there...

Enigma.................n

maybe in a few years

 

[Skiman]

I personally have not called anyone names in this thread, I'm just lightening the mood.

 

[Kabukiman]

I personally have not called anyone names in this thread, I'm just lightning the mood.

It needs it in a big way.

 

[Enigma]

so now we are insulting names now kabukiman and skiman?

calling people noobs? please! make a valid point not lame insults.

Chicky rocks for coming in and adressing all the points.

nothing to contribute but insults?

 

[hairlesswookiee]

In reading through the post from Chicky again, I think that the return policy actually opens the possibility for worsened customer relations. The language of the return policy can lead to a "he said/she said" argument for what is and isn't a major or minor difference. I would argue that a big chunk of my collection has some minor difference between prototype and production that I have lived with, but others on the board have been upset and sent that item back. I think that this could lead to a lot of arguments between Sideshow and their customer if someone is dissatisfied. The red leather on the Moria Orc is not what was pre-ordered, but I like it enough to keep it. I may be a lot less forgiving of what I find to be acceptable minor differences in the future.

I agree with all of this, especially the bolded part. If I have to place a non-refundable deposit on a PF/Comi/Bust/whatever I expect perfection in EVERY aspect of the item. And if I need to contact CS in regards to a replacement/refund the last thing I will tolerate is a finger-pointing situation for who's to blame.

 

[IrishJedi]

This part of the new policy should give everyone pause in particular:

Keep in mind that minor differences are not considered a manufacturing flaw as all of our items are molded, assembled, painted, dressed and boxed by hand. In cases where Sideshow believes there is not a manufacturer’s defect but the complaint is a question of one’s personal taste, we offer the client exchange options.

Basically, what they're saying there is that it will be their determination whether or not a final product is a "defect" or not and instead of a full refund in some cases you would get "exchange options". So if I pre-ordered something like a Rambo PF in hopes that it would turn out decent in production and then received that mongoloid statue (because I didn't want to eat the 10% NRD by cancelling) there's a real possibility that I couldn't get a complete refund but instead "exchange options"?? EFF. THAT.

 

[IrishJedi]

I agree with all of this, especially the bolded part. If I have to place a non-refundable deposit on a PF/Comi/Bust/whatever I expect perfection in EVERY aspect of the item. And if I need to contact CS in regards to a replacement/refund the last thing I will tolerate is a finger-pointing situation for who's to blame.

Which is exactly why the right thing for them to do would be to update their production process and improve their QC before pulling shenanigans like this new NRD policy.

 

[Kabukiman]

If I have to place a non-refundable deposit on a PF/Comi/Bust/whatever I expect perfection in EVERY aspect of the item.

I don't think you're the only one either. It's going to be really interesting to see how it all plays out.

If I weren't lazy, I'd chart the amount of returned item threads we have now (and maybe keep a separate tally just for the special "horror stories" like the Creature thing) and compare those to how many we get after this policy goes widespread.

 

[kl241]

Glad this doesn't apply to Temple of Doom Indy PF. If it doesn't look EXACTLY like the paint shown at SDCC it's going back.

 

[Skiman]

This part of the new policy should give everyone pause in particular:



Basically, what they're saying there is that it will be their determination whether or not a final product is a "defect" or not and instead of a full refund in some cases you would get "exchange options". So if I pre-ordered something like a Rambo PF in hopes that it would turn out decent in production and then received that mongoloid statue (because I didn't want to eat the 10% NRD by cancelling) there's a real possibility that I couldn't get a complete refund but instead "exchange options"?? EFF. THAT.

"Are you sure that UPS didn't cause that paint chip? Do you have any pets in the house? Is your wife pregnant? , is NAM your friend?"

No REFUND 4 YOU!!!!!!!!

 

[Enigma]

This part of the new policy should give everyone pause in particular:



Basically, what they're saying there is that it will be their determination whether or not a final product is a "defect" or not and instead of a full refund in some cases you would get "exchange options". So if I pre-ordered something like a Rambo PF in hopes that it would turn out decent in production and then received that mongoloid statue (because I didn't want to eat the 10% NRD by cancelling) there's a real possibility that I couldn't get a complete refund but instead "exchange options"?? EFF. THAT.

if you had any statue problems before then yes.

if not then no.

did you have problems returning/exchanging something before?

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

nothing to contribute but insults?

kinda funny since that's all you've done

 

[choopie]

Here's a thought: Rather than a pre-order deposit, why can't Sideshow charge a restocking fee on the back end if a customer returns and asks for a refund of a product they aren't happy with? This is related to the discussion of "he said/she said" of minor differences with regards to end products.

 

[IrishJedi]

if you had any statue problems before then yes.

if not then no.

did you have problems returning/exchanging something before?

Are you not understanding my point? Throw past exchange/return/refund experiences out the window. According to Chicky's description of this new policy Sideshow will now have the discretion to say that a sub-par painted statue in production is not technically a manufacturing defect and thus could issue "exchange options" instead of a full refund. That is horrible and flies in the face of what the company has stood for up until now. It also shows that they're more willing to tweak their Customer Service policies than they are to get off their asses and fix these production/QC issues in the first place. This is bad.

 

[Enigma]

kinda funny since that's all you've done

no, read the thread.

 

[Kabukiman]

Here's a thought: Rather than a pre-order deposit, why can't Sideshow charge a restocking fee on the back end if a customer returns and asks for a refund of a product they aren't happy with?

This would be even worse, imo. This would do nothing but punish the customer. The deposit is a happy medium, assuming QC issues were in order.

 

[The Mike]

People are being shortsighted. This new NRD policy is aimed at the collector that orders just because and cancels at ship time. Its aimed to try and stop those who are doing it just because. That led to Sideshow having overstock and they are trying to stop the bleeding. What is getting wrapped up into it are those collectors who cancel due to actual money problems. As well as those who see pics online of product that isn't up to par before it ships and cancels, as well as those items that are already too high in ES and would sit around anyway, Van Helsing PF. Its a band-aid strategy to a complex problem with the outcome hopefully that they will have less cancelations, the thing is that there isn't only one thing leading to cancelations.

QC is huge and you can't hand me a pair of rose colored specks and tell me that this in anyway will correct that problem. BUT one can logically deduce that if they handled the QC problem outright, gave it the same thought and logistics as this new NRD program has especially considering the "What ifs" addressed then they'd have one less variable to feed into what is the overall problem of overstock that is hurting the business.

Not to mention the QC issue has been a problem for the longest time, true its really hit and miss, sometimes it okay, others its laughable, its been a long while since someone sung its praises but the fact it easily lends itself to his conversation, a policy which is its purpose is to effect orders/stock shows just how much of a problem it actually is.

Sideshow could institute any flurry of new policy and I have my hunches that the conversation would always circle back to QC.

 

[Kabukiman]

no, read the thread.

Don't mind if I do...

Some girls cry about everything and do not know there is a return policy.

Don't like it stop shopping at Sideshow, there are tons of people who will keep ordering from them.

Some litte schoolgirls whine about everything.

Oh my god, there is a return policy but they still want to cry.

Quality of sideshow is fine, or you girls won't be here whining. It's not like you can tell quality til anything ships anyways at which point it's moot.

Go wear dresses or get jobs.

You baby girls are so moist.

so very moist.

poor little girls crying because their cancel button is taken away. learn to pay for what you order. too bad you can't flip for freen anymore, make way for the real collectors who actually have the cash ready. don't like their 30 day return policy, don't order. stop crying girlies.

still so very moist in here. poor giirlies sad sideshow took away the cancel button. no more flipping for free.

best thing against free flipping, if you can't see that you need your iq checked or you are a flipper yourself.

all those poor doll collectors