Quality Control (Lack Of)

[Deckard]

Yea this has been discussed on countless threads throughout the board, but it's time for one all encompassing step back to ask what the hell is going on.

Sideshow, Quality Control in the ONLY reason I buy direct from your website, I know you guys will replace something if its Fubar. Truth is I can get almost anything you offer, except 100 es pieces anywhere else for cheaper.

However it seems you are now in the buissness of slapping your QC stickers on any POS rolling of the line. Genius sculpts and hard work and effort are ruined by sub par paint apps and checking.

Coming to mind just recently, are the 1/4 KOTCS Indy, the new T-Rex Maquette, and Iron Man. While the first two are yet to be released, the protos already look to suffer problems, and we all know its usually down hill from proto to product. And obviously the Iron Man situation speaks for itself.

Is it really worth it SS, to have overseas customers destroying $1000 pieces because no one so much as glanced at it before packaging?

This isn't the websites running slow on thursday, this is a big issue I think needs to get adressed, and now. I don't expect them to be painted in America all the sudden, and I'm not talking little Hot Toys details like Skin colors, I mean in general why cant the paint just be applied more smoothly without so many scratches, or general flaws?

 

[BadMoon]

 

[woodsy]

For me personally SS's QC problem's are very frustrating because I know what they are capable of accomplishing when they do it right, namely stunning and memorable repesentations. I recently had to return 5 of 10 item's ordered for various QC problems and two of those excl's were no longer were available for replacement so I missed out on them. One of the item's I returned [Dracula vs Renfield dio.] had no less than 5 major flaws ranging from poor assembly [big gap between the shoulder and torso], to sloppy paint app's, to a large paint chip missing, that wasn't located anywhere in the packing materials. My replacement arrived in perfect condition, however, as in the case of the one I sent back, Renfield's jacket, pants, and shoes were all painted the same colour which clearly isn't how he is shown on SS's website pic's. That is nothing more than just plain laziness on the part of the painter.
I really don't know what the answer is because I'm sure SS is even more frustrated than any of us are. Perhaps they will eventually have to send some of their own people to China strictly to inspect each and every product before it leaves the country? Certainly not a job I would want.

 

[IrishJedi]

Once again, here's the main issue: Sideshow is pretty much the only major collectibles company that doesn't have a direct employee overseeing production in their factories full-time.

This isn't rocket science. The problem isn't their talent or ability. It's their flawed and outdated business model.

 

[nash]

Even Popcultureshock Jerry has to fly his butt to china to oversee things himself periodically. SIdeshow can't even do that?

 

[Bannister]

 

[Darklord Dave]

Even Popcultureshock Jerry has to fly his butt to china to oversee things himself periodically. SIdeshow can't even do that?

Many of the Sideshow personnel are in China on a regular basis. They also have consultants that are there full time.

No other collectibles company has ever had the volume of items released into the market in such a steady flow. Because they have so many items, the perceived QC problems may seem greater than other companies, but if you look at percentages, I think you'll see that it's about the same as any other company.

 

[The Craw]

i've never gotten a bad sideshow piece. don't rattle the package so much when you carry it from the doorstep to your living room. maybe that will help.

 

[Deckard]

Rattled packages don't account for the Iron Man Bust errors but thanks.

 

[Darth Pikachu]

Many of the Sideshow personnel are in China on a regular basis. They also have consultants that are there full time.

No other collectibles company has ever had the volume of items released into the market in such a steady flow. Because they have so many items, the perceived QC problems may seem greater than other companies, but if you look at percentages, I think you'll see that it's about the same as any other company.

I've had noticeable to major flaws with 4 out of the last 6 figures. That's a 66% QC problem rate. That's pretty high. Granted, Hot Toys has been equally problematic in that regard, but for the money, shouldn't we expect more? Hasbro and Mattel crank out far more significant volume and seem to have fewer problems on average. (Though I imagine they dispose of more flawed pieces due to lower per unit cost.)

 

[morbidaj]

Don't forget about "East Indian Indy" either

 

[Deckard]

Or the fact that about 50 percent of the new body types suffer from joints so loose they cant stand no matter how u pose them.

Ive had to send back 2 of 4 SS pieces so far. Oh, and spend extra just to make one of them actually screen accurate. And my replacement Indy still has a messed up whip holster that doesnt work.

 

[FQRizzo]

Or the fact that about 50 percent of the new body types suffer from joints so loose they cant stand no matter how u pose them.

Ive had to send back 2 of 4 SS pieces so far.

Wait. You have a n=4 and you are using that to generalize the entire production run?!

 

[Deckard]

What is an n=4?

 

[FQRizzo]

What is an n=4?

Your sample size is 4. (statistics term.)

 

[The Craw]

i figure quality control is in charge of making sure the items aren't physically broken or missing accessories. things like bad paint aps and inaccuracies are caused by incompetence. you'll want to talk to human resources for that. they're on a different floor.

 

[Deckard]

Your sample size is 4. (statistics term.)

Ah ok, well I have 1/6 Indy and Belloq both with loose legs, the first Indy had 4 major problems, broken wrist, bag strap, whip holster, really bad paint chips on hat. 2nd Indy still has messed up Bag strap and broken whip holster. The Ex head on my Indy PF has a bad paint chip on the hair, but I didnt send it back bcuz im not using it.

I also bought a lot of 4 pro bodies on ebay, 3 have the loose legs, the other has loose arms.

And finally my endo had the battery/connector problem but I knew how to solve it, if I didnt from coming here I may have sent it back.

My friend just sent back his Iron Man bust which I saw in person and had really rough application.

I also am noting alot of the complaints I've seen here, which is the reason I have not bought an Iron Man bust myself. I very badly want one, but cannot take the risk.

I have a few things on PO i'd like to avoid any problems if possible. Also hoping to get more in the future.

I don't buy SS stuff from other retailers even if I can get it cheaper because I fear a problem when I'm 4 for 4, and I'd be stuck with it.

 

[JGouse0498]

Yes, he's basing his observations on four items that he personally owned, but that is a true random sampling of Sideshow's inventory. Let's say you buy four cars from GM or Ford or some other car company. Do you expect to get four lemons? No.

Basically, Deckard is complaining about Sideshow QC because he got four lemons from them.

You should also take into account that issues such the Iron Man errors and the loose joints on the new bodies have been reported by a large number of other collectors, proving that the issues are not isolated to one or two pieces.

As for myself, I bought an ROTLA Indy from a friend of mine and promptly got rid of it because it couldn't support its own weight. I had a chance to see an opening General Kenobi in Clone Armor at another friend's house, and it too had terribly loose joints.

Two completely different figures seen at different times and through different means...and they both were defective. Yeah, my "sample" is only 2, but that plus reports on these forums are enough to dissuade me from buying Indy again or buying Clone Kenobi for the first time. And I am very concerned that my Utapau Clonetrooper will suffer the same issues.

If Sideshow does have a presence in China as Dave indicates, then it begs the question "How closely are they monitoring their products?". If greater oversight means a extra few weeks in shipping the items, I don't think many of us will care. We're already waiting months (sometimes a year) between pre-order and shipping. What's a few more if it means getting it right.

Now an increase in the price to supplement better QC...that would be unacceptable because the items cost enough as it is.

 

[FQRizzo]

Ah ok, well I have 1/6 Indy and Belloq both with loose legs, the first Indy had 4 major problems, broken wrist, bag strap, whip holster, really bad paint chips on hat. 2nd Indy still has messed up Bag strap and broken whip holster. The Ex head on my Indy PF has a bad paint chip on the hair, but I didnt send it back bcuz im not using it.

I also bought a lot of 4 pro bodies on ebay, 3 have the loose legs, the other has loose arms.

And finally my endo had the battery/connector problem but I knew how to solve it, if I didnt from coming here I may have sent it back.

My friend just sent back his Iron Man bust which I saw in person and had really rough application.

I also am noting alot of the complaints I've seen here, which is the reason I have not bought an Iron Man bust myself. I very badly want one, but cannot take the risk.

I have a few things on PO i'd like to avoid any problems if possible. Also hoping to get more in the future.

I don't buy SS stuff from other retailers even if I can get it cheaper because I fear a problem when I'm 4 for 4, and I'd be stuck with it.

I definitely know how you feel. Sometimes it's seems like a company has it out for you. Everything I've gotten from Medicom has been sent back/replaced.

 

[FQRizzo]

Yes, he's basing his observations on four items that he personally owned, but that is a true random sampling of Sideshow's inventory. Let's say you buy four cars from GM or Ford or some other car company. Do you expect to get four lemons? No.

You are comparing $20K cars to sub-$100 figures?