Sideshow ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader

[reuters]

I'm not sure if Sideshow will send a second replacement head or not so can anyone recommend what kind of paint I should use to touch up the silver on Vader's nose and the dark metallic grey under his right eye? I assume some kind of model paints would work, but I don't know if I should use acrylic or oil and I'd like something that would blend in as seamless as possible. If anyone can advise on this, I'd really appreciate it!

I think you should let SS know on the problem of the second replacement. They should replace it again.

 

[Onie]

Maybe they switch it around periodically? I dunno. Personally, the way I see it. Flex pay or not, these orders should be shipped out in the order people ordered. I mean people that ordered back in May should be number 1 priority to get shipped out, not Joe Schmoe who put his order in yesterday. I have a friend who didnt order till he saw in hand picks and SS has shipped his out already. Seriously? That's not right.


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Exactly! ...aaand on account of

NO sightings of my Vader yet! Still 'item shipping soon'! And with all these QC issues lurking, all i wish for when i get my Vader that i would be spared from all these inconveniences!

Strange! Sideshow ran out of stock?! But didn't know that's probable enough. If so, that defeats the whole concept of preordering, right? Not unless, there's some politics going on here like after reading someone mentioned he ordered last October then he already got his while I got mine in like the day it was up for preorder on SSC. LoLz!

Hopefully, everyone who has issues/ concerns would get his much needed resolution! ... moving on!

 

[DarthAlias]

FYI, I was on flex pay until March, called and had them bill my card in full and shipped out yesterday. They billed and shipped it within 2 days so ill be receiving it today!!,!

 

[greygoose]

I just realized there's a scarred head under the helmet. It looks unpainted. And you can see the scarring on the neck too.

Neat little touch.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I mean people that ordered back in May should be number 1 priority to get shipped out, not Joe Schmoe who put his order in yesterday.

Imagine this scenario: The guy who ordered in May used a Flex payment and the last payment comes out one day AFTER the guy who ordered today. Now imagine that's two days or a week later. Also imagine their pre-order list is in the thousands - that takes time to process. Meanwhile an order placed right now on the web site is fully automated and in real-time. Should they delay all real-time orders, perhaps by keeping the product at pre-order status until they first ship out all the previous pre-orders?

I have no idea how Sideshow organizes nor synchronizes between their order and shipping systems. In general though, a pre-order guarantees you will receive a product, while waiting around you take the chance it sells out. With everything else it seems kind of like blind luck when a particular order will ship out.

I know that I ordered back in October with no flex option. I received a charging soon notification in the very first batch (January 3) and was charged within a few days. My order then shipped early last week (January 8) and was delivered this week (January 15).

 

[dw316]

Then you've probably read (or maybe not) about people complaining about not getting their figure yet....ergo...it's hard to post photos when you don't have a figure yet.

I think I keep confusing it with the HT figures, which release in Asia first and certain photo reviewers get the figure even earlier so they have photo threads up first. But SSC release means the US gets it first.

 

[Rzeznikk]

Imagine this scenario: The guy who ordered in May used a Flex payment and the last payment comes out one day AFTER the guy who ordered today. Now imagine that's two days or a week later. Also imagine their pre-order list is in the thousands - that takes time to process. Meanwhile an order placed right now on the web site is fully automated and in real-time. Should they delay all real-time orders, perhaps by keeping the product at pre-order status until they first ship out all the previous pre-orders?

I have no idea how Sideshow organizes nor synchronizes between their order and shipping systems. In general though, a pre-order guarantees you will receive a product, while waiting around you take the chance it sells out. With everything else it seems kind of like blind luck when a particular order will ship out.

I know that I ordered back in October with no flex option. I received a charging soon notification in the very first batch (January 3) and was charged within a few days. My order then shipped early last week (January 8) and was delivered this week (January 15).

In short, Yes. They should not be shipping out orders placed later before honoring those placed first. My final flex pay should have been the 5th, and from my understanding they got their shipment a day or few after the 5th, but what do they do? They push my Flex pay back 10 days, But then start shipping out to people that just placed their order? Dafuq? Do you see where one might get a little pissed off here? Now I'm assuming my order is from the second batch, now why should I have to wait longer when I placed my order in May, yet those just placing their order yesterday or last week get theirs? Do you see where this process is completely jacked? I do.


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[Invictus Sol]

I think that's just the nature of flexpay. Had Vader arrived on the 4th, you probably would've been charged on the 5th and it shipped same or next day. But because of the scheduling, they pushed it back 10 days. I'm accustomed from previous orders I've had on flex that I'll just be able to call in and pay the difference early (my last payment isn't scheduled until Feb 5), but not so in this case, I guess because of demand and the split shipments. So now I have to wait probably 3 weeks until it'll be here. Regardless, it's not a big deal and I'm not going to stress about it. I'll have years to enjoy it on display or whatnot. Does make me question flex a bit, though. Probably will be switching to full payment because of stuff like this, in addition to being able to cancel at will (supposing no NRD), so that I can re-order and combine shipments. With flex, you get charged $20.00 cancellation even if there was no NRD and the first payment hasn't gone out yet.

 

[Rzeznikk]

I think that's just the nature of flexpay. Had Vader arrived on the 4th, you probably would've been charged on the 5th and it shipped same or next day. But because of the scheduling, they pushed it back 10 days. I'm accustomed from previous orders I've had on flex that I'll just be able to call in and pay the difference early (my last payment isn't scheduled until Feb 5), but not so in this case, I guess because of demand and the split shipments. So now I have to wait probably 3 weeks until it'll be here. Regardless, it's not a big deal and I'm not going to stress about it. I'll have years to enjoy it on display or whatnot. Does make me question flex a bit, though. Probably will be switching to full payment because of stuff like this, in addition to being able to cancel at will (supposing no NRD), so that I can re-order and combine shipments. With flex, you get charged $20.00 cancellation even if there was no NRD and the first payment hasn't gone out yet.

Yeah I'm in the same boat, after this and HT Robocop I won't be using FP any more. There really is no benefit in it. And I'll be sure to be calling if Robos FP gets bumped as well. Seems to be the only way to get SS to not drag their feet. I was happy to hear my order was going out yesterday but alas, no shipping notification. I'll continue to drool over photos for another week.


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[Pixelpiper]

I don't want to start a Flex Pay discussion, but using Flex Pay on a pre-order is NEVER a good idea. If you want the item right away, order with full payment at shipment time and save the money yourself in a jar or in the bank. If you don't care about that, place the same kind of order and change it to Flex Pay a couple of weeks before it's due - then you'll have LOTS of time to pay.

In my opinion, order date should not matter if when it's time to ship the payment isn't available. That's why some Flex orders are pushed. I was ready to pay on the 3rd.

 

[Fia2k9]

got my Vader with a Broken Tusk.
got My replacement, but thought I would post a pic of the helmet taken apart in case anyone was interested. Now I just have to destroy this baby

 

[greygoose]

got my Vader with a Broken Tusk.

Why are alot of Vader's arriving with broken tusks? Is it down to the internal packaging or poor QC?

 

[LizardKing1968]

looks like many here are crying a river..lol. with good reason i put my order that sunday (JAN. 6) before it was avaliable, was charged on MONDAY and shipped that tuesday. got it this past tuesday. i think flex pay folks are getting shafted FOR SURE!!

 

[Rzeznikk]

I don't want to start a Flex Pay discussion, but using Flex Pay on a pre-order is NEVER a good idea. If you want the item right away, order with full payment at shipment time and save the money yourself in a jar or in the bank. If you don't care about that, place the same kind of order and change it to Flex Pay a couple of weeks before it's due - then you'll have LOTS of time to pay.

In my opinion, order date should not matter if when it's time to ship the payment isn't available. That's why some Flex orders are pushed. I was ready to pay on the 3rd.

But my payment Was ready at any time, that's what I'm saying, they didn't even give me a choice, they just send an email saying its been pushed back, so be it, it gets pushed, what I'm upset about is them shipping out after the fact my payment was pushed back. Why not just leave the scheduled payment alone and just charge and ship once it's there? I think they would have less FP complaining if that were the case rather than pushing their orders to the back JUST because it was a day late, it's stupid.


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[B1ueLeader]

I have to agree that we who pay first should get the product first. In a split shipment here is a scenario that would not be good: First shipment goes out and over half of flex pays do not get one...Then the second shipment goes down with the ship in a rogue wave, it could happen . So a year later all us flex pay customers finally get a Vader.

In short, Yes. They should not be shipping out orders placed later before honoring those placed first. My final flex pay should have been the 5th, and from my understanding they got their shipment a day or few after the 5th, but what do they do? They push my Flex pay back 10 days, But then start shipping out to people that just placed their order? Dafuq? Do you see where one might get a little pissed off here? Now I'm assuming my order is from the second batch, now why should I have to wait longer when I placed my order in May, yet those just placing their order yesterday or last week get theirs? Do you see where this process is completely jacked? I do.


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[Rzeznikk]

looks like many here are crying a river..lol. with good reason i put my order that sunday (JAN. 6) before it was avaliable, was charged on MONDAY and shipped that tuesday. got it this past tuesday. i think flex pay folks are getting shafted FOR SURE!!

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Had they kept my flex pay on the 5th They could have charged me on that Monday and shipped that Tues. Just because I was flex pay customer it was pushed 10 days plus processing plus shipping, I will have waited 3 weeks or so more than necessary.


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[Fia2k9]

Why are alot of Vader's arriving with broken tusks? Is it down to the internal packaging or poor QC?

The tusks are actually separate from the helmet and are glued on which is why they are so fragile. Had I found the missing one in the packaging or had an alternative replacement I definitely would have just glued it on as opposed to having to order another head. But Dammit, I spent $250 + shipping+ V.A.T on this figure

 

[JacktheRipper]

Why are alot of Vader's arriving with broken tusks? Is it down to the internal packaging or poor QC?

I have a feeling it's the packing. The plastic cover has a squared indention at the snout of the mask to prevent it from coming in contact with the mask. If the head isn't placed in all the way I could see the plastic pushing on the tusk. I have a feeling that the reason it's the left tusk is because all the head were pushed in the same way.

I highly recommend everyone look over their Vader carefully. I thought my only issue was the cape, but on a better second inspection found that the left tusk was broken. It's funny how you miss those things that are staring you right in the face. I'm really hoping SS can replace it.

 

[DarthAlias]

I get mine today from being shipped yesterday so hopefully it arrives QC free!

 

[JacktheRipper]

The tusks are actually separate from the helmet and are glued on which is why they are so fragile. Had I found the missing one in the packaging or had an alternative replacement I definitely would have just glued it on as opposed to having to order another head. But Dammit, I spent $250 + shipping+ V.A.T on this figureView attachment 88924

I actually felt bad having to email SS a second time about another issue I did not find the first time, but I remembered how much I paid for this and if it a defect it needs to get fixed.