Darth Waller
Are you on the square?
"Enjoy Being a Woman"? That's the best they could come up with? 
Flex Pay a new business strategy?
- Thread starter BadMoon
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The ill Jedi
ILLest of 'em all!!
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BadMoon
Demi G0D Overseer
The toxins in the air have entered my fragile brain. 
I saw both as well. Mine was regular ole order type but if I had only saw FP I would have still gotten it.
I do 2. Really don't see the big deal here. It makes you wonder how badly do you really want this and honestly I'd like to see it offered more for figures from say Hot Toys that cost quite a bit.
Darth Madden
You Are A Tooooooy!!!
I had both choices. I think the option of flex-pay is great but it does really suck that they forced some people to use it.
Alice Adrenochrome
Super Freak
I can perfectly understand why SSC launched the Flex Pay option for less expensive items (see article USA TADAY), but, it's simply wrong to place collectors in a dilemma.
Offering Flex Pay is basically a good thing, but people should be able to chose for this option voluntary, and not be forced into it because some monger or computer system dictates them to. I hope this get resolved in favor of what should be most important to SSC: their customers. Frankly, we have to deal with enough ^^^^ already, and there might come a time, when people have other things in mind then buying toys.
If SSC manages to get this Flex Pay thing rolling without upsetting their customers, it'll be interesting to see if they expand this idea to all other items in the $100 range, meaning to items from all other manufacturers they represent.
https://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-01-09-jobs-dec_N.htm?csp=34
Offering Flex Pay is basically a good thing, but people should be able to chose for this option voluntary, and not be forced into it because some monger or computer system dictates them to. I hope this get resolved in favor of what should be most important to SSC: their customers. Frankly, we have to deal with enough ^^^^ already, and there might come a time, when people have other things in mind then buying toys.
If SSC manages to get this Flex Pay thing rolling without upsetting their customers, it'll be interesting to see if they expand this idea to all other items in the $100 range, meaning to items from all other manufacturers they represent.
Here's the link if someone wants to read the whole article.
https://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-01-09-jobs-dec_N.htm?csp=34
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Memnoch
Lt. Vulture
I went flexpay because it gives me a more solid date to expect arrival and know when the money will be taken so I can plan ahead of time and accordingly. Flexiblity and advance knowledge are my friends.
DerMann
Super Freak
I agree, plus the payments aren't due until Aug and Sept. I'm surprised Sideshow hasn't started charging people for regular cancelations like some third party dealers.
Dusty
just me
A note about FLEXPay - if an item offers a FLEX option, you can request to change it from one to the other before payments start... ie: if you order via the 'straight pay' option and you decide later that you'd rather make payments, you can call customer service to switch to FLEXPay (which is why we offer it now when someone decides to cancel their item).
OR if you order via FLEXPay and decide you'd rather pay for it all at once when it ships, you can also call to switch... as long as the payments haven't started yet, there is no problem whatsoever. So there is always a choice, even after you've pre-ordered!
Long story short, if you were one of the few who only had the FLEX option for the Sandtrooper available during the 1 minute or less that is was like that, call up and change it to the straight pay if you don't want FLEX! It's as simple as that
(Also, we can't offer it on EVERY item because, unfortunately, it's a manual process and each FLEX item number requires a bunch of manual labor to keep up with... it's not simply a payment option on the back-end, our system treats it as a completely different item and payments are processed manually. Which is also the reason for the cancellation fee, unfortunately.)
OR if you order via FLEXPay and decide you'd rather pay for it all at once when it ships, you can also call to switch... as long as the payments haven't started yet, there is no problem whatsoever. So there is always a choice, even after you've pre-ordered!
Long story short, if you were one of the few who only had the FLEX option for the Sandtrooper available during the 1 minute or less that is was like that, call up and change it to the straight pay if you don't want FLEX! It's as simple as that
(Also, we can't offer it on EVERY item because, unfortunately, it's a manual process and each FLEX item number requires a bunch of manual labor to keep up with... it's not simply a payment option on the back-end, our system treats it as a completely different item and payments are processed manually. Which is also the reason for the cancellation fee, unfortunately.)
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The Monster
Super Freak
Wish
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Exactly. It's even more ridiculous when you're in the EU.
If it were not a marketing gag, why not offer every customer the chance to either FlexPay or pay Regularly until they're all gone? There's nothing like a FlexPay-Version of a statue.
Memnoch
Lt. Vulture
Exactly. It's even more ridiculous when you're in the EU.
If it were not a marketing gag, why not offer every customer the chance to either FlexPay or pay Regularly until they're all gone? There's nothing like a FlexPay-Version of a statue.
Did you even read what Dusty posted?
JacktheRipper
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A note about FLEXPay - if an item offers a FLEX option, you can request to change it from one to the other before payments start... ie: if you order via the 'straight pay' option and you decide later that you'd rather make payments, you can call customer service to switch to FLEXPay (which is why we offer it now when someone decides to cancel their item).
OR if you order via FLEXPay and decide you'd rather pay for it all at once when it ships, you can also call to switch... as long as the payments haven't started yet, there is no problem whatsoever. So there is always a choice, even after you've pre-ordered!
Long story short, if you were one of the few who only had the FLEX option for the Sandtrooper available during the 1 minute or less that is was like that, call up and change it to the straight pay if you don't want FLEX! It's as simple as that
(Also, we can't offer it on EVERY item because, unfortunately, it's a manual process and each FLEX item number requires a bunch of manual labor to keep up with... it's not simply a payment option on the back-end, our system treats it as a completely different item and payments are processed manually. Which is also the reason for the cancellation fee, unfortunately.)
Good to know. There have been a couple of times I've wanted to switch. One of the aspects of Flexpay that I don't like are the fees. I understand them I don't have to like them
. Not that I plan on canceling, but with so many other things in life I would like to be able to cancel without being dinged for it.
devilof76
Super Freak
A note about FLEXPay - if an item offers a FLEX option, you can request to change it from one to the other before payments start... ie: if you order via the 'straight pay' option and you decide later that you'd rather make payments, you can call customer service to switch to FLEXPay (which is why we offer it now when someone decides to cancel their item).
OR if you order via FLEXPay and decide you'd rather pay for it all at once when it ships, you can also call to switch... as long as the payments haven't started yet, there is no problem whatsoever. So there is always a choice, even after you've pre-ordered!
Long story short, if you were one of the few who only had the FLEX option for the Sandtrooper available during the 1 minute or less that is was like that, call up and change it to the straight pay if you don't want FLEX! It's as simple as that
(Also, we can't offer it on EVERY item because, unfortunately, it's a manual process and each FLEX item number requires a bunch of manual labor to keep up with... it's not simply a payment option on the back-end, our system treats it as a completely different item and payments are processed manually. Which is also the reason for the cancellation fee, unfortunately.)
Get 'em Dusty.
BadMoon
Demi G0D Overseer
A note about FLEXPay - if an item offers a FLEX option, you can request to change it from one to the other before payments start... ie: if you order via the 'straight pay' option and you decide later that you'd rather make payments, you can call customer service to switch to FLEXPay (which is why we offer it now when someone decides to cancel their item).
OR if you order via FLEXPay and decide you'd rather pay for it all at once when it ships, you can also call to switch... as long as the payments haven't started yet, there is no problem whatsoever. So there is always a choice, even after you've pre-ordered!
Long story short, if you were one of the few who only had the FLEX option for the Sandtrooper available during the 1 minute or less that is was like that, call up and change it to the straight pay if you don't want FLEX! It's as simple as that
(Also, we can't offer it on EVERY item because, unfortunately, it's a manual process and each FLEX item number requires a bunch of manual labor to keep up with... it's not simply a payment option on the back-end, our system treats it as a completely different item and payments are processed manually. Which is also the reason for the cancellation fee, unfortunately.)
Dusty
just me
Slight addendum before everyone gets too excited... I'm not 100% sure if switching from FLEX to "straight pay" does not incur a fee, I just know that it IS possible to get them switched. My main point is that when in doubt, always call customer service to ask, as it can't hurt either way!
As for this Sandtrooper PPO, it appears that the piece was oversold a bit during that one minute that only the FLEXPay option was showing on the site. So if you did see that option and were able to get your order in - fee or no fee, you were lucky to secure your pre-order at all! :chew If things had gone completely according to plan, those orders would be Wait List reservations rather than T orders!
As for this Sandtrooper PPO, it appears that the piece was oversold a bit during that one minute that only the FLEXPay option was showing on the site. So if you did see that option and were able to get your order in - fee or no fee, you were lucky to secure your pre-order at all! :chew If things had gone completely according to plan, those orders would be Wait List reservations rather than T orders!
Dusty
just me
P.S. To clarify completely - "oversold" doesn't mean we will make more than the edition size, it simply means there won't be as many available to fulfill Wait List reservations when cancellations / card declines occur
Dusty had kids(us) before she had a kid.
It will serve her well I imagine.
Dusty
just me
Dusty had kids(us) before she had a kid.
Ha! Good one Josh
Also, if you find that you aren't gonna be able to pay for a product all at once and want to switch to FLEXPay, we've made it even easier than calling in
You can request FLEX online now, when you go to 'cancel' that item, it will ask you if you'd like to request a FLEXPay schedule for that item. That's by far the most efficient way to go from non-FLEX to FLEX because someone will email you back with all the info and a schedule if it's available. (for those who ask "Why do FLEXPay at all?" - well, some people - me being one of them! - are not as good at putting aside money on our own, without some kind of outside influence like the threat of a cancellation fee )Long, long (long) story short - FLEXPay is definitely not a new business strategy to try to force collectors into keeping their orders, or to collect cancellation fees from the unwary. It has been and always will be a little extra on Sideshow's part to help the collector out and make some of the higher priced items a little more money-manageable - just be sure you really really want it before signing the contract (aka, checking the 'accept terms and conditions' button), or be prepared to be charged a small cancellation fee to cover the extra processing for FLEX items. (By the way, I have been told that the cancellation fee will be proportional to the item's cost - so expect it to be a bit lower for the Sandtrooper figure since it's only $109.99.)
In this one particular instance (Sandtrooper), we were were experimenting to see how it would be received when offered for a 12-inch figure, and it was a complete fluke that *only* FLEX showed up during the PPO for under a minute. When the item sold out, our system (for some reason) didn't remove the FLEX item number from being visible, only the 'straight pay' item number. Thus my point that above - that those who were able to place that FLEX pre-order in that small time frame are very lucky to have an order at all!
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