You do realize Mattel is the #1 toy-maker in the world, right? Not sure that would qualify as a "second rate toy maker." True, my (and likely your) preference probably is Hasbro toys over Mattel toys, but that doesn't change their places in the industry.

And in the comparison that was made (involving pre-orders among toy manufacturers) I'm not sure comparing a small manufacturer (using tooling of the #2 toy maker) to the #1 toy manufacturer is quite as different as you are making it out to be (not quite as different as pet stores and chocolate cake.) Especially since the point of the argument he was rebutting was that no toy-maker of any real size operates a pre-order system in that manner.

 

I see. An unfortunate lesson learned I suppose. So you will absolutely NOT renew with the Club? What would have to change to earn your business?

I'm afraid I might need to go back and read this entire thread.... daunting. Also, can anyone tell me what sets TFW2005 apart from the traffic on other fansites? This place is ferociously active.

 

[email protected] send it there.

I have NEVER had a problem with my PayPal account. Had it for about 10 years. (Or at least that's how long I been on eBay anyhow.) I have a strong password and I don't give it out to anyone. I feel totally safe using PP. I might be wrong in doing that but I feel safe.

 

With respect, it does sound like you have a hidden agenda. I am in no way defending one side or the other as I have yet been hit with it, but I also had to pay to get a new debit card to protect myself from this, but questions like this make it seem like you are fishing for something. Maybe if we knew what you are trying to accomplish, you can get more people to answer?

 

The licenses that Mattel have simply don't compare to the licenses of Hasbro. In my opinion. Quality is more of an indicator than money, in my opinion. Box Office results don't equal good movies, in my opinion. You see where this is going... Mattel are better than Sideshow collectables because they make more money?

Agree to disagree, our measuring sticks may be different. Puppies and Cupcakes.

Hasbro bringing the club in-house would maybe change my opinion... or at least, taking a tighter reign on any other provider*. If anything regarding Transformers has a FunPub sticker on it, after my experience with them and their attitude, I won't go near it. If they release something amazing, I'll get it through a third party on ebay if I'm desperate. I'd rather put my $60 towards supporting a community like TFW2005 than I would FunPub.

I'm not quite sure how you can measure how 'vocal' one is or isn't on a messageboard or regarding this situation. Yes, I joined to discuss this horrendous loss of faith and trust in the Transformer community, because it's that serious. I enjoy reading the forums and eventually would've got around to signing up, just under more positive circumstances. I highly doubt I'm the most vocal, I think I'm among the most literate and level-headed. But again, it's a matter of perspective and opinion. We may agree to disagree.

Either way, this will be my last post on the matter. No longer want to waste any more of my time on this. I've wasted enough. Hope those that can see the logic in what I'm saying, can take some of it on board. I honestly think the Transformers community can do much better than these clowns, I think we deserve better (I know I do) and certainly deserve a better fan-focused club that puts us all on a level field, International and US members alike... If we as a collective just roll over and accept what happened over the last month then nothing will change and it'll repeat again.

Best of luck to those who have been affected, seriously or not. We're all fans of a product that deserves our passion, and those who provide a service to this community need to respect that passion, in whatever guise.

Will be watching.

*Q&C issues, customer service and delivery of product should be priorities for any club that asks a premium price for their products. For example; FunPub outsourcing their payment/product distribution to a trusted collectors-orientated company like BBTS would make sense.

 

I'm just naturally inquisitive. Before any progress can be made, lessons must be learned, understood, and applied.

 

Sadly, after reading the last couple days' worth of posts, it seems that may be exactly what is happening. Not that I'm surprised. It's indicative of many things wrong with the world right now on the whole. Hope I'm wrong. Doubt I am. It would be great to see FP right their wrongs and get their shit together to make a club every Transformers fan could be proud to be a member of. Sadly, if everything I've read about them over the years and personally seen in the past few are any indication, that isn't going to happen.

 

I'm just curious? How many of you are under 17. I just want to see if age have something for your logic here.

 

Mattel are running a collectors orientated line like the TFCC. Comparable yes, people keep saying anything would be better than TFCC I simply point out that is in no way certain. Likely, possibly, maybe even probable, but certain no.

You consider yourself the level headed one? Right that explains it, there not really any point discussing this with you any more if thats what you believe, but to finish this post...

I have not been defending them for being crap, they have been utterly appalling in so many ways thats a statement of fact for me. What I have said repeatedly is that people join for different reasons, clearly they have failed in every way possible for you, but for others they have not. As a botcon attendee my perspective is different from yours. It doesn't mean my opinion is more important or better than yours or even that we view the running of the club that much differently.

But for the last five years or so I've gone to Botcon for a couple of dollars more than going as a non club member I go to Botcon and get the club exclusive in the post. For the first few years it also gave me a forum that was a low key place to spend time and allowed me to make some good friends. As I was going to Botcon anyway, the club effectively cost me $0-20 a year, $60-80 makes a difference to what I expect from it or at least how much of the negative stuff bugged me. Maybe it shouldn't, but it does. Despite its failing the club has not been a completely negative experience for me.

I'll say it again the simplest way to improve the club is force it to exist as an entirely separate entity from Botcon, it would then live or die based on its customer satisfaction.

Not misrepresenting expressing how I read your posts. If I'm wrong I apologise but that is how it reads to me.

I never once said you should put up with the club because others do, so lets not paraphrase, I said for some of us the positive has outweighed the negative. I never said you or anyone should put up with it. I said "but why should everyone just because you dont like them." That is not the same thing at all so dont go putting words in my mouth. When negatives outweigh positives people leave. I know you have not experienced any positives, I get that, but why can you not understand if everyone had had as bad an experience as you the club would not be here. That doesn't mean you dont matter, the club should have done far more than they have to get Sideburn and magazines to you and I was one of the most frequent critics of how badly the Sideburns were handled from selling off the extras before international members had gotten theirs to sending emails with incorrect shipping details, to their poor PR and communication and customer services.

In comparison though I received every magazine for 6 years, each of my inclusive toys and when Dion arrived crushed thanks to their foolishness I had another sent. It wasn't a perfect experience but it was in no way as bad as yours and when it comes to my choice to stay with the club or not my experience is a bigger factor than yours in my decision. Just as your experience is a bigger factor to you than mine.

Where the hell did I say any of that shit?

You have every right to demand what you want, I never said otherwise.

It doesnt make you smarter. After a year you got nothing of value you left, well done. I never "suffered them" For 6 years I stayed because botcon made the club basically a freebie when my membership renewal fell after Botcon I left for 11 months as the club offered nothing. When the next Botcon rolled around it did so I renewed.

When the hell did I say my opinion was more important than yours or claim special rights?

I have at no point attempted to make you or anyone else remain a member or suggest you are the only one feeling the way you do. You know why? Because I am not renewing either. I dont like the recent behaviour or a lot of the past behaviour and right now Runamuck isnt reason enough to give FP money, so I am out. That doesn't mean I can not try viewing the situation as fairly as possible and if I disagree with what you or others have said comment on it. While the business side of the club is indefensible right now, membership for me and many others has in the past (and for many still does) offers positives of one kind or another so I will not criticise those who chose to continue with the club if they still find value in it.

 

Level-headed indeed.  

I'm on the same boat. For me, before this CC stealing fiasco, my only problems with the club were during the first year when I had to ask them to resend three newsletters that were lost in the mail. I'm willing to give them a second chance (if I can know what measures they've taken/will take to protect our information), because 6 good years outweigh 1 mediocre one and 1 terrible one (so far).

-airfox

 

Oh, I knew it wasn't from Paypal Instantly. Spelling error in the subject line, the e-mail address was all wrong and opening the e-mail it was blank aside from the text. Paypal will have their logo and professional looking e-mails. My name was not used at all and the body text also has horrible spelling.

I only shared this because of the issue with our personal info possibly being stolen as well. It's the first phishing scam I've gotten from someone trying to pass themselves of as paypal so I just wanted to put it out there so people knew as a precaution with everything else we are dealing with.

 

I'll be 28 next month if that helps lol

 

Um...its an awesome site with the best news, staff and members.
 

 

I just found out today that I got hit by the credit card fraud and I ordered the TFCC exclusives after it changed to the new payment system. I called the card company already, and they are sending me a new card. I got an unauthorized charge of over 800 bucks of stuff, I better not having to pay this fraud charge or I will be ultra pissed. I hope somebody catch this thief.

 

I'm just taking a wait and see approach atm. I do hope the club makes big changes (A lot more than a forum change) or I just wont order again. I've wrote hasbro and a lot of things have been discussed in this thread. Now i'm just going to sit back and watch the train wreck.

 

Got that right on all three:
1. Best News- mods are really on top of getting things posted.
2. Staff- see above, and they are pretty good at taking control of things and cleaning it up. Staff is one reason I don't even bother with another site on the web.
3. Members- both local and global, there are a lot of level heads and good people in here. If you need answers or help, they are on it as soon as you hit the submit button on a new thread.

Sorry, guess it is off the CC topic, cant wait for the day when this thread is no longer needed.

 

I just got hit with an unauthorized charge of $350.00 from Wal-mart.com. I was going to cancel my card with Citibank tomorrow because I was a too lazy to do it on Saturday. I got on the phone with them, they transferred me to India to speak to a rep named Charley who tried to speak to me with a horrible Texan accent lol. I asked him what his name was and he said Charlie Wayne, I said come on what your real name and he said Ganish Verma.

Anyway Citi sent me an electronic fraud form through email, I signed and submitted it, they will give me provisional credit until the fraud unit decides to determine the validity of my claim. Besides this fiasco, I really have never had any problems with the club.

 

dont think it matters really whether youre 35 or 15 were all buying toys and we all get pissed off when we get ripped off with little to no explanation or apology.
sure there are different concerns like the $4000 taken from my cc possibly screwing with my mortgage payment or the teenager who has to explain to his/her parents why they got a $300 charge to walmart when it was only supposed to be $40 for a free figure. it pisses us all off to the same extent.
making this an age issue does little to adress the concerns we all have as fans.
also it really saddens me to see us attacking each other.why not reserve that frustration for the scumbags who did it (hackers/thieves) and those who made it easy for them to do it (funpub)? 




edit: as of this post we are now in march and members regardless of which community they belong to or when they registered for their membership and figure are still being ripped off not to mention the joe collectors out there.