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Made in au
[MOD]
Making Stuff






Under the couch

 azreal13 wrote:
Let's not forget that, while it has been implied it wasn't the sole cause of the death spiral, the GW ROW embargo reputedly cut MG turnover in half, essentially overnight.

Now, it wouldn't just take someone with very well honed business ability to manage ones way out of that, it would take a healthy dose of luck at that point, and that was something totally unpredictable and outside of MG's control.

That doesn't excuse taking orders for product that you can not supply.

There is no justification for that. At all.

There is also no justification, regardless of what the law has to say about it, for taking people's money, declaring your company dead in the water, and promptly launching a brand new company while hiding behind the law to protect you from having to pay back those customers left out of pocket by your previous company.


I can empathise with someone who worked hard, lucked out, and lost their company as a result. I can't empathise with someone who chooses as a result to rip people off.

 
   
Made in gb
The Daemon Possessing Fulgrim's Body





Devon, UK

There's nothing but conjecture and assumption that anyone at MG had anything but the best of intentions. My recollection is hazy, but if the timing is how I remember it, that sort of dip in cash flow would have really fouled up their ability to purchase new stock too.

Frankly, using terms like "ripped off" is getting dangerously close to libellous, unless you've got info to back it up?

We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't. - Frank Howard Clark

The wise man doubts often, and changes his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubts not; he knows all things but his own ignorance.

The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!” Professor Brian Cox

Ask me about
Barnstaple Slayers Club 
   
Made in au
[MOD]
Making Stuff






Under the couch

 azreal13 wrote:
Frankly, using terms like "ripped off" is getting dangerously close to libellous, unless you've got info to back it up?

The fact that Rob Lane admitted himself in the post in this very thread that customers lost money when MG collapsed should be reasonably conclusive...

 
   
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 azreal13 wrote:


I'm not trying to paint Rob as a saint, I'm sure if my livelihood and family's security were on the line, and I had to make some hard decisions, perhaps I'd favour myself ahead of my customers.


If you ever do a KS i hope to god I remember this and don't touch you with a barge pool.

Going under is a fact of life in the business world. It happens. Going down with a little dignity and picking yourself up and restarting is acceptable business practice. Dignity (and morally) going under does and should never include running a sale when you don't have the inventory is leaning towards the criminal if not outright crossing the line.


2014 will be the year of zero GW purchases. Kneadite instead of GS, no paints or models. 2014 will be the year I finally make the move to military models and away from miniature games. 
   
Made in gb
The Daemon Possessing Fulgrim's Body





Devon, UK


 insaniak wrote:
 azreal13 wrote:
Frankly, using terms like "ripped off" is getting dangerously close to libellous, unless you've got info to back it up?

The fact that Rob Lane admitted himself in the post in this very thread that customers lost money when MG collapsed should be reasonably conclusive...


Not in the least.

For fraud, which is, at its heart, what accusing people of ripping others off is, one needs some sort of evidence to intent.

Do you think every company that hits the skids financially just ups and ceases trading immediately? If that were the case, a lot more companies would be closing down a lot more often. One phone call, email or letter can literally change the landscape of your business overnight, or transform a hiccup into armageddon.

Businesses trade right up until they don't. If they harbour hopes of trading their way out of the situation, then it would be suicide to publicly admit their difficulty. It happens all the time. The difference between the restaurant you ate at last night not being open tonight is that you don't feel aggrieved because you bought and ate your meal already. The delay in between payment and delivery with a distance selling business means there is a window where your money is exposed.

Again, what you frame as "ripping people off" I see as an attempt to trade out of trouble that didn't pan out.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 fullheadofhair wrote:
 azreal13 wrote:


I'm not trying to paint Rob as a saint, I'm sure if my livelihood and family's security were on the line, and I had to make some hard decisions, perhaps I'd favour myself ahead of my customers.


If you ever do a KS i hope to god I remember this and don't touch you with a barge pool.

Going under is a fact of life in the business world. It happens. Going down with a little dignity and picking yourself up and restarting is acceptable business practice. Dignity (and morally) going under does and should never include running a sale when you don't have the inventory is leaning towards the criminal if not outright crossing the line.



If I ever do (unlikely) I'll be sure to remind you, as customers with your attitude any business can live without.

Where is your evidence, beyond your own opinion, that orders were taken in anything less than good faith with the intent to supply the goods ordered, and circumstances conspired against that?

You're entitled to think what you like, but I'd really prefer you have some substance to back that up before defaming the character of a man who I doubt you've ever met from thousands of miles away.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/03/08 03:23:37


We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't. - Frank Howard Clark

The wise man doubts often, and changes his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubts not; he knows all things but his own ignorance.

The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!” Professor Brian Cox

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Under the couch

 azreal13 wrote:
. The delay in between payment and delivery with a distance selling business means there is a window where your money is exposed

Only if the business is selling stuff they don't actually have.

If you have purchased something that was listed as being in stock, there is absolutely no excuse for the business not shipping you what you paid for, or issuing a refund.

Taking your money and using it to buy different stock before supplying your order (which MG) actually even said they were doing in their own newsletters, is not acceptable.

 
   
Made in gb
The Daemon Possessing Fulgrim's Body





Devon, UK

Happens all the time, I've done it myself (with a positive outcome I hasten to add)

High turnover, low profit businesses have to operate like this to some extent, it isn't considered a viable long term model as one solid kick in the balls of your cash flow and it can be game over in short order. As is likely the case here.

Hell, look at Wayland's site, I know they cop flack for it too, but anything listed as "available 3-9 days" they freely admit isn't on the shelf right then, but they still take payment.

We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't. - Frank Howard Clark

The wise man doubts often, and changes his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubts not; he knows all things but his own ignorance.

The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!” Professor Brian Cox

Ask me about
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Made in us
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 azreal13 wrote:


If I ever do (unlikely) I'll be sure to remind you, as customers with your attitude any business can live without.

Where is your evidence, beyond your own opinion, that orders were taken in anything less than good faith with the intent to supply the goods ordered, and circumstances conspired against that?

You're entitled to think what you like, but I'd really prefer you have some substance to back that up before defaming the character of a man who I doubt you've ever met from thousands of miles away.


Yes, business hate customers like me - people who order a lot stuff, pay immediately and like to provide feedback to others about the awesome service I have received. I am sure the KS i have backed absolutely hated getting my money and my understanding that delays where possible. My only KS stupidity was muddling up DFG with DG and missing on that on.

As an accountant with 25 yrs experience and having installed several inventory systems into business I know exactly how an inventory system works and how one connects with POS and web services. I do consider myself somewhat of an expert in this area. So when a lot of people start complaining about missing orders and sales are still going on I have a distinct idea what is going on behind the scenes. Also, having been bitten by those bastards at CMON/ NWG I have a little experience myself. And, if you read what Rob Lane has said and follow the actual time line it is easy to a little thought as to what may be going on.

You can say that there was no intent to defraud all you like but the reality is at the bare minimum they would have known their inventory position at the end of each day and could have stopped selling. Not stopping selling is just incompetent at best and dang close to criminal. You cannot argue that point.

2014 will be the year of zero GW purchases. Kneadite instead of GS, no paints or models. 2014 will be the year I finally make the move to military models and away from miniature games. 
   
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Under the couch

 azreal13 wrote:

High turnover, low profit businesses have to operate like this to some extent, ...

No, they don't.

Some choose to, because it allows them to increase the size of their catalogue without the awkward problem of having to buy and store inventory... But this is a choice they make, to do business in this way. And it's dodgy as all hell, and speaking as a business owner myself is not an appropriate model for taking money.

Sell what you have, not what you hope to have if nothing goes wrong.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/03/08 03:49:27


 
   
Made in gb
The Daemon Possessing Fulgrim's Body





Devon, UK


 fullheadofhair wrote:
 azreal13 wrote:


If I ever do (unlikely) I'll be sure to remind you, as customers with your attitude any business can live without.

Where is your evidence, beyond your own opinion, that orders were taken in anything less than good faith with the intent to supply the goods ordered, and circumstances conspired against that?

You're entitled to think what you like, but I'd really prefer you have some substance to back that up before defaming the character of a man who I doubt you've ever met from thousands of miles away.


Yes, business hate customers like me - people who order a lot stuff, pay immediately and like to provide feedback to others about the awesome service I have received. I am sure the KS i have backed absolutely hated getting my money and my understanding that delays where possible. My only KS stupidity was muddling up DFG with DG and missing on that on.

As an accountant with 25 yrs experience and having installed several inventory systems into business I know exactly how an inventory system works and how one connects with POS and web services. I do consider myself somewhat of an expert in this area. So when a lot of people start complaining about missing orders and sales are still going on I have a distinct idea what is going on behind the scenes. Also, having been bitten by those bastards at CMON/ NWG I have a little experience myself. And, if you read what Rob Lane has said and follow the actual time line it is easy to a little thought as to what may be going on.

You can say that there was no intent to defraud all you like but the reality is at the bare minimum they would have known their inventory position at the end of each day and could have stopped selling. Not stopping selling is just incompetent at best and dang close to criminal. You cannot argue that point.

I'm not saying there was no intent, I'm saying there is no evidence, and accusing an individual or organization of fraud in public, in writing on an open forum is not a great idea without it.

With regard to stopping selling, as I'm not privy to what went on with suppliers, what assurances or promises of stock deliveries were made or perhaps broken, what arrangements for financing may have fallen through or any number of other factors that could have happened behind the scenes which could have had a profound influence on MG ability to fulfill orders, I'm simply not prepared to hurl unfounded accusations around like candy.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 insaniak wrote:
 azreal13 wrote:

High turnover, low profit businesses have to operate like this to some extent, ...

No, they don't.

Some choose to, because it allows them to increase the size of their catalogue without the awkward problem of having to buy and store inventory... But this is a choice they make, to do business in this way. And it's dodgy as all hell, and speaking as a business owner myself is not an appropriate model for taking money.

Sell what you have, not what you hope to have if nothing goes wrong.


Ok, they don't have to, but an online business offering as many SKUs as MG or WG sinking the capital necessary into holding physical stock and the space to store it when (under normal circumstances) it is readily available, is bad management for other reasons.

Stock what is most popular, have ready access to everything else.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/03/08 03:58:25


We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't. - Frank Howard Clark

The wise man doubts often, and changes his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubts not; he knows all things but his own ignorance.

The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion, but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of, particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense!” Professor Brian Cox

Ask me about
Barnstaple Slayers Club 
   
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Stock what is most popular, have ready access to everything else
.
Except if you are doing that, but listing everything as 'in stock', you're being dishonest.



 
   
Made in us
Mutating Changebringer





Pennsylvania

 azreal13 wrote:
...

Where is your evidence, beyond your own opinion, that orders were taken in anything less than good faith with the intent to supply the goods ordered, and circumstances conspired against that?

You're entitled to think what you like, but I'd really prefer you have some substance to back that up before defaming the character of a man who I doubt you've ever met from thousands of miles away.


Don't interpret this as taking a strong position on the ultimate matter, but it seems to me very difficult to avoid the conclusion that for at least some period of time prior to closing their on-line orders MG was in a position where they had no means of stocking product. MG's statement posted on their website on Novermber 9, 2012;


Spoiler:
OFFICIAL NOTICE

Maelstrom Games Ltd. has ceased trading and will enter liquidation at some point over the next few months.

A creditor of Maelstrom Games Ltd., Wayland Games Ltd., issued a Statutory Demand under section 123(1)(a) or 221(1)(a) of the Insolvency Act, 1986 on the 17th of October, 2012 for �99,773.61 plus costs of issuing and serving the demand.

This debt was purchased from Simple Miniature Games by Wayland Games Ltd on the 1st of October, 2012 and payment of this debt was demanded in full by Wayland Games after seven days had elapsed. Unfortunately, Maelstrom Games Ltd. could not pay Wayland Games Ltd. this debt in full within those seven days.

Previous to the debt purchase, Maelstrom Games Ltd. was servicing the debt owed to Simple Miniature Games at the rate of �500 per working day, claimed by the creditor when convenient for him by charging a credit card owned by Maelstrom Games Ltd., which had been occurring since mid-June and continued to late September, the last payment being taken on the 25th. Maelstrom Games Ltd. did not cancel these payments and were not aware that this debt was being transferred.

Maelstrom Games Ltd. offered to pay the debt purchased by Wayland Games Ltd. in the same manner as it had paid Simple Miniature Games, but this was not taken up by Wayland Games Ltd.

Maelstrom Games Ltd. can only apologise to those customers whose orders have not been fulfilled as it is now impossible for Maelstrom Games Ltd. to fulfil them, excepting those for Mierce Miniatures products (fulfilled by Mierce Miniatures in November) and Battlefront Miniatures products (fulfilled by Maelstrom Games in partnership with Battlefront Miniatures and Maunsfeld Gaming in November), all of which will be sent by Maelstrom Games Ltd. Other customer orders for certain ranges may be fulfilled in the future and any customers whose orders can be fulfilled will be contacted by Maelstrom Games in due course.

All creditors will be issued the relevant notices by the assigned Insolvency Practitioner when Maelstrom Games Ltd. enters liquidation.


The reasonable inference from the given information is that prior to October 1, 2012 MG was able to trade, on at least some level, with Simple Miniature Games. Note, however, that after October 1, 2012, when Wayland purchased MG's outstanding debt, the situation changed;
Maelstrom Games Ltd. can only apologise to those customers whose orders have not been fulfilled as it is now impossible for Maelstrom Games Ltd. to fulfil them, excepting those for Mierce Miniatures products (fulfilled by Mierce Miniatures in November) and Battlefront Miniatures products (fulfilled by Maelstrom Games in partnership with Battlefront Miniatures and Maunsfeld Gaming in November), all of which will be sent by Maelstrom Games Ltd. Other customer orders for certain ranges may be fulfilled in the future and any customers whose orders can be fulfilled will be contacted by Maelstrom Games in due course.


Again, the reasonable inference is that Simple Miniature Games supplied the bulk of MG's stock, with the exception of Mierce Miniature ranges and Battlefront Miniatures products.

The problem is quite simple: on or about October 1, 2012 all evidence indicates that MG was both cut off from stock, and bankruptcy became a foregone conclusion. MG, however, continued their on-line operations and the above post of their situation was not made until on or about November 9, 2012.

About that one month window, what are we to say?

EDIT: In looking at my post, I think I may be coming off harsher then I intend. The fact is that the evidence seems to support that Mierce makes a fine product, and they are doing all they can to keep quality high and service good. Just as I hope that, for example, Raging Heroes ultimately succeeds I hope that Mierce establishes itself as a reputable company that is beyond reproach.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/03/08 06:00:24


   
Made in gb
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Deepest, Darkest, Dorset

Firstly just to say that I started this post mainly in jest and to gauge the reaction regarding people's feelings about Mierce being at salute and it just shows that feelings are still quite raw even though it's 18 months on. No one likes being ripped off not me and not anyone else. The title was probably in poor taste and was more to do with a chat we'd had at the gaming group rather than a deliberate inflamitory remark.

Rob Lane's reply to this is astonishing and totally unrealistic. It is only my opinion but he still appears to be taking no blame for the whole debacle as though none of it was his fault and while I understand that small businesses (may dad ran one which eventually closed due to bad debts from his customers during the previous recession) do fail and companies will try and unrealistically push through debts there is no point lying about it and blaming the rest of the world.

To me a few things are clear: There were other companies created at the time that all of this was happening and MG was failing, whether or not RL had been thinking about it for a couple of years or not is irrelevant, the timing of these new companies which must have been "given" assets/stock/money from MG (not sure given is the right word - but you get what i mean) is a sure sign that money and other assets were being moved away from the failing MG and RL was doing that deliberately (it couldn't happen by accident). OK I get that he was trying to protect himself and his family but most people he took money from or owed money too probably had families too so it's not a great excuse - it does make him look callous. The fact that he lost £50K is nether here nor there, his businesses failed due to massive and irrecoverable debts £500K or a £million - either way - that's a big hole with no way back.

The £50K that he lost thing annoys me more than anything else, he owes £500K as a minimum so what about all the small businesses and families that effects???!!! Those who supported and supplied him with goods, services or whatever will have lost more. There are quite a few small suppliers I buy off regularly who lost money and have struggled because of it, not just after MG failed but in the run up because he wasn't paying them, so it stands to reason he wasn't paying that debt in the end at all. Whilst the success or failure of Mierce has no meaning for me as I will never give me hard earned cash to someone who is prepared to take money with no intention of giving it back I AM more glad that the other companies who were all owed money have survived MG's fall. That to me is more important.

Possibly because of what happened to my dad's business but I will always side with the ones who were OWED money - not the one who OWES, lets face it who are you going to believe the one who owes £500K+ or the hundreds who were owed it????
However It wasn't my intention to light a torch under all this again but now that it's been said I've added my two pence worth.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/03/08 12:01:36


How do you expect me to know what it is if you haven't painted it! Unpainted models are just proxies for the real thing  
   
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 insaniak wrote:
 azreal13 wrote:
. The delay in between payment and delivery with a distance selling business means there is a window where your money is exposed

Only if the business is selling stuff they don't actually have.


Seems like most people are fine with Wayland doing it.

The old meta is dead and the new meta struggles to be born. Now is the time of munchkins. 
   
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 lord_blackfang wrote:
Seems like most people are fine with Wayland doing it.

And if people are fine with it, that's entirely up to them. But personally, I'll stick to ordering from somewhere that actually has what I want in stock.

 
   
Made in ie
Calculating Commissar




Frostgrave

Just In Time delivery (selling things without necessarily having the stock in hand) is fine, assuming the relationship with the distributor is good (so you get the stock quickly) and the money is ring-fenced for that order when it's made (so you don't end up in the situation where you're taking orders to pay for previous orders).

It's a very common way of working in pretty low margin or less popular items, especially after this recession. I'm completely used to having to order stuff in from my local builders yard, knowing that it almost always turns up within a day or 2 for instance. And it normally works fine if you're careful with it.

Of course, selling stuff marked as 'in stock' when it isn't is completely different again.
   
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Somewhere in south-central England.

JIT is the way a lot of non-retail businesses operate. By retail I mean a high street shop that you walk into and buy things off the shelves. It obviously has to be there. Mail order is different.

The law in the UK still states that mail order businesses have 28 days to deliver the purchase, however the speed of the Internet means that nearly everyone works faster than that, and in most cases there is up-to-date stock level info available before you order.

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Bryan Ansell





Birmingham, UK

Herzlos wrote:
Just In Time delivery (selling things without necessarily having the stock in hand) is fine, assuming the relationship with the distributor is good (so you get the stock quickly) and the money is ring-fenced for that order when it's made (so you don't end up in the situation where you're taking orders to pay for previous orders).

It's a very common way of working in pretty low margin or less popular items, especially after this recession. I'm completely used to having to order stuff in from my local builders yard, knowing that it almost always turns up within a day or 2 for instance. And it normally works fine if you're careful with it.

Of course, selling stuff marked as 'in stock' when it isn't is completely different again.


That isn't JIT. probably more a Vendor Managed Inventory system.

I doubt that hobby companies use either system with regards to their inventories though. Its just penny pinching and cost saving by reducing their inventory and hoping that their supplier is able to ship stock on hand.

And I would agree - showing as in stock when an item isn't is pretty poor. But showing Out Of stock would just mean those CC digits are input elsewhere.


   
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Richmond, VA

 insaniak wrote:
for taking people's money, declaring your company dead in the water, and promptly launching a brand new company


Is that what happened? I thought Mierce was sold off/transferred before Maelstrom collapsed.

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Welwyn Garden City, Herts

 judgedoug wrote:
 insaniak wrote:
for taking people's money, declaring your company dead in the water, and promptly launching a brand new company


Is that what happened? I thought Mierce was sold off/transferred before Maelstrom collapsed.


I think the timing is the point at issue and is probably fairly described as "As Maelstrom was collapsing". The valuable IP was removed from the 'premises' before it could be claimed on behalf of the creditors. Without knowing what Mierce paid Maelstrom for the IP, we can't judge whether it was a fair price or a scheme of dubious morality.

   
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Wrathful Warlord Titan Commander





Ramsden Heath, Essex

The price isn't really relevant. What is is that another shell company was created to house the now Meirce IP while Maelstrom were spinning the "we're moving so want to sell stock sale" yarn.

Splitting off assets to protect your overall investment is one (usually very sensible) thing, doing this while sucking in more customers with intentionally incorrectly labelled fire sales is borderline scamming.

I wonder if the Court considered this aspect while they ruled on the asset sale? I'm guessing the Administrators didn't raise it and very few if any of the customers contacted them to do so.

How do you promote your Hobby? - Legoburner "I run some crappy wargaming website " 
   
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Unstoppable Bloodthirster of Khorne





Melbourne .au

Mierce Miniatures wrote:
Rob Lane here. It's time to break the silence and give you a few facts.


First of all, if anybody *is* planning "something" at Salute, I suggest that person thinks about what they're doing carefully, and writes their words here carefully. As for lynching, you all know where we are - our address is carefully listed on our website and on our documents - feel free to come and do so whenever you like, you don't need a Salute to do it.

Secondly, I am the the director of Mierce Miniatures, just like I was the director of Maelstrom Games, which died because two other companies decided to make it die and not because I wanted to rip customers off. (By the way, notrop - Maelstrom didn't owe "over a million"; the Official Receiver got their sums wrong, and it is half that originally shown. I have the correct creditor's list if you or anybody else wants it, and of course so does the OR).

Thirdly, Mierce's first annual report shows a loss for one reason only: the bad debt incurred by giving money to Maelstrom Games (I'm not sure if the website you're mentioning shows this) to and Maunsfeld Gaming to pay staff in their death throes, which is roughly £40,000 (Admin expenses, last page), debt which can never be repaid. Yes, Mierce is a Maelstrom creditor - oh, the shock. I can provide our annual accounts (written by our chartered accountants) on request, if you do not believe me. Additionally, it should also be mentioned that many small businesses, in their first year of trading, make a loss. In other words, it's not unusual for that to occur, as I'm sure you all well know, having business knowledge. As for not having many "assets" (intangible and tangible), it must be remembered that these accounts cover 2012-2013, up to April, and in April 2013 we only had a couple of miniatures from the first Kickstarter in our possession (although we did show how much we owed the sculptors for them, "trade debtors", which creates an imbalance). Our assets are, of course, much greater now.

Fourthly, if any single one of you thinks that I personally have made money out of the death of Maelstrom, you'd be wrong and very ill-informed. I am personally £50,000 in debt, still, because of what happened - through credit cards and a personal loan - money that I pumped into Maelstrom in 2012 to try and stop the company going under. Again, I can provide evidence of this if you really want. Thankfully, despite this, I've managed to keep paying my mortgage, which no doubt annoys those of you that wanted me to lose my house (and thus put kids on the street). Unfortunately, two companies decided to put Maelstrom Games under and there was nothing I could do about that and nobody wanted to help - not banks, nobody. I sympathise with anybody that has lost money from what happened to Maelstrom Games, but don't think for one second that a) I wanted Maelstrom Games to die; why on earth would I? and b) I've absconded with any money; and c) that I've used money from Maelstrom to create a miniature manufacturer - because none of the above is the case, and the latter two is provable.

Fifthly, Mierce Miniatures purchased the original BaneLegions miniatures from Maelstrom Games legally and fairly, paying £10,000 more than the amount decided by an independent valuer to be a fair value for the assets at the time, the transaction for which has been inspected by the Official Receiver (a government body) and found to be fine. Apart from that, the only involvement Mierce had with Maelstrom Games was to provide it with miniatures to sell and, eventually, to fulfil Maelstrom Games orders for Mierce Miniatures products (that could not be fulfilled by Maelstrom). Effectively, Mierce gave miniatures to Maelstrom to fulfil those orders, over 200 orders if I recall correctly, and many thousands in value.

Sixthly, the Official Receiver - who oversees the death of companies that Insolvency Practitioners can't make money out of - has concluded their investigation and I have not been charged with any crime, nor have I had to do anything for the OR except attend one interview in April last year and explain what happened. This explanation can be found in official documents. I'm not being charged, I'm not being struck off as a director.


Finally, I don't expect any of the above will make any difference to some of you, and I've no doubt I'm just feeding the troll, or maybe just some internet warriors who simply take the word of someone (because it's dramatic or because everybody loves to have someone to hate) without trying to find out about what really happened, let alone to understand why it happened. But at some point - having read and listened to some very personal attacks over the past couple of years, some of which is frankly ridiculous, and from people who should know better - I have to say "enough is enough", and I've reached that point. I've stayed silent so that trolls aren't fed, but despite my own reservations about doing so, this is my response, for what it's worth.

None of you can hope to understand what myself, my family, and my staff and their families, have gone through in the past couple of years; and it's all because another company got impatient (we were paying their debt regularly, and at a far greater rate than any court would enforce; additionally, I offered that company as many BaneLegions as they could sell to further pay for that debt, for free, and they refused them) and another company got greedy (they refused to accept any kind of payment plan). If you think those other two companies are innocent, especially if you're "friends" of those companies, you're very wrong and totally ill-informed. If they hadn't done what they had done, Maelstrom would still be here (and in a different place, too. I still have the solicitor's documents that prove Maelstrom was moving into a warehouse, if anybody would like to see them).

Direct your ire at those two companies over Mierce, because Mierce had absolutely nothing to do with Maelstrom Games' demise, and this can be proven. Mierce would not exist if it were otherwise, the Official Receiver would ensure of that.

I ask that you don't abuse my staff at Salute; they simply work for me, and they work for me still because they know the truth about what happened.

If you wish to talk further in a calm and sensible manner, e-mail me. Otherwise, troll away.


So I'm calmly asking:

Why did we have months of this?:

Maelstrom Games mailshot@maelstromgames.co.uk
06/10/2012

to mailshot
Hi there,

The Maelstrom Games (www.maelstromgames.co.uk) warehouse move is finally going ahead at the back end of next week - finally! - but there's still a fair amount of stock we'd like to shift before we move; so we're giving you all 20-30% off UK RRP on certain ranges, as long as you buy stock, from today until next Friday only!


THE WAREHOUSE IS MOVING!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's right, you read it correctly: the Maelstrom Games warehouse, which has been crammed to the rafters for a good long while now, is moving from the Eye of the Storm to a new location a couple of miles away in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. This means we can work more effectively, expand our operation to bring in lots of the superb ranges out there that we don't already stock and, of course, future-proof existing ranges, which seem to grow exponentially every week. The Eye of the Storm, of course, will still retain our amazing shop, gaming hall and bar/restaurant, and you'll still be able to collect in store (either the venue or the new warehouse) should you wish!

The move will occur the weekend after next but, to ensure we can execute the move over a weekend and minimise disruption to our customers as much as possible, we're trying to ensure the excess stock we hold on certain ranges is greatly reduced. That means we won't have to take as much to the new warehouse and thus perform the move much quicker - and of course generates some cash to restock once we settle in!

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)!


YOUR WAREHOUSE MOVE VOUCHER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The voucher will work on all the items in our webstore that are IN STOCK ONLY, but it will NOT work on any out of stock items or pre-orders, nor anything within our eBay store.

Your voucher code is: WAREHOUSE-MOVES

To use this voucher simply register on the webstore, www.maelstromgames.co.uk (if you haven't already), copy and paste the code into the Voucher field in your basket when you have selected the items you want, press 'REDEEM', and the webstore will do the rest. You are not limited to one purchase and, indeed, we would ask you to recommend us to your friends with this voucher!

Remember though that this voucher is intended for the webstore only - it does not apply to any of our auctions or Fixed Price items on eBay.

Happy Ordering!


UNSUBSCRIBE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you feel you have received this e-mail in error or do not wish to be a part of our mailing list, simply visit the Mailing List page at http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/index.php?act=mai and unsubscribe from there by entering your e-mail address. You will not be mailed again and we would like to apologise for any annoyance we have caused to you by sending this e-mail.


MAELSTROM GAMES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are many benefits to ordering with us, including:

- A very competitive 10-15% discount from RRP on most items
- The Moneyback loyalty scheme to reward return customers
- Our promise to match any other UK webstore prices
- FREE postage, unless you choose recorded or insured delivery
- Complete online order history
- Up to the minute news on wargaming products
- The ability to pre-order items


MAELSTROM GAMES LTD
contact@maelstromgames.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matlock Mill, Hamilton Way, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. NG18 5BU. United Kingdom
For online customer service, telephone: (+44) 01623 238 919
For the physical store, telephone: (+44) 01623 629 425
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered in England and Wales as a Company
Company No.: 4724863
VAT Reg No.: 804 3874 30
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Office: 106 Carter Lane, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. NG18 3DH



You complained about PayPal in another thread. Yet it's only due to PayPal that I got (most) of my money back from orders paid for well over a month before you were shuttered, and multiple international phone calls over several weeks when I was continually lied to in terms of "that shipment is due in tomorrow/Friday/Monday" and "our computers are down".

As stated above. You still have everyone's details who lost money while you continued to solicit orders, knowing full well that they would never be fulfilled - Maelstrom customers all got a mail-out from Mierce after MG went down.
If you wanted to, you could still make good on the outstanding monies owed by supplying an equivalent value of Mierce product at a cost to you of raw materials + labour.


   
Made in gb
Focused Fire Warrior




Nottingham

I remember them holding a European Warmachine/Hordes Tournament...an event they should have made a lot of money on...but from what I've been told, took no profit over the weekend.

I also knew the place was going down the pan when the shop shelves started to not replenish. This was way before the internet started noticing things. Alarm bells started ringing when they went from free gaming to charging people. Attendances halved straight away and then petered out to only a few guys. Shame because the hall itself was fantastic.

-= =- -= =- 
   
 
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