"Galloping Major - Kickstarter Status??" Topic

Hey all – anyone in touch with Galloping Major? The KS was supposed to ship by January 2018. He hasn't updated his Kickstarter since Feb 28. Starting to wonder if this KS is going belly up!

Have you tried sending an email?

Good idea – don't know why I didn't think of that. I had to check his website and I finally found it. I'll let everyone know what the outcome is…

Here's hoping for good result!

I really do hope so. I'd love nothing more than to hear there is a legitimate reason for the delay and this comes to a happy ending.

The KS last year went well.

@Stosstruppen – Curious – was his last Kickstarter late? This one had a delivery date of January 2018. His last update was Feb 28th 2018. It's now April 15th and we've heard no more from him.

That is well within normal parameters for Kickstarter delays. Projects of that size can and do hit various production, packaging, and shipping delays.

Veteran Kickstarter grognard here — there's no cause to worry within a year of projected shipping date. Two years late is very serious. Always a happy surprise when projects ship on or before the projected date!

That is well within normal parameters for Kickstarter delays. Projects of that size can and do hit various production, packaging, and shipping delays.

Veteran Kickstarter grognard here — there's no cause to worry within a year of projected shipping date. Two years late is very serious. Always a happy surprise when projects ship on or before the projected date!

I'm slightly bothered by the delay. I really bothered by the lack of communication. If he gave updates every couple of weeks – then fine. But to be silent since Feb 28th? I'm not sure I agree with that.

But I do thank you for bringing to light what is considered acceptable with Kickstarters :-)

His last kickstarter was supposed to ship Dec 2016 but actually shipped Feb 2017. To be honest I'm not the least bit concerned. This is a very reputable company that I order from often. Don't forget Salute is this weekend which is probably a major event for him and so could cause a delay.

This is what amazes me…. You're trying to build your business. You run a Kickstarter and don't deliver when you're supposed to. You're not even close.

As a customer – if I need figures – do you really think I'm going back to that company? Heck no. I'll stick with Old Glory, etc. – people who can deliver on time.

This is my first experience with Galloping Major. It's shaping up to be my last.

I've had similar issues with Old Glory

But I do thank you for bringing to light what is considered acceptable with Kickstarters :-)

It's more the reality with Kickstarters. Even big companies that have run multiple KS campaigns still run into production delays that can take months to resolve. I would never pledge for anything through KS that I needed on a deadline.

I have ordered minis from Galloping Major's regular stock in the past and they all came through just fine.

If this experience really upsets you, you should definitely consider not doing Kickstarter projects again. But if you like Galloping Major figures, order the already in-production ones directly.

If this experience really upsets you, you should definitely consider not doing Kickstarter projects again

Honestly, I just cancelled the one Kickstarter I had remaining. This is the last one. Once this is done I'm not going back to Kickstarter. The aggravation is not worth it.

There seems to be a slow learning curve regarding kickstarters here. There are plenty of threads devoted to kickstarters and possible delays. You just have to hit the TMP search function. Oh wait…that's been disabled!

I think every KS I have been involved with has been late for various reasons

No one has ever had "issues" with Old Glory concerning a Kickstarter as Old Glory has never done a Kickstarter??? Any other issues can be solved with a phone call to the plant.

Regards
Russ Dunaway

I've been in on a few that were on time, and one a month early!
But those are very happy surprises.

I did recently get in on the Sash & Saber FIW one. That is a very ambitious project scope, even for a very experienced enterpreneur. I'll definitely give that one an extra year for my estimated receival time!

I know that Lance is having his site overhauled and that a lot of his time is taken up with that.

I also know that Lance uses Griffen Molds to do his casting and they can run 6 to 8 weeks behind.

I wouldn't worry about it. He is an honorable guy.

Russ, I wasn't talking about an Old Glory kickstarter, just a delay in shipment. And I certainly wasn't trying to disparage OG. You guys are fantastic. I was just trying to point out that delays sometimes happen, with any business. At times they are simply unavoidable but vendors do the absolute best they can. I have ordered from OG many times and will continue to do so and would recommend you to anyone

Never had any problems with War and Empire or PSC kickstarters. Always on budget and on time.

Well, Galloping Major did answer on Kickstarter. More delays, etc., etc., etc. Nothing I can do but wait. Thanks all!

How many KS have you done? You are clearly spoiled if you expect updates every few weeks, especially from a smaller KS from mostly a one-man show. An update every few months you'll get if you are lucky. I haven't heard anything from the Flint and Feather KS for 6 or 7 months. If you are really worried try sending persistent personal emails or posting on the Facebook group. I think GM has a good track record.

Listen, happens.

If it is a company that has run them successfully in the past and their business isn't just KS, then you shouldn't worry.

As a personal experience, running KS are a pain in the bum. Making sure everything happens as originally planned so that timelines are met is another issue and typically requires herculean effort. Since most of us have to rely on others to manufacture items, managing that process, changes, issues can sometimes have impacts. The key is to communicate when you can and keep at the goal of getting the product delivered, even if it is late.

Everyone always wants to deliver on time. No one sets dates with the desire to miss the date. Sometimes things happen and you have to muscle through to completion.

Listen, happens.

I agree. I'm setting my expectations by the dates the vendor set – not me. If you can't make that date, then an explanation is due. Come to think of it Lon – I backed your Kickstarter. I don't remember that being a few months late.

How many KS have you done? You are clearly spoiled if you expect updates every few weeks, especially from a smaller KS from mostly a one-man show. An update every few months you'll get if you are lucky. I haven't heard anything from the Flint and Feather KS for 6 or 7 months.

If you're spending money with someone – an update every few months really isn't acceptable. That's just being plain lazy.

If you are really worried try sending persistent personal emails or posting on the Facebook group. I think GM has a good track record.

He had a good reputation – which is why I initially backed this Kickstarter. Frankly, this has left a bad taste in my mouth. I shouldn't have to hunt you down to get an update once a month

I'll get my figures and leave it at that. Next order will be with another vendor.

I think that nearly everyone who has run a KS underestimates how long it will take to get the product to the market. I think that this is due largely to the learning curve that one needs if one is doing a KS for the first time.

You are basically a venture capitalist when you back a KS and such investments always carry some risk. As others have said, if you are not comfortable with risk and uncertainty then maybe a KS investment is not right for you.

As Brigade Games says, no one who starts a KS has the intention of being late. I Did two successful KS but I would probably never do one again for my company. The obligation to deliver the product to my backers weighed heavily on my mind and it can become a crushing burden. My reputation is at stake when I do a KS and that means a lot to me. In a couple of instances I offered to refund the investor's money, which I did ( my idea, not the investor's). In the end, I want happy investors more,than anything else.

Galloping Major has a good reputation and I have no doubt that he will deliver on his product.

My reputation is at stake when I do a KS and that means a lot to me. In a couple of instances I offered to refund the investor's money, which I did ( my idea, not the investor's). In the end, I want happy investors more,than anything else.

Galloping Major has a good reputation and I have no doubt that he will deliver on his product.

In my mind, Galloping Major HAD a great reputation. This whole experience is souring me to the company.

King, Your money, your choice!

But being late on a KS and lack of updates thereof, is not a Death Sentence offense.

Perhaps you'll have a change of heart when the figures arrive.

But being late on a KS and lack of updates thereof, is not a Death Sentence offense.

I never said it was. It's funny – when it came to handing over the money – I was on time. Now HE has the money – and we're four months late and little communication.

That's how an honest, honorable businessman runs a business?

I wouldn't worry about it. He is an honorable guy.

Wow…. Can I order your figures and maybe I'll pay you in four months?

Perhaps you'll have a change of heart when the figures arrive.

I don't think so.

After reading this, I owe an apology. Regardless of how this Kickstarter turns out, I have no right questioning a man's integrity. I'm sure he didn't start this Kickstarter hoping to be late.

I was angry at something else and I had no right to be near a keyboard. It's not an excuse – just an apology for my behavior.

So to everyone that I upset or offended – please accept my apologies.

Hello all, firstly, many thanks to all those who have "stood up" for me and/or Kickstarter itself – some are friends and customers of Galloping Major, others are just fair minded individuals – thank you all. Friends brought this thread to my attention, but I thought it better all round not to escalate matters, meanwhile TheKing30 and I had ongoing conversations both via Kickstarter and by e-mail after he contacted me on both media; I offered to refund his pledge if he would prefer, happily he decided to stick with the pledge and apologised, very manfully. So "all's well that ends well", although I'm pretty certain that the well chosen words of our fellow TMP members did more to bring this about than anything I could have said.

On reflection I am still more than a little concerned, not so much about TheKing30 who has now "buried the hatchet", but about the potential continued bad impression created by the title of this thread, on those who see it, maybe even dip in, but, as is often in the nature of us forum members, don't read on to the conclusion. Such a bad impression, if taken even by a minority, may have a detrimental effect on our little business.

As some have already correctly pointed out, the raison d'etre of Kickstarter is to create a platform through which interested enthusiasts of art-related product concepts in various media: from unmade movies, music albums, stage productions etc, to board games, rules and wargames miniatures, can support projects of their choice and in that way help to bring them about. Most Kickstarter projects would either not happen at all, or not for some time – even then coming together in a piece-meal gradual way. Yes, there are a great many complications for anyone running a Kickstarter campaign, but I genuinely believe that Kickstarter has provided a platform through which small companies like mine can obtain the backing to develop and release new "products" which might otherwise never see the light of day, a situation which would not (again, in my opinion) be in the best interests of "the market" – all of us on here.

Mea culpa! I now realise that I may have been at fault in one particular area which TheKing30 has mentioned, that of not producing updates as frequently as I had intended. As a "one man band" (other than some input from a very tolerant wife who is already fully employed elsewhere) I find that it is all too tempting to set aside such tasks for another day rather than have them interrupt the creative and production work – after having had this brought clearly to my attention, I think in the future I shall have to re-think this.

Best regards to all,

Lance

Hopefully you'll notice the title has been changed to be less caustic. Thank you Mr(s) Editor!!!