Calendar - Signed with Invisible Ink?

[Daralys]

I just want to ask, why is everyone talking about the FBI? It's not like they care about little things like this. Unless there's something I don't know . . .?

Anything the Dabels tell you about why something was late or why things are so messed up is very likely a lie. They've BSed about everything else, why start believing them now?

Is there anything we can do as a group? 30 people or more e-mailing individually is pretty ineffective since it's fairly easy to just hit delete.

I already started e-mailing them again asking where my prints and calendar are. 2 e-mails and still no response. Not that I'm surprised, though I already am rather angry. It's the old anger being regurgitated. >.<

[Okkim Oskaal]

@ Lythana

[quote name='Lythana' post='1749975' date='Apr 8 2009, 17.54']Good to know. Did you also make a complaint at the FBI?[/quote]

Not yet, but now Les or Derek has one week to answer detailed answer to my demands, because they have just answered to my e-mail, and not given anything true answer concerning my demand!

I´ll give you my demand and Les´s "answer", so you can see for yourself, that I have not been answered yet...(My messages are little censored of course)

[quote name=''My mail to Les'']AGAIN!

I have not received my order... or the promised extra free calendar neither! Read the full email, it has all the information you need to make me a pleased customer, otherwise it´s FBI who´s contacting you next, I´ll promise you that!!! : o (

"EXACTLY what you ordered"

> Item Name: 2009 A Song of Ice and Fire Calendar - SIGNED by GRRM
> Item Number: 18
> Quantity: 1
> Transaction ID: 68Y191133C881714H
> Item Price: $49.99 USD
> Total: $57.94 USD
... had more, but cut off...
[quote name=''Les answered me'']
Mikko not the FBI :o lol

I'll look in to this for you today. Thanks.

Les D[/quote]
[quote name=''I sent Les another message to be sure that he read my mail right'']Ok Les.

Did you notice this later on my mail?

> Now, that you get the signed calendars with wrong cover(Jon Snow) back fron Mr. Martin, and you are shipping them to people who ordered them, I suggest you to send also the variant cover(Ned Stark) calendar with it, so that people like me could get Mr. Martin´s signature to it with some other way, and by that way could get the ordered calendar, that you obviously can´t deliver.
>
> Mr. Martin is coming to Finland this summer, and I could get this variant cover calendar for him to be signed for, and so I would be satisfied with this error of yours!
>
> And it would be great to see some digital photos from the packet that has my name and address on it, and the happening, when it goes to USPS(my packet must be recognized in the picture) , as a proof of your delivery.[/quote]
[quote name=''Les answered me again'']I'll make sure I hook you up my friend ;)

Les D[/quote][/quote]

So I really have no information of my order, and if they ever gonna send me my order and my demanded variant cover Ned Stark calendar with the wrong covered signed Jon Snow calendar???

BTW, how would you have been answered to my mails, I bet you would have given me quite different answer, that I got from Les??? :wideeyed:

[quote name='Lythana' post='1749975' date='Apr 8 2009, 17.54']But wouldn't it have been more clever to admit this and ask those customers, who ordered the variant cover, if they accepted the Jon Snow Cover and a refund instead?[/quote]

Yes, it would have been, but then again... we are talking about Dabel Brothers Publishing, aren´t we??? The word [b]HONESTY[/b] isn´t at their vocabularity??? :lol:


@ Wolfheart

[quote name='Wolfheart' date='Apr 8 2009, 23.04']Okkim you must have my tirades, complaints and threats all saved from the thread about the calendars on Dabel Brothers forums.[/quote]

I hope so, but I woke up to backup the threads only after they have been deleted, and took screenshots from Google cache pages, wich didn´t have all posts memorized from every page, and the page 15 of the whole 16 pages of complaints was not cached by Google... :dunno:

[quote name='Wolfheart' date='Apr 8 2009, 23.04']I finally got my "free" calendar while I was supposed to wait for my full SIGNED calendar in spring. I did recieve the apology letter with note that I will be recieving the signed one in spring. The note I still have saved just for proof.[/quote]

Yes, you´re one of the lucky guys who have that free calendar of yours, but I have also been promised free calendar 3 times before, and received none, so we really should hold on to every evidence that we have, and if you need those screenshots, I´ll send them! :cheers:

[quote name='Wolfheart' date='Apr 8 2009, 23.04']Now lets see how long it takes to arrive to me. Even if it does. I will grab my pitchfork and torch again.[/quote]

Yes, we´ll see, but I´m just waiting for Les to truly answer me first, then I´ll join the delivery waiting peoples, and file to FBI if I don´t get my answer!!! :mad:


@ Daralys

[quote name='Daralys' date='Apr 9 2009, 20.27']I just want to ask, why is everyone talking about the FBI? It's not like they care about little things like this. Unless there's something I don't know . . .?[/quote]

There is obviously one thing you don´t know, so I´ll give you a link: [url="http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx"]http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx[/url]

[quote name='Daralys' date='Apr 9 2009, 20.27']Anything the Dabels tell you about why something was late or why things are so messed up is very likely a lie. They've BSed about everything else, why start believing them now?[/quote]

Be assured, that we are not believing them unless our exactly ordered products is at our hands. I´ll give them one week now to answer me, and if they don´t, then I´ll just make my complaint for FBI ICCC, so we´ll see who is laughing the best after this game!!! :devil:

[quote name='Daralys' date='Apr 9 2009, 20.27']Is there anything we can do as a group? 30 people or more e-mailing individually is pretty ineffective since it's fairly easy to just hit delete.[/quote]

That´s why we all are in this thread to see what we could do, and maybe someone of us finds out the way to make group demand to Dabel Brothers, but I personally don´t have the knowledge to do that, because I live in Finland and I don´t know anything about US laws, just European laws and they are always protecting the customers, but can´t backup us on US ground! :unsure:

[quote name='Daralys' date='Apr 9 2009, 20.27']I already started e-mailing them again asking where my prints and calendar are. 2 e-mails and still no response. Not that I'm surprised, though I already am rather angry. It's the old anger being regurgitated. >.<[/quote]

I´m believing you. Maybe you could also use the subject on your mail, that kkemikk sent to this thread earlier on page 12, because with that subject my mails went through as well. :thumbsup:

[kkemikk]

[quote name='Okkim Oskaal' post='1751350' date='Apr 10 2009, 10.30']Maybe you could also use the subject on your mail, that kkemikk sent to this thread earlier on page 12, because with that subject my mails went through as well. :thumbsup:[/quote]

I'm glad to hear it man. :cheers:

Got conformation from Dabel that my signed calendar has been shipped. Lets hope for the best now.

[Lythana]

[quote name='Daralys' post='1751133' date='Apr 10 2009, 03.27']I just want to ask, why is everyone talking about the FBI? It's not like they care about little things like this. Unless there's something I don't know . . .?[/quote]

Maybe they don't. But if a lot of people post their issue and they count it together, maybe they move, because it's big enough then. If not, what's lost? There's nothing else (which is also useful) I could do.

[quote]Is there anything we can do as a group? 30 people or more e-mailing individually is pretty ineffective since it's fairly easy to just hit delete.[/quote]

Yes. We could mail together so they only have to delete one mail ... (sorry for sarcasm).
I really don't know except contacting the FBI Internet Fraud Department and informing them about all other cases as well.

[quote]I already started e-mailing them again asking where my prints and calendar are. 2 e-mails and still no response. Not that I'm surprised, though I already am rather angry. It's the old anger being regurgitated. >.<[/quote]

Who wonders. Again no one their answers my emails or forum mails. Maybe my calendar was amongst those that took a detour through half of Europe, but be it as it may, nothing has arrived yet. Six weeks are by far enough or you have to face it, that it was lost (if ever sent).

[Lythana]

[quote name='Okkim Oskaal' post='1751350' date='Apr 10 2009, 10.30']Not yet, but now Les or Derek has one week to answer detailed answer to my demands, because they have just answered to my e-mail, and not given anything true answer concerning my demand!

I´ll give you my demand and Les´s "answer", so you can see for yourself, that I have not been answered yet...(My messages are little censored of course)[/quote]

Thanks for that. At least you get some answers. At the moment I think the only way to make them answer is to use their forum. Not that it works every time.

[quote]Yes, we´ll see, but I´m just waiting for Les to truly answer me first, then I´ll join the delivery waiting peoples, and file to FBI if I don´t get my answer!!! :mad:[/quote]

O.k., just let us know. Don't hesitate to mention my case as well, when asked if other customers are affected. I posted a link to the DB Forum, GRRMs Not A Blog and to this forum. I don't know if they are working this case, but I hope they do.

[quote]That´s why we all are in this thread to see what we could do, and maybe someone of us finds out the way to make group demand to Dabel Brothers, but I personally don´t have the knowledge to do that, because I live in Finland and I don´t know anything about US laws, just European laws and they are always protecting the customers, but can´t backup us on US ground! :unsure:[/quote]

I've got the same problem. In Germany you have to post your address and contact data if you want to make business via internet (actually anybody who runs an internet page has to post this information). I was pretty surprised that this doesn't seem to be the same in the U.S.
I actually don't know, how much public offices here would care about such minor cases.


[quote]I´m believing you. Maybe you could also use the subject on your mail, that kkemikk sent to this thread earlier on page 12, because with that subject my mails went through as well. :thumbsup:[/quote]

This sounds a bit like magic, you know ;)
Just type the right subject = use the right ritual ... ;)
I won't complain, if it works, but I have my doubts. First it was URGENT! in your mail subject, then it was posting complaints via George R.R. Martin, both wore off quite fast. Now it's a new subject, that should help to quick answers and the ordered calendar. I want to believe, but ...

[Okkim Oskaal]

[quote name='Lythana' post='1751434' date='Apr 10 2009, 16.42']I actually don't know, how much public offices here would care about such minor cases.[/quote]

Do you mean in Europe or in US?

In Europe we have the European Consumer Centre [url="http://www.eu-verbraucher.de/de/"]http://www.eu-verbraucher.de/de/[/url] in Germany, and I must say that every case that goes through their system is solved some way or another, and there is not so small thing you can´t complain to them, and they take care of it... I have used this service now 4 times, and I have won every complaint that they have assistanced against fraudulent salesmen! :thumbsup:

I just hope that this US FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center works as well... but that have to be seen if I make my complaint to there? :dunno:

[aergern]

It's been 5 months since I ordered this and a print from them. I haven't seen ANYTHING except an email from Les saying he'd take care of me on this .. and that was 03/03/09 .. you all do the math. Sad .. really sad.

[Yagathai]

[quote name='Daralys' post='1751133' date='Apr 9 2009, 21.27']Is there anything we can do as a group? 30 people or more e-mailing individually is pretty ineffective since it's fairly easy to just hit delete.[/quote]

Yes, and it rhymes with "shmoycott". Though if anyone that's been paying attention is going to give the more money, they're not very smart.

[GoN]

Honestly, I'm 100% with Yags here. They have a terrible customer service record, and I know a lot of people who didn't order the calendar on that alone. Getting a 2009 calendar in May or June or July is not acceptable, I don't care if you do just want it for the pretty pictures. Not buying their crap is the only message that should be sent.

[Okkim Oskaal]

This is how the USPS letter comes from US to Finland usually with customs declaration: Choise Merchandise sends me letter 4/7/2009 and it arrived today 4/14/2009, only 7 days between sending and receiving my order...

With DB I hope it arrives before 7 months has gone by... Frustrating??? :tantrum:

[Daralys]

I'm now at 5 e-mails and still waiting for a response.

Why is GRRM still going to use them for the next 2 calendars (or so I heard somewhere)? Isn't there another company that could actually do this in a reasonable manner? Even if he has a contract with them, aren't there terms on which a contract can be canceled, like poor service or failure to deliver?

[Okkim Oskaal]

[quote name='Daralys' post='1755371' date='Apr 15 2009, 04.21']Why is GRRM still going to use them for the next 2 calendars (or so I heard somewhere)? Isn't there another company that could actually do this in a reasonable manner? Even if he has a contract with them, aren't there terms on which a contract can be canceled, like poor service or failure to deliver?[/quote]

Please read...
[url="http://grrm.livejournal.com/68702.html"]http://grrm.livejournal.com/68702.html[/url]

So if we want ASoIaF calendar, then it´s sadly DB. :cry:

[Lythana]

I'm no longer interested in the calendar, by now I only want my money back. But DB aren't even capable of doing that.They neither answer my mails nor my forum requests. I don't care, if it's true or not, that my calendar had been sent on Feb 23rd. Even a misled parcel doesn't take more than six weeks. By now one can consider it lost. I don't want to wait another six weeks for the next parcel that doesn't arrive.
But it doesn't look as if DB will refund. So I can only hope that BBB and the FBI are going to make them move. I'm so fed up with them, I can hardly tell ... :(
This is my first and my last try to order an Ice&Fire Calendar as long as DB is the publisher. I don't care, if they do it better next year or any year after. This years experience is frustrating enough to last for a lifetime. If it were only that the calendar was late and maybe the first sending went wrong. These are mistakes, that shouldn't occur, but shit happens. It's a small company and maybe they misjugded how much work it would be. But I don't see any convincing efforts to fix up this mess. Sending parcels without tracking and insurance, after all went wrong the first time, surely is no proper way. Not answering mails ain't as well. Complaining about unhappy customers who dare to complain isn't either, as well as deleting those complaints. It's the feeling, that they don't seem to take their customers serious, that they don't seem to care to fix up problems that makes me angry.

I see the problem to find a new and satisfying publisher and I can understand that GRRM doesn't want or can't change to another company. But nevertheless as long as DB is the publisher I won't buy any Ice & Fire calendar anymore. And I can only give the advice, never to prepay anything ordered at DB. Never.

[Krafus]

You unfortunate people might be interested to know that the Dabels are still active on this board... even if it's only to advertise their latest product:

[url="http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=35786"]http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=35786[/url]

[Lythana]

[quote name='Krafus' post='1755784' date='Apr 15 2009, 16.08']You unfortunate people might be interested to know that the Dabels are still active on this board... even if it's only to advertise their latest product:

[url="http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=35786"]http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=35786[/url][/quote]

This is outragous. They have the time for advertisements, but no time for support for their angry customers.
:thumbsdown:

[BlueRose]

Here in Canada I still have no calendar either. I ordered the unsigned variant cover in October, have sent numerous emails, and have never gotten a response. When Krafus received his calendar I started checking the mail again every day, but at this point I've given up hope. I refuse to reorder from them because I agree with Yags on the boycott.

It's too bad, they do really nice work, but we dont deserve to be treated this way.

[CiaranAnnrach]

[quote name='BlueRose' post='1756296' date='Apr 15 2009, 15.48']Here in Canada I still have no calendar either. I ordered the unsigned variant cover in October, have sent numerous emails, and have never gotten a response. When Krafus received his calendar I started checking the mail again every day, but at this point I've given up hope. I refuse to reorder from them because I agree with Yags on the boycott.

It's too bad, they do really nice work, but we dont deserve to be treated this way.[/quote]

I wouldn't stop emailing them, though. Just to remind them they still owe you shit, ya know?

I dunno. I personally just try and remain as detached as possible to the situation, because I know it would make me sick if I didn't. These guys have serious issues, and they've hurt and disappointed quite a lot of people, which is inexcusable.

So, I dunno. I'm going to keep bugging them, I'll be polite, until I get the correct calender I'm owed and the prints I'm owed. When I do get them, well, we'll see. I'm not opposed to being very altruistic with the spare calender they sent me. But I'll likely never purchase from them again, that's for sure. Not unless I can walk up to them, hand them cash, and pick up the product [i]in hand[/i] and walk away with it.

[Alytha]

You really need enormous balls of steel to keep advertising for your stuff right next to a thread complaining about how you never answer and in general do F-A for your customers...
(Or be very stupid...or a combination of both)
(that shouldn't sound like I'm admiring anything they do, really)
Has somebody put a discrete link here into that other thread? ;)

[CiaranAnnrach]

[quote name='Alytha' post='1756861' date='Apr 16 2009, 01.22']Has somebody put a discrete link here into that other thread? ;)[/quote]

I did, abeit not so discrete like, as soon as I saw Krafus's post.

Besides, that thread has already been thread-jacked by calendar complaints.

[beniowa]

Why is GRRM still going to use them for the next 2 calendars (or so I heard somewhere)? Isn't there another company that could actually do this in a reasonable manner? Even if he has a contract with them, aren't there terms on which a contract can be canceled, like poor service or failure to deliver?

GRRM just posted today that both he and artist Michael Kaluta have terminated their contracts with DB for the future calenders due to the problems over the 2009 calendar. Hopefully, another company (a better company at that) will express an interest in the future.