Re: New Weta everywhere you look!
2351I totally agree with you Val. It is beyond ridiculous. I can’t work out why they don’t fix the problem and HIRE SOME CS people.
I'm totally right there with you Val! I'm still at a stand still with my Isildur replacement. I received it on Mar 2nd and immediately emailed with photos and a week and a half later I get a response, a month late they request me to destroy it and they'll send me a new one and that was too weeks after the photos again were sent. Almost 6 weeks and still nothing. They even had the gal to send me a survey on how my case was treated. I definitely told them how I feel, but the fact that they have a pull down option that their customer service is too slow should tell everyone something. I'm just about done with Weta at this point, between increased prices and quality control to the customer service it's not really worth it to me at this point. I'll stick to custom pieces I think from now on.Valkrist wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:39 am I gotta say that Weta's Customer Service continues its downslide into complete and utter crap, which is to say, non-existent.
My latest and greatest: on March 21st, I decided to purchase the Torturer of Dol Guldur. Despite the ongoing sale at the time, I opted to buy him on his own, and pay for it immediately (no payment plan.) At the time of the purchase, the statue was listed as being in stock at the US warehouse.
In the meantime, Weta announces that no orders will be shipped from March 26 to April 3 due to them closing the warehouses for inventory count. I think to myself, no problem, I just ordered this so it gives them three days to ship the statue before then. Do they? Of course not. Ok, so I wait until after the 3rd, and still nothing. Order status is stuck in "Processing" and the expected delivery date unrealistically says March 31. On April 5, I send Anthony an email requesting an update on the status of my order. In the meantime, I notice on the Torturer's page that it now says that all orders placed now will be shipped in June as they await stock. Another email later and a request for help from their automated help desk and all I keep getting back is a useless automated response about how busy they are. Throughout it all, my money is in Weta's pocket, and I have no statue or useful update on what's going on.
I just don't understand how after so many years in business, they continue to do this over and over. They have one person handling thousands and thousands of tickets, constant stock update problems, warehouses that ship things incorrectly and are horrible at communicating with their parent company, a website with questionable functionality, and yet the prices for their products only keep going up. I think the higher ups need to stop paying themselves so well and start investing some of that profit from $1000+ statues into improving their customer service. Please hire an extra body or two to handle these peak times after big sales, and sort out your warehousing and stock issues. If it wasn't for the high amounts of money being spent, I would find this comical. Instead, I'm left seeing red.
Again, why should Weta care if there is outrage over eliminating the Rewards program?Valkrist wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:09 pm Deimos, you are absolutely right in all your points except for the one Idril just brought up: you do have the option of buying Weta statues from retailers that carry their products, and there are quite a few. The price is exactly the same too, so what keeps us suckers coming back to Weta for more abuse?
In my case, two reasons: I always believe in supporting the company that provides the original product or service as a way of thanking them. By cutting out the middle man, I feel they get a little extra for themselves as reward from me for doing what they do for us. The second reason is that Weta has a points reward program called Weta Dollars, and it is one of the better ones around that I've seen.
Now, on the first reason, all of my goodwill has evaporated in the past couple of years. As N2 pointed out, their customer service is a joke, quality control is a thing of the past, and the prices will reach the moon before NASA ever does again. As for the second reason, Idril may very well be right: I'm almost positive the Weta of today wishes they could just do away with the whole reward program, but they would have a lynch mob on their hands if they did. When they needed to establish their name and build up a loyal customer base post their partnership with Sideshow, it was a brilliant idea. Now, it's a money drain and the lousier they make their service, the faster formerly loyal customers like myself and N2 will turn our backs on them and stop costing them money because of redeeming the rewards. My ability to use points to buy a $700 statue outright like I did with Eomer has to sting them a little, but this is the monster they created. If I buy it from a retailer, they still have their sale, they don't have to deal with me, and they don't have to give me any points.
So yes, Weta may be the only game in town when it comes to owning these particular statues, but there are alternatives to buying the statues from them.
Yes, WB Shop is a good example of what I mean by other retailers.Deimos wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:19 pm When You say "other retailers" do you mean (e.g.),Warner Bros. shops?
Anyway, buying from other retailers doesn't address the higher pricing for worsening quality.
The retailer gets the same quality statue that Weta sends directly to you (or any customer).
I had the exact same thought.
I've seen a pic somewhere (maybe on the FoU forum?) of a helm that was designed for Eowyn to wear in battle at Helms Deep . . . before they correctly and thankfully decided not to do that with her character. It looked a lot like Merry's helm.Idril wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 1:40 pm That recent King's Guard helm (black feathers) was not seen in the film. Dan Falconer confirmed this. Makes you wonder how many helms were designed and even made but never made the cut.
Here's a link to the scene itself: https://youtu.be/mkjeoINcK_wValkrist wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:32 pm Buckeye is correct. I looked up images and found these two:
The pipe is a bit different than the UC one. I never had a prop, so I based mine on prop photos, but there was more than one and they did not all look the same. I think I like the one Weta is replicating better.Idril wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 2:20 pm WHY wasn’t this the Moria Staff. I’ve hounded and hounded and even reasoned with Dan Falconer about the next staff. Dang it! They even have a licence for the use of lighting now so the crystal could have been lit up. Missed opportunity.
I have the United one and it is beautiful. I don’t need another. The pouch is a nice touch. Tempting but on the fence at this stage. Will get the pipe though.
YES! Oh man, best news you've given us in ages, Kit! By the Gods of Faerun, the Lords of Kobol, Eru Illuvatar, and whoever or whatever else you may pray to, please make sure this release comes to pass without further delays!Nasnandos wrote: Wed May 09, 2018 2:36 pmRegarding the Moria staff, I was told a few weeks ago that this is now going forward, so hopefully we will see it by years end.