2000 AD - The Ultimate Collection

[Jim_Campbell]

Demanding a private massage into the bargain is just taking the piss...

[IndigoPrime]

"We are still waiting for the new dispatch schedule from the publisher as soon as its available we will adjust the dispatch dates."

[moogie101]

"We are still waiting for the new dispatch schedule from the publisher as soon as its available we will adjust the dispatch dates."

But people are buying them in the shops already. Can't believe what a shambles they are making of getting books out to subscribers.

Don't recall similar issues with the Dredd series.

[Dark Jimbo]

"We are still waiting for the new dispatch schedule from the publisher as soon as its available we will adjust the dispatch dates."

But people are buying them in the shops already. Can't believe what a shambles they are making of getting books out to subscribers.

Not only that - my newsie often has them on the shelf the day before it's 'officially' out!

[sintec]

"Issue 19 and 20 were dispatched on the 25/05/2018 expect delivery before the 08/06/2018.

I'm also confused why it takes 10 working days for a delivery to arrive at my house after it's been dispatched.  Everything else posted via Royal Mail is faster than that.  Hell I've consistently had parcels from Europe arrive faster than that.  Are they paying for an extra slow delivery service or is their definition of dispatched not the same as mine (i.e. in the post and on it's way to your house)?

[Mattofthespurs]

Because they don't post them on that day. That is the day the order is sent down from the CS unit to the warehouse.

And getting books after they appear in shops...Buy them in the shops then if you are that bothered.

Seriously, this is some material we have all ready from between 40-5 years ago. We all have it (or most of us do).

Chill.

[IndigoPrime]

The problem is about having to chase. So far, I've had to do that with two of the extras and two sets of books, which weren't dispatched at all until after I'd asked for them. That's the problem when schedules go awry.

[Mattofthespurs]

The problem is about having to chase. So far, I've had to do that with two of the extras and two sets of books, which weren't dispatched at all until after I'd asked for them. That's the problem when schedules go awry.

Fair enough, that is a ball ache.
I had the last 9 parcels (3 vols per parcel) of the DC Grahic Novel Collection not turn up (obviously postie likes the DC books) whilst the Marvel, Dredd and 2000 AD ones have never failed to arrive.

Had to phone Eaglemoss every single month which put me behind on the schedule. They did catch me up and finally listened as the last delivery came via Yodel.

[sintec]

Buy them in the shops then if you are that bothered.

If there was a decent local newsagent near me I would.

Seriously, this is some material we have all ready from between 40-5 years ago. We all have it (or most of us do).

Speak for yourself, this is mostly new material to me.  And I'd be amazed if I owned it 40 years ago being (marginally) younger than that.

[IndigoPrime]

Sintec makes a good point. Sure, many of the people on the forum will have read this material before, and may even be using these volumes to replace existing reprint. But that isn't the case for everyone. Many will have been drawn back to the 2000 AD brand through these books, looking forward to catching up with strips they once loved and reading new things.

When you subscribe to something, there's an implicit expectation regarding a schedule. There's also an understanding that you'll be getting the content delivered to you on or before the on-sale date in the shops. We now have a situation with the 2000 AD collection where the subscription copies are arriving while the first book of the next set is out on the shelves, which is something I've never before experienced with a single collection.

Some people clearly don't care about this, because everyone will get the books eventually. But it does knock the 2000 AD brand (given its association with the series), and it's causing people at every point to wonder where their books are. When you've a Facebook group saying Volume X is out now, and none of the subscribers have had Volume X-1 and Volume X-2, despite subscriptions these days being the lifeblood of every publication, it all feels a bit absurd. Moreover, quite what "the new dispatch schedule from the publisher" means (in the message to me), I've no idea. As moogie101 noted, it's not like these books aren't already in the wild.

[Tjm86]

The other thing as well with regards to this issue is that whilst it is possible at present to pick up volumes from some high street retailers, that is a situation that is not likely to last much longer.  Most part-works move over to subscription only once they've established themselves.  This begs the question of what is going to happen with this series then. 

If they are relatively freely available in shops then it is clearly a problem in the subscription department rather than from the publishers.  Once that is the only channel open to folks then where is that going to leave the series?

[Dark Jimbo]

The other thing as well with regards to this issue is that whilst it is possible at present to pick up volumes from some high street retailers, that is a situation that is not likely to last much longer.

If they are relatively freely available in shops then it is clearly a problem in the subscription department rather than from the publishers.  Once that is the only channel open to folks then where is that going to leave the series?

Really good point. My newsie gets in a single copy of each issue, but I suspect they would have long since stopped stocking it if I wasn't buying that single copy virtually every fortnight. I'm almost scared to skip a volume!

[IndigoPrime]

Well, that's  another concern. Don't piss off your subscribers because they will stop subscribing. That is a major problem for a partwork – or any niche title. They should be doing their best to get subscriptions back on track. Instead, they appear to be saying one thing and doing another.

[Mattofthespurs]

The other thing as well with regards to this issue is that whilst it is possible at present to pick up volumes from some high street retailers, that is a situation that is not likely to last much longer.  Most part-works move over to subscription only once they've established themselves.  This begs the question of what is going to happen with this series then. 

If they are relatively freely available in shops then it is clearly a problem in the subscription department rather than from the publishers.  Once that is the only channel open to folks then where is that going to leave the series?

If there is a partwork I like but do not wish to subscribe to (mainly because the free gifts do not appeal) I ask my local newsie to order it for me. Currently have Doctor Who: The Complete History and the Star Trek Graphic Novel collection on order from my newsie. Doctor who finishes, in 9 months time, with it's 79th volume.

[Dandontdare]

Well, that's  another concern. Don't piss off your subscribers because they will stop subscribing.

It's not great customer service, that's true, but It just seems that the threshold for people to get pissed off and have a social media meltdown has been dramatically reduced in recent years. My opinion may be coloured by the amount of first-world whiners  tweeting today about how they can't buy their avocados and lattes because Visa is down.