Daily Updates

Pedro · Post by **Pedro** » Sep 26th 2002, 6:51 am

I know I speak for everyone when I say this, but i'm really getting tired of not quite knowing whats happening here. I understand that the delay is
BMG's fault, but I think it would be a good idea (and good PR) for Ross to provide us with daily updates on the DVD set.

Even if he only gives us minimal info, it would be better than nothing.
At this point we have all been let down and the least that deserve is to be updated on a product we have already paid for.

I'm aware Ross is busy, but it would take five mins to type a post on this forum site and temper the growing feeling of discontent.

Think about it Ross..........(and if you do dcide to do it, please make sure that you actually DO post daily, and not when the mood takes you)

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Sep 26th 2002, 8:41 am

I know that I promised to keep a diary of things online, but my access to progress information is actually pretty limited at this point. Since I had the check discs, I haven't really learned anything new, and I still don't know about a date when the DVDs can be expected.

Ross Rojek · Post by **Ross Rojek** » Sep 26th 2002, 9:52 am

Pedro wrote:Think about it Ross..........(and if you do dcide to do it, please make sure that you actually DO post daily, and not when the mood takes you)

I've been trying to do something here. Even if it is just posting so people know I'm still alive. While it may not be daily, but I will update people as often as I can.

Friday I'll be on the road most of the day, so I don't know if I'll be online.

kappster · Post by **kappster** » Sep 26th 2002, 4:15 pm

Hey Ross...I am not sure that you clearly understood what Pedro was intending when he suggested a daily progress update on DVD production and shipping. I think he was looking for answers rather than just a confirmation that you are logging in and reading up on this daily soap opera and not offering any real information. Seems to me that you could save yourself a whole lot of trouble if you were just upfront with the customers and explained the reasons for the delays. You could end the endless barage of phone calls and emails and you wouldn't have to read through the numerous threads here that never really offer anything new if you would just do one daily post and answer the questions that need to be answered.

1. Does AU have the copies of the DVDs from BMG or not? If BMG has not delivered the DVDs to you yet, step up and post the number and name of the person for us to call at BMG and we will start calling them endlessly to light a little fire under their asses. No reason for you to have to take that for them. Unless of course if AU has the DVDs and just likes to pass the buck. You can answer this question with a one word answer...DO YOU HAVE THE DVDs OR NOT? SIMPLY, YES OR NO.

2. What is the status of the lunchbox and bonus disc? Have the lunchboxes been shipped from Hong Kong or not? Have they even been manufactured? If so, why can't they be shipped today from Hong Kong to you? As far as the bonus disc, what are we waiting on there? Has it been written and sent to BMG for replication or is someone else doing that. Are you waiting for clearance to put additional footage on the bonus disc or what? If so, for the love of God, leave it off and just get this project finished. Sure, I would like all the bonuses that you can offer me, but I am no longer willing to wait for extras. (unless of course if you can offer at least a little explaination and gaurantee a reasonable time frame, which seems a joke at this point)

3. What is the plan for shipping charges? It was so long ago when I ordered, that I don't clearly remember, but I am pretty sure that shipping is free for Pre-orders, isn't it? And if so, doesn't everything that has been ordered up to this point count as a preorder since there really is no existing product, yet we have all paid (some repeatedly).

4. What is the hold up on returning money to credit cards that your company has effectively stolen from its customers. Is it because that money has been used to keep your company floating and you no longer have it to give back? If not, insert explaination here...oh and by the way, the whole "this project was much bigger than we expected" is no longer holding any water. That does not answer any questions and does not offer any explaination. That statement has already bought you several months to get the problems corrected and still my mailbox is empty.

5. Why does you company continue to post the Sept 17th shipping date? Is it to lure in more unsuspecting customers to steal their money as well? It is unfortunate that people out there ordering from your website, thinking that they are ordering a product, not knowing it doesn't even exist. Too bad that Entertainment weekly posted a blurb about the project in this week's magazine and advertised your web site for you. I can't believe that you haven't stopped taking orders for this product until you at least have it ready to go. UNTIL THEN...STOP LISTING SEPT 17TH AS THE SHIPPING DATE WHEN IT IS NOT A REALITY! YOU ARE A LIAR AND A THIEF AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THAT ON YOUR WEB SITE.

So in short...if you have any balls at all, give the customer some answers and stop the sandbagging. I don't even care who is to blame, we just want to know where this project stands and where it is going. You have our money, I think it is the least you owe us and the simplist thing to fix.

Thanks for you time.

hollis27 · Post by **hollis27** » Sep 26th 2002, 4:40 pm

A bit brutal, but hey, we were all extremely nice and understanding for too long. And we never recieved any answers. Excellent question list btw, I've been wondering about each and everyone of those things. (for quite some time!)

Ross Rojek · Post by **Ross Rojek** » Sep 26th 2002, 8:00 pm

kappster wrote: 1. Does AU have the copies of the DVDs from BMG or not? DO YOU HAVE THE DVDs OR NOT? SIMPLY, YES OR NO.

No we are still waiting on BMG to finish them. Calling them will not help, as I talk to them every day. And so has Jason.

kappster wrote:2. What is the status of the lunchbox and bonus disc?

They needed adjusted art and got that yesterday. They will be done in 10 days.

kappster wrote:3. What is the plan for shipping charges? It was so long ago when I ordered, that I don't clearly remember, but I am pretty sure that shipping is free for Pre-orders, isn't it?

Everyone who paid before a certain date got free or reduced shipping (the overseas orders). We do know who all those people are.

kappster wrote:4. What is the hold up on returning money to credit cards that your company has effectively stolen from its customers.

We have been processing them. And crediting them. Each one has to be handled individually and it is just a task. We will get to them all.

kappster wrote:5. Why does you company continue to post the Sept 17th shipping date? Is it to lure in more unsuspecting customers to steal their money as well?

No, its because we just haven't updated it to a "shipping soon" status. That'll change today.

DrLemonBurn · Post by **DrLemonBurn** » Sep 26th 2002, 8:23 pm

Thanks. I totally appreciate straight and clear answers. I feel a little better now.

Getting kept up to date on that kind of stuff really helps, and I hope we get to hear more of these kinds of updates.

And kappster, thanks for asking. That's some of the best complaining I've heard on this forum.

kappster · Post by **kappster** » Sep 26th 2002, 9:43 pm

Ross,

Thanks for the reply. I would like you to know that I do understand that this project has taken many turns and many delays have been encountered that were not intended by you or anyone else. I think that we have been a pretty patient bunch for the most part. I have been checking the forum regularly since March and just posted for the first time today. I think it would make the wait for the customers so much easier if you would continue to post straight foreward messages just updating us as to what is happening and what you are expecting to happen until shipping begins. We have been waiting this long and will continue to wait. It is just the lack of clear communication and clear answers that drive us to posting nasty posts here and there. I am sure that you have learned many things as you have worked on this project, but I think the most important thing to take from this is the importance of communication. I realize that this is a unique project and delays could not always be anticipated. All I ask in return for taking this leap of faith in your company is to be informed. Mistakes can be forgiven when there is an explaination for them and when I know steps are being taken to correct them.

I sincerely hope that this project does turn out to be profitable for your company and that everyone working on it gets the paycheck that they deserve. I don't think that anyone is hoping for your companies failure. I apologize for making some insulting comments in my previous post. They were sparked by months of frustration with the wait. Clearly you have some balls to have taken on this project in the first place.

Now work on getting those orders credited where due, getting us our DVDs and please keep us updated until it arrives.

I really think you would save yourself and everyone else alot of time if you could just give us the information you have and the information you recieve. I don't even care if the message is that these DVDs are never going to see the light of day and that we are never going to get our money back. At least then we would know and could stop the wait. (Of course, this isn't true and we can count on you, right?)

Anyway, thanks for your time and best of luck bringing this project to a close. Hope to be hearing more from you.

kappster · Post by **kappster** » Sep 26th 2002, 10:33 pm

Alright Ross, couple more things...

I did notice that not all of my questions were answered, but it was a start. I have to bring up a couple more things. You say that you have not recieved the DVDs from BMG and that you and Jason both call daily. Jason has posted previously that the delay does not lie with BMG which leads me to believe that they have done their part. (Sorry to bring you into this Jason). So can you just tell us where the DVDs are? Have they been replicated and just not shipped? That is the burning question...where are they?

Second, you said that the lunchboxes have not been completed but should be in 10 days. I know that Asians are very efficient people, but can we really expect them to make 2500+ in just 10 days? Even if, then there is shipping time to you. I know it has been said that the bonus disc and lunchbox will ship seperately at a later date. I am no business man, but this doesn't sound very cost effective in a project with already escalating costs. Have you decided to wait and ship everything at once or are you still planning on shipping seperately? I really have no problem waiting for it all to be shipped at once as long as I know that is what is happening and I can know it won't be here for several more weeks and i can just stop checking and hoping. What I don't like is the constant feeling from AU that it is just around the corner. Customer service told me today that I my order is on "to be shipped status". Well, that is great but haven't I been that same status since late summer? Just lay it all out for us and let us know with your best educated guess how much longer it is going to be and if you can give us some of your evidence as to how you came to that conclusion.

Thanks again.

(I really don't have multiple personalities. Well, maybe...)

smackey · Post by **smackey** » Sep 27th 2002, 8:18 am

Yeah, I'm curious to know why Ross can tell us how long the lunchboxes will take, but is mum when it comes to the DVDs. Perhaps it's something totally benign, like he just failed to mention it in the above post... but it seems like BMG would give an estimate too, and update that estimate during their conversation with Ross each day.

Also, I'm not so sure that the AU people know who is getting free shipping or not. Yesterday Wade told me that he thought I was down for free shipping, but wasn't sure... so it would either be free or I'll be charged $11.95. (By the way, isn't it curious that the once-quoted shipping charge of $6.95 nearly doubled about the same time we got news that there would be two shipments? Hmm.)

Anyway, I don't mean to sound negative... there has just been so little communication, and that makes people skittish and feeds rumors. As many on this board have said, frank and consistent updates--not just to this message board, but to everyone who ordered--should be a no-brainer given the missed target dates and overcharges.

pgh kenny · Post by **pgh kenny** » Sep 27th 2002, 9:57 am

kappster wrote:I know that Asians are very efficient people, but can we really expect them to make 2500+ in just 10 days?

Are you stating that inhabitants of other continents, (e.g. North America or Europe), are lazy and inefficient? Heaven forbid if the production of the lunchboxes were in the hands of the Antarcticans.

Nostradamus · Post by **Nostradamus** » Sep 27th 2002, 10:29 am

kappster wrote:You say that you have not recieved the DVDs from BMG and that you and Jason both call daily. Jason has posted previously that the delay does not lie with BMG which leads me to believe that they have done their part. (Sorry to bring you into this Jason). So can you just tell us where the DVDs are? Have they been replicated and just not shipped? That is the burning question...where are they?

kappster, you are confused. AU did not delay the manufacturing of the dvds, but they did post a false shipping date. BMG is more or less on schedule, with a slight packaging error. BMG still has the unfinished dvds, as Ross told you. Until BMG completes the manufacturing there is little more that Ross can say which hasn't been said already.

As for that "Asians" remark, you do realize that in all likelyhood the lunchboxes are being stamped out by automated machines, so it makes little difference who pushes the button.

kappster · Post by **kappster** » Sep 27th 2002, 1:54 pm

um. ok.

Ross Rojek · Post by **Ross Rojek** » Sep 28th 2002, 4:11 pm

Nostradamus wrote:kappster, you are confused. AU did not delay the manufacturing of the dvds, but they did post a false shipping date. BMG is more or less on schedule, with a slight packaging error.

Nope we posted the date that they told us originally. I've been given a new estimate, but am not going to post it until we actually get confirmation from the person I need to.

TessD1891 · Post by **TessD1891** » Sep 28th 2002, 11:16 pm

Ross- Any idea when you'll get confirmation and thus be able to tell us the new date?

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Thanks Ross

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