Point of pre ordering?

[Ser Andrew]

What is the benefit of preordering? I'm not criticizing or being judgmental, just genuinely curious. I've preordered the first two books as soon as possible, and in each case, tons of customers who ordered once the book had already released received theirs first. So what's the point? Just to part with my money faster? :?

 

[WritingWolf]

I asked exactly the same question Ser Andrew!

Incidently Mongoose - still no Fire on the Water! Now it's easy to have a go at you guys, and I accept the postal strike means getting the book last week was unlikely, but why not this week? I've loads of post at work which is all cleared, and at home too, but not from you. Not to tell you how to do your job, but a speedier delivery service is a must. There is no reason why you cannot start to rival someone like Amazon for delivery, and as you are publishers too then so much the better.

Flight from the Dark is an excellent book in terms of quality. I ordered the RPG from you as well as some figures, and they arrived quickly and in good condition. It's just these new reprints that are really slow and letting you guys down.

If the Mega-deal offer has garunteed the LW range, I am seriously considering not pre-ordering anymore as there doesn't seem to be any point to it. I will still buy the books from you, but for your sakes it's best to have the money up front so you can garauntee print runs and all that.

Can you allay my concerns at all? One think that would be nice is an e-mail to say that my book is despatched, or to say it has been delayed. Haymarket Publications have done that and it is really impressive and makes a good impression on the company. I have a good impression of Mongoose, but not in the delivery department I'm afraid. At least not at the moment :lol:

Here's hoping FOTW comes tomorrow!!

 

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Well the postal workers in liverpool (and west yorkshire) are refusing to stop the strikes. That might be affecting you a bit . It's not about pay rises now 'though. Now it's about working conditions and drastic shift changes (crack of dawn shift becomes mid afternoon, morning becomes midnight 'till 4 am, that sort of thing).

 

[WritingWolf]

Well it would if I lived there! I'm in Norwich, so it shouldn't be.

 

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Well it would if I lived there! I'm in Norwich, so it shouldn't be.

Well you should be alright then. I've actualy wondered if Mongoose send them out in alphabetical order, in the order people preordered them (that is, the people who placed preorders first get books in the post first) or something else really bizarre. I just hadn't got round to actualy asking anyone yet.

 

[WritingWolf]

Well logically I would have thought the Mega-deal would be done first )which is fair), then pre-orders in date of order. I pre-ordered back in July, so you would have thought they would have printed enough off in the first run and sent mine off with the first batch! Depending on how many pre-ordered that is.

Mongoose - can you answer our queries?

 

[simkn]

I asked exactly the same question Ser Andrew!
Not to tell you how to do your job, but a speedier delivery service is a must. There is no reason why you cannot start to rival someone like Amazon for delivery, and as you are publishers too then so much the better.

I know it's probably not my place to defend Mongoose, but I feel obligated to point a few things out. First, when you pre-order from Mongoose, there is a disclaimer loud and clear that says, "We are a publisher, not an online ordering service." They are not Amazon. Have you ever noticed the labels on your packages are hand-written? These people are taking time out of their busy PUBLISHING schedule to hand-mail us these books. I just got my pre-ordered version of FotW today, Nov 5, though granted I live in the US. But you don't hear me complaining, I'm just thrilled to have it (it's like Christmas once a month)! They're allowing us to re-live the Lone Wolf saga, and then some. If you're dissatisfied with the speed of delivery, I suggest you follow your own advice and stop pre-ordering. Your book will arrive... give Mongoose a break so they can worry about publishing more LW. ;-)

 

[Arkansaw]

I asked exactly the same question Ser Andrew!
Not to tell you how to do your job, but a speedier delivery service is a must. There is no reason why you cannot start to rival someone like Amazon for delivery, and as you are publishers too then so much the better.

I know it's probably not my place to defend Mongoose, but I feel obligated to point a few things out. First, when you pre-order from Mongoose, there is a disclaimer loud and clear that says, "We are a publisher, not an online ordering service." They are not Amazon. Have you ever noticed the labels on your packages are hand-written? These people are taking time out of their busy PUBLISHING schedule to hand-mail us these books. ....

Granted this is not part of their regular service, but they aren't doing it for free are they? Then again, I'm happy as the delivery for the two books was all good. Three weeks to reach Singapore...I guess I can live with that. As for the pre-order, the thing that really counts for me would be the waiver on shipping

 

[WritingWolf]

I've just read the two posts above ...

If I could order the hard-backs from Amazon - I would. But you can't so I'm ordering direct from Mongoose. Plus this means more money for them, and it means keeping LW going strongely which is good.

I have no quarrel with the books at all, and everyone I have spoken to is very nice and polite, but the delay between ordering - pre or otherwise - is pretty long. You all talk about receiving your books in 3 weeks, but I have not experienced that yet and always had to wait longer! I'm thinking things will change with Book 4, and if it does I will be the first to say "well done" to Mongoose. Until then I can but come home every day hoping to find my book ... that day has not yet come!

 

[MongooseMatt]

I'm thinking things will change with Book 4,

You are right, it will - we now know exactly what level of demand to expect, and we can set aside the production time in advance.

As for the previous books, we are finishing off the last of the orders over the next few days, starting with boks 1 and 2, with 3 following.

 

[BlackCat]

As for the previous books, we are finishing off the last of the orders over the next few days, starting with boks 1 and 2, with 3 following.

Does it mean that I will FINALLY get my books? I have ordered them back in November and I'm still waiting for the first one to arrive. I should drop a line to Russell...

 

[WritingWolf]

Cool - thanks for the update Matthew, I will look forward to the book arriving!

 

[KevinM]

A lot could be done better regardless. I get they are a small company but delays on every single book so far gets old. Frankly if doing collecters editions directly through the company is such a hassle why are they bothering? I find it extremely annoying that I ordered Book 3 in November only to find out in January their was some kind of snafu (again) in sending them out. A courtesy email to their customers (its not much to ask them to set up a mailing list and drop updates like that periodicly) would have improved the situation. For that matter offering the hard copy books through other dealers would be to. See the truth is they may not consider themselves an online seller but by offering the collecters editions exclusively through their web site they've become exactly that. Yes Ialso get that the first book or so they got suprised by the number of orders but how many months have they had to try to come up with a better solution. Also just a thought they could try doing what amazon does and not actually charging customers untill the book is in the mail, or at least not charging shipping before it gets in the mail because as it stands they have our money and we have nothing (no I don't mean to imply they won't send the books eventually just that I fully expect more delays).

 

[BlackCat]

A courtesy email to their customers (its not much to ask them to set up a mailing list and drop updates like that periodicly) would have improved the situation.

Well, we got an email telling us that the books would be late because of a few reasons that have been already stated on these forums.

 

[Balgin Stondraeg]

A courtesy email to their customers (its not much to ask them to set up a mailing list and drop updates like that periodicly) would have improved the situation.

Well, we got an email telling us that the books would be late because of a few reasons that have been already stated on these forums.

Quite a few of us did. Perhaps you've got an overzealous firewall or something?