The Energon Pub

Rated X wrote:You took my comment completely out of text.

When standard operating procedures prevent you from being allowed to “think outside of the box”, anyone including myself can become a mindless drone. When my boss tells me to do something, I get the damn job done and don’t question the way I was told to do it.

With that being said, do you think the people who assembled or packaged these things are really TF fans ? I seriously doubt it. They were probably women or teenagers who don’t know the difference from “right” or” left” guns because:

1. They weren’t told there was a difference.
2. They don’t own a Generations Blurr.
3. The Drift instructions in the package don’t even acknowledge the guns existence.
4. Brian Savage himself wasn’t physically present at the factory in China to oversee the process.

Furthermore, the standard operating procedures for the Drift mold does not include guns, so nobody got lazy. Nobody in that factory, even the manager is at fault here. Funpub dropped the ball and forgot to deliver a memo which could have been translated in Chinese for the workers to follow. This group of workers may have not been the same group that assembled Blurr a year ago to know the change in protocol. Remember this is a Drift figure with an added bonus, not a Blurr figure.

Anyone working on a line in a factory knows that there are steps to take to produce an ordered product. You are assuming that because assemblers are not fans they are too stupid to notice small differences in parts, so untrue.
Their jobs are mundane and tedious and when you produce the same thing over and over noticing those minor changes become very apparent. You don't have to like what you are assembling to exude craftsmanship pride in it.

If SG Drift was not ordered to included the guns why were they made and introduced as part of the accessories when being proposed as purchases to Club members? You think the factory just decided to make them using plastics material that would cost them money? No, Fun Pub wanted guns and swords for this figure.

Rated X wrote:1. They weren’t told there was a difference.
2. They don’t own a Generations Blurr.
3. The Drift instructions in the package don’t even acknowledge the guns existence.
4. Brian Savage himself wasn’t physically present at the factory in China to oversee the process.

1--It's managements job to instruct proper procedure including having supervisors that know the differences and how to spot them.

2-- Umm, ok, and the point is?

3-- All TF instructions are always dead on?

4-- He doesn't have to be, that's what management is for.

Perhaps it is time to contact Hasbro and inform them that we are no longer satisfied with the job that Fun Publications is doing with their franchise? That we are offended at their actions, and feel lied to & cheated? That they have not handled our financial information with the care and professionalism that an online vendor needs? Maybe if Hasbro hears from us, "We really want a TF Fan Club, but not the one we have", they'll do something about it?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:*sighs* Will the whiners here please stop for a sec, and read what I have to say?

...whiners? Really? Yeah, I should expect a statement like that from you. For some reason, I get the feeling you enjoy moments like this.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Look, the club messed up with SG Drift. Fine, but the mistake could not be foreseen. In fact, now that I really think about and after studying my Gen. Blurr's guns up close, sorry for saying this but it's a petty thing. The guns are pretty much identical except for the tabs on either side which are used with Blurr's sniper rifle.
Since SG Drift does not have that rifle, and the smaller guns are not mentioned in the Gen. Drift assembly instructions, I'd say Fun Pub deserves some slack. I'm not saying they're completely free of guilt, just saying they're getting more thrown to them than they actually deserve.

Okay, you recognize that the club failed to live up to their part of the bargain of "Give us your money, we'll give you the stuff."

The mistake could not be foreseen? Really? You mean to tell me that FunPub couldn't have given them an itemized order that specifically mentions which accessories to give?

Petty? At $60 friggin' dollars, it's petty? IT'S PETTY?!

You say they're not free of guilt, and in the same breath, say that too much is being heaped upon them. Did you even read what you had to say before you pressed the submit button? Really?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Sending the figures back would be a logistic nightmare if you must know. Not only would they be swamped with defective figures, searching out which gun goes where, who'd want to do that, and who'd have the time? Not enough guns? A new run for the guns alone would not be worth it, big time, so I doubt Hasbro would even consider that.

People don't want to send them back. They want the replacement parts sent to them. Big difference. This isn't Hasbro's burden to bear, anyway. This lies solely on FunPub's shoulders.

A logistics nightmare? Yes. This post of your's? A logic nightmare. It defies it. It laughs in the face of it, then runs around the room screaming like a crazy person.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:The solution they provided is pretty reasonable given the circumstances, but for those who can't come it poses a problem. My suggestion? Start a thread, maybe in the B/S/T forums, where people with two of the same guns can meet and trade. Simple, no real hassle, everybody happy.

...pretty reasonable given the circumstances? I... Yeah... Let's move on.
Oh wait... you also say their solution doesn't work for those who don't attend. I... Yeah...

Okay, let's put it this way...

Next time you buy an electronic device, say a Blu-Ray player, Laptop/Desktop, whatever, take a good, long look at the warranty information. "We strive to make our product free of manufacturer defects and will, at our discretion, repair or replace the item at no cost to the buyer, if repair or replacement is needed."

Now, before you try and find wiggle room out of this one and say "But we're buying toys! Not computers and stuff like that!", remember this: Yes, we are buying toys. We are also buying a promise that the customer is worth a damn. That our money and continued patronage is worth a damn. Even Hasbro will replace their defective toys. You might not get what you wanted, in return, but they're at least trying. No sweat when it's a $5-20.00 toy. You'll most likely be able to take it back to the retailer and tell them what's wrong and they'll replace it. We're talking about buying SIXTY DOLLAR FIGURES. I don't care if it's based off of something that cost $10, this specific one is now worth SIXTY DOLLARS. For that price, plus the cost of BEING A MEMBER, you should, at the very least, receive not only what was promised to you, but fully correct and complete. There is a massive difference between a toy you bought at the store and can say "Oh well" to and a toy bought as a collector's item that you shouldn't have to say "NOT AGAIN!" to.

I swear, it's either you're completely oblivious and this is coming from ignorance or you're being trollish and taking it lightly because "our tears taste delicious".

I'm thinking it's a mix of both. I was hoping it was the former and not the latter, but the more I read, the more I'm thinking it's leaning towards trollish behavior.

See, you don't strike as someone lacking in intelligence, so that definitely makes me think you're just sitting there enjoying this. And that would piss me off.

Counterpunch wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:I'm really disappointed in everyone who does not think this is a problem or who is apologizing for the Club.

Seriously, this isn't a $10 Wal Mart purchase.

This is a $60 collector's toy. When you pay for that kind of merchandise, complaining when you get incorrect parts, no matter how small the issue, is completely justified.

A collector's figure it may be, but it is still made using the same facilities and same procedures as that $10 Walmart purchase, if one discounts the new heads and accessories. So expecting anything more high end out of it than a regular retail figure is a bit unrealistic, wouldn't you say? Especially since they're equally prone to errors.

No, I absolutely would not say.

I'd also add that at this price and in this market, the only answer that should be given to quality problems is, "We sincerely apologize. We will get that fixed immediately."

You should want better for yourself.

True, but with production (I'm assuming) completed, figures shipped and orders filled, not mention BotCon relatively around the corner, on short notice I can't really see a feasible solution other than producing more guns which takes time and money, especially if Hasbro doesn't want to cooperate this time.
I still say that stand idea they brought up is a decent, if not ideal, one because, well, what else can you, as a business, quickly do? You'd have a lot of customers in one spot exchanging, and I can live with that.

Also, compare this to 2003, with Universe 2003 Sunstreaker. Similar error, two of the same launchers. What did 3H do? Nothing, the fans themselves held gatherings in their own hotel rooms!

Why are you making excuses for them? You're the customer. It's not your job to pay a premium for a product and then come up with the rationalization for why the product does not live up to its billing.

The point is, people should be mad. They should be even more upset about the response. You shouldn't be advocating for the group that messed up. Have a backbone.

Complaining and pointing out the flaws of something does not mean a person is being unreasonable in their demands.

You're wrong to defend them on this. I'm not saying people should bring out the pitch forks etc, but we, the customers, do not need to show how wise and deferential we can be by understanding.

The only thing that needs to be understood is that premium product was not delivered in a premium way.

Wow. We agree. This is a record.

Let's go over the track record, shall we?

1.) Problems with the club itself. (Registration not working, renewals not working, people not receiving what was promised, international members getting raked over the coals to get what they were promised.)

2.) Botcon stunts such as the Classics seekers. (They went out of their way to screw people on that one. If one can't see that, then they're not trying to.)

3.) Defective products. (As seen here, "It's not our fault!" should be their catch phrase.)

4.) Credit card issues. (They tried to hide it and cover it up, until Seibertron blew the whole thing wide open. GetRightRobot was right about that.)

The fact that anyone can defend them after ALL of that or any of it, even just one thing, is sickening to me. They should have a contingency plan for mishaps such as these. The fans should have to do NOTHING. They paid a premium for certain promised and expected services and this is what they get.

There's no way to explain it, or justify it, away. People shouldn't even be trying.

Whiskey tango foxtrot, indeed.

emeraldbeacon wrote:Perhaps it is time to contact Hasbro and inform them that we are no longer satisfied with the job that Fun Publications is doing with their franchise? That we are offended at their actions, and feel lied to & cheated? That they have not handled our financial information with the care and professionalism that an online vendor needs? Maybe if Hasbro hears from us, "We really want a TF Fan Club, but not the one we have", they'll do something about it?

This might be a good start. What would really be helpful is if some of the more prominent TF collectors and online reviewers spoke out in support of the fans too.

Having read this thread in it's entirety, I am reminded of the many times FB treat the fan base poorly. The picture you guys paint if the company in general isn't pretty.

But changes aren't going to happen if the fans don't fight for them. This isn't "occupy funpub"...it's a group of dedicated consumers with rights.

Can we all stop whining about how FP should be cut some slack, and continue to beat them down to make a change like we oughta? good

I could have cared less about the guns (minor in my opinion).

What i do care about is the 2 left shoulders on the figure. One was reversed on the figure and when I took it apart to fix the problem it would not work.

At least have HIGH quality for a HIGH priced figure.

I would have settled for a high quality figure in a poly-bag for the price. Those fancy boxes take up too much space. lol

Seriously why are people apologizing for fun pub on this... They are basically refusing correct products to us... The response to hey I didn't get a correct set I have two left guns and all they say is ohh well all we promised was two guns that's what you got. That is not acceptable. Motu collectors deal with this crap monthly and I read the same things on their forums... People arise the issue... The head guy plays the blame game... People who got defective problems all report and then people start to defend Mattel... We are te customers... We are the reason these companies are still in business.. What ever happened to the customer is always right??? No we just give them money an are great full for what ever we get... Who cares if we have two left legs arms and hands.... That's a club exclusive.... Customer service has dea and when I buy a 60 dollar figure from the tRANSFORMERS collectors club then u expect my transformer to e right. An I don't accept ohh you got the two Guns we promised.... Sorry my dad taught me to do things right... You always ask for slack for this or that... For once fun pub grow a pair and fix you mistakes and straighten up... We as a fandom gave them too much leeway an now they just Walj all over us taking our money to the bank

I really dislike the attitude FunPub takes toward all this.
Credit card info stolen? "Not our fault."
Club exclusive arrives with wrong accessories? "Not our fault."

I'm not renewing my membership next year? Not my fault.

DISCHARGE wrote:

Rated X wrote:You took my comment completely out of text.

When standard operating procedures prevent you from being allowed to “think outside of the box”, anyone including myself can become a mindless drone. When my boss tells me to do something, I get the damn job done and don’t question the way I was told to do it.

With that being said, do you think the people who assembled or packaged these things are really TF fans ? I seriously doubt it. They were probably women or teenagers who don’t know the difference from “right” or” left” guns because:

1. They weren’t told there was a difference.
2. They don’t own a Generations Blurr.
3. The Drift instructions in the package don’t even acknowledge the guns existence.
4. Brian Savage himself wasn’t physically present at the factory in China to oversee the process.

Furthermore, the standard operating procedures for the Drift mold does not include guns, so nobody got lazy. Nobody in that factory, even the manager is at fault here. Funpub dropped the ball and forgot to deliver a memo which could have been translated in Chinese for the workers to follow. This group of workers may have not been the same group that assembled Blurr a year ago to know the change in protocol. Remember this is a Drift figure with an added bonus, not a Blurr figure.

Anyone working on a line in a factory knows that there are steps to take to produce an ordered product. You are assuming that because assemblers are not fans they are too stupid to notice small differences in parts, so untrue.
Their jobs are mundane and tedious and when you produce the same thing over and over noticing those minor changes become very apparent. You don't have to like what you are assembling to exude craftsmanship pride in it.

If SG Drift was not ordered to included the guns why were they made and introduced as part of the accessories when being proposed as purchases to Club members? You think the factory just decided to make them using plastics material that would cost them money? No, Fun Pub wanted guns and swords for this figure.

Rated X wrote:1. They weren’t told there was a difference.
2. They don’t own a Generations Blurr.
3. The Drift instructions in the package don’t even acknowledge the guns existence.
4. Brian Savage himself wasn’t physically present at the factory in China to oversee the process.

1--It's managements job to instruct proper procedure including having supervisors that know the differences and how to spot them.

2-- Umm, ok, and the point is?

3-- All TF instructions are always dead on?

4-- He doesn't have to be, that's what management is for.

I believe I read somewhere that the guns are not pictured or mentioned in the instructions. Or I might have heard it on a video review. I don’t remember, but I should be able to confirm this on Monday when my package is scheduled to be delivered.

The guns (and the Blurr head) are not part of the Drift mold. They are a separate cast that was made to be used in conjunction with the Drift mold for a re-tooled Blurr.

So you gotta figure when Drift was assembled, the 2 small swords were properly placed in their sheaths before the figure was transformed into car mode for packing. So now you got a huge bag of 3000 guns that don’t need to be fit anywhere on the figure because the sheaths were designed to hold swords as far as these workers were trained.

Or are you assuming that they were the same workers that assembled the Blurr run of figures ??? Maybe you think they were born knowing these “extra” parts had a purpose other than being held in the figures fists ???

Ahhhhh but that’s management’s job right ??? What if it wasn’t the same supervisor that oversaw the Blurr run of figures ??? Maybe if somebody in the factory actually owned a generations Blurr figure, they would have discovered the issue before final packing. But you think owning the Blurr figure is irrelevant. You think everyone should just be born knowing that the guns were made to fit where the swords go.

Like I said before, this is not a Blurr figure. This is a Drift figure, and the workers got everything “Drift” correct. The person who dropped the ball was whoever came up with the idea to throw in the extra guns as a bonus. They assumed the current factory workers had dealt with the Blurr variation of the mold before when obviously they hadn’t. You know what the say about assuming, right ???

ASS-U-ME

Hence my motto: ""Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.""


Funpub dropped the ball. But all the evidence points to an honest human mistake. So I give Funpub a free pass. And you should too. This has nothing to do with the credit card issue. These figures were probably already on a boat to America before the TFCC website was even hacked.

Rated X, the problem is, this is only the latest in a series of screw ups from them.

It's no long an exception to the rule.

Failing to come through 100% has become the rule.

@Rated X

I don't know if you've ever worked in a factory, but most jobs are speced out. They don't just assume that because they've worked on a similar project that the next one will be identical. Every project will have definitions and a check list of pieces to include before the blister is sealed to the card, bag heat pressed or however the intentions of transferring to the purchaser. They should have gotten production samples and o.k.ed them before production went into full swing. If they did it would never have reached this point.

The only assumption I am making is that somebody down the line didn't do their job to the best of ability. And that has angered people. Some of the pickiest people in the world - Transformers collectors. How often do you see comments on something as simple as a missed opportunity for a paint app? People go bonkers.
One minute chrome makes all the difference on a figure, the next it is loathed.

There is a passion to make things right, but the club just wants it to disappear. If you screwed up a huge account at work you would be held accountable, you might even get fired. I've been there, the owner was furious, but we made things right at the cost of the company. That is what Fun Pub needs to do or the list or negatives will just continue to grow.

I would just like for fun pub to actually take ownership of the screw up and set up a system to fix it... I work inanufacturing... If a screw up happens we either have to catch it an fix it or setup a system to fix the issue for the customer... We can't just say well you ordered that... You got that too bad. Plus I gave fun pub a break when all three of my games of deception box sets were messed up, and then when they messed up a litho I ordered from them, and then when my dion was shipped to me defective... How many more breaks should they get... Remember this is te company who promised joe collectors a tank for a show called tanks for the memories even tho the tank mold had been destroyed years before... To quote the joe fans tanks but no tanks

Rated X wrote:I believe I read somewhere that the guns are not pictured or mentioned in the instructions.

It was stated in this thread. Problem is, that argument doesn't hold water. In fact, that's more against FunPub, than in it's favor. We'll get to that in a moment.

Rated X wrote:The guns (and the Blurr head) are not part of the Drift mold. They are a separate cast that was made to be used in conjunction with the Drift mold for a re-tooled Blurr.

That's going on the list of dumbest and laziest excuses. In fact, it doesn't even deserve that kind of consideration. I mean, really, are you taking this as a serious and justifiable response??

"Wheelie say, that excuse stupid today!"

Rated X wrote:So you gotta figure when Drift was assembled, the 2 small swords were properly placed in their sheaths before the figure was transformed into car mode for packing. So now you got a huge bag of 3000 guns that don’t need to be fit anywhere on the figure because the sheaths were designed to hold swords as far as these workers were trained.

*shakes head* O_O I'm just incredibly floored by this. I don't even know where to begin. I mean, WTF? That's one of the most ridiculous explanations.

I'm assuming you never worked in a factory where assembly was necessary? Well, I have. I can tell you that each part is coded and you're given an itemized list to follow. If that list is incomplete, it's management's fault, or the manufacturer's.

I can guarantee you those guns are labeled #L and #R. If you look close at your accessories that have doubles, or body panels, you'll see the code if you look close enough. So, let's go with your asinine explanation for a moment. Let's pretend they didn't know the guns were supposed to go with the figure... Once they did, they should've checked the guns to see which was coded which and made sure the figure received the correct set.

Rated X wrote:Or are you assuming that they were the same workers that assembled the Blurr run of figures ??? Maybe you think they were born knowing these “extra” parts had a purpose other than being held in the figures fists ???

You're assuming it was manufactured in a different factory. You're assuming it's different workers. No one thinks they were born knowing where the extra parts come in. This is where FunPub's order should've clarified what was needed and what wasn't. It was management's job to confirm the order and correct it where needed.

Rated X wrote:Ahhhhh but that’s management’s job right ??? What if it wasn’t the same supervisor that oversaw the Blurr run of figures ??? Maybe if somebody in the factory actually owned a generations Blurr figure, they would have discovered the issue before final packing. But you think owning the Blurr figure is irrelevant. You think everyone should just be born knowing that the guns were made to fit where the swords go.

BUT IT *IS* MANAGEMENT'S JOB TO MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT!!!! Your argument is one of the most ridiculous things I've read on the boards, and believe me, I've read stuff that would make your brain melt. Congratulations, you went above and beyond. Your post is ice melt for the brain. You're melting people's brain cells right now and we're all a few IQ points lower for having read it.

Rated X wrote:Like I said before, this is not a Blurr figure. This is a Drift figure, and the workers got everything “Drift” correct. The person who dropped the ball was whoever came up with the idea to throw in the extra guns as a bonus. They assumed the current factory workers had dealt with the Blurr variation of the mold before when obviously they hadn’t. You know what the say about assuming, right ???

I don't give a crap if it's a recolor called Bob the drunk, who comes with two beer bottle colored guns and he smells of liver death. It's SOMEONE'S job to get it RIGHT!
The designer is NOT at fault. Not. At. Fault.

Here's how it works, because you're obviously not getting it. AT ALL.

1.) A figure is needed and they pick a person or group to come up with one.
2.) That person or group does and what it's supposed to come with.
3.) An itemized list is made so they know what parts need to be produced and included.
4.) That list, along with the order is given to management at the factory. It's management's job to confirm the order is correct and FunPub is to say yes or no.
5.) It goes into production. The workers are given the list for production AND assembly so they know what they're putting together and what it's called.
6.) It's completed, boxed up and sent out for distribution.

Here's where the screw ups occurred:

3.) The itemized list either was incomplete or listed wrong. That would be FunPub's fault.

4.) The management did not confirm the order is correct or FunPub dropped the ball. That would be someone's fault.

5.) The workers are not at fault because they work off of the work order and if it's incorrect, it's the higher ups fault because they didn't confirm it and it's FunPub's fault for not getting it right.

You and FunPub want to use the instructions as an excuse? Big mistake. Plenty of Hasbro figures come with inaccurate instructions, such as missed steps, weapons or features not mentioned. Here's the thing though... the item still comes to you complete, 9 times out of 10. Hasbro will also try to replace it and make good on it. FunPub has done nothing to fix this problem. In fact, they're whining and weaseling their way out of it.
The instructions are merely a reprint with a different name. They should not be used as an itemized list at the time of construction. If they are, then the system is flawed and it DOES rest on someone's shoulders.

Rated X wrote:ASS-U-ME

Hence my motto: ""Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.""

Son, the only one screwing up right now is you. With all your assumptions and such. Not to mention, you're basically calling people asses. Shouldn't throw stones in glass houses, especially when you're standing under the biggest piece of glass, yourself.

Rated X wrote:Funpub dropped the ball. But all the evidence points to an honest human mistake. So I give Funpub a free pass. And you should too. This has nothing to do with the credit card issue. These figures were probably already on a boat to America before the TFCC website was even hacked.

Yep, they did drop the ball.
Yep, it's possible it's a human mistake.
Nope, they don't get a free pass.
Nope, we shouldn't give them one.
The credit card issue is mentioned so people can see their track record of monumental screw ups that they don't address or fix until the damage is done.
Their website wasn't hacked. Somewhere between their website and the processor, the financial damage was done. They covered it up, they hid it. It was exposed and they finally had to fess up.

Here's what you seem to be missing....

FunPub designs a figure and puts in an order to have it made. They should know what's in the order and what it's supposed to do and come with.

The factory does what it's ordered to do, or at the very least, didn't confirm what they were to do.

The figure is haphazardly produced and sent out to unsuspecting customers.

The customers are the victims here. They paid $60.00 for a figure that was supposed to be collector grade. The factory didn't build the figure to the specs they were supposed to. Through inaction when it comes to verification, it's their fault. FunPub didn't make sure the factory workers knew what the guns were for and did, they admitted this, that BIG mistake is on them.

If the factory is a problem, you don't rehire them.
If FunPub is the problem, then it needs to be restructured with people who DO know what they're doing.

When you buy a membership and their toys, you're expecting a certain level of quality and fulfilled promises when you make that purchase. When none of that comes through in the end, you have every right to be angry and demand a refund. It's illegal to offer an item in such a way and not provide it as promised, especially when you're expected to pay a premium. You're paying them to be professional and meet or exceed expectations. You're not receiving that. That, to me, is FRAUD.

Before anyone mentions Hasbro's screw ups... Remember, that's a $10-15.00 toy that can more easily be replaced and/or corrected. Hasbro has aimed those figures at kids. Kids don't give a crap about accuracy. FunPub aims their products at adult collectors who do care about accuracy. In fact, this kind of crap is why the laws made it so packaging mentions "Product may not be able to (insert here) as seen in photos without assistance" or that colors and sizes may vary, etc. FunPub doesn't have those disclaimers, thereby leaving them wide open for legitimate attacks.

If it's FunPub's fault, stop being a patron. Hit them where it hurts.
If it's the factory's fault, then it's FunPub's fault for rehiring them after their previous problems and screw ups.

I worked in a factory. It was hell. We worked our fingers to the bone to make sure everything was completed to the client's specs and requirements. If we screwed up, we were penalized big time and the factory had to eat the cost to correct it.

I don't think this is the factory's fault. I think this is FunPub's fault. They more or less admitted it. If that's not telling you something, then you're either wearing a blindfold or you're not comprehending what you're reading.

It's really as simple as this: They screwed up, they need to fix it. Bottom line.

I need to make a trade. anyone have my other half? pm me. thanks all

The apologists are the problem here. They're the ones letting the side down for everyone else.
They are the target audience for poorly QC'd, overpriced so-called "collector" product. They'll take a plane ride to the other side of the country and stay in an expensive hotel for this crap and then turn around and thank FB for the opportunity.

DISCHARGE wrote:@Rated X

I don't know if you've ever worked in a factory, but most jobs are speced out. They don't just assume that because they've worked on a similar project that the next one will be identical. Every project will have definitions and a check list of pieces to include before the blister is sealed to the card, bag heat pressed or however the intentions of transferring to the purchaser. They should have gotten production samples and o.k.ed them before production went into full swing. If they did it would never have reached this point.

The only assumption I am making is that somebody down the line didn't do their job to the best of ability. And that has angered people. Some of the pickiest people in the world - Transformers collectors. How often do you see comments on something as simple as a missed opportunity for a paint app? People go bonkers.
One minute chrome makes all the difference on a figure, the next it is loathed.

There is a passion to make things right, but the club just wants it to disappear. If you screwed up a huge account at work you would be held accountable, you might even get fired. I've been there, the owner was furious, but we made things right at the cost of the company. That is what Fun Pub needs to do or the list or negatives will just continue to grow.

I did state in my original post that it would cost between $5000-6000 dollars to fix the problem and that Funpub should take the hit.

However, I think the fandom is pointing fingers too much. We are dealing with outsourced labor. There are probably women in the factory and maybe children too. And they’re all getting paid pennies by the hour. You can’t expect factories in a 3rd world country to operate to the same standards as auto makers in Detroit.

And as I stated before, they got the “Drift” part right. I would have had never known those guns fit in the sheaths either unless someone told me they did.

So you can blame the poor workers and their supervisor for not knowing exactly what “extra” was supposed to be included with a Drift figure. Or you can blame Funpub for not being specific about what they wanted.

Being a supervisor myself, I am used to dealing with one track minds. If you tell someone to do something by protocol, 9 out of 10 people just follow orders like drones. If you give some random Chinese teenager a bag of guns and tell him “throw 2 in each package” he will do exactly what you told him to do. Somebody should have told the kid to separate the bag of guns. But since Blurr doesn’t come with guns, this is not a protocol error, this is a HUMAN error.

And until all humans have seen a Blurr figure and know where his guns fit, you can’t expect them to know this when following Drift assembly protocol. Including the supervisor.

Counterpunch wrote:Rated X, the problem is, this is only the latest in a series of screw ups from them.

It's no long an exception to the rule.

Failing to come through 100% has become the rule.

You are right about that. Is there a board member on this Site (or any TF fansite) that lives in Texas and could visit Funpub in an effort to improve customer relations ? Kind of like a "spokesperson" for the fans. 1000 e-mails complaining isnt always the answer. Somebody who actually interacts with the collectors on a regular basis should be the one to report to Funpub and tell them what peoples concerns and ideas are. (Im obviously not cut out for the job lol)

Rated X wrote:If you give some random Chinese teenager a bag of guns and tell him “throw 2 in each package” he will do exactly what you told him to do. Somebody should have told the kid to separate the bag of guns.

I'll totally give you that point. That's a good possibility of what happened.

Rated X wrote: And until all humans have seen a Blurr figure and know where his guns fit, you can’t expect them to know this when following Drift assembly protocol. Including the supervisor.

It's in the supervisor's/manager's position to be on top of the situation and be aware.

I have a feeling there is a lot of miscommunication within the Fun Pub organization, especially with all their current mistakes. It's not an easy job, but they seem to make life harder for themselves than it needs to be.

Too much getting bogged down on how, and why it happened. Regardless of this, it happened, and it should be FBs duty to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Hell, even if it were to take months before they send out the right replacement guns, they should say "SORRY, WE WILL REPLACE THE GUNS".

I remember when people were ordering the PE figures (the dark one, and then rumble and frenzy) and some people had switched feet, or a broken turret on their wing guns, and how PE managed to send replacement parts to these people.

Before buying, I had checked reviews and forums, and if I had heard there could be a QC problem that couldn't also be fixed, I wouldn't have purchased. But even with the knowledge that my initial figure might have issues and I would have to go through extra trouble to get replacement parts, I made the purchase, just because I knew I would eventually get what I wanted with slim to nil extra costs.

So much going wrong this year, but again... NONE of these issues are the CLUB's doing. I think our ONLY reaction should be how they RESPOND to these problems. (Since the real problems have been from criminals working through a 3rd party company to steal credit card info... and (sadly) likely minimum wage paid kids assembling toys in China/Korea in a factory.)

Sad reality is, it might take remanufacturing the entire FIGURE to re-press the weapons. I can't say if it's feasible to press and distribute these to all the people who bought them.... and still break even.

Bottom line, I don't know what I would do in their case. It's quite a pickle. Sucks for both sides -- Fan and TFCC.

In the mean time, I'm trying to solve my problem instead of getting ugly. I'm hunting for someone to swap. Easy solution.

I'm counting on this all being a real wake up call for the club and QC, so no need to beat a dead horse there.

AND in the mean time... I DO have the two toys in front of me, and they look AMAZING. Paint apps, remold, concepts, box, etc. As I get the guns swapped, I will be 100% pleased with them. I can't let that one little flub get in the way of realizing there was a lot of great work going into the figures.

gothsaurus wrote:AND in the mean time... I DO have the two toys in front of me, and they look AMAZING. Paint apps, remold, concepts, box, etc. As I get the guns swapped, I will be 100% pleased with them. I can't let that one little flub get in the way of realizing there was a lot of great work going into the figures.

I had a boss about ten years ago that said something rather pivotal that stuck with me over the years: "It's not the good things that you do that people remember, it's the small handful of things that you do wrong that people will remember." At the time, her statement was extremely annoying. But it stuck with me. And she was right. It's the little things that you do wrong that add up ... and then it doesn't matter how many things you do right, the bad outweigh the good.

Seibertron wrote: "It's not the good things that you do that people remember, it's the small handful of things that you do wrong that people will remember." ... the bad outweigh the good.

Well spoken, and very true.

Hmmm...I'm kind of confused here...and I'll be honest, I didn't have the patience to read through some of the more whiny responses, but...what exactly is the complaint here? That the guns shipped with him aren't a L and R Gun? Really? And that's what's caused all the heated arguments?

1.) TFCC never stated the guns would fit in the doors
2.) Drift's mold isn't compatible with the guns in the first place.
3.) You're given a beautiful box that stores the guns just fine.

SO....what's the deal? SG Drift isn't supposed to be just another TF Toy. So if you want him displayed with the guns, then transform him and give him the guns. If you want him in car mode, why wouldn't you store them in the foam inserts anyway?

This seems like its a big f ing deal about absolutely nothing. And now you're all mad because some dude answering emails for TFCC wasn't going to prostrate himself or his company because some of you want a L&R gun? What did you actually want him to say? Honestly, I would like some feedback on what some of you thought ol' Pete here was going to come back with that WOULDN'T send you into yet another Temper Tantrum?

Lol, eeeehhh...Occupy TFCC! lol.

ViperEye82 wrote:Hmmm...I'm kind of confused here...and I'll be honest, I didn't have the patience to read through some of the more whiny responses, but...what exactly is the complaint here? That the guns shipped with him aren't a L and R Gun? Really? And that's what's caused all the heated arguments?

...

SO....what's the deal? SG Drift isn't supposed to be just another TF Toy. So if you want him displayed with the guns, then transform him and give him the guns. If you want him in car mode, why wouldn't you store them in the foam inserts anyway?

I actually agree with you about this particular issue, kind of. This issue alone isn't a big deal. This issue compounded with all of the other issues of late is a big deal. It's just one more thing that gets added to the recent pile of problems. The real problem is how this is handled from a public relations stand point, that the issue wasn't addressed beforehand instead of "retroactively", and that it's just another problem.

But ultimately ... I paid $50 for this figure. I would like it to be right.

This also isn't the first time that we've had minor quality control issues like this. It's probably at least the dozenth time or so that we've had issues like this. Somewhere along the way, the ball keeps getting dropped. It's silly at this point and there isn't an excuse for it at this stage of the game.

ViperEye82 wrote:Hmmm...I'm kind of confused here...and I'll be honest, I didn't have the patience to read through some of the more whiny responses, but...what exactly is the complaint here? That the guns shipped with him aren't a L and R Gun? Really? And that's what's caused all the heated arguments?

1.) TFCC never stated the guns would fit in the doors
2.) Drift's mold isn't compatible with the guns in the first place.
3.) You're given a beautiful box that stores the guns just fine.

SO....what's the deal? SG Drift isn't supposed to be just another TF Toy. So if you want him displayed with the guns, then transform him and give him the guns. If you want him in car mode, why wouldn't you store them in the foam inserts anyway?

This seems like its a big f ing deal about absolutely nothing. And now you're all mad because some dude answering emails for TFCC wasn't going to prostrate himself or his company because some of you want a L&R gun? What did you actually want him to say? Honestly, I would like some feedback on what some of you thought ol' Pete here was going to come back with that WOULDN'T send you into yet another Temper Tantrum?

Lol, eeeehhh...Occupy TFCC! lol.

Yes, we know the Drift mold isn't compatible with the guns. the TCC Apologists have repeated this ad nauseum. Yes, the guns store nicely in the beautiful box. The final product pictures we were shown have both a left and a right gun. "then transform him and give him the guns." One of the guns isn't the correct gun.

And really, it is the response of the club that is the problem here. Yes, it sucks about the guns, but them saying again, "It's not our fault." "All we said was that it would come with 2 guns." So if you got a G1 prime gun with your SG Drift, hey, it's gun, not the right one, but it's a gun.... This is just another blunder for the club, which was preceded by a piss poor ordering service, followed by the largest amount of credit card fraud I've ever seen.

But you know what, keep kissing their ass. We'll keep getting crappy customer service.