I'm sure that you noticed that a year or so after your deal fell through with them that they offered a kit of the STIII Comm along with kit versions of the STIII Phaser, while they were still selling your Phaser. I got the impression from the few times I dealt with them that they were only concerned with selling kits, along with very high priced build ups of the same kits, and not in selling already built props.
Star Trek V - Communicator
- Thread starter B-Movie Zombie
- Start date
I'm sure that you noticed that a year or so after your deal fell through with them that they offered a kit of the STIII Comm along with kit versions of the STIII Phaser, while they were still selling your Phaser. I got the impression from the few times I dealt with them that they were only concerned with selling kits, along with very high priced build ups of the same kits, and not in selling already built props.
I was always in completion with HMS for prop sales with Rod.com.
My guess is HMS was willing to go low enough on their prices for them to carry their versions.
I had a verbal/email deal in place where they would sell my models on commission.
I was told that they had a very hard time getting the money and approval to buy props and because of this needed a high markup, over 100% markup. (at lease that was what they told me...)
SO I offered to supply them 12 models of a model at a time with no up front money and no requirement to pay for any unsold models and for them to just sell them and have 30 days to pay me for the ones SOLD.
These models were suppose to have a markup of 30 to 50% keeping prices lower and helping sells.
My catch phase for this deal was "It is better to get a fast nickle than a slow dime."
It was agreed to many times both by phone and by email and because of this deal I refinanced my home to raise money and tools and tooling.
I then started work on fixing up my shop and bought a big lathe and a pair of table top CNC mill and Lathe, and reacquired many of my old models to retool and other supplies.
The plan was as there was no out of pocket money and no approval needed by the money people, that they (Rod.com) would make money better this way, I was planing on building and supplying as many models I and my helpers could turn out.
It was just build them and ship them and wait for the income.
This should/would have been a win win win...they would have a great line of props with no problems with the money people, fans would have a great line of props to order at a great price and my shop would have lots of work.
The first model was the Phaser Three which I delivered to the Star Trek experience con.
BUT I knew I was in trouble when instead of the correct price of $400.00 to $450.00 (my suggested list prices) they marked it at $595.00 and sold none at one of the biggest Cons ever...and that they could/would not learn from that...
And I knew things was going bad when they could not list them in their on line catalog for months....
And the last straw was when they said they were going back to their normal operation and buying the props instead.
So some four months later I got paid.
And we were back to the old system of trying to get a approval for any new or other models again.
That lead to about a year trying to offer the ST3 Com.
I am still paying off the home loan.
I never had any use for the CNC Machines and have been trying to sell them on eBay. A CNC machine is to do fast large runs of parts, like classic Phaser Parts.
At the high prices they were asking for the Phaser Threes they were lucky to sell 12 Phaser Threes a year. I was hoping for 12 a month...
The very last straw was they trying to make me pay for worn out $6.00 batteries in these same Phaser Threes AND pay to mail them back, as they were unwilling to change the batteries them self's after running them down displaying them at cons.
I was very much aware of Con display and play sales and always carried spare batteries to cons and did so for them at the cons i attended with them.
At the last day of a con I would offer these played with props at a small discount. They did not.
They would let the battery ware down and then put out another model. This could use up two to three models a day.
I felt this was their problem and part of doing sales and as they had a habit of not controlling these props often customers would walk away leaving the prop on and they would not notice.
I watched them do this at a couple of cons...both customers and their staff.
My models were not even center table but off to the side, it is a wonder they were not stolen and perhaps a few were...sloppy.
And that with no orders at all for over a year, to then expect me to pay $16.00 PER model to replace batteries for them was too much. ($6.00 battery and $10.00 to mail them back) Not to mention the labor of doing this job and then repack and mail them...
I said if they were unable to preform this simple job, I would do it IF they paid for the batteries and shipping. I would throw in my labor for free.
They said that I was not standing behind my work...I said I did not make the batteries.
They said the batteries ran down.
I said my models had hard on/off switches and they was NO drain on my batteries and that I had years OLDER models on my shelf with good batteries, that the only way to run down a battery in one of my models was to turn it on.
AND That was the end.
This is the first time I have told this story, but after all this time, I no longer have any hope of us ever working together again so here it is.
My side of what happen.
I am not crying, I am telling you how hard I tried to work with rod.con, and how it went south.
Rich
My guess is HMS was willing to go low enough on their prices for them to carry their versions.
I had a verbal/email deal in place where they would sell my models on commission.
I was told that they had a very hard time getting the money and approval to buy props and because of this needed a high markup, over 100% markup. (at lease that was what they told me...)
SO I offered to supply them 12 models of a model at a time with no up front money and no requirement to pay for any unsold models and for them to just sell them and have 30 days to pay me for the ones SOLD.
These models were suppose to have a markup of 30 to 50% keeping prices lower and helping sells.
My catch phase for this deal was "It is better to get a fast nickle than a slow dime."
It was agreed to many times both by phone and by email and because of this deal I refinanced my home to raise money and tools and tooling.
I then started work on fixing up my shop and bought a big lathe and a pair of table top CNC mill and Lathe, and reacquired many of my old models to retool and other supplies.
The plan was as there was no out of pocket money and no approval needed by the money people, that they (Rod.com) would make money better this way, I was planing on building and supplying as many models I and my helpers could turn out.
It was just build them and ship them and wait for the income.
This should/would have been a win win win...they would have a great line of props with no problems with the money people, fans would have a great line of props to order at a great price and my shop would have lots of work.
The first model was the Phaser Three which I delivered to the Star Trek experience con.
BUT I knew I was in trouble when instead of the correct price of $400.00 to $450.00 (my suggested list prices) they marked it at $595.00 and sold none at one of the biggest Cons ever...and that they could/would not learn from that...
And I knew things was going bad when they could not list them in their on line catalog for months....
And the last straw was when they said they were going back to their normal operation and buying the props instead.
So some four months later I got paid.
And we were back to the old system of trying to get a approval for any new or other models again.
That lead to about a year trying to offer the ST3 Com.
I am still paying off the home loan.
I never had any use for the CNC Machines and have been trying to sell them on eBay. A CNC machine is to do fast large runs of parts, like classic Phaser Parts.
At the high prices they were asking for the Phaser Threes they were lucky to sell 12 Phaser Threes a year. I was hoping for 12 a month...
The very last straw was they trying to make me pay for worn out $6.00 batteries in these same Phaser Threes AND pay to mail them back, as they were unwilling to change the batteries them self's after running them down displaying them at cons.
I was very much aware of Con display and play sales and always carried spare batteries to cons and did so for them at the cons i attended with them.
At the last day of a con I would offer these played with props at a small discount. They did not.
They would let the battery ware down and then put out another model. This could use up two to three models a day.
I felt this was their problem and part of doing sales and as they had a habit of not controlling these props often customers would walk away leaving the prop on and they would not notice.
I watched them do this at a couple of cons...both customers and their staff.
My models were not even center table but off to the side, it is a wonder they were not stolen and perhaps a few were...sloppy.
And that with no orders at all for over a year, to then expect me to pay $16.00 PER model to replace batteries for them was too much. ($6.00 battery and $10.00 to mail them back) Not to mention the labor of doing this job and then repack and mail them...
I said if they were unable to preform this simple job, I would do it IF they paid for the batteries and shipping. I would throw in my labor for free.
They said that I was not standing behind my work...I said I did not make the batteries.
They said the batteries ran down.
I said my models had hard on/off switches and they was NO drain on my batteries and that I had years OLDER models on my shelf with good batteries, that the only way to run down a battery in one of my models was to turn it on.
AND That was the end.
This is the first time I have told this story, but after all this time, I no longer have any hope of us ever working together again so here it is.
My side of what happen.
I am not crying, I am telling you how hard I tried to work with rod.con, and how it went south.
Rich
jmaerker
Active Member
Rich, to me what it sounds like is that rodd.com got greedy and wanted to make as much profit as they could while trying to screw you out of whatever they could financially. I already had a bad taste in my mouth because of them and a purchase I had attempted to make with them that they botched, but this story takes the taco. They will never see a dime of my money.
I'm also making a promise; if you ever get the green light on making the comms again, I WILL be giving you my money for one.
I'm also making a promise; if you ever get the green light on making the comms again, I WILL be giving you my money for one.
My feeling is kind of that and a lack of real caring of fans...
I don't think anyone there is a fan.
It is all business and profit and props were too much trouble.
Majel was the same way, she did not like the problems and questions props caused, she like simple sales like tribbles and badges and patterns.
As for a green light it will take a license.
Rich
I don't think anyone there is a fan.
It is all business and profit and props were too much trouble.
Majel was the same way, she did not like the problems and questions props caused, she like simple sales like tribbles and badges and patterns.
As for a green light it will take a license.
Rich
Zombie_61
Master Member
I'm amazed by the sheer number of companies that never figure this out. They'd rather make $100 on one sale than drop the price and make $200 on five sales.
jmaerker
Active Member
This is the single-most factual statement I have heard about rodd.com in a long time. They know the desire for these pieces is abundant, yet they're too cheap to open up their purse-strings to pony up and cater to the people that, for all intents and purposes, guaranteed their livelihood to this day.
More like $200.00 on 3 sales...
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Sadly I had offered a system where they did not need a purse, just let me stock them with props and make money and then pay me.
You can lead a horse to water...
Rich
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jmaerker
Active Member
Horse Hockey. I consider myself extremely lucky to have one of your Phasers, as I knew of you and your obscenely wonderful attention to detail YEARS before I got my ST3 Phaser. Your reps speak for themselves, so how could they think that you or HMS mean doodley-squat to us? Do they honestly think that the die-hard fans won't KNOW the names behind the scenes?
Not to come off too self important, I was aware of fans interest in our work, (HMS and I) I was pointing out how they (Rod.com)didn't know or care all that much.
And thanks.
I am a little sorry I let my frustration out over this, but I was fairly unset to see how upset everyone is over the lack of these being available to you. I kind of felt it was my fault...somehow. A kind of if only...
Rod.com is not alone in not caring about fans deep interest in accuracy, many other companies have also done poorly in this regard.
After all only a fan (fanatic) will really care and have the devotion to detail we do.
And a number of newer companies are stepping up to the line and doing very good jobs.
I for one would hate to compete with many of them now a days.
Rich
And thanks.
I am a little sorry I let my frustration out over this, but I was fairly unset to see how upset everyone is over the lack of these being available to you. I kind of felt it was my fault...somehow. A kind of if only...
Rod.com is not alone in not caring about fans deep interest in accuracy, many other companies have also done poorly in this regard.
After all only a fan (fanatic) will really care and have the devotion to detail we do.
And a number of newer companies are stepping up to the line and doing very good jobs.
I for one would hate to compete with many of them now a days.
Rich
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Zombie_61
Master Member
Yeah, I just pulled a number out of thin air to make my point, and it was easier to divide 200 by five. :lol
jmaerker
Active Member
Rich, it is NOT your fault that greed prevailed at rodd.com. It's their fault that they're too thick-skulled to see that the demand far exceeds their narrow-minded view of what sells. Tribbles and Rank Insignia and Commbadges and Patterns do sell, yes, but Props are big sellers, especially to the serious collector.
The newer companies might be doing good jobs, but for me, I like the personal touch if you follow my meaning... Given a choice, I'll buy from smaller businesses if at all possible. That's why I like dealing with folks like you, Myron Stapleton and Scott Nakada; You guys DO care and put your hearts and souls into making a QUALITY product! Companies like QMX and MR? They prefer quantity over quality... Let them have the mass production deals.
I am a little humbled by your posts...
Thanks.
I get a kick out of your avatar: Donall Sutherland as a POD person denouncing our hero...with the POD person scream and pointing finger...
From The 80s version of "The Invasion of the Pod People"
Rich
Thanks.
I get a kick out of your avatar: Donall Sutherland as a POD person denouncing our hero...with the POD person scream and pointing finger...
From The 80s version of "The Invasion of the Pod People"
Rich
Rich, it is NOT your fault that greed prevailed at rodd.com. It's their fault that they're too thick-skulled to see that the demand far exceeds their narrow-minded view of what sells. Tribbles and Rank Insignia and Commbadges and Patterns do sell, yes, but Props are big sellers, especially to the serious collector.
The newer companies might be doing good jobs, but for me, I like the personal touch if you follow my meaning... Given a choice, I'll buy from smaller businesses if at all possible. That's why I like dealing with folks like you, Myron Stapleton and Scott Nakada; You guys DO care and put your hearts and souls into making a QUALITY product! Companies like QMX and MR? They prefer quantity over quality... Let them have the mass production deals.
jmaerker
Active Member
Rich, I only speak the truth; I have NO love whatsoever for rodd.com after they screwed up my order (and kept the money, which is another story altogether), and I'm not going to sugarcoat anything in regards to them. Their business practices stink, and that's a fact.
And thanks for the comments on the avatar! When I saw it, it kinda disturbed me, but it was also funny as heck to see that goofy look on Donald Sutherlands face... It was either that, a pic of Christopher Walken dancing, or a pic of the Apollo 18 mission patch, as it's one of my fav sci-fi/horror movies of late. I think the pic of Donald Sutherland pointing with the goofy look on his face wins out in terms of oddness.
And thanks for the comments on the avatar!
When I saw it, it kinda disturbed me, but it was also funny as heck to see that goofy look on Donald Sutherlands face... It was either that, a pic of Christopher Walken dancing, or a pic of the Apollo 18 mission patch, as it's one of my fav sci-fi/horror movies of late. I think the pic of Donald Sutherland pointing with the goofy look on his face wins out in terms of oddness.
Zombie_61
Master Member
The guy standing next to you on the ride down will be me.
We will be in good company.
Rich
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Darn.
I like it, it says something about you, as does mine, a double meaning, both as one of the first ones and as one overloaded...
Rich
Rich
The guy standing next to you on the ride down will be me.
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Darn.
I like it, it says something about you, as does mine, a double meaning, both as one of the first ones and as one overloaded...
Rich
Rich, I only speak the truth; I have NO love whatsoever for rodd.com after they screwed up my order (and kept the money, which is another story altogether), and I'm not going to sugarcoat anything in regards to them. Their business practices stink, and that's a fact.
And thanks for the comments on the avatar!
jmaerker
Active Member
Thank you
I celebrate and relish in my oddness, as it leads to connecting with interesting people and places and things... Mundane people bore me!I am with you.
Rich
Rich
Thank you
That is a real shame that they wouldn't play ball, and the battery issue was clearly Rodd.com's responsibility.
CBS is trying to milk fans of Enterprise in a similar way by trying to charge the same price for Enterprise BluRays as they are for the TNG ones which had a lot more extensive work done on the remastering.
It's greedy top level management trying to squeeze the fan for all their money.
I'm voting with my wallet on that one and only buying the Enterprise BluRays when they drop to an acceptable price given the lower level of effort put in for the product they sell out.
I don't mind paying for a quality product provided you can see where the money has been spent on it.
CBS is trying to milk fans of Enterprise in a similar way by trying to charge the same price for Enterprise BluRays as they are for the TNG ones which had a lot more extensive work done on the remastering.
It's greedy top level management trying to squeeze the fan for all their money.
I'm voting with my wallet on that one and only buying the Enterprise BluRays when they drop to an acceptable price given the lower level of effort put in for the product they sell out.
I don't mind paying for a quality product provided you can see where the money has been spent on it.
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