Early access, where is it?

[uaxuctum]

Oh wait....You can't even add essentials to your Early access orders.....each cart is a separate cart, the Early access cart and the main site cart....

Wow, what the hell?

The new Subscriptions and Early Access portals—which, let us remember, took them an untold amount of time to develop because, we were told, they wanted to launch them flawlessly—are a complete mess and totally substandard from an IT point of view.

The navigation is a mess. The session and cart scoping and management are mess. Even the choice of content is a mess (what exactly is the point of that prominent subscriptions sale page that one is taken to by clicking on the logo, but where you can't buy anything since the subscription sale window period ended long ago?).

I develop web applications professionally, but even an amateur could program something notably better in a quarter of the time it took them to launch this "upgrade".

Just when we thought these clueless people couldn't possibly get more inept, they surprise us with some new way to outdo themselves. And then, the outrageous shipping price gouging and no-combined-shipping policy on top of that.

[Vikor]

Get this...

If I add Griffin to the cart first and then Horde Prime shipping is $30.85 for a total of $92.85.

BUT...

If I add Horde Prime to the cart first and then add Griffin shipping is $38.25 for a total of $100.25.


Really great system there Matty. Nice and transparent. What a joke.

[Clawful Ofit]

1 Griffin $37.34 w/ free 2 day shipping. Thanks for the early access Amazon!

[shadowfall1976]

Get this...

If I add Griffin to the cart first and then Horde Prime shipping is $30.85 for a total of $92.85.

BUT...

If I add Horde Prime to the cart first and then add Griffin shipping is $38.25 for a total of $100.25.


Really great system there Matty. Nice and transparent. What a joke.

I just did it both ways for US shipping, and both came up $75.35....must be a way to gouge international customers while appearing to be an error....

[uaxuctum]

Get this...

If I add Griffin to the cart first and then Horde Prime shipping is $30.85 for a total of $92.85.

BUT...

If I add Horde Prime to the cart first and then add Griffin shipping is $38.25 for a total of $100.25.


Really great system there Matty. Nice and transparent. What a joke.

I get a $38.25 quote both ways.

I was all intent on buying at least one extra Griffin; but certainly, I'm not paying over $100 for one figure and one small beast. Matty has now effectively become greedy Scalp-Or. Heck, I can even get those items for less than that on eBay.

[Vikor]

I just did it both ways for US shipping, and both came up $75.35....must be a way to gouge international customers while appearing to be an error....

Sure looks like it. I posted it as a question over at the Matty Forums. There are laws on E-Commerce transparency on pricing that are being flouted by this. Shocking.

- - - Updated - - -

I get a $38.25 quote both ways. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/dunno.gif

I was all intent on buying at least one extra Griffin; but certainly, I'm not paying over $100 for one figure and one small beast. Matty has now effectively become greedy Scalp-Or. Heck, I can even get those items for less than that on eBay.

Make sure your cart is empty both times and start from scratch with one and then the other. This is based on International shipping.

[Benedict Judas Hel]

That's the misunderstanding. The early access was not in reference to the figures. It was in reference to your wallets.

[blackiecats]

1 Griffin $37.34 w/ free 2 day shipping. Thanks for the early access Amazon!

That's crazy! Just shows how pointless Early Access is at the moment. I have to agree that the CS stock should be $25 for subscribers, heck even $22! I think it's totally wrong charging the new pricing for old stock!

Hopefully they show some fan demanded stuff at NYTF that's outside the sub and makes early access worth it!

[shadowfall1976]

1 Griffin $37.34 w/ free 2 day shipping. Thanks for the early access Amazon!

I didn't go for the 2-day, because I don't want the BS of trying to cancel something later to get it....bad experiences trying to cancel a few "trial offers" online.

But I to went for free shipping (4-7 days), and same price....$37.34 saved myself $10 over Matty.

Early Access Matty....0
Amazon....................1

That's the misunderstanding. The early access was not in reference to the figures. It was in reference to your wallets.

It would certainly seem so. It just sucks when or if they plan to have something new up for early access, and not re-released figures....assuming it's something I want, but good news there....there are only 4 more must have figures for me....for $40 with shipping, coolness factor alone will not make me buy it, it would have to be a figure I can't live without, or one of my last 4 must haves.

[Stygian360]

Digital River sucks at everything else, so there should be no surprise that it took them over a year to create this broken down wreck of a Subscription page portal. Get right with Jesus Matty and hire a real company to manage your sales- portal, physical receiving/shipping, etc.

[uaxuctum]

I've got one better for you... after you add the griffin to your cart... click the MattyCollector Logo in the top left corner, then look at your cart. The Griffin goes up to $350!

Drewsky...

I can better that! Mine goes up to $350.00 + $30.15 shipping = $380.15, but get this: on the top right corner it now says $443.15 (I wonder how much they would actually charge on my card if I clicked Submit order).

EarlyAccess_Griffin.jpg

Same issue with Horde Prime ($270.00 + $13.75 = $283.75, magically becomes $318.60).

EarlyAccess_HP.jpg

Gotta love Mad Matty's math.

Make sure your cart is empty both times and start from scratch with one and then the other. This is based on International shipping.

No luck. I've even tried different browsers.

[crashdiary27]

i can't even find where to get into early access...its driving me nuts. Am i going blind?

[shadowfall1976]

i can't even find where to get into early access...its driving me nuts. Am i going blind?

http://www.clubs.mattycollector.com/...l#.UPSCM_L0dHE

[crashdiary27]

Thank you, kind sir. You would think they would let that be well known.

[cbomb23]

Ya know, I'm starting to realize that having a subscription is actually a hinderence and not a benefit this year. Here are my issues:

1. Early Access is great, but why do we have to pay the increased prices? Shouldn't we get the reduced sub prices??
2. Early access should include the ability to order extra subscription figures too. Otherwise--and this is the huge issue-- we pay THREE TIMES THE SHIPPING:

We pay shipping for our sub items
If we order early access, we pay shipping for those
If we order day of sale item to get extra sub figures, we pay full shipping

THREE TIMES THE SHIPPING!

Why can't the sub ship later and combine shipping for Early Access and Day of Sale? We're getting hit hard with shipping for something that was supposed to be a benefit to us. Not to mention, we have to buy ALL the figures too.

So, unless you want ALL the figures, have no desire to buy Early Access, and will never need extra sub figures, you're kind of getting shafted by having a subscription this year.

They should have had combined shipping fixed years ago, I would gladly wait for my subs to ship if I could have saved money having day of sale items ship with my sub. Now it's even worse with Early Access and Day of Sales, 3 shipping charges is ridiculous for items all being offered basically at the same time.

The sub model only really benefits customers buying multiple subs as this where you see the savings, a friend and myself have a combination of 11 subscriptions and thats where the savings on shipping are really noticable.

[245am]

The new Subscriptions and Early Access portals—which, let us remember, took them an untold amount of time to develop because, we were told, they wanted to launch them flawlessly—are a complete mess and totally substandard from an IT point of view.

The navigation is a mess. The session and cart scoping and management are mess. Even the choice of content is a mess (what exactly is the point of that prominent subscriptions sale page that one is taken to by clicking on the logo, but where you can't buy anything since the subscription sale window period ended long ago?).

I also work in IT and shake my head every time I move around mattycollector.com... their navigation and cart management are maddening and create customer problems rather than prevent them. Digital River should be thanking their lucky stars they still have the Mattel account because their site development and updates certainly hasn't deserved it.

[Vlcan]

Mine came in great condition, but $362 is too steep.

I held out in getting another Griffen. Maybe if their was an extra accessory or swappable head. Then I could see paying this much. For sure.....

[He-Manis007]

I also work in IT and shake my head every time I move around mattycollector.com... their navigation and cart management are maddening and create customer problems rather than prevent them. Digital River should be thanking their lucky stars they still have the Mattel account because their site development and updates certainly hasn't deserved it.

Like I said.... DR must know something Matty doesn't want us to know. Because for 5 years now, they're the #1 problem with this line.

[Ben Solstice-Moon]

That's the misunderstanding. The early access was not in reference to the figures. It was in reference to your wallets.

"Mr. Chambers! Don't get on that ship! The rest of the book, "To Serve Man", it's... it's a cookbook!"

Sorry BJH, that is the FIRST thing that came to mind when I read your response.

I can't even get to it because I accidentally deleted the e-mail now, so, so much for that. Like I said, I wanted nothing from the sale, I just wanted to log in and look around to see this perk actually in motion. I'm not happy, but not surprised.

What has me miffed is, for YEARS there have been whispers of "combined shipping" for various items. Never going to happen. It wouldn't be so bad if the shipping was *reasonable*. It's not.

[Benedict Judas Hel]

"Mr. Chambers! Don't get on that ship! The rest of the book, "To Serve Man", it's... it's a cookbook!"

Sorry BJH, that is the FIRST thing that came to mind when I read your response.

No need to apologize, BSM. I'm here to inspire thoughts and ideas. A muse of madness, if you will. And the fact that you thought of The Twilight Zone and that great episode only makes me proud.

[Balthus Dire]

That drastically increased shipping makes me terrified for big ticket items like Ram Man and FFM.

How the heck is it $30 to ship Griffin when it's $50 to ship Castle Grayskull??

[uaxuctum]

That drastically increased shipping makes me terrified for big ticket items like Ram Man and FFM.

How the heck is it $30 to ship Griffin when it's $50 to ship Castle Grayskull??

It's $30 for international shipping (international shipping for CG is around $100)—don't know about domestic US shipping. Still, Griffin shipped internationally for $15.55 last June, so they've doubled the shipping charge (apart from the $2 increase in the figure price).

[Balthus Dire]

It's $30 for international shipping (international shipping for CG is around $100)—don't know about domestic US shipping. Still, Griffin shipped internationally for $15.55 last June, so they've doubled the shipping charge (apart from the $2 increase in the figure price).

I'm in Canada. I just checked and standard INT'L shipping on Griffin is $30. Shipping to Canada for standard int'l was $50. So, the price difference between the two is a mere $20.

[uaxuctum]

I'm in Canada. I just checked and standard INT'L shipping on Griffin is $30. Shipping to Canada for standard int'l was $50. So, the price difference between the two is a mere $20.

Then you'd rather ask them to ship it to the closest location on the US side of the border and pick it up there. Heck, for that price you might as well consider driving down to California to pick it up at DR's headquarters. Now seriously, $30 to ship a ******* Griffin from California to Canada??? Wow, just wow!

[crashdiary27]

I never even recieved a email. How rude.

not to mention I just bought a house...trying to change a shipping address with them was a major headache. I was on the phone with them all week.