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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 10, 2012 0:57:47 GMT
I've sampled their membership. Waste of money, I find them a distasteful company and there is no way that they aren't pocketing money from shipping.
Andy
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 7:03:55 GMT
Wow, just wow. Still no email. Deleting facebook posts and comments asking for an email to be sent and less than subtle suggestions that it could be the fans fault.
Fun Publications - masters of PR.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 10, 2012 8:04:33 GMT
We know from BBTS that it costs $20 to send a box that size to the UK (base price for US->UK parcels)
We know from the Sideburn incident that they send them over en mass and then post locally.
Therefore.....
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 10, 2012 8:17:09 GMT
As I watch the TFCC PR go into meltdown, I am increasingly reminded of the last days of 3H.
-Ralph
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2012 8:35:28 GMT
Let's hope they at least get out the Battlechargers and Dr1ft before any meltdowns really kick in!
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Post by blueshift on Feb 10, 2012 9:38:30 GMT
As I watch the TFCC PR go into meltdown, I am increasingly reminded of the last days of 3H. -Ralph What's going on, I'm pretty out of the loop |
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 9:43:40 GMT
The reason the club has been able to avoid a meltdown so far is that Botcon has always run smoothly (registration is always a pain and lines can be an issue at the convention but on the whole its a fun experience that has delivered what it promised.
It has always seemed that was the important part for FP and Hasbro and they could afford to screw up the club almost anyone going to Botcon will find it cheaper to join the club than not so there has always been a virtual guaranteed minimum membership, but this time I get the sense people have run out of patience.
Its ridiculous because Sideburn last year and the battle chargers this year they finally had the club in a really good position in its own right.
The initial preorder muck up had largely been forgiven and even if their site was hacked, for the most part people accept it can happen to any online store (I think questions need to be asked about their security, but it can happen to anyone) but they then chose to blow all the goodwill with their response to the problem. Instead of a willingness to warn people with an email everything they have done has come across as covering their own asses which only makes everyone think they have something to hide.
On the plus side as someone who has complained about their business attitude its fun to see so many feeling the same way as it might actually lead to some kind of change.
Or not.
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Post by Jaymz on Feb 10, 2012 9:46:18 GMT
Just got a phonecall from my credit card company, fraudulent activity noticed and stopped. I joined the club in January with that creditcard, methinks I shall not be doing that again.
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 10:07:12 GMT
As I watch the TFCC PR go into meltdown, I am increasingly reminded of the last days of 3H. -Ralph What's going on, I'm pretty out of the loop TFW has a list of 50+ club members whose card details have been stolen. It's almost certainly more (well it is Jaymz isnt on the list nor a few others I know) and more are being hit every day. Apparently there are about 4000 club members according to a comment in the club magazine. That means 2% have already had problems and publicaly said so, the actual percentage will be higher. Surely thats at least enough to warrant a response. But so far FP are not admitting its due to club/Botcon purchases, fair enough it might not be, but they refuse to send out an email just to warn people to check their cards for fraudulent purchases. They could reach 4000 fans who may also be victim (from whatever the source) who may not know whats happening and may already have lost thousand of pounds. But they wont. Thats whats happening. The response isnt going down to well. |
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 10:09:13 GMT
Just got a phonecall from my credit card company, fraudulent activity noticed and stopped. I joined the club in January with that creditcard, methinks I shall not be doing that again. That means just about everyone I know in the UK who has paid FP for something has been hit now except me. Glad I cancelled my cards yesterday. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2012 10:12:54 GMT
Just noticed that their Facebook page wont allow people to comment (outside of their own posts) now...odd
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kayevcee
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Post by kayevcee on Feb 10, 2012 11:33:08 GMT
I've been a member of the club in the past and have the god-awful magazines to prove it. What are the odds they've still got my card on file? I think the one they had expired and I've got a new security code.
-Nick
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 11:44:53 GMT
It all seems to be after making a purchase. I dont think they keep that stuff on file. At least one person seems to have had a problem going back to buying Ramjet last year though. So its a least possible it goes back quite a while.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 10, 2012 12:19:46 GMT
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Jim
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Post by Jim on Feb 10, 2012 13:01:10 GMT
At this point, shouldn't the Brand Manager responsible for Transformers be at the very least scratching their chin? This is an official club, advertised globally on their packaging. Surely it does not reflect well on Hasbro.
It would be so easy to rant extensively about my two experiences as a member (2007, 2011), but I think everyone has it covered already. I'd rather spend my money on whatever volumes of Generations get put out and getting hold of the exclusive toy if it appeals to me. I can't really read them but they are still a bajillion times as compelling as those from the club, and translations always turn up in the end.
It's just not an international club, whatever it insists, and it seems to me to be mostly about BotCon - the club bit is secondary. I wish Hasbro could be convinced to consider licensing a European club.
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kayevcee
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Post by kayevcee on Feb 10, 2012 15:45:22 GMT
Hasbro are open to having a European club, and the AA folks have been looking into it for years now- as I understand it, if an individual, group or company can afford to pay the hefty annual license fee, they can become an official promoter and have access to licensed gear, exclusive toys (including current and previous Botcon toys) and their own commissions. If you can make enough to cover the fee each year and you don't bring the brand into disrepute then you're set.
-Nick
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 10, 2012 15:54:47 GMT
We'll have a wip round at BIG III & Swincon then.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2012 16:42:34 GMT
We could set up a swear jar or something for this at AA and other cons!
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 10, 2012 18:05:16 GMT
God that is a piss poor email.
[glow=red,2,300]We normally don't send out emails about information we post on the TransformersClub.com site however, we have been asked by several members to let everyone know about our post on credit card security. We take any security issue very seriously and we know, together we can help combat these modern day issues that affect all of us. Please read the post at TransformersClub.com.[/glow]
You then have to click two links to reach the statement they are referring too.
The statement is then a legally safe warning about online security that Phil linked to earlier. At no point does it address the problem clearly and does not say check your statements in case.
In other words unless you know something was wrong odds are the email will be completely ignored, if it isnt ignored odds are the reader still wont realise something is up after reading the links.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 10, 2012 18:25:38 GMT
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Feb 10, 2012 20:08:03 GMT
I was apalled at that email, too. To add insult to injury, on Facebook this evening, they've posted "Here's hoping everyone has a great weekend! Thanks, guys."
I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt about the credit card problems; depending on the setup with the card processor, it's quite possible that they have nothing directly to do with the payments and card details. But the way they continue to handle the situation, it's making me think that something is up.
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Feb 10, 2012 21:56:10 GMT
We could set up a swear jar or something for this at AA and other cons! Karma for such a great idea. |
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 11, 2012 0:54:23 GMT
I sincerely want them to have their license removed by Hasbro.
Andy
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Jim
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Post by Jim on Feb 11, 2012 14:16:08 GMT
"Never email your credit card information to anyone."
This is exactly what they asked me to do to pay for the $8 to get a replacement for my AWOL Sideburn shipped!
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 11, 2012 14:31:23 GMT
Really? That is mindboggling.
It's also a bit poor that they demanded money to replace a missing item (which is effectively what that $8 'shipping charge' is). I've had orders from Big Finish go missing in the post and each time they have responded promptly and sent out replacements at no extra cost.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 11, 2012 21:12:07 GMT
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Jim
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Post by Jim on Feb 12, 2012 1:10:27 GMT
Really? That is mindboggling. It's also a bit poor that they demanded money to replace a missing item (which is effectively what that $8 'shipping charge' is). I've had orders from Big Finish go missing in the post and each time they have responded promptly and sent out replacements at no extra cost. -Ralph It is beyond insane, and yet at the same time unsurprising. They not only charged me $8 but made it clear that I was an exception (I don't know why) and implied I should be grateful. And it took some persistence to get even that. Never. Again. Jim |
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Post by The Doctor on Apr 26, 2012 7:52:28 GMT
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Apr 26, 2012 9:45:36 GMT
You kiss your mother with that mouth?
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kayevcee
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Post by kayevcee on Apr 26, 2012 9:50:00 GMT
Oh great. The most popular figure with UK fans and it's the one that's going to be hardest to get! Tupping Leozack all over again!
-Nick
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