ANOVOS issues (ANOVOS ONLY discussion)

[Got Maul]

So to further the discussions on communication, I've taken your responses to the marketing and communications team. We've all agreed while single page was meant to help clear up the issues in mass, I think the impersonal nature of it countered its purpose

I would sincerely like to migrate to a more direct level of communication but there are always some challenges to this. The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam. I know there are a lot of people who would say there is no such thing, but our experience has shown otherwise. So we could go by time or by phase of project. What would be more meaningful ?

 

[SpaceMind]

So to further the discussions on communication, I've taken your responses to the marketing and communications team. We've all agreed while single page was meant to help clear up the issues in mass, I think the impersonal nature of it countered its purpose

I would sincerely like to migrate to a more direct level of communication but there are always some challenges to this. The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam. I know there are a lot of people who would say there is no such thing, but our experience has shown otherwise. So we could go by time or by phase of project. What would be more meaningful ?

Why not both? That way I can directly go to the page and see the updates without wading through hundreds of other emails, that may or may not get marked as spam. So do both. Also, you are now removing a "public" view from the website which is pretty shady to just move it to email only. Keep both. As you can see, MOST people here rely on that update page. Keep it! In my opinion, your choice to remove it is only making matters worse.

 

[Got Maul]

I am not suggesting removing the main page at all- it just needs a better format. The emails though might be better for the in depth information.


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[Timmythekid]

Keep in mind that we order only to demand - so once product arrives, its usually all spoken for as we rarely take inventory. So, sell out is a real threat. As far as it taking one year, that's about as accurate as we can get after observations from the TK kit edition of 2015.

But I'm sure you get the point I'm making. I mean, clearly you guys aren't about to open your books to us , and I would imagine your board did some serious soul-searching before making the decision to kill tiered pricing, but there seems to be some inherent risk you're taking to your development budget by, let's face it, drastically reducing the incentive for customers to plop down cash years in advance. I can tell you the threat of 'it might not be available whenever it finally is released', just in my case, isn't scary enough to ante-up. I can't help but think 'Sure, stuff might sell out, but it's SW - if it's a popular character, Disney is going to make sure SOMEONE is offering it, even if there might be a year or two between when a particular piece might not be available, and it might not be this particular company offering it'.

So to further the discussions on communication, I've taken your responses to the marketing and communications team. We've all agreed while single page was meant to help clear up the issues in mass, I think the impersonal nature of it countered its purpose

I would sincerely like to migrate to a more direct level of communication but there are always some challenges to this. The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam. I know there are a lot of people who would say there is no such thing, but our experience has shown otherwise. So we could go by time or by phase of project. What would be more meaningful ?

Monthly? And let customers know to expect whatever frequency you come up with. Even if there is no significant movement, an update confirming that, 'yep, we're still waiting on liscensor approval because they're backed up', while not telling us anything new at least says 'yes, we're still doing our best to get this one product out the door, we're not just hiding while announcing a bunch of pipe-dream products that will never ever, never never never see the light of retail (ahem...cough cough...) - please buy now.'


Anyways, it's always appreciated that you stop in to address what has to be the crankiest, pickiest customers of all time head on, Jose

 

[Nocternus]

For me i would also like to know what the Hick ups are that cause the delays

 

[cjchiu]

I have supported many projects on kickstarter where most creators function on a preorder basis. I find that the successful projects (in terms of backer satisfaction) give at least monthly updates or give updates with important steps in the production process ("tooling is done!","samples arrived!","Quality control issues"). This keeps the customer/backer involved. Because really, as someone who places a preorder like this, we are essentially investors in the company. We're willing to understand setbacks if you bring us along for the ride. I think most people would even find the behind the scenes stuff interesting. I understand some of the licenses would prohibit some things, but even the tidbits that Got Maul has provided seem to satisfy most.

Just my 2 cents,
Chris

 

[Got Maul]

For me i would also like to know what the Hick ups are that cause the delays

Yup, that's the purpose of the more in depth emails, I am wanting to see. Sometimes knowing a little more about the process not only holds us more accountable but also spread a bit more understanding in the process.

I have supported many projects on kickstarter where most creators function on a preorder basis. I find that the successful projects (in terms of backer satisfaction) give at least monthly updates or give updates with important steps in the production process ("tooling is done!","samples arrived!","Quality control issues"). This keeps the customer/backer involved. Because really, as someone who places a preorder like this, we are essentially investors in the company. We're willing to understand setbacks if you bring us along for the ride. I think most people would even find the behind the scenes stuff interesting. I understand some of the licenses would prohibit some things, but even the tidbits that Got Maul has provided seem to satisfy most.

Just my 2 cents,
Chris

For the pre-order projects, this is exactly my thinking. We used to do this for our earlier projects back before the Star Wars growth, so I Think its time we return.

But I'm sure you get the point I'm making. I mean, clearly you guys aren't about to open your books to us , and I would imagine your board did some serious soul-searching before making the decision to kill tiered pricing, but there seems to be some inherent risk you're taking to your development budget by, let's face it, drastically reducing the incentive for customers to plop down cash years in advance. I can tell you the threat of 'it might not be available whenever it finally is released', just in my case, isn't scary enough to ante-up. I can't help but think 'Sure, stuff might sell out, but it's SW - if it's a popular character, Disney is going to make sure SOMEONE is offering it, even if there might be a year or two between when a particular piece might not be available, and it might not be this particular company offering it'.

Yes, there's been quite a bit soul searching no doubt about that. There was actually a very deliberate motivation to stop tier pricing, being the first steps away from pre-order model. More about that later though...

Monthly? And let customers know to expect whatever frequency you come up with. Even if there is no significant movement, an update confirming that, 'yep, we're still waiting on liscensor approval because they're backed up', while not telling us anything new at least says 'yes, we're still doing our best to get this one product out the door, we're not just hiding while announcing a bunch of pipe-dream products that will never ever, never never never see the light of retail (ahem...cough cough...) - please buy now.'


Anyways, it's always appreciated that you stop in to address what has to be the crankiest, pickiest customers of all time head on, Jose

Another vote for monthly, noted !

 

[Grigori]

I understand you can't show images of completed products until approved etc.. but maybe a social media approach for incomplete stages would be useful. I imagine most folks who are interested in purchasing a premium replica are also interested in the creation process and probably members of forums like this one. Aside from more formal communication, an Instagram page showing snippets of the creation process might be of a lot of interest to customers and also provide assurance that something is actually happening. Even if pictures weren't of created products, but that new machine, or delivery of supplies etc. would be something I'd be curious enough to see. I'm thinking of things like the tease of Henry Cavill showing an inch of pattern on the forthcoming super man suit. Doesn't really show anything, but tells us things are happening that we can get excited about.

Also I'd wonder if your updates page could be progressively updated. I.e. Maybe it says Quarter initially, but then changes to month when nearly there, then a specific date a couple weeks before shipping etc.. Then to 'shipping' when in its way. The absence of apparent change in the current format is probably not a true reflection of how much your team are doing, and could be under-reporting actual progress.

 

[russellsch]

So to further the discussions on communication, I've taken your responses to the marketing and communications team. We've all agreed while single page was meant to help clear up the issues in mass, I think the impersonal nature of it countered its purpose

I would sincerely like to migrate to a more direct level of communication but there are always some challenges to this. The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam. I know there are a lot of people who would say there is no such thing, but our experience has shown otherwise. So we could go by time or by phase of project. What would be more meaningful ?

Thank you again, for being in the fray. For me, it shows you guys are trying. & I'd be fine with a monthly email as well.

 

[gman71]

First off, for me, I'm not really happy to see an argument erupt in here. Can you guys take that to PM in the future if it looks like it's going to flare up again? Second, I'm more for 2-week updates. I dropped too much money to not be entitled to a first-hand account of how things are progressing on a regular, short-time-frame schedule.

 

[BudaFett]

Got Maul,

Why don't all your Star Wars products show up on the main Star Wars landing page?

 

[cinderbike]

Another vote for (at least) monthly email/status updates (even if there is nothing to say). And thank you for responding to all the Q's including mine.

 

[Doh2]

Monthly emails would be my preference as well.

I get that the Vader and Imperial Officer stuff just isn't out yet, but what's frustrating for me is that I have an OT Stormtrooper helmet on order, and those are clearly available to customers already (at least to those who bought complete kits). The release date for the stand-alone buckets just keeps getting pushed back every quarter. Is the demand that high, or have you paused the manufacturing?

 

[Gordon Gekko]

Keep in mind that we order only to demand - so once product arrives, its usually all spoken for as we rarely take inventory. So, sell out is a real threat. As far as it taking one year, that's about as accurate as we can get after observations from the TK kit edition of 2015.

Just so I'm reading this right. At least on the big items Anovos will never really have in stock items? They will either be pre-order, or sold out? I like a lot of what you offer, but I'm not really down with pre-ordering and then waiting an unknown timeframe.

 

[Lemna]

I appreciate you posting here and trying to work with people but this struck me as odd:

"The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam."

Just a week or so back you had a terrible sales plan that involved sending basically the same e-mail five times on the same day counting down the chances you had to order. . . I really didn't go to the link (no interest in the product) so I don't know exactly why there needed to be 5 e-mails in one day but I found that annoying. At best it was gimicky, at worse spammy.

Just my opinion,

L~

 

[ggriffaw]

Monthly email status updates and possibly additional emails when there is a significant update on a product sounds good.

I liked seeing photos of products in work. It showed that the product was actually being produced.

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[cboath]

I appreciate you posting here and trying to work with people but this struck me as odd:

"The main question being, how many update frequencies is too much before becoming spam."

Just a week or so back you had a terrible sales plan that involved sending basically the same e-mail five times on the same day counting down the chances you had to order. . . I really didn't go to the link (no interest in the product) so I don't know exactly why there needed to be 5 e-mails in one day but I found that annoying. At best it was gimicky, at worse spammy.

Just my opinion,

L~

If you're talking about the FO trooper helmet, it was because all the codes were limited time. The 50% one i think lasted a whopping 5 minutes after the email went out (or so it seemed). I was at work all day (for example) The first 3 came while I was at work, so, zero chance for me. The next one i had a shot at (didn't get 50%), and the last one was a bit on the late side for me.

The point was, i assume, to give everyone a shot, regardless of their daily schedule.

 

[ggriffaw]

Are there still plans to release an Original Trilogy X-Wing Pilot helmet?

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[Timmythekid]

There was actually a very deliberate motivation to stop tier pricing, being the first steps away from pre-order model. More about that later though...

In-hand, point and click sales of high-end costumes and buckets? Um, one please! While I know we'll miss those deep discounts, that is very, very encouraging to hear.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I don't know enough about such things to know whether it would be a good solution or not, but maybe do the thing where one gives their payment info to express commitment and give the company an idea of quantity needed -- but no cards/PayPals will be charged until the item is in-hand, packaged, and ready to ship. There'd be some proportion of cards that expire during the wait, cancellations, and the like, but I'm willing to bet any "on hand" stock that would leave would be snatched up in short order.

That plus regular updates -- even when there is no news. I'd suggest that each item's specific page have the update history, newest on top. No separate "updates" page. Any major updates -- positive or negative -- should be e-mailed to those who have placed a reservation. In general, I feel that if the process is going as typical/expected, updating the item page is enough. Those who are content to wait until it shows up on their doorstep won't get update e-mails they'd either just glance at or delete unread. And those who care enough to want to know could just check/refresh the page for the actual item to see the latest. Only if there was a "the factory burned down" or "Lucasfilm approved it on the first try -- shipping three months early" level update would a mass e-mail go out. And, of course, the "everything's here, packed, and ready to go -- we'll begin charging people Monday unless contacted to cancel or arrange other methods" e-mail.

--Jonah