THE FORTRESS OF POWER - Custom MOTUC playset

[Detective_Chimp]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Looks awesome

I sent a pm asking for details. If you didn't receive please pm me back

Thanks

 

[samueljd]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Just noticed Bishart has done on update on this project.

I hope he doesn't mind me posting the Facebook update pics (since he doesn't post here very often).

https://www.facebook.com/pages/On-Dea...53030601395875

 

[Dollmanron]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

No bodies gotten any of these yet?

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

No bodies gotten any of these yet?

Nope... We are about 2 months out from the one year anniversary of me paying for mine too.

Hopefully soon.

Sallah

 

[Badvermin]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

It's past a year for me, I was one of the first to order.

According to the solicitation email I received from Ben in April 2011 "we can begin actually casting this thing, as early as next week". This item is over a year late, with no schedule update.

Ben did comment on the ORG:

sorry to worry you, i thought we had updated this thread many times about the problems we had run into, and the process. its not just that its late, its that we ran into snags at almost every turn and still are doing our best moving forward, switching materials, and building an actual space to cast these things. there is no need to get worried, please see above where we detailed what was going on, and the photos of one of the casts. we wont be updating the thread telling everyone what number were on, or taking photos of every single one, it just takes too much time, and were working on multiples at the same time, different parts of each, at different stages, casting, cleaning up, painting etc. sorry to have made you worried, and sorry its late, we are just as dissapointed by that as you.

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

It's past a year for me, I was one of the first to order.

According to the solicitation email I received from Ben in April 2011 "we can begin actually casting this thing, as early as next week". This item is over a year late, with no schedule update.

I know snags and setbacks can happen... But communication has to get a bit better on this, since we are all the ones who are out the money right now. Saying that they are "just as disappointed as us" doesn't make me feel all that better, since I am the one that paid $400 for this a year ago.

I understand there may not be much to say, but when you're a year late on a project, ya gotta at least pop in and reassure folks on a regular basis... or offer a definitive timeline for completion at this point. Give us some dates as to when we can expect these to start shipping. A loose date was fine a year ago... but with this project being a year and a half old AND with payment already accepted, it just isn't cool to leave people hanging.

To put this in perspective- I actually stopped collecting this line months ago. That is how late this thing is. I contacted Ben to see about getting a refund, since we are well past the point where this was supposed to be released. I was told I could not because they already spent the money on materials (I paid in full). I was cool with that, since I am sure that the materials were too costly to buy them in advance of payment. So I told him I'd keep it and asked if they could at least give me an estimate as to when I might get mine... but they couldn't offer that. All they could say was that they would make 5 a month, and you could expect yours a month after it was made. That was at the beginning of May. None have been made or shipped since then. Ben asked what number I was to see if he could give me an estimate. I replied with my number... And then he never got back to me.

If the project was this unstable as to be delayed a year and half (potentially even more), then I really don't feel money should have been accepted in the first place, and it definitely shouldn't be that we can (a.) not get refunds and (b.) not expect firm ship dates or even constant communication on progress.

I am sure the Bens are super nice guys, and I hate to sound like I am coming down hard here... I just feel like the Fortress buyers deserve a little better than what we are getting right now.

Sallah

 

[galactiboy]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

This is one of the main reasons it's not a good idea to pay for customs ahead of time. Usually it's a bit of a red flag (even if very its a common practice) if the customizer is asking you to put up the money for supplies... in the majority of these projects there are always delays and anything more than 45 Days leaves you with few options if you used Paypal.

One fail safe is to always pay with a Credit Card, generally you can file a claim much later and get your money back. If anyone you did this it might be a good idea to look into that if you were refused a refund.

BTW, I'm moving this over to the "action figure" section as this seems to pertain to the MOTUC line

 

[teemu]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Was going to bite on this and glad I didn't....I would of bought one if he made it first and then I'd buy with it ready to ship...because $400 is just too much to put down on something that takes forever to make

Sallah is that why you stopped making videos on youtube with your son?

 

[Badvermin]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Whoa, they wouldn't refund your money or give you any estimate???? That's not right.

Ben said they are not taking new orders and people keep asking to buy.. so why wouldn't he refund you and then sell that unit to a new person?

I'm worried we may need to take legal action.

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Sallah is that why you stopped making videos on youtube with your son?

Well, it does mean we will do fewer MOTUC ones (since we are only buying the ones he wants now)... But we aren't done doing the videos, no. We just took a hiatus for some Summer fun stuff.

We should be back at it in the next few weeks. Thanks for asking!

Sallah

 

[teemu]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Well, it does mean we will do fewer MOTUC ones (since we are only buying the ones he wants now)... But we aren't done doing the videos, no. We just took a hiatus for some Summer fun stuff.

We should be back at it in the next few weeks. Thanks for asking!

Sallah

why did you quit collecting? you seemed like you and your son were pumped up about this line.I'd imagine once we get Ram Man,Jitsu,and Mekaneck in hand (1982-1985 completed).I guess it could be a good time to call it quits

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Whoa, they wouldn't refund your money or give you any estimate???? That's not right.

Ben said they are not taking new orders and people keep asking to buy.. so why wouldn't he refund you and then sell that unit to a new person?

I'm worried we may need to take legal action.

Yeah, that is kinda how I felt about it too. I wouldn't have even asked for the refund... but I knew that other folks were probably interested in it, and since I wasn't actively collecting anymore, someone who was would probably appreciate it more than me. I figured it would be pretty easy to just shift my spot over to somebody else. That didn't seem to be an option though. I was just told that if I didn't want it, I could probably sell it for double what I paid once it was made.

I won't be doing that though. If I don't keep it, I will pass it along to another local collector at cost. I guess it is better this way, since I don't want to push this whole thing onto someone else anyway...

As for the legal action- I really don't think that it will get to that, as their reputations in the community are at stake here. But, given that the minimum down payment to get in on this was $200, and the entire run of 50 was spoken for... We are talking about at least $10,000 that has changed hands here (more if others paid in full like I did). With that kind of money, the buyers deserve better treatment than what has happened so far in my opinion.

why did you quit collecting? you seemed like you and your son were pumped up about this line.I'd imagine once we get Ram Man,Jitsu,and Mekaneck in hand (1982-1985 completed).I guess it could be a good time to call it quits

Well, I don't want to hijack this too much... but the decision to call it quits has come after a steady string of issues plaguing the line- Shipping issues, horrible customer service, double charges, and terrible QC (culminating with Stinkor's reversed arms and their blatant cover-up). I love MOTU, but I can't keep supporting a company that shows absolutely zero interest in customer satisfaction. Like I said, I will still pick up anything the boys really want (plus my last few must-haves).. but my days as a "buy-everything" guy are over.

The only problem is that this has freed up my spending cash a bit... and lead me down the dark path of Hot Toys.

Sallah

 

[Wanderer]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Always seems the case with customisers who "run into issues". When they're fishing for customers and right through sending money, comms are regular as are updates with pics. Once they have your money, you have to beg them to respond to your 93rd unanswered email...

 

[banthafett]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Always seems the case with customisers who "run into issues". When they're fishing for customers and right through sending money, comms are regular as are updates with pics. Once they have your money, you have to beg them to respond to your 93rd unanswered email...

You got that right, it never fails. I was working on a Boba costume and a custom Hello Kitty Fett costume for my wife about 8-9 years ago. Almost every damn piece, had "issues" and had to wait long periods of time to recieve items. Some took up to two freaking years. And the communication always stinks with these types also.

Lesson learned. Grade A sellers made product first, then took payment. The sellers who took money first took their sweet ass time, and only made product after threats of getting money back. You know they blow the money on other ____. Its why you cant get a hold of them.

 

[Niltusk]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

The only problem is that this has freed up my spending cash a bit... and lead me down the dark path of Hot Toys.

Sallah

Welcome to the Dark Side then.

 

[Levit05]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

wow...almost bit on this...ALMOST...:-/

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Yeah... This is my first and last time paying in advance for something like this. I trusted in it due to the perceived high cost in material prohibiting them from casting first. After this experience, I won't put faith in that argument ever again.

Sallah

 

[Bullet]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Im down for one of these as well only paid the 200usd deposit didn't pay in full. Im not that worried about the time delay I knew when I signed up for this it would be a massive undertaking and was gonna take a long long time. I am a little concerned however with some of their posts on facebook. There seems to be quite a bit of attitude which considering how long this project has run and the amount of money paid up front by so many is simply not on! Even if there is nothing to really update how hard would it be to take 5 mins to update saying havent forgot about you guys working hard etc. I still really want this so havent enquired about a refund. I paid with my credit ard and have zero experience with reporting problems does anybody know how far back you can go to dispute a transaction? Reason I ask is for piece of mind more than anything.
Cheers guys

 

[sallah]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Im down for one of these as well only paid the 200usd deposit didn't pay in full. Im not that worried about the time delay I knew when I signed up for this it would be a massive undertaking and was gonna take a long long time. I am a little concerned however with some of their posts on facebook. There seems to be quite a bit of attitude which considering how long this project has run and the amount of money paid up front by so many is simply not on! Even if there is nothing to really update how hard would it be to take 5 mins to update saying havent forgot about you guys working hard etc. I still really want this so havent enquired about a refund. I paid with my credit ard and have zero experience with reporting problems does anybody know how far back you can go to dispute a transaction? Reason I ask is for piece of mind more than anything.
Cheers guys

Agreed on the communication. I honestly would have just kept all this to myself and just hoped for a good outcome... But the lack of communication and the tone of the last few messages on their page and such just isn't cool. They come across as if they are doing this as a favor or as if we are burdening them by asking the status of product we paid for in good faith a year ago. Last time I checked, we are the ones that invested $200-$400 a piece in them, not the other way around... So yeah, keeping us happy and updated a year later is the absolute least thy could do.

Sallah

 

[Centurion]

Re: THE FORTRESS OF POWER - MOTUC playset.

Hello MOTUC fans and fellow Sideshowcollectors members.

This thread was just brought to my attention and I first would like to say that I can empathize with many of you.

Unfortunately, I am going through a similar situation with Ben "Bishart" at this thread here:

https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92561&page=55

I have now subscribed to this MOTUC thread and will follow it closely.
I hope that you all can do the same in the MONACO thread at the link I posted above.

If there are any new developments please share and I will absolutely do the same.

We must all communicate well with each other regarding this matter.