Bones international orders question re: ticker

[KevinR]

This would (hopefully) solve the problem of being concerned of annoying people via constant updates and provide those who want constant updates with an easy way to get them.

Noting of course that the 'constant' updates people are asking for are really once every 2-3 weeks. It has been four weeks since there was a substantive Kickstarter update (Update #93, June 10: unloaded crates, fulfillment begins in two shifts this week). In addition, there was the address check email sent to all remaining backers on June 15 and about half of the Canadian backers received an email around June 23 (UPS screwed up, your package should be returned to Reaper, it will be resent with proper paperwork). In short, it is 2 weeks since Canadian orders were to be merely relabelled, 3 weeks since "final systems check", and 4 weeks since fulfillment beginning.

 

There has been no update discussing the following significant matters:

1) No second shift (instead a double-sized daytime shift).

2) No international shipping since April, and no expectation as to when shipping will begin.

3) International packing may begin this week (after all US orders are completed).

4) When it happens, International shipping will be via USPS. [i don't recall this being announced, and people seem confused, especially because UPS is doing US/Canada.]

5) No Canadian shipping except on June 21, and orders packed on that date were mislabeled (customs) and most were held for correction. (Of the 200 that were shipped on the 21st, UPS/customs will return most to Reaper, but some may be delivered.) [Most of this was covered in an email to the affected backers on about June 23.]

6) There is no expectation as to when Canadian shipping will resume, either for corrected boxes from the 21st or for other orders.

7) Canadian packing may begin this week (after all US orders are completed).

8) Many Kaladraxen were mispacked at the factory (mismatched legs); Reaper inspected them begining in late June, but earlier orders may have problems. Order problems should be resolved through a particular email at Reaper (I think questions@...).

 

In addition, around Tuesday there will be another significant matter:

9) US orders completed on about July 8. If in the US and no shipping information received from Reaper or UPS by about July 11, contact the Reaper email. Similarly, if no package received by about July 18 (in the US), contact the Reaper email.

 

How many backers are like this poor fellow, eagerly awaiting (for three weeks now) any sign that their Bones are on their way when, in fact, Reaper has done absolutely nothing with the 3100 orders like his in the "international" group.

[Laoke]

I wouldn't want all those updates coming through my email, but a Kickstarter update stating a single place where you could find other smaller updates with a link to a topic on the News forum probably would be a good solution. That way if you really wanted to see all the info, you could just follow the topic (that should be in the update too) and be alerted whenever there was a change and people would know where to look.

 

This would (hopefully) solve the problem of being concerned of annoying people via constant updates and provide those who want constant updates with an easy way to get them.

 

Here's where I'm going to disagree with you - and it's not about the concept of a single point of contact for updates. That I support wholeheartedly. It's this concept that 'Oh, I don't want updates coming to my mailbox! Heavens to Murgatroyd, it's just tragic that I might have to spend a few seconds ignoring it if it comes through!'

 

It's ridiculous, to me, that people who signed up for this would resent emails being sent out especially when it's a matter of a few minutes to set up a filter if you really don't want to get the updates. Yeah, sure, if we were talking about updates every hour, or maybe every day, you might have a point.

 

No one to my knowledge is asking that.

 

All we're asking is for a weekly or biweekly update saying what the situation is. And I really do not feel it's unreasonable to either request that, or to inflict that on the general Kickstarting populace.

 

My apologies to getting into this again, I honestly tried not to respond, but it's becoming pretty clear as a pattern - if we want an update of what's going on, we need to throw our toys out of the pram. And it's frankly ludicrous that we have to. Is it honestly that wierd to people that those of us living outside the hallowed shores of USAnia would like to know what the heck is going on?

 

I would expect, in the fufillment stage of a project especially if there were ongoing issues, that I would have to communicate with the stakeholders, managing their expectations. Is this a New Zealand cultural expectation or something?

Edited July 8, 2013 by Laoke

[buglips*the*goblin]

And he bought them beer and pizza.

[Laoke]

And he bought them beer and pizza.

 

It's the Kiwi way of showing extreme disappointment. It was, after all, only American 'Love in a Canoe' beer.

[buglips*the*goblin]

We'll see what happens when US is done. But if Canada is stuck waiting for UPS to figure out how mail works after that point then I will aggressively pursue an alternative arrangement.

[talion78]

If after all the US, all the problems with International shipping suddenly disappear over night, I would find that highly suspicious.

[buglips*the*goblin]

If after all the US, all the problems with International shipping suddenly disappear over night, I would find that highly suspicious.

 

 

Hmmmm... I dunno. The issue could solve while they work on the last US book and it'd make sense to finish that book.

 

ETA - if that happened with Canada I'd be more delighted than suspicious. I'm just beginning to suspect UPS is run by Nute Gunray.

Edited July 8, 2013 by buglips*the*goblin

[kimbers]

Sorry, I think I may have made myself misunderstood when referring to "constant updates" being in one place. I was referring to ReaperBryan's posts on the kickstarter comments and forums, which is usually at least once daily (but are scattered about). I like that he posts how they're going quite frequently but if that we're coming through as Kickstarter updates, some would be annoyed.

 

But yes, one Kickstarter update about them having problems probably would be good.

[Laoke]

Yet again I've gone on a bit of a rant. Spoilered so that those who don't want to read the whining of a impatient man-child can instead think of small fluffy kittens playing with a heffalump shaped cat toy. Awwwww, kittens!

 

 

Look, I really don't mind if they've decided to prioritise USA over the rest of the world. I would have appreciated some warning so I didn't wear out my F5 key over the past few weeks, but it's more the lack of communication than the actual lack of shipping that concerns me. And if they go straight into shipping the ROW orders once the USAnia orders have gone out the door? Wonderful! I would be ecstatic with that!

 

The issue is I don't know how it's going to shake out. I chose to believe that Reaper are suffering from an attack of incompetence*, not active malice. So that means we're waiting for a 3rd party and there's nothing I can do to affect that relationship. All I can do is change my relationship with Reaper.

 

Given that, if the ROW shipping is delayed for more than a week past the time where the US orders have shipped, I'll aggressively pursue other options. As I see it right now,

• I could get a US shipping address and get Reaper to send it to said address, where I'll get it reshipped at my expense to New Zealand. Assuming Reaper is willing to change the shipping address this is my most likely course of action. Frankly I couldn't care less about the $25 shipping fee and would likely just leave it with Reaper.
• I could cancel my order and buy a Vampire set + extras through ebay assuming I can find the stuff I'm after for a reasonable price. This is unlikely, I really dislike buying stuff second-hand from outside New Zealand - it's just too problematic.
• I could cancel my order and wait patiently for the Bones to go on sale retail.
• I could cancel my order, put my brushes and paints aside for another 20 years, and finally get the monkey off my back that's been there for the past 4 months as I obsess over this dang shipment. This option is fast gaining currency in my mind. I know how I work - right now, I'm focused on this shipment and frankly I've got better things to obsess over. So there's a lot of attraction right now to cutting my losses and not throwing bad money after good.

Any response from Reaper at all addressing my concerns would likely reset the timer. Right now I've got to make plans in a vacumn, and I've got to make the calls that work for me. It really doesn't help that I'm going to be snowboarding for most of August, so unless I see the Bones before then I'm going to be on a mountain with nothing to do in the evenings but paint... without figures.

 

*I neither know, nor care now whether the incompetence is at the Reaper or a 3rd parties end. That is, to be blunt, not my problem.

 

Edited July 8, 2013 by Laoke

[Damenace]

Yet again I've gone on a bit of a rant. Spoilered so that those who don't want to read the whining of a impatient man-child can instead think of small fluffy kittens playing with a heffalump shaped cat toy. Awwwww, kittens!

 

--snip--

 

Im not sure you could actually cancel your pledge (as it is not an order): http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/accountability-on-kickstarter

[Laoke]

 

Yet again I've gone on a bit of a rant. Spoilered so that those who don't want to read the whining of a impatient man-child can instead think of small fluffy kittens playing with a heffalump shaped cat toy. Awwwww, kittens!

 

--snip--

 

Im not sure you could actually cancel your pledge (as it is not an order): http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/accountability-on-kickstarter

 

 

Reaper have stated in the past that they'll honor anyone who wants to cancel their order.

[Foxfire]

I like that whole spoiler rant thingy :D

 

I'm not nearly in the position of being so drastic as to cancel my order. I will be happy with the goods once they finally arrive. But it seems my prediction of an August arrive were potentially correct, and even my guess about September could be accurate. Which would be highly disappointing. I recently had dice rings arrive. Postage date was start of May, that was through USPS and it took 8 weeks.

You know Reaper may very be correct in that they are awaiting a truck. So, should the International orders ship as soon as the US orders are done, I'll be pretty suspicious. I'm already a grumpy pants that ROW didn't get shipped first. I mean with the longer postage time it makes sense to ship ROW first, then do US yeah? Given US is a 2-3 day turn around.

At every step of the way we've had misinformation or just had no info.

There was no KS update about international just getting one shipment (which to be honest makes sense, but we haven't had paint or sophie's or anything sent!) I only found out about the two shipments completely on accident well after the fact. I was like all 'ho hum, oh yeah paints and stuff should have been sent, Yay... wait a sec'.

They started posting in March - This has always made me laugh, they shipped out a couple of vampires just so they can say 'Hey we started shipping in march'. There was rumours floating around on the forum that not all stock had been arrived and Reaper Peeps came out and said 'Hey don't listen to rumours guys, we have it all in hand'. Lo and behold, they didn't have all the stock and in fact had only start shipping a couple of vampires to say 'We started guys'.

We want to have all orders posted by the end of June - whelp... not much to say on this one.

 

Regardless, not a single bit of this information came from an 'official update'. In fact most of it came from people posting links to where the Reaper Peeps had posted tidbits of information. If I wasn't posting on the forums I'd still be deaf dumb and blind about most of what's gone on. I find it laughly ludicrous and how bad the information has always been.

 

Not to mention the lack of planning - Canadian thing is kind of understandable with government tape and whatnot. But ROW?

 

I mean seriously? You guys got down to 8000 orders left and then went, oh btw USPS we've got 3100 orders coming, you guys cool with that? What? You aren't? It's going to take how long? You don't know how long it's going to take, weeks? I'm sorry, I don't find that believable. What I do find believable is:

 

RP: "Hey guys, we've 3100 orders to ship"

USPS - "No Wucka's, we'll give you a discount if you put them all together, let us know when they are all ready and we'll send a truck".

RP: "Oops, there's a problem with kaladrax at least, we need to double check each order for international because it's just too damn expensive to resend them, we'll let you know when they're ready to go USPS"

USPS - "Roger doger".

 

It maybe that I'm just completely deluded and Reaper is just waiting on a magic truck for International, but given the past hiding of every piece of negative information I have no confidence in anything they put out. Especially since they knew 12 months ago how many international orders they had to ship. It should have been organised almost a year ago to the point that all they had to do was call USPS and say, hey come and weigh the boxes, they're good to go!

 

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be grumpy at the above situation - It makes perfect sense for them to check all the international orders to make sure they're correct. But it'd be nice to be updated and to feel like I'm being told the truth, it not being an official update makes me feel misled because they're not putting it out there for all to see, it's just being mentioned here and there.

 

Speaking of updates - there is nothing wrong with putting out a weekly or fortnightly update at this, the final phase of the project. People can unsubscribe from the kickstarter backer emails, but they pop up and notify us when something happens, a two sentence post buried deep in a forum somewhere does not.

 

 

 

Whew, that kinda went on didn't it? Gogo spoiler hidden tags for the rant. Love it! :D

The kickstarter deal itself was absolutely amazing value, should they do another one I will definitely check it out.

 

I would hope to high heaven that they'd post more info in official updates though. All of the above delays and expectations should have been clearly outlined as soon as Reaper was aware of them. Rather than trying to sweep them under the rug and just magically hope that they'd go away in time so no-one would notice. Because, well, it doesn't seem to happen, if it has we don't know about it - so they're aren't even getting good kudos for things that have gone right as we don't know about them!

[Lepordie]

Still US on the ticker......

[dorkboat]

 

 

DHL and FedEx are far more expensive options than USPS. From Bryan's answer, I'm going to infer that these are ready to go, they are just waiting on said truck to pick them up. Then the packages will be on the way to you.

 

That and DHL is absolutely terrible internationally -- I've also pledged on the Ouya kickstarter and my Ouya is at the mercy of DHL right now. Come to think of it, maybe I should check my tracking number to see if it's left Hong Kong by now -- last I checked it was still there and it's been over a week (China being the point of origin).

 

M

 

 

Not true.

I purchased a 27" ips screen from South Korea that got shipped per DHL Worldwide Express and it arrived in 3 days. No problems at all.

 

I live in South Korea, and I'm waiting on my Bones. From my three years of living here, every time I've mailed anything from Korea it's arrived in the states very fast, for very cheap. Not so much for anything sent from the United States.

[LittleBluberry]

For everyone who thinks it would be suspicious if the ROW/Canada shipping issues suddenly resolve this week, it might be that the 1st & 4th of July holidays just threw a wrench into everything. It seems pretty common in the US for people to book vacations that week. And if USPS/UPS is short-staffed, it's entirely possible they would leave Reaper hanging.

 

I do agree, however, that somebody better say something soon, because it would be embarrassing if all the US shipments were done and you guys were still left wondering.