Sideshow 1/6 R2-D2

[McFly]

Went back to them for clarification and received the following:

"We’ve inspected our stock pieces and replacement inventory and in the event that we provide you with a replacement unfortunately this one will be the same as the one that you currently have. All of our items are hand produced and will vary slightly from item to item. Please let us know if you’d like the offered credit below or if you are not satisfied with the item you may return the item to us for a refund however since there is no damage to your item it would be for the product price only."

So they're basically saying that all the replacement domes are faulty and putting it down to the handmade nature of the figures. Which is dangerously close to saying that flaws in the product are features, not defects.

So I can put up with an R2 with a defective dome, or return him for a refund. Pretty sad response from SS if you ask me. Why they're not going back to the factory and asking them to send a batch of domes that are actually decent is beyond me. I'm not asking for flawless - just displayable.


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[ZE_501]

Honestly, that's insane. I'd ship it back with extreme prejudice.


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[Wor-Gar]

Not surprising -- they've had so many replacements that they are simply down to the crap pieces that remains. No good parts left.

What is surprising is the QC in the first place -- to have so many problems with their product. This is happening more and more. Vader also ran out of good parts at some point and people started getting the "all we have is the same" answer.

Pays to order early from SS in the event you have a defect so you're first in for replacement parts. If you wait too long, you may be out of luck.

 

[anwe]

It would be interesting to see how much of this figure that's actually produced by hand.

If they (SSC) are out of replacement parts they will simply have to order more since the figure is still very much up for sale. Anything else would be a disgrace.

If I remember correctly they had to wait for more replacement parts for Vader for a while there, but weren't people taken care of in the end?

 

[McFly]

Okay, interesting that they came through on Vader in the end - though I guess whether or not they order more depends on how many people are going to be receiving replacements from the dregs of the dome batch.

But I agree Anwe - if the factory produced defective domes, then sent more defective domes to replace them, SS should just be ordering more instead of making this the customer's problem, especially when they're still selling the figure.

If I return him, I'll have to pay for return postage on the return from New Zealand, and then $40 for postage back again if I re-order - with no guarantee that the third one won't have issues too. I feel like that's still SS making this my problem, not theirs.

Hmm. I'll keep at it and see where I get to. Has anyone ever successfully escalated a complaint beyond the customer service team who respond to emails?


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[TheFiend]

 

[McFly]

So tempting.

I have been contemplating taking both domes apart and trying to put together the best bits of both into one all-powerful quality control-passing superdome. Might be my only choice!


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[Pixelpiper]

"Made by Hand" is not an excuse for poor workmanship though, that's the problem here.

 

[McFly]

Indeed - and it's a phrase that's generally used to denote quality that's higher than mass production. I think SS have their rationale completely backwards on this one. And to me, as someone who owns and buys a lot of their stuff, it's setting a pretty worrying precedent.


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[Patriot666]

Not surprising -- they've had so many replacements that they are simply down to the crap pieces that remains. No good parts left.

What is surprising is the QC in the first place -- to have so many problems with their product. This is happening more and more. Vader also ran out of good parts at some point and people started getting the "all we have is the same" answer.

Pays to order early from SS in the event you have a defect so you're first in for replacement parts. If you wait too long, you may be out of luck.

And some say they wait for in hand pics before ordering....this is a great reason to order early. Better chance at getting a good replacement.

 

[plastik]

I've usually have no complaints about Sideshow's customer service because it's usually top notch but this is the first time I've been dissatisfied with their response. I may just have to take their offer for the $20 credit and repaint the dome myself because I need R2D2 with my Tamashii C3PO.

 

[NickNack]

Hmmm. I have R2 on flex pay and should be getting him next month. Hopefully I won't have any problems.

 

[Lejuan]

I've usually have no complaints about Sideshow's customer service because it's usually top notch but this is the first time I've been dissatisfied with their response. I may just have to take their offer for the $20 credit and repaint the dome myself because I need R2D2 with my Tamashii C3PO.

Both times I've had to call on their CS it's been less than I'd hoped. Perhaps part of the problem is they get so many whiny demands that legit claims don't get the attention they deserve.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Perhaps part of the problem is they get so many whiny demands that legit claims don't get the attention they deserve.

Likely that's part of it. But that's what CS is supposed to deal with.

Also, this hobby attracts the 'insane-attention-to-detail' types so SS might be blowing a lot of good parts on people who think the shading is off on a millimeter.

 

[Kamandi]

Likely that's part of it. But that's what CS is supposed to deal with.

Also, this hobby attracts the 'insane-attention-to-detail' types so SS might be blowing a lot of good parts on people who think the shading is off on a millimeter.

One of the pieces in my collection is the Iron Man LSB Mark VI statue. This piece was rather notorious for 1) delays 2) the arc reactor inside the chest was glued in place upside down so the triangle pointed upward. It was easily fixed and you'd never know looking at mine there was a problem out of the box.

The thread attracted a number of habitual complainers who shall remain unnamed. One of them went on about how he had returned three or four units to Sideshow for perceived defects. Ultimately Sideshow agreed to one last exchange or a refund. I pointed out to this user he had also bragged openly about exchanging a Galactus statue several times. He felt Sideshow should go to the warehouse and start opening boxes until they found a statue that was worthy of him. This means other collectors with new orders would be recieving opened boxes, something that's not going to happen.

I'm in the glass half full club. I'd rather look for what's right on a figure and futz and push it to the next level. Is R2 perfect and new and unblemished on-screen? Nope. So I painted mine. I'm happy with how it looks next to Bespin Luke and Fett and Vader and my other figures.

 

[marker2037]

^Your last paragraph. Yes.

 

[kirklondon]

I ordered day one and still no replacement. I'm tempted to buy another and just switch domes myself and send the other back.

 

[TonTon]

I ordered day one and still no replacement. I'm tempted to buy another and just switch domes myself and send the other back.

I tried something similar when the Disney store had a nice deal. But that dome turned out worse. I just went ahead and sold it off at no loss thankfully.

 

[Darth Fok]

Is it fair to say that HT have less defects on their figures? SS figures have a cheaper feel to them IMO.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I think it's only fair to say that with regards to very specific releases. And to say the opposite with other releases. Taken as a whole, they're both very hit and miss. Gamora is a recent utter disgrace from HT.