Zavvi - Retailer chat [Europe]

MrBMT · Jun 27, 2014

Wreck said:
So if the numbers continue to stay the same then I doubt they would switch back to white boxes. Other things are being discussed.

So what I'm taking from this then, is if everyone started insisting on returning Steelbooks even with minor damage (that they would have otherwise perhaps been tempted to take what seems to be the standard 15% discount they offer for), the chances are this would be more likely to change.

Because essentially it seems you're basically saying it's just a numbers game to them.

If they've changed back based on a muck-up on their part (not including any foam, just boxes) that's stupid though. If they'd found they had the same number of returns from a release that was boxed and packaged properly, then yes they may have a point.

If cost is the issue to them however, why don't they just give a "premium packaging" option for steelbooks where they charge an extra £1 or whatever if people want to pay extra to ensure it has better protection?

kingkarl1967 · Jun 27, 2014

MrBMT said:
If cost is the issue to them however, why don't they just give a "premium packaging" option for steelbooks where they charge an extra £1 or whatever if people want to pay extra to ensure it has better protection?

Spot on I've even discussed this with the top customer service manager a week or so ago.

Someone on here posted a link to some DEFENDER cardboard boxes that looked ideal for steelbooks but can't find it now.

I must of been on the phone to this guy for a good 30 minutes and after this I just give up to still see the brown mailers sent again this week despite being told he would be straight on to the warehouse.

MUPPETS the lot of them :hilarious:

Wreck · Jun 27, 2014

MrBMT said:
If cost is the issue to them however, why don't they just give a "premium packaging" option for steelbooks where they charge an extra £1 or whatever if people want to pay extra to ensure it has better protection?

again things being discussed.

Pushing Tin · Jun 27, 2014

The point is, they are gambling as the majority of the steels "survive" the shipping undamaged regardless if they are shipped in a box or an envelope. The percentage of damages is rather small, so the question is how much they are willing to invest to lower this small percentage or if it's cheaper to lower the standards and live with the refunds.

What they can't say by now is how many customers get upset if they receive damaged steels which can't be replaced as they are limited and sold out. That's the X factor they hardly can estimate. Loosing customers' confidence and orders might be even worse than the real damage caused by the cheap mailers.

psychoscot · Jun 27, 2014

MrBMT said:
If cost is the issue to them however, why don't they just give a "premium packaging" option for steelbooks where they charge an extra £1 or whatever if people want to pay extra to ensure it has better protection?

That's what I'd like to see. A premium option.

Unfortunately many on here have a lot of orders already placed, and are now in fear of how many are going to arrive damaged. Any new options are likely to not include items already ordered which includes the Indiana Jones trilogy.

My problem with all this and I've said it before, is that people are treating them as a standard retailer. By offering ultra low exclusive print runs they are hitting specialist territory and going in competition with the likes of Kimchi. I'd love to see the comments on here if Kimchi sent items in what Zavvi are using! Hell would break out lol.

They sell out and can't offer replacements, so the packaging needs to be good and safe.

Give me a £2-3 premium option for a solid box and bubble wrap.

Pushing Tin · Jun 27, 2014

Don't think the premium option will work. There's NO such thing as a 100% safe package that can't be destroyed during shipping. Get me a tank and I'll show you why.

What if you pay an extra £1 and the steel still gets damaged? You probably will still blame Zavvi.

MacLeod · Jun 27, 2014

kingkarl1967 said:
Spot on I've even discussed this with the top customer service manager a week or so ago.

Someone on here posted a link to some DEFENDER cardboard boxes that looked ideal for steelbooks but can't find it now.

I must of been on the phone to this guy for a good 30 minutes and after this I just give up to still see the brown mailers sent again this week despite being told he would be straight on to the warehouse.

MUPPETS the lot of them

You might have spoken to the top customer serivce manager, and he might have got straight onto the warehouse.

But then they would have to look at the feasability of how much this packaging would cost, how soon could they get it if ordered, how quickly could they adapt the website to include an option for premium pacging etc..

It's not an overnight process.

psychoscot · Jun 27, 2014

Pushing Tin said:
Don't think the premium option will work. There's NO such thing as a 100% safe package that can't be destroyed during shipping. Get me a tank and I'll show you why.

What if you pay an extra £1 and the steel still gets damaged? You probably will still blame Zavvi.

Theres always a chance a package can get damaged when ordering online I agree, but ordering from Zavvi right now is more like gambling for many customers. Even handled normally these mailers aren't safe. My partners Robin Hood was crammed in and it was barely sealed with gaps to the elements.

If a premium option was available for those collectors who like myself are a little OCD, it would certainly ease piece of mind. If the post damage a sturdy box I can't see any sensible person blaming Zavvi, the reason they are to blame for damages at the momment is because it IS their fault.

paulboland · Jun 27, 2014

The use of Cardboard Mailers yes is not ideal and yes the White Boxes were better but even they were not perfect

I see in lot of threads arrived in Cardboard Mailer with basic foam sheet or some recently with bubble wrap
I have yet to get a delivery with bubble wrap

What have seen in a lot of release threads is arrived it crappy envelope but amazingly no damage

The only release I have seen so far was V for Vendetta were there was a lot of people saying it arrived damaged an I myself had one a small dent under the jcard and this was were there was no foam sheet used

Every day I have seen posts with people annoyed about the cardboard mailers yet majority have said the steelbook itself was not damaged

There have of course been some who have got some damaged steelbooks
How many have arrived damaged compared to been not damaged

I have seen in the past complaints of damaged steelbooks in the white boxes

What would be more useful to zavvi and to all of us customers is a poll giving a comparison of damaged steelbooks how many and which packaging was used

A comparison poll should be set up
Country your from as in were the parcel was delivered to
How many customers received damaged steelbook in white boxes
How many customers received damaged steelbooks in cardboard mailers

Damage to the white box or cardboard mailer itself not included if the contents was damage free as we all can get battered boxes or cardboard mailers and the contents are ok

In my opinion it would be better if we knew which packaging had the most damaged steelbooks

For example with me
I have had only one damaged steelbook with the cardboard mailers and that was V for Vendetta a tiny dent under the jcard
All of my other orders that have arrived in cardboard mailers they were all perfect no damage not even any paint chips

White Boxes I have had 2 Steelbooks with dents damage and but I have had with others a few with paint chips

Before we start asking Zavvi to go back to White boxes would it not be better to do a proper comparison

With international customers were postal handling is more likely to cause damage to a parcel it may be a better option to provide better packaging

I like to know with all the dissent towards cardboard mailers how many in reality arrive with the contents damage free or damaged

What if they go back to white boxes or use something new we end up with in reality more damage steelbooks arrive compared to cardboard mailers
The important part with cardboard mailers is the protection it uses inside as without it most likely you will get a damaged product

bigdavehopes · Jun 27, 2014

If using these card envelopes is a cost saving measure then maybe they should consider charging higher postage for international buyers. That way the people in the UK don't suffer and the people abroad will be happy to have more protective packaging.

UZO · Jun 27, 2014

The zavvi facebook-team made me angry today. I wrote the following as a comment:

"I wish zavvi would think about their packaging

"

It was censored/deleted by them. This is how they care for customers [emoji35]

lights · Jun 27, 2014

I see more people saying they have damaged ones since they changed the packaging. Yes some get there without damage but there's a lot that are. Looking at the packaging there is very little protection, it should not be left by chance that a customer gets a mint copy or not.
I have received a damaged one before in the white box but that was obviously done at the warehouse (scratch) first time I receive on in a mailer, there is a dent behind the j - card.
If the returns system was better or you could get a replacement it perhaps wouldn't be as bigger deal.
These things are ultra limited quantities, hey should ensure they get to you in prestige condition.

Heche1981 · Jun 27, 2014

Complaining about Zavvi here is doing nothing. We need to take it to the source. We need to complain directly to them via Twitter & Facebook! That's the only way to get our message across!

Twitter:

@Zavvi
@ZavviHelp

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zavvionline
https://www.facebook.com/zavviviewerz

*Their main Facebook page is now read-only. Zavvi have blocked the ability for subscribers to post publicly on their page, although you can still do so on their subsidiary pages

Pushing Tin · Jun 27, 2014

bigdavehopes said:
If using these card envelopes is a cost saving measure then maybe they should consider charging higher postage for international buyers. That way the people in the UK don't suffer and the people abroad will be happy to have more protective packaging.

Shipping to Germany is free. However, since most steels are about 20 GBP this will keep them close to the limit where VAT will be collected. Adding package and shipping costs will exceed this limit, adding some extra 4-5 GBP to each steel!

I really doubt people will continue buying too many steelbooks if prices will exceed the 30 € mark.

MacLeod · Jun 27, 2014

lights said:
I see more people saying they have damaged ones since they changed the packaging. Yes some get there without damage but there's a lot that are. Looking at the packaging there is very little protection, it should not be left by chance that a customer gets a mint copy or not.
I have received a damaged one before in the white box but that was obviously done at the warehouse (scratch) first time I receive on in a mailer, there is a dent behind the j - card.
If the returns system was better or you could get a replacement it perhaps wouldn't be as bigger deal.
These things are ultra limited quantities, hey should ensure they get to you in prestige condition.

The question is how many are being reported as being damaged to Zavvi i.e 1% of all steelbooks shipped. If the percentage doesn't signifigantly alter with new packaging vs old, then I suspect the new (if cheaper) will be here to stay. And sure there is an expectation that it should arrive in mind condition, and perhaps they need to do some work on their returns/refund policy.

JackRegan · Jun 27, 2014

MrFurious said:
Zavvi are the worst Company??? to deal with, terrible, i sent them a picture of the damaged steel i had, they reply that they can't see enough damage....
Fed up of them can't even be arsed to claim, cancelled every pre-order..

I've said this before,and will say it again - DO NOT SEND PHOTOS!! - Tell them point blank that you cannot send photos and that you either want an undamaged replacement or a full refund and don't want to be messed aroud thank you very much!

It works for me and others, I think.

Don't be bullied and cowed by them.

LucasEatWorld · Jun 27, 2014

JackRegan said:
I've said this before,and will say it again - DO NOT SEND PHOTOS!! - Tell them point blank that you cannot send photos and that you either want an undamaged replacement or a full refund and don't want to be messed aroud thank you very much!

It works for me and others, I think.

Don't be bullied and cowed by them.

I'm actually on their site now trying to contact them about a dent in one of my steels I got from them a few weeks ago and it won't let me continue WITHOUT uploading an image of the steelbook.

steellogic · Jun 27, 2014

Just curious. Does Zavvi ship orders with more than 1 item more securely than individually (more sturdy box)? I have an order in July with a few titles being released on the same day, but I have never ordered more than 1 item at a time from Zavvi. Will they arrive more securely because they are a larger order or is it about the same protection as a 1 item order?

psychoscot · Jun 27, 2014

steellogic said:
Just curious. Does Zavvi ship orders with more than 1 item more securely than individually (more sturdy box)? I have an order in July with a few titles being released on the same day, but I have never ordered more than 1 item at a time from Zavvi. Will they arrive more securely because they are a larger order or is it about the same protection as a 1 item order?

They will all come in separate mailers dude

paulboland · Jun 27, 2014

steellogic said:
Just curious. Does Zavvi ship orders with more than 1 item more securely than individually (more sturdy box)? I have an order in July with a few titles being released on the same day, but I have never ordered more than 1 item at a time from Zavvi. Will they arrive more securely because they are a larger order or is it about the same protection as a 1 item order?

Zavvi send all items ordered separately

Even if you ordered 5 of a same title they will ship each one separate
as in 5 separate shipments

Zavvi - Retailer chat [Europe]

Attachments

MrBMT

Steelbook Collector

kingkarl1967

Wreck

Is Here To Serve

Pushing Tin

psychoscot

Crazy Ninja 88

Pushing Tin

MacLeod

psychoscot

Crazy Ninja 88

paulboland

Contributor Steels/Arrow

bigdavehopes

UZO

lights

Heche1981

Pushing Tin

MacLeod

JackRegan

LucasEatWorld

steellogic

psychoscot

Crazy Ninja 88

paulboland

Contributor Steels/Arrow

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