Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Bazaar of Obscurities => Commercial => Topic started by: grant on August 15, 2018, 11:56:54 PM
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Been trying to communicate with Hasslefree for a bit now, given them lots of time to respond; in the past, they’ve been excellent - have they become a problem company?
Note: my order was resolved, but there are literally pages of issues from others.
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It's August, so perhaps they are on holiday.
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The quality of their product and their very professional looking website notwithstanding they are an extremely small family business. They announced holiday-related delays on their site lasting up until July 25th.
So I suspect they need longer to clear away the holiday backlog than they expected. They have never ever failed me yet. This is probably the season.
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There was a similar thread last month - maybe it is of relevance.
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=110791.0
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I sent off an order on the 29th of june. Nothing arrived in the mail as of yet. I was going to wait tell the end I the month to hit them up to see what the progress is. That is if nothing arrived by then. :D
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Posting on Face Book a few minutes ago.
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I think their outrageously successful KS strained their logistical "tail". But I think that has been more-or-less sorted out.
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I think their outrageously successful KS strained their logistical "tail". But I think that has been more-or-less sorted out.
Glad to hear they were successful; I’ve still heard nothing from them.
No worries, can gladly spend my money elsewhere I suppose :D
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There was a similar thread last month - maybe it is of relevance.
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=110791.0
Glad you found it! I knew I read somethi g similar here.
I've done a few smallish orders with them over the past few years. Usually 4-8 figures at a time. They take a little while longer than others but in my experience nothing outrageous.
It sucks others have had negative experiences. Or untimely delays re: correspondence.
Hopefully they get things sorted out. They have a bunch of resin I want need in metal.
That said, I don't think that they have become a hassle of a company but people aren't as patient as I am.
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I sent off an order on the 29th of june. Nothing arrived in the mail as of yet. I was going to wait tell the end I the month to hit them up to see what the progress is. That is if nothing arrived by then. :D
My latest order was despatched 29.7 as per the email they sent and has not been received as of today 29.8. It's now 31 days or a month, when it takes usually maximum of 14 days or 2 weeks for things to move from UK to north eastern corner of Europe. Mind you, far away US airmail shipments have arrived fine in that same time period and I'm starting to think something is amiss here... (Luckily the product I ordered, Scale Link etched foliage, can be also ordered from the manufacturer website albeit at higher cost as one needs to buy complete sheets of the material.)
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I have to ask what email address is being used?
To quote an earlier newsletter:
"Sorry! If we're already conversing, then we're on it. If we're not, please use the email bwartemis@gmail.com and bug me. ALL CAPS me, re-send an email from yesterday, do whatever ya like."
They have had a number of issues this year.
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I noticed that - I was NOT using that email.
I placed an order today for both gangs I want and they were IMMEDIATELY DESPATCHED. So now the question is up to the UK post to Canada Post. Maybe 2 weeks on average.
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I sent an message off about 4 days ago and no reply. Guess I will hit try that bwartemis@gmail one out. :)
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Keep us all informed of all your orders' progress.
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I placed an order for some modern adventurers on August 16th. On August 28th, I got the shipping notification and just pulled them out of my mailbox today, September 1st. The time between ordering and shipping was a bit long, but the speed in which the package crossed the Atlantic and made it to the central USA was great. So from date of order to miniatures being in hand was roughly two weeks. Considering, I'm in the US and the figures came from England, I'm quite pleased with the service. They also included some candy in the box. I would not hesitate at all to order from Hasslefree again. My guess is that their business got hit by a demand that was unexpected due to the popularity of Ash Barker's Last Days game from Osprey Games. That's why I ordered from them. I'm sure they'll get caught up and get back to normal soon now that Con season is winding down as well. That's my experience, I hope others have as positive experience as I did.
William
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Haha, they always send out candy.
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Haha, they always send out candy.
It was my first time ordering direct from them, so it was a nice surprise. Anyway, my experience was positive, and I hope others have the same positive experience.
William
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:?
I ordered back in June.... Still no reply. Maybe my order got lost in the deluge of orders that got sent in for their summer sale.
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I have to ask what email address is being used?
Thank you for providing that alternative email address, as I had not received responses to order inquiries sent to the usual address associated with orders.
commissarmoody: I will let you know if I hear anything from them, as I too have neither the products or responses. (As this could be due to several different reasons, there is no reason yet to expect anything more than a parcel getting unintentionally lost or something like that.)
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I sent the Email off last night and a private message onto their FB page. Fingers crossed. I would really like to get the figs, rather then end the order or open a dispute with them. :(
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My experience with Hasslefree has always been very good; they have always delivered and their products are top notch.
However, as long as I can remember, communication has been on the slow end of the spectrum. But then again; I know this is because they've always been a very small company, and work can grow ahead of them, and I've come to expect it.
The first time I was disappointed was when they ran a sculpting competition, and the timeline was exceeded by more than a year. The entire competition was above and beyond their normal work load though, and they provided the base dolly/mini to each contestant too, so there really is nothing to complain about. Were it not for the fact that progress and communication was so slow that I eventually sort of gave up on it... :?
But they did deliver in the end, and the products were absolutely great (each entry was cast in metal and every contestant received their own mini in metal, plus all the others. And no; I did not win ;) ).
Now, I have not ordered from them for several years, but I would absolutely not hesitate to do so, if they have products that must be mine. Things might get awkwardly slow at times, but they will always deliver. With candy. :D
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But they did deliver in the end, and the products were absolutely great (each entry was cast in metal and every contestant received their own mini in metal, plus all the others. And no; I did not win ;) ).
Hot damn! I'd have loved to have a punt at sculpting! Somehow, everything else in life seem to steal the time.
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Hot damn! I'd have loved to have a punt at sculpting! Somehow, everything else in life seem to steal the time.
Be great to see your work Cubs. Probably be mostly sheep, to start for sure, but then I could see goat men and then humans.
:)
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Be great to see your work Cubs. Probably be mostly sheep, to start for sure, but then I could see goat men and then humans.
:)
The grotesque accidental offspring of man and livestock, mewling and shrieking in unnatural agony. Purely from imagination you understand.
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So THAT'S the beauty you can't survive without... lol
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The grotesque accidental offspring of man and livestock, mewling and shrieking in unnatural agony. Purely from imagination you understand.
I dated someone from the RCT, so I'm calling you on the 'imagination' bit... you've been in Merthyr after dark obviously.
;)
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No yet replies to my emails sent a little more than a week ago, about an earlier missing order - I'm done! :'(
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Same here still no reply to my e-mails of PMs on Facebook. :?
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Just read this (and the other thread) and am so thankful to finally have some sort of answer as to what is happening. I'm not on FB, don't receive newsletters, and don't bother much outside of talking to people on blogs, so couldn't understand why my emails were going unanswered by HF.
I'm another person with an order outstanding - which, since it was sent via the post, I'd thought had got lost in the mail (as the Cheque hasn't been cashed). I was going to cancel the cheque, but if it is sitting in an office in Wales waiting to be gotten 'round to, I'd better just leave it alone.
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Have you folks tried emailing Artemis directly at the personal email posted earlier in this thread?
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Yep 3 times now. :`
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Well sheet.
Guess I better stay away until they get this mess sorted out. Some new figures coming out which looked really interesting, but it doesn't matter if orders aren't being fulfilled.
If they want to stay in business long term, they need to stop and make clearing their backlog priority #1 no matter how much it costs. Pay someone to come help, or close down orders for as along as it takes - because if they end up turning into another Black Cat Bases they're going to lose more than a month or two's income, they'll go tits up. I doubt most of their customers read this forum or see the requests for patience on FB, etc. and so they'll just get mad and put through a refund request. Enough of those requests and they could end up blacklisted by payment services, never mind being on the hook for chargeback fees. And I don't want to see Kev having to give up sculpting due to a business implosion.
God knows how much future business they've lost already, given this has been going on since Christmas of LAST YEAR. I was inclined to give them a lot of the benefit of the doubt as they're practically an institution, but NINE MONTHS of a severe, recurring problem with their most basic transactions going unresolved is just flat out unacceptable for anyone.
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Maybe they should go the way Copplestone did. Partner with an existing distributor to handle their casting, sales, and shipping.
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That might be the best route, that is if they keep on having problems. I also sent them a few pms on Facebook and last night went as far as posting on their public page asking for some one to please contact me.
I was not and have not been rude, or used harsh or inflammatory language. I just want this sorted out.
:(
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So should I now be worried about my recent order?
I have wanted for ages to order some minis and when I got a chance to I jumped on it...now I see/read this:-(
I do not use Facebook as well.
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I must admit I was about to take the plunge but reading this thread and comments on fb have put me off. It would be good if those who have placed orders could let us know if they arrive. I quite fancy some red box goblins.
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It’s early - just 11 days. I’ll keep everyone posted. I won’t even hesitate to file a PayPal dispute at 30 days.
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I posted my mail order on the 6th August.
Emailed the HF email address on 3rd September, asking if they'd received the letter?
I haven't emailed the other email address that has been shown on these threads, I'll admit. All I was interested in, was knowing if they had received the letter? Or had it gotten lost in the post? And I can, therefore, cancel the cheque with my bank.
HF hasn't taken any monies from me, at this point, as my cheque to them hasn't been cashed. That's if they've received it? Which is all I'm wanting to know, really.
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UPDATE
Seems my post yesterday produced some magic. Upon getting home from work I was greeted with a package from Hasslefree...with candy!
For those keeping score, I placed the order on August 30 and was received September 11.
I will be placing another order in the near future without hesitation. Hope everybody else who is waiting gets their goods soon.
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Great news ironhand. I placed my order June 29th. So I hope they get a hold of me soon.
I placed two orders with under fire mins in July and got both of them in already. Maybe the order I lost in the mail.
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Sent off a new E-mail, a PM on Facebook and a public post on their FB page. So that's 4 E-mails now. :?
If they don't get back to me by tomorrow, I will cancel my order.
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Have you folks tried emailing Artemis directly at the personal email posted earlier in this thread?
Yep, to no avail. The emails were polite and presented all the details about the original order. Thanks anyway FramFramson for helping out.
I made my previous order to Hasslefree some 10 years ago. It went very smoothly and the miniature figures were found upon closer inspection to be stellar, almost equalling the ones made by Goodwin, Copplestone and Mize. Just wanted to write this to let people know I had in the past very positive view of the company.
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Same, of course the last time I ordered from them it was 2014. But every thing was nice and smooth. I am starting to think that they got over whiled with orders for their summer sale. And are just letting some of them slip in the hopes that folks will cancel. :?
That is the only thing I can think of, especially considering they are still active on the sculpting webpage, posting things up. But dead to any order info requests or their main store page.
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That doesn’t sound great :(
I bought a few times from Hasslefree over the years, and always got the impression from their emails that they were constantly under pressure they didn’t much enjoy and sometimes struggled to manage. But things at least seemed to work when they handled fulfillment themselves. The current tangle has been going on for months now. The bad experience and absence of comms for so many purchasers plus all the associated negative publicity must be damaging, however much people still love the miniatures. I hope they manage to sort it out and get back on an even keel. It’s an amazing back catalogue. As others have suggested, maybe it’s time they hooked up with a professional distributor.
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maybe it’s time they hooked up with a professional distributor.
Imagine there miniatures on the Northstar website.
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Yes, I've, too, bought from Hasslefree Miniatures numerous times, in the past, and never had any problems. I ordered earlier this year and received my figures within a week of monies clearing.
I've never had reason to try and contact them before, however, but this business of not getting any answers to my own enquiries, or reading about other buyers experiencing the same treatment, just seems very strange. Especially when other buyers have stated they've successfully made and received orders after the time 'problem transactions' were initiated.
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There is so much incorrect information and assumptions being made on this thread by the usual suspects it's just crazy.
If you don't know facts, don't make them up.
Some years ago now, Hasslefree and Artemis Blacks merged. Artemis Blacks took over distribution and the day to day bits of the business to allow Kev to focus on sculpting and family. This is not *news*.
However, Dameon, behind the Artemis Black's part, has not been well this year. Again, all of this information is out there. I think various things have also conspired against him, as life sometimes is to do on folk.
Now, the thing is, despite having had a thread already and this information been made available already people still insist on rumour mongering.
I'm not 'in the know' I have the newsletter, and was on their KS so all that information is there and I am merely trying to share it.
What is also worth noting in this instance, is that we have a thread, started because someone didn't get a response from an email - they hand't even placed an order.
I can imagine that with all of the other things covered above, and with the evidence other folks are sharing, they are simply prioritising orders rather than inquiries - which is understandable.
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stuff
word. 8)
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stuff I actually did not know, so thanks
And in fact, I HAVE placed an order. So now, you too have all the facts! YAY! GO INTERNETS!
Fun fact: I ordered a cycling jersey from New Zealand, it shipped Monday, and I have it today. It's from a small shop, they do custom work, respond to emails within a day and ship fast.
Seems like the miniatures business is just shit at communications and delivery.
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And in fact, I HAVE placed an order. So now, you too have all the facts! YAY! GO INTERNETS!
I didn't miss that. I said the thread was started because of a lack of response, not a lack of an order.
As for timescales . . . . . means squat. I put an order in with 4ground, took just over two weeks, put an order in with Anvil Industry and it took 4 days.
Most companies say 'allow for 'x' amount of days' - HF is '21 working days'. Personally, I think it's bad sport to criticise before this time scale is up as essentially you are entering into an agreement on purchasing that it could take this long.
Perhaps the miniatures industry is poor at communications and delivery, but then I see relatively few people becoming genuinely wealthy off of miniature businesses.
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TBH I don’t see the connection that justifies the “but”
Perhaps the miniatures industry is poor at communications and delivery, but then I see relatively few people becoming genuinely wealthy off of miniature businesses.
Though if it was worded the other way around I perhaps would
I see relatively few people becoming genuinely wealthy off of miniature businesses, but then perhaps the miniatures industry is poor at communications and delivery.
Poor comms and late delivery are enough to put me off buying from an enterprise
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This has been an ongoing problem for months and there have been many threads in that time posted by people wondering where orders are, sometimes with things having gone astray for months (WELL past "21 working days") - this is merely the latest in a long line.
I think some discussion is justified and no one here is making personal attacks against Artemis or Kev. Many of us have read Dameon's posts; the trouble they've had are no secret. It's just that there comes a point where trying to do too much with too little is doing more harm than good for everyone involved.
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The problem comes when people blow things out of all perspective.
Fram - two threads is not 'many' - you have been active on both despite not actually having an issue yourself.
Of course people have the right to be disgruntled and if you look carefully I am not suggesting this discussion or others like it should not occur. What I am incredibly aware of however, is that there are some people who are more than just reflecting upon things and are actively stoking the flames for unknown agenda's.
Silent Invader - as I said, this thread wasn't started because an order was late. It was started because of no forthcoming comms. That's fine. Said person then put in an order - as of yet, it is not past '21 working days' as stipulated by the company.
What is sad is that the genuine people that have actually had issues with their orders, are becoming drowned out by people who have not had any issues but think and are suggesting people should stop ordering or that the company is going bust (previous thread) and who generally are sailing close to libel.
And once more, to clarify, I'm not stating you cannot sympathise, but I do think people need to be very careful about what they are saying and what they are complaining about. Especially when they start to talk in such a way as to be informed about a topic they are not actually informed about.
Others just need to calm down a bit and rather than start cranking up the hysteria sit down, have a cup of tea and think about how they can help their fellow LAF-ers.
I work shifts, have helped out Hasslefree at Salute in running games on their table - so am happy to help where I can with the limited connections I have. I have already done so for one LAF-er.
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Silent Invader - as I said, this thread wasn't started because an order was late. It was started because of no forthcoming comms. That's fine. Said person then put in an order - as of yet, it is not past '21 working days' as stipulated by the company.
My post was about the industry point you made, rather than about HF specifically. That said, as I observed, poor comms is enough to put me off buying.
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My problem is an order made in June, and no communication or product to show for it. Mean while other folks have made orders and received their product in a timely fashion since My order was posted.
I have made orders from other companies in mid and late July from the U.K. and have already received those products.
That is the begging and end of any problem I have with them. If a line of communication explaining what the hold up is, then I would most likely be happy.
I am also concerned that the order got lost or forgotten. :?
I have no axe to grind or grudge to bear, I just want ever thing figured out.
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TBH I don’t see the connection that justifies the “but”
Though if it was worded the other way around I perhaps would
Poor comms and late delivery are enough to put me off buying from an enterprise
I think SI has it right - if miniatures companies acted like real businesses, they would get real income. Hobby industry is what they want to be? Hobby money is all they bring home.
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The problem comes when people blow things out of all perspective.
Fram - two threads is not 'many' - you have been active on both despite not actually having an issue yourself.
Of course people have the right to be disgruntled and if you look carefully I am not suggesting this discussion or others like it should not occur. What I am incredibly aware of however, is that there are some people who are more than just reflecting upon things and are actively stoking the flames for unknown agenda's.
Silent Invader - as I said, this thread wasn't started because an order was late. It was started because of no forthcoming comms. That's fine. Said person then put in an order - as of yet, it is not past '21 working days' as stipulated by the company.
What is sad is that the genuine people that have actually had issues with their orders, are becoming drowned out by people who have not had any issues but think and are suggesting people should stop ordering or that the company is going bust (previous thread) and who generally are sailing close to libel.
And once more, to clarify, I'm not stating you cannot sympathise, but I do think people need to be very careful about what they are saying and what they are complaining about. Especially when they start to talk in such a way as to be informed about a topic they are not actually informed about.
Others just need to calm down a bit and rather than start cranking up the hysteria sit down, have a cup of tea and think about how they can help their fellow LAF-ers.
I work shifts, have helped out Hasslefree at Salute in running games on their table - so am happy to help where I can with the limited connections I have. I have already done so for one LAF-er.
There were other threads a while ago. You can search for them if you like. Maybe I posted in them too. I've ordered from Hasslefree before and in fact I started one such thread or took one over at one point in order to get ahold of to Artemis to ask about stocking issues (I could never place an order because half of what I was going to get was always out of stock). To Dameon's credit he worked it out.
I think that having some extended trouble with a business is going to result in comments to that effect showing up online, and to expect otherwise in 2018 is folly. As is fans of a business trying to shame other paying customers who may have legitimate gripes.
I think people ARE being very careful about what they're saying (if for no other reason than to not run afoul of moderation, ha) and there's no hysteria here mate, so please... don't.
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So, first of all - as I mentioned before. I'm no fanboi, I am simply trying to give people the facts to make an informed decision.
That is bloody difficult to do when people are suggesting they don't have a professional distribution part to their business - when they do.
It is also difficult when other people are suggesting that they should shut, they are closing down or that orders shouldn't be placed with them - these are not helpful to anyone. Especially when some are not true.
Fram - for what it's worth, I did search as you suggested, as funnily enough, I like to keep adding to my understanding to see if I can increase the accuracy of what I know.
Other than this thread there are four others the search brings up. The first is by Gunbird and is about two scam emails they received which turn out to have nothing to do with Hasslefree other than someone had used their name to try and scam.
The next was in Feb started by Connectbob about the KS issues. Which again, Artemis responded to in person, and only takes a moment or two to look through the KS updates to see what was going on at the time. To his credit, even Connectbob points out that over ten years of ordering from them this was the first time and out of character in his experience. This was when Fram declared that Artemis Black was Sally White . . . . . .
The next was the one in July that I have referred to before - in which you jump in and say "They've always had trouble with comms, sadly." - Again, which might be true to you personally, but clearly isn't the overwhelming feedback over recent years until this year and the well documented personal issues effecting Hasslefree.
The only other one was from 2016, started by Grant - to which he got a personal response from Artemis Black apologizing and explaining why the communication had not been great.
So, I fall back to what I was saying before. If you have a negative opinion of a company, be clear that what you are stating is an opinion, isn't libel and is accurate. Don't say they have 'always had an issue' when it isn't true.
Share your dodgy comms / service by all means, that's how companies like Defiance are exposed for what they are.
If not, and you only have a passing opinion, or want to drop in for pedantry, maybe reconsider making yourself look a tool.
I'll go back to trying to help the good gaming folk in this community and fight the bull crap that helps no one and could lead to damaging someone's income.
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Before this blows up even more, I would like to justify my comments by stating that there are also a number of comments on their FB page in which people are having issues with both comms and orders to which no public response has been given by HF. One of which implies that complaints are being ignored and deleted rather than being responded too.
Not bashing them or trying to add fuel to the flames but clearly something is up. Obviousy arbitrary and sweeping statements don't help but I would also suggest that there is no smoke without fire.
If not, and you only have a passing opinion, or want to drop in for pedantry, maybe reconsider making yourself look a tool.
I'd also suggest comments like this are a bit OTT and unnecessary.
Perhaps we should let the thread die down until anyone has any news or updates to add.
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I’ll update when I get my order.
I’ve never not received an order from HF, so I’ve got good hope.
Stay tuned.
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So, first of all - as I mentioned before. I'm no fanboi, I am simply trying to give people the facts to make an informed decision.
That is bloody difficult to do when people are suggesting they don't have a professional distribution part to their business - when they do.
It is also difficult when other people are suggesting that they should shut, they are closing down or that orders shouldn't be placed with them - these are not helpful to anyone. Especially when some are not true.
Fram - for what it's worth, I did search as you suggested, as funnily enough, I like to keep adding to my understanding to see if I can increase the accuracy of what I know.
Other than this thread there are four others the search brings up. The first is by Gunbird and is about two scam emails they received which turn out to have nothing to do with Hasslefree other than someone had used their name to try and scam.
The next was in Feb started by Connectbob about the KS issues. Which again, Artemis responded to in person, and only takes a moment or two to look through the KS updates to see what was going on at the time. To his credit, even Connectbob points out that over ten years of ordering from them this was the first time and out of character in his experience. This was when Fram declared that Artemis Black was Sally White . . . . . .
The next was the one in July that I have referred to before - in which you jump in and say "They've always had trouble with comms, sadly." - Again, which might be true to you personally, but clearly isn't the overwhelming feedback over recent years until this year and the well documented personal issues effecting Hasslefree.
The only other one was from 2016, started by Grant - to which he got a personal response from Artemis Black apologizing and explaining why the communication had not been great.
So, I fall back to what I was saying before. If you have a negative opinion of a company, be clear that what you are stating is an opinion, isn't libel and is accurate. Don't say they have 'always had an issue' when it isn't true.
Share your dodgy comms / service by all means, that's how companies like Defiance are exposed for what they are.
If not, and you only have a passing opinion, or want to drop in for pedantry, maybe reconsider making yourself look a tool.
I'll go back to trying to help the good gaming folk in this community and fight the bull crap that helps no one and could lead to damaging someone's income.
As I stated in my post, if I suggest a closure, it's so they can restore their service levels and thereby their reputation - few people will see our discussion here on LAF and things look much worse on their FB page etc., as has been pointed out - sorry, but deleting complaints is a biiiiig red flag for a business. And while they may have a distribution arm on paper, if they can't, well, distribute then do they really have one in practice?
The only one posting "bull crap" in this thread is yourself. The comment about libel is laughably overblown, to say nothing of the insults and hostility. I suggest you remove the beam from your eye.
No one is going to sink Hasslefree by talking about their problems here on a messageboard, but the actual problems themselves just might. If you bothered to actually read our posts instead of pursing a quixotic attempt to be pedantic, you'd see that everyone here is sympathetic to Kev and Dameon. No one wants to rag on them or see anything bad happen to Hasslefree. We're worried is what. We're pointing out that what is happening now is unsustainable for a business which wishes to remain a going concern.
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Well stated Fram.
mcfonz seems to be just wading into this with no reason. He might have jumped the shark. lol
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Just wanted to say I have found this thread incredibly helpful - I was pondering whether to order from HF, and this really helps give a picture of how frustrating that might be at the moment.
Keep up the good work, chaps, and I hope you all get your stuff eventually. I don't see how accusations of rumour-mongering and worse levelled at a sensible, well-meaning discussion are in any way fair, so that bit was much less helpful, but hopefully we can put that behind us.
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Before this blows up even more, I would like to justify my comments by stating that there are also a number of comments on their FB page in which people are having issues with both comms and orders to which no public response has been given by HF. One of which implies that complaints are being ignored and deleted rather than being responded too.
Not bashing them or trying to add fuel to the flames but clearly something is up. Obviousy arbitrary and sweeping statements don't help but I would also suggest that there is no smoke without fire.
I'd also suggest comments like this are a bit OTT and unnecessary.
Perhaps we should let the thread die down until anyone has any news or updates to add.
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Well, looking at the HF website, the latest news (dated 12/9) is a lot more helpful than some of the unofficial remarks and accusations against those who have made or were/are contemplating making an order.
Hey Everyone
Apologies, Dameon has been sick for a short while, and our temp help is sunning it up in ... Poland, so maybe not 'sunning' it up.
Things back to normal from Monday 16th. Please remember, if you have an issue we are currently using bwartemis@gmail.com not our domain address (which is experiencing a spam issue).
Thanks :)
Regarding emails, the HF addy is still listed on the website as the contact address, which given the news surely will only add to comms frustration.
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Thanks SI for spotting and putting that official bit of news up on here. I did check on the HF website yesterday, around Noon, for updated news, but it was still showing the July information.
I'm reading their "Monday 16th" as an error. And they mean, today, Monday 17th of September.
I have to admit that this thread has been a help, for the most part. Thank you all.
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I just want to point out I have only ever tried to support and help those who have or are in the process of making orders.
I have been heavily critical of those who have not, who have commented on this thread, and past threads with misinformation and who have demonstrated that they have nothing useful to add.
I'm sorry if this has been seen as less than helpful for those contemplating an order. I have tried to share the information that was prior to this latest statement, the most up to date official news that could be found.
I do not apologise to those who repeatedly refuse to help and instead just muddy the situation with poor, uninformed opinion.
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I just want to point out I have only ever tried to support and help those who have or are in the process of making orders.
As you are someone who helps out at HF, your attitude actually put me off contacting them about an order (my last purchase was at Salute). Sure, poor comms and late delivery will - as I’ve already stated - put me off ordering but attitudes such as yours, if indicative of the thinking at HF, would simply serve to drive me away for good. Fortunately HF have posted their own update, which goes some way towards counteracting the negativity in some of your defensive contributions.
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As you are someone who helps out at HF, your attitude actually put me off contacting them about an order (my last purchase was at Salute). Sure, poor comms and late delivery will - as I’ve already stated - put me off ordering but attitudes such as yours, if indicative of the thinking at HF, would simply serve to drive me away for good. Fortunately HF have posted their own update, which goes some way towards counteracting the negativity in some of your defensive contributions.
You have been in this hobby probably longer than I. I'd put money on you knowing Hasslefree a lot better than you are letting on here.
I don't 'help out at HF' - they help me out more than anything. For starters, I'm in Norfolk, their distribution centre is in Wales. I'm really not sure how anything I say or do can be tied as heavily as you want it to be. I simply offered to help if I could - surely that is what a community should be doing when it's members are stating their orders are outstanding?
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You have been in this hobby probably longer than I. I'd put money on you knowing Hasslefree a lot better than you are letting on here.
I’ve been buying from Hasslefree for years but nothing since Salute, having been put off by the threads at LAF. I don’t ‘know them’ know them as I’ve never chatted with them at Salute or elsewhere and I don’t follow social media. Only ever been a customer not a friend (though I always found Sally very affable).
It seems odd that just as I email HF to facilitate an order I’ve been pondering, and my email was a direct response to seeing their latest news update, you decide to make passive aggressive remarks towards me. Talk about off-putting.
Btw, you said you helped them at Salute. That’s helping them out. No?
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No, I said I ran games on their table.
I have nothing to do with sales, with running their stall at Salute, with anything day to day with the business, nothing.
As stated, there are three other threads in addition to this one, one from 2016, and two others from this year. One of those was in relation to the Kickstarter they ran - which was the first they have run so far as I am aware and of which there is plenty of stuff to be found about. They were plenty transparent.
The other was hijacked by the same peeps as on this one. I apologise if I construed you to be one of them, but your first input was to point out the way something was worded.
If you have bought from Hasslefree for years, I would suggest you go by your previous experiences rather than base them on a demented idjit such as myself who is just underlining that some people appear to have an apparent dislike of Hasslefree, come on threads such as this and misinform people.
Sadly, despite that many people, such as yourself, have said that they have found Kev and Sally to be welcoming and affable, there are those out there who make a habit of trying to stick the boot in to their business whenever the opportunity arises.
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Ok, I seem to have missed that you were only putting on games. I know that over the years other helpers have worked the counter, and I accept/agree that hosting a game is much less ‘corporate’ than that.
My first comment in this thread wasn’t actually about HF but the industry generally. I’m not a believer that a business gets a pass simply because it is in a hobby industry.
As for HF, I hope that per the news all is back in good order.
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I must have missed that post also. Just getting over the flu on this end so I can understand a lack of energy.
I sent off a fifth email to them this weekend, so in light of this new revaluation i will hopefully get a response back to me this week then. :)
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Just come across this thread and read is as I was considering ordering a few figures from HF, things do seem to be getting a little heated. :(
Surely it's down to the moderators to decide what can and can't be discussed, rather than forum members to be telling others that they can't share their opinions and that they have nothing useful to add?
Personally I welcome differences of opinion, informed or otherwise, as it encourages me to find the answers for myself. If I see smoke, it's up to me to work out if there's really a fire or if it's just someone blowing it.
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I just want to point out I have only ever tried to support and help those who have or are in the process of making orders.
I have been heavily critical of those who have not, who have commented on this thread, and past threads with misinformation and who have demonstrated that they have nothing useful to add.
I'm sorry if this has been seen as less than helpful for those contemplating an order. I have tried to share the information that was prior to this latest statement, the most up to date official news that could be found.
I do not apologise to those who repeatedly refuse to help and instead just muddy the situation with poor, uninformed opinion.
No one is posting factual misinformation in this thread, and the opinions posted are informed by the legitimate experiences of those posting them.
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I hope they can sort their things out quick and smoothly. There are still quite a lot of figures on their site screaming to be added to my collection :).
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Quick Admin post guys. Topics discussing companies and the industry are well within the rules of the forum and have been beneficial on many occasions. Flame Wars and personal attacks/insults are not allowed. Lets keep it civil and not need to involve the Moderators.
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My experience with Hasslefree has always been very good; they have always delivered and their products are top notch.
However, as long as I can remember, communication has been on the slow end of the spectrum. But then again; I know this is because they've always been a very small company, and work can grow ahead of them, and I've come to expect it.
The first time I was disappointed was when they ran a sculpting competition, and the timeline was exceeded by more than a year. The entire competition was above and beyond their normal work load though, and they provided the base dolly/mini to each contestant too, so there really is nothing to complain about. Were it not for the fact that progress and communication was so slow that I eventually sort of gave up on it... :?
But they did deliver in the end, and the products were absolutely great (each entry was cast in metal and every contestant received their own mini in metal, plus all the others. And no; I did not win ;) ).
Now, I have not ordered from them for several years, but I would absolutely not hesitate to do so, if they have products that must be mine. Things might get awkwardly slow at times, but they will always deliver. With candy. :D
I remember that. I sculpted the medusa miniature and got a hassle free pick so a semi winner. Yes took a long time but it was not something that was keeping the business running so it was understandable it took so long.
Disappointing that comms are so bad at the moment.
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Woot, they got back to me. Fingers crossed this gets worked out.
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Sally here:
1: Alrighty the backlog of orders is nearly processed, Dameon is sleeping at the unit until everything is caught up .... it’s 95% back on track. Thankyou to everyone for their patience and if you think you have been missed please send me a message on my personal page and I will nag Dameon personally for you 🤣😂
2: During the chaos we are behind with re-moulding some of the older figures as well as some of the most popular ones. We can’t get them all done at the same time so we need to prioritise. If there is something you have been waiting to come back into stock for a while then let us know below, likewise if you see a request posted by someone else and think “oh yeah I need that” then please add It to the list. If you can’t remember what it is but you know you meant to order something then please check out the online shop to jog your memory 🙂
3: New releases are being prepared ( woohoo) and fingers crossed should be out within the next week x
Watch this space x
Thankyou again to everyone who has been understanding and very patient whilst we try and sort out the mess, Kev and I really do appreciate it x
Whilst you wait take a look at what Kev is currently working on .. updates are on his page x
Posted on their fb earlier today.
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Sounds like good news then!
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Yes! It will be nice to see the large number of pre-order figures get into regular production - or the figs on Kev's blog get into any production, period!
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Being happy to hear comissarmoody had been contacted, I re-sent my email today 19.9. to the newer email address.
Thank you mcfonz for letting us know there had been some in-house issues with the company. Your message here was the first time I heard of such things: no email or website update (back then) indicated anything like that.
In general business logic, it's not customers job to search for such information, as it's basically us paying their wages through purchases with up-front payments. Moreover, companies should always primarily use the same communication channels their customers used to make the purchase. I made an order through www-website and received an order confirmation by email. Thus the company should have informed me (us) of any issues by the exact same www-website, or by email. And not expect us customers by some Japanese video game logic to telepathically know to look out for some additional communication channels.
If the company gets back to me and sorts this out, I'll be more than happy to make an another order and forgive the past. I'll let you know if anything comes of this endeavour.
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I'll add my contribution to this discussion - usually I'm happy to lurk and look at the photos of the excellent minis posted here.
I had a fairly negative experience with Hasslefree the last time I ordered from them back in 2016 - I had to threaten to raise a PayPal dispute to get my minis out of them that I ordered. It had taken the best part of 90 days with no communication.
Since then I've not ordered online again although I've been very happy to buy off them in person at Salute.
The problem seems to be with Dameon to be honest (this is my opinion) - when he ran Artemis Blacks he had a poor reputation for customer service and this seems to have infected Hasslefree.
I spoke to Kev in person regarding this at Salute and he said they were aware of the problems and trying to deal with them. I did tell him that until things were sorted I wouldn't be ordering any more stuff mail order which Kev accepted. I also spoke to Sally about the issues I had experienced and she was very sympathetic and wanted to help. In fairness to Kev and Sally they are some of the nicest people I've dealt with in the miniatures industry - I've even been to one of Kev's sculpting courses in Cardiff and I would heartily recommend it.
Dameon is also a nice guy to deal with in person, I have dealt with him at Salute also in previous years when he was Artemis Blacks. Unfortunately his poor way of dealing/communicating with customers and not despatching customer's orders promptly is adversely affecting the reputation of one of the better miniature companies out there.
Kev is one of the best sculptors in the industry and produces consistently good miniatures which are a joy to paint (albeit badly in my case) and I wish that these issues would get sorted so that I could be confident in ordering from them again. I just don't have that confidence any longer.
Just my thoughts based on my experience and conversations
ATB Otto
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I would also place some of the blame at the feet of Ash Barker. Not that Ash actually did anything wrong. Ash just wrote a game that a whole lot of people liked and most of those people ordered miniatures to use for Ash's game from Hasslefree. I know I did. The game in question is Last days, published by Osprey. Hasslefree makes the perfect miniatures for the game and I strongly believe that the majority of orders placed with Hasslefree of late involve this game. As proof, I invite anyone to check out the Last Days Yahoo group. Hasslefree, despite their reputation is a small operation and a large demand surge can overwhelm them. I truly believe this has happened and people need to be patient. I think once they get caught up, everything will be okay. Beyond that, can anyone truly show where Hasslefree has been anything other than great before this recent difficulty in fulfilling orders quickly?
William
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I am pretty sure that what happened with my order Mr. Gardnersnake. I ordered dearing the tail end I the summer sale.
Then combine that the other problems, things seemed to have slipped thrue the crack. But it's being worked on now, and should hopefully be posted soon. :)
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In fairness to Kev and Sally they are some of the nicest people I've dealt with in the miniatures industry
Frankly I think this is the problem. I'm sure Dameon is also a great chap and we all genuinely wish him good health, but it's poor management to allow such a key person's health issues to impact the reputation of the company to such a degree. He's quite clearly too busy - sleeping at the warehouse is not a point of pride, it's a sign of bad management - and nothing I see in their posts suggests to me that running a quality business is really their forte.
And perhaps it shouldn't be. After all they're a very small team making lovely figures in a niche industry as a lifestyle business. I don't think it's wrong at all for such businesses (see also Fenris, Heresy, and Bad Squiddo) to ask customers for patience and understanding. At times they will either have to rely on that customer goodwill and loyalty, or change the business model, which I suspect would mean amalgamation into a larger brand, or increased prices.
The creative arm of these businesses needs (well, wants) freedom, but the distribution and communication arm really should be on-point. I can't help but think for many smaller businesses they would be better off finding a friendly larger company to attach themselves to and thus remove the stress of the business angle, in favour of focussing on the real reason they purport to be in the industry - the models.
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Does anyone know if they share office/warehouse space with anyone else or are they on their own? I know when Bad Squiddo was at Firestorm Games in Cardiff there was very much a collective vibe, in that all the companies renting the offices, as well as the Firestorm staff, were used to mucking in when one of them needed help.
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Does anyone know if they share office/warehouse space with anyone else or are they on their own?
From reading previous posts from Dameon, he was in the the unit on his own (sleeping there sometimes).
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I would also place some of the blame at the feet of Ash Barker. Not that Ash actually did anything wrong. Ash just wrote a game that a whole lot of people liked and most of those people ordered miniatures to use for Ash's game from Hasslefree.
Um....yes. Although Dishdash Games' Skirmish Outbreak bears equal responsibility in my case, as does HF's Il Cappello figure, whom I decided would fit perfectly into my vague ideas - which I didn't then know I had - to do something partly inspired by Breaking Bad, Tarantino, weird crime comics, and similar noir /pulp tropes. Anyway, my own order, including that figure, arrived today, and I'm glad I made it, even though I was unaware of the problems at the time (hence the thread I began yesterday in the Post-apocalyptic forum).
I just hope a visit from a real-life Il Cappello won't be required to improve the business side (not that I would approve of such a drastic course).
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It's got to be rough to be at the point, financially, where business is good enough to overwhelm one person in a particular department of a business, but not so good as to be able to hire a second person for that department.
It's a problem small companies face all the time. I hate to say it, but the usual advice from business consultants in such a situation is that this usually means prices are too low and should be raised a bit, which will either slow down demand while maintaining the same income as previously, or bring in the needed money to expand.
I would quite happily pay 50p more per HF figure if it meant they could get things stabilized.
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It's got to be rough to be at the point, financially, where business is good enough to overwhelm one person in a particular department of a business, but not so good as to be able to hire a second person for that department.
It's a problem small companies face all the time. I hate to say it, but the usual advice from business consultants in such a situation is that this usually means prices are too low and should be raised a bit, which will either slow down demand while maintaining the same income as previously, or bring in the needed money to expand.
I would quite happily pay 50p more per HF figure if it meant they could get things stabilized.
Yep - entirely concur although the issue with HF is no doubt compounded by illness which is of course outside anyone's control :( I do hope they get things back in line - I'm sure they will, in fact.
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Not sure if this is helpful or not to people waiting for orders, but for those considering a purchase...
I ordered 16th - last Sunday - and miniatures arrived safely today.
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With regard to their being overwhelmed with orders, I can appreciate that backlogs might occur, but presumably an upsurge in orders is preferable from heir point of view to a downturn, and beneficial to the business? I'm thinking of making another order in the near future, and would like to think it might be appreciated rather than exacerbate problems.
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If one person being ill can throw a company into chaos, it means they can't afford a backup plan.
With regard to their being overwhelmed with orders, I can appreciate that backlogs might occur, but presumably an upsurge in orders is preferable from heir point of view to a downturn, and beneficial to the business? I'm thinking of making another order in the near future, and would like to think it might be appreciated rather than exacerbate problems.
Would you be likely to change your order if the figures cost 25p or 50p more each?
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I'm curious as to the prioritising of orders. If some recent orders are being fulfilled and some older ones aren't … is this just an eclectic system of picking and posting, or lost orders, or stock issues, or the breakdown of any system at all? The familiar theme here is lack of communication, which could be a symptom of under-staffing since if you're trying to clear a backlog, sending emails is just going to take extra time you can't spare.
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It's a good question. Ever been to a restaurant where you've arrived 20 minutes before the people on the next table, placed your order - and then miraculously the next table get their meal while you're still waiting for another 20 minutes, even though you've ordered the same food? It's one of the most infuriating things - not because you're hungry, but because it feels unfair. People can put up with being treated badly - provided everyone's treated badly equally. But a sense that you're being treated unfairly compared to others is the one thing most people can't stand. It happened to a lot of people (including me) last time Warlord had a major snafu... Some of us were waiting two months for orders to be fulfilled; other people were merrily chirruping away online about how they'd placed an order last week, and it arrived after just a few days. The sense of injustice that creates - whatever the justification for the meltdown in the business concerned - causes lasting damage to any brand. Because it feels like the antithesis of good customer service.
From the business's point of view of course, when something's gone badly wrong, as appears to have happened in this case, you can see the appeal of prioritising the taking and fulfilment of new orders to keep the cash flow rolling, whilst chipping away at the backlog as and when you can. Or risk losing more business, and going into a death spiral. Unfortunately, if you're one of the unlucky customers who happens to be stuck in that backlog, it sucks. You may be forgiving of the circumstances that brought the company concerned into that position, but you're unlikely to forget you were made to wait weeks or months for your order while other Johnny-come-latelies were getting their goodies straightaway. It's invidious. Can see it from both points of view.
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When I worked in sales/shipping that would happen ever once in a blue moon. But useally becase of an item missing(stolen or miss marked) from are stock.
But we would contact the buyer if the item was going to take more then a week to ship to see if they still wanted to wait.
We also left digital notes for times to be pulled as soon as they arrived to help push back orders out as soon as possible.
I think they got overwhelmed with orders and then combined with illness lead to this jam up we are seeing today.
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If it is done on purpose (having no idea of how organised or messy the situation is), I can indeed imagine it being preferable to have people who have been waiting for two months wait another two weeks, instead prioritising new customers and ensuring they do get their products as soon as possible, rather than in a month's time. Many disappointed customers, or some happy and some slightly more disappointed ones...
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Would you be likely to change your order if the figures cost 25p or 50p more each?
Quite possibly - there are other companies I want to buy from too. It's also fair to say that a price increase, on top of the aggravation over delayed orders, would seem a bit rich.
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Quite possibly - there are other compnies I want to buy from too. It's also fair to say that a price increase, on top of the aggravation over delayed orders, would seem a bit rich.
Well, raising prices RIGHT NOW would be rubbing things a bit raw, certainly.
In any case, some people will pay and some people will take their custom elsewhere, and if handled well (i.e. don't overdo it), it should improve matters for Hasslefree in the short term and for their customers too in the long term.
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update and information in their latest newsletter - link (http://email.acid-product.co.uk/t/ViewEmail/y/5F321C8CEFC51C09/6C3678DFC798108805AF428974F65BCD)
tl;dr - problems hopefully behind them (including being flooded). Loads of new metals and resin masters on the way :D
I'll need to check to see if the figure I'm looking for is in the metal release, although I didn't see it in the list :(
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Some of the new metals are just lovely too, but it's thing from the resin preview section I really like :o
Here's hoping this is the return to glory, before their massive Kickstarter HF were fantastic.
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Thank you zemjw for the update. As to me, no luck yet...
Comissarmoody: please check your PM folder.
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After some deliberation - mainly over which items to choose - I have just placed another order, of approximately twice the value of the first. It will be interesting to see how long this one takes.
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Got you message Nordic, and replied.
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From the latest newsletter:
"I have an Issue!"
As mentioned above, it's been a rough time here and we're not 'quite' out of the woods yet, but I can certainly see daylight :)
If you have an issue that isn't actively being addressed, you can either PM us on FB, or email us on bwartemis@gmail.com. Both are currently actively moitored and easier to handle than our domain name email which get a 'lot' of spam around the normal emails.
We have extra help again, Sal is helping monitor the FB page too, so you should find any issue addressed at our normal level of service once more.
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Fair enough, my mail order might never have made it to HF Cardiff - that the cheque payment was never cashed is my reason for doubting a safe arrival - so I've no complaints in regard being owed anything.
I've tried to contact someone, anyone twice now, at both email addresses and have had no luck in getting a response or acknowledgement. Anyway, the emails explained the issue and advised that I would cancel the cheque, and I now have.
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Well, my order arrived today!
So it looks like they are processing orders.
Never did receive any email correspondence when I had questions
But at least I got my stuff.
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Well, my order arrived today!
So it looks like they are processing orders.
Never did receive any email correspondence when I had questions
But at least I got my stuff.
Happy to hear it!
I'm one of the Kickstarter backers still waiting for my stuff. Been trying to reach out to whatever channels they have expressed as appropriate fairly regularly since early summer. Had two "I'll have a talk with Dameon and get back to you" from Sally (with no followup), but zero personal correspondence from Dameon so far.
I keep hoping the minis will simply turn up eventually :P
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Well, looking at the HF website, the latest news (dated 12/9) is a lot more helpful than some of the unofficial remarks and accusations against those who have made or were/are contemplating making an order.
Regarding emails, the HF addy is still listed on the website as the contact address, which given the news surely will only add to comms frustration.
Subsequent to the above I emailed to find out when a mini would be back in stock. I didn’t get a direct reply, which is an observation rather than a complaint as I’d rather they prioritised outstanding orders, but soon after the mini did appear back in stock on the website, which I took as an indirect reply. So I made the order on the 26th September, went away for a couple of days, and was very pleased to find a package awaiting my return on the 29th September. My very recent experience is therefore very much a POSITIVE. :)
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In a positive news, a contact has been established thanks to the helping hand of a fellow forum member!
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In negative news, a newly-established contact has dried into nothingness! I was recently contacted by the HF staff by email and when I replied to them from no less than two different email addresses, nothing came back. As one of the accounts was a Gmail one, just like the one used by the HF staff, I'm quite hesitant to believe it has been marked as spam in their end by Google servers. Only polite language was used, so as not to get stuck in spam filters. I double-checked my own spam folders, in case their replies were erroneously forwarded there, and found: nothing.
Feeling that this ever-stretching limbo of madness has to stop, it took this to the next level.
I sent them a flail snail snail mail.
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Yeah same here. :'(
Even sent them a message on the Facebook, which shows that some one looked at it. Might give them another nudge. :?
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I sent them a flail snail snail mail.
WOW
real oldschool
That will scare them to death :P
But did you include stamped self addressed envelope ? lol
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WOW
real oldschool
That will scare them to death :P
But did you include stamped self addressed envelope ? lol
Really scare them and have ever thing in cursive!
Oh and they just got back to me saying its in the post now. :D
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FWIW I received my latest order last week, after about ten days, which was no cause for alarm, and was also a surprise beause I'd received no email to tell me it had been posted. They seem to have enclosed an extra figure, which was nice of them, though I don't much care for it, but one of the walkers had no base. Tolerable, on the whole.
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Really scare them and have ever thing in cursive!
Oh and they just got back to me saying its in the post now. :D
Only proper way would be to send you letter explaining that order is in the mail, and it should arrive weeks after the order :P
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I've now received the shipping notification, about four weeks after the minis arrived. Better this than the other way round, I suppose.
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Same here, along with a package with all of my ordered minatures and 2 candies. :D
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Hah! I got three candies!!!!
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Curses! lol
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Hah! I got three candies!!!!
I heard of a guy who went into a shop and asked for four candles.
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I heard of a guy who went into a shop and asked for four candles.
lol
Well played Sir!
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I heard of a guy who went into a shop and asked for four candles.
Nah mate. It was fork 'andles. 'andles for forks.
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Nah mate. It was fork 'andles. 'andles for forks.
In either case, I hope this wasn't while rationing was in effect?
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I suppose everyone knows by now they've got a post-Halloween sale on? Bad timing from my point of view, unfortunately.
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I heard of a guy who went into a shop and asked for four candles.
Did they tell him to get stuffed?
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I suppose everyone knows by now they've got a post-Halloween sale on? Bad timing from my point of view, unfortunately.
Thanks for letting us know, as the latest sale newsletter had something on order issues and whatnot at the end. I just emailed them for the 7th time since August. The snail mail option was failure (shame for the beautiful postage stamps) and am contemplating of bitching either PayPal, credit card company or UK police at the moment. Not sure how the last option works for non-UK consumers.
The monetary loss is of lesser concern to me. Perhaps somebody lost the parcel while en route. It's the non-communication that is so #¤%&£@€. Just a little reply acknowledging that they have received some of the 8 complaints (7 polite emails from 2 different adresses to all three company addresses, 1 paper letter) since August would go a long way in making me bury the war axe and send some shekels to them again in the future.
Oh man, I'm reminded of BTD of the olden days. It's that bad - or worse, for BTD atleast back then sent free 25mm goblin miniatures as compensation for missing delivery.
Should the hell freeze over and a success be made on this case, I'll let you know. I like happy endings.
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I missed this thread and just posted in similar one, but I'm in the same boat. These Hasslefree threads actually give me hope though that I might eventually see some product. I understand they're a small shop and I actually don't mind waiting quite a while for the goods. But the Halloween sale advert kinda surprised me after not receiving my stuff or being able to reach them.
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Hello fellow Imperial agent Roboute Guilliman praise the Emper..., ahem, Reboot Guillotine, I read your experience from the other thread and was immediately struck how it mirrored mine. The original January post in that thread too resonated in the wrong way.
Just imagine having this kind of service level with banks, telecoms and such. Or at any of the one man operated kiosks and street corner convenience stores. No sane person would accept this kind of passive-active stonewalling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEjhOY0f34) masquerading as service from those places.
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This situation, along with some other things, has me wondering: could there be something awry with post out of the UK lately? I shop almost exclusively online, have for many years, get multiple things a week, and have only had a lost parcel once every several years. But recently I bought a CD on ebay from a UK merchant and it never arrived (they eventually just said "oh well, must be lost" and refunded me). Also ordered some minis from Otherworld Miniatures on 26Sep and haven't seen or heard anything about that order either. Hasslefree apparently have their own issues, but they did send me a dispatch email; maybe they tried to send something (in which case the tracking info would be vital). Seems an awfully big coincidence, or a run of really terrible luck.
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I've still been sending an email each week without response. But I got their email advertising the Black Friday sale, so obviously they're up and running, taking and (presumably) filling orders, etc. So strange. I'm coming up on 90 days since the orders were placed so I guess I'm going to have to look in to "reversing the charges" or whatever you call it with the credit card company.
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I suggest moving out of the Bermuda Triangle. o_o
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I'm coming up on 90 days since the orders were placed so I guess I'm going to have to look in to "reversing the charges" or whatever you call it with the credit card company.
I did exactly that with PayPal, which has not yet made a decision one way or another (there is a 10 day waiting period where the seller can contact PayPal and buyer to sort things out).
In over 15 years of online purchasing, I remember having to do this same PayPal process (or was it eBay process?) once earlier to get money back. Seller would not send the product and by looking online at public information I could see there were others with the same problem, so it was a bit similar case there. There have been a plenty of cases with seller/company mistakenly sending to me wrong stuff, or one missing/broken piece amongst countless other items. In all those cases one simple email message, written in polite language, was all that was needed to have the missing or broken pieces replaced.
Edit: to get one's money back, either by credit card company or PayPal, it's important to remember the timeframe! Often there are rules that put last possible date on the reclaim, after which the payment processor won't consider the complaint.
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If they respond to the credit card company's inquiries that would be major progress!
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I ordered some figures during their haloween sale, so fingers crossed they get here. Their last newsletter said they were nearly caught up with the backlog, so I should be okay.
I think one of their newsletters said something about them getting some more help in the warehouse, so hopefully they'll get sorted out.
Not replying to emails, or even to paypal refund requests, however, is still concerning...
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Got email from PayPal about the official complaint, telling me they had made a decision to my benefit. The reason? The company concerned did not respond to PayPal's request for more information! I find that both humorous and sad at the same time...
Now, this closes the final chapter of The Great Hassle Saga of 2018 on my part. With great feeling of solidarity, I wish luck for all folks who still need to receive either the orders or the monies!
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Calling themselves Hasslefree is a disingenuous giving their appalling customer service. They really ought to get their act sorted out, as I have lost all faith in them. >:(
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I checked with my credit card company, looked silly when they couldn't find the charges; turns out I used Paypal (it's under Black and White Games, not Hasslefree) and their dispute resolution window is apparently 180 days so I have a bit more time. I still want the goods! But can't afford to blow that much scratch if nothing changes.
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I changed the title of the main thread to be inclusive of all those still having problems. My recommendation is to proceed, despite me being one of the few, lucky ones who actually got their stuff.
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There's a number of figs I'd like to order but this thread does not inspire confidence.
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To give more general context, all non-UK people be sure to read this (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/20/complaints-disappearing-parcels-double-royal-mail/), this (https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1008056/royal-mail-complaints-lost-post-compensation) and this (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4803868/First-class-cheek-Royal-Mail-sells-items-lost-post.html) news. To my knowledge, if in general there are any problems amongst customers or consumers, only a small part of the concerned will dare to make any kind of official complaints. Methinks the real number of lost mail is way above the one reported in the news (like: millions, not just thousands).
Britons may already know those news, but I as foreigner had no idea of any of this when I made the orders. The reason I found these news today is that I just noticed I have a new case of a UK parcel missing (anyone seen Heroquest plastic skeletons lately...?) - yet all the time US, German and even Italian parcels arrive just fine. Which suggests to me the problems to be in the UK end of logistics and not elsewhere.
I wonder if this massive change in logistical trustworthyness is so new situation, that the sellers have not yet realised it or recognised the underlying pattern. When they should simply refuse to ship parcels withouth tracking code and signature requirement, they think incorrectly these all dripping problem cases to be random MIAs or cases of an odd dishonest customers. Thus kinda allowing them in their own minds to weather this all off by just stonewalling the customer complaints. Just compare my case above to this similar case here (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=112638.30).
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Well! That's some bad news which is good to know.
Perhaps the issue isn't Canada Post after all (or at least, not so much), considering how many minis orders come from the UK.
With the increased volume of internet commerce and decreased wages for most folks (and in the UK's case, the plunging Pound), no doubt sticky-fingered or simply lazy posties are becoming an issue in many countries where the post used to be considered inassailably reliable.
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True, MrsCub has now lost three parcels in a row she sent from a single local Post Office. One issue might be that actual Royal Mail Post Offices are pretty rare now and most are run as franchises in other shops. It seems their professionalism may not be all it should be.
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Royal mail are very much no better than any other parcel service in the UK now it seems.
We recently lost our local in shop post office counter - they decided to transfer it to another near-ish shop as the old one refused to run reduced post services from an open counter.
Royal mail said services were not less, they were reducing costs and re-organizing the services so they could be run from ordinary shop counters rather than the "old" dedicated enclosed ones.
When challenged with the shorter list of services, they still insisted it was just the same.
grrr...
Now if i post any packages, down to the village or town centre and queue at real one..and its usually got to be signed for option :(
I understand increased volume increase the risk of loss, and traditionally they used to be very good at finding the "rogue" posties, but the losses as such seem to be the system rather than the people -
but that aside I best go look up some of these auctions see what they have available and if they can deliver...
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I won't comment on HF, as we seem to have moved away from that at the moment.
Postal service wise - and in general this time of year. As you can expect there is normally an upturn in demand on most services for the Christmas period in the UK, and even more so now that you have Black Friday sales which is something that has only really taken off here in recent years.
Traditionally this extra demand results in companies employing temporary staff to meet the demand over this period (this was how I was initially employed for my 2nd ever job aged 16).
In recent years, this has also seen issues with various postal services as the temps made errors or tried to take short cuts, or generally were just not up to the job. I believe there were some reports of theft even. Now, this is not common place.
Much of the issues in regards to international parcels are that it isn't with a single courier. It can involve two or more couriers. And this tends to increase the risk of loss. Tracking services seem to be less reliable doing this and traditionally, there have been more losses in some countries than others.
If you look around, you can tend to spot these as some companies will not ship to Italy for example.
Now, there is an issue here. Not ALL of this is down to postal issues. Some of it is because people are claiming they didn't get their parcel, when they did. And often, the system will fall in their favour. Again, I am not saying this is common place either. But imagine you, as a small business, have not only sent a lot of product but have also paid expensive shipping that you then have to either refund or send out again. Now imagine that this has happened several times a year.
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This article breaks things down a bit better: https://www.consultancy.uk/news/18390/royal-mail-struggles-to-reduce-customer-complaints-post-privatisation (https://www.consultancy.uk/news/18390/royal-mail-struggles-to-reduce-customer-complaints-post-privatisation)
I would like to know if the numbers relate to Uk-only mail or if it includes international too. I don’t think anyone here is making ‘Denial of Receipt’ claims (different from ‘lost’).
Missing parcels are part of running an online business. It’s remarkably rare, but you answer your emails, replace the package and move on.
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.........but you answer your emails, replace the package and move on.
.......and fill in the Post Office claims form and hopefully, in the fullness of time, you’ll get some of your money back.....I think it’s worth the effort.
Doug
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Yeah, I would hazard a guess that those are postal items that only use Royal Mail.
Hard to include others when they can go missing in transit before they enter the country, or sometimes never materialise from customs.
Though I guess it could include parcels officially received from external couriers once they have passed customs etc.
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Not really. If an international parcel goes missing I still claim with Royal Mail.
Edit: Ah wait I see what you mean. No, the Royal Mail numbers are for items sent via RM, not inbound items. I was wondering if they included items sent from UK to abroad.
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Wow, this thread really took off while I was gone. This is fascinating info, and it lends credence to my recent suspicion about not getting that ebay order from the UK before my present issue with Hasslefree. I used to order from UK all the time and never had trouble but as of right now I've received none of the orders I placed with three merchants recently (though the gentleman at Otherworld Miniatures did finally email me back saying he's a little behind schedule). I went ahead and placed Paypal disputes with HF so I don't end up losing $450. Please know however, Mr. Reynolds, if you happen to read this that I would love for your company to make a profit while I would love to take ownership of some sexy miniature ladies, if we can just get to the bottom of this...
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For a bit of context of the numbers in the article I linked above, Royal Mail handled 11.1 billion letters in 2017/18 and 2.4 billion parcels and received just over 1 million complaints. The increase in Denial of Receipt is worrying, but Lost items did decrease. The likelihood of suffering a lost item is still very, very low. That doesn't make it any less annoying when it does happen, and a lack of response from the retailer is always unacceptable.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/128268/Annual-monitoring-update-postal-market-2017-18.pdf (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/128268/Annual-monitoring-update-postal-market-2017-18.pdf)
It would be a shame if a thread about the performance of one retailer led to a decrease in confidence in the UK mini industry in general.
(This pdf also answered my query about international items as International Loss was included in the numbers for the first time, at 2.1% of complaints)
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I wouldn't mind seeing a comparison to those stats for other nations postal systems. I'd put money on some of them being as bad if not worse . . .
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Yeah, true as well. As much as there has been a rise in these lost items, it's still a rare occurrence.
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Of the thousands I send out a year, an incredibly small amount go missing. About 2 this year (which I replaced of course). A few more went missing but came back due to customer error (put in old address etc). Actual awol parcels is so low to not even worry about in terms of it being a thing.
I didn't want to wade in either but as Andrew said, the thread was going a bit "don't order from the UK" scary, and we're actually fine. Please keep buying stuff!
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I buy from the UK all the time (actually, almost all of my minis and 'physical' games purchases), and and AFAIR only once had a delivery fail (over 10 years ago, I think). It was replaced by the sender.
So, yes, no big issues, as far as I can tell.
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Me also. I think I've only had the 1 fail, maybe 2. Saying that twice this year (last 2 months actually) things have gone slightly wrong but that was this end, once delivered to the wrong address (got it), once mishandled in customs (nothing missing or damaged though).
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On a good note, my stuff from Otherworld Miniatures showed up today and it's gorgeous!
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Not so good news: I sent messages to Hasslefree through PayPal on the 5th and haven't heard anything, so I guess this weekend I'll elevate it to a "dispute" or whatever it's called.
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I had reason to contact them because of an overdue order last week (it turns out I should have checked the website first, which explained the problem ;D)
I emailed bwartemis@gmail.com and got a reply within 48 hours, so it's worth a try. They have mentioned that their spam filters seem over-zealous, but I used my gmail address and didn't have any problems.
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That's what's so bizarre. I've emailed bwartemis and the other Hasslefree email addresses ("orders" and "admin") seven times from my own gmail address, plus the messages through Paypal. No response.
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That's what's so bizarre. I've emailed bwartemis and the other Hasslefree email addresses ("orders" and "admin") seven times from my own gmail address, plus the messages through Paypal. No response.
Ditto. They really ought to get this mess sorted out. I've been waiting three months for a single figure. To say I'm disgusted with Hasslefree is an understatement!
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Glad I found this forum thread.
I ordered some of the winter mini kickstarter, and earlier in the year got an email asking which minis I wanted. I duly responded and then days later got the same queries again. I replied again: repeat process six or eight times till eventually I gave up. Clearly their system wasn't working, but I had many other things to paint.
Fast forward several months and now I actually need the minis I wanted, so I emailed them with the problem. No reply after a week, so tried again, and then today spotted this thread.
Historically I'd had no problem with HF, which is why I trusted a kickstarter. But reading all this, the situation is that I won't order anything again until they respond and I'm satisfied I'll get decent customer service.
The only recent time I've had an issue with another company was when I thought I was a mini short from Annie at Bad Squiddo: I wasn't - the mini had kamikaze dived into my waste bin when I opened the packet. But Annie had responded on the same day if I recall - that is good customer service, from a similarly small company.
But HF are going to lose customers hand over fist if this isn't resolved.
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I placed a dispute with Paypal and Dameon (bwartemis@gmail.com) emailed me within a couple a hours. We have been emailing back and forth over the last several days. Basically, the orders weren't shipped and can't be before the Paypal dispute timer counts down (due to the holiday) so we're trying to come to some agreement. I will provide a summary once everything is resolved.
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I placed a dispute with Paypal and Dameon (bwartemis@gmail.com) emailed me within a couple a hours. We have been emailing back and forth over the last several days. Basically, the orders weren't shipped and can't be before the Paypal dispute timer counts down (due to the holiday) so we're trying to come to some agreement. I will provide a summary once everything is resolved.
Well that's something at least.
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"so we're trying to come to some agreement."
.
How about: if you just send me my models and you can keep the money? :D
But seriously, I don't understand the problems they seem to have. Lack of funds? Sickness? To big a workload?
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I'd be all "Tell it to Paypal"... it's passing odd that the only e-mail to apparently get read is the notice of a dispute.
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I’d be very cautious over any agreement that reduces your rights - goods ordered, paid for and not shipped and you only get attention when PayPal are involved. I’d stick with the PayPal route.
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Just sharing for those not on fb or looking:
Sally here:
2018 was a horrendous year and we are honestly trying to get it all sorted. We were getting on top of things until July when my adopted dad was diagnosed with 5 types of terminal cancer, he died on Remembrance Sunday. The funeral was in December.
I haven’t been online for work, I very rarely check emails and Dameon has simply been snowed under. I am aware that this has upset a lot of people but it was not something I planned for and to be honest not something that I am dealing with very efficiently, most days I still cry.
Please accept my apology for this.
Yes there is still a backlog.
Yes we are still trying to get the bottom of why Kickstarter orders are still missing.
Yes the email communication is still sporadic.
Yes you have the right to be frustrated.
Currently we have one person trying to do the job of two whilst also clearing up the mess left by an ex-employee things aren’t going to be rectified easily.
I cant apologise enough and sending me abusive emails and messages will not get your order issues sorted any quicker. I don’t know what else I can say except I am as frustrated with the slow progress as you are. I have never wanted the old HF back as much as I do now and wish we had never run the KS :(
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Paypal refunded my money but, as mentioned before, I know they're in a bad way (as evinced by Sally's message) and I'd still like to support their work and get the goods. So Dameon and I are discussing regenerating my order, possibly at a discount reflecting the holidays sales through which I sat on the sidelines over the last few months while things were in limbo.
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It seems to be a real crap shoot, I had an email from them on November 22nd saying my order had been shipped and I received my order on December 17th. Given that I am in Canada and mail is slow in getting here in the best of times, and that we had rotating postal strikes, the shipment time was quite reasonable.
In fact I made 8 orders from 8 different companies in the UK in November, 6 made it in around 3 weeks, Hasslefree around 4 weeks, and 1 order took almost 5 weeks (but Christmas holidays had an impact)
My longest delay, oddly, was my one order from the US ordered Nov 26th arrived today Jan 2nd.
Sorry to hear about your issues with HF, but good to see Paypal complaint resolution system worked for you.
It is also one of the reasons I use them, fingers crossed I never have to test out the system myself.
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Just another facebook update. I'll try to share these as soon as I can after some of you said you don't to facebook, I have made hasslefree aware of this thread too, tbh I had done that a while ago but did so again recently:
Sally here:
We have tried to be honest about the delays and explaining them to those who ask however we are still getting messages from people who have not read the updates.
So to clarify.
HF is still closed for the Xmas/New Year break.
Dameon is trying to catch up on emails during this time and is prioritising KS and other long-standing issues.
I am monitoring anything that I can answer on the HF page. Auto-reply is turned off so that we can see messages as they come in. Please be aware that I am spending a lot of time with the children who are still upset with the loss of their grandad so time online is limited.
Any queries regarding mini release dates/progress of orders etc can only be dealt with by Dameon, not me.
Today I am afraid to say that for the first time in the entire 15 year history of HF I blocked someone from the page due to rudeness, not about a missing order but an enquiry that came in over Christmas that did not receive an immediate reply. Generally I am patient and have always tried my best to uphold ‘the customer is always right’ but today I let myself down. I am only human, I do not have the gift of hindsight and I am trying my hardest. That is all that I can do.
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Sorry if you are getting a bit bored of this now but once more, doing it because some folks said they didn't have facebook or see why they would have to look there etc for updates. Today's is:
Hasslefree Minis
1 hr
Sally here:
Have just spoken to Dameon checking on progress and got this reply 🙂
“Couple of days maybe on the backlog. End of week at latest. That includes checking through the ks stuff. Not yet, spent the day on orders, having food then doing comp stuff. Mother was fine today, so that'll help.”
Thankyou all for your patience. He will be checking through online messages later tonight 🙂
In the meantime here’s something Kev has been working on today 🙂
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49676495_2273491459349785_831675036245950464_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=112d3149c8e0d9b83d514fc6ea351269&oe=5CD12847)
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Thanks for those posts, mcfonz.
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Just an added comment to this thread...
I have posted in the past about my good (great?) service last Fall, so much so that I quickly placed another order during their Halloween (?) sale. All this was during their 'bad' period. I can honestly say that I have zero issues with them. The second order was actually shipped during the 'no ship' period they mentioned in the sale, and I received it in a normal time frame from UK to US.
While I appreciate the noting of failed orders, I feel it's equally important to make note of positive dealings in hopes future buyers don't focus solely on the negative.
Thanks for putting any FB comments on here as it's nice to see their side. I hope they get whatever unpleasantness sorted, but I will not hesitate to order again.
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Just an added comment to this thread...
I have posted in the past about my good (great?) service last Fall, so much so that I quickly placed another order during their Halloween (?) sale. All this was during their 'bad' period. I can honestly say that I have zero issues with them. The second order was actually shipped during the 'no ship' period they mentioned in the sale, and I received it in a normal time frame from UK to US.
While I appreciate the noting of failed orders, I feel it's equally important to make note of positive dealings in hopes future buyers don't focus solely on the negative.
Thanks for putting any FB comments on here as it's nice to see their side. I hope they get whatever unpleasantness sorted, but I will not hesitate to order again.
I'm in total agreement. A good company with good people trying to do their best in difficult situations. My last few orders have been flawless.
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I must admit I've never had any problem with them ever, and having met them at Salute think of them as friendly folk. I know how irritating a delay on an order can be but I'd not consider for a moment that HF wouldn't come through eventually. Given the quality of their range, let's be honest Kev White is very likely the best sci-fi sculptor on the planet, it's worth waiting I think.
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It is good the hasslefree responses were posted.
The biased bashing and constant stream of entitlement were getting cringy.
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No. That’s not what’s happened here.
Drive by fans describing legitimate complaints as a ‘constant stream of entitlement*' helps no one, least of all Hasslefree or any business in the same position. It just antagonises people and escalates things.
* Edited for autocorrect mistake!
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No. That’s not what’s happened here.
Drive by fans describing legitimate complaints as a ‘constant stream of entertainment' helps no one, least of all Hasslefree or any business in the same position. It just antagonises people and escalates things.
Yeah, but its kind of what happened here. Maybe not that extreme but somewhere in the middle. First of all I think you're misquoting, it was "Constant stream of entitlement." People have come to expect instant gratification. "I want it and I want it now." "I want answers and I want them now." So a company like Hasslefree, known for excellent service for years, has a few major bumps in the road. Staffing problems. Surgeries. Hospital visits. Freak weather occurrences. The orders pile up. And all of a sudden a certain element of the population starts loudly demanding their stuff. They want it, they want it now. And even though communication from the company has been pretty clear and decent they start emailing, constantly. And then they complain that their emails aren't being replied to, and their angst is heightened even further. But we know that distribution at Hasslefree is a one man operation. Time is precious. So time that could be used filling orders is spent fielding emails from the angsty ones and the process gets even more backed up.
The moral of the story is settle down. Wait patiently and things will go back to normal. Keep on raging and it causes further delays.
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Well said Chairface.
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Yeah, but its kind of what happened here. Maybe not that extreme but somewhere in the middle. First of all I think you're misquoting, it was "Constant stream of entitlement." People have come to expect instant gratification. "I want it and I want it now." "I want answers and I want them now." So a company like Hasslefree, known for excellent service for years, has a few major bumps in the road. Staffing problems. Surgeries. Hospital visits. Freak weather occurrences. The orders pile up. And all of a sudden a certain element of the population starts loudly demanding their stuff. They want it, they want it now. And even though communication from the company has been pretty clear and decent they start emailing, constantly. And then they complain that their emails aren't being replied to, and their angst is heightened even further. But we know that distribution at Hasslefree is a one man operation. Time is precious. So time that could be used filling orders is spent fielding emails from the angsty ones and the process gets even more backed up.
The moral of the story is settle down. Wait patiently and things will go back to normal. Keep on raging and it causes further delays.
You would have a point if it wasn't for the fact that they were still accepting orders and taking people's money.
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@Chairface: Bloody autocorrect! lol
I don't agree on the helpfulness of criticising and projecting characterisations onto those who have a complaint, either in James' post or your own, but I'll let it there. :)
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You would have a point if it wasn't for the fact that they were still accepting orders and taking people's money.
How very dare they continue to be a business........... ::)
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How very dare they continue to be a business........... ::)
They would have still been a business had they stopped taking orders and allowed themselves to catch up, the only difference is they'd have a lot more goodwill. ;)
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That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.
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That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.
No?
Perhaps you'd care to tell that to the successful several business owners here on LAF who've had to do such a thing on occasion? That they're stupid for taking a bit of time to catch up when needed?
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That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.
Really? Have you actually read this thread?
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I'll just point out that there is a company that does stop taking orders when they need to catch up, and they are criticized for doing so, I wont name them as I dont feel the need for such things.
so Damned if you do and damned if you dont I guess :?
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Chairface is bang on the money.
In this instance, the thread was started by someone who hadn't even placed an order. But who wanted responses to their emails so thought an inflammatory post here would be the best way to go about it.
Eventually they actually put in the order and low and behold - they received it.
This actually belittles not only the company at question but those that have genuinely had issues with delayed orders.
I have challenged some stuff that was posted before because it was verging, if not, libelous. I have suggested to some Mods that they may want to check with Northstar, who now own the forum, how close to the bone they would like people on a forum linked to their name to be able to go? It could be argued that they are enabling libelous statements to become popular belief.
Personally, I think not getting email responses is not reason enough to justifiably start a thread bemoaning a company. It is disingenuous.
I can tell you as someone that helps organise a show and who organises participation games for clubs at other shows. If I were to start a thread for every occasion I don't get a response in a timely fashion I would be pretty much occupying this part of the forum all by myself. That is companies and shows big and small. Equally, if I were to have such a high expectation then perhaps I wouldn't even put myself in the position to be doing it. I mean, I have a Product Design degree from a University of Art. I studied for four years alongside artists, sculptors, design managers etc. I also know that many, many artists, like companies in our hobby, are just themselves and they don't always have time to respond until they sit down for a cuppa with their laptop at home after a couple of days. If you don't know that about the industry behind this hobby then perhaps get to know it a bit better and the people behind it.
Take a look at the thread created by the guy who is starting a gaming club at his school and watch how many companies, no matter how small, pass things his way. The vast majority of these people are top notch. You would share time over a drink with (whether that be tea/coffee/booze). Many have stories you would love to hear, many of them are willing tellers. This isn't an industry of faceless fast food.
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The first post in the thread:
Been trying to communicate with Hasslefree for a bit now, given them lots of time to respond; in the past, they’ve been excellent - have they become a problem company?
Note: my order was resolved, but there are literally pages of issues from others.
Is that what you’re really describing in this way:
In this instance, the thread was started by someone who hadn't even placed an order. But who wanted responses to their emails so thought an inflammatory post here would be the best way to go about it.
Unless something was edited out or I’ve missed something in a later post, I really don’t see how you could know what Grant was thinking. :?
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The original post has most definitely been edited as it was far more descriptive. I will concede that maybe 'inflammatory' is a bit strong of a word possibly for this instance.
But also, you have to ask yourself what a thread, started on a forum that a company may not even be aware of or frequent, will achieve? I would have understood if the original post was asking about alternative contacts or if there was anyone else who could relay a message in case their emails were going to the spam folder, like another chap has posted re - Gripping Beast.
Not only that, but there have been a number of threads recently that you couldn't really miss and that, IMHO, should have been merged.
As I said before. If I even started a nice, 'haven't heard back from them in a couple of days' thread in every instance that it occurred, I'd be here a very long time.
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Grant DID place an order though, edits or no.
Regardless, I wouldn't hang too much on the OP. Note that the fourth post in this thread is a moderator linking another thread regarding the same issue as it was a recurring problem.
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Grant DID place an order though, edits or no.
Regardless, I wouldn't hang too much on the OP. Note that the fourth post in this thread is a moderator linking another thread regarding the same issue as it was a recurring problem.
Yeah, none of that adds to anything not already covered though.
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How very dare they continue to be a business........... ::)
They should stop if they’re that far behind.
It’s shit to do otherwise. Be honest with yourself about it.
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Perhaps there's some confusion between "temporary hiatus" and "permanent closure".
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Hasslefree Minis
10 February at 22:27 ·
Sally here:
Thankyou to everyone who has communicated with me over the weekend. All issues have been collated and sent over to Dameon for him to look at this week.
Please make note of the office opening hours which are in GMT. This means that it might be mid afternoon where you are but midnight here so please be patient and allow up to 48 hours for a reply, as things get resolved we will obviously get this reply time back to usual efficiency.
I will touch base later in the week and fingers crossed x
Thanks again for your patience in what I know are frustrating circumstances for us all
Sally & Kev 🙂
PS: don’t forget Dameon who is actually working his hardest to get things back on track x
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/52335223_2330848130280784_7897680924395962368_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=7f87bdbd619b2ace75454caa94347b6e&oe=5CEF6115)
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I don't see this as an uncivilized thread. I think virtually everyone here, including the OP, are here because we really adore Hasslefree Miniatures. There is obviously concern for this small company that makes some of the most spectacular miniatures on earth. But there's also concern about already placed orders and concern about whether or not now is the best time to order.
The company gets to choose whether or not to suspend taking new orders or not, entirely the company's choice. And it's entirely our choice whether or not we take a chance and order now, hoping to add to our lead mountains, or whether we wait a while and see if Hasslefree gets caught up.
I've noticed that there's variation in how communicative via email miniatures companies and vendors are, ranging from no communication at all to rapid fire. Can't blame a little company like Hasslefree, especially when going through these current personal and family issues, from being toward the less communicative end. On Ebay this would really matter, as vendors get a rating for communication.
Personally, I haven't purchased any Hasslefree figures yet. I keep watching in the forlorn hope that Kev White will someday be interested in sculpting figures for early 20th Century Pulp. I'll probably be waiting a very long time... :(
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Has anyone ordered from HF recently, including during the Easter sale? Dameon, Sally, and I emailed back and forth a few times late last year and early this year about recreating my orders that never went out last fall but then Salute arrived and everything went radio-silence. I placed new orders during the weekend sale and actually received dispatch notification a couple of weeks ago. I know it's too soon to probably expect anything yet, but am wondering if anyone else has ordered anything and what turnaround times seem to be lately?
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My last order to them was on Saturday 16 March this year. It arrived on the 21st (yes, I do keep a note of when deliveries arrive ;D).
They do seem to be getting over a lot of the issues that plagued them last year, so you should be fine
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The 21st of May? So a couple of months? I would guess the Easter sale will push that out a bit, and my order was pretty big, so I'll give it time. Thanks.
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21st March, sorry, I should have made that clear. Ordered Saturday, they arrived the following Thursday :)
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Well, that's a bit of a difference! I guess it fluctuates pretty dramatically depending on circumstances. (I'm also guessing you live a little closer to them than I do.)
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Every order I've ever placed with them, 8 or 9 now, has come within a week.
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Very excited to receive two parcels of miniatures from UK today!
False alarms. North Star Figures and Mierce Minis.
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It's been over 5 weeks since I got the "dispatch" email. Starting to feel a bit like my last order.
One of the frustrations, I believe, for several people according to the Facebook threads is that there doesn't seem to be a tight correlation between the dispatch notice and when (or if) things actually ship. I got the email two or three weeks after my order last summer but then nothing ever went out. I hope I'm not in the same boat again.
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I just placed a small order to test the waters. I'll let you know how I fare.
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SO IT'S NOW BEEN OVER TEN WEEKS SINCE I PLACED MY ORDER AND...
it came today.
I won't lie, I was losing hope. Nearly a year since I first tried to purchase something... no replies to repeated emails... interminable, improbable waits after supposed dispatch... starting to wonder if the whole thing wasn't a front for drugs...
and, I have to admit: it's perfect. Fifty-six minis (plus a few extras) and not a single error or missing item. The quality is great. Even the candy was pretty tasty.
Coincidentally, I also received shipment notice & tracking info for my Brother Vinni and Otherworld Miniatures orders (both also over two months old now) a few days ago. So it looks like my transatlantic miniature purchasing saga is drawing to a close.
P.S. This is the first time I've seen real-live Hasslefree minis in person and... they're small. Like, 25mm, old Ral Partha small. I personally don't care about differences among product lines, but it shows that scale creep is legit. Either that or my aging eyes are making minis look smaller and smaller.
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Actually, in comparison to several other lines, the females at least are no so much short as they are more realistically proportioned, making them appear dainty. They're comparable in height to Oathmark, which are a bit short but bulky, i.e. "heroic." They appear lithe next to Reaper and more similar to Mierce or Fenryll. HF's "40 mm" Artemis is the same size as many Reaper females. The Hasslefree dudes are all rather diminutive but fit well with Ral Partha and Mierce. Like most minis they are borderline Lilliputian compared to current GW models.
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Not sure why I went on about that. This isn't a thread about Hasslefree model style. :)
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Hi there,
Just to add a more positive note to this thread I made a double order one on the 27th July and one on the 30th July and received both today on the 3rd August.
Not only did I get some nice sweets, I also got a free metal "not-Dutch" mini, so thank you, Sally, Kev and everyone else at HF, it was most appreciated. :D
I will be using the not-Dutch and Blaine figures for a Predator/Aliens mash-up I have been thinking off for a long while and the GI Alpha team will be for Hardwired/Combat Zone/Galactic Heroes etc, etc, etc......
Regards all
Glen
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Because I eventually got the goods, I placed another order (mostly duplicates of the stuff I really liked) on July 6 and it showed up July 29. So I'm 2 for 2 in the last few months! The Hasslefree Facebook page, however, is starting to melt down. Lots of disgruntled (or at least sub-optimally-gruntled) people airing their grievances on there now.
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I placed an order for some vikings Sept. 2, knowing it might be a long while to get them. I'll be sure to report back ;)
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" Until a few years ago HF ran like a well-oiled machine and then unpredictable circumstances literally made it stop. It was always a juggle for casting new releases versus restocks of older figures but mostly we coped.
The ‘emergency stop’ 2 years ago hit the organisation and routine very hard, before long we found ourselves struggling to keep on top of everything that needed doing. There are still a few unresolved issues from that time but mostly I am assured they are sorted.
At last it seems like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel, we have releases due soon, restocks of both minis and other resources coming through and soon we will be able to start the long-awaited ‘catch-up’ of unreleased figures that Kev has still been sculpting even through the ‘emergency stop’.
We really do appreciate the way you have supported us throughout this difficult time and thank you all so much for sticking with us.
I went to the resin casters today so decided to share a few pictures that show the scores of as yet unreleased figures that I hope will give you reassurance that we are finally (fingers crossed) getting there x"
via: https://www.facebook.com/HF.Minis.are.the.best/ (https://www.facebook.com/HF.Minis.are.the.best/)
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I'm not entirely sure why Hasslefree didn't bite the bullet and hire some part time staff to help them when the kickstarter caused everything to enter meltdown.
(ALthough I might add I got my kickstarter HF stuff very quickly with no hassle at all.)
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I'm not entirely sure why Hasslefree didn't bite the bullet and hire some part time staff to help them when the kickstarter caused everything to enter meltdown.
(ALthough I might add I got my kickstarter HF stuff very quickly with no hassle at all.)
Profit margins in the miniatures game are so fine. Chances are they couldn't afford to hire someone to help out.
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Well my order came in a few days ago, everything looks satisfactory. About three and a half weeks total, which is quick for Hasslefree. I think I have been ordering from them since 2004. Hoping they get back on their feet, they do have some truly great miniatures.
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Wasn't sure whether to post in this thread or start a new one, but Hasslefree won't be sending out any orders before 12th November, as they're having a holiday (I think, the newsletter is a bit vague).
On the bright side, they're having a 20% off sale during that time - use code HALLOWEEN2019 at the checkout.
I nearly ordered some things from them yesterday, but couldn't quite make up my mind what I wanted. Looks like my indecision has saved me 20% of the cost of whatever I finally decide to buy :D
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I've put this on another thread before I saw this.
As part of their Halloween offer last year I placed an order with Hasslefree. However, my order never materialized and all attempts to contact them via email, Facebook and phone went unanswered.
So over the festive period and as a last resort I opened a Paypal complaint against them. Sure enough that got their attention and I managed to get into an email conversation with Dameon Reynolds. Dameon managed to establish that their inventory system had me down as showing a previous order as being unfulfilled and as a result any new orders would not be processed. Dameon cleared the previous order (which I had received) out of their system so that my new order could be processed. But guess what, nothing received and all attempts at contact have gone unanswered again. I've tried the following email addresses - bwartemis@gmail.com, orders@hfminis.co.uk & admin@hasslefreeminiatures.co.uk. I've even contacted them through the Paypal resolution centre. Even tried through Twitter! No luck.
As it stands my Paypal complaint expires on the 23/01 and I hate to do this, but I'll be claiming for a refund on the 22nd if I don't hear anything back. So, my ask is if you know someone who works for Hasslefree or have a different way of contacting them, can you ask them about order 75767 please!
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As it stands my Paypal complaint expires on the 23/01 and I hate to do this, but I'll be claiming for a refund on the 22nd if I don't hear anything back. So, my ask is if you know someone who works for Hasslefree or have a different way of contacting them, can you ask them about order 75767 please!
Which, is what you should do.
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Which, is what you should do.
Yup. Flexibility and understanding always makes any sort of communication/transaction run more smoothly, but at the end of the day it's your money and you shouldn't be shouldering any responsibility for a company's problems. Sounds like you've been very reasonable and patient and they haven't resolved the issue in time.
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After being in a similar situation about 18 months ago and forcing a refund through PayPal dispute, I've had several orders fulfilled in a reasonable timeframe. Then I placed a big order in October 2019 and have seen/heard nothing. I'll wait until almost 6 months then again dispute through PayPal if nothing arrives. After several orders with "Hasslefree," I've learned a few cardinal rules:
1. You will PROBABLY get your order. Eventually. Sometimes quickly.
2. They will NOT communicate with you 99% of the time (short of Paypal refund requests). It almost seems like a source of perverse pride for them to refuse to respond.
3. There is absolutely NO relationship between when their website says an order is complete, when you receive a shipment notice, and when the goods go out. From my own experience, orders flip to complete right away but may not ship, you might get a shipment notice but nothing goes out, and you may receive the goods but never get a ship notice. It's not unheard of to get a shipment notice AFTER you receive the merch.
4. If your merch does not show up within 6 months you should take the PayPal refund and move on. Or try again later, if you want to try your luck. If the goods don't arrive and you don't force the refund at 6 months, you can get stuck in the above pattern for 1-2 years.
5. Order accuracy, when it does arrive, tends to be excellent. I've have multiple delayed orders, consisting of 50+ total minis, consolidated into one eventual shipment with no errors.
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Try posting to their Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/HF.Minis.are.the.best
Also there's also an update there from Kev that Sally (who handles all their orders - Kev hasn't touched that side of the business in years) is out again because she fell and cracked several vertebrae in her upper back in January (yikes). There was also an update from Sally mentioning she's trying to get their kids to help out.
This was only a month or two after they had finally managed to catch up after being two years behind, so to anyone without any knowledge of this it just appears as if they're just permanently unreliable (well, for the last two and a half years). When in actual fact they seem to be cursed with health disasters, combined with a distribution system which is a one-person point of failure.
One is tempted to wonder if they'd be better off selling the distribution rights to someone else at this point, like Mark Copplestone has, but this was suggested and turned down during the previous disaster chain, so it's possible that Kev, Sally, and Dameon only feel they can stay solvent if they aren't sharing revenue with another party? I recall they hired help a while ago, but it was unsustainable? It's further back in the thread somewhere if you want the actual details. But I suppose it's probably not for me to infer too much.
Either way this lack of failsafe redundancy is murdering them (let's hope not literally).
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Try posting to their Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/HF.Minis.are.the.bes
In my post I did say that I'd tried contacting them via Facebook. In fact I got my partner to message them as I don't do Facebook. She's had no reply either.
I'm aware that they've suffered various medical ailments recently, hence why I tried to contact them before going the Paypal route.
Anyway, I've now escalated it via Paypal, so I'll wait to see their response.
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I got a ship notice for my October stuff today. Which (not to be too cheeky, but...) means the goods might be in the mailbox at home today or may show up in April.
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How long does it normally take for hassle free U.K. to get back in stock of products. 3 figures I want have been out of stock for 2 months now.
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Seems to vary greatly. I received my mail notice for my November order on January 8th, it shipped on the 9th and arrived today the 22. It would appear they were able to catch up on shipping after Christmas. Never did get an answer to my December email. No idea what portion of my order held it up or if they just didn't get to it.
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I got a ship notice for my October stuff today. Which (not to be too cheeky, but...) means the goods might be in the mailbox at home today or may show up in April.
So four months to fulfil - there might be hope for my order then!
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How long does it normally take for hassle free U.K. to get back in stock of products. 3 figures I want have been out of stock for 2 months now.
Varies for different items. Some of the big sellers (I assume) like Boudi, Alicia, Libby reappear within days while some out of stock models just seem to be permanently gone.
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In my post I did say that I'd tried contacting them via Facebook. In fact I got my partner to message them as I don't do Facebook. She's had no reply either.
I'm aware that they've suffered various medical ailments recently, hence why I tried to contact them before going the Paypal route.
Anyway, I've now escalated it via Paypal, so I'll wait to see their response.
Just heard from Paypal and they've not been able to get a response from Hasslefree, so they've refunded my payment.
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Just heard from Paypal and they've not been able to get a response from Hasslefree, so they've refunded my payment.
I will need to do the same, unfortunately.
Ordered items back in October, asked for status in november 2019 and again in january 2020. I could not get a straight answer whether the items I ordered were shipped or if if they would refund me since the order was no longer interesting to me. Have not heard from them since they saw my latest message on facebook january 20 2020 without replying. This was the last time I order HF minis straight from their shop.....
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I just looked on their shop front and there's a message from 14 January
I am out of the office/off work until Thursday the 16th. Unavoidable sorry.
Remember if our @hfminis email isn't working for you, please try bwartemis at gmail dot com
Arty.
That is 12 days ago, but perhaps he got delayed. Having said that, I'm holding off on ordering anything just now, as it seems riskier than it should be :(
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They must be in a bad way if they're not responding to PayPal disputes. When I had the same issue in 2018 they ignored evey email for 3+ months but responded within an hour to the refund request through PayPal.
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They must be in a bad way if they're not responding to PayPal disputes. When I had the same issue in 2018 they ignored evey email for 3+ months but responded within an hour to the refund request through PayPal.
I've been thinking a wee nit about this.
I might be wrong but I get the feeling from a few former posts that they're going through some really rough stuff. If that's the case I would urge folk to act with due diligence in terms of the money they have payed but also to try to give Hasslefree a chance, which to be fair, you have all done.
I guess what I'm saying is that as far as I know, Hasslefree are not Black Tree who deliberately flout moral and probably legal codes of conduct.
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They must be in a bad way if they're not responding to PayPal disputes. When I had the same issue in 2018 they ignored evey email for 3+ months but responded within an hour to the refund request through PayPal.
They initially responded when I raised the Paypal dispute. They then ignored every email I sent them and ignored messages sent through the Paypal Resolution Center. I can only assume they ignored Paypal too as Paypal said "we were unable to obtain additional information" from them in the resolution email I received.
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I've been thinking a wee nit about this.
I might be wrong but I get the feeling from a few former posts that they're going through some really rough stuff. If that's the case I would urge folk to act with due diligence in terms of the money they have payed but also to try to give Hasslefree a chance, which to be fair, you have all done.
I guess what I'm saying is that as far as I know, Hasslefree are not Black Tree who deliberately flout moral and probably legal codes of conduct.
I know Hasslefree have had numerous medical problems and that's why I gave them 3 months before contacting Paypal. It wouldn't be so annoying if they didn't ignore emails or Facebook messages. I'm doubly sad because in the past they've been a great trader and provide great figures. Guess I'll pick up what I want from them at a show.
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I know Hasslefree have had numerous medical problems and that's why I gave them 3 months before contacting Paypal. It wouldn't be so annoying if they didn't ignore emails or Facebook messages. I'm doubly sad because in the past they've been a great trader and provide great figures. Guess I'll pick up what I want from them at a show.
I quite agree with you. I was just trying to elucidate that when real life (possibly major) issues come up it's very difficult to concentrate on things that aren't immediately important. I realise you're aware of this and I would have ended up going the PP Dispute route too.
I do feel for them though as it is clearly not a deliberate tactic like that of Black Tree.
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Other than Hasslefree themselves, are there any other traders that sell their figures?
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Other than Hasslefree themselves, are there any other traders that sell their figures?
I really don't know, though I would expect so(?). Maybe the traders will be having the same trouble as mail order customers ???
Good luck with it all.
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I got my (smaller) order from October 5th today. Still waiting on the (much bigger) order from October 26th.
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I got my (smaller) order from October 5th today. Still waiting on the (much bigger) order from October 26th.
Part of me feels I should have waited another month now, but then I also feel that 4 months is long enough to fulfil an order!
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Never wrong to pull out after that long, especially without communication. No way of knowing what's going to happen a month later! If you feel lucky you can always wait for a sale and try again. Even after receiving the one order I'm apprehensive about getting the bigger one; usually if you place more than one order within a free weeks they consolidate them. The fact that I got the smaller one alone makes me worry about getting the other one.
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Sigh. Ordered in Oct and didn't expect to hear from them until after the holidays. Pleasantly surprised by a Jan. 6 announcement of Despatch . That was 4 weeks ago...Sigh.
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My Oct 26 order showed up today! I haven't gone through it with a fine-toothed comb but it appears to be fine. I never received any ship notice for this one.
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My Oct 26 order showed up today! I haven't gone through it with a fine-toothed comb but it appears to be fine. I never received any ship notice for this one.
Congrats on getting your order!
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On a positive note: my january 29th order arrived within a week from the UK to the NLs.
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Aaaaaand..... I got the dispatch notice today (for the order that arrived last Saturday). :)
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Still battling with my PayPal claim. Made a claim and it went unanswered for nearly 2 weeks. When I escalated Dameon contacted me over email stating I had not replied to Hasslefrees latest email to me regarding whether I wanted minis or refund.
Told them I wanted minis if they could confirm shipment this monday, otherwise a refund. 2 emails later I have yet to receive a reply from Hasslefree. I guess I will get a refund through Paypal in the end because this is ridiculous.... :?
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FYI, they sent out an email newsletter yesterday at 03:17. In a nutshell, they’ve been affected by the flooding in the U.K. and can’t get to the post office. It will probably take a day or two for the flood waters to recede.
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Well I emailed them twice this weekend, last email was on Sunday. No reply whether they will actually ship my order from october or refund the money. ::)
As for any kind of information regarding potential flooding in the UK, I also did not receive the newsletter about it, and for some unknown reason they did not post that information on their website (might be of interest to customers ??)...
According to my paypal resolution centre the seller has until the 23rd of this month to reply to paypal. Whatever happens I am done with this company. It reminds me of a 1+ yaer long nightmare with a Black Tree Design order made many years ago which also had the same problems with communication and lacking delivery. It's a god damn shame since they were an affordable source of Red Box Games miniatures
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Customer service has become a chronic problem since Sally stopped doing it. At least in this case they have an excuse as South Wales does resemble Atlantis at the moment.
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Got my refund with the help of Paypal as the seller didn't reply back to them... thus ends this sad chapter of purchasing minis from Hasslefree. Damn shame.
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Another update from Artemis, still flooded and another storm on the way :(
This is a Re-Send. Mostly because it's 'still' happening and happening again right as I type with out third named storm in a row. There's been no chance of the rivers going back dowen, clean up has been a nightmare due to the continuing weather and so delays are everywhere. The Post Office we use has been severely affected and restocks, and other supplies, in and out of the warehouse have been affected.
Basically things are chaotic and delayed. It's still just me so I am doing my best to let individual people know things but it's far more timesaving to send out newsletters / mass emails and hope people read them :)
Again, I am safe and the warehouse is fine *touch wood* but delays are inevitable. I'll be posting another newsletter on the weekend though with something more positive!
Arty.
This is his local bowling club, about 10 minutes away from him
(https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/hzcGN2Jysd7s0slO6Q1btToUpL1pYhzdF1JsPAeD8qxntGGrhWErKsOfZSYSG5gJxL9uMs13FDcyoQzT72RkkM3Hrmmkq6Lhg1TBVVJkr00bdkjIS9T4fU3QHw8TJpRP_tjK=s0-d-e1-ft#http://i4.cmail19.com/ei/y/42/1EB/00B/csimport/0_South-Wales-Flooding.030558.jpg)
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My sympathies to them and their neighbors. But if you aren't getting deliveries, and can't post, maybe you could sit down in front of a keyboard and answer all your email. :-X
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Just seen the email about the 'Flash Birthday Sale'. Do I risk it?
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You will get your stuff.
Eventually.
Just don't expect your emails to be answered.
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I ordered and was no problem at all got mine in 3 days . Were all only human.
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I ordered and was no problem at all got mine in 3 days . Were all only human.
When did you order? The reason I'm reluctant to order is an order placed last October never got fulfilled and I had to resort to a Paypal to get my money back.
If things have improved since then, then I'll consider an order.
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I have now received my order and everything is as expected.
I placed the order Nov. 10th. I received a despatch notice 57 days later. This was about what I anticipated. I was, along with others, placing a large order just before the holidays to take advantage of their sale prices. Casting resin cannot be hurried and their handcrafted product is outstanding and cannot be substituted for. So they can proceed at their chosen pace.
However, it is poor by industry standards. In November I ordered from Brother Vinni and they took 27 days to fulfill it and delivered it in 33 days. In December, Raging Heroes processed my order in 1 day and I received it in 10 days.
At this point Dameon suffered an injury and in the process a bin of parcels was misplaced. After 3 weeks I inquired, and after 4 I again inquired using all the e-mail addresses I could find. Dameon immediately responded and promised it look into it right away. That was the first and last personal email I received. About a week later I received a second despatch notice, 37 days since the first, and an explanation of the mislaid parcels.
Then Wales flooded and 30 days later I received my third despatch notice. The package arrived ten days later or 134 days after ordering it.
Both these delays were unavoidable, but the length of time is unconvincing and the service can only be described as poor. I would order from them again, but is Hasslefree a hassle? Oh yeah.
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I placed another (mid-sized) order on the 16th of this month (with the sale) and got "despatch" notice on the 25th. The combination of back injury, biblical flooding, and viral pandemic appears to have made them faster than ever!
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I got this order yesterday, so about 2 weeks total from order date. Pretty surprising!
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I know, I know. The topic has been done to death.
Seriously though, has anyone else in the States experienced some major delays in shipping from them? I know when I order that it'll take a few months, but this last one is a doozy. I bought about 60 USD worth of stuff in the first week of April, and haven't seen hide nor hair of it. No shipping notification, and no response to my three emails. I was definitely charged for it.
Anyone else having similar issues with them?
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I know, I know. The topic has been done to death.
Seems like you were forewarned then?
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Not sure it's much help, but the latest newsletter on their website may give you some things to try. I haven't ordered from them in a while, so not sure if the extreme delay in your order is common.
Good luck :)
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I've been very tempted by Hasslefree in the past. But the figures don't quite fit into my usual focus of the 50 years or so from about 1895 to 1945 (for colonial and Pulp). Eventually I might buy a few of the Viking types, but will wait until the business is rolling out orders.
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Earlier this year my brother ordered from them, emailed all the various emails they have and had no response, he contacted them on fb and again no response, eventually he put in a Paypal claim and got a full refund. At no point did he get a reply nor did PayPal when the claim went in.
It seems like extreme delays and empty apologies are very common.
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I love their sculpts but their service can be rather slow. They do seem to have a lot of health issues which can really derail a small company. My last order was 2+ months (November to January). They don't tell you when you order something out of stock that they are waiting to be cast - you just wait. Even given Covid impact on delays yours seems a bit too long. Good luck
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From things I have seen posted lately they do not seem to be a company you should be dealing with right now.
Hope you will get your stuff I know how frustrating that can be.
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Last I've heard the recent orders seem to be fine, but some of those placed at the start of this year were still not fulfilled.
They are not sending regular mail until the 9th of November due to covid restrictions (Wales isn't great at the moment...), but they are apparently sending some long-delayed orders out right now anyway.
From their newsletter:
However, there are also some outstanding issues awaiting either the supply chain to catch up or another fix of some kind. I will be contacting you within the next 24hrs about these.
If you do not get that contact from me, please email me on the below address. Mark it 'Urgent', as we consider any outstanding issues at this point of highest priority.
In fact, If you have any issues, no matter how old or how small, please email me on bwartemis@gmail.com
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I'm really not trying to be facetious but has anyone picked up on the "Hasslefree" thing yet? ;) :)
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I'm really not trying to be facetious but has anyone picked up on the "Hasslefree" thing yet? ;) :)
Of course but we were being ironic not mentioning it ;) :D
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Of course but we were being ironic not mentioning it ;) :D
I'll get me coat.... lol
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I'll get me coat.... lol
lol no need you are amongst friends here :D
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Some mixed news on this front. I looked them up on Facebook, sent a message, and got one back requesting me to forward an email to them. Nothing since then, so who knows?
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Some mixed news on this front. I looked them up on Facebook, sent a message, and got one back requesting me to forward an email to them. Nothing since then, so who knows?
lol
So you contact them on Facebook about not getting any reply to emails and....... they tell you to send an email.......
??? ??? ???
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Personally I never had any issue with orders. Even whilst others were complaining about months long delays, my orders arrived almost immediately.
I can only guess that it is a bit of a matter of chance when an order arrives. This really is a pity, as their product is absolutely EXCELLENT and they seem very nice people. I sincerely do wish them luck and hope that everything will get in order.
If I were them I probably would have tried to outsource much of the business and logistics stuff and focus on getting great products done (much like the Copplestone and Northstar model) but I don't know whether such an approach is economically viable or attractive to them.
Anyway, excuse the ramble. I hope you get your order soon!
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Personally I never had any issue with orders. Even whilst others were complaining about months long delays, my orders arrived almost immediately.
I can only guess that it is a bit of a matter of chance when an order arrives. This really is a pity, as their product is absolutely EXCELLENT and they seem very nice people. I sincerely do wish them luck and hope that everything will get in order.
If I were them I probably would have tried to outsource much of the business and logistics stuff and focus on getting great products done (much like the Copplestone and Northstar model) but I don't know whether such an approach is economically viable or attractive to them.
Anyway, excuse the ramble. I hope you get your order soon!
Where do you live? I just wanted t ask, because it could be country dependent. I also love they miniatures, but read a lot of complaints about their delivery, and so had no courage to order anything...
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No problem! I live in Germany.
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No problem! I live in Germany.
Then I maybe have a good chance in Austria too.
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Way back last year I placed an order with "GreatHassle" miniatures. Part of it was delivered - I had ordered duplicate figures for conversions but only one arrived. Despite fortnightly emails requesting that the order be fulfilled - no answer. Then a "newsletter" arrived full of nonsense and empty promises.
A bit of a web search has revealed that this is normal for this outfit. I was going to say "cowboy outfit" but that would appear to be high praise.
They have nice figures on the website but since I cannot buy them what actually is the point?
Anyway, I will not buy from them in future I'll either do without or wait until the figure(s) appear here or on ebay. At least that way I am confident that I will actually get them.
I do not do FaceBook.
EDIT - I should have said that the emails are sent to all 4 addresses; bwartemis@gmail.com, orders@artemisblacks.com, orders@hfminis.co.uk, info@hfminis.co.uk
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the two times I've ordered from hasslefree they arrived fine in a few days, in what was apparently one of their busy periods - But I was only a city away so for all i know they just dropped them off during their commute.
I certainly don't think they're a cowboy operation - it's most likely that they are slightly too popular for their own good and need someone to come in for a week and audit and reorganize their stock, get them up to speed on deliveries and just generally do the boring bits.
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They certainly act like a cowboy organisation. Every news letter describes a torrent of issues they have been having whilst rolling out a brand new sale leaving past customers waiting in the lurch. If this was any other industry I’m certain people wouldn’t be this tolerant.
A sane organisation would have one email address and not request you to email various people/emails separatist or DM on fb for resolution.
Reminds me very much of Black Tree back in the day.
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They certainly act like a cowboy organisation. Every news letter describes a torrent of issues they have been having whilst rolling out a brand new sale leaving past customers waiting in the lurch. If this was any other industry I’m certain people wouldn’t be this tolerant.
A sane organisation would have one email address and not request you to email various people/emails separatist or DM on fb for resolution.
Reminds me very much of Black Tree back in the day.
I can only speak for my own experience but in the last 2 months I’ve made 3 orders, each received promptly enough.
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I can only speak for my own experience but in the last 2 months I’ve made 3 orders, each received promptly enough.
Sorry but you are missing my point. I did receive most of my order. The problem lies in the inability first of all to get it right (forgivable) but the unwillingness to correct the mistake is unforgivable.
It demonstrates a disregard for their customers, inefficiency and appalling attitude.
The impression I have is of a company that simply does not care and so long as wargamers tolerate it they will not change.
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They certainly act like a cowboy organisation. Every news letter describes a torrent of issues they have been having whilst rolling out a brand new sale leaving past customers waiting in the lurch. If this was any other industry I’m certain people wouldn’t be this tolerant.
It’s a real shame. Kev White is undoubtedly a very talented sculptor and Hasslefree used to be rightly famous for their customer service.
Hasslefree seem to have a run of very bad luck which is regrettable. However, how long do you keep trying to play catch up before you decide that your model’s not working and you need to do things a different way?
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Sorry but you are missing my point. I did receive most of my order. The problem lies in the inability first of all to get it right (forgivable) but the unwillingness to correct the mistake is unforgivable.
It demonstrates a disregard for their customers, inefficiency and appalling attitude.
The impression I have is of a company that simply does not care and so long as wargamers tolerate it they will not change.
A misunderstanding I think as I was actually replying to Mr.J’s post, thus the quotation. :) I’m not at all doubting your’s or Mr J’s experiences and understand the frustration as stated. I would not be at all satisfied if I had experienced what you have experienced. I’m not defending or otherwise speaking for Hasslefree, merely communicating my own experience, which in recent months has been good. That is all. :)
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They certainly act like a cowboy organisation. Every news letter describes a torrent of issues they have been having whilst rolling out a brand new sale leaving past customers waiting in the lurch. If this was any other industry I’m certain people wouldn’t be this tolerant.
Of course, describing a torrent of issues that explain the current state of things is also what a very transparent company would do to inform their customers. Thing is, they've built up a decent reputation in the past, so explanations can be taken at face value rather than as bad excuses for poor service. The fact that they are sending and delivering products helps too of course, they're not (all) empty promises. I'm not looking to defend their bad moments and can't criticize the way things have been handled without knowing their organizational state, but they largely come across as well-meaning people who are genuinely trying to get back on track from having been overwhelmed in the past (backlogs, personal issues and unforeseen circumstances), which is a difficult cycle to escape from. Things seem to be getting better, but I'm not sure if they're good yet (I can only speak for my own order late last year that was indeed free of hassle).
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They have always resolved my issues and eventually delivered what I ordered. That said I would never order something from them I needed asap. They have had a lot of personal issues which can be hard on a small family company. Hopefully that subsides and they return to previous form soon or maybe use some one like NorthStar to distribute in the future.
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It has been 10 weeks, 12 unanswered emails, 4 unanswered phone calls and still nothing. Yet I have had 2 "newsletters" which included information about ne releases, that winter is cold, COVID is affecting them and they are working from home. These factors affect lots of companies. Are they seriously wanting us to believe that they have inadequate heating, inadequate planning and operate unsafely (the heater allegedly went on fire) and so it is OK to ignore customer relations? They are certainly imaginative, perhaps the next excuse will be that they have had an alien invasion? Sorry it sounds like it is all made up to hide inefficiency and fool the gullible.
Yet they say that they can release new stuff but cannot deal with their customers so cold, fires, COVID, Brexit etc do not seem to affect that. A real cowboy outfit that does not care.
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I'm only at five weeks from order but still being ignored.
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Earlier this year my brother ordered from them, emailed all the various emails they have and had no response, he contacted them on fb and again no response, eventually he put in a Paypal claim and got a full refund. At no point did he get a reply nor did PayPal when the claim went in.
It seems like extreme delays and empty apologies are very common.
I had the same experience and suggest the PayPal claim refunding method for everyone with similar issues. Having had positive experiences with HF ~10 years earlier, I was naive and even went so far as to send at my own cost a paper letter abroad to their address in UK to explain the issues, but to no avail.
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Do they sell directly from existing stock or do they only carry limited stock and cast on order the rest of the needed stuff. If so, that could be an explanation. No excuse though...
As with Black Tree, I'd prefer to pick it up at retailers of on shows rather than order it from themselves but as we have no shows currently... :?
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They don't cast themselves, but do carry quite a bit of stock. Their website will show an item as out of stock and I don't think you can even order it in that case (never tried).
I've never had any great problems with them, but I have to admit that the current posts here are concerning. I have been tempted by their Viking dwarfs, but I'm going to hold off just now. There's no rush for the figures, so I'll give them some more time to settle.
Like everyone else, they've been fighting the pandemic, got hit hard by storms and the recent winter blast, so hopefully the spring will let them get sorted. It is the risk with single person companies (at least in terms of distribution), where there is a single point of failure.
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Just had a look on Trustpilot and out of 18 reviews 10 give 1 star (some have given zero if that had been an option). This is a company that has 56% negative and has not responded to negative reviews for over 12 months. https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.hfminis.co.uk (https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.hfminis.co.uk)
The problems of no communication, missing figures/orders, appalling customer service date back years not just this year. Covid and winter weather may be getting used as excuses but it is a long term issue that has not been addressed. A reputable company would be doing something about it.
I wish I had read them before ordering.
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Yes Covid/winter is just the most recent excuse after a number of others than span several years.
If you check their fb page out you will find lots of comments demonstrating the long delays and lack of/poor comms.
It really is a shame as they have some gorgeous minis, of which I have quite a few, but I wouldn’t touch them at this point.
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I hate to be a Moaning Myrmidon/Mitrailleuse/Mamluk but here's my recent tale with them:
* Ordered three minis on December 4th 2020
* Got three minis... but one of them was wrong. Contacted HF, got a response on Jan 15th - "Good morning, sorry I only just saw this. Please accept my apologies for the error, I will copy this over to Dameon to resolve for you."
* Not hearing anything after this, I email again and get a response on Feb 1st - "Hi Robert has this arrived now?" (it had not)
* I email back, and several times again - the order has taken so long to arrive I have in fact moved in this time to another part of the UK, which I informed HF of (when Goblin Games had to delay a shipment I let them know about the move and those guys were brilliant, updated address no problem!)
* I last contacted HF on 3rd March and mentioned I may have to launch a financial dispute. I'd love to support an independent but this is *ridiculous*. I am happy to delay getting some minis as like everyone I've got a lead pile, I have heard nothing from them for over a month now.
* I have also tried calling the number on their website, as well as contacting them via Facebook. I really wish I'd paid attention when someone mentioned HF had a reputation for poor service - and have since found this thread, as well as the following:
- http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?66710
- https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/hasslefreeminiatures.co.uk
- https://uk.trustpilot.com/evaluate/www.hfminis.co.uk
All I wanted was a cool space dwarf! But hey, at least it was a good lesson in always research who you're buying from I guess
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(when Goblin Games had to delay a shipment I let them know about the move and those guys were brilliant, updated address no problem!)
Unrelated but Goblin games are great. I ordered some stuff from them that their site said would take two weeks - it arrived 3 days later and they still apologized for the delay.
I used to order from them when i was working at dark sphere because I didn't want to give DS any of my own pay! lol
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For myself I have never had a problem with Hasslefree even last year.
But I feel sorry for all of those who have had or are having problems.
In the past Hasslefree was indeed Hasslefree, shame that is not always the case :(
Good luck everyone with your outstanding orders
Glen
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Newsletter this morning:
Slight Delays at Hasslefree HQ
Hello Everyone
Just a quick announcement to let people know we currently have slight delays. A combo of a few annoying things in a row.
First up, I was sick for a few days, nothing too serious but enough to be off work. Second up was the first day back at work saw me spend half the working day trying to fix a problem with our software caused by a Windows Security Update (a known issue online, but didn't help solving it). And then lastly ...
Slight Disaster
I came home from work this past week to find water coming through my living room ceiling.
A valve had broken near the boiler upstairs, and it has proven a nightmare to get fixed. I've had to macgyver some plastic bottles from the valve to buckets etc to stop thewater further damaging the living room ceiling and other things.
It's pain of an issue as the valve is behind the boiler and very difficult to reach, a plumber has semi fixed it but a real fix isn't happening until tomorrow.
This means I haven't been able to get to the warehouse, as the macgyvered fix could go wrong at any time and a new flood start (or the semi fix could come undone). I've had to be here to keep an eye on it.
What Does This Mean?
Other than the 'slight delays', not a lot. I haven't been able to answer some people questions etc because the answer is at the warehouse, so also some delays in communication.
We should be back to normal this week.
Other News
One of our metal casters is off sick, this delayed pre orders from last week to next week.
So 'please' check if your order has a pre order in it before emailing about it. A lot of people don't seem to have noticed this and I have spent a lot of my work time letting people know that they have ordered a pre order (Which is why we don't normally do them :) ).
Almost all orders should be caught up with this coming week ( couple of the pre orders are from a different caster, and I don't have a firm date on those yet).
And if you are after an answer about an order, please use BWARTEMIS at GMAIL dot COM.
That's it! I hope anyway ...
Arty.
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I'm only at five weeks from order but still being ignored.
Three weeks later and still being ignored. One last attempt and then paypal dispute.
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On 2 March after 11 weeks of unanswered phone calls, ignored emails and intervention by others on my behalf I received this email:
Shipping Despatch Notification
We are pleased to say your order has been despatched and will be on its way to you.
As is typical nothing has arrived. The "despatch" comes after the Ice Age and predates the latest Biblical excuse so should not have been affected. Plagues and Floods this time so a delay of 40 days and 40 nights and my figures ending up in the Mountains of Ararat? Maybe soon the Taff will run with blood, or a plague of frogs or locusts?
I have emailed them again today. Considering Advertising Standards (email and phone contacts are false) maybe Trading Standards (theft of money, breach of H&S law, breach of contract).
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Another newsletter this morning...
Slight Delays at Hasslefree HQ
Hello Everyone
Just a quick announcement to let people know we currently still have slight delays. We were hoping to be back to normal this week but sadly I have been in hospital.
I picked up another infection in my face, I have had tests and they are fairly confident it isn't my TN back but I am still in a lot of pain and there is no easy solution due to covid restrictions limiting oral surgeries under sedation.
I'm hoping to get some kind of surgery this week. It's not life threatening, just incredibly painful.
What Does This Mean?
Other than the 'slight delays', not a lot. I still haven't been able to answer some people questions etc because the answer is at the warehouse, so also some delays in communication.
We have got in some emergency help to limit the delays and make sure regular orders are going through.
Our metal caster is back from his sick leave so we have had in a huge restock which should cover all 'pre orders' and the temp help will make sure they are going out.
Just a little more patience required and we should be back to schedule again, we have had to scrap March's releases obviously so we'll just skip a month and release again later this month.
Other News
'Please' check if your order has a pre order in it before emailing about it. A lot of people don't seem to have noticed this and I have spent a lot of my non-sick work time letting people know that they have ordered a pre order (Which is why we don't normally do them :) ).
And if you are after an answer about an order, please use BWARTEMIS at GMAIL dot COM and give me a little more time to get to them, I am staying away from the ocmputer during painkiller hours so people don't get weird replies ;)
That's it! I hope anyway, next newsletter had better have some good news in it!
Arty.
Just for anyone awaiting an order/response.
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A real cowboy outfit that does not care.
I'm sure they care at some level but in my experience most miniature companies are slow and few are honest when it comes to what is in stock.
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Three weeks later and still being ignored. One last attempt and then paypal dispute.
Now they're ignoring the paypal case.
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Some mixed news on this front. I looked them up on Facebook, sent a message, and got one back requesting me to forward an email to them. Nothing since then, so who knows?
So an update. Nothing happened. Over a year after my order, I still have no minis, and no responses to emails and messages on FB.
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I have used all 4 of their email addresses and their phone number. Yesterday I sent them this, it is not a threat but a promise.
To bwartemis, Hasslefree Miniatures Website, HF Minis Crew, info@hfminis.co.uk
You may ignore this as usual but if you do be aware that on 1 May I will lodge a complaint with Advertising Standards Authority and your local Trading Standards unless you respond and complete my order.
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Now they're ignoring the paypal case.
Not surprised, they ignored my Paypal dispute when I raised one last year. There is hope, it only took 10 days for Paypal to make a ruling in my favour.
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Now they're ignoring the paypal case.
Still no response to paypal.
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I have used all 4 of their email addresses and their phone number. Yesterday I sent them this, it is not a threat but a promise.
To bwartemis, Hasslefree Miniatures Website, HF Minis Crew, info@hfminis.co.uk
You may ignore this as usual but if you do be aware that on 1 May I will lodge a complaint with Advertising Standards Authority and your local Trading Standards unless you respond and complete my order.
Complaints now submitted. The ASA process was remarkably easy.
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Newsletter dropped today, further admin issues:
Just keeping you guys up to date on the issues here at HF.
Both 'admins' i.e. the two of us who answer FB and emails etc are down right now. We#re both being a bit screwed by the end of the covid issues. Sal's operation was cancelled due to admin issues and she is currently in alot of pain due to complications with her meds and I am still awaiting surgery and spend some days high as a kite.
Please don't ask Kev about order issues, he literally will have no ability to answer as he doesn't do admin and he's in a different country to the warehouse. We will be back on top of it as soon as our bodies let us :)
What Does This Mean?
Admin is screwed at the moment, I am adjusting meds and should be fine this coming week to catch up a fair bit.
Actual orders, those not requiring admin assistance like pre orders or those with questions/requests etc., are going out fine as we have temp help in to sort that. So 90% of business is going smoothly.
However, as a bunch of you probably found out, the admin side is experiencing delays. A bunch of people would have received their orders before their despatch emails and that kind of things.
It did have a couple of real effects. First, some resin delay, as I left a resin order open on my computer without pressing send for days while pretty high on pain meds. And second a couple of errors/delays with pre order items, I'm listing those below ..
Pre Order Issues
The biggest one is Post Apoc Gang, that needed a complete remould, which is currently underway. Shouldn't take too long.
The others, which are all currently being sorted are ...
40mm Artemis (metal)
Dwarves w Spears
Titania
Elite Vince
Maybe a couple of others, I will update on the front of the website tomorrow when I double check.
All are being resolved, resins shoudl all be fixed this week (might be a slight delay with Oakley), metals are in poroduction and waiting on an ETA.
Please' check if your order has a pre order in it before emailing about it. A lot of people don't seem to have noticed this and I have spent a lot of my non-sick work time letting people know that they have ordered a pre order (Which is why we don't normally do them :) ).
And if you are after an answer about an order, please use BWARTEMIS at GMAIL dot COM and give me a little more time to get to them, I am staying away from the computer during painkiller hours so people don't get weird replies ;)
That's it! Apologies we had a bump in the new schedule, we are awaiting my surgery and the above to be fixed before getting back on metal releases but they are coming back asap. We appreciate your patience as always :)
Arty.
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I saw this same message posted on another forum. Seeing it here again got me thinking.
I do wonder why companies that get into such troubles persist in trying to make their business model work. Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
IMHO Hasslefree are great at sculpting miniatures, they're some of the best figures out there. Even if they're not your period or scale I think most gamers would agree the figures are of a very high standard.
Clearly they're not so good on the production and order fulfilment part of things - so why not outsource that? Outsourcing costs can be recouped through wage/rent savings and offset by using the time freed up from production to create more sculpts. I'm not saying that would be an easy option, or an easy choice (especially where friendships and family are involved) but sometimes in business you have to make some tough decsions.
Personally, I think if Kev had a reliable production capability that could get his sculpts to market and fulfil orders in a timely manner, then Hasslefree could indeed live up to their name.
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I love their sculpts, want to buy a lot of them, but Im always scared off...
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Paratrooper,
Yes I agree completely, I used Hasslefree extensively over the years and I have lots of their minis, but I agree the past few years has seen the delivery side go down the poop shute a bit, although I have not had this misfortune myself.
I think they should do what Copplestone did and outsource the stock/delivery side etc to something like Northstar, job done ;)
Glen
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Can't respond to emails, can't respond to paypal cases. I love the miniatures but using Artemis Black as a fulfilment system has destroyed the business for me. You can't get the minis and if there's a problem you are completely ignored.
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I think they should do what Copplestone did and outsource the stock/delivery side etc to something like Northstar, job done ;)
Exactly my thought, that would allow Kev to concentrate on sculpting and leverage the benefits of an existing, proven, manufacturing and distribution operation.
I can't see the business decision around struggling on with the current setup which is plagued with problems, as Arty keeps confirming with every 'update' he sends out.
There are clearly lots of people out there who want the Hasslefree product, but they're not prepared to go through the Hassleprone(TM) process to get it. If I were a gambling man I'd bet that if they found a production partner with a good reputation there would be plenty of orders.
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Can't respond to emails, can't respond to paypal cases. I love the miniatures but using Artemis Black as a fulfilment system has destroyed the business for me. You can't get the minis and if there's a problem you are completely ignored.
I rest my case . . .
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I think they should do what Copplestone did and outsource the stock/delivery side etc to something like Northstar, job done ;)
I was thinking the same thing - although I think at this point that would damage hasslefree since it very much seems to be a family business, in the sense that the family all work there. they could probably do with a couple of very boring administrative types to go in and just reset the entire thing over a few weeks so they can start fresh without a lingering chaos of unfinished orders and problems.
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They've been this way a few years now. Issue after issue and the owners appear to bury their heads in the sand and try to trade out of it rather than, for instance, taking on a loan and getting in a business consultant to fix it.
I assume it's pride... what other reason could there be for allowing one's business to hit this sort of state?
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Perhaps things aren't as Black and White as they first appear ;)
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Another newsletter landed today:
Delays Almost Over!
Hello Everyone
Some Good News! Covid restrictions are easing and so delays are coming to an end. I am also back to work full time, I do still need a surgery but that, when it happens, will only take me out for a few days. Part of the covid restrictions easing means the Post Office is back open full time and we will find it easier to get help at the warehouse.
What Does This Mean?
Admin issues will be caught up this week, back messages and emails etc. There's a stack of despatch notifications ready to go out over the next 24 hours for orders already fixed.
This means those of you awaiting a reply to a question should be getting one shortly. If you don't get one my mid week feel free to resend and bump it up, especially if it's important or time sensitive.
Our release schedule will be back this month, and we have metal moulds in production again. So just a shortish glitch in our return to normal service :)
Pre Order Issues
The biggest one is Post Apoc Gang, that needed a complete remould, which is currently underway. Shouldn't take too long.
The others, which are all also currently being sorted are ...
40mm Artemis (metal)
Artemis
Dwarves w Spears
Titania
Elite Vince
Resin Master - Oakley
Please' check if your order has a pre order in it before emailing about it. A lot of people don't seem to have noticed this and I have spent a lot of my non-sick work time letting people know that they have ordered a pre order (Which is why we don't normally do them :) ).
And if you are after an answer about an order, please use BWARTEMIS at GMAIL dot COM and give me a little more time to get to them, I am staying away from the computer during painkiller hours so people don't get weird replies ;)
That's it! Apologies we had a bump in the new schedule, we are awaiting my surgery and the above to be fixed before getting back on metal releases but they are coming back asap. We appreciate your patience as always :)
Arty.
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Still no response to paypal.
Did you ever get a response?
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Did you ever get a response?
Just a refund from Paypal. No contact from Hasslefree at all.
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Ignoring paypal disputes is quite serious too. How many marks do you get against your paypal account from unresolved non-responsive disputes before they seize and shut down your paypal?
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I don't want to play devils advocate here but I have ordered from Hasslefree quite a few times and have never had a bad experience. I do live in Australia though and am quite used to waiting a while for anything from overseas but all my Hasslefree orders have arrived in a normal amount of time and with no issues. It's quite worrying to see so many people have the opposite experience as they make some great mini's.
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Still no response to my emails after 8 months - paypal have now issued refund. Case now with Trading Standards and Advertising Standards.
I agree that they have nice figures but if they are unwilling to communicate and actually getting the figures is a gamble I will not order again. I now watch for second hand ones on the internet as I more likely to receive what I order.
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See they're advertising another sale. Although it's 20% off, I won't be tempted.
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This is just getting weird.
To advertise a Sale when they aren't meeting run of the mill orders is paramount to Black Tree Designs behaviour!
Having said that, Black Tree have been up to those sorts of shenanigans for years and I don't know what the real world situation is for Hasslefree.
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I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve made 2 ‘run of the mill’ orders in the last 6 weeks or so and both arrived promptly.
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I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve made 2 ‘run of the mill’ orders in the last 6 weeks or so and both arrived promptly.
If they get it right they're fine. If there are problems you are just completely ignored.
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Their latest newsletter is available here (https://email.acid-product.co.uk/t/y-064C6C5CE5DD92AF2540EF23F30FEDED). The p.s. is definitely worth a read, as they have had their woes.
2. We're very up to date on new orders, we're very up to date on restocking and we're almost there on comms. Emails (to our gmail account) are good, FB is next to catch up.
So up to date on new orders, may not so much on some older ones ???
I'm not looking for anything from them at the moment, so my fingers are crossed they are indeed over their recent troubles. However, I'll give it a couple of months before testing the waters again.
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I'm excited that they're getting some of those exciting greens into production finally. :) Will be making an order soon!
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If they get it right they're fine. If there are problems you are just completely ignored.
I did have a mis-pack with the first order, had an email exchange, and then the right pack plus freebies were included with my second order. I was very happy. :)
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I did have a mis-pack with the first order, had an email exchange, and then the right pack plus freebies were included with my second order. I was very happy. :)
IIRC ten emails each to three different email addresses plus a paypal case. Not a peep out of them.
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Just over a week ago I sent the routine email to Hasslefree and I got a reply! You could have knocked me down with a feather! It said that the issue had been resolved and figures were on their way.
I was amazed today to find a package awaiting me from Black and White Games - what could it be? It contained the missing figures AND some freebies! Not sure that I have recovered from the shock yet.
I hope that this is continued in the future.
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Ordered: 25th June
[during a SALE, knowing that no order would be completed until after July 1st]
Items Received: 14th July.
Both miniatures correct and perfect.
Didn't receive any email telling me that the order had been shipped / posted - do Hasslefree do such as this? Not that that bothered me.
I'm a UK customer, should this info be useful to know.
Both miniatures were/are still in stock. Were/are -n't pre-orders.
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If I had seen this thread before...
I discovered Hasselfree Minis and said "Wow, what wonderful minis" and "they have a very performing shipping service"...
The same day (13th of July) made a small order of 6 minis with tracked shipping...
Fortunately with PayPal...
Status order said "complete" , but I received no notification and no answer to 2 emails sent after I read these things...
I'll wait the 21 days as indicated in their site and after I'll open my claim.
It's so sad to see such beautiful minis treated this way.
Davide
P. S. It would be nice to know if someone outside UK had ever received minis from them... Thanks!
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From what I've read of Hasslefree on these threads, I get the feeling that they don't seem to have the same deliberate problems as say Black Tree, who have been operating like that for probably two decades.
Am I right or am I reading too much into things?
Note, I'm not condoning the late or none deliveries of goods.
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Their latest newsletter is out, but not on their website yet.
In summary, it's very hot in Wales (met office official warning hot), so he's had to evacuate the warehouse. They're also waiting on a huge metal order, although it's nearly there.
It may go some way towards explaining the delay.
They do seem to be trying, but I haven't risked anything for a while :(
edited to remove the link, which as Silent Invader kindly pointed out, was tailored to my email address.
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It certainly does sound like a strange explanation...... obviously I don't know one way or the other.
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Update from my original post.
Ordered: 25th June
[during a SALE, knowing that no order would be completed until after July 1st]
Items Received: 14th July.
Both miniatures correct and perfect.
Didn't receive any email telling me that the order had been shipped / posted - do Hasslefree do such as this? Not that that bothered me.
I'm a UK customer, should this info be useful to know.
Both miniatures were/are still in stock. Were/are -n't pre-orders.
I received an email, yesterday, regarding this order. (I've blanked out the last two digits of my order number)
Hasslefree Miniatures - Shipping Despatch Notification 824## Monday, Aug 2, 12.22 PM
Hasslefree Miniatures Website <orders@hfminis.co.uk>
to me
Hasslefree Miniatures
Unit 21 Greenway Workshops
Bedwas House Ind. Estate
Bedwas, Caerphilly
CF83 8HW
Shipping Despatch Notification - Order 824##
We are pleased to say your order has been despatched and will be on its way to you.
If you have any queries regarding this email, please email orders@hfminis.co.uk
So to answer my earlier query. Yes, Hasslefree do send out despatch emails.
Okay, it has been 20 days since the order has been received but, this email could have been useful should the parcel have gone missing and I needed to sort such an issue out.
Hope this information helps people.
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I received the tracking number too 2 days ago. Now the packet is blocked at customs in Italy... I hate Brexit >:(
Sincerely bothers to me very much if I have to write 5 emails (last threatening a claim with PayPal) before receiving an answer.
The minis were actually shipped the 16th of July, but it's clearly stated that the tracking number would be given asap... Great stuff, no professionalism...
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no professionalism...
I think this is possibly the nub of the gist. You get someone starting a business fuelled by the passion of the hobby, but without the business skills to put a reliable system in place to deal with problems. It's fine when the business is small and you can personally deal with each issue, but when it grows and the numbers get to the level when you need properly trained staff with clear remits, unresolved issues can snowball alarmingly and become major problems. It seems like money needs to be spent on hiring professional people to keep things running. If the sales are too large to keep on top of, but there's not enough money to hire staff, then there's a problem somewhere with profit margins and keeping track of the finance.
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I think this is possibly the nub of the gist. You get someone starting a business fuelled by the passion of the hobby, but without the business skills to put a reliable system in place to deal with problems. It's fine when the business is small and you can personally deal with each issue, but when it grows and the numbers get to the level when you need properly trained staff with clear remits, unresolved issues can snowball alarmingly and become major problems. It seems like money needs to be spent on hiring professional people to keep things running. If the sales are too large to keep on top of, but there's not enough money to hire staff, then there's a problem somewhere with profit margins and keeping track of the finance.
I have had no dealings with Hasslefree but I get the impression that Cubs has hit the nail on the head.
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Their latest newsletter mentions that they are thinking about running a very quick kickstarter in a few weeks.
Some of the figures look nice, but it's going to be a difficult decision on whether or not to take the risk...
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Their latest newsletter mentions that they are thinking about running a very quick kickstarter in a few weeks.
Some of the figures look nice, but it's going to be a difficult decision on whether or not to take the risk...
If there is doubt as to whether I would receive my order within a reasonable time/at all, I personally would not take the risk.
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I think this is possibly the nub of the gist. You get someone starting a business fuelled by the passion of the hobby, but without the business skills to put a reliable system in place to deal with problems. It's fine when the business is small and you can personally deal with each issue, but when it grows and the numbers get to the level when you need properly trained staff with clear remits, unresolved issues can snowball alarmingly and become major problems. It seems like money needs to be spent on hiring professional people to keep things running. If the sales are too large to keep on top of, but there's not enough money to hire staff, then there's a problem somewhere with profit margins and keeping track of the finance.
I'm amazed this car crash is still ongoing. Maybe they need to trim the fat and reclaim their business?
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I'm amazed this car crash is still ongoing. Maybe they need to trim the fat and reclaim their business?
I would say that is the best they could do.
I used to order from them once or twice a year fom here in Spain, and when it was just Kev and Sally, they really were hassle free, despite Sally's ongoing health problems.
However, I guess as they grew they couldn't cope, but it seems they made a poor choice of business partner.
Someone like Northstar would seem ideal.
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Someone like Northstar would seem ideal.
You're not wrong there.
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You're not wrong there.
Yup it`s been mentioned once or thrice at least before ;)
Very sad, my history with Hasslefree etc goes back to the good old Forum of Doom!
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Me too. I've not ordered in a good long time but when I did, things were always dispatched quickly without any issues (and with lollies)
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Yup it`s been mentioned once or thrice at least before ;)
Very sad, my history with Hasslefree etc goes back to the good old Forum of Doom!
What ever happened to FOD? It's still up, but it just sort of...died.
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What ever happened to FOD? It's still up, but it just sort of...died.
No idea really, and i think that's probably part of the problem really?
Glen
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What ever happened to FOD? It's still up, but it just sort of...died.
I was on there quite frequently. I kind of just dried up. Less and less posts per day until eventually nothing. I think part of it was because of Facebook and Instagram so previews etc got placed on social media rather than the forum so there was less and less to see and less reason to visit.
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Bit of an update on my own experience of recent service. I ordered on the 18/8, received a despatch notice on 23/8 and received the goods (UK) on 24/8.
FYI, I made 3 orders in 2020 and (so far) have made 4 in 2021. I haven’t had any significant issues with any of them. (One had a mispack quickly sorted, another was the result of me misunderstanding something, both put right)
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Here's my recent experience.
Order was for only one item, fair enough, but I did get a quick turn around in ordering and receiving my item.
Couple of years back I did have an experience of needing to cancel payment on my order, as I never heard anything back from them.
If I do continue to order from Black and White games, its still going to be for orders under or around the £10 price tag however. But that is due to my (probably, too) cautious nature.
Ordered: 22nd August 2021
Item: HFA135 Laurie In stock
Shipping Address: UK
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Shipping Despatch Notification email received: 23rd August 2021
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Item Arrived: 25th August 2021
Item: correct and in perfect condition.
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Hi guys,
my parcel has finally arrived after about 40 days, but this is fault of Fxxxxxx Brexit as 20% custom fees (in which this particular seller was a bit "helpful" differently from others).
"nice people, cool toys, great service" says the slogan on their box.
In my opinion they could write super cool toys. Jack Burton, Jena Plissken, the Major and Batou...
About nicece people I can't say much: they put in the box 2 candies?!?, but I never received a word from them except an impersonal email 20 days and 5 mine emails after.
So the customer service simply doesn't exist. But the packaging is good and as I knew after the packet was shipped in 3 days.
I love so much this stuff that I'll surely buy much more, but I will be cautious as Roy Williamson: small orders, no KS, and always paid with PayPal that will refund money if there are problems.
Davide
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Glad you got your stuff finally. Might want to check the sell by date on that Poppin candy etc before you eat it lol
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For sake of completeness :)
I, also, received the same items of food as D. Brownie. Though my popping candy was orange flavour.
Might want to check the sell by date on that Poppin candy etc before you eat it lol
Apr 2023 ;) for me.
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lol lol lol lol lol
Apr-23 me too, but I've not found a date for the other... ???
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Given the chemicals in some of those sweets, it's probably a week after the heat death of the Universe o_o
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Sending out candy with all orders has always been a nice little HF tradition.
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Ordered 8 packs of the fantasy dwarves on Thursday at 15:30 and they arrived on Saturday at 13:30, so 46 hours from order to arrival (all UK). Not bad at all…… :D 8)
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Same here for me, ordered on Monday,sitting on the doormat when I got bakc home on Friday - got the dispatch e-mail on the Sunday.
Even better, put an order in last Monday, forgot and put the same order in on Tuesday (bad day at work), then get an e-mail from Damien asking if I really wanted two of everything.
Spot on customer service that - how many companies woud even notice a duplicate order, never mind give me the option to change it?
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I ordered from Hasslefree on Sept. 11th. Received shipping notice on Sept 26th. Package arrived today on Sept 29th in Ontario, Canada with no issues. Couldn't be more pleased with their service. I am extremely pleased once again having ordered from them and received my order in a timely manner with no issues. Thank you Hasslefree!!
Regards,
Hitman
8)
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So they seem to be back on track. Good news :).
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So they seem to be back on track. Good news :).
My last order arrived in a couple of days.
So far I’ve made 7 orders in 2021 and tallying them up that’s 52 packs so far this year. Across that lot there was one mispack that was correctly (and generously) sorted. All were received timely, many within a few days.
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I have emailed them twice in the past month or so and they have not replied to me.
Granted is was an enquiry re: their stock of Gamezone miniatures but still......
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Atheling, I find many traders never seem to reply to e-mails. Very frustrating.
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I have emailed them twice in the past month or so and they have not replied to me.
Granted is was an enquiry re: their stock of Gamezone miniatures but still......
What address were you emailing? They have a problem with their spam filter
Edit: Have you seen the news on their website home page? The post of 26/9 specifically refers.
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What address were you emailing? They have a problem with their spam filter
Edit: Have you seen the news on their website home page? The post of 26/9 specifically refers.
orders@hfminis.co.uk
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orders@hfminis.co.uk
I suggest you use the email addy in the news post I mentioned above
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I suggest you use the email addy in the news post I mentioned above
I'll just leave it for now. I had a rumbling of wanted to do something WHFB again but it may have been a project too far.
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Time for my story now!
I placed an order in late november. For some weird reason the billing failed, I did again and it ended up billing me twice.
I wrote to the HF crew and after some weeks they said they had refunded me.
Long story short - I still have two un-refunded payments and i haven't seen a single miniature.
I filed for an "unautorhized payment" on one of the two and paypal denied it. I today filed for a "product not received" on the other, hoping at least to recover half of the money.
They're very nice people and in the few mails they replied to they were nice, but this is a bit ridicolous.
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On 23 December last year I received a "Shipping Despatch Notification" for an order. I was surprised. I had not ordered anything. Did not receive anything and my email not answered.
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Just posting their latest newsletter, make of it what you will
Allo Everyone
So just a short announcement/explanation of the recent silence from HF central.
I (Dameon) have been trying to play catchup. The problem is I am only 'very' slowly recovering from my ill health of the past years. My condition has been getting progressively worse, to the point where I've been worried about my position at HF on numerous occasions. I am constantly trying new management solutions, so my health has been up and down. Currently it's up *touch wood*
As is usual with these announcements, as this is far from the first, the majority won't even know there was a problem, 95% of orders go out as normal. We have cover in place for when I'm too sick which works just fine for everyday orders. The problem is that 5%, the 'issues'. When something has gone wrong with an order, the odd mispack, broken resin, lost in mail or a return (the latter two have gone up annoyingly since the EU import law changes). To those of you in this group, I once again apologise. I know how annoying it can be to feel ignored or forgotten, I can assure you we haven't done that and all issues 'will' be resolved.
Unfortunately, as you may have seen on Facebook, this last time has also coincided with the ill health of our resin caster. All resin has been temporarily removed from the site, they simply could not keep up. And just to be clear, this is not their fault, if anything our caster has probably worked well past the point he should have. It's just very bad timing/coincidence. I simply wasn't around to manage the situation as it worsened.
This has caused a few more issues than usual, hence the announcement you are reading.
'However', there is good news, we have resolved a large number of these issues/orders. I have a stack of despatch sheets to send emails out for after this newsletter. Most of you will be covered by that.
However, there is also bad news. Some of you will be getting a sad email. A few resin codes were unfixable, so some of you wil be getting a refund/replacement email to inform you of the options available. I am sorry about that, but there is quite literally nothing we can do about it at this time, our resin caster is also our friend, and even if he wasn't, his health supercedes any business matter.
Resins 'will 'return, in fact we do have quite a fair bit of stock already in, but we are resolving all issues first 'then' putting the stock left back on the site.
Please don't reply to this email, or if you are seeing it on a FB announcement, there. If you have an issue, the best course is bwartemis at gmail dot com. I will be catching up with communication after the despatch sheets and emails to customers whose issue I am already aware of. So if you haven't received an email by Monday then I likely don't know you have an issue.
Thank you all for your continued support, even through the silence. Barring accident/emergency, we shall start seeing updates and new content on the FB page next week.
See you there!
Arty.
p.s. For those wondering about the Kickstarter, that has been constantly delayed waiting for me to be confident in my health enough to run it. It is just sat there, staring at us, mockingly. Expect new announcements soon.
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Perhaps im being snobbish, but I'd feel a lot more confident in these updates if Dameon knew how to use inverted commas properly.
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Perhaps im being snobbish, but I'd feel a lot more confident in these updates if Dameon knew how to use inverted commas properly.
Hahaha,funniest thing I’ve read all week,well done that man :)
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I really hope they don't try and do another kickstarter, the last kickstarter seems to be what almost finished them off as a company.
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I must be part of the 5% that will have an issue.
Ordered three weeks ago and have received no e-mail
saying they have shipped yet. That or the mail system is
all screwed up which is possible too.
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I really hope they don't try and do another kickstarter, the last kickstarter seems to be what almost finished them off as a company.
In fairness, they are a bloody hassle.
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Well, Kevin White is going to Forgeworld,I only skimmed the email,’tis a little long winded. So I’m sure others will comment.
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Have to read that myself, first I heard of Kevin leaving.
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I thought Hasslefree was Kevin’s show?
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https://www.facebook.com/HF.Minis.are.the.best/posts/5421944551171111
From what the posts said they have quite a few completed sculpts from Kevin that HF has not released yet. They are also planning to bring on other sculptors to finish some lines in his style. I personally have always eventually received my orders but the business end of their operation has suffered greatly in recent years. Hopefully they can turn that around going forward.
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Just ordered from them. I am in the states.
I got my figures in two weeks which is the usual
time it takes from the UK to the US. So I had no problems.
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On the one hand it'll be nice to see kevs style in the 40k universe (maybe doing all those squat proxies has paid off!) but on the other, It means less of his stuff from hasslefree, Which was really the big draw.
Still, keen to see what he works on with GW :)
(also a neat inside look into GW. So much of their push lately has been for skilled young digital sculptors working anonymously, So it's good and a bit left field for them to bring in a big name established sculptor.)
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Long term for Hasslefree itself this seems like an error. For Kev and family, it's probably the opposite.
For us consumers... hm. I doubt GW will let him keep sculpting for people like Otherworld and I also doubt they'll give him the full creative freedom we need to get the best sculpts from him.
So a resounding 'meh' from me lol
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I thought Hasslefree was Kevin’s show?
That's what I thought as well. Very confused if that's not the case?
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It is. They've had the odd guest sculptor over the years but sounds like they will now have to somehow stop being known as the place where one buys Kev White sculpts...
Yeah, I'm not convinced :?
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That's what I thought as well. Very confused if that's not the case?
I suppose the issue is that as a family venture, it has provided jobs for several folks. So for them to keep working, they need someone to be making minis.
But of course the issue is less the actual sculpting and more the creative direction or lack thereof. Is kev going to be in the background saying "hey, do a dwarf like this, or do this cool thing i drew" or will it simply be a new sculptor doing their own thing under the hasslefree banner? It's going to be an odd shift for sure.
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Kev has never really run Hasslefree as far as I know, just the sculptor, hence why he gets annoyed by people complaining at him on Facebook. His wife Sally used to handle running the company but stepped back some time ago due to ill health. It's been run by Dameon (aka Artemis Black) for quite some years now.
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I wish Kev well, but I'm struggling to see how his style will fit in with GW. Perhaps we'll get slightly knock-kneed space marines looking coyly over one shoulder ???
Still, going from total creative freedom to very little/none will be a shock.
I can understand why GW would want him, as he's one of the best sculptors out there, I just don't get what's in it for him (other than a regular pay-cheque and a staff discount)
Hopefully Hasslefree will survive, but Artemis's long term health issues won't help.
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Folks, in line with the BTD thread, after some internal discussion we have come to the conclusion that this thread has run it's course, and it is unlikely to provide substantive usefulness anymore. What with their recent/upcoming changes, we sincerely hope Hasslefree can sort out their issues, one way or another, but we think it might be best to lock this specific thread.
This does not preclude posting further information on Hasslefree in the future, though.