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 Atma01 wrote:
Just got another Maelstrom sale email. And this is the header;

Maelstrom Games - 20-30% LAST-GASP WAREHOUSE MOVE SALE!

Not exactly a great choice of name given some of the recent issues eh?

Maelstrom must be the only company I know of who are moving to a new warehouse and do not have anything to stock it with.

I really would like to think that there will be a restock when the move is completed but...

SirAngry wrote:

No I don't think your tone was antagonistic, I was just letting you know that perhaps maybe some of those things have and were attempted, but I've not had a response. I'd also point out the interview was more about Darklands, I'm hoping in the next few days to ask about Maelstrom Games, Eye of the Storm and what is going on. I can say that I personally do not think all is rosy at Maelstrom Games. I can read between the lines like anyone else. I too have asked for and received refunds on pre-orders. Hopefully I'll get some answers for people soon, not promising anything, but I'll try.

Well, as I said before, I think it would have been better if that were mentioned in the article, even as footnotes. Either as direct quotes or in terms of "I also asked Rob about XYZ and he declined to make any comment". Either of those would be journalistically credible.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

The move will occur the weekend after next
...
To that end, we're offering you an amazing 30% off UK RRP on any stock we hold for any product - except for Flames of War products, which we are setting at 20% off UK RRP, and Templar's Forge, which are at 50% off UK RRP - until Friday, 12th of October 2012 at midnight (GMT)!

So, Flames of War stuff at 20% off? Offering more than 10% on BF/FoW stuff was the main reason for the Great Battlefront Stouch last time, wasn't it?

Pushing the "warehouse move" forward another two weeks as well.

Maelstrom's having a sale?

Don't they usually only have them on parts of the week that end in 'day'?

Like closingdownd....er I mean movingday.

Ive still not been able to see this eye of the storm webstore !!

 Rayvon wrote:
Ive still not been able to see this eye of the storm webstore !!

Here it is!!
http://www.eye-of-the-storm.co.uk/

Enjoy!!

Thanks !
I could not find it on google or other searches.

It was linked a couple of times earlier in the thread, but it's eerily similar, isn't it?

Also, for the significance of Battlefront/Flames of War stuff at 20% off - this link (while it's still there) pretty much explains that Battlefront cut Maelstrom off some time ago when they were including FoW stuff in their various 18% sales. In the last half-dozen "warehouse moving" sales in as many weeks, FoW/BF/GF9 stuff was excluded. So "last-gasp warehouse move" or not, it's easy enough to make what I think would be a reasonable inference under the circumstances...
http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/downloads/Public_Statement_Regarding_Battlefront_Miniatures.pdf

The way I see it there are 2 options here...

- They are moving wharehouse and splitting companies to make everything smoother/ better in the future for all
- They are just closing down X and saving all that they can... and then open Y or not open at all...

Both of those options need to be crystal clear and clarified because, if the future of new companies and KS's etc is to start by alienating costumers trust then good luck recovering from the credibility damage... trust takes years to bult and days to kill and atm I dont think anyone informed would trust them any money.
The second option if they are closing down and insist on taking people money without honoring the orders and delivering the goods then errr its fraud?

So the way I see it the behaviour displayed regardless of the actual state of the company is self destructive for any present or future online business.

I can tell you this much reading the few times maelstrom posted on dakka and that interview I just hope the silence treatment its just another simple case of arrogance and intolerance wich he is common for... thing is by the end of it the pacient is dead and spending money in heaven

What you read below you is fact, which with a small amount of digging can be verified. It is widely known within the wargames industry but when unfortunate business circumstance turns into something which starts to look very much like outright fraud from a layman's perspective there comes a point when customers who are in real terms minor creditors must be warned.

Earlier in 2012 Maelstrom Games ran up a six figure debt with one of their major suppliers, when it became clear to that supplier that Maelstrom were unable to fulfill their credit obligations their account was restricted and a payment plan for the outstanding monies created. Maelstrom have not kept up with that agreement, falling short on the repayments yet expecting supply to continue by using the threat of folding the company with the debt in it as what is essentially a blackmail tactic.

Throughout the time they failed to keep up with their payment plan to this supplier new models have been created, new leases signed, new businesses formed all of which have significant financial cost attributed to them, money which has been made through product and ticket sales. It has been mentioned on this thread previously why the business has been split and it's clearly for the reasons stated, move the assets, bin the debt, come out smiling on 'the other side'.

Supply has now been ceased by the supplier in question and the debt reassigned to another company, MG have been informed of this yet curiously orders continue to be taken against stock that has not yet been purchased and in many case can't be, as this industry is small and news travels fast.

What the company that now own the debt will do is not yet clear and what MG are doing with customers' money isn't yet clear either.

What is clear is that by any real definition and if one views their latest filed accounts can be verified is that they are trading insolvently.

Caveat Emptor

Edgar

Paypal gave me my money back, so very glad I didn't wait for the 7-10 working days they quoted in the last email, as I would still not have my items, and it would now be to late to file a claim...

It is very obvious that Maelstrom Games Ltd is the container for the debt and will be the sacrificial lamb offered to the god of liquidation.

It is just such a shame so many suppliers and probably customers will be left high and dry. It was only a matter of time before Battlefront finally concluded they aren't going to get their money back and dropped them.

It is even more of a shame that only a small percentage of people will know they are in trouble and get their money back, the rest will just get stitched.

oldandcrabby wrote:

It is even more of a shame that only a small percentage of people will know they are in trouble and get their money back, the rest will just get stitched.

That's a good point, is it worth giving Watchdog a bell, I wonder?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/

Seems a pretty easy thing to fill out. Mind you, I haven't bought anything from them for months.

I noticed something while using the store locator on GW's site. I couldn't find Maelstrom, but Eye Of The Storm was on there. Have they dropped Maelstrom? Is EOTS the physical store, or is it a new entity completely; one which is rumoured to take over all assets?

 Inanimate wrote:
I noticed something while using the store locator on GW's site. I couldn't find Maelstrom, but Eye Of The Storm was on there. Have they dropped Maelstrom? Is EOTS the physical store, or is it a new entity completely; one which is rumoured to take over all assets?

Just checked the current white dwarf (eye of the storm) and an old white dwarf (maelstrom games) so its looking like maelstrom is no more. Im sure we will hear a reason soon enough.

You'd think so Stunty, but as of yet, and after Myself and Mark Furnis having asked them... They've said there fine and it'll all be sorted soon...


When the feth is soon ¬¬?

edgarfriendly wrote:
Supply has now been ceased by the supplier in question and the debt reassigned to another company, MG have been informed of this yet curiously orders continue to be taken against stock that has not yet been purchased and in many case can't be, as this industry is small and news travels fast.

And what product line would that be?

Vindicare101 wrote:
Thought I'd post my experiance up on here as well...

So... I recently attended an event held at the Eye of the storm... and the racks were bare... and I mean bare... hardly anything available in store..

Now.. you might mention the warehouse move... but.. as a retail store, it shouldn't matter where the stock is held in bulk... the shop should be stocked at all times... especially when you have 80 odd geeks decending on the place, money in hand ready to buy stuff.. but no... nothing..

So.. I've got a few outstanding orders, got fed the line over the past couple of weeks as to when the stock would arrive... when I saw mention on here of the www.eye-of-the-storm.co.uk website.. and had myself a look... not only is it a carbon copy of the maelstrom site, it also has in stock a number of items that were out of stock on the maelstorm site !..

One quick call later, raising my voice only slightly (not the shop guys fault as to what was happening) and some of my long awaited items were suddenly winging their way to me at long last...

But.. since then.. still no stock... no communication from them at all... and now, when I do try to phone, the line is perpetually engaged... so, either the phone is ringing off the hook, or they've stopped taking calls.. which is very worrying indeed..

I've seen the finacial results that have been dotted around on here a few places... with the £3-400k owed to creditors.. and that this is offset by the fact that they have a mortgage on the venue... that's not strictly true... they rent it.. with the option to buy at a later date... so.. the figures as seen are debt.. pure and simple..

Guessing we were at the same event and to say the shop was bare is spot on, there were two characters on the racks, both imp guard and one of each, about 8 boxes on the shelf below wanted to spend a few hundred quid there but now wished I had at warhammer world.

The event was run fine, no issues there but the store is branded as eye of the storm not sure if its always been that way?. I did mention a few times about the lack of stock and was given the response of warehouse move

I know the venue has always been called the Eye of the Storm, but I can't remember what the branding was at it when I was there in July.

By law any new company containing assets moved from an old company has to exist for a year otherwise any debt can be transferred to it. My guess is they are trying to hang on for as long as possible, most likely until after christmas then folding and taking the debt with it.

I notice that the Eye of the Storm website has a lot of Dust Tactics figures in stock, while Maelstrom only have a couple of sets in stock...

Is it time to get worried?

I think the time to worry has long gone, anyone with an outstanding order is now just taking a gamble with them as to whether they will get goods or refund.

Has anyone actually seen this new warehouse or have the address ? Presumably it doesnt exist and has just been used to give some validaty to the constant sales.

I put in a couple of orders over the weekend - just small ones to use up store credit I had, and the one placed on Friday night (05/10/12) is showing as packing already - which if true is pretty nice.

I hope Maelstrom aren't about to go under, as they've been my main go to guys for on line purchases for a few years now, but I guess we'll see what we shall see.

and as sometimes it takes a while to get the product thanks to their trade policies

Maelstrom, stop adding this to your apologies.

Why can't they just apologise about their poor CS? and be done with it? Blaming their suppliers for trade terms - which are now established - just reflects badly on them, again. (And in my experience of CS this is just about absolving them of guilt).

'Dear customer WE screwed up.' would be better IMO.

 Jayce_The_Ace wrote:
I put in a couple of orders over the weekend - just small ones to use up store credit I had, and the one placed on Friday night (05/10/12) is showing as packing already - which if true is pretty nice.

I hope Maelstrom aren't about to go under, as they've been my main go to guys for on line purchases for a few years now, but I guess we'll see what we shall see.

Did you order things that were in stock?

 scipio.au wrote:
It was linked a couple of times earlier in the thread, but it's eerily similar, isn't it?

Also, for the significance of Battlefront/Flames of War stuff at 20% off - this link (while it's still there) pretty much explains that Battlefront cut Maelstrom off some time ago when they were including FoW stuff in their various 18% sales. In the last half-dozen "warehouse moving" sales in as many weeks, FoW/BF/GF9 stuff was excluded. So "last-gasp warehouse move" or not, it's easy enough to make what I think would be a reasonable inference under the circumstances...
http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/downloads/Public_Statement_Regarding_Battlefront_Miniatures.pdf

Wow. Thats very unprofessional of Maelstrom... Screams of someone in trouble.

I must say I would put them on cash with order if they came to my company and asked for credit.

It all screams of a company in real trouble, blaming others, trying to embarise companys in to dealing with them on there own terms, etc.

Far be it from me to tell people not to buy from them, but I would not, and if I did I would pay with credit card and be calling constantly if the order was not wiht me sharpish.

 Inanimate wrote:

 Jayce_The_Ace wrote:
I put in a couple of orders over the weekend - just small ones to use up store credit I had, and the one placed on Friday night (05/10/12) is showing as packing already - which if true is pretty nice.

I hope Maelstrom aren't about to go under, as they've been my main go to guys for on line purchases for a few years now, but I guess we'll see what we shall see.

Did you order things that were in stock?

Yes, I made sure to only order stuff that was showing as in stock - not that that necessarily guarantees anything really.

So, all in all, would you now advice anyone to use their earned moneyback for purchases, so that at least a refund is possible? I wouldn't really care to lose my gathered up 21€

Well I finally gave up with maelstrom and got my money back as they still could not give me a delivery date after having my money for over 6 weeks not. Just been one example after another of shocking customer service, absolute waste of my time and will absolutely never spend money with them again and I would strongly advise everyone else to avoid them like the plague now too

 lukewild1982 wrote:
Well I finally gave up with maelstrom and got my money back as they still could not give me a delivery date after having my money for over 6 weeks

Since you're in the UK, I'd like to re-suggest the writing to watchdog idea. http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/

The form seems pretty straightforward and I'd do it myself, except I actually haven't bought anything from maelstrom recently for it to be applicable.