Thank you for your recent order for the Wave 2 Imperial Assault expansions placed on 21 May 2015, 18:22. Your order number is 150607 (WEB150607).

Firstly I would like to thank you for placing a Pre order with Chaos Cards. However I am afraid to say that we have had some bad news from the official Fantasy Flight Games distributor.

It would seem that Esdevium has put a quota on the Twin Shadows and Boba Fett expansions . All UK retailers have been limited to just 6 of each. Before I go on I need to stress that there are no limitations on the other lines in this wave, and the pre orders for these will be met as per our normal policies.

In the case of the Twin Shadows and Boba Fett expansions we do have another shipment arriving next week, which will allow us to fulfil our pre order commitments.

Therefore what we are proposing to do is send out to the first 6 customers who placed an order with Twin Shadows or the Boba Fett expansion. If you ordered 2 or more of these then you will receive one, to make sure that 6 different customers get something. All other orders will be fulfilled as soon as our alternate supply arrives.

All other orders will be split and the available items will be sent, with the missing expansion dispatched at our expense as soon as they arrive.

We are truly sorry for this, and the frustration and inconvenience it will cause. We are fully aware that you have been waiting for sometime for the release and we share your frustration. Please be aware that all retailers that are supplied by Esdevium will have had their orders limited and as such will have similar issues.

If you wish to cancel your pre order, we will of course do so immediately at your request.

Once again we hope you will accept our deepest apologies and understand the difficult position we have been put in.

Thank you,

Chaos Cards

You can stand in GEN-CON and flap your gums about how great you are doing but when you completely underestimate the demand in other countries you will start to loose player bases!!! I have 2 parts of my order coming which will be completely useless because I am waiting for the Expansion!

While this is brutal it might not actually be FFG's fault. In NZ (where I'm from and where we still don't have access to IA through our LGS btw) Hazbro imposed Quotas on all the MtG suppliers because stores in Auckland were having a dumb price war (I don't remember the exact economics but everyone was selling everything at a loss just hoping that other shops would die out before them). Of course I don't know what's going on in this case but it's something to consider.

...wow....

Nothing here is FFG's fault. This is the distributors fault. If you don't live in the country of origin, you should expect to wait longer to get things like this shipped slowly (since) they have to move through a distributor. I can tell you that here in Minnesota (where FFG's headquarters are), FFG will wait 7-10 days to sell the product in their own brick and mortar store, just so that other FLGS have a shot at selling on the estimated street date. FFG doesn't have to do that, but they do. FFG isn't the business it is because it pisses off its customer base, so don't blame them for something not under their control.

Also, your "pre-order" doesn't mean squat. Pre-orders can be cancelled at any time, fulfilled late, or not even at all. A pre-order isn't a guarantee that a retailer will get stock, it's just a wonderful little scam (if they make you pay *any* amount in advance, just say "no") stores use to try to anticipate demand for an item

Try another retailer. Hell, even Amazon UK has a shop that has 9 left in stock (at a nice 50% mark up, wonder if that has anything to do with the UK distributors?):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1633441091?keywords=twin%20shadows&qid=1440306574&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Now, if you are willing to pay the shipping costs, I am sure you can find plenty of people in the United States (on these forums, even) who would willing to ship it to you at retail price.

It's disappointing. However, let's not forget that this arrived in the UK almost simultaneously as the USA release.

It's often the case that we have to wait a bit longer. In this case you may need to wait an additional week due to low stocks on the early release bit you're still receiving the item early than most releases here.

Twin Shadows and Wave 2 expansions pack still haven't made it to Denmark...

I got the same message from my local game store, I'll have to wait an extra week for the box due to supply issues up the chain.

Gee if this happens with the Hoth Expansion then im sorry FFG but I will just give up on your product.

How old are you? Twelve?

You're having to wait a full week longer than you thought for Twin Shadows and because of this you're threatening to throw the towel in on it all? Get a life.

Gee if this happens with the Hoth Expansion then im sorry FFG but I will just give up on your product.

How old are you? Twelve?

You're having to wait a full week longer than you thought for Twin Shadows and because of this you're threatening to throw the towel in on it all? Get a life.

The issue isnt about waiting the extra week at all, it is the fact that FFG underestimate their International customers, case in point Denmark not even have a release date , and for the countries outside of the US to only send 6 of each unit per item for each store.

They knew in advance that IA as been a commercial success in other countries and this showing on their 1st expandion doesn't put a good light on it at all. I have waited since May, you will notice the initial release that the company I ordered from slated was June and it is in an earlier post elsewhere, I wasn't optimistic of such an early release.

It isn't a childish rant, its a rant that the people that have the ordering numbers need to realistically stock from the outset, this one might be lucky but I would imagine doing something like with X-Wing would revoke similar these are popular lines, not limited edition so they should be stocked up ready to go with their first shipment.

Clearly you lot have the rose tints on regarding "how long i wait" I couldn't care how long I wait, what I don't want to hear is the company is only shipping 6 of each item on its initial shipment.

So no i am not a "12yr old" I am someone that understand supply & demand

I shall leave it that, people will understand that I am looking from this as a business point of view, as for myself and frustration that will be for me alone, and probably at the time of writing the post sleep may have been the better answer and come back with a fresh head.

Lets say I would like to have played Twin Suns before the next Expansion hits .... is it reasonable to end on that

.

Can't possibly be the distributors dropping the ball and under ordering product and passing it off as a supply issue with FFG right?

Who pays for distribution?

Speaking to chaos cards, the theory is that the containers with the expansion/Boba Fett have been sent at a cheap rate and not at the same expediency as the other packs.

I blame Hasbro.

It probably is not FFGs fault. This could be the distributor or even import/export laws taxes or any number of other things that can be mucking things up. I work for a company that has to get items into other countries at the drop of a hat. Several countries have ridiculous laws about how much can be shipped at once or you pay different prices. Some distributors may not have planed properly or it could all be FFG.

Waiting a week or two for one piece of a game is not that big of a deal. This company handled it very well.

From my understanding of this issue this is nothing to do with FFG but the distributors and shipping.

...wow...

Gee if this happens with the Hoth Expansion then im sorry FFG but I will just give up on your product.

How old are you? Twelve?

You're having to wait a full week longer than you thought for Twin Shadows and because of this you're threatening to throw the towel in on it all? Get a life.

The issue isnt about waiting the extra week at all, it is the fact that FFG underestimate their International customers, case in point Denmark not even have a release date , and for the countries outside of the US to only send 6 of each unit per item for each store.

They knew in advance that IA as been a commercial success in other countries and this showing on their 1st expandion doesn't put a good light on it at all. I have waited since May, you will notice the initial release that the company I ordered from slated was June and it is in an earlier post elsewhere, I wasn't optimistic of such an early release.

It isn't a childish rant, its a rant that the people that have the ordering numbers need to realistically stock from the outset, this one might be lucky but I would imagine doing something like with X-Wing would revoke similar these are popular lines, not limited edition so they should be stocked up ready to go with their first shipment.

Clearly you lot have the rose tints on regarding "how long i wait" I couldn't care how long I wait, what I don't want to hear is the company is only shipping 6 of each item on its initial shipment.

So no i am not a "12yr old" I am someone that understand supply & demand

I shall leave it that, people will understand that I am looking from this as a business point of view, as for myself and frustration that will be for me alone, and probably at the time of writing the post sleep may have been the better answer and come back with a fresh head.

Lets say I would like to have played Twin Suns before the next Expansion hits .... is it reasonable to end on that

.

So, your contention is that FFG underestimated sales and only sent enough for 6 for each store, and when those sold out they sent another shipment that is going to arrive a week later? How do you think this gets shipped anyway? Magic Sleigh? Sounds to me, and other people with functioning frontal lobes, that part of the shipment was held up somewhere along the way to the distributor or you wouldn't be getting twin shadows or boba for another month or more.

My personal bet is a shipping container got held up at the port, but go ahead and throw a tantrum and quit. It's a shame this game doesn't come with a ball you could grab and run home with too.

Don't worry guys, I called the waahhhmbulance, it should be arriving at VirMortalis' house any minute.

Don't worry guys, I called the waahhhmbulance, it should be arriving at VirMortalis' house any minute.

Yes that's right, somone bring up a topic that questions FFG production and distribution and the level of replies lower in IQ with every passing commnet, some of the responses on here have been great and insightful, however, you sir are a .....

Had their been issues with product to not reaching the distribution then FFG could have forewarned the customers that look we have sent but not all retailers are expected to carry, this was the case with Wave 1 when the Industrial Action laid the wave completely AWOL for several weeks.

I said boo to a goose on this because I know, that the lives of the poeple working on there are humans too and they were defending their jobs and / or trying to have better conditions, I recall this thread brough out some of the worst bitching I have ever encountered and this came from others not me.

I have stated I have waited since May and thought little of how long it would take to arrive, it would come... when it comes.

The issue I have with the following is that FFG who supply their distributor with product clearly didn't give them a chance to ship to everywhere and hell have completely blanked other countries!

But again feel free to insult on post the more it bumps the more FFG might actually read and see that they have a gaping flaw in their Production to Distribution.

Don't worry guys, I called the waahhhmbulance, it should be arriving at VirMortalis' house any minute.

Yes that's right, somone bring up a topic that questions FFG production and distribution and the level of replies lower in IQ with every passing commnet, some of the responses on here have been great and insightful, however, you sir are a .....

Had their been issues with product to not reaching the distribution then FFG could have forewarned the customers that look we have sent but not all retailers are expected to carry, this was the case with Wave 1 when the Industrial Action laid the wave completely AWOL for several weeks.

I said boo to a goose on this because I know, that the lives of the poeple working on there are humans too and they were defending their jobs and / or trying to have better conditions, I recall this thread brough out some of the worst bitching I have ever encountered and this came from others not me.

I have stated I have waited since May and thought little of how long it would take to arrive, it would come... when it comes.

The issue I have with the following is that FFG who supply their distributor with product clearly didn't give them a chance to ship to everywhere and hell have completely blanked other countries!

But again feel free to insult on post the more it bumps the more FFG might actually read and see that they have a gaping flaw in their Production to Distribution.

The general impression I get from talking to UK retailers is that FFG's European distribution isn't good, with retailers often being unaware of when a new product will arrive until roughly a week beforehand, which can be a hassle for managing warehouse storage and such. I expect that part of the benefits seen in the merge with Asmodee would be to improve items such as distribution to European areas.

Don't worry guys, I called the waahhhmbulance, it should be arriving at VirMortalis' house any minute.

Yes that's right, somone bring up a topic that questions FFG production and distribution and the level of replies lower in IQ with every passing commnet, some of the responses on here have been great and insightful, however, you sir are a .....

Had their been issues with product to not reaching the distribution then FFG could have forewarned the customers that look we have sent but not all retailers are expected to carry, this was the case with Wave 1 when the Industrial Action laid the wave completely AWOL for several weeks.

Do you really not get it? I'm fairly sure no one is 'having a go' because you started a thread about Production and Distribution. I know I'm not. I know nothing and care even less about Production and Distribution.

People are 'having a go' because in your initial post you said " Gee if this happens with the Hoth Expansion then im sorry FFG but I will just give up on your product."

You're saying that if FFG don't bring enough copies of the Hoth Expansion into the UK initially and you've got to wait a week...yes a full whole 7 day week...longer than some people for a copy then you're going to give up the game and any other FFG games you play.

Do you honestly not see how that comes across as extremely entitled and immature?

The initial post was probably harsh, and worse still is the mitigating circumstances why I was both annoyed and less tactful to the least. This is inexcusable I would agree, I have stated so above that my initial post clearly left some things to be desired. I understand that fully.

This is why I focused on the main reason for the rant. Let’s put into perspective of my contribution to this forum, though not as intense as the highly popular Fizz whom I respect as a strong poster for rules and understanding, I wrote one of the 1st newbie campaign set ups which sometimes gets the often use.

I remained silent over the Wave 1 delay because hell everyone is entitled to go to work and be valued, even though this delay as somewhat favoured my counterpart in our latest campaign as he as the full Imperial forces to unlock whereas I had the core pack to start with. But alas I couldn't care less about that.

Scott80

The general impression I get from talking to UK retailers is that FFG's European distribution isn't good, with retailers often being unaware of when a new product will arrive until roughly a week beforehand, which can be a hassle for managing warehouse storage and such. I expect that part of the benefits seen in the merge with Asmodee would be to improve items such as distribution to European areas.

I can fully understand this and hopefully with time FFG's Production to Distribution network will strengthen as they send their main supplier the stock needed and to the correct warehouses and have a system in place that will allow them to fulfil stock orders in the initial shipment which means retailers can hit the ground running not only fulfilling any pre-order requirement but also have the stock on the shelves for the joe public to take away with them.

I am also fully aware that the UK and other countries have staggered release dates, this has been the case for decades, America will always get films released in cinemas first and the dvd/blu-ray will be available there first too, again this is part of international trading agreements which do sometimes effect the British purchaser but hell that doesn't faze me in the slightest either. Again as stated above it comes when it comes.

Basically the rant which [edited to remove the later part] is still that FFG have to give enough product to the distribution hub to allow countries a chance to stock the item and well, and it was advantageous for FFG to release Twin Suns at GENCON which beggars the question any of the stock taken to this event eating into the quota of other countries and going on the "rob Peter to pay Paul'" phrase.

Now the conversation and topic as finally resumed to normality and that a discussion can be taken place on how FFG could improve their effectiveness in the future and yes the merger with that European games company looks to be a viable route but as long as they support that distribution hub with the correct stock levels from the word go.

Now yes internal transfers of shipping and customs checks will add delay to this procedure but having enough stock in one go regardless of time of arrival would mean that the customer base are then not waiting for the shipment behind to go through the process, IE send twice amount through first then allow the shipments behind to follow course because by the initial "overstock" you have pretty much effectively sorted stock levels for each country that will retail the item and still have back up stock within the shipping system.

So, where are they getting enough stock to send twice as much as needed by retailers? Who is paying for the warehouse space to store that inventory? How much longer do we have to wait to get the initial shipment if it requires twice as much stock as desired by retailers to ship anything? How many other countries have to have delayed releases to meet this insane shipping requirement? How are you going to guarantee that any of these particular shipments don't get delayed along the way, other do to customs, technical difficulties with the boat some of the containers are on, labor strikes at the port, uninformed but noisy consumers who really have no concept of the global distribution system?

All of this would get you 12 Boba Fetts instead of 6? Bravo.

You're still assuming FFG did not send enough stock. That is categorically impossible if the additional stock is arriving only a week later. Your solution solves a problem that doesn't exist.