Weta Aragorn!!!

[gambit]

Alice, I agree with all your messages.

the fact is, SS is a US company and US companies do not care about European or other countries as they care in the same level for US citizens

 

[nash]

Alice, I agree with all your messages.

the fact is, SS is a US company and US companies do not care about European or other countries as they care in the same level for US citizens

Of course it's like that, but it works the same for other companies as well.

Hot Toys and Medicom are asia companies and they mainly cater to asian customers. That's just how things are. It's not like Sideshow is purposely trying to be biased to American collectors.

 

[the Doctor]

i dont understand why ss bother to give these expensive items go for retail when there' always someone who will slag them foe doing so.

they should put them on ebay and donate the money to a charity.

problem solved

 

[gambit]

Of course it's like that, but it works the same for other companies as well.

Hot Toys and Medicom are asia companies and they mainly cater to asian customers. That's just how things are. It's not like Sideshow is purposely trying to be biased to American collectors.

Of course, I am not trying to blame SS. Just making a statement.

SS is a company that is selling goods to a group of people. If the 90 % of the buyers are located in one place, of course the company makes its plans according to that 90 % people. This is the general law in trading and marketing, and again, I am not complaining, just stating

 

[Calle_Sandell]

I actually think that SS should do the collectors first thingee when it comes to this sort of offers!!!

Becuase then the chance of a true collector getting it is more possible then a flipper gets it!

And I can accept the items beeing in the newsletter, though I don't like it! since the time it's coming in Sweden is about 4 am friday morning that is! And since mostly everyone has to go up earliy for work or school it's impossible to sit at he computer refreshing for an hour!!!!!!!

SS should realise that we in the EU are almost the most dedicated SS fans who often pay the double the the US guys does!! doesn't that show true loyalty? shouldn't that be rewarden? just maby by realising the newsletter a better time!!!!

 

[The Josh]

I feel bad for you EU folks but SS is a US based company and their stuff is going to be set on that time. It sucks that this happens but I've seen plenty of products for outside the US go up for sale at wacky times that I've missed out on. It's just part of life.

 

[lcummins]

So when does the newsletter exactly come out? Other than Thursdays, the times vary over several hours. Now if SS put the newsletter out at a specified time and offered the rare items as second chance at that time, maybe that would level the playing field so all can get an equal chance to secure the 'grail' items.

The newsletter comes out on Thursday evenings sometime after 6:00 PM PST. It usually comes within one hour, and only on a rare occurrence, does it come later than that. I would hazard a guess, that 90% of the time, it arrives between 6:30 and 6:45 PM PST.

 

[lcummins]

...SS should realise that we in the EU are almost the most dedicated SS fans who often pay the double the the US guys does!! doesn't that show true loyalty? shouldn't that be rewarden? just maby by realising the newsletter a better time!!!!

Actually, I appreciate the plight of the EU collectors who have to pay more because of their Governments (not Sideshow), but I don't think that automatically makes them "almost the most dedicated SS fans" at all. We all buy Sideshow product and most of us are loyal customers so Sideshow has no reason to "pick" one group as "more loyal" than another, nor should they.

As far as the newsletter time, it has been stated many, many times in the past... Sideshow is a US company with employees that work certain hours of the day. They put the newsletter out during work hours. Any time they pick will not be convenient for someone, so therefore they have picked a time that corresponds to their work environment and meets the needs of the majority of their customers. Again, sorry you guys are in the EU, but really, what time would you suggest putting out the newsletter? Would you want it to come at 10 AM GMT so you are awake? Then it is early morning for most of the US and it would probably be inconvenient for you because you would be at work. How about 10 PM GMT? Then it would be inconvenient for most of the US who are at work. Really, can you suggest a time that is actually the most convenient for the majority of their customers? If you can, I'm sure Sideshow would like to know; if not, then why continue to complain about it? I'm not trying to debate you, but seriously would like to know if you can come up with a better time for the majority of Sideshow customers.

 

[lcummins]

I wonder if they actually delete the wait lists? Every closed wait list still shows in my online account, so it's possible that these list are just put on non-active, in stead of deleted, right?

Actually, the wait list orders are not deleted of course, but they have been canceled. I would think there would be no way to figure out who canceled a wait list on their own or had it canceled other than the time it was canceled possibly. None of us know exactly how their databases are setup and operate, so it would be impossible for us to know if they could recompile a "wait list" or not; only Sideshow can give us an answer to this one.

 

[Calle_Sandell]

Actually, I appreciate the plight of the EU collectors who have to pay more because of their Governments (not Sideshow), but I don't think that automatically makes them "almost the most dedicated SS fans" at all. We all buy Sideshow product and most of us are loyal customers so Sideshow has no reason to "pick" one group as "more loyal" than another, nor should they.

As far as the newsletter time, it has been stated many, many times in the past... Sideshow is a US company with employees that work certain hours of the day. They put the newsletter out during work hours. Any time they pick will not be convenient for someone, so therefore they have picked a time that corresponds to their work environment and meets the needs of the majority of their customers. Again, sorry you guys are in the EU, but really, what time would you suggest putting out the newsletter? Would you want it to come at 10 AM GMT so you are awake? Then it is early morning for most of the US and it would probably be inconvenient for you because you would be at work. How about 10 PM GMT? Then it would be inconvenient for most of the US who are at work. Really, can you suggest a time that is actually the most convenient for the majority of their customers? If you can, I'm sure Sideshow would like to know; if not, then why continue to complain about it? I'm not trying to debate you, but seriously would like to know if you can come up with a better time for the majority of Sideshow customers.

Well, I'm convinced that if the US customers had to pay our prices, many would stop collecting!!

I completly understand that Sideshow is a US company but they gotta realises that if they wanna get more international they have to take other then the US in consideration! There must be a better time for the newsletter to come out!

At least when us in the EU are not asleep, I would be happy if it wcame out during our work hours! because in todays soceity it's very easy to find a computer and just log on and see if the newsletter has come! Much more easy then going up at 4 am!

 

[Karma]

Well, I'm convinced that if the US customers had to pay our prices, many would stop collecting!!

I completly understand that Sideshow is a US company but they gotta realises that if they wanna get more international they have to take other then the US in consideration! There must be a better time for the newsletter to come out!

At least when us in the EU are not asleep, I would be happy if it wcame out during our work hours! because in todays soceity it's very easy to find a computer and just log on and see if the newsletter has come! Much more easy then going up at 4 am!

I don't see the problem

members know when it comes out so if they really want to read it asap, they know when it gets posted

anything extremely limited is now warned in advance since the gray hulk diorama

this weta aragorn was warned in last weeks newsletter:

Exciting new Second Chance opportunities for members!

This week we have some truly awesome collectibles available on Second Chance! One of the advantages of being a Sideshow newsletter subscriber is to have first dibs at these items, so use that power today. Some of these offers are VERY limited, so act fast! Follow the links below to get your hands on some treasures that had been hidden until today, and earn Sideshow Rewards points at the same time! ***If you see it marked as Sold Out, or you receive a page stating 'product cannot be located' when you click the link, unfortunately that means someone beat you to it and the items have been claimed.

 

[The Josh]

Well, I'm convinced that if the US customers had to pay our prices, many would stop collecting!!

I completly understand that Sideshow is a US company but they gotta realises that if they wanna get more international they have to take other then the US in consideration! There must be a better time for the newsletter to come out!

At least when us in the EU are not asleep, I would be happy if it wcame out during our work hours! because in todays soceity it's very easy to find a computer and just log on and see if the newsletter has come! Much more easy then going up at 4 am!

In other words as long as its better for you that's what counts? If it comes out during your work day then it's not good for us here in the States. Like Lonnie said they are putting it together during their work day and comes out when it ends. As well as pretty much everyone knows when it comes out so they can plan in advance.

 

[crazytrain]

A "simple" solution in this case would have been to reserve one statue for US cusomers and one for EU (I say "simple", as I know that wouldn't take into account Asia, Australasia etc ). As has been pointed out, only SS knows exactly how much business they do in each region and I accept that they have to focus on their major market, however, again as has been pointed out, customers outside the US do pay far more for SS products that US citizens and thats not just because of taxes, its shipping costs too - for example Boromir is costing me nearly $105, shipping makes up over $22 of that and the taxes (which are also on the shipping costs) come to just over $15 - would so many in the US buy him if it cost them that? I dread to think how much someone in Australia etc pays...
If SS does keep records of waitlists then I think they should have contacted the relevant people in this case. If they don't then I really do think that the fairest way (in this particular instance, where there were only two pieces) would have been to conduct an internal lottery of people signed up to the newsletter and to give them the equivalent of a waitlist type of response... Anything thats done through the newsletter is immediately biased against non-US residents - its up to SS to decide how important that is.
Just to be clear, I already have Aragorn (got him at listprice from Forbidden Planet back in the good old days (listprice again for me being nearer $250 than $125 of course... )) so I have no particular bone to pick, just adding my thoughts to the debate...

 

[nash]

Well, I'm convinced that if the US customers had to pay our prices, many would stop collecting!!

Why do you say this? What makes you guys in the EU so much more able to pay those prices than US customers?

 

[Fritz]

Personally, I like it when they just add it to the newsletter on Thursday night. Everybody knows that they need to be online Thursday nights refreshing their newsletter page to be the first to read it and possibly see some in stock specials. I have picked up one or two out of stock items through the newsletter in the past and it worked fine for me! That not only encourages people to read the weekly newsletter in a timely fashion, it doesn't punish people whose e-mails are held back by their service providers. Today, I did just happen to be sitting around at home on my laptop and I didn't receive mine until it was far too late. I think that the whole debate that led to the online publication of the newsletter applies here just as much. A mass e-mail just won't reach everybody at the same time and some will get an unfair advantage. When the info is posted in the newsletter, everybody gets their shot at the same time. I much prefer that method.

Agreed 100%. I don't think this was the correct way to handle such a saught after item. After all, isn't the inconsistency of how emails arrive the reason they went to the posting of the newsletter on-line? I also would be in favor of choopie's idea of just putting it up on the site and if you happen to notice it you get it.

I'll give you an example. A lot of you know this was my grail for a long time. Fortunately I was able to get one a while ago but until that point, the Aragorn page was my home page on every PC that I had. I highly doubted it would ever be relisted but it didn't cost me anything and a fool's hope was better than no hope at all. I'm sure if I didn't already have one, I probably would have been upset at the method it was made available again.

But, like everything else, life's not always fair and sometimes I get lucky with items so I really have no reason to complain.

Congrats, ST for snagging one and it's nice to see that someone who wanted the piece got it.

 

[crazytrain]

In other words as long as its better for you that's what counts? If it comes out during your work day then it's not good for us here in the States. Like Lonnie said they are putting it together during their work day and comes out when it ends. As well as pretty much everyone knows when it comes out so they can plan in advance.

So, could they not put it together on a Thursday and then send it out on the Friday - with automated systems, there wouldn't have to be someone in the office to do this - it would mean the EU getting something first of course - you can still plan in advance, as you'll get it at a specified time on the Friday. Just "putting the shoe on the other foot" - would you be happy to receive the newsletter in the US after the EU??

 

[Calle_Sandell]

In other words as long as its better for you that's what counts? If it comes out during your work day then it's not good for us here in the States. Like Lonnie said they are putting it together during their work day and comes out when it ends. As well as pretty much everyone knows when it comes out so they can plan in advance.

I didn't say that! I bealive that it must be a better time then it is now! since lonnie said that it couldn't be done a better time and that if it was one time in the US we in the EU would be at work and if it suited us in the EU it would've been in the US work hours... and I just replied that I would be happy if it was during our work hours!!! But I think it must be some time that can suit everybody more or less!

Then it's impossible to make it perfect!!! But I would stay up longer then I usually do if it wasn't until like 4 am!!! and I would get up earliey if it didn't mean getting up at 4 am!!

I know exactly when it comes out! But it's impossible for me to get up at 4 am and sit and refresh the ss site for an hour!! But if you think thats fine and all you need is planing then why don't we switch?

No, you wouldn't like that, uh? because you already have it the way you want it!

 

[The Josh]

So, could they not put it together on a Thursday and then send it out on the Friday - with automated systems, there wouldn't have to be someone in the office to do this - it would mean the EU getting something first of course - you can still plan in advance, as you'll get it at a specified time on the Friday. Just "putting the shoe on the other foot" - would you be happy to receive the newsletter in the US after the EU??

Why should the EU get the newsletters first? SS is a US company and it would make no sense for the EU to get anything first before US. If this was an EU or Asian based company I would fully expect it to be the other way.

 

[Calle_Sandell]

Why do you say this? What makes you guys in the EU so much more able to pay those prices than US customers?

Why I say this? I've heard many US collectors getting pissed of when they have to pay 20$ in shipping! (I would be glad if I only had to pay that!)

I'm not saying that we in the EU are richer then you guys!! not at all!!!!

I'm just saying that to live in the EU and collect these things you must be pretty dedicated!!!

 

[The Josh]

I didn't say that! I bealive that it must be a better time then it is now! since lonnie said that it couldn't be done a better time and that if it was one time in the US we in the EU would be at work and if it suited us in the EU it would've been in the US work hours... and I just replied that I would be happy if it was during our work hours!!! But I think it must be some time that can suit everybody more or less!

Then please give as Lonnie a time that would be best for everyone. There isn't and SS is a US Company. Not everyone here in the US has access to SS site if it goes up during work hours here to better suit the EU.

I know exactly when it comes out! But it's impossible for me to get up at 4 am and sit and refresh the ss site for an hour!! But if you think thats fine and all you need is planing then why don't we switch?

I'm not saying it doesn't suck for you all but the times that would be best for you wouldn't be for us. That's just the fact of it all.

No, you wouldn't like that, uh? because you already have it the way you want it!

It's the way it should be since again SS IS A US COMPANY.