Southtown Homebrew is GO! Free CMVS giveaway! (Get the boss-man on the horn!)

[themisterfalcon]

Sorry to hear about that Eric. Your service to me has been top notch, and I hope to do more business in the future also. If your prices stay this reasonable, then paying for tracking seems a fair option.
I did wonder about whather you'd like me to investigate an option I have with a good friend who runs a printing workshop.
I have no idea about the volume you ship to the Europe. Let me know if some kind of UK printing service would be of any use.

Thanks for all your kind words!

Also thank you for the offer but I think I would rather keep things in-house for the time being. I do ship quite a few orders to Europe, but the majority of them are to repeat customers in the UK. Keeping things in-house means consistency is kept. Unless your guys have the exact machine and paper I use I doubt that can be achieved.

It should be noted not once have I had trouble with anyone in the UK. I think alot of it has to do with no language barrier, and good communication through buyer/seller.

Like I said, people who I have dealt with before I can keep the shipping costs low. For instance if an order didn't show up at your house, I have dealt with you enough that I have no problem reprinting and reshipping and eating that cost. What bothers me is when people make assumptions that I am trying to con them, and send me half-engrish-broken emails complaining.

 

[El Capitan]

Well I think that if I insist on declaring a low shipping value, and the stuff goes missing, it's my own fault.

(I think I said that in the PM).

I would never expect you to re-post the stuff out to me. If you insist on that risk, you have to take the downsides!

I hope this hasn't dampened your spirits Eric, because your service is top notch.

 

[Murray]

I regret to announce that I will no longer be doing customs favors (i.e. marking packages at low values) for people overseas, unless I have dealt with you before (Si, El Captain, Lee Gray etc. you know who you are)
*snip*
FRANCE
*snip*

Frankly, I'm surprised you do that at all. When I.V. Music was doing web orders, we always had a strict no-customs-"favors" policy, no matter who you were. Everything was done 100% on the up-and-up all the time. That way everyone's ass is covered.

Also, on the France thing, I'm pretty sure they were repeat offenders for us also, IIRC. Certain countries always seemed to have higher rates of ripoffs, and they were one of them (and don't even get me started on Africa).

Edit: and yes, we eventually switched to a forced-trackable shipping method for everything, overseas or not.

 

[loopyeddie]

Wow, this really is too bad about the French thing. The ability to chargeback through paypal is rediculous. These people are probably just getting their items then doing the chargeback to get their items for free. It really makes running a tiny company almost impossible. I hope this problem does not occur again. I agree that you should no longer bend over backwards to accomodate internaltional orders. It is nice, but it leaves you hanging dry.

 

[themisterfalcon]

Wow, this really is too bad about the French thing. The ability to chargeback through paypal is rediculous. These people are probably just getting their items then doing the chargeback to get their items for free. It really makes running a tiny company almost impossible. I hope this problem does not occur again. I agree that you should no longer bend over backwards to accomodate internaltional orders. It is nice, but it leaves you hanging dry.

Yeah a ton of money was lost because of this. Hopefully paypal will resolve it soon and get that money back into the Paypal account.

Like I said, people I deal with on a regular basis overseas I have no problem hooking up on the shipping. But from now on until a good relationship is established it will be EMS only.

 

[Stellaking]

Oh shit Dub... ? I hope I didn't added to this

Mate I was doing 12 hr nightshifts and had 5 days off in 4 weeks, I was punchy man forgive

Seriously tho, sorry to here this. I'll bet most euro sales will ask you to mark down customs... It's mostly to avoid import tax, so how anything is posted is "Mmmm"...

Mandatory: EMS tracked, buyer pays cost or if mark down is required takes FULL responsibility in transit.

This of course assumes your not busy and have all the time in the world to pander

Mwahahahahahaha........ Nah, fuck it.... Stick with the known

goddamn it, I'm on that list duder

 

[themisterfalcon]

Oh shit Dub... ? I hope I didn't added to this

Mate I was doing 12 hr nightshifts and had 5 days off in 4 weeks, I was punchy man forgive

Seriously tho, sorry to here this. I'll bet most euro sales will ask you to mark down customs... It's mostly to avoid import tax, so how anything is posted is "Mmmm"...

Mandatory: EMS tracked, buyer pays cost or if mark down is required takes FULL responsibility in transit.

This of course assumes your not busy and have all the time in the world to pander

Mwahahahahahaha........ Nah, fuck it.... Stick with the known

goddamn it, I'm on that list duder

Yeah you are good in my book Si. I must stress dealings with people in the UK have been more than pleasant. I have only really had problems with people in France (except Stifu) and I have had some problems with people in Spain as well.

I really think the language barriers have most to do with....though I don't understand what Si says half the time

 

[Stellaking]

Soz man... I 'm hyped

Got 3 days off in a row :chimp:

Right... Back to Battlestar galactica dvds

The shizzx D, I don't understand what I'm on about either....
Mad as a box of frogs mate

 

[themisterfalcon]

The shizzx D, I don't understand what I'm on about either....
Mad as a box of frogs mate

 

[billd420]

Yeah i dont' know what it is with the French dude... I'd say about 95% of the times that I have packages get held up in customs, randomly dissapear, or get gripes about not claiming $25 or under were all from the French.

From now on, I'm with Dub on this one. If we have done deals in the past, I'll modify the customs form. If we haven't I'm claiming full value. I'm not doing this to spite or screw over my foreign customers, but rather to protect my ass if a box goes missing. If i send a $300 game, and claim its $25 worth of goods in the box, I get back just that for insurance... $25. And if the postal system looses my package, i am responsible for procuring a replacement, or a refund of money. Either way I loose.

I'm sick to death of this shit man... I feel your pain Dub.

-B

PS- No offence to the French, it just seems to pan out that way.

 

[billd420]

I really think the language barriers have most to do with....though I don't understand what Si says half the time

Yeah man I thought I talked with some thick slang. In comparison to Si, I'm like a freakin English scholar LOL

 

[Ajax]

I had one dealing with a French guy. He wouldn't pay for EMS shipping so I shipped it the method he requested. Global Priority. He waited like 3 days and then did a chargeback. Never again will I let anything like that happen. That's why I require EMS shipping when selling to somebody overseas.

 

[NeoCverA]

Oh man, that sucks LE ASS. The fact the fucker(s) did chargebacks and probably still ended up with the product as well really sucks. Frogs have a reputation of being scamming, bootlegging faggots and this just adds to the fire.

= Please no French fucks come on here, quote me and defend your asses, I don't need to hear you or know your case - piss off.


I think your on track with dealing with only those that have had smooth transactions in the past and you have come to trust but eveyone else, track only shipping and even an added "Douleur dans mon âne" FRENCH ONLY fee.

Translation "Pain in my ass".

Could I request that NONE of my inserts be sold to the French?

 

[Stellaking]

Yeah man I thought I talked with some thick slang. In comparison to Si, I'm like a freakin English scholar LOL

Lolz... Give it a name man

Didn't BB have some issues with french buyers regards shocks dissapearing ?

 

[Murray]

Mandatory: EMS tracked, buyer pays cost or if mark down is required takes FULL responsibility in transit.

Right, but good luck enforcing that with PayPal (or any credit processor). You're still relying on the buyer not being a thief.

As much as I'd like to see PayPal do the right thing here and reimburse the money for those stolen (not beating around the bush about "lost" or whatever; it's stolen) shipments, personal experience says they'll do otherwise. Unless you followed their "seller protection" policies to the letter, you're screwed.

 

[themisterfalcon]

The Paypal case finally closed this morning, and of course I was given my money back. Still what a total pain in the ass this guy was.

I will still be skeptical of all orders from that region from now on out, with the exception of Stifu he was a pleasure to deal with

 

[Murray]

The Paypal case finally closed this morning, and of course I was given my money back. Still what a total pain in the ass this guy was.

I will still be skeptical of all orders from that region from now on out, with the exception of Stifu he was a pleasure to deal with

Glad to hear it worked out in your favor. I've heard so many horror stories that it's nice to hear that they did the right thing for a change.

 

[Ajax]

I've been thinking of taking a vote on the what the next t shirt design should be... Does this sound like a good idea? This way, the fans can decide. I think it would be pretty cool, personally...

Of course, it would be designs that were already being considered... We don't want another t shirt design fiasco. Hahaha.

 

[themisterfalcon]

New Paper Stock

Just posting an update as we are planning a switch to a slightly different printing stock. This is kinda a long post so bear with me on this one

Basically as it stands right now, we print on a 10pt Kromekote hi-gloss stock. The only real advantage to this is the "wow" factor when you see the prints OUTSIDE of a shockbox. It actually has more disadvantages than you would think.

The problems we are having with this stock are:
•Basically our current stock is preventing some of the toner (laser) to fuse properly to the paper. In turn, the excess toner hardens and causes damage to the fuser roller/drum. The machine has had to be completely rebuilt 6 times now since we started this service. Awesome, trashing a $45,000 printer in the name of neo haha. Thankfully we have a warranty!

• Because of above problem with toner, is why we have a hard time obtaining consistencies in "classic gray" inserts and also prevents me from printing at a maximum DPI.

• Also because of the above problem is why prints sometimes come out so dark. I have reprinted for many of you on occasions you felt the prints were too dark.

So after a few weeks of research and testing about a dozen different kinds of stock I think I have found one that is going to increase not only the quality of the prints, but prevent the machine from being trashed any further, and keep this service around for years to come.

The two choices I have narrowed it down to is Mowhawk, 90# Bright White Gloss and Hammermil 80# Acid-Free Gloss. I am really considering the Acid Free over the Bright White. Both stocks are highly comparable to what we have been using, a TAD less glossy, and should yield brighter and more consistent colors.

It should also be noted that the original "shockbox inserts" - those produced by SNK and distributed with "AES" games - are not high gloss either, rather a gloss/semi-gloss stock and quite thinner than what we use. The new stock we want to use is more similar to that in finish, but quite thicker. Of course that exact look can never be obtained as those are printed Offset, a drastically different process.

If people don't take my word on this and demand that we continue to print on the high-gloss stock that is fine, but I have been given the word that if the printer continues to get trashed because of this, access to the machine might be revoked.

This is not going to change pricing, it will increase the quality (resolution) of the prints, and allow this service to continue for years to come.

I look forward to hearing everyones feedback on this as you are the ones who ultimately decide.

 

[Murray]

Do what you gotta do to keep the service going. If you're happy with the quality, I'm sure I will be too.

Repeatedly trashing a $45k printer is ridiculous. I'm surprised you waited this long.

 

[Sundance]

Do what you have to to keep the service available. We trust your judgement! You're still a better deal and a better place to pull from as a whole. I for one, will continue buying from you rather than dealing w/ Kinkos or any other place.

 

[themisterfalcon]

Yeah I would never do anything to sacrifice quality. This move is not only for the printer's sake, but to increase quality and keep things coming for years to come.

Thought it would be a good idea to give heads up so the next person who get their prints isn't saying "WTF its 10% less glossy!"

 

[Xian Xi]

WTF its 10% less glossy?!?!

 

[Hippo]

T-Shirt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gamejunkie]

I just want to see what a $45,000 printer looks like...