Don Northness's page

Thank you, very much.

My package is missing Orcs of Golarion.

I double checked my online order, and packing slip, and it is listed on both.

Since I have the PDF, there is no rush to ship it out to me. If it would be easier, it can wait until my next shipment.

I fully admit I am not aware of what is happening on the server side of things.

What I do "see" on my end is that the store keeps track of the release date for the customer (you can already sort by date).

I would think, but could be totally wrong, that code could be added to check the last modified date of the file on the server, and if that is later than the customers release date it is used for the modified date. Otherwise modified date = release date.

That is my thinking on it.

Unnecessary story short, I just now went to download the Adventurer's Armory updated PDF.

There is no easy way to single out, or highlight, updated or modified files.

Some way to do that would be nice. I am thinking maybe a release date, and a last modified date, both sortable? That seems to be the easiest way to do it to me.

Or is something like this already on the to-do list?

If anything, it makes me feel slightly worse, because you still have to wait.

You should contact customer service, I think it fell between the cracks (everything was supposed to have been shipped a week or so ago).

Thanks, but don't worry about it.

With me not being enthralled with the final, combined with not having a need for the book, it isn't worth looking into until after I see if it ships with my next subscription package.

Even if I miss out on a copy from this print run, it's alright since some of the more glaring typos/errors will be fixed for the second run. (I'm not a collector type of person.)

So, I'm cool.

If'n it makes y'all feel any better, I'm still waiting for my pre-order to ship.

Granted, I did switch to a subscription 9 days before the release date - so that might have something to do with it...

First off... I double checked and made sure that you were not charged for those other two emails. All authorization activity on your card progressed as is should have.

Thank you. That would have been my follow up question.

I'm not so much complaining, as questioning / reporting possible "funkiness."

I ordered my new Gamemastery Subscriptions today in one order - with nothing else.

I received three order confirmation emails.

1186340 was notice for the two subscriptions, and nothing else.
1186342 was for no items and a $4+ shipping charge.
1186344 was also for no items and a $3+ shipping charge.
(I might have the values reversed for the shipping charges.)

Is this correct, and not an error?

As of about 2:30am EST (if not earlier) the site is acting bogged down, or overworked.

I can sympathize.

NOTE: I am not complaining, just reporting. I hope it isn't anything serious.

So it becomes a question of do these sales (that are mostly happening just because publishers are switching systems and predict the need for space) trump the everyday shopper or vice-versa?

Neither. My suggestion covers both. With what I suggested, everything works as it does currently. In addition people who are shopping currently can't have an item "sold out underneath them." Unless one of three things happen: 1) They remove the item in question from their cart and don't add it back in time, 2) They log out/go inactive, or 3) a "backup" amount of time occurs - I suggested 4 hours.

Thank you for your time Lisa.

I bet I'm coming off as a complainer. I am not trying to, but I bet I am still succeeding.

We have had tens of thousands of abandoned shopping carts in our few years in business, so it really isn't practical to reserve items that are put into shopping carts.

I get that. That is why I added in the "or logged out" in my previous post.

I haven't seen your website code, and if the Loaf Question thread is an indication of what it might look like, I don't wanna. (I know there isn't any direct relation.) But if I had the opportunity, and an eternity to try my hand at it (You don't want that. It would be ugly - and I hate deadlines. ;-) ) I would keep temporary track of items placed in a cart until the user logged out. Sort of like double column bookkeeping. There is the extreme case of someone staying logged on forever... But I imagine your code forces a disconnect of some sort after a time? And there could even be a reasonable time limit - about 4 hours sounds about right to me - in case of necessity.

This way, while some one is shopping, the items in their cart are temporarily reserved while they are still online. If they don't make a purchase, then the item is released back to inventory.

Currently this works because there is no Wish List option, and there isn't any official Save Cart option either. I suspect that forcing a cart clear isn't desirable at this time, but I would say you wouldn't need to reinstate the temporary reserved state on the next log in. That only leaves the extremely rare case of a random loss of connection during a sale - and currently that causes a customer to lose out anyway.

There could be, instead of or in addition too, a special Sale Item flag that this is tied to... But I think that gets a little unnecessarily complicated.

Anyway, I had the chance to say my piece. Again, thanks for your time.

Don Northness wrote:

But why/how can items be removed from my cart while I am shopping?

Copies were still available when you added them to your cart, but they were selling out quickly. As our system detects that items in your cart have sold out, we remove them.

Well, yeah. I figured that part out.

I guess what I really should have asked was "Why didn't the items in my cart count as 'mine?'"

I guess in the future, it would be better to place an order on everything as soon as possible - and then go over all the orders and see what I want to get or not. And then I can pester Customer Service to adjust them as needed. I just figured items in my cart would be tagged as "temporary unavailable" until I made up my mind or logged out.

I am well aware an online store isn't anything like a B&M store... But this was like other customers taking the items I selected out of my shopping cart as I was walking down the Last Bastion isle.

It does leave a bit of a bitter taste...

Listen, I am not trying to criticize you guys in any way. Nor am I complaining.

In fact, I would ask everyone else to keep complaints out of this thread.

But why/how can items be removed from my cart while I am shopping?

I added one item to my cart, and everything was fine. I went to add another item, and the first was removed due to it being unavailable. I almost missed the message as I went to add a third item, and was told that was unavailable.

At this point, the second item is still in my cart, as I look the page over and see everything has reached Out of Stock/Unavailable status except one item. Since I am not interested in the remaining item, I head over to view my cart to take the one item on it out, and it is removed from my cart because it is unavailable.

I am not looking for anything except an answer to the following question:

Why is your system set up like that?

I do not have a problem with how things worked out. Had everything sold out while I was loading the first three items, I would have "put them back" anyway. I am just a bit shocked at the system not being elegant for once. :-)

I feel a little bad about answering these questions, almost as if I can't tell you what you want to hear no matter how I answer...

So here are my truthful answers:

1) Do you plan to convert to the new edition of D&D?

No.

2) If Paizo converts its RPG products to 4.0, how will that affect your purchasing patterns for our products?

I will be "required" to end any subscriptions that will convert. I will, however, continue to do all other gaming type shopping from Paizo.

3) If Paizo does not convert its RPG products to 4.0, how will that affect your purchasing patterns for our products?

I will continue my current subscriptions, and continue to do all other gaming type shopping from Paizo.

And may I add, I hope the decision is less stressful on you than I imagine it is. :/

I just started my Pathfinder Chronicles subscription, and chose to start with the map folio (since I already received the item cards).

I went to cancel my pre-order for the map folio, and found it automatically was canceled.

You may have a one man crew when it comes to your software...

But it is much more professional and elegant than most personal transactions I am involved in.

While I am at it, I wish all the staff happy holidays, and a successful new year.

Thank you all.

(Try two, in case the first post reappears.)

Thanks for the kind words guys/gals. But there really isn't any need for them.

I am going to be a bit brutal in my honesty... But I didn't make the offer for any of you.

I was doing, what little I could, to help Paizo.

That is not to say that none of you are worth it.

But I have worked on the borders of the shipping industry. And I am quite aware that, well, "s@#$ happens." I am both happy and sad that Paizo has gone 4ish years without an inventory snafu. (Which doesn't even have to happen on their end.) And to date, Paizo's customer service has been exemplary (at least to me).

The least I could do to repay that would be to "take one for the team."

I would suggest that if there are any confused/disgruntled customers that make it this far, that you try to have a bit of patience. You don't have to be happy about the circumstances... But, at least, give Paizo a chance to work things out.

This thread breaks my heart. :/

Damn.

I am very sorry to hear that.

I am probably a little late to this thread (my order went to "shipping" today from "pending" yesterday), but in an effort to do my part, if any item in my order - #838647 - can be used to fill Void_Eagle, Olaf the Stout, Alleynbard, or any other order, please go ahead and do so.

Do not mistake my intentions here. I would like to receive these items myself. But I do not have a need for them. I won't miss them as much as the others might.

Slightly related topic:

The other night I placed a small order, and I added Skull & Bones (From the Green Ronin sale). When I went to proceed to checkout, it was removed from the order because it was unavailable. (It is only listed as backorder, and was then as well.)

I am not asking for this to be "fixed" for me. I am content with the results. Just reporting what might not be working properly.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for putting in an estimate of time before shipping, as well as after shipping in the orders.

Now I no longer have to pester Customer Service about when my order might ship out.

Next request: Gratuities.

I want to send who ever is responsible for this $20 to cover at least a six-pack of their favorite beverage.

I am well aware of that Cosmo. :-)

Which is why I wasn't specifically asking about my order.

And I am sorry to hear there is a backlog of Customer Service issues.
I'll not take up any more of your time.

Thank you.

Oh, I get that Captain.

But my main point is, as a customer, we don't get to see what is going on.

All of my items in my order pending from 8/14 are listed as pending.

I'm left wondering if there is a problem waiting to be resolved with one or two items... Or was there a problem that can now be resolved, and the order was lost in the shuffle.

I have a history of placing an order, and having that sit, while placing an receiving orders after it. (Like is happening now.)

Again, I am not claiming any wrong doing on Paizo's part.

I am just in the dark as to what is going on. :-)

I don't want to put too fine a point on it.
I am sure your employees are working hard.

I am just wondering if there was a way for your shippers to check older, unfilled orders.

I see a couple of threads asking for order status on orders from 8/20, and I have an order from 8/14 (#780991) that is still pending.

I am aware that certain items take longer to ship than others.
But there is very little on the customer end to inform them of what is going on.

Well, thank you for reading my question.
There isn't any need to reply.

Normally I would handle this via email, because it certainly isn't worthy to be made public.
I only do so, in case if others are in a similar situation they may be aware of it.

I recently received Order #785820, which is my Pathfinder Chapter 1 and Player's Guide, and found I did not have the second Player's Guide I had ordered in the original Order #733415. When I double checked the original order, my additional Player's Guide was canceled.

This was done, despite my email conversation with Corey Young on June 8th in which I explained I wanted a second copy.

I do not ask that anything be done. I mean I wasn't overcharged or anything, in fact I honestly believe it was done with my best interests at heart. And I can easily order another Player's Guide in my next order.

Again, the only reason I posted this was in case anyone else might see it and have the same situation, they can be aware that an extra copy of the Player's Guide might be canceled in an attempt to save them money, even if they actually wanted a second copy.

As always, thanks very much for your time.

Your efforts to keep your customers happy is an inspiration. I hope other companies are taking notes.

Don Northness.

That is a great story. Well, not the part where you were injured. But everything surrounding it was great.

I'll add in my support of Paizo. It is a great company all the way around.

More should be run the same way.

Keep up the trend, Paizonians. There are many of us who appreciate it!

Firstly, this was the best forum I could find. I apologize in advance if it is incorrect.

Now then. I wanted to take the time to thank everyone in Paizo's Customer Service department.

Every email question or concern I send is answered in a reasonable amount of time, and in a courteous and friendly manner.

Each time I receive an answer I am torn between replying with a personal thank you, and not "wasting" your email inbox with "unimportant" messages.

(Then I tend to forget about them entirely... Sorry about that.)

So I wanted to make sure the message was sent, and to let all of you know that I appreciate the effort you put into addressing my concerns - all without taking up your valuable inbox space.

Thank you all.

Don Northness