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Post by Pinwig on Feb 7, 2021 12:51:33 GMT
Still don't quite believe I'll see these books. It'll be a tense month when I get to 100 and have to wait four weeks to see if another parcel arrives...
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 8, 2021 17:40:33 GMT
Todays adventures in Hachette
Made an order 5 weeks ago for a friend in the states. The confirmation email came through, the address was correct.
4 weeks later, no books. I email, no record of order. Forward my confirmation email. Books are reordered.
Books arrive today and so much is wrong.
Parcelforce attempted delivery on the 4th March, but theres "insufficient address" to deliver.
Hachette had not included my house number. No surprise there really as I had to stop my subscription with them 4 years ago for the same reason. For some reason below my name and above my address they had included Hachette Partworks ltd.
Anyway the box had gone back to Hachette. And they tried again.
This time the new print out (stuck over the old one) was missing the first letter or number of each line of my address. Unlike previous problems these seems like a print error.... well unlike previous delivery problems.
They had at least caught that and written in the missing bits this time so it was deliverable.
They did however forget to put my name on the new label. But thats okay because they did still include the random Hachette Partworks ltd in my names place.
*sigh*
In better news issue 99 arrived from ebay. That leaves me just 4 short of completion and one of those is on its way from.... Hachette.
*sigh*
In other good news after weeks of fruitless emails about the misprinted issues I called customer services today and seem to have gotten them to reorder the 4 issues they currently have in stock that had misprints in them. Included in that group are the 3 issues with completely screwed up page orders and dialogue on the wrong page.
If all of that works out I will only need to track down 3 issues. 3 issues currently available on ebay for as little as about £100.
*SIGH*
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 10, 2021 18:22:56 GMT
Todays adventures in Hachette In other good news after weeks of fruitless emails about the misprinted issues I called customer services today and seem to have gotten them to reorder the 4 issues they currently have in stock that had misprints in them. Included in that group are the 3 issues with completely screwed up page orders and dialogue on the wrong page. If all of that works out I will only need to track down 3 issues. 3 issues currently available on ebay for as little as about £100. *SIGH* Amazingly the replacements for misprints arrived today. The address was still wrong. But they arrived, assuming these are printed correctly that is all but relatively minor errors sorted now. Todays adventures in Hachette In better news issue 99 arrived from ebay. That leaves me just 4 short of completion and one of those is on its way from.... Hachette. *sigh* When he delivered the books today the postman said that there had been another package last week with the same incomplete address, but that day he didnt have any other mail that allowed him to deliver that parcel. So one of my 4 missing issues is now in limbo. I thought I would call Hachette, because, eh, I dont know. I gave th order number and told that there was no record of it being returned, fine it probably takes a while, but then she said the order was only for 1 book. I had been charged the correct amount but the DC book wasnt showing up, so even if it does turn up its likely to be a book short. *sigh* |
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 10, 2021 18:32:32 GMT
I did however find the source of the address problems. When Ive been making orders I have been putting my delivery address in and then ticking the billing address is the same box.
The other day I was able to access my account page, it usually crashes when I try and access anything. But yesterday I got to my address info and found that my billing address was still the screwed up mess that it had been 4 years ago.
I can only assume that when Ive been ticking the box, insteead of just copying my address from the delivery it was instead accessing my account details and printing my screwed up billing address instead. Anyway I changed it and thought that might be it.
Today after the delivery with the still screwed up address I went back to my account page and found that, surprise, the billing address was screwed again.
And if you are thinking ah maybe the change didnt go through, well yes that possible but I did get an email telling me I had updated my address only for it to not be updated or revert back within 2 or 3 days.
And when I looked back I found previous emails where I had updated my address before making orders so yeah.....
I dont know what has gone wrong over at Hachette, but it is deeply and confusingly messed up.
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Post by Pinwig on Apr 24, 2021 10:29:57 GMT
Issues 99/100 arrived yesterday with the stock 'this collection is now finished' letter. Time to fire another email to remind them that they have 'guaranteed' (and I have that in an email) that they will provide the eight issues I still have missing.
And then a month to wait to see if anything turns up...
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Post by The Doctor on May 6, 2021 11:03:54 GMT
The range doesn't seem to be on Hachette's web site anymore. Doesn't show up under 'brand' or 'collection'.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on May 6, 2021 11:31:29 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on May 6, 2021 11:52:48 GMT
I imagine so. Their site was showing some issues still in stock week so rights expiring would make sense.
I wonder where their unsold stock will end up. Pulped?
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on May 19, 2021 17:25:14 GMT
Probably, unless they look to renew/reacquire the license.
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Post by The Doctor on May 20, 2021 9:26:42 GMT
Books are now showing again at Hachette's site.
-ralph
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Post by Pinwig on May 20, 2021 17:57:46 GMT
It may not be dead yet. I'm still missing six books from my set. In the last few weeks I've had an automated message saying no delivery this month because the books are being reprinted, but I wouldn't believe that as it was just a generic email triggered because there was no inventory to send. However I also had a proper email reply that sounds more honest when I pressed them on exactly when I'd get my missing books, which makes it sound like there's still consideration for the series without committing to anything:
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately we are unable to give exact timeframes that's why you have been told when they are available.
There is a good chance these issues are going to be reprinted its just we can't give you an idea of when that will be.
Sorry for any inconvenience this causes.
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Post by The Doctor on May 20, 2021 18:25:05 GMT
When the books went back up there were more titles marked as 'sold out' than previously so perhaps the range was off their site for a while for a stock take? If they were reprinting then it would be the other way round.
Who knows!
-Ralph
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Post by The Doctor on May 25, 2021 18:40:01 GMT
Thanks to some of the books going back up on their website I have been able to acquire the volume of volumes: that which contains the greatest contribution this series gave to human culture.
MR JOHNSON.
-Ralph
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Post by The Doctor on May 31, 2021 17:56:54 GMT
Some volumes appear to have gone back into stock on Hachette's site. Thus I was able to get Matrix Quest at RRP rather than the £50 ebay asking price! Noticed a few other volumes previously sold out now in stock.
Whether these are reprints or warehouse finds who knows but this gives hope for Pinwig's missing issues.
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on May 31, 2021 20:14:54 GMT
We shall see. To get my six missing ones from the eBay scalper would cost £210, so I'm still holding out on Hachette delivering. With zero confidence mind you.
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Post by Bogatan on May 31, 2021 21:31:51 GMT
The restock appears to be up to around issue 60. Hopefully the rest show up in time.
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Post by Bogatan on May 31, 2021 21:38:18 GMT
Hoping its reprinting, but they definitely had stock available that was showing as out of stock as off a few months ago because they replaced some damaged books that the website said they didnt have.
So...
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Post by Pinwig on May 31, 2021 21:56:06 GMT
Oh yes, look at that. There's a load more there now from 59 downwards that weren't there last time I looked. Need to keep an eye on that.
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Post by Pinwig on Jun 6, 2021 20:43:12 GMT
Email tonight:
We are aware you are still waiting for a new delivery of your TRANSFORMERS subscription.
Unfortunately, we are experiencing further delays with these issues, which are out of our control. Please be assured, we are doing everything in our power to get your issues to you as soon as possible. You will receive a complete collection, as well as all the free gifts, where applicable.
We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your continuing patience.
Best wishes,
Hachette Partworks
Meanwhile, I picked off two of my missing issues via eBay the other day for cost plus postage thanks to the eagle eyes of Bogatan. Down to four missing...
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Post by Bogatan on Jun 6, 2021 22:17:38 GMT
Well....... thats...... I mean technically its more positive than the previous ones.
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Post by Pinwig on Jun 6, 2021 22:33:41 GMT
It's another automated one though. The last communication from an actual customer service rep was the 'likely to be reprinted' one.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 7, 2021 9:40:10 GMT
It could be possible the problem is getting their books into the country if they are printed abroad due to covid/Brexit/port access.
-Ralph
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Post by Bogatan on Jun 7, 2021 16:04:00 GMT
Printed in Spain, so yeah very possibly.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 11, 2021 20:47:34 GMT
Realised I just need 4 more Marvel volumes when Matrix Quest turned up. Looked at the ones I have and noticed the spines don't line up properly around the Ironhide/Hot Rod pictures (seems to be a printing error). Then I screamed.
-Ralph
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primenova
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
Posts: 6,057
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Post by primenova on Jun 12, 2021 10:38:43 GMT
Anyone know anywhere with #81-91 in stock? Hacette website have them out of stock since Jan21. Anyone else have the printing error I missed in v5 - on a few pages text missing when Blaster arrives on Earth & some other pages.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jun 12, 2021 10:40:31 GMT
Bogatan might have some spares, but other than that - Ebay I am afraid and I believe it is currently a scalpers paradise.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 12, 2021 11:09:30 GMT
I keep an eye on the Hachette site but yeah I am resigned to paying silly money for the few I am still after.
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Jul 18, 2021 8:51:25 GMT
Hachette at this point seem to have given up sending the monthly 'we promise your books are coming soon!' emails but thankfully last night I won an auction that means I've one by one managed to get the missing eight. Bogatan has been a big help with that, so once the last couple turn up I'll have the set finally.
Question now is whether to cancel with Hachette or continue to pursue to see if they eventually do anything. I still think as it looked very much like the first 60 or so books got reprinted recently that the others will get done in due course. I'm just intrigued to know after months of messages guaranteeing I'll have a complete set how they get out of that if they don't reprint the books.
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Post by Benn on Jul 18, 2021 9:13:21 GMT
I feel like you have to keep at them. Make them squirm!
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Post by The Doctor on Jul 18, 2021 10:23:04 GMT
Report them to Trading Standards. You have paid for goods which have not been supplied.
-Ralph
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