Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Note from history: Appeasement did not fail Europe (despite Chamberlain dying thinking he had failed), had the UK and France gone to war with Germany in 1938/9 or earlier we would have lost, leaving Hitler unopposed in Western Europe and only Stalin as a major enemy.

Back to the OP, GW have corrected their images on the web site and have aplogised to some customers and given/offered refunds So a thumbs up there

The have told their staff to lie (or rather not a give their own opinion, which equates to the same thing) to customers and tell them its a "great product", which is patently bollocks. Big thumbs downs

EDIT: As I have now been informed that the memo did not instruct staff to tell customers that its a "great product" I rescind the above negative comment, leaving GW with a Thumbs up for correcting the web site, providing apologies and refunds.

Hello there,

We are sorry to hear that this has happened and as such we would like you tell us which store this was that you went to and we will be able to talk to them about this matter further and issue some further training to the staff.

With regard to your Blastscape, if you wish to exchange the items that are damaged them if you could please let us know if you want to take these to a different Games Workshop store, then we will be able to arrange for this to happen.

If this is not an option and it would be easier for you to send these back to us then you can do to the following freepost address along with the following information and we will be able to send out a replacement set free of charge:

Customer Service
Games Workshop
Freepost NW3673
Willow Road,
Lenton
Nottingham
NG7 2WS

The information we would need is:

Your full name.
Your full Address.
The reason for returning the item.
What you wish us to do.
Your e-mail address.
Your daytime contact number.
Your Order number

We apologise again for the level of service and any inconvenience that you have be put through and look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Koppo wrote:
The have told their staff to lie (or rather not a give their own opinion, which equates to the same thing) to customers and tell them its a "great product", which is patently bollocks. Big thumbs downs

Well as someone who has said memo... thats a big fat lie

It explained that there was a number of complaints about the product and to deliver good customer service in such an instance. No bullcrap about lying about the product and saying its the best thing ever.
There have been people who have complained about it and had it sorted out for them- and there have been others who have looked at the actual product (not the pictures... the actual terrain pieces) and are happy with them and have purchased them. I'll admit personally I didn't like how they turned out- but who am I to argue if someone does or doesn't like them?

So basically I have worked this out the only parts we need from the blastscape is the laserburn and the meteor strike they are re releasing the crashed aquilla lander there is our space ship and we already have moonscape so make a laserburn and a crashed meteor field and we are good to go.

Bignutter wrote:No bullcrap about lying about the product and saying its the best thing ever.

Don't use hyperbole to prove a point that doesn't exist. Of couse the memo doesn't say 'lie to the customers'. The one Brook explained to me basically said what you said, but did state that it was still a great product and usual company BS.

BrookM wrote:
So many in fact that GW issued a memo that despite the many complaints staff are instructed to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product but [GW] will endeavour to have pictures of production models on advertising in the future" to avoid what has happened now. Furthermore it didn't mention anything about refunds or recalls or any of that.

IF GW have not instructed staff to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product" then I rescind my comment on them asking their staff to lie.

It's called standing behind the company and its products.

Koppo wrote:

BrookM wrote:
So many in fact that GW issued a memo that despite the many complaints staff are instructed to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product but [GW] will endeavour to have pictures of production models on advertising in the future" to avoid what has happened now. Furthermore it didn't mention anything about refunds or recalls or any of that.

IF GW have not instructed staff to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product" then I rescind my comment on them asking their staff to lie.

well the memo that was sent out to staff specifically mentioned refunds and giving good cust. service- and nothing about great productness- so yeah- I call shenigans on the lying

BrookM wrote:Okay, a friend of mine in the UK stumbled upon some info on this whole ordeal when she decided to return her own blastscape due to damage and divergence from what was shown. The staff member was very apologetic and said that throughout the release weekend they had several dissatisfied customers demanding a refund because of either the shocking difference between what was shown and what they got or the quality and state of the items they got (torn, dented, depressed features etc.).

So many in fact that GW issued a memo that despite the many complaints staff are instructed to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product but [GW] will endeavour to have pictures of production models on advertising in the future" to avoid what has happened now. Furthermore it didn't mention anything about refunds or recalls or any of that.

Has anyone seen this alleged memo?

Bignutter wrote:

Koppo wrote:

BrookM wrote:
So many in fact that GW issued a memo that despite the many complaints staff are instructed to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product but [GW] will endeavour to have pictures of production models on advertising in the future" to avoid what has happened now. Furthermore it didn't mention anything about refunds or recalls or any of that.

IF GW have not instructed staff to "describe the Blastscape as still a great product" then I rescind my comment on them asking their staff to lie.

well the memo that was sent out to staff specifically mentioned refunds and giving good cust. service- and nothing about great productness- so yeah- I call shenigans on the lying

In which case I rescind my comment on this

Before everyone goes crazy ape, let's remember that every forum member who went to GW and complained about their Blastscapes has been offered a refund, whatever country they are in.

In my experience, and from what other people have said, GW have always been good at customer service.

Imagine if this honest "real world" that Games Workshop should exist in did exist.....

Customer: Have you got any paints?
GW employee: Yes but you can buy them much cheaper online as Coat D'Arms ones. it's the same thing at half the price.

Scenario 2: I'm interested in buying a baneblade, have you got any in stock?
GW: Here's what you should do, look up Tamiya kits 1:35 scale and just get one that looks the same. Bound to be less than £65.

Scenario 3:
Customer walks to counter holding blastscape craters in hand....
GW employee: OMG, you do realise how there is a 17 page thread on Dakka dakka about how lame these are, now put them back where you got them from!

@G_Model101

Yes wouldn't that be nice, GW telling you to to other companies to buy things . . . they would make loads of money that way, and keep such a large amount of people coming into their stores . . . basically what you're saying is that GW need to be more honest about things . . . but really what you're saying is that if people want to buy from other places then shop around . . . but in my experience people are happy to buy from GW as they get good customer service aswell as the product they wanted.

Oshava helping out people who have turned their sarcasm detectors off.

Forums and sarcasm go so well together . . . oh no there we go again =p

Flashman wrote:Oshava helping out people who have turned their sarcasm detectors off.

Sarcasm is an odorless, tasteless gas...

CT GAMER wrote:

Flashman wrote:Oshava helping out people who have turned their sarcasm detectors off.

Sarcasm is an odorless, tasteless gas...

Like oxygen right? I'm assuming you are saying it's essential for life to exist.

True, but oxygen only fuels fire not flames

Do you see what I've done?!?!

I am greatly saddened that GW outsources production to China. I've always thought of GW as making the best miniatures on the market. Part of that thinking was assuming they were made in the UK or partially in the USA. This ideal of them being the "best" is now horribly tarnished. :(

The metal and polystyrene kits are made in the UK or USA.

It's this bunch of vac-form stuff that was done in China.

They are probably regretting it now.

Oh good. That makes me feel a little better.

Good customer service doesn't change the fact that the product was dire or any of the other issues that people have with GW. All it does is make people say "weren't they nice" when you have a problem. Perhaps if burglers and muggers were more polite we wouldn't have a problem, like in the DiscWorld novels?

Kilkrazy wrote:They are probably regretting it now.

That would be a strange case of affairs if GW were regretting it, or as has been suggested elsewhere suing the manufacturer, yet still selling them in their stores. GW is proud to sell this product alongside all its other products, otherwise it would recall them or at least take them off sale. GW don't deliberately sell shoddy products (in their own minds) these Blastscapes are the Mercedes of scenery.

Agamemnon2 wrote:

fullheadofhair wrote:Yes the models are crap, yes the response was typical GW stupidity but one crap model does not signal the end of the hobby of ruin the fact that 90+% of GW stuff is so far ahead of their competitors it isn't even funny. Now, if only they could stop writing crap rules the world would be happy.

(emphasis mine)

In a thread full of hilarious posts, this simple "fact" wins out as being the most disconnected from reality. The world is absolutely jam-packed with miniatures companies that can compete with GW across all of their product lines. Gamezone, Warlord, Victrix, Infinity, Perry Miniatures, Reaper, Privateer Press, Wyrd, Hell Dorado, Hasslefree, Micro Art Studio, Heresy, etc, etc. All of these companies exist within the same quality bracket with GW, ahead of them on some levels and behind them on others.

Just because GW makes the most fiddly multipart plastic kits doesn't make them the top dog in the wargames world. I for one would love it if they'd actually release simpler miniatures so building a spearman block didn't require a hundred tiny components.

Sorry I disagree. I own huge numbers of Reaper models, few warlord, hasslefree, several Heresey and a few other obscure models.

Please, do not even count PP as on the same level as GW because that has got to be the most average & subpar range of models ever - and to even complain about fiddly GW minis and not even mention the sheer poor engineering behind PP models that require extensive pining, cleaning and green stuffing actually shows that yet again you are the one divorced from reality. I didn't even bother with the game because I was so peeved after putting 6 jacks together for a gaming store. Why don't you mention that? Same quality as GW? I am sorry, but I feel that comment invalidates you whole argument.

There are few GAMING companies out there that produce the large range of models to the consistant high quality that GW does. Reaper models are fun but not always the best quality and sometimes their casting sucks. Heresy - have you tried to put a netherlord together? Perry - I personally dislike their sculpting style, always have. Yes I have seen their new models and I just don't like them - something about their real life proportions that is out. I think they cannot sculpt horses either. I happen to think that Wyrd models suck but I do enjoy painting Hasslefree ones.

The point I was making, was in general GW stuff tends to be better in my opinion. Smaller companies produce some awesome minis that are works of art that far exceed the quality that GW will ever put out. ebob with his horses spring to mind, as does the new'ish company from Canada that I bought a treewoman from. They don't have the depth and consistany that GW does. Of-course if Rackham was still producing minis before their move to prepainted crap I would have been extolling their virtues instead.

I'm not mad at GW for 'screwing me over', the returned blastscape will defer the costs of my new Hellhound nicely. I'm mad at GW for not providing the product in the book. I'm with HBMC on this one. Sell the resin masters through FW, I'll pay twice the price for them.

I don't think I've EVER returned anything in my life (Even really lame Christmas gifts). I just don't believe in it. But when my local red shirt handed me my preorder box I immediately fished out the blastscape and handed it right back to him. And you know what? I died a little inside.

The Ork Barricades are made in China, too, and they're extremely good -- almost as detailed as GW figures.

Some people will be satisfied with this product, others will not.

The end all, be all of this is that GW is giving you your money back if you want it back.

GW won't admit error, we know that; but the fact that they're willing to eat the cost of the error speaks volumes.

I've sent Yan an e-mail thanking him for helping out and being a good help. I'm calling my case resolved.

Paul Sawyer used to post on this forum? Someone care to extrapolate on that?

fullheadofhair wrote:Please, do not even count PP as on the same level as GW because that has got to be the most average & subpar range of models ever - and to even complain about fiddly GW minis and not even mention the sheer poor engineering behind PP models that require extensive pining, cleaning and green stuffing actually shows that yet again you are the one divorced from reality. I didn't even bother with the game because I was so peeved after putting 6 jacks together for a gaming store. Why don't you mention that? Same quality as GW? I am sorry, but I feel that comment invalidates you whole argument.

I didn't mention the horrible difficulties I had with assembling my warjacks because they didn't exist. I've built a Mariner, a Nomad and a Buccaneer, all of which have gone together extremely well using strategically placed pins and three-minute epoxy. I'd much rather build Warjacks than an Empire spearman block anyday. Especially since Warjacks are important units that actually affect the course of the game, whereas Spearmen are low-quality dross whose purpose in an Empire army seems to be to die in droves. I need only 2-4 jacks per army, too, as opposed to 50+ fiddly State Troops.

PP metal casting quality, too, is better than GW's. Having recently put together some new-style Ratlings and a Primaris Psyker, I've had to spend ages cleaning and filling in mould lines. Whereas Broadsides Bart was the second best sculpted and cast metal model I've ever painted (the number one place goes to Rackham's old Cadwê Undertaker, a gorgeous model with almost zero cleanup required). You are right, at least, in that Rackham was very very good at what they did, before they threw it all away.

GW's depth and consistency are no kind of boons to me, I'm afraid. Every army is so codified that uniqueness and whimsy have to be forcibly inserted into units. Plastic Cadians, for example, might be technically impressive, but an entire army made with them is boring to look at and even more boring to build. 1980s Dwarves, too, had much more variation and expressions than their current brethren, and not only because GW has a strange habit of increasing dwarf beard length over the years.