Kiani regular base situation

[risingstar]

Originally Posted by frankm

All,

Just posted a big update in the Kiani Lava Edition thread. It was pretty lengthy so I didn't copy/paste it in here. Please check it out and let me know if you have any questions!

Frank

Is there a tentative timeline for the reg base replacements? Are we talking next spring, next summer, next winter? Has the factory begun producing the replacements? What will be done (added?) to the reg edition bases to make them more durable?

Thanks!

[frankm]

Risingstar,

Unfortunately, I don't have those answers for you just yet. It's been an extremely difficult situation for us that we're finally now starting to get some ground covered. It's tough to explain, but needless to say, we're working with the factory and doing the best we can to get some type of resolution as quickly as possible. I'm figuring the fix will be similar to what was done to the lava edition bases. It's a very subtle adjustment that keeps the integrity of the design in tact yet ensures the statue and front wave won't ever droop again. I'm sorry I don't have anything more to tell you yet, but hopefully soon.

Frank

[benhernandez]

Thanks for the update Frank!

[animatedUKfan]

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I feel that some things need to be said.

I am one of those previously very loyal Aspen fans (a purchaser of many prints, comics, statues and other merchandise from their website) who have lost faith over the many months that this problem has been dragging on.

When/if we do actually receive these replacement lava bases it will be a big plus for Aspen but will only go half way to rectifying the situation in my opinion.

Both the lava AND the regular bases need to replaced, I see it as one and the same problem.

We still only have a vague statement that Aspen are trying to solve the regular base problem, no firm assurance or dates after well over a year.

It would appear to me that if Aspen wanted to solve the problem with both bases at a minimum of cost to themselves, the best way to save money on this would have been to manufacture both sets of bases at once, have one shipment to Ohio and then only need one shipment to each of their customers.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a suspicion that Aspen think if they come through on the lava bases they will have done enough and can then fudge the issue of the regular bases.

I know I'm standing up just to be shot down, and I really hope I'm wrong. If Aspen do come through I will publicly apologise on this forum for doubting them. But I do feel that everyone with a regular Kiani statue needs to let Aspen know that replacement lava bases are a good start but not an end to the problem.

[frankm]

UKfan,

I understand your frustration, I really do. I know this problem has cost you guys hundreds of dollars in waiting to display the statue(s) that you've purchased, but it has also cost us thousands. We've lost so much money because of this, and for something we didn't even or couldn't even know was going to occur! It's stinks beyond words.

I can't even begin to explain how tedious of a process this has been, but we've done everything we could to keep things on track as best as possible. The amount of time it has taken is just so out of our control, all we could do was wait and continue pushing whenever we could. If we somehow could have snapped our fingers or something and had new bases instantly arrive, we certainly would have. When we started this company, it was always Mike's #1 mandate to ensure all of our fans were happy with whatever Aspen put out there. You guys are the ones supporting us and keeping us in business, so it'd be absurd for us to try and ruin that - ever.

I know the problems with the regular bases are similar to what occurred with the lava bases, but the 'situation' is not. All of the lava bases were faulty, but not all of the regular bases are. Ones we have on display here at work are still fine from the initial shipment we received way back when. And even though many of you have had problems with your regular bases, it's only a small percentage of the 1200 total statues produced. That's what has been taking so long to try and get this particular problem figured out.

Look, I realize that the replacement lava bases is only part of the solution, but it's a great start. We're still working with the factory to see what is going to occur with the regular base problems. I don't have any type of time frame yet, but I'm hoping it's relatively soon (and I'm sure they do too since I'm constantly inquiring about it!) As soon as we have some answers, you will too.

Like I said, we've never gone back on our word, ever, in regards to getting this problem fixed. It's taken more time than we certainly would have liked, but progress is being made thankfully. No apologies from anyone will be necessary. I'll just be the happiest guy on the planet once all of this is finally behind us!!

[animatedUKfan]

I appreciate your dilemma Frank, encountering a problem like this is every manufacturer's nightmare (especially as it is a problem that you couldn't have forseen).

But in not dealing with the problem in a timely manner, I am sure that Aspen has lost a lot of trust and loyalty from it's client base (as is in evidence by many of the posts relating to the problems).

In real terms, it probably wouldn't have cost a lot more to get replacement regular bases made at the same time as lava ones, have one joint shipping cost to the US and joint shipping costs to your customers.

What a customer relations coup that would have been!

You would have everyone singing your praises and your online shop would go into meltdown with everyone clamouring for more product!

In not doing so, if you do now replace some regular bases after sorting out the lava ones, it will cost double the cost in shipping and postage alone.

Meanwhile, your customers are left in the dark, getting angrier with each passing month. The problem festers like an open wound.

(I'm not convinced it is only a small percentage of bases that have a problem, I'm sure many owners think theirs is an isolated problem and haven't reported it to you, not all will be visitors to SF).

I know Aspen is your business and you run it as you see fit; I don't mean to preach but as a company director myself I could use this case as an example to my staff how NOT to deal with a customer complaint.

You have an excellent character base at Aspen and Michael's legacy live's on there. I sincerely hope you can get this matter resolved to everyone's satisfaction and move on.

[Phillip]

I have a question UK if you don't mind.

Have you ever had any direct dealings business wise with factories in China?

[nerdbane]

Originally Posted by Phillip

I have a question UK if you don't mind.

Have you ever had any direct dealings business wise with factories in China?

I don't know about UK, but I have not had any direct dealings with factories in China.

Phillip, have you ever had dealings with a company which produced a product which turned out to have a design defect and waited years for that product to be replaced and sent an email to the company as they requested and waited for over a month and still no reply?

[animatedUKfan]

Originally Posted by Phillip

I have a question UK if you don't mind.

Have you ever had any direct dealings business wise with factories in China?

China, no.

My point is, no matter where you get replacement bases from, in the long run it can cost less to bite the bullet and just deal with a problem than to let it drag on and destroy your loyal customer base.

Yes it will cost in the short term, but that cost is quickly recouped in the medium to long term if you keep your client base. By letting it drag on, you risk losing the support of those customers that helped to build your company in the first place.

[frankm]

UKfan,

In a perfect world, of course obtaining new lava bases and regular bases at the same time to ship out would have been ideal. I'm sorry to say though, things just couldn't work out that way. Production matters needed to be worked out with the factory and it was impossible to resolve this the way you proposed. And, we unfortunately didn't have an extra $100k+ available to just 'bite the bullet' as you said and make all new statues immediately.

Contrary to your thoughts, we haven't ever just let this problem drag on. In fact, Phillip has been living in China for months just to help push a solution along as quickly as we could. We've moved as swiftly as possible with each presented opportunity to get this resolved. I know you're not happy with the time frame it's taken, we're not, no one is. All we can do is move forward.

Look, I know we could go back and forth on this all day. Everyone has their own warranted gripes on this subject and obviously nothing I explain or type in here means squat until we physically send out new bases. Until then, if that means we're used as a 'not how' to do something in your staff meetings, so be it. We would never want to lose the support of our customers. I've always said we're going to follow through on this to the end and get to some type of resolution for everyone. We're still going to do that.

Nerdbane,

Did you email me or our store? If you emailed me, no excuses, I probably just missed emailing you back. If you emailed the store, Chris has been replying back to everyone as far as I know. Please forward him your email again and I assure you you'll receive a response back once he returns from his trip early next week. I posted his email in the lava base thread but it's -

Chris@aspenstore.com

Just in case you don't have it.

He'll be stopping in here too!