Treeburst155 Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 M. Dorosh, They don't have to allow pre-orders at all. They just have to have a "priority order only" period after the product is ready to ship. None of the hassles you mention would have to be dealt with. Treeburst155 out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Treeburst155: M. Dorosh, They don't have to allow pre-orders at all. They just have to have a "priority order only" period after the product is ready to ship. None of the hassles you mention would have to be dealt with. Treeburst155 out.<hr></blockquote> Or a downloadable demo with a fully operational scenario editor.... Well, priority or no priority, I just hope it is SOON and they don't EXPIRE from the ton of requests they get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Why does there have to be priority ordering? All of us here are fans of the game whether we heard about CM when Steve was a zygote or we heard about it just yesterday. We are all going to want to buy CMBB, and most of us are going to want it right away. What would really make a difference is having a shipping method more reliable than the US mail. I think Madmatt said in an earlier Q&A that they were considering alternative shipping methods. If we knew that were likely to receive CMBB in X number of days based on our shipping preference, then I think that alone would satisfy a lot of people. If you want CMBB really quickly, pay for overnight delivery. If you just want it in a reasonable amount of time, pay for ground delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Beman Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 I forgot to say: Oh my God! Goanna STARTS a thread! Thanks for giving me proper credit for SlackAss Poster Boy. How 'bout a PBEM? DjB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GriffinCheng+ Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Yep, I am willing to pay for a time-machine type of delivery -- i.e. I am "jumping" to the release date and get the game and revert back so I can play CMBB before XMas 2001. Okay, if there is priority shipping method (DHL/FedEx/UPS) type of delivery, I am willing to pay to it cuase they will not hold my parcel for 2 months just to ensure the shipping address is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeburst155 Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 M. Dorosh, That's the best idea yet! With a demo like that I would even take Doug Beman's slot at the end of the line. Pvt. Ryan, There doesn't have to be priority ordering at all. It would just be a nice gesture from BTS for them to provide such a service for the more impatient among us. We are willing to pay for this service. To Hades with Joe Shaw and his low forum number and those who expect special treatment for being loyal customers. Special treatment requires more work from the company so they should be paid for providing the special treatment. Money talks, BS walks! The reason the priority service would be appreciated by many of us is due to the fact there will be a huge number of orders to process right from the git-go. Some of these early orderers are going to wind up waiting at least several weeks for their merchandise. I will be one of these unfortunates. Some of us would rather pay more than take a chance on this happening. Why do people fly first class? Why do people want priority processing of their order? The answers to these questions are closely related. Treeburst155 out. [ 12-20-2001: Message edited by: Treeburst155 ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 What if 50% of the people who are going to order CMBB as soon as it is available decide to take advantage of the priority order option? That would defeat the purpose. BTS/Battlefront knows how successful CMBO has been and probably has a pretty good idea of what the initial demand is going to be. I believe Madmatt said they are implementing a new ordering process that will be more streamlined. I imagine they are anticipating an initial heavy demand. I don't know much about product fulfilment, but let's say CMBB is ready on June 1. They get 1,000, 5,000, or however many units they expect to ship the first week all packaged and ready to go. On June 6 they announce that CMBB is available and start accepting orders. How much effort can it take to process credit card orders by computer and slap computer generated labels on all those packages? At the end of the day a FedEx or UPS or whatever delivery truck shows up and all those orders are out the door and on their way. And if you want to pay extra, pay for priority delivery and you will have CMBB the next day. I have nothing against priority ordering, I just don't think it is necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Pvt. Ryan: I don't know much about product fulfilment, but let's say CMBB is ready on June 1.<hr></blockquote> Why do you want to make people cry at Christmas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCHRD Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 I'm not that interested in a demo. I'll order the game as soon as I can. I prefer to preorder. I'll be glad to pay for overnight delivery. Hell, I'll go pick it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goanna Posted December 21, 2001 Author Share Posted December 21, 2001 No offense Pvt. Ryan, but you obviously weren't around at the time that the CMBO demo went gold and the orders started shipping. I think their original burn was 10,000 units and they sold them all in about 2 weeks. It all got very screwed up and some of us who had been around for a long time waiting and who had pre-ordered had to sit and wait what seemed an eternity while we listened to people who were lucky enough to live in the US on the BBS discuss details of the game ad nauseum. However, I didn't bitch then and I won't bitch this time no matter what happens. I am very appreciative of the work and culture of BTS regardless of the price I pay for their product. All I wanted to do was open for discussion the possibility of those who have been loyal fans getting some priority of delivery over those who might read about the game on release day and put their order in then. I also don't want for BTS to waste any time on some complicated process in an attempt to try to satisfy me, or those like me. How about this option - shut down the BBS for two weeks at release date so at least I need not hear about it when you are all playing with CMBB and I am still dreaming about it? And now on a personal note. <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>From DjB: Thanks for giving me proper credit for SlackAss Poster Boy. How 'bout a PBEM?<hr></blockquote> Touch me on your own time, you SPB. I am spending the holidays in the Gulf working each and every day between now and New Years. And to top it off, both webmail and the regular e-mail servers here seem to be rooted. However, you are welcome to attempt to get a setup through along with a large cheque in your gringo-dollars since you are obviously loaded. [edited to add extra nauseum] [ 12-20-2001: Message edited by: Goanna ]</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeburst155 Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Pvt. Ryan, Your case against the desireability or necessity of "priority orders" is very compelling. The one possible reservation I would have is that you are putting a great deal of faith in Battlefront's ability to streamline their system to process a huge number of orders quickly and efficiently. I believe there are others involved in the processing INBETWEEN Battlefront and UPS (for example). There is, I think, a packing element involved. Steve and Madmatt are not going to personally prepare thousands of orders for shipping. A half dozen minimum wage workers will handle this. These workers will not be Battlefront employees. This is where the bottleneck is likely to occur; not at the Post Office, not at the ordering computer, but in the preparation phase. I could be dead wrong about this, but I'd have to hear different from Battlefront to be convinced. To beat this bottleneck one has to be the first one through it. That's what I'm willing to pay for. I've had great luck with the USPS over the years. If they get my merchandise promptly to the USPS I'd be really appreciative. Treeburst155 out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 No, I wasn't around when CMBO first shipped, but mine was one of the last before they ran out. I certainly understand your concern, and share it to a degree, but I think Battlefront has a better idea of what to expect this time and hopefully will have a system set up to avoid a repeat of what happened with CMBO. I don't think supply is going to be a problem. And I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but a more reliable method of shipping should really help. You'll know exactly when to expect your order and you'll be able to track it if something goes wrong. The packaging monkeys that Battlefront hires can pack thousands of orders in anticipation of the release announcement. There is nothing personal inside those packages - just a shrinkwrapped manual and CD. (There is a CD in here, isn't there???) I don't remember if there was an invoice inside or not. If they have to put an invoice inside then they can not have the pre-packaged orders ready. That would destroy my plan. :mad: I do have faith in Battlefront. Think "Doodads." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanir Ausf B Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 I would be a little surprised if BTS ran out of stock in the first 2 weeks again. They know how many copies of CMBO they have sold, so there is no reason for them to be taken by surprise again. For people living in Hong Kong or something, there probably isn't much that can be done about them having to wait. There is only so much BTS can do. I know BTS actually ate some of the shipping costs for people in Australia and probably a few other places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeburst155 Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Battlefront loses control as soon as the merchandise reaches the packers (erroneously referred to as the "shipper" in earlier posts). The best they can do is force the packers to work on priority orders first by giving them nothing else to process. We are all at the mercy of the shippers (UPS, Fed Ex USPS, etc). Getting the orders through the packers to the shippers is the key since that is the most likely bottleneck. I don't care if the USPS takes 7-10 days. I just don't want my CD to be sitting on the packing table at the bottom of a huge stack for 3 weeks. Treeburst155 out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GriffinCheng+ Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Vanir Ausf B: For people living in Hong Kong or something, there probably isn't much that can be done about them having to wait. There is only so much BTS can do. I know BTS actually ate some of the shipping costs for people in Australia and probably a few other places.<hr></blockquote> I was not "blaming" BTS, was I? :confused: It was a tragedy, I know. But this has nothing to do with pre-order or "priority order"! It is just a pose of my passion towards CMBB. Yes, that is still on me. Okay, if BTS decides only to accept "made-on-order", fine, I respect that. I will submit my orders once the door is open. Just to make sure BTS gets 2 from me. Have a nice weekend! Griffin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Fox Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 Really Goanna you should watch yourself. If you keep this bleating up Mace is going to begin to take an unnatural interest in you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goanna Posted December 21, 2001 Author Share Posted December 21, 2001 Quit changing the subject Simon, you groggish boob. We all know you are just trying to muddy the waters since CMBB will make it to Perth about the same time it arrives in Kamchatka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Fox Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Goanna: Quit changing the subject Simon, you groggish boob. We all know you are just trying to muddy the waters since CMBB will make it to Perth about the same time it arrives in Kamchatka.<hr></blockquote>Well we all know that a whole lot of Poms are also working over in the Gulf cos some of that whingeing has rubbed off on ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild_Bill Posted December 21, 2001 Share Posted December 21, 2001 I had no problems when I preordered for CM. I will do so again. Wild Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseltaylor Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Re:CMBB I would love to pre-order 3 copies. My friends will take a further 4 copies!! ... but what arrangements are in hand for European buyers? Are arrangements made for a European production and distribution??? aving them sent by normal post from the US is brilliant as it avoids paying UPS and local taxes which doubled the cost of the game. A European [EU] source would be brilliant!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 great thread to resurect but CMBB AFV modeling contest does not close until the end feburary so it may some time (like a few months after the end of feburary) before the game starts to ship. But I too am interested in the opportunity to preorder. (somehow :confused: ) -tom w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Guys, no need to resurrect this thread. You all will be able to order when the time comes and we are taking extra precautions to fulfill all orders quickly and efficiently, especially during the initial rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Originally posted by Moon: Guys, no need to resurrect this thread. You all will be able to order when the time comes and we are taking extra precautions to fulfill all orders quickly and efficiently, especially during the initial rush.Hi Moonshine, OK Thats good enough for me! Thanks for the update -tom w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatpr Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Call me impatient but Matt is right if other companies were as concerned about being honorable. I get ticked when somebody tells me something is going to be delivered on such and such a date and no joy. I appreciate one software co. that doesn't stiif me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrold Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Madmatt giving a foot massage. The mere thought of it flashed me to the 'Pulp Fiction' conversation between Vincent and Jules while waiting to go into the apartment. LOL Worst Sales Incentive Ever BDH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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