As embarrassing as it is, I'm just putting this out there to help clear the air for everyone - Just got an email from a customer, telling me "your company is developing a MAJOR Black Eye among collectors"...and the exact content of his email was: "Every Toy Train and other figures collector group I am aware of is posting outrageous examples of you taking people's $$.................................. NOT shipping figures. If health or other circumstances are the cause, Man-Up and tell people. Refund for products you can't ship. There's talk of going to the New York Atty General. Do something about all the resentment! Your actions are outraging many collectors."........
OK, I always thought I was pretty up front with people, and I DO go into delays, personal details, etc, both here on the blog and over at our FaceBook page, I probably get involved with my customers on an even more personal level than most companies should get. How many of you out there in "Barclay-Land" are aware of the complaining on message boards, etc? I do web searches & turn up nothing....
Orders ARE going out, slowly but surely...or is this more like a case of a couple of people who had to wait a while, creating a fire-storm that's out of proportion to reality?
Look, I TOTALLY "get it", we're running behind, and some people have to wait, I've said it time & time again, we're not Amazon, and I find myself explaining the "it wasn't ME who charged your card, it's an automatic thing I can't do anything about" issue at least twice a week.... And, again, it's not YOUR "one little order for six pieces" that's creating the back-up, it's more like the 100+ orders that are in the system on any given day....
For SO many people griping & complaining, I don't hear the phone ringing....and, if people are so eager to get in touch with me, why do they always hang up any time the machine picks up? If you're having issues with us, PLEASE contact me by email ASAP, it might be something as simple as an order that got mis-filed in the insanity of the Christmas rush....
Thanks for your input, and, should you be one of those people complaining, my apologies for any delays, confusion, or inconvenience....
I just want to add that at the moment I too have been waiting for my next order and it has been a while. However, I have always received my orders and have never been charged for anything I didn't eventually receive. The quality and uniqueness of what you produce is not applicable to mass production, and unlike the Far East, we have laws that protect workers. If you were to be able to hire enough skilled people to have a turn around time equivalent to mass production, I doubt any of those complaining would be willing to pay the necessary price. I may not be happy about the wait but I understand and am more than willing to wait…
Please don’t go to China! I, for one, appreciate the hand made in America aspect! I’m sure there are others who feel the same. Jim Bennett
Let me know when you get your shop/factory/museum set up. I’ll be there in a heartbeat to see it. Also, I’ve been writing articles lately for “The Villager” ( newsletter for The Plasticville Collectors Association) and I’d love to interview you at your new place for an article about you and your business. Let me know, and keep up the great work you do! Jim Bennett
Jeff, I wish you the very best dealing with the ugliness of the public. You have a unique business and many of us appreciate the procedures and difficulties and approach it all with patience and a good humor. Dan G.