Issues with Black Tree Design - ongoing

[diehard]

If you're really hot for certain figures but (understandably) don't want to deal with BTD you could always try Noble Night Games, I never ordered directly from them but have never had any issue with ebay Buy It Now I purchased from them. Just throwing it out there.

[Harry Faversham]

Rub of it is, they do make some very desirable figures...
but, getting said figures to drop through yer letterbox, is as difficult as platting fog!

[Atheling]

Yeah. what was the excuse before Covid? Spanish Flu? Ebola? It's not as if this wasn't an issue before March 2020.

Yep, they have been in the same mode for over a decade. If you scroll back a few pages or go to the quote below you can actually got to the now defunct thread that was on the WAB Forum many years ago- via the magic of Wayback Machine here:

Here you go: link. I couldn't find the thread in question, but perhaps you remember where it was located.

[AKULA]

I really feel for those that have had issues (with any company) getting hold of what they’ve ordered...nothing more frustrating, especially if you don’t even hear back from a company when you contact them.

Perhaps strangely, given the length of this thread, I haven’t had any issues with Black Tree Designs (in the UK) at all, and have ordered from them at least 6/7 times, including 4 times in the past year (most recently a fortnight ago).

Typically it’s taken about two weeks for the order to arrive, the figures have been well packaged, and the product excellent, hence returning again and again.

In addition, when I’ve needed to contact them, I’ve had a response from John within 24-48 hours as a maximum.

Not posted to gloat, but perhaps a bit of balance to the understandably frustrating experience of others 

[AdmiralAndy]

I may have posted this elsewhere on the forum, maybe even earlier in this Thread so apologies if any repitition.

I have used Black Tree a few times over the last 10ish years. The last time being about August last year, got some Daleks when they were on Sale after the Stargrave rules posted in Wargames Illustrated for them.

They turned up within a few weeks, and I've never had a problem with orders.

Something I have seen mentioned is it seems that the ranges on sale seem to get delivered more often. I can't recall every time they hold a sale I make a purchase, but it would seem a frugal gamer thing to do.

So maybe just pick up sale items, anything else maybe try an email to check it's still avaliable, and if no reply don't buy, as I suspect a number of items maybe out of stock but the range is updated slowly and comms maybe aren't the best.

I think a lot of the issues are around with dealing with a small outfit, who is kept very busy with, is it pretty much a one man band?

[Atheling]

I think a lot of the issues are around with dealing with a small outfit, who is kept very busy with, is it pretty much a one man band?

One that (allegedly) used to be registered in the UK but could afford to peg it to the USA?

[AdmiralAndy]

One that (allegedly) used to be registered in the UK but could afford to peg it to the USA?

I have no idea what the setup or financing history of the company is/was/may have been. My dealings have been with a few orders over a period of time within the UK. I think there may have been a US and UK setup which then split some years back. I recall the website login changing although quite some years back.

other than as a customer I've had no dealings with the operation and setup or can vouch to either. I would caution against conclusions based on those external to the company see. As how it seems a company is operating maybe based on some partnership/affiliation with other companies or inidividuals setup, cash injection, line of credit that as a confidential business arrangement is generally not known to the rest of us.

Thats why I was simply asking if a one man band or not as I don't know, and that could be a factor in the context I mentioned. Just wishing to clarify, not trying to start an arguement.

I've heard of issues over the years and was just advising of my own personal experience has been upto now are positive. I think the issues are more how the company is run than about the integrity of the owner.

[nicknorthstar]

I'm glad Akula and Admiral Andy have had positive experiences.

Having said that, I DO know how the company is run, and if I told you your jaw would hit the floor. Please don't speculate and be an apologist along the lines 'oh it's a one man band', 'oh the pandemic'. The way they are set up is guaranteed to constantly fail to deliver, I'm just glad two of you have not had bad experiences. I've mentioned earlier in this thread, this @~%$ has been going on for 20 years now. 20 YEARS!!

Take my word, the service is not ever going to get better.

[Atheling]

I have no idea what the setup or financing history of the company is/was/may have been. My dealings have been with a few orders over a period of time within the UK. I think there may have been a US and UK setup which then split some years back. I recall the website login changing although quite some years back.

other than as a customer I've had no dealings with the operation and setup or can vouch to either. I would caution against conclusions based on those external to the company see. As how it seems a company is operating maybe based on some partnership/affiliation with other companies or inidividuals setup, cash injection, line of credit that as a confidential business arrangement is generally not known to the rest of us.

Thats why I was simply asking if a one man band or not as I don't know, and that could be a factor in the context I mentioned. Just wishing to clarify, not trying to start an arguement.

I've heard of issues over the years and was just advising of my own personal experience has been upto now are positive. I think the issues are more how the company is run than about the integrity of the owner.

That still does not justify the huge number of people, over the years (going back to the early 2000's and The WAB Forum where the same topic was discussed in detail), why so many people simply have not received their order. Even Lardy Rich voiced his dismay on one of the Lardy Oddcast last year.

They have been following the same business practice of not sending out orders etc for over a decade.

[Oldgamer]

Following the success of my last order l placed another on 24th March, more Dr Who figures. It arrived yesterday, all complete! It is not the fastest service but it has arrived!

[WuZhuiQiu]

Following the success of my last order l placed another on 24th March, more Dr Who figures. It arrived yesterday, all complete! It is not the fastest service but it has arrived!

Was that from the UK side or the US side?

[Oldgamer]

UK side

[Westfalia Chris]

Hi all,

Since this thread is unlikely to produce new information on the whole issue, we gave decided to lock it but leave it available for information.

Long story short, over the years, there have been many, many reports of Black Tree Design (both the UK and US sites) not being terribly reliable when it comes to fulfilling orders in a correct and/or timely fashion. There gave been occasional reports to the contrary, too, so in our view, caveat emptor applies and anybody ordering should do so at their own risk and also be aware that there may be long delivery times involved and indicated availability may not be up to date.