Is this the standard expected from SS?

[gtb]

First of all, this happens (see below)

Then when I call in to ask for a call-back service, there is no reply from SS at all. I have waited for 3 days and no news whatsoever..

what am I going to do now?? Please help!

 

[pixletwin]

It was Thanksgiving Holiday on the 22nd and 23rd, for which their offices were closed. It is also now a weekend for which they are closed.

I would assume the CS department will open again tomorrow and you should receive and answer.

 

[Fetunche]

They,ve been on holiday since Thursday try them again on Monday.

 

[Wetanut]

Ouch! Don't know what happened but it doesn't look pretty. I truly feel your pain. Sideshow is more than capable of answering this, but thought I'd mention that this past week has been a bit different from the rest of the year. Dunno when you called them, but just passing along the possible reason they've not answered yet? I've cut and pasted below directly from their home page:

"Sideshow Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
Sideshow Collectibles would like to wish all of our U.S. based collectors a safe and happy Thanksgiving! We would also like to remind everyone that our Customer Service department will be closed Thursday, November 22nd, and Friday, November 23rd, in observance of this U.S. holiday. Please anticipate all calls and e-mail inquiries received during this extended weekend to begin being returned on the next business day, which will be Monday, November 26th..."

 

[gtb]

Thanks guys (and ladies) for the heads up, in Singapore, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, so it just slip my mind... and with the 16 hours time difference its really difficult to get them to call me back..

Hopefully they lived up to their reputation and send me a repalcement.

I have already told them that I wouldn't need the foam, but only thebox which they can collapased to save cost on shipping..

 

[tylerd]

be patient. in peak times, you may need to wait a week or two for a response.

 

[Eli26]

Is the box that important..always was more concerned about the item(s) inside vs. the box itself. I understand it's nice to have a mint box.. but.. meh I guess I don't see it being a huge problem. I always viewed statues differently than figures, where the packaging, while is important, isn't at the same rate or level as say a 1:6 figure.

 

[tomandshell]

Also, remember that the "Ask Sideshow" section of the Freaks Board is not an official means of communication between us and the Sideshow customer service representatives. They do their best to check in on us from time to time, but they can't read all of our posts and may or may not read any comments or questions posted here. Any serious questions or concerns always need to be asked through the official channels, via e-mail or their toll free number.

I am sorry about that box, though!!

 

[TOE]

He did try to call but did not get any response, possibly due to the Thanksgiving event

 

[gtb]

Of course, I have not treated this as an official channel of comms with SS, but hoping some members can help out with responses how SS will usually response. True enough, I have some very nice people telling me that its thanksgiving.

However, till date, I still don't get any response.

As for the box, I think I should count my blessings that it is just the box and not the blessing, but IMO, SS is a very reputable company that produce high-quality products with extremely thorough QC checks, damage of this nature is certainly beyond me (the title of my thread).

I have receive box with insufficent adhesives at the sides, knocks and dents at the corners - yet to me these are acceptable as they are acceptable faults, but THAT (see pic)... I mean how could anyone could have miss that??

 

[Dusty]

In a typical week, the Returns department runs about 5-7 business days behind, as each case is dealt with in the order it is received (this does not affect the 30 day guarantee, as the date of the original email is what they go by). Since they also just experienced a 4-day holiday weekend, we recommend that you have just a *tiny* bit more patience with them, as this is only Day 5 after the holiday.

Also, when requesting International returns/refunds/replacements, PLEASE make 100% certain to follow the instructions on this page: https://www.sideshowtoy.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=DAM&item=DAM0202 (you can find this information anytime, but clicking on the 'Returns' link under the Customer Assistance section of our left navigation list at SideshowCollectibles.com)

If you send your request to anyone other than the Returns department, it can take a few extra days to get forwarded to the correct person (especially when an email is sent to the personal address of a rep who you may have dealt with in the past but no longer works here)! When in doubt, ALWAYS use the Customer Service Request Form, rather than personal email addresses: https://www.sideshowtoy.com/custserv/

 

[Bullseye]

I have always found SS nothing but an A+ company to deal with. I hope it gets sorted for you now that you have their attention.

 

[gtb]

This is an excerpt of what I received from Sideshow (in response to my earlier problem in this post), perhaps anyone who is reading this can tell me if this is an justifiable answer:

"As you are an international customer, we will not ask you to return the piece back to us for an exchange. Additionally we will not be able to provide a replacement to you as we cannot insure safe delivery of an empty box to such a far distance."

But when I first saw this, I :

 

[Calle_Sandell]

Oh man that sucks!!

IMO The box is a part of the purchase you make, adn should therefor be treatened as everything else is treated. -> With the return policy SS have they should replace it since it was a faulty item!

I wouldn't accept that answer, have you replied to it?

 

[Dusty]

I am confident that that was not the entire response, as they normally offer a significant refund on the purchase price in cases like this. It's an either/or situation... they won't ship a completely empty box of that size to the other side of the globe, as chances are it would get damaged even more. So either 1) accept their apologies and a refund of a percentage off of the purchase price, or 2) destroy the item for a full refund.

 

[gtb]

I think it will be very silly to destroy the item to get the refund. As far as I can concern, all I wanted is a good box, it is not about getting back some money. Not trying to show off I am very rich or anything like that, but what is the use of refunding me even 100% if I don't have a good box to go with it?

The Gandalf LSB is a limited edition item, while the BOX itself is not, I just don't see why that cannot send another box to me?? Moreover, it is the fault of the QC.

Furthermore, I am rather disappointed when they give me an explanation like this.

To Dusty: Yes indeed, this is not the entire email, but I have refrain to put SS in a bad light by publishing the entire email which is just meant for my eyes now. SS has agreed to refund me 15% of the shipping cost for the NEXT shipment, but as I have said earlier, I am not a "conjurer of cheap tricks" (as Gandalf would have put it) to get "rebates" from SS. Refunding me any amount wouldn't allow me get another decent box to hold my precious gandalf LSB, does it??

Anyway, I have written to Ms Inithia and told her the whole story, I published this part of the letter here to gain justification from other boardmembers that I am not over-reacting, and it seemed that at least one person has agreed with me.

 

[Calle_Sandell]

Yeah you have!

I really don't understand why they can't ship just the box? Because of breakage? So why don't they put the styrofoam in and it'll be like any other box. Just not the statue/bust inside but that really doesn't matter!

The shipping cost wouldn't be that bad since it would weight very little..

 

[Darklord Dave]

I can't speak for SSC, but as a fellow collector this would have been a non-issue for me. The damage isn't even on the art side of the box.

But I realize other people put more importance on the packaging. However I doubt SSC has extra boxes printed up and sent over to them from the factory. They'd have to take a box from a complete statue, and I could understand the reticence in doing that.

It is unfortunate that international buyers have fewer choices when it comes to these sorts of problems.

 

[Shropt]

However I doubt SSC has extra boxes printed up and sent over to them from the factory. They'd have to take a box from a complete statue, and I could understand the reticence in doing that.

I actually thought SSC did have extra boxes for this very reason. Hmm.

I am lucky though, I only collect the collectible, not the box. To each their own.

 

[tylerd]

documents and art prints are sent in tube shaped containers all around the world with no damage. a collector box can easily be sent flat with stiff, cut to size cardboard on either side. i have shipped an 8 x 10 peter forsberg autographed photo to sweden from colorado with stiff cardboard on either side and it arrived in perfect condition. where there's a will, there's a way.

will sideshow hire me as their shipping manager if i move to california? i've got such sights to show them.