A reseller is not a customer?

[LonnieFisher]

I've been told I'm not a customer, I'm a retailer!! Because I sell the individual characters from the Marvel Retro "Mego" sets, Diamond Select Toys customer service told me I need to make a retailer account with Diamond Comic Distributors and deal with their customer service! Because I'm not a customer? What?? I got no retail discount! Give me a break!! I bought twelve of the three sets released. I will buy no more if I don't get parts that don't suck!!
I've also been told that they get multiple requests every day for bad parts! Seems like there is a factory issue going on. It isn't my fault I get broken, damaged, factory flawed items. I just pay, and get what arrives in the mail.
I've been trying to get a replacement Captain America boot since late April!! One stinking little red boot, so I can sell the Cap Mego repro figure. How hard would that be to locate and send out? They have them for sale, so break open a package and ship me the boot already!
I've been trying really hard not to start a bunch of negative comments directed at the new Marvel stuff.
I've tried to explain how I'm not making money, but spreading the Marvel "Mego" joy to those who won't purchase the entire set. In the end Diamond is selling more product by me splitting the sets up. If they want to sell less product, then that's a poor decision. I thought I was helping sales, but I'm just an annoying non-customer!!!!
I'm super frustrated and had to vent!!! Sorry.

[David Lee]

ouch...

* note to self; don't ever do that.

Dave

[LonnieFisher]

Did I interpret this wrong? And I quote...

"Lonnie,
This customer service line is for customers, not resellers. We can only help you as quickly as we can help other customers, meaning people who buy our products to own. We get multiple requests daily and I fulfill them in the order they were received. If you need retailer support, you will need to open a retail account with Diamond Comic Distributors and work with them."

I was told I'm not a customer, right?

[PNGwynne]

How do they even know you're reselling, aside from here? It's immaterial IMO, you're definitely a customer who's been buying these sets at retail. You're not a dealer getting wholesale pricing and then splitting sets for resale mark-up.

DST/Emce should stand by their product. We've all bought multiple reMego's to complete, to fix, and to kitbash, but manufacturing defects are manufacturing defects. "Making it right" is the proper thing to do, especially on sets as expensive as these.

I understand them saying get in line--though that must be discouraging--but I don't understand their branding you as a retailer.

[LonnieFisher]

I was requesting replacement parts before most even new they were out. I should have been one of the first people to request replacement parts, because I was one of the first to get the sets. I've been waiting for over a month for Wolverine parts! And Captain America parts were requested on April 27th.

[Starroid Raiders Dagon]

That is crap, Lonnie. You are paying retail prices. PNGwynne said it perfectly.

[TRDouble]

Just a question or two...

As PNGwynne asked/said, how do they know that you are breaking these sets up and selling them?

You mentioned that you need a replacement Captain America boot so you can sell the repro Cap. Did you mention that in your request for the replacement part or parts?

I am just trying to understand the response they gave you. Seems odd and out of left field.

And I agree, you are a customer buying at retail and have the right to do whatever you want to do with the sets after you own them. They should treat you as such, a customer.

But perhaps that is not how the replacement part request read to them? And, no offense, but we are only seeing the response, not the preceding inquiry.

[MIB41]

Lonnie, I would drop a PM to DSTZach and see what he can do to assist you on replacing defective parts.

[LonnieFisher]

I've let them know I'm selling the individual characters to the people who won't buy the entire sets. They are making the sale, so no matter what I'm doing with them, I shouldn't have to have defective parts. I'm made a lot of replacement requests, all with pictures showing the damage. Nothing I'm asking for is something that wasn't defective from the factory. Broken claw, snag hole in costume, bad paint rubs, broken rubber band, split seams, warped and stretched rubber parts, bad paint smears on faces...etc.
If somebody buys one set they might have a complaint. If you buy twelve and open them all, you find so many flawed pieces. A lot of the sets aren't being opened, so they might not complain about stuff they don't see.
They are replacing some parts they said, but not all of them. I don't think I'm getting a Captain America boot, which is really a drag. This isn't acceptable and never should have been packaged. It should have been rejected at the factory!

[LonnieFisher]

I've had a request in for over a month for Wolverine parts. How does it take so long to get replacement parts? I've been telling them all along I'm splitting them up and redistributing them. To spread their product to more consumers who otherwise wouldn't have them should be something they favor, not condemn.

[cockyhoskins]

Especially given the license limitations they have, they should praise the "splitting up" mentality. It spreads the product's awareness to more people, who can't (or refuse to) buy the 3 costume setup. Regardless, you're paying retail and buying way more product than the customer who buys one of each set for example. Stay on them!

[LonnieFisher]

This is the response I got a month after I requested the Captain America boot and a Wolverine head.

"Lonnie,
I’m trying to locate parts to send you. However, I may not be able to replace everything as the parts may not be available.
Thanks,"

They have them in stock to sell, but can't find parts for my replacements?
I feel like I'm a better customer than that. I've bought my fare share of figures and deserve prompt replacements since they have such poor quality control. I like the product, but want what I pay for!

[Teemu]

The easiest answer to this is to stop buying EMCE/DST inferior JUNK!

I have already had to fix my spidey and Cap sets because of QC and the poor design of these..

[LonnieFisher]

The easiest answer to this is to stop buying EMCE/DST inferior JUNK!

I have already had to fix my spidey and Cap sets because of QC and the poor design of these..

But I want them to succeed, not fail! I want more figures to be released, but I also want quality parts for my money. And everything defective replaced in a promptly without making me feel guilty for asking. If I have asked for an excessive amount of replacement parts, it's because I've gotten an excessive amount of defective parts. Not because I'm a scammer...

[rche]

What about a direct refund? Who are you purchasing from?