Quote:
Originally Posted by omegacanuck
Three things can come into play here. It's not uncommon for a store to get a partial fill on an order, especially on brand new stuff. IE, store orders 100 of a particular product, distributor will get SOME in, and send 60, with the other 40 following (usually fairly quickly, but not always).
The other common thing is multiple orders from distribution. If a store takes pre-orders, and has ordered 100 of an item from distribution, but those sell out. They then pre-order another 50 from distribution a few weeks later and put them back up for pre-order to customers. If you are order #120, you're gonna be in the second batch, and so yes, it's likely they will get some in (the first 100) but you won't get yours in that batch.
Thirdly, is the different ways that product is distributed. Most items, especially Transformers, are generally available either as an assortment, or as a solid case. Often both are ordered at the same time, but they are not necessarily released at the same time. Assortments are often released before solid cases (usually just a matter of a few weeks, but it's a thing). The current wave with Pipes/Slammer is a good example. In an assortment case of 8, you've got 2 each of Pipes, Slammer, Airazor, and Blackarachnia. 2 of those items are repeats from prior waves, so stores may well order a certain quantity of the assortment, but also a certain amount of just Pipes and Slammer so as not to be buried in repeat product. Again, if you're early in ordering, you'll likely get your order filled from whatever cases come in first (likely the assortment).
Lesson to take away, is if you need to be the first to get your stuff, you need to be among the first to order it. Hope that sheds some light.
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Very valid points. I believe I was early ordering as the site generally marks thing as "second shipments".
I also work and deal with distributors daily and this "partial" shipment is not something I experience all too often but yet when it comes to action figures it apparently happens all the time. Sure things are backordered but its never a "surprise"... you know production schedules almost 2 years out. Again might be a difference in industry but its weird to see all this issues in one scenario but not in another.
In the case of Tigatron lets say... Walmarts, ToyRus and all the big retailers with multiple phases of delivery from distributor to store arrived before said "speciality shop".
I guess my bottom line is communication. If you cannot communicate which phase of preorder your customers are ordering from then you should communicate that as product comes in.
I have no real complaint though, this place has generally been amazing for me but when something goes wrong it generally overpowers the good.
