Odd Problem With A Sideshow Doll

[Rabbit 51]

Last Friday I received a Sideshow WWI German Officer from a popular vendor. The doll arrived with a very strong odour to it. Something like Amereto or hazelnut or those strong palm-aides that some people like. Anyway the smell is very strong and unpleasant in the extreme. The figure has been banned to my garden shed ever since and now it smells of the same. The packing box had the odour, but no sign of anything being spilled on it. The Sideshow box has no spill marks, either. It seems to come from the figure, it's uniform or the accessories itself. I've had him outside and in the sun over the weekend and the smell lingers on.

The question is: What could have caused this offensive odour and how does one rid the product of the smell so that I can finally play with my doll? Any suggestions would be vastly appreciated.

Please forgive me if I have posted this in the wrong section. This is also not a question about a historical figure nor is this to imply a criticism of Sideshow Toys or their products.

Thank you.


Rabbit

[dstephan]

I have almost all the SSC figures and the only smell I've ever noticed is the "new toy smell" that sometimes accompanies them, never a strong, unpleasant odor. Perhaps it's something the vendor did to it?

[hulkfan]

I've heard of certain smells coming from toys made of PVC (a type of plastic that is used on various parts of Sideshow's figures). The only time's I've known this to happen is if the PVC was not quite mixed thoroughly, or didn't 'cure' correctly...? I can't be certain, but this is what I've heard. Have you contacted Sideshow's customer service regarding the issue? Perhaps they would issue a replacement...

[Rabbit 51]

Thanks for the advice, Dave. The vendor, or UPS, was the first thing that I thought of. The shipping box showed no signs of a spillage so I doubt that UPS was responsible. The Sideshow box also showed no spillage signs and the seals on it were intact. The odour was strongest when I peeled everything down to the doll itself.

Hulkfan, I was kind of thinking that it might be the plastic belt or other accessories. It could be the uniform, but that would mean that something outside would have had to spill on it. The "leather" is a chemical plastic to begin with. I haven't taken him apart as yet as the smell made me nauseas that first day and gave me a headache so I can't bear to be around him.

I hate to send him back for just a smell and he was a replacement to begin with. The vendor had sent me the AEF Officer by mistake and I already had one of him otherwise I would have kept him. I fear that people might think that I'm being too nit picky for raising another fuss over this. In truth I wouldn't have mentioned it at all if it were only a minor odour, but this is quite foul. If I can pin the blame on the equipment then I might not feel so bad about contacting Sideshow about the problem. As I said before I value all of your input concerning this and thanks for that information Hulkfan.

PS- The day following the one that brought the Imperial German soldier I received the Sideshow General Sherman from the same vendor. Sherman is a great figure, by the way. I had almost forgotten how a new toy should smell. He doesn't even smell of smoke!!


The Woeful Rabbit

[Rabbit 51]

Update: The vendor who sold me the defective doll insists that it is UPS's responsibility and will not handle it. Customer Service at Sideshow will not exchange it for a nondefective one as I bought the doll from a vendor and they say it is the vendor's responsibility. The smell remains even across my back yard in a high wind. If anyone happens to make it to the Concord Goodwill in the near future you can pick up a good deal on a Sideshow WWI German Officer provided you can tolerate the pong.


Rabbit

[hulkfan]

Wow... That's downright bad business on the vendors part. I'm sorry to hear about that Rabbit.

[creecher]

Hey Rabbit, if you let ChinotheGeek know who the vendor is, he will add it to his thread on good and bad dealers, Then we will all know to stay clear of him. I couldn't find the thread straight away. When I do I will edit this posting.
Your problem seems quite urgent. Soon you may find your neighbours complaining, so, if all else fails send the parcel back to the vendor anonamously, or hide it in his shop somewhere for a bit of Hitlers revenge.

[Buttmunch]

I didn't know toys could fart :fart

It could be Hitler's revenge, only it's a WWI doll. Not a WWII doll.

I would ask the vendor why it is not their fault. I would send it back anyway. You could say they sent you the wrong doll again.

"I wanted the smell-free version" :b

[creecher]

Sorry to take so long to get back to you.

If you look under
Sell/Trade *Official Feedback List* (updated 4/5/04)

you can let Chino know how terrible you have been dealt with. I'm sure we would all appreciate it. Best of luck.

[Rabbit 51]

Well, I'm somewhat reluctant, Creecher, to openly name the vendor that I had delt with. They are a large and very highly respected supplier of 1/6th toys. I know that I will have to find another vendor to deal with in the future, but I wouldn't want my isolated experience influence others whose experiences have been without disappointment. It is possible that they were weary of me after I had complained about getting the wrong item the first time around and had decided to cut their losses. I am more than a bit disappointed in Sideshow's response. When I had an original Buffy long ago with a sized left arm I sent them the nude doll and I received back a boxed Buffy as a replacement even though I had purchased her from a vendor. They also exchanged a WWI French Infantryman that I had purchased from elsewhere who had the end of his nose chipped off. I'm thinking of this more as a factory defect (possibly a reaction to the paint on his boots) and as such would be a company concern. Perhaps I'm wrong. I had intended to mail it back to Sideshow to do with as they pleased, but I think that I'll just let it lounge around for awhile outside after perhaps tossing out the box. I left a cigarette smoke damaged Barbie out in the toolshed for four months and she came out fine. It means that it will be a long time before I can play with my new toy, but otherwise I will be out some 35 smackers.

And now that you mention it, Buttmunch, he does bear a certain resemblance to Corporal Shicklegrubber when he was in the trenches.

I would like to thank everyone for their input to my problem.


Rabbit