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[Mr. Nice Guy]

Here's a comparison. You hire a company to work on your house. You speak with the guy doing the work and he tells you he'll be by your place next week sometime but he needs 20% up front. No problem.

You throw him $100 bucks and you exchange info and move on.

You start hearing this guy isn't that reliable. People start sending you pictures of his past track record which starts to get you concerned. But you've also seen some good work from him and you overall feel good about your decision.

Next week comes. Tuesday. Thursday. Saturday morning. You start talking to your neighbour and explain that you've got someone doing the work on your house but you haven't heard anything. He tells you the guy you hired will actually be tied up for the next couple months. You ask him how he found out and he explains to you that he was contacted directly from the same guy for work he hired him for. No reason. Just tied up.

You call the guy you hired and ask. "Yeah, I'm all tied up with other stuff. Won't be around for another couple months. Just check my website. All my info and schedule is there. You should keep checking to make sure you know how long I'll be putting things off until I work on your place."

This is simple customer appreciation. Sideshow doesn't owe us anything. It's simple courteousy and good business.

As for flex payments, this isn't a favour. It helps make people who may not have been customers into customers. It's a good business decision and helps generate revenue and profit.

Delays can be expected. Just better communication is in order.

As for PI, I agree this has been blown way out of proportion before us seeing final production pictures. That being said, I believe it preempted SS to post production pictures and tap into this thread directly.

 

[feeter]

Entitlement much?

Naive much

 

[MasterSafara]

Entitlement much?

I think so. Don't you?

 

[filip629]

Here's a comparison. You hire a company to work on your house. You speak with the guy doing the work and he tells you he'll be by your place next week sometime but he needs 20% up front. No problem.

You throw him $100 bucks and you exchange info and move on.

You start hearing this guy isn't that reliable. People start sending you pictures of his past track record which starts to get you concerned. But you've also seen some good work from him and you overall feel good about your decision.

Next week comes. Tuesday. Thursday. Saturday morning. You start talking to your neighbour and explain that you've got someone doing the work on your house but you haven't heard anything. He tells you the guy you hired will actually be tied up for the next couple months. You ask him how he found out and he explains to you that he was contacted directly from the same guy for work he hired him for. No reason. Just tied up.

You call the guy you hired and ask. "Yeah, I'm all tied up with other stuff. Won't be around for another couple months. Just check my website. All my info and schedule is there. You should keep checking to make sure you know how long I'll be putting things off until I work on your place."

This is simple customer appreciation. Sideshow doesn't owe us anything. It's simple courteousy and good business.

As for flex payments, this isn't a favour. It helps make people who may not have been customers into customers. It's a good business decision and helps generate revenue and profit.

Delays can be expected. Just better communication is in order.

As for PI, I agree this has been blown way out of proportion before us seeing final production pictures. That being said, I believe it preempted SS to post production pictures and tap into this thread directly.

You can always sue for your deposit and get another contractor to do the job. Where are you going to buy another Ivy PF of this quality or scale? Also, you have to factor in overseas manufacturing on a very unique piece. Let's be honest. There are not a lot of other companies that offer the goods that SSC produces. Even if you go to another company (Koto, BD, Neca, DC Direct...) they suffer from similar manufacturing problems that SSC does. They handle delays the exact same way SSC does.

I feel that comparing SSC to other generic businesses is like comparing apples to oranges. Compare them to similar businesses/competitors. Are they any worse than them when it comes to handling delays? I don't think so.

Would an explanation be nice? Sure. Will that explanation get me my merch quicker? No. Do I have the option to purchase this beautiful EX Ivy PF from another manufacturer? No. So, basically we can cancel our order and hope we can pick up another 1/4 scale Ivy from another manufacturer (that will probably delay that order) or we can wait and get what we hope is a smoking Ivy PF from SSC. I know what option I'm taking.

Again, these are just my opinions. They don't make me right.

 

[feeter]

You can always sue for your deposit and get another contractor to do the job. Where are you going to buy another Ivy PF of this quality or scale? Also, you have to factor in overseas manufacturing on a very unique piece. Let's be honest. There are not a lot of other companies that offer the goods that SSC produces. Even if you go to another company (Koto, BD, Neca, DC Direct...) they suffer from similar manufacturing problems that SSC does. They handle delays the exact same way SSC does.

I feel that comparing SSC to other generic businesses is like comparing apples to oranges. Compare them to similar businesses/competitors. Are they any worse than them when it comes to handling delays? I don't think so.

Would an explanation be nice? Sure. Will that explanation get me my merch quicker? No. Do I have the option to purchase this beautiful EX Ivy PF from another manufacturer? No. So, basically we can cancel our order and hope we can pick up another 1/4 scale Ivy from another manufacturer (that will probably delay that order) or we can wait and get what we hope is a smoking Ivy PF from SSC. I know what option I'm taking.

Again, these are just my opinions. They don't make me right.

Its customer service... it show how much a company appreciates the business you give them... do we have to buy from SS... no... do we need a reason for the delay... no... but you can and should compare companies to each other... Im in the logistics sector(this is what the problem is here) and have plenty of examples where you either cannot choose and Ocean Carrier or Airline to certain destinations but if your product is delayed they give you a reason if its not within reason (5 months delay for Bats is alot) do they have to no and they even tell you they dont but to make the customer happy they do... even the factory in China is letting SS know why they are delayed and yes SS has some choice in factories but not as many as you would think(I have had customers who use the same factory as SS... funny when you see a picture of a statue on the factory floor not finished in the same factory that makes kid furniture) and if there is a delay they let you know why, how and when they think the product will be ready...

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

You can always sue for your deposit and get another contractor to do the job. Where are you going to buy another Ivy PF of this quality or scale? Also, you have to factor in overseas manufacturing on a very unique piece. Let's be honest. There are not a lot of other companies that offer the goods that SSC produces. Even if you go to another company (Koto, BD, Neca, DC Direct...) they suffer from similar manufacturing problems that SSC does. They handle delays the exact same way SSC does.

I feel that comparing SSC to other generic businesses is like comparing apples to oranges. Compare them to similar businesses/competitors. Are they any worse than them when it comes to handling delays? I don't think so.

Would an explanation be nice? Sure. Will that explanation get me my merch quicker? No. Do I have the option to purchase this beautiful EX Ivy PF from another manufacturer? No. So, basically we can cancel our order and hope we can pick up another 1/4 scale Ivy from another manufacturer (that will probably delay that order) or we can wait and get what we hope is a smoking Ivy PF from SSC. I know what option I'm taking.

Again, these are just my opinions. They don't make me right.

You are 100% correct. Sideshow has a captive market. Nonetheless, it doesn't mean they should ignore basic common courteousy when communicating with buyers.

Another company with a captive market was blackberry. Now fighting to maintain a 5% market share because another company came long and started listening to what customers want. I'm sure the good people a Sideshow care about customers. The ppl I've had the opportunity to speak with have been very helpful and attentive.

 

[devilof76]

The problem with your analogy is that sideshow never gave you a fixed, guaranteed date. It's an estimate subject to change, and that is stated on the product page when you contract to a pre-order.

People aren't asking for customer service. They're asking for subservience, and it's a default of good faith on the part of the customer to demand explanations for something they were never promised to begin with.

I'd also argue that Sideshow does not have a captive market. Collector dollars can go many other places, and often do. The nature of competition in this industry is based on license acquisition. The license owner is a customer of the company with precedence over the individual purchaser. If there is truth to the contractor analogy, DC is the buyer who has a right to explanations if they demand them. Buyers who submit to a deposit have claim to the money they purchased their order with if they are unsatisfied with sideshow's timliness, and even though they have not been guaranteed a specific delivery date, Sideshow generally refunds to those unsatisfied with having to wait an inordinate duration.

 

[tvcocco]

Nothing wrong with Mr. Nice Guy's letter. He gave them money, he simply wanted to know why its delayed or at least the common courtesy of being told about the delay. Whether he's entitled to it is up for debate but the attack on him for his post seemed way out of line. It's not unreasonable for someone who puts a deposit down on something to want to actually know when they'll get it. That is customer service, not subservience.

It's easy to see who here doesn't run any kind of business.

 

[devilof76]

Can you tell who's accustomed to dealing with spoiled customers harboring pretentious notions of adequate service, who want what they want, when they want it, regardless of the terms they agreed to when they entered into their business agreement?

 

[Spidey976]

Okay so here is the challenge for all of you who want to rip into guys who are providing logical and straight forward explanations to your questions and actually are making sense, but who still just want to vent:

A) If you are SO UPSET with the DELAYS CANCEL your ORDERS. Demand a REFUND including your NRD, and STOP BUYING from SSC. That way you do not have to DEAL with all of these delays.

Or

B)stop taring into others here who aren't responsible for the delays, and just DEAL.

We don't need to be raring into each other guys. Time to relax a bit.

Also, just so I am clear I am not talking to the people who are saying it would be nice. I am talking to the people who are taking personal shots at people and who are just taking things to personal.

 

[feeter]

The problem with your analogy is that sideshow never gave you a fixed, guaranteed date. It's an estimate subject to change, and that is stated on the product page when you contract to a pre-order.

People aren't asking for customer service. They're asking for subservience, and it's a default of good faith on the part of the customer to demand explanations for something they were never promised to begin with.

Its not subservience... and we are not demanding anything... so far everyone is saying that I would be nice for SS to say something... is it hard to just say "hey our factory sucks or there is a supply issue with the raw materials"... I think you are holding SS to a higher level and we should be subservient to them... Its just a nice thing to do for you customer and makes them feel as if you actually want their business... If they dont give a reason thats cool but it would show that they are better than their competitors

 

[devilof76]

You feel as though they don't want your business?

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

The delay sucks. But not enough to get me upset about it or get riled up. I just like better communication. Seems odd it's up to the customer to track all delivery steps via the website.

On another note, what's this about removing the vines from her legs? Is this true? The vines are shown on the updated production pics on the website. Where did we get this info from?

 

[brucecamblzchin]

The problem with your analogy is that sideshow never gave you a fixed, guaranteed date. It's an estimate subject to change, and that is stated on the product page when you contract to a pre-order.

People aren't asking for customer service. They're asking for subservience, and it's a default of good faith on the part of the customer to demand explanations for something they were never promised to begin with.

I'd also argue that Sideshow does not have a captive market. Collector dollars can go many other places, and often do. The nature of competition in this industry is based on license acquisition. The license owner is a customer of the company with precedence over the individual purchaser. If there is truth to the contractor analogy, DC is the buyer who has a right to explanations if they demand them. Buyers who submit to a deposit have claim to the money they purchased their order with if they are unsatisfied with sideshow's timliness, and even though they have not been guaranteed a specific delivery date, Sideshow generally refunds to those unsatisfied with having to wait an inordinate duration.

Spot ****ing on.

 

[MasterSafara]

The delay sucks. But not enough to get me upset about it or get riled up. I just like better communication. Seems odd it's up to the customer to track all delivery steps via the website.

On another note, what's this about removing the vines from her legs? Is this true? The vines are shown on the updated production pics on the website. Where did we get this info from?

Just a clown over at SF jerkin my chain.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Just a clown over at SF jerkin my chain.

That's very good news

 

[MasterSafara]

That's very good news

I thought so too. I'm really hoping we all get what we saw at the con last year! She looks great!

 

[Spidey976]

SSC Alex has confirmed that there was NO change to the sculpt from the prototype to the production pieces. So no worries about missing vines...lol

 

[feeter]

You feel as though they don't want your business?

Its not that its that they dont want my business its just that they do as little as they can to keep customers informed... delays or changes it their product and never notify you... and having a statement that items and ship dates may change is the least they can do but going the extra step and giving some idea what is happening shows that they care

 

[devilof76]

I've said my peace. If you're sure their business with the factories is your business too, so be it.

I'm not letting you get away with that one!!
I have one in my family so I know. My grandfather is a freaking pessimistic person, everything will always turn bad or is a bad decision.
So yeah when your grumpy *** says that things are going to turn to **** for 50 years and then one day they do, you don't get to say "I was right". It's just the laws of probability.

Cheers!

No, I may have my ornery moments, but I'm no cynic. I knew he was full of it, and I wouldn't have risked looking like a pessimistic fool if I wasn't certain.

And to bruce, filip, and Spidey...

Isn't devil a girl?

Uh...no.