"Architects of War" Topic

On 10/31/2015 I placed an order with "Architects of War" that included a "Special Order" item, Perry "Intervention Force" Armstrong RBL 12pdr and crew. On 11/2 all of my order except the Perry item was shipped. Since then I have e-mailed five times but I keep getting a "failed to deliver" notice. I have called and gotten "voice mail" and left a message with no reply. Called again and got "voice mail". I have done quite a bit of business with them with no issues so I am puzzled by this one. The failed e-mails and no one answering the phone, plus a note on the site about changes, make me wonder what's up? Anyone have any insights on this?

I believe they are coming off of a big sale and may still be a bit busy. It would also explain why your Perry item is not shipped yet. They may be out of stock.

I think one of two things. They are either going out of business or radically changing their product mix and becoming smaller.

I have also had issues not hearing anything back on multiple emails I sent them regarding a problem with a recent order. I've not gotten any "failed to deliver" notice.

I was hoping to hear from them, but since you brought up having contact issues I figured I would add my voice to show you aren't the only one. Hopefully they will take the time to finally respond.

Interesting…I ordered from them for the first time last Friday and it arrived yesterday without a hitch--best service so far this season. I hope their comms issues are just a temporary glitch.

Also addressed here:

TMP link

Thanks to all who have replied. The above, along with the posts on the TMP link, are more than a bit of a downer. The only reason I placed the order was to get 15% off on a $75 USD order. The Perry item was the most expensive item on the order and they said it could take 4 weeks. All I want to know is will I ever get it or a refund. I knew I should have ordered direct from Perry as they have good service over the great distance between us. I have never had good luck with Backorders so always say "ship what you have in stock and cancel the rest". When you violate your own rules you get what you deserve.

I also just ordered form them for their Thanksgiving sale, and received my order already. I was really impressed on how quick it was delivered. I am in PA. My order was all AQMF though, no Perry.

I have had an order of Woodbine figures that I ordered from them OCTOBER 9th but it was agreed that I would pick it up from them at FALL-IN. Yes they had a small presence at FALL-In and I spoke with their representative then. He told me that it would be shipped the next day. That would've been NOVEMBER 9th.

I have e-mailed them 8 times, 2 with a receipt so I know that it was delivered. I have called their number every day for the last 2 weeks and have left multiple messages. I have tried contacting them through their website contact page twice (yesterday was the most recent)as well as through the kickstarter page contact. AS OF THIS POINT THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE!!!

I have always had good things to say about AoW and they have had good customer service in the past. But this episode is RIDICULOUS and EXTREMELY POOR.

I placed an order last week, soon received this reply:

Subject – Order #xxxxx – Declined

No explanation whatever, from my end the check out seemed to have gone through normally, final confirmation screen with order recap and #. Complete order listing in the email above as per usual.

I immediately feared something amiss with my CC. I called my bank and they said their information indicated the three-digit code had likely been typed incorrectly….my typo probably , but…

Don't most merchandise carts automatically return the user to the page for error correction; a little less unforgiving?!?

I have asked for an explanation 4 times since from AoW with no response whatever. I have been an extremely profitable customer for AoW the last few years. I fully agree with jefritrout; very poor showing for AoW.

@ hocklermp5 – On 11/2 all of my order except the Perry item was shipped

Nearly 80%-90% of the links for historical (Perry, GB. etc) ranges had no listings at all. Someone surmised TMP link that AoW was quietly dumping all their historical lines.

Based on much of the dialogue here and elsewhere it would appear they are hoping to "quietly fold their tents and…"

Very sad

No this time

I know that it is not much consolation but at least your order didn't go through and as such you are not out any money. I have paid for my order. AOW has my money.

Shopping carts can detect a bad card number but not a bad CV (the 3 digit code).

I'm guessing they are just going to transform into their game publishing counter part, Alien Dungeon…

I order all the time – mostly Perry and goes through 2 countries and 4 post offices. Average about one month – not bad considering my circumstances.

Off topic, but to clarify a point -

"Shopping carts can detect a bad card number but not a bad CV (the 3 digit code)"

Untrue. It is all dependent upon the shopping cart software and the interface with the cc processing software.

What is common is that shopping cart software will not tell the end user that the ccvc does not match. The ccvc is a security code and is meant to prevent fraud. However, merchants can typically see the reasons for declines in their credit card processing management account. This is also where merchants can ratchet up or down how strict address and fraud checks are for their site.

Notice we haven't heard a peep from Architects of War

I have either had great service on not so great. If they have everything in stock and no issues, it seems I get everything very fast. I have had issues with them being very slow to return emails.

Ernie, Barb and Ed are letting us down. I am days away from cancelling my two current orders and getting PayPal to refund my $. USD

The company moved, and is evidently changing, but to include a disregard for customers as part of that change means a failed business. Sad, hope they right the ship. However, appears they have torpedoed themselves and are slipping beneath the waves.

I did notice they posted that the CC is charged immediately not when the order is shipped. I have not been impressed with their service I have had a couple of bad experiences.

Sad to hear all this. I never ordered from them, but I remember a few years ago they seemed like a really exciting operation, and used to be quite active on TMP. As was said above, the fact that they can't even be bothered to address the situation raised here speaks volumes.

They sent out another email this morning listing 40% off but when you go to some of the miniatures there is hardly anything in it for sale. I am starting to wonder if they aren't going to close up shop.

At 6:45AM CST 12/9/15 I got an e-mail ad from them for 40% off "Pre-Christmas Sale". Not only have they ripped a number of us off to date but here they are advertising for new victims!

AOW – Ernie, Barb and Ed are good people and I've never had a problem with them before, but at this moment they are frustrating the heck out of me. The customer service (which if you look up their history on this site) has always been excellent. However the last 3 months something has happened. I don't know what, because they haven't communicated with anyone.

How many people have received their 3rd wave shipments from the All Quiet on the Martian Front kickstarter? That might be a good place to start.

To start then … NOT I.

Oh, and my dad is still waiting for a 2nd wave item.

My FLGS uses them as a distributor for Perry, Fireforge, Gripping Beast etc… and had many customers with back orders pending. Last week he informed us that, as of 12/1, Architects of War are no longer going to distribute any non Robot Peanuts/Alien Dungeons/Architects of War products. So all of those backorders have been cancelled. Seems rather silly… but I guess they know what they are doing… right? I mean "Uncivil War" must be a big seller.. right? Anyway, hopefully my FLGS will find another distro for Perry, Fireforge, and GB…

They charged my card for the Perry "Special Order" item and have not responded to my repeated demands for a refund. No, it is not a great deal of money but it is what it is. Great guys or not they flat stole from me and I cannot abide a thief. I placed the order 10/31/2015 so there was a full month for them to order it from Perry. I have to wonder how many other people paid for product these people had no intention of ordering or delivering. That, and they have the unmitigated gall to send out notice of another "Sale".

Heres an example of a company that for years seemed on the ball and will soon destroy their reputation if this keeps up or without a formal announcement of whats going on. Based on the threads people are starting to feel screwed….

No 3rd AQMF wave yet for me….

Mkultra99, thanks for that Intel. That is what I assumed AoW was up to since they are eliminating their Perry stock. It is truly odd that they won't communicate. Like others, I paid up front for two orders late October, early November. I believe the correct term is Theft, or at least Fraud, when a business takes my money and has no intention of delivering the product I pre-paid for. If they need the money for cash flow for their own needs, it would have been honest to just ask for a loan instead of taking my money with no intention of filling my order, which I have to assume is what transpired since they refuse to answer my inquiries, or anyone else's.

So what other company carries Perry here in the states?

The Warstore

Order directly from the Perrys. The service is good, shipping was quick and the exchange rate is very good for the US dollar.

I made a 40% offer during their Thanksgiving sale. The shopping cart would not accept an order from Canada and no one was answering the phone (because it was thanksgiving). As an interim measure I input an American address to reserve my order and then sent them an email marked urgent to correct it. They replied within a couple of days, made everything right and the package arrived a couple of days ago. Everything went well except for getting hammered by customs (not their fault of course).

No 3rd wave here and missing stuff from 2nd.

That is what happens when your do not pay your bills to the companies. They cancel your shipments of product!!!!!!!!!! Mike Adams

This is why I use PayPal, the dispute process is a lot easier than with my debit card.

I placed an order on 11-18 and it was shipped out the next day, which is how all my past orders have gone. So when I saw they were offering a 35% discount I placed another order on 12-3, no indication if it has been sent or anything. Tried calling them this morning and all I got was answering machine, also sent them an email. Will wait to see if either get answered in the next day or so. This is not like them they have always been great to deal with in the past. I got an email that now they are offer 40% off, but the stock of things to pick from is pretty small, makes me wonder if they are closing shop too.

i have routinely ordered from AoW and gotten great service.

once, i got a SAGA starter set that was missing pieces and i contacted AoW, and later on they sent me some stuff to complete the set. no charge.

My past experiences with them were the same, something wrong in the order give them a call and they made it right no problems.

As an update to my previous post just received an email from them that my order from 12-3 has been shipped.

They did just finish a huge move. Perhaps that is behind the problems?

I have routinely gotten outstanding service in the past from them as well. It is the last 3 months that have been problematic. At first it was delayed responses, and for over a month no response – though I have e-mailed them 8 times. They became slow because of the move, I believe and I cut them slack for that. HOWEVER, they moved in JULY. I wonder how much that is still affecting them 4 months later. I've never had a problem before, but now it has been terrible.

I paid them cash, so I cannot file a dispute with paypal or my credit card company. While not a lot of money to them, it is a substantial percent of my wargaming budget.

Architects of War is acting ATROCIOUSLY. I just want to have some communication with them.

This is really a shame. I've dropped a lot of money at their booth at Historicon, FI and CW, the last few years. And I was looking to get more this past FI.

Xin

If you look at the deeply discounted items and lack of communications to phone calls/emails (mine for the last 3 months) on their site it 'smells' of a going out of business sale. I want my money back. I called VISA to dispute the transaction and to get my money back. At this point I don't want the stuff, just my money. I can't trust them.

I tried their phone number and I got a message saying that is out of service.

I have had it with Architects of War. They have ceased shipping orders. I have two from Oct and early Nov. They took my money, but per Alan Perry, they are no longer distributors for him. They have ignored every phone call, email and social media inquiry for weeks. So, I finally sent a Paypal Resolution inquiry, which they also ignored. I had to escalate to a Paypal Complaint, my first ever. What happened to Ernie, Barb and Ed that would prevent them communicating with their customers? Sad that a company I considered one of the best has slipped to the bottom of the ocean so quickly.

Still waiting on KS items some of which are in retail, so I feel your pain.
At least the new KS they tried failed, so another group did not get ripped off, I guess that is good.
Going on 3 years still have never got pdf of the rules.

I ordered some Perry AWI on 11/5 and have yet to get it. I guess I write it off?
Tancred

It looks like their Robot Peanut Studio forum page has been shut down along with their Alien Dungeon Facebook account. With no communication as of the last month and half from them on the kickstarter fullfillment and all of the big sales/lack of stock on the AOW, it appears as this may be the end.

Their phone number is now working!!

The complaint with PayPal finally generated a response, and hopefully I will receive a credit refund for each of the paid orders AoW did not fulfill. I will not consider this complaint closed until I actually have the refunds.

I have always considered Ernie, Barb, Ed and the AoW team to be good folks. Perhaps they ran into a series of insurmountable business set-backs. I'd be more understanding if they had been forthright and explained. We're all human and things happen. But to snub customers is not a winning business model, especially in a niche hobby like ours.