"Missing and damaged figures - Bolt Action" Topic

How is Warlord to deal with for missing and damaged figures?

Here's the story, I purchased a 20 man box set of American Para's at the local games store, and than went on line and purchased for the Para's a 10 man squad set, 57mm anti-tank gun, 75mm Howitzer, and a command Blister (no medic in the 20 man box set). All this is part of a Christmas present for my grandson. So I'm getting ready to wrap everything and I'm looking at the blisters and the 20 man box set, no officer, but a double of another figure. So I'm thinking, that's ok, as I purchased the Para command blister, and I look at the blister and the barrel of his rifle isn't there, in fact that piece isn't even in the blister to try to glue it on, so this was packed this way.

Needless to say I'm a little frustrated with this already, and these are my first purchases from them along with quite allot of German Para's for his dad, which I already had a problem with being sent some wrong figures, which has been rectified by the online store. I guess Warlord US couldn't tell the difference between SS with rifles and German Para's with STG44.

Hmmmm, seems to be a quality control issue with Warlord. They are fine figures, but seem to get a lot of orders wrong. I guess being soo busy and Bolt Action so popular its going to happen.

Perhaps if you contact them they will be able to answer your question directly !

"I guess Warlord US couldn't tell the difference between SS with rifles and German Para's with STG44."

- To be fair if you're actually looking at the figures when you pack, you're definitely not working fast enough…. My favourite mix-up along those lines was a Foundry order many moons ago, in which I got Greek cavalry instead of a Gallic chieftain being borne aloft on his shield…. ;-) Rather difficult *figures* to mix up, but the pack codes were G15 and GL15, which made it pretty obvious what had gone wrong….

I've had a few issues come up over the years. If you contact Warlord they will bend over backwards to get it right, at least that's what I've experienced. Great guys & Company.
Peter

Please add me to your Christmas list. I have been good this year!

Packaging is hit or miss. From comments on TMP their packaging error rate seems to exceed anyone in the industry (at least as far as the metal figures go). I bought some packs and one was missing a mortar and one was missing a rifle, but I had the open handed soldier. They sent me a mortar and another open handed man without a rifle.

I have the same problem as VonBlucher. My 20 man Para boxed set came with almost every carbine barrel broken off.

I agree with Ceterman they do sort things out quickly but they must rack some hefty shipping cost in rectifying errors.

Take pictures and e-mail them to let them know what's wrong. I'm sure they will take care of you.

Thanks guys, more interested in their customer service, as Battlefront's has either been great or horrible at times.

"I guess Warlord US couldn't tell the difference between SS with rifles and German Para's with STG44."

Doms, these should be easy to spot as SS come with separate heads where the Para's do not.

Also I have contacted them and have a ticket out, which I did before posting this and all my purchases were made prior to Thanksgiving. I just wished I would have checked everything prior to yesterday, while I was gift wrapping them.

The best approach to problems with sales that I have always found works, no matter which side of the counter I'm on, is…

If you have a problem tell the supplier, if they don't help tell everyone.

Warlord has always fixed packing issues very quickly for me. Great customer service.

Warlords service has always been excellent. Yes, they make mistakes sometimes in their packaging but they be d over backwards to make it right. They are highly recommended in my book both for quality and service.

I had one of their Panzers (Resin hull, white metal hatches) turn up with one of the hatches absent from the metal parts sprue.
They were very obliging and sent a whole new sprue straight away. Couldn't fault the service.

How are they to deal with for damaged and/or missing figures? Do you see the pattern in this thread? There are other similar threads. You would think they would be embarrassed, or at least want to be more profitable by doing it right the first time.

They apologize and correct their inefficient mistakes. They are nice enough about it, but after awhile with no apparent improvement, apologies ring hollow. Don't order from them if you must have the figures within a specific time.

I had seven consecutive orders with errors – missing, damaged, just wrong. Yes, they sent replacement parts, figures and apologies. I still order from them, even though it is clear that customers are their unpaid quality control.

The rub is that more than once I needed that pack, tank or figure for a project, and by the time I received the correction, it was too late for the timetable I was working on. Now, I no longer order from them if it something I must have within a specific period of time since their history is not good regarding quality control.

It's been my experience that the quality control is inversely proportionate to the size of the company. I've had more problems with the likes of Battlefront, Foundry, Warlord, than with many of the smaller manufacturers. None are immune to miscasts or mistakes, but my guess is that it's harder to spot a faulty figure if you cast and package a few thousand rather than a few hundred given that most manufacturers don't scale up their personnel at the same ratio as the amount of figures they cast.

The real litmus test is in their service.

I've never had a problem with WG correcting a fault in their packaging. Once or twice a miscommunication in the notes going back and forth resulted in an incorrect replacement having to be rectified by their sending the correct piece in a second mailer. However, they definitely seem to follow the old business model that "the customer is always right!"

It is a shame that in this case these were meant as presents. I guess you're going to have to include an IOU note.

The flimsey rifle and carbine barrels are another problem. One that WG is not alone confronting -- I've gotten bent and broken barrels in Artizen and Foundry blisters. The "industry" really needs to solve that issue!

I have never had an issue with them not replacing a broken or wrong figure. Just contact their customer service and the lads should help you out. I remember having the wrong hull for a flame tank recently, contacted them, sent in a few pics, and I got a new one right away no questions asked.

"They apologize and correct their inefficient mistakes. They are nice enough about it, but after awhile with no apparent improvement, apologies ring hollow."

I can't help but agree.

Such problems with missing or miscast parts is an issue that is more common with multi-part castings rather than single cast soldiers. This is why while I stock and sale multi-part castings, my personal collection are all single cast soldiers from such manufacturers as Battlehonors, Artizan, Berlin or Bust and rules of engagement.

Just my preference but I do not run into the missing or miscast problem.

UPDATE:
Great to deal with and emailing after the Holidays, which I totally understand because of people having time off for the holidays. So I just received the 5 replacement figures today from Warlord and guess what 2 of these were damaged, same as before rifle barrels broken off at least the broken parts are in the blister this time.

I guess it's time to put in another ticket.

Always found them to exceptionally helpful – can't fault the service.

I've only had great service from them. Always willing to help.

The Gentleman I dealt with was excellent and very responsive, no issues with that at all. I did contact him after the two replacement figures arrived damaged, and sent images also. I received an email the next day that the 2nd set of replacements were on their way to me already. No complaints on service. They should use some more foam in the blisters to keep the figures from moving around though and this would most likely reduce allot of their damaged metal figures issues that they currently have.