PP Announcement Concerning Product Fulfillment

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**George Spiggott**

http://privateerpress.com/an-important-announcement-concerning-new-steps-toward-product-fulfillment

Limited releases in October and December due to high demand.

Since the release of the second edition of its award-winning tabletop miniatures games WARMACHINE and HORDES, Privateer Press has seen explosive growth among its player communities worldwide. The excitement generated by our games has never been higher, and demand has quickly outpaced our production ability. In response, we have expanded our efforts to make our products as easily available as possible.

While Privateer has continued to supply new releases on time, fulfilling the high volume of back orders can require substantial wait times. In an attempt to produce and ship orders faster, over the last year we have more than doubled the size of our production staff, significantly expanded our manufacturing capabilities to include an all-new resin casting department, and converted more of our line to plastic. These efforts have significantly increased our production ability, and we are now shipping record-breaking amounts of product from our Bellevue facility.

Additionally, Privateer recently announced that we will push back our new releases that had been slated for August in order to concentrate on filling back orders. With the expected surge in demand that usually accompanies our summer convention efforts, Privateer will also offer only limited new releases for the months of October and December to further increase the amount of back order fulfillment.

Finally, to better support players we will be implementing a new order system this fall that will ensure the core items for every faction will be readily available. The new order system will provide faster fulfillment on the essential products for both WARMACHINE and HORDES, so players will have access to everything they need to build a complete army and begin playing with their new faction right away. Items that are not part of the core list will continue to be available but will be subject to longer fulfillment times until our manufacturing capacity can be expanded to handle the high demand.

Privateer Press will continue to focus every effort toward improving the rate of our back order fulfillment. We thank you for your patience as we continue to support our rapidly growing WARMACHINE and HORDES communities around the world.

October's releases should be announced in the next few weeks.

**Leo_the_Rat**

What units are the "core list" units?

**malfred**

I'm guessing starter sets, Prime/Primal, plastic heavy kits.

**Alendrel**

The core list hasn't been announced yet, as it is being finalized.

**Platuan4th**

malfred wrote:I'm guessing starter sets, Prime/Primal, plastic heavy kits.

I'd also venture commonly used units like Longgunners, McThralls, Zealots, etc.

**skrulnik**

I would assume the basics are the untis/models that are in Prime/Primal.

**frozenwastes**

Maybe they'll end up with at least one plastic infantry unit for each faction as part of this core list. Khador & Menoth are covered. As is Legion and Trollbloods. A fast build plastic mechanithrall set would be cool. As well as a swordknight plastic box. There was some talk that circle skinwalkers were originally slated for plastic but hickups forced an earlier metal release. A skorne cataphract box would be awesome.

**derek**

I just want a plastic Merc Jack Kit for Rover (the new jack), that like the other faction kits includes parts for the other long dated Merc jacks (Mangler, Mule, and Nomad). A merc starter would be nice since the original two are now long OOP, but I won't hold my breath.

Edit-Otherwise, my faction doesn't seem to have a "core" product.

**candy.man**

I’m hoping for the release of a plastic multi part Crab Jack kit. Hopefully such a kit includes parts to build a Desecrator.

**Fishboy**

This is actually one of the reasons my local store does not stock the PP stuff. He has a very difficult time getting his orders filled and by the time he does all his customers have quit trying, moved to other things, or found something on Ebay. I think PP is in a great position to really take a lot of GW buisness but their production model is horrible.

**themocaw**

Let's be honest, PP's production model was fine when they were a niche market, but what with all the new players coming in, they're being overwhelmed.

**Chaplain Pallantide**

This doesn't surprise me...with GW seemily blowing up and doing crazy stuff lately, other systems seem to be gaining tremendous benefit, but at the cost of slower production.

Infinity is nearly the same, it has taken me quite sometime to get various miniatures and rulebooks, but I am not going to complain as I feel like it is worth the wait and I would rather give Corvus Belli and Privateer Press my hard earned dollars rather than GW...

**H.B.M.C.**

Hmm... interesting thread.

GW announces something bad (or, rather, someone finds it out and posts it here because GW never 'announces' anything bad) - thread is filled with GW bitching.

PP announces something bad - thread is filled with wishlisting upcoming products and hope for the future.

Isn't it amazing what treating your customer base like adults and actually fostering goodwill will do, even when the news is bad?

**fire4effekt**

Is it fustrating not being able to get your models in a timely manor? Of course. But the knowing that Privateer is doing well and that we are gaining new players all the time is reafirming.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Hmm... interesting thread.

GW announces something bad (or, rather, someone finds it out and posts it here because GW never 'announces' anything bad) - thread is filled with GW bitching.

PP announces something bad - thread is filled with wishlisting upcoming products and hope for the future.

Isn't it amazing what treating your customer base like adults and actually fostering goodwill will do, even when the news is bad?

QFT.

**candy.man**

I think no one could have predicted GWs decline so quickly. It was obvious that smaller niche companies would take a bigger share in the market but not to this scale

The past 2 years has generated ridiculous amounts of new customers for PP and other like companies. GW’s rapid decline has created a vacuum like affect in the market that’s causing production issues for various smaller companies.

I’d say given the current market trends, if you’re a popular small miniatures company, be prepared for a rapid increase in production.

**Dais**

Good, good. give my poor wounded wallet time to recover. I haven't had much money for gaming this year so maybe I'll have some money by the time the good stuff comes out.

**WarOne**

The Emperor of Humanity approved this expansion, as my Space Marines need more challenging fodder than what my galaxy currently provides.

**Kirbinator**

So GW is bleeding profusely while PP can't keep up with demand. I'm not a zealot fan/hater of either company but with all the recent backlash GW is getting it's pretty nice to see actual voting via wallet from it as opposed to just a bunch of people complaining.

**derek**

Fishboy wrote:This is actually one of the reasons my local store does not stock the PP stuff. He has a very difficult time getting his orders filled and by the time he does all his customers have quit trying, moved to other things, or found something on Ebay. I think PP is in a great position to really take a lot of GW buisness but their production model is horrible.

They know, and they're working on it. I believe they just recently opened another US production facility. It may take them longer to get items to stores, but their excellent customer service otherwise makes the wait bearable. Add in the excellent communication the community enjoys with Privateer employees as regular posters on their message boards, show that they're not ignoring the internet like it is a passing fad. Not to mention they love previewing things instead of keeping it secret until they're on the shelf.

**candy.man**

Kirbinator wrote:So GW is bleeding profusely while PP can't keep up with demand. I'm not a zealot fan/hater of either company but with all the recent backlash GW is getting it's pretty nice to see actual voting via wallet from it as opposed to just a bunch of people complaining.

Now the million dollar question is if GW would actually take notice that customers are voting with their wallet? My guess is either:

a) they won’t notice and still think their the greatest gaming company on earth thus causing more people to flock to PP
b) they’ll do something else crazy like embargo/Finecost thus causing more people to flock to PP

**Kanluwen**

Kirbinator wrote:So GW is bleeding profusely while PP can't keep up with demand. I'm not a zealot fan/hater of either company but with all the recent backlash GW is getting it's pretty nice to see actual voting via wallet from it as opposed to just a bunch of people complaining.

By all accounts, PP couldn't keep up with demand before GW shot themselves in the foot. So that's not really something 'new'.

Hopefully they get their customer support up to snuff, because having to post on a forum to hear from someone isn't really a good thing to many people.

**derek**

Kanluwen wrote:

Hopefully they get their customer support up to snuff, because having to post on a forum to hear from someone isn't really a good thing to many people.

Where did you gather that from? Privateer Press has a customer support line outside of their forum, as well as email. Forum communication from employees is just an added bonus. Or is this one of those things you hope people pick up on and repeat as fact later?

**Kanluwen**

derek wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:

Hopefully they get their customer support up to snuff, because having to post on a forum to hear from someone isn't really a good thing to many people.

Where did you gather that from? Privateer Press has a customer support line outside of their forum, as well as email. Forum communication from employees is just an added bonus.

From my own experience with them during the anniversary sale. I posted it here before, won't go into it again.

**carmachu**

Kanluwen wrote:
By all accounts, PP couldn't keep up with demand before GW shot themselves in the foot. So that's not really something 'new'.

Hopefully they get their customer support up to snuff, because having to post on a forum to hear from someone isn't really a good thing to many people.

Thats not quite true. Early on? Yes. But GW has been shooting themselves in the foot regularly since 2001, so as people flocked over it kept creating more demand problems. I remember years ago PP delayed new releases a month to get caught up, becuase while they expected doubling of their buisness, they didnt quite expect quadrupling.

I'm sure every time GW opens its mouth, its more cheers at PP land.....

**Kanluwen**

carmachu wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
By all accounts, PP couldn't keep up with demand before GW shot themselves in the foot. So that's not really something 'new'.

Hopefully they get their customer support up to snuff, because having to post on a forum to hear from someone isn't really a good thing to many people.

Thats not quite true. Early on? Yes. But GW has been shooting themselves in the foot regularly since 2001, so as people flocked over it kept creating more demand problems. I remember years ago PP delayed new releases a month to get caught up, becuase while they expected doubling of their buisness, they didnt quite expect quadrupling.

I'm sure every time GW opens its mouth, its more cheers at PP land.....

No doubt about that. The one CS rep I talked to over at PP said that he should post photos of the order sheets simply from after GW made the announcement because people don't believe it.

**Byte**

Should make all the GW haters happy.

**AgeOfEgos**

candy.man wrote:I think no one could have predicted GWs decline so quickly. It was obvious that smaller niche companies would take a bigger share in the market but not to this scale

The past 2 years has generated ridiculous amounts of new customers for PP and other like companies. GW’s rapid decline has created a vacuum like affect in the market that’s causing production issues for various smaller companies.

I’d say given the current market trends, if you’re a popular small miniatures company, be prepared for a rapid increase in production.

I agree but would also add---let's not forget to credit PP here. At Adepticon---PP was in force. Demo games abounded, a free 50 dollar starter set in the swag bag, their special during GW's two month PR debacle. PP is hungry for business and customers---and GW's incompetence might be helping---but the bottom line is PP appears to be a solidly ran business. Tight rules, good customer relations---they've earned it as much as GW has given it to them.

**Talarn Blackshard**

I wont lie this is making me want to start up warmachine/hordes faster than my next GW related projects... now to see what kind of local support/players I have...

**Kirbinator**

Byte wrote:Should make all the GW haters happy.

Honestly it makes me sad. I don't own nearly as much GW product as others here, but we've all invested in the game at some point and to some degree or else we wouldn't be here. I doubt anyone is truly happy that GW has professed to hating its customers and is quite happy to show us all how much they do.

But back on topic... I wonder how much this will be a bother since I'm just now looking at getting together a proper force. My local gaming store never really keeps anything in stock anyway, more of a "Please place an order through me" kind of situation. It's understandable, but a pretty big issue when delays compound waiting times already inherent to placing special orders. There are other stores around here that I have not looked into, perhaps they keep a stronger selection on hand for my growing Cryx.

**plastictrees**

Special orders shouldn't really take that long to get in unless there's a production issue.
You're probably going to have the biggest problem finding older, popular models. My LGS works with two distributors and still took 4 months to get an Epic Eiryss in for me.
I already had the core of my army (and more) so it wasn't really a problem, but I know that several potential 40k converts at the same store are waiting for their model orders to get filled before they start playing.