I'm posting here because I can't seem to get a response from FFG via the email system and the customer service section of the website.

Hopefully, someone can shed some light on where I'm going wrong.

Both my LGS store owner and I have attempted to contact FFG through a series of several emails for several months regarding carrying the prepainted figures for Arkham in the shop. We have at least three players who would like to purchase the entire line and several others that would like to pick up characters along the way. The FFG online shop page states very specifically that if a shop is interested in carrying these figures to contact FFG through an email linked on the page. The circumventing of normal distribution is obviously needed on a niche item like this, so I understand.

When I approached my LGS re: this, the owner explained to me that he had already contacted the listed email several times and has not received a single response. Being a liason for the shop with other companies and internet sources, I jumped at the chance to champion the cause and get our store stocked with the investigators. We had recently completed a custom Arkham league and about 20 people are still waiting to receive their investigators in the prepainted form. . .

I emailed the link on the page and it was never answered. Weeks went by, I checked several times with the shop owner, and he never heard anything, either. I contacted customer service through their direct contact form available on the website. I received the customary "Your questions are important to us and someone will be with you shortly," email, so I know the request went through. That was at least three weeks ago and I have yet to get a response. I'm confused, does FFG not value customer service? I know they do - I've seen the spread they put on at GenCon and how generous they are to volunteers and people interested in their games. . .

Our store depends on sales inside the shop. It would be very easy and probably cheaper to click and order online, but our customers understand the shop depends on every sale to operate and are okay with paying a little more for a place to call "home". . . I turn to the online community here as a whole to maybe point out where I've gone wrong?

Thanks,

Q

Hopefully someone else here can help you, but from what I've heard, FFG was always prompt and helpful, without a single complaint that I've seen on this forum or others :-x

So, other than doing what you're currently doing/have done, I've got nothin'!

Is it possible that production of the prepainted minis has been delayed or something? Has anyone seen them on shelves anywhere or purchased (and received) them form the web store? I'm not personally too interested in these figures, so I haven't really been following their release schedule.

FFG's customer service has certainly been prompt and considerate the few times Ive needed to avail myself of them, but that was as an end user requesting replacements for defective parts. I would imagine commercial requests go to a different department, though I'd be surprised if they were any less responsive.

The only thing I can think of is that there must be some hang up with the minis that causes them to keep quiet rather than put their foot in their mouth about it. Making promises they can't be sure they'll be able to keep and what not.

Here's hoping everything works out for you.

Steve-O said:

Yes but from a customer service point of view, giving no response whatsoever is a big no no. If a shop is contacting me and offering to stock my products I'd be as keen as mustard to keep a reationship with them.

I have no experience of FFG's Customer Service, but others proclaim them to be excellent. Perhaps it is a technical issue in this case?

EcnoTheNeato said:

I've always had a quick & really helpful response from customer service - so can only asume this is a temporary problem.

If you haven't had an immediate automated response

e.g: "At times there may be a small delay as I handle requests - if you have received this mail, your request has been received! This is an automatic message!"

or a personal email in a couple of days I would email again.

Thaadd Powell from customer service is always helpful, she even has her own microbadge on boardgamegeek as a tribute to the helpfulness of FFG customer service.

I did receive an automatic response, so I know at least my last communication was received. I spoke with the shop owner yesterday and another customer had some questions regarding one of the LCG's and he had to send an email out to, I believe, Ms. Powell (he said it was a female that worked for FFG that was extremely helpful, so. . .), he said he sent another email to her detailing the difficulties we've been having and asked if she could make sure it got put in front of the proper person(s).

We'll see. . . I am flabbergasted as I said. FFG seems to keep a pretty close check on the customer pulse and has been amazing in other dealings. However, it seems that Nyolarthotep may be routing my emails to some friends in Ry'leh instead of FFG's helpdesk!

. . . lol, I'll take a sanity loss on the frustration caused and another for the silly game reference. : ) Trying to keep a positive outlook on things!

This is really unusual for FFG, at least in my experience. I, too, am a game store owner, and in late February I placed an order for the entire set of minis, which arrived within a week. So I'm not sure what the delay is with your contact.

the other option is for the store owner to go to the Shop section of the website, since I believe there is a way for stores to get setup for a B2B account (and this information is also available int he Print On Demand announcement). My order was placed through the B2B site, and for the record stores do get FFG's retailer discount, but it doesn't calculate it until you are ready to check out.

Steve-O said:

I purchased several (base set and a few others) and they arrived within couple of weeks (arrived this past Tuesday)

Well, either by way of this thread or the awesome contact that was provided for one of the female CSRs, the proper fire was lit and my LGS is now set up with direct ordering.

I'm sure this was just a series of unfortunate events, but it looks as if the Ancient Ones were defeated this time! Thanks for the responses and help.

Q