New Sideshow Policy - non-refundable deposit figures over $224

[Khev]

I think SSC's figures cost $22.50 to make. They start charging NRD's and they get their money back, sale or no sale. If a couple people get suckered in to paying 10 times that much in order to actually own the figures well then that's gravy for them.

 

[teemu]

It used to be you walked into a store with money, physically picked up what you were going to purchase, went to the counter, and paid for it. Nothing fickle, no waiting, no surprises because you knew what you were getting. All the issues people are complaining about on both sides seem to be because it's not done this way any more. Maybe it had its draw backs... clearly you're all seeing that this newer way of doing business DOES have its drawbacks. I sell, so I understand what's involved at least on a small business level.

I'm not a fickle buyer myself, but I have dealt with plenty of them - I know all that drama and so that's why I need to take deposits on commissions. But we're talking toy companies that roll out significant numbers, not one-of-a-kind deals. Say what you want about the old ways, but sometimes they're the better ways - some people just don't know it because they weren't around back then or paying attention, so those people don't know any better because they haven't experienced first hand what we as a society have lost.

All this to say, it's simple - you do business the way it's done now, its going to have the current draw backs, and honestly I have no illusions that things will go back to the old ways - they won't. So all this to say we're stuck with what we've all created. Enjoy.

believe me,I remember the days of buying toys straight off the shelf....there was no internet and you had to actually go to a store to obtain something...(It's still like that,but type of product is limited)

I am sure making these are a Risk for a company considering how expensive they are and they may need to determine how many to make,but I would love if they showed us a pre-ordered product and we have it in-hand 3 months later.

The longer it takes for a figure takes to come out,the harder it is to keep it! Since,the market is constantly revealing new product,it makes it harder to choose.So a quicker turnaround in production actually might help them have better sales instead of playing the wait game all the time

 

[teemu]

LOL, blame Suncoast, Tower Records and all the other mall stores for closing..

those stores closed (among many others) because the economy is really in bad shape and people are BROKE, unlike what the lies told from mainstream media.Plus,Considering the overwhelming amount of product out there in the collectible world,All toy companies are fighting for our dollars

 

[Mad Old Lu]

My primary reason for having to cancel a figure is always financial. Unfortunately my job situation has been rocky for the past 7 years or so, right in line to when I started collecting these figures! I liked the option of being able to cancel an order if I found that I didn't have enough money when the figure was ready to release, and I've done that several times. I have also cancelled and re-ordered stuff with either coupons or points (although I think Sideshow might be willing to do you a favor if that was the reason you wanted to cancel).

I generally know to expect some drop in quality from the prototype. I don't think I would ever cancel a figure based on early photos. I just can't trust them. I've seen more often than not that it was bad photography that made a figure look crappy. We all know the mantra: "It looks better in-hand". I'm willing to risk it and see for myself if I like the figure in-hand before I would ever cancel.

I'm already extremely selective as to what I buy because I have a very limited budget to spend on my collection. I'm also at the end of the line here--I only have a few figures I'm holding out for until I can "retire" happily, maybe getting a figure here and there if it's really worth it.

So for me it means that I'm going to wait til the last minute or once the figure is in stock to order anything from now on. If I wanted to cancel because I found myself without money, the last thing I would want to do is lose another $20-$25 on top of that. I think the worst of it would be to lose out on an exclusive here and there and that's okay by me.

I just hope figures don't start selling out sooner than later in the pre-order stage because all the companies are scaling back production because less people are pre-ordering. It's a vicious circle!

 

[SwedishHeat]

I think SSC's figures cost $22.50 to make. They start charging NRD's and they get their money back, sale or no sale. If a couple people get suckered in to paying 10 times that much in order to actually own the figures well then that's gravy for them.

I'm not sure if you legitimately think that's what it costs to make, but it doesn't. 3 years ago, a licensed figure at a 1,200 piece run was going to cost us $46 each. I've moved on from that job now, but I'm sure the costs have gone up even more in the last 3 years. Costs go up to higher expenses in China, shave off a few bucks for higher production runs, but I wager SSC's paying around $50-$60 each for a $200 figure, selling them to retail for $130ish. That's a pretty standard scenario.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Same. BBTS has got to love this new policy. I don't want to take it up the wallet if their final product is their usual garbage final result

BBTS is starting to do NRDs too

 

[Khev]

I'm not sure if you legitimately think that's what it costs to make, but it doesn't. 3 years ago, a licensed figure at a 1,200 piece run was going to cost us $46 each. I've moved on from that job now, but I'm sure the costs have gone up even more in the last 3 years. Costs go up to higher expenses in China, shave off a few bucks for higher production runs, but I wager SSC's paying around $50-$60 each for a $200 figure, selling them to retail for $130ish. That's a pretty standard scenario.

I actually was joking but if your math is correct and it just costs them $50-$60 per figure then NRD's alone drastically reduce their cost to produce them.

 

[MoMo]

Other than Hulkbuster which other items have BBTS required a NRD? I haven't noticed any others when pre-ordering.

I'm just curious if it's only for the really high priced figures or will it be for all types of figures.

 

[MoMo]

Also another reason to order from BBTS. Gosh-darn packout shipping with all orders WITHOUT the $10-$12 SSC wants to charge you.

I mean c'mon, there is no reason with the prices that we pay that they can't spare an extra $2.00 or less it would take for an extra box to ship. UPS sees Sideshow on the side of a box and that gives them the go-ahead to play box hockey with our stuff.

You would think it would drastically cut down on calls for damaged items. I can't find any rhyme or reason why they don't do it.

 

[Invictus Sol]

I prefer BBTS' pack-outs but lol at the "box hockey" comment. In almost 3 years I've yet to receive a damaged shipper and I order the vast majority of my stuff through Sideshow direct and never get pack-outs.

 

[MoMo]

I also expect to see items "sell out" like they used to. Not in minutes, but sooner than the new generation is used to. .

Do you think we'll ever go back to the days of the "Priority Pre-Order"? Those were the best. The last one that I can remember them doing was for the Guardian Predator.

While I'm in my way-back machine, I remember when the Jedi Luke sold-out in what was probably a matter of minutes. I miss those days only because I've gotten bored by how easy it to get things.

 

[MoMo]

I prefer BBTS' pack-outs but lol at the "box hockey" comment. In almost 3 years I've to receive a damaged shipper and I order the vast majority of my stuff through Sideshow direct and never get pack-outs.

Lucky you. I get the occasional dinged up corner and while it does bother me I'm not obsessive about it either. Though I feel like if I'm spending that much money the least they can do is respect me as a customer and make sure that my product gets delivered un-dinged. I liken it to buying a car and when they deliver it to you it comes with dents and scratches.

 

[Mike86]

I guess I just don't see what the big deal is. Delay your pre-order until it's coupon-eligible/double rewards/you're totally sure, etc., or order from BBTS. *shrugs* Like Swedish says, though, I bet it's only a matter of time until their policy changes, too.

To be honest it won't impact me too much. I generally only order what I plan to keep with some exceptions. I just like the way it's set up now as if there's an exclusive I want but am unsure about keeping its nice to have a placeholder. Sideshow usually gets my money for figures early if anything as I tend to use flex pay most of the time. I just think as a company it seems like an odd policy to implement as it seems like a deterrent to people to not pre-order, but yet Sideshow heavily promotes pre-orders. Some of it is people need to not be compulsive with their ordering, but at the same time I think to charge a cancellation fee (and a fair sized one at that) seems a bit off-putting and could hurt business. Not just referring to business they won't get from cancelled orders but overall people just not liking the policy and taking their business elsewhere. I'll likely continue to use Sideshow for items I'm sure of and either order later or from someplace else for figures I'm not as sure on but I'm just not sure I get their strategy here.

 

[teemu]

Also another reason to order from BBTS. Gosh-darn packout shipping with all orders WITHOUT the $10-$12 SSC wants to charge you.

I mean c'mon, there is no reason with the prices that we pay that they can't spare an extra $2.00 or less it would take for an extra box to ship. UPS sees Sideshow on the side of a box and that gives them the go-ahead to play box hockey with our stuff.

You would think it would drastically cut down on calls for damaged items. I can't find any rhyme or reason why they don't do it.

$150+ collectibles should be packed securely,protected and not just shipped in a easy to damage carton

 

[Tom Day]

Are NRD's legally enforceable anyway? Under distance selling regulations in the UK you can return an item if you want to and the law backs you in that. I've no idea if you have the same thing in the US, but surely you could just pay for the whole figure and then claim a refund if the NRD was really high and the figure came out really badly?

To some extent I can see why they might want to impose a penalty, and why it is fair for them to do so, but it also seems that people cancel because more often than not the quality isn't there, which isn't fair on the customer - they thought they'd be getting one thing and got another.

 

[MoMo]

Does the NRD apply to pre-order only or does it follow through-out the whole transaction?

Meaning that if I receive the figure and I don't like it will they refund the NRD, leaving only the return shipping that I have to cover?

I've been able to return items and get the NRD refunded as well. I was wondering if this is part of the change in procedures.

 

[lerath666]

couldn't care less. already been priced out of the hobby as a whole

 

[dan350zr]

Does the NRD apply to pre-order only or does it follow through-out the whole transaction?

Meaning that if I receive the figure and I don't like it will they refund the NRD, leaving only the return shipping that I have to cover?

I've been able to return items and get the NRD refunded as well. I was wondering if this is part of the change in procedures.

If you don't like the figure (and it's not broken) then you can ask for a full refund and they will give you back your NRD, but they will charge you for shipping. So you will be out some money... The NRD is mostly to keep people from canceling before the statue comes out.

 

[TaliBane]

It's actually really weird that they made this NRD decision and applied it to figures that had already been up for PO months before. You'd think they would make the decision and then apply it to all releases going forward.

If you don't like the figure (and it's not broken) then you can ask for a full refund and they will give you back your NRD, but they will charge you for shipping. So you will be out some money... The NRD is mostly to keep people from canceling before the statue comes out.

Based on what Sideshow told me, returning/getting refund by saying that it doesn't match the proto is iffy. They said they'd "work with" you but they have repeatedly said these are "hand made" as sort of an out for quality issues. It sort of comes down to your opinion versus theirs ultimately.

While most of us obsessively look out for in-hand production pics in the days/weeks before shipping, I'm guessing there are people out there who order based on the proto pics and then the first indication they get that the prod fig's a long way from the proto is it arrives at their house. Bummer for international buyers paying return shipping. It's buyer beware I guess.

Bottom line here is that SSC seems to have a perception that there are only quite minor "subjective" issues in proto vs prod'n when the actual reality is there are at times very large gaps. They absolutely have to narrow that gap now that this NRD policy is in place (and applying to pretty much every SSC fig going forward.)

The quality gap wasn't a huge issue with figs that were in the low to mid $100 range and no NRD - but with basic SSC figs (such as Luke X and Indy) now at $220+ and an NRD in place on all of them, SSC have huge problems ahead if they don't narrow that gap.

 

[Invictus Sol]

...but at the same time I think to charge a cancellation fee (and a fair sized one at that) seems a bit off-putting and could hurt business. Not just referring to business they won't get from cancelled orders but overall people just not liking the policy and taking their business elsewhere...

Yeah, but Sideshow has everyone coming and going, anyway. You either buy from Sideshow or someone they distribute to, so you really think they care (assuming North America -- if you're overseas SSC makes no sense to order from anyway unless it's some highly coveted exclusive)? I'm sure they've worked it out before implementing it and have determined the NRD will net them more and cause them less hassle than the current policy.