"Front Rank figs & Covid-19" Topic

Hunkering down in Lockdown is a chance to get that new army bought & done! And in my hot, sweaty mits is a sizeable refund cheque from my cancelled holiday….. 😎😎😎

Sod's Law that just as I went to order a Russian Napoleonic Corps from Front Rank they now limit order size to 3 btns or so.

Their usual shipper has fled the field during the pandemic, and this is the limit on Royal Mail posting.

I think it's a mistake that FR are not trying to find a replacement shipper. Not only are they missing a market, but it's highly likely that this current lockdown will last for weeks yet, but there will probably be a return of the virus in the Autumn, so it will all be happening again.

But if it's some comfort, Front Rank, I won't be ordering from anywhere else. Your figures are worth the wait 👍👍👍

I have seen two mini businesses shift to DHL to get packages from the UK to Australia – works very well.

Why can't they just pack it into 2 parcels ? I sent 4.5kg to Portugal recently and sending it in 3 packages by Royal Mail was cheaper than a single package using a courier.

Just order 3 battalions worth, wait a bit then order some more.

I don't see the problem.

You are fortunate that you can afford a large purchase at this time.

You can't paint them all at the same time! Try painting 3 bns and as they're in progress, order the next batch! Improvise, adapt, overcome!

Royal Mail staff (rather than, I suspect, management) seem to have decided that they aren't "essential" so the post is hit and miss. I've been waiting 10 days for a package coming via Hermes (they keep promising it will be "on the move" in the next 24 hours). At least Front Rank are trying to work as normally as possible.

Presumably you have little experience of the postpersons here in the UK or you wouldn't have made that remark.

I have found that they are remarkably helpful and will often go the extra yard to help when an issue occurs.

Their management does not, however, share their sense of public service and has a very poor record of industrial relations.

I'm sure that this must vary from place to place but I, for one, have nothing but praise for them.

The solution is in the hands of the sender in this case, not the Royal Mail. I suspect the limit is more a matter of trying to spread the load so that they are better able to keep the maximum number of customers satisfied rather than having to give priority to large orders.

My local Sorting Office is festooned with handwritten notes suggesting that you don't darken their door. And my father worked for the Post Office for 45 years so I have a teeny, tiny bit of experience.

The Post Office is a separate business now, not the same as the Royal Mail – they only collect the post, not deliver it.

I worked twice in delivery offices and have a number of mates connected to or retired from the Royal Mail and I know there are rogues and idle posties but they are not representative of the majority in my experience.

I placed a small order from Front Rank which was a couple of Austrian Guns and some Jagers. It arrived very quickly .A bit unexpected if being honest because of the un presidented conditions but I am happy.

Everything is a little hit and miss at the moment with the post.
Personally I've had one parcel arrive within four days of purchase from halfway down the country, and yet another that arrived three weeks after placement from just seven miles away.
You've just got to go with things at the moment.

Both were for off the shelf paints too!

1815guy can you not pay for Hermes to call and collect them FR?

Teper1961 – not a bad idea that. Front Rank pass on their carrier charges anyway, so I'm paying the courier regardless. Something to explore.

Duncan/Perrin I'm not buying 3 btns at a time. The figures are more expensive in smaller quantities, and the postage more expensive.

As for Royal Mail, we've always had excellent service from our local sorting office/mailmen. I just wish privatisation hadnt made it so bloody expensive to post anything now. I do sympathise with any small business relying on mail order postal despatch. Their cost control must be a problem.

Hermes, btw is a totally different matter, ConnaughtRanger. I just dont buy from any company using them as a shipper, which is quite a few on Ebay. They ARE cheap. But when you use them you quickly find out why.

Ive never had a straightforward and timely delivery from them. Not a single one. We call them Herpes here.

I too missed the last normal shipping date. I have an order for 5 cavalry regiments ready to go to finish off my Peninsular collection. I have loads to paint, so I'll hold fire.

For those who don't use FR: Normally, postage from Front Rank has a maximum cost of £12.00 GBP and they offer a discount of 10% on orders over £175.00 GBP, 15% on orders £350.00 GBP+, and 20% on orders over £700.00 GBP So it's worth spending a few hundred pound at a time.

My biggest shipment from Front Rank, pre-covid, weighed in at 27 kg (59 lbs) and nearly killed the posty who brought it! Prior to ordering, I think the order was for over £2,000.00 GBP, I spoke to Alec and he added a load of stuff, on top of the discount, gratis. It was worthy of a blog post and it looked like this:

Dammit Olicana! Ive just made my keyboard all wet with my drooling over that horde…..

It turns out that you are right Gildas, its more about FR coping with the orders than not finding a shipper. I got a mailshot from them yesterday, and they are swamped. There's only two of them in the business, so I can sympathise.

Wargsamers in lockdown are going to save our economy single handed!!! :)

Spoke to Ken Trotman (arguably the UK's best specialist military history bookseller?) yesterday – they too have been swamped by orders in the past few weeks! Can't buy a bacon sandwich for love nor money but speccy books and 28mm Napoleonics – no problem!

Can't buy a bacon sandwich for love nor money but speccy books and 28mm Napoleonics – no problem!

That's a trade-off I think we're all happy to make.

Un petit snippet…

On the news today car makers are saying they have had record enquiries during lockdown….

But naff all sales. April 2019 sales was 160,000 new motors. April 2020 was 4,321.

People are using the time in lockdown to research new cars, but not actually planning on buying anything until they see if they have a job in 6 months time!

At least you know where you are with minis! A few hundred quid and Bob's yer Uncle. Buy them, enjoy them while you can.

Life wont be the same again after this.

I live in USA and I ordered from Bicorne. Got the figs in 2 weeks No problem.

Front Rank have placed an order size cap of £200.00 GBP, which came into effect on the 14th May. This appears to be a measure so that they can cope with demand.

I think because of the lock downs worldwide ,demand for figures has probably gone up ,which is perhaps one of the few positives and much needed during the current situation.