Preleases running out of Promos

[evil psyduck]

Yeah. I mean in our area KP Derek doesn't run out much does he?

There has been times when he ran out. Also has been times when he had to cancel some because of running out.

 

[SteveP]

There used to be an assumption that everyone who went to a prerelease got a promo. For whatever reasons, that assumption no longer holds any merit (to some PTOs).

I can understand that in order to cut costs, TPCi doesn't want to over-produce and/or over-deliver. Nevertheless, if it starts to become the norm that prereleases are like Black Friday (limited supplies, first-come-first-serve), that would be insane.

I don't expect all PTOs to offer substitutions, but in-the-least, I'd expect money-back policies for those who signed up, told they'd get the promo later, then didn't get one because the PTO over-booked. Obviously, many won't complain, but that's not the point here. Most McDonalds customers are happy. It only takes a few, or even one, to make bad publicity -- especially if McDonalds is uncompromising, unapologetic, or seems uncaring, like some comments in this topic.

 

[bullados]

This seems to be a new trend of "It's so easy why isnt TPCi doing it?" What was it a few weeks ago the give out a stamped placement card for Nationals. The circumstances do slightly change in that we're actually paying for something in this scenario. If there was an easy fix for it at every prerelease that was overcrowded you'd get a card with "We're sorry for the inconvenience please contact the following person to be mailed the item(s) you were shorted." Obviously it's not as simple as a fix as we'd like to think it is.

The difference here is a little something called "LEAD TIME".

As in, it takes about 6 months to order these things and get them printed.

Now, when you're talking about a KNOWN QUANTITY of them at least a YEAR in advance (as is the case for Nationals), then it's fairly easy to get them done.

When you have NO IDEA what your attendance is going to look like SIX MONTHS down the road (as is the case for Prereleases), then it's a little bit more difficult.

Understand the difference please.

 

[Mystery Thing]

Yeah but you have so many boxes that I don't think you run out to often.

I've never run out because a) our small player base makes my margin for error MUCH larger than a TO in a large market such as California, b) since I only run 2 of them, I can hard cap my events with a great deal of ease - I can get away with pre-determining what percentage of my stock I will assign to each event.

Both are luxuries that many, many TOs simply do not have.

I don't expect all PTOs to offer substitutions, but in-the-least, I'd expect money-back policies for those who signed up, told they'd get the promo later, then didn't get one because the PTO over-booked. Obviously, many won't complain, but that's not the point here. Most McDonalds customers are happy. It only takes a few, or even one, to make bad publicity -- especially if McDonalds is uncompromising, unapologetic, or seems uncaring, like some comments in this topic.

If the TO is promising them when you pay and then later failing to deliver, that's a different beast entirely. Now, money back is a completely unrealistic thing to expect - as I said, the card and box are not what you are paying for. You are paying for the packs, and the card/box are a bonus. If you get the packs, then you got what you paid for. I would under no circumstance ever give somebody money back after the event. Heck, in my opinion, the second you've opened the packs at the deckbuilding stage, you're out of luck in terms of getting money back.

But yes, if the first time that the not having enough cards/boxes is brought up is at the end of the tournament, that is a problem. If you're promised that there is enough and then there turns out not to be, that is a bigger problem. In that situation, yes, something should probably be done. But expecting money back is absolutely not it.

 

[thepokemonnetwork100]

I wouldn't be surprised if they kept the promos, just saying.

doubt that happened they do get staff versions after all

 

[King Piplup]

@Jaeger-Out of curiosity, did he get a deckbox? Just random curiosity.

 

[Charranitar]

I really don't like the idea that some PTO's have about the 2 packs, deck box, and promo card as being a bonus. $25 for 6 packs isn't a good deal. $25 for 8 packs even isn't a good deal. I think there needs to be a major organizational change of viewing this as all part of the pre-release experience which players WILL receive, even if it means ordering more.

 

[King Piplup]

I really don't like the idea that some PTO's have about the 2 packs, deck box, and promo card as being a bonus. $25 for 6 packs isn't a good deal. $25 for 8 packs even isn't a good deal. I think there needs to be a major organizational change of viewing this as all part of the pre-release experience which players WILL receive, even if it means ordering more.

Where in this thread do you see the last 2 packs being advertised as a "bonus"? Plus, it is not an "idea" that some PTO's have. It may not be liked, but the FAQ does state-

What are the prizes?
All participants will receive a Pokémon TCG: Black & White—Dragons Exalted Prerelease promo card and a Black & White—Dragons Exalted deck box, while supplies last.

As far as it being a "good deal", that is subjective. To those who by packs at your local retailer, $25/8 Packs=$3.13 a pack, which is far better than the increasingly common $4.20 a pack.

For those that buy boxes, no, it is not a "deal", but you get the added experience of actually playing.

 

[yoshi1001]

Attendance can also be pretty fickle depending on what's being held around it. For example, this year at the Madison CC there were so many people the store hit capacity in the gaming space, mainly because there were no other tournaments within a reasonable drive that day.

 

[PokePop]

I really don't like the idea that some PTO's have about the 2 packs, deck box, and promo card as being a bonus. $25 for 6 packs isn't a good deal. $25 for 8 packs even isn't a good deal. I think there needs to be a major organizational change of viewing this as all part of the pre-release experience which players WILL receive, even if it means ordering more.

You may not like it, but it is not "some PTO's" idea.
It is POP's direction and how it is promoted:

Your $25 buys you 6 packs for the Prerelease tournament.
As promotional items, you receive a deckbox and a promo card (hence the name "promo") while supplies last. Any PTO that doesn't include that "while supplies last" phrase in their advertising is playing with fire!
As a participation prize, you get 2 bonus packs at the end.

Those are facts.
You are not "buying" 8 packs.

 

[ShadowCard]

For the OP, leagues are also experiencing shortages. It may be something that is affecting all of OP and not just prereleases.

or will players see the leaked early scans and decide to stay away, leaving me with tons of leftover product i have to pay for or return?

or will players see the leaked early scans and decide to come, leaving you with so little product that you may have had to turn players away?

It is unfortunate that such previews are not used positively to promote the events instead of looked at negatively. NDA or not, the pictures are out. You'll get more players if you make some lemonade instead of sucking on the lemons.

 

[PokePop]

For the OP, leagues are also experiencing shortages. It may be something that is affecting all of OP and not just prereleases.


or will players see the leaked early scans and decide to come, leaving you with so little product that you may have had to turn players away?

It is unfortunate that such previews are not used positively to promote the events instead of looked at negatively. NDA or not, the pictures are out. You'll get more players if you make some lemonade instead of sucking on the lemons.

Her point is that by the time the scans are leaked, the orders are long in and delivered.
There is no way to plan for how much attendance you will have other than using attendance at past sets.
Big swings up or down are both bad.
In the first case, you disappoint players by not having enough supplies.
In the second case, you have spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on boxes of cards that you don't need. Most PTOs are not Game stores. PTOs take a risk on every single prerelease hoping that we'll make our money back.
Don't get me wrong. We usually do. Call of Legends are few and far between.
But it is our own personal money we put at risk.
It's not reasonable to expect PTOs to purchase, yes purchase, tons of product in the wild hope that attendance will be significantly higher on a new set than the last one was.
In some cases, you can make an educated guess.
I bought extra supplies for Next Destinies based on the excitement for Mewtwo EX. If I had done the same thing with Dragons Exalted, I'd be sitting on a lot of product as my first event had low attendance. I'm hoping to see better at my next ones.
If I don't, I eat the left over product.

 

[ShadowCard]

.... what? No, it means that when I run out, YOU DON'T GET ANY BECAUSE SUPPLIES DID NOT LAST AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.

Go to a store on Black Friday, point at something that was listed as "while supplies last" in the flier that they ran out of, and say you should be given something else, because that's just good customer service.

No, seriously, do it. It would be funny.

I, who work in retail, would give you a rain check or call the next closest store to see if they still have any. That's customer service. I wouldn't just say "tough luck" because that's does not win the customer.

Her point is that by the time the scans are leaked, the orders are long in and delivered.

Yes, I get that. I specifically wanted to address SD PokeMom's idea that leaks can only hurt her. The news of this event's promo is definitely a driver for this event, for example.

 

[Hamster]

...If I don't, I eat the left over product.

I know the economy isn't in the best shape, but does it really have to come to this?

 

[Jaeger]

You may not like it, but it is not "some PTO's" idea.
It is POP's direction and how it is promoted:

Your $25 buys you 6 packs for the Prerelease tournament.
As promotional items, you receive a deckbox and a promo card (hence the name "promo") while supplies last. Any PTO that doesn't include that "while supplies last" phrase in their advertising is playing with fire!
As a participation prize, you get 2 bonus packs at the end.

Those are facts.
You are not "buying" 8 packs.

I see where your coming from Pop, but change preleases to just 6 packs for $25 and watch your attendance drop dramatically. I certainly wouldn't pay $25 for 6 packs $25 for 8 is more reasonable but when I can buy a full box for $90 its still not a "deal" by any means. The deckbox and promo might be extra but it is good customer service. I fail to see how raising an issue about doing more to make sure that everybody receives these little goodies makes me a bad person? Which is kind of how I feel the attuitde alot of TOs are taking here.

 

[AlmightyGoldenGarchomp]

looks like I'll be showing up early to this one . Glad I read this thread!

 

[Prof Clay]

no, I am not accusing them. I am just saying that they are human, and there are always other things that can happen. just saying.

You wear that Pokemon Professor tag like a champ!!!

 

[PokePop]

I see where your coming from Pop, but change preleases to just 6 packs for $25 and watch your attendance drop dramatically. I certainly wouldn't pay $25 for 6 packs $25 for 8 is more reasonable but when I can buy a full box for $90 its still not a "deal" by any means. The deckbox and promo might be extra but it is good customer service. I fail to see how raising an issue about doing more to make sure that everybody receives these little goodies makes me a bad person? Which is kind of how I feel the attuitde alot of TOs are taking here.

I'm not saying anything against your point.
I'm just pointing out the facts of how PR's are structured.

As I noted above, when I think I may be short promo items, I bring leftovers from previous events.
I agree that it is in a PTOs best interest to have happy customers.

 

[ShadowCard]

We all have noticed that the prerelease promo is a black star promo and not a just a stamped version of a card in the set, right? That adds an incentive for collectors to come to prereleases.

The current issue seems people are feeling that TPCi is leaving them in the cold. There seems to be a series of unfortunate string of events over the last few weeks. Things in the few years I've played Pokemon under TPCi's control things always seem to be a bit hard to deal with right around Worlds. It does suck to be left in the dark, but if you're unsure of if continuing to support the game is right for you why not take a few weeks to be away from Pokemon until Worlds is over and things get back to "normal."

Ah, you've noticed that. Every year, we see something to the extent of "Nats/Worlds preparations results in a lag time for customer service." Nats and Worlds are not something new, but we hear the same thing every year. We cannot learn to enhance customer service to cover our busy season? TPCi's responsiveness is not bad (I think it's very good) and it has definitely improved on what it used to be. So, Nats/Worlds should not defeat us.

When you have NO IDEA what your attendance is going to look like SIX MONTHS down the road (as is the case for Prereleases), then it's a little bit more difficult.

Prereleases are not something new. Like any business, look at your last year's numbers to base your forecast and then take into account more recent factors to make adjustments. That a PTO has "NO IDEA what your attendance is going to look like" means they are either new or they haven't been watching their area for trends and learning the players. bullados, what you're saying has to be a hyperbole.

 

[PokePop]

Prereleases are not something new. Like any business, look at your last year's numbers to base your forecast and then take into account more recent factors to make adjustments. That a PTO has "NO IDEA what your attendance is going to look like" means they are either new or they haven't been watching their area for trends and learning the players. bullados, what you're saying has to be a hyperbole.

No, actually not.
I track my attendance from series to series and event to event on a spread sheet.
Pokemon players are freaking hard to predict.
If you have not done it yourself, then you have no idea.
It's a shot in the dark trying to predict attendance at any Pokemon event, let alone a prerelease which has the extra random factor of how much players want specific cards from a new set. I've seen swings of 50% plus or minus from one set to the next.
don't tell me about how easy it is to forecast, please.