Returns policy on missing parts

[spaghettyhoop]

Has anyone had an issues with old metal kits from GW recently?

In the years ive been playing warhammer, ive had a couple of issues with bits mis-cast, and they have replaced them instore or over the phone no questions asked, and I sent them the miscast stuff back.

This is the first time ive had a kit with a piece missing, and what they want me to do seems odd. I ordered Grom the paunch, and it came with a single piece of the chariot missing that goes over the wolves.

When I called up, expecting them to send me out a replacement bit, they said first I need to send the whole kit back, with a note stating which bit is missing. Once they get this back they will send a whole kit out.

I explained that what I have recieved is fine, and not miscast or anything, and only want that single missing piece sending out, but they cant do that.

It just seems really odd after my past experience last year with customer service, and its annoyed me that I now have to pack this up and post it (even though its free post) when all I want is a tiny missing piece.

[Rosstifer]

My local reckons people were taking the piss with getting free stuff (I know a chap who got a free Hellcannon a few years back, when all that was missing from the kit he bought was a Wheel. He greenstuffed a Wheel and bam, 2 Hellcannon's for the price of one). Seems like GW were overly generous with the returns and have had to tighten up. Just speculation.

[spaghettyhoop]

Aye that makes sense, and is fair enough, but its what he said they will do that baffles me.

They will repackage it for me with the missing piece included.

For miscasts etc, the policy makes sense. But wanting me to send back an entire kit thats fine, to have them repack it and put in the single missing piece and send it back to me makes no sense. If they have a piece to add into my kit, they should just ship me out that single bit. Its just annoyed me a bit.

[Marovian]

I had a similiar thing, bought a BFG grand cruiser, and started building it straight from the box, pinning and GSing as I went. It was only when I got right to the end that I realised the small bridge was missing. I contacted GW, just wanting that little part, and they said they wanted the kit back before they sent a replacement. Now, BFG kits aren't the easiest things to put together and I had put some effort in to it so I declined and just traded with a forum member for a plastic bridge from another kit. So there are ways around it.

To be honest though, I was half expecting to get a whole 2nd kit from what I had heard about GW customer service but I couldn't criticise them for their approach - they are a business after all.

Other end of the scale, once bought a WD from the WHW store and the guy said "you should get a subscription." I explained that I had and that I was only buying WD because it just hadn't arrived and they were constantly failing to send out a replacement. Without a word he went into the till and gave me my money back - all on no more than the strength of my word. I was quite happy with that.

[Sildani]

I wonder if it's because they're metal - perhaps the inventory's low, or they're running out of pewter to cast with.

[jimbo2]

The thing is that it's more cost effective for them to send out a whole kit, they produce parts in equal measure so to send you an individual piece is going to result in them having another kit like yours which will then have to be thrown away anyway. Secondly to source an individual part is massively inefficient, not scalable and will result in disruption to production lines so this way they just log your replacement as a new order internally and it keeps things running smoothly. You get a whole new product and they make efficiency savings in the factory.

[UberBeast]

I recently had a finecast kit completely replaces without question, so it may just be the pewter they are being so coy about.

[VerifiablySane]

The thing is that it's more cost effective for them to send out a whole kit, they produce parts in equal measure so to send you an individual piece is going to result in them having another kit like yours which will then have to be thrown away anyway. Secondly to source an individual part is massively inefficient, not scalable and will result in disruption to production lines so this way they just log your replacement as a new order internally and it keeps things running smoothly. You get a whole new product and they make efficiency savings in the factory.

Agreed, but maybe the decision has been made that for a time they will tighten up on the 'freebie' mentality, in order to make savings in the long-term. Lose some efficiency for a few months (or whatever), but re-educate hobbyists into not thinking that they can just get some free stuff by complaining about non-existent issues. It's probably fair to say that the blame lies at least partly at the feet of scumbags who think that lying to get 'free' things isn't morally the same as fraud/theft.

[Born Again]

I had a similiar thing, bought a BFG grand cruiser, and started building it straight from the box, pinning and GSing as I went. It was only when I got right to the end that I realised the small bridge was missing. I contacted GW, just wanting that little part, and they said they wanted the kit back before they sent a replacement. Now, BFG kits aren't the easiest things to put together and I had put some effort in to it so I declined and just traded with a forum member for a plastic bridge from another kit. So there are ways around it.

To be honest though, I was half expecting to get a whole 2nd kit from what I had heard about GW customer service but I couldn't criticise them for their approach - they are a business after all.

Other end of the scale, once bought a WD from the WHW store and the guy said "you should get a subscription." I explained that I had and that I was only buying WD because it just hadn't arrived and they were constantly failing to send out a replacement. Without a word he went into the till and gave me my money back - all on no more than the strength of my word. I was quite happy with that.

I think it often comes down to which staff member you deal with. While you'd think there was a standard, GW wide policy, it seems to be that some are more helpful and open about replacements and such as others. Might even come down to if they've had a bad day.

I wonder if it's because they're metal - perhaps the inventory's low, or they're running out of pewter to cast with.

This is what I'd suspect. They're probably trying to stretch stock out as much as possible before have to go through FC conversion for kits.