Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[BagheeraMcGee]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

I've placed about 10 orders with SAE and have received only one email letting me know my order had shipped. They must like you better than me

I guess they like me better than you, too, because I've received an e-mail every time an order has shipped.

[Member-222782]

Order placed on 11/22 still pending. Maybe they oversold the title I ordered

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

I've placed about 10 orders with SAE and have received only one email letting me know my order had shipped. They must like you better than me

They must like me better as well, because I always get an e-mail notice when they ship. Said notice always includes the tracking number too in the top right hand corner which links to the tracking info when you click on it.

[RalphoR]

I do check spam and there's nothing there. When I had a large order (for me that's 3 or 4 movies) I contacted them and they immediately sent out an email update. For some reason it doesn't default to send out an email for me. It's no big deal because I order so much stuff from everywhere I tend to forget what I ordered and get a nice surprise when they show up.
I have a big order (again just 4 movies) coming in December from SAE. I'll see what happens this time. This certainly is no complaint just a puzzling oddity I can live with.

[baheidstu]

According to a Facebook post, the sale's been extended to this Friday, December 9th at 4 p.m. EST.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

According to a Facebook post, the sale's been extended to this Friday, December 9th at 4 p.m. EST.

Great. I've already decided I wasn't going to order any more sale titles, and now I have 3 more days to lash myself to the mast.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Great. I've already decided I wasn't going to order any more sale titles, and now I have 3 more days to lash myself to the mast.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I've been so tempted to put in another order but at this point it would just be buying for the sake of buying, especially as I already have all the must-have titles I want, and then some. It's just that there's one new release that I really, really want and I always figure buying it in conjunction with sale items alleviates the cost a bit.

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

According to a Facebook post, the sale's been extended to this Friday, December 9th at 4 p.m. EST.

Since they're swamped by the sale...existing customers are being effected and they will lose business long term as a result, why would they extend this mess?

[Cremildo]

I ordered Bonjour Tristesse and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie yesterday - I want one more before the sale ends. In doubt between Alexander the Great and The Happy Ending.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

Since they're swamped by the sale...existing customers are being effected and they will lose business long term as a result, why would they extend this mess?

*affected

Well they've had sales before and been swamped and presumably it hasn't caused them to lose business, otherwise why would they continue to have them?

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Why do I keep hearing Yogi Berra reading this post

I think most (not all) long term customers are pretty OK with the situation. My order was delivered a little over 2 weeks after my order - complete, well packed, and half price (charged/posted to my CC 3 days after shipping and the day after receiving the package). All those I can live with. The alternative is to go to Twilight Time's website which is more expensive and packs far less well. There of course isn't a 3rd alternative rather than 3rd party ebay, used market, amazon marketplace, or not buying at all none of which appeal to me at all.

I'll stay with SAE for their good qualities and I'm perfectly happy with delays in shipping. I guess I grew up with the "Mail your boxtops in and 8-10 weeks you'll receive your prizes"

Me too. As a kid I'd send away for stuff and it would take so long that by the time it arrived, I'd forgotten I had even ordered it.

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

Me too. As a kid I'd send away for stuff and it would take so long that by the time it arrived, I'd forgotten I had even ordered it.

Maybe if they charged "free" shipping. But the shipping rates are not exactly discounted.

$12 for a 6 title order that would fit in a box inside a priority mail flat rate envelope?

Or only cost about $4 for media mail.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by 78deluxe

Maybe if they charged "free" shipping. But the shipping rates are not exactly discounted.

$12 for a 6 title order that would fit in a box inside a priority mail flat rate envelope?

Or only cost about $4 for media mail.

What's your point? The delays have nothing to do with the shipping costs or methods. The delays are due to the fact that they are a small business and it takes them a while to package them up. Once they're out the door, they arrive quickly.

[fdm]

I'm fine waiting too. Long time SAE customer now, and if somehow they got removed from the equation, I'd probably just stop buying TT titles.

At least now I have a few more days to place that last order (or two).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by cine74

Order placed on 11/22 still pending. Maybe they oversold the title I ordered

Unlikely. I don't know how their order process works exactly, but I doubt that they can oversell a title. Given how the "cart trick" works (when it does work), I think it's likely that every time a copy of Movie X is ordered, the inventory number for that title drops by one. Once the inventory number for that title hits zero, that title is Sold Out. Everyone who ordered a copy before that happens should be guaranteed a copy. On more than one occasion, I've ordered a title within a hour or so of it selling out, and I've never failed to get a copy.

Anyway, the mailman literally just delivered my first sale shipment! Unfortunately, I have to do a little snow-brushing and run some errands before I can start checking out my booty (arrrrrhhhhh....)

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

Since they're swamped by the sale...existing customers are being effected and they will lose business long term as a result, why would they extend this mess?

What others have said, especially hariseldon. The package I just received I ordered on 11/18. So...17 days. I don't have a problem with that. And SAE provides the best packaging I've ever seen when ordering Blu-rays.

(And I also grew up in the days of "Please wait 6-8 weeks for delivery".)

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

What's your point? The delays have nothing to do with the shipping costs or methods. The delays are due to the fact that they are a small business and it takes them a while to package them up. Once they're out the door, they arrive quickly.

I'm saying the delays in shipping wouldn't matter so much if it didn't take so long to ship and cost more than it should. If you pay for priority mail shipping and it takes 3 weeks to get your package, you shouldn't be charged absorbent shipping costs. A 6 title order is about double what it should cost and takes far longer than it should (currently).

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Don't want an envelope and I'll gladly pay extra for the extra packing care.
Shipping charges aren't just postage. I'd pay BN and Amazon and BBY a little more if they'd go back to proper packaging for shipping items. It makes no difference when it arrives in 1-2 days broken which as often as not happens preshipping

I said box in the envelope. I tried using the exact same box they used for a 6 title order and that box fits in an envelope that is priority mail and costs dramatically less. The packaging would be even safer and cost less with this method.

You can argue all you want to about shipping costs not being the only cost, which is true. However, if they are shipping priority mail, USPS offers both "free boxes" and "envelopes" as part of the service. You combine those things together and the only costs are the manpower and bubble wrap.

My last SAE order came in a 15 cent bubble envelope even though I requested a box.

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by cine74

Order placed on 11/22 still pending. Maybe they oversold the title I ordered

In my limited experience they seem pretty good about not doing that.

On a previous order (months ago) I was concerned that a title I ordered which sold out for good way before they actually shipped it would not be honored. But it did ship as my order apparently kept my spot on the list.

I waited weeks with a "sold out" status before they gave me any notification at all on the status of my order.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by 78deluxe

I'm saying the delays in shipping wouldn't matter so much if it didn't take so long to ship and cost more than it should. If you pay for priority mail shipping and it takes 3 weeks to get your package, you shouldn't be charged absorbent shipping costs. A 6 title order is about double what it should cost and takes far longer than it should (currently).

"...the delays in shipping wouldn't matter so much if it didn't take so long to ship..." okay, whatever that means. So clue me in, because I don't live in the United States, what did they charge you for shipping on your order and what SHOULD they be charging you?

All I know, is that with my last order of 7 titles, they charged me $13.20 to ship to Canada, including tracking info.

I just ordered 4 Warner Archive Titles from Amazon.com, shipping for that was $12.95 plus an $8 customs deposit (which I may only get partially refunded) and no doubt my order will be shipped in a padded envelope instead of a cardboard box.

Presuming the latter gets here tomorrow (when it's scheduled to), that's a two week wait which is equivalent to what I waited for my TT order.

[Baltix]

Oliver is going OOP, 46 units remain.