Classic TV Toys (Figures) no longer replaces defective items

[BATMAN89]

I have placed many orders with CTVT throughout the past few years, and as we all know some items have problems.
They have always replaced any defective item with a new one. Not anymore.
Maybe I have hit their limit for replacements or something, but I got more questions than answers this last time.

I was going through my bins and found blue hero boots, and red hero boots that had split. I got irritated that I wasted money on them, and emailed CTVT. This is the response I got... "What type of body are you using these on? We have sold thousands of boots in the past and never have any issues."

This was right after I had a problem with their Red Robin Hood boots. One boot had extra plastic inside, so the boot would not go over the bare foot on a CTVT body.
They sent me one boot in the mail. They used to just send you a new pair in a sealed package. This boot had the same defective, but I was able to get it on the figure.

Since then, they have not honored two complaints that I have with superhero boots splitting open down the back. One is a red pair that I just bought in October, and the other is a blue pair that I bought in August, and it has a split down the back, in the unopened plastic bag.
I had sent them a pic of the blue boots in the unopened package, no reply, and yesterday I sent them this pic of my commissioned customs wearing their boots, with a mention that I now have to replace these with Dr. Mego boots which adds more to my costs. No reply at all from them.
split in boot.jpg
I am going to contact them through their website one more time, and then I'm opening a PayPal dispute.
The boots are only $3.00, but it's the principle of it all. Plus, so far I'm out 4 pair of boots total, and another $2.00 pair of green Robin shoes that split, and they didn't take care of either.

[Bronxboykev]

Did you call and speak to someone personally, I have had the boot problem and the replaced them so yours is not an isolated issue. I have always had better Customer service from them calling then from e mails... I would Hate to think that their Customer service is going the Way of their bodies... It's one of the few saving graces they still have as a company.

[mikeoz]

I hate to bring this up because I do like CTVT's products and I've been buying some of their reMego figures, but Batman's story is too similar to mine to not comment. A while back I placed a $400 and something order with CTVT. One of the bodies had an arm sucked into the torso. Also, one of the heads had a flaw in it (a crease down the cheek). I wrote an email about the problems and received a reply from CTV asking me to give them a call. A gentleman whom I assume was an owner answered my call and rudely told me he was tired of people trying to rip off his company. I explained that I've spent over $1000 (maybe even $2000) ordering supplies from his company and have returned maybe four items - and there have been a lot more problems than just the items I've returned. He did become somewhat nicer at that point and told me he would send me the items in my next order. I think he may have mixed me up with someone else, but the experience left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I still order from CTV, but have definitely cut down the amount I purchase from them.

[BATMAN89]

Unbelievable Mike!

[BATMAN89]

I wrote CTVT through the website today, and I said:

Order Number: 79279
Pair of Blue Superhero Boots BLUEBOOT 1 $2.50 $2.50
One of these boots are split down the back, and I never removed them from the sealed plastic bag.

Order Number: 79611
Pair of Red Superhero Boots REDBOOTSH 2 $2.50 $5.00
Out of the 4 red boots purchased, one has a split at the top backside of the boot.
Please advise me where to return these for a refund or replacement.
Thank you,
Barrett Tutor

They sent me the address of where to send the stuff.
I guess for the first time ever I have to send the items back. Usually I offer to send it back and they just give me a new one without returning anything.

[thunderbolt]

maybe they found out someone was claiming defect just to get free stuff so they are tightening up on returns?

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

maybe they found out someone was claiming defect just to get free stuff so they are tightening up on returns?

This seems possible. A few months ago one of my Riddlers broke an arm, they sent me an entire body to replace it. I think they were probably trying to go above and beyond, and a few bad apples abused it and now they are cracking down. At least that's what it sounds like.

[jayraytee]

In our business we would replace CDs and DVDs when people complained that they were smashed in the package or if they never arrived. We also then improved our shipping methods to reduce the smashed issue. There did seem to be the few bad apples who almost every time something new came out they would order and have the exact same complaints every time. We might ship out thousands of items, heard from a few different people each time, but we always heard from these same few always saying it never arrived or arrived broken. But the only change we made was to use better shipping materials as I stated above, we didn't change how we interacted with the customers just because of a few bad apples. You will always have those to deal with, no matter what. You kind of have to go by the old adage, the customer is always right.

One guy in particular always claimed he wouldn't recieve what he ordered, and maybe he was right, maybe someone in his route steals mail. So we took him at his word and sent everything to him requiring a signature, to make sure he recieved it and never had another complaint.

I would hope that FTC would fix the issues with their service or product (boots splitting, arms sucked into bodies, necks sucked into torsos, cheap capes, etc) before changing the return policy or accusing the customer of trying to "rip off his company," but thats just me.

[invisiblelad]

U see I CALL. I got x8 free replacement bodies for my Batman retro wave 1 body catastrophe, but I had my pictures ready to go of all 8 broken right arm bodies (4 MIB/4 Loose), I also told them I tried to get a return for the same items from the out of town Comic shop I bought them at for $200 even. I told them since every wave 1 FTC Batman retro figure that Comic shop sold they had every one returned for the defective breaking bodies, so they couldn't replace the items because they would never be purchasing FTC products again due to the 100% breakage of the cases they bought/sold. So I wanted nothing else they had in the comic shop (2 hours away BTW) & def not $200 worth of other stuff I don't collect. So w/ the info to contact the Comic shop, pics of all the separate broken bodies & pics together to prove that I wasn't taking pics w/ the same broken body x8. I also had the CS rep note that when he asked the manager for the x8 FREE body replacements, that if they said NO to cancel my $227+ S/H order for x2 SETS of TT & x1 Batgirl + x1 Robin shoes. So w/out any further calls I got the x8 free bodies & they were better because the plastic was firmer & although they are stretched some at the shoulder loop, they aren't to malleable & pulling through. They are still hard to pose, some twist funny, & a few have an accidental "Super Powers Karate Chop action".....meaning I lift up wave 1 Robin's arm on the replacement body, & it quickly & automatically swings down to his sides & won't stay posed upwards. But the batch of replacement bodies are much much better & I believe FTC did the right thing sending them to me. I liked their CS that day but have yet to call about the Squished Superman Head, Squished/Pinched deformed Mxy head, x9 incorrectly assembled female bodies, Speedy's belt missing the white painted (sticker?) buckle, the x1 opened Wonder Girl w/ the almost broken right leg, x1 Supergirl Belt that is two times too big & loose, & x1 Batgirl w/ horrendously painted eyes (really seriously BAD not just nitpicking).

I just haven't had the interest to complain. I have been cutting down or skipping future waves. But I will keep getting the Batman 66 lines & DC retro lines in multiples IF FTC gets their QC & bodies under control. I LOVW what FTC is trying to do, NOT loving the inconsistency that abounds in their current product line's offerings. Still remainin hopefully optimistic thought! Whether that's a fool's errand remains to be seen! Here's to hoping FTC gets it Right from here on out!

[comicmike]

...CTVT....answered my call and rudely told me he was tired of people trying to rip off his company....but the experience left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I still order from CTV, but have definitely cut down the amount I purchase from them.

Wow...I am shocked to read about anyone, ever, hearing **anything** from a Company's representative saying to **any** customer about being "tired of people trying to rip off [their] company". That **IS** very sad. I recognize 'business is business', but I am moreoso pro "customer experience". I work alongside a multinational company (let's say, that is pro-customer service). Let's say my own business-sense and my gut tell me Figures/CTVT is currently making record profits (regardless of investments, business-plan, and current payoffs). I am terribly disheartened by this story. Sad face. As a consumer, my passion for my craft (of collecting and customizing) is not outweighed by what I would perceive as the **integrity** of a Company or the strength of their Customer Service. If I have observed anything about the ebb and flow of business, strong companies fail everyday from mismanagement of "good faith" and hit-and-miss customer service; stronger companies succeed --even beyond-- by learning from bad mistakes. A few hypotheticals and rhetorical questions: 'Let's say' a complaint only represents 10-20% of the real / unspoken complaints about a product; 'let's say' this current narrative about a rep ever stating 'trying to rip off their company' represents a fraction of times that similar response has been spoken over a Company phone to a client; 'let's say' one regular client (who has spent between $1000-$2000; who is not a casual customer) now becomes a more casual customer ('cutting down the amount they purchase'); how many more regular clients have now become casual customers? Does this yield a flow for business? An ebb for business? I am left questioning if the Company where I spend money factors in a reasonable policy for "good faith" as part of their "business plan" (i.e., a concrete plan for making customers regular clients). As a consumer, this is where I put my money: Where I *feel* the best about where spend it. I work hard for my income, and I want to be happy when I spend money. I spend money when I want (yes, 'want'; not necessarily 'need') a product **and** where my integrity is respected where I shop. If the product fails and there is limited-to-no Customer Care, I find other ways to creatively spend my money. Period. I am a reasonable person, so (generally, that is), I do not boycott; I just move on. But when I represent a company in business, I represent it for the current business goals and the future business sustainability; for good faith in my company, to increase my customer-base, and make my service so *great* that my now regular-client is happy to increase their purchases with me. My business is only strong when I am calm with all my customers, and I do not have a sense of entitlement in how i belittle a customer (even, devil's advocate, a purported 'unreasonable customer'...not you, mike ). In my consumer life, I have only so much money to spend: When I am treated well with a diverse product, I will (and I do) spend all my money in one place...over and over again.

[j.chris.beynon]

I had a body with a floppy knee joint and a pair of ridiculously tight trunks two orders ago, and CTVT gave me replacements in my order which arrived today no questions asked.

Ideally, everything in your order should be right but their quality control is all over the place...They must have complaints and returns all the time...it must be frustrating for them to have so much product which they believed to be good being returned and watching their profit margins shrinking...I can see how they might become cynical and start to think that someone who is perpetually returning stuff might be screwing them over.

The blue jumpsuit in the new order I just received turned out to be teal and one of the sleeves was sewn together...I'm kind of scared to say anything to them...on the plus side, it does fit quite well and the sleeve was easy to fix...

[noelani72]

I don't order much. Typically, my customs are half/half DrMego and CTVT if I rely on outside vendors.
Having that said, 50% of my CTVT stuff doesn't get used because it's either broke or waaaaaaay to small to fit any other body other than those crappy ones they had made in India a few years back. The very last thing bought was the white lab coat. Ridiculous. It had no chance of fitting ANY body it was so damned tight and small.
I too called when the Batman Wave 1 came with busted arms. I too have called when an order was short an item and I didn't get what I paid for. Both times the person on the phone was not very polite and made me feel as if it were MY fault I was calling.
I have NEVER understood how people say they have the best customer service...in my case, I just stopped calling to report and my customs orders have shrunk 70%-90% as a result. Sad when you buy a part and have a backup plan in mind to mod it just incase it doesn't work out.
I have even been in the position of creativity to build a custom and then decide not to because I can only get the type of clothing or item from CTVT and I chose not to build because I didn't want to deal with the headache.

[piecemaker]

The last order i placed, one of the items i ordered was the $10.00 black pin striped suit with shoes.

They sent me a suit jacket and pants only. I emailed them and told them that and they replied with,
"So you just need the shoes"? I replied back,"No, i need the shirt,vest, tie and shoes".

They replied."Shipping tomorrow"., and they ended up sending the complete suit to me.

I told another member here about it and he said they did the same thing to him when he ordered the same suit.
But because he lives in Canada, they weren't as helpful and he didn't get the suit replaced.

That was the first time i complained to them about something but there was other times i recieved defective merchandise that i should have.One was the 66 Batman i bought that had a defective suit visible to me without even opening it.I also recieved 5 white t-shirts that had black stains on them and didn't say anything.

I do think they need to improve on their Quality control, then they wouldn't have as many complaints and returns.

If they can look at something and see its not right, like split boots, defective suits etc and it gets sent out that way, they have nobody to blame but themselves when people complain.

[jayraytee]

Back in the day I ordered the Knights and was so turned off by the quality I didn't buy anything until the DC figures, which are better than that old junk, but the bodies are fairly bad, not as bad as they used to be but bad. I did have to ask over and over for a missing Robin belt, they were not rude, more just non-communicative. I have had to repair a lot of the bodies myself though.

[jeffbearco]

I am probably taking a break from ordering from them until the next superhero stuff comes out and I see how other people review it.

My last 2 orders have both had things wrong with them.

Plus this last set of announcements really didn't have anything that I was interested in. The last Batman 66 wave was cool looking but nothing I wanted. Not interested in 3 Stooges.

JeffBearCO