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[flamanar]

Anyone else wondering when those elusive 'real items' that were supposed to be included with the Beta Founders and Aussie memberships will arrive?

It's been over a year now since we ordered the Beta Founders memberships.  I've heard a variety of reasons/excuses as to why we haven't received them yet:

1)  we need to be patient  after a year?  puhlease...
2)  they were having problems getting the T-shirts done... 
3)  the Beta Founders are now also getting the boomerang like Aussie members are supposed to get.  The boomerangs took WAY longer than VFK expected to get made...since they were made by hand
4)  the 'real items' are on a boat in the ocean.  It could take months to reach America (a rowboat, maybe?).
5)  the 'real items' are on a dock in the US and are held up because of customs (checking the wood used for the boomerangs. lol)
6)  the 'real items' are considered 'freebies' by VFK...hence we shouldn't really be upset if we don't get them...nor should we wonder what is going on with them

That's my current list of excuses so far that I've gleaned from VFK and other sources.  Anyone else heard anything else on the status of our 'real items'?

I know that for me personally, I ordered the Beta Founders membership MOSTLY for the 'real items'.  T-shirts are a dime-a-dozen to get made quickly and in bulk.  Shouldn't they have asked the Beta members if they WANTED to wait for the boomerangs instead of just including them in with the other 'real items'?  I'd have told them to keep the boomerang if it tacks on another 6 months of waiting for my 'real items'.  The 'you should just be patient' statement is so far beyond ludicrous...  Let's see:  told that at 2 months after ordering, 4 months, 6 months, 8 months, 1 year...maybe we won't be around anymore by the time they arrive?  And no status updates or communication from staff as to what is going on.  SURELY SOMEONE knows where the heck these things are...  They aren't lost in Space Age I hope...

Flamanar

[VMKplayer]

Myself and a few others are tired of being given the brush off for months whenever we call VFK about the items. We have been trying to get thru on the phone at 954-349-3325 for the past 2 weeks. We try only when VFK is 'open'. None of us have been able to reach them. It's always a 'mailbox is full' message.

We tried calling the folks from NarasopaMedia at 505-424-1782. Their phone is 'temporarily disconnected'. Their website looks like it hasn't been updated in a while.

dimension5Labs (d5labs) website also looks like it's no longer updated.

We even tried another number associated with VFK for Visual Cielo aka syndiom at 505-526-6468. Their phone is a 'non-working number'. The websites for both those companies are no longer opening. But they used to in the past.

We finally called the Better Business Bureau. You can go to their website at http://www.newmexicoandsouthwestcolorado.bbb.org/Home.aspx
or call (505) 346-0110 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
 
The woman who I spoke with at BBB said that it is highly unlikely that we will ever receive the items from them. She said because we had our money sent out side of the US that it is out side of the BBB's jurisdiction. She said companies who scam do this frequently. She said they create a business in the US used as a front to have your money sent out of the country without you being able to do much about it.

She said for those who paid by credit card, you have a chance to get your money back.

She recommends all of us
Contact your credit card and file a dispute form
Cancel your credit card so they cannot place further charges on it such as unauthorized membership renewals
Contact the New Mexico Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division and fill out the Consumer Complaint form     http://www.nmag.gov/office/Divisions/CP/Default.aspx or call them at 1-800-678-1508

I posted about contacting the BBB on a VFK forum. Since the forum has players of all ages I did not post web links or phone numbers.

I guess a player read the post and questioned Vintage about it in the game. Vintage told this player that it was not true so he reported the thread and it was deleted. It's sad that the forum chose to protect a game holding our money for over a year and not addressing it over protecting its members.

Everything I have written here is 100% true. I urge all of you to at least call the BBB or NM attorney general to protect yourselves and your credit card accounts.

Like you flamanar I expected to get the real items promised or I wouldn't have bought the membership.

[flamanar]

Hi VMKplayer.  I'm not sure that contacting the BBB or Attorney General will accomplish anything...for the very reason you already stated:  the money was sent to another continent. 

I'm pretty sure that the credit card dispute idea will stop any future unauthorized debits for monthly renewals...but I believe they will only protect you for the past 60 billing days.  I could be wrong about that, but I'm almost positive that nothing can be done regarding Beta Founders membership purchases.  It's been too long.

I'm personally not going to go down the 'burn VFK' route and try to get them into trouble...nor do I suggest anybody do that.  I like the staff that work there, the hosts, the office people, etc.  I'd be hard pressed to do them harm.  That is NOT to say that I won't occassionally 'hold their feet to the fire'...ONLY when nothing else has worked.

At the same time, someone from VFK needs to step up to the plate and let the paying members (aka: VFK 'bread and butter') know what's going on with the real items we ordered along with our memberships.  It's odd, but there seems to be a HUGE disconnect from one department/area of VFK to another.  Like they never let the other know what's going on.  I could be wrong, but it REALLY appears like that an awful lot.  I'm wondering just how much the people in the office and Age really know about future events and other details directly and indirectly related to the game.  Not bashing them...I'm just thinking that they aren't told much at all.

To sum it up (lol, yeah right):  I'm not willing to burn my house.  I'm a paying member because VFK has become like a second home to me.  I have 4 memberships.  My kids and wife play.  I'm not satisfied with what is happening with the real items, but I will not go down a road that will leave me homeless.  Call me a sucker.  Call me a fool.  It's a personal decision.

It has been discouraging recently to also see that they have been lax about their legal affairs and billing practices.  They have made some major mistakes lately that has left the door wide open to all kinds of bad stuff.  I'd hate to see VFK go down in flames because of some silly mistakes that should have been corrected long ago.

If anyone wants to stop their monthly plans, they can email VFK to have it done.  If VFK doesn't respond, by all means:  dispute the charges and get your money back.  As we respect the people at VFK, they need to also respect their players....ESPECIALLY the paying ones.

I have the feeling that the phones will go back to some kind of normalcy once the summer ends and the kiddies go back to school.

I'm at this point uncomfortable/unsatisfied with the excuses I've been given about the real items.  Direct word needs to come from VFK about this...not guessing...not ingame chats.  The latest 'rumor' I heard was that the items now wouldn't arrive by fall, but are expected around Christmas....?

VFK needs to AT LEAST send out the Beta Founders kits WITHOUT the boomerangs (if that's really the holdup).  We didn't expect to get those anyways, and it would make alot of people happy and much more at ease.

To go down the BBB and Attorney General route would be impossible for me to do at this point.  For me to do that would be like calling Gale, Age, Joy, etc. all liars.  I really don't believe after talking to them all so many times that is the case.  They've become like family to me.  I believe they're honest people that may be wondering the same things we are...like where are the real items?  Maybe  they were duped about the boomerangs?  Who's making the deal with the aborigines?  I'm guessing that really the office people and Age, etc. are just messengers...not the people handling the details.  What they are told they pass on to us...whether it sounds believable, ridiculous, whatever.  Personal opinion.  I could be completely wrong.

Flamanar

[littlebelle]

oops look like a started a can of worms.

Well Because I had no idea about the email I just kept sending info to contact us that went to some black hole. I was out at least 40.00 Canadian. That I can never get back. Because they set it up to not repsond to the black hole. Once I knew the email it was dealt with right away. Probably because I had proof now. This rubbed me the wrong way. I payed 50.00 US and got 5 months of membership. No apolgy for not answering the black hole. Just take my money and say thank you for your note your membership billing will stop on the 12th.

Sorry They lost my trust a long time ago. I will be watching my credit card very carefully to see if they are going to bill the annual automatically with out notice. Because their track record does not bode well for them.

The sad thing is they have done a great job at making the game fun. Great graphics lots of creativity. Too bad they could lose the whole thing because of how they manage the money and items.

[ScarlettPixie]

I'm going to put my opinion on this. Yes, I understand everyone's concerns on the real items. That there is no straight answer when and if we receive them. The current location is "on ship, on the way" It can take 4-6 weeks for them to get to VFK office, then they have to unpack everything, deal with the orders and so forth. That assembly line can take a few weeks as well. Yes, I also want my package as well.

However, nobody has really pointed out what it takes to create a business such as VFK, or even a regular business. Items can be ordered from the manufactures and things do go wrong. My own cousin is dealing the same thing as VFK. It's been an entire year with his items to be made and also the packaging to be done. Why? Because each time the item is produced for him, it has an error. Once it was his name, the other a wrong color or the wrong image on the packaging. Handmade items also take longer than machine manufactored.

Also, I have reminded many of this. VFK was not supposed to open that quickly. They only opened their doors to give us shelter from the virtual streets. I would have assumed that VFK would had wanted the membership items received to their offices first then done the Founder memberships. However, I do agree that they made a mistake. They should had stated in the order- Due to the lateness of the manufactor, please expect your items by _____.


VFK has worked so hard to develop a world that many of us love. To "use" our money as a scam is hardly doubtful. Why would they waste so many hard working hours, months, weeks... to release virtual products, lands and so forth. If some who are assuming its a scam for our money- Well, I do not believe so. If VFK had not excelled on their creativity, added more rooms/items/member gifts for us to enjoy and also staff communication (meaning, you still see staff out there with the players) Then and only then would I believe its a scam. No person would want to waste their time and energy to create such a world and then throw it out. Creating something, wheither or not its a virtual world or a book, it is transformed as a child. I know for certain that VFK developers share my thoughts as VFK being "their child"

Now, I do not know if VFK is planning to sell similar worlds or not. But at the moment, I am enjoying the one they have created.

You can smite me now.

[flamanar]

Ok...with you on a few points...not on some others.  Such as:

1)  did your cousins customers prepay for the items?
2)  if so, how many customers did he lose due to the delay?
3)  how many of those customers will be repeat customers due to the delay?
4)  did he have open lines of communication with them...or did they have to track him down every 2 months for vague answers?

Yes, a new business is tough.  Opening early makes nothing easy.  However, the biggest thing missing in all this is VFK being PROACTIVE...instead of REACTIVE.  Guess that expectation comes from my work with Saturn Corp.  What VFK should be aiming for is retaining existing customers and enticing new customers (customers meaning paying members).  With the difficulty of trying to reach VFK, the billing problems, the order problems, the (still) severe lack of communication, etc., VFK is neither retaining existing members nor are they encouraging new members.  That can make or break VFK.

VFK is not a scam.  Anyone who thinks so is sorely mistaken.  Do they need some serious technical, legal, logistic and communication help?....um...uh huh.  Not to mention being seriously understaffed (can't even imagine the ratio of staff-to-member right now).

VFK needs to be forthcoming with accurate and timely information...not because people are nosey or impatient...it's just good customer relations.  Amazes me how people can claim to run businesses...yet defend poor business practices that baffle the mind...

Bell:  agree completely with your last sentence.  It is sad and I hope they don't lose it all.

Flamanar...Pix: consider yerself smitten...

I'm going to put my opinion on this. Yes, I understand everyone's concerns on the real items. That there is no straight answer when and if we receive them. The current location is "on ship, on the way" It can take 4-6 weeks for them to get to VFK office, then they have to unpack everything, deal with the orders and so forth. That assembly line can take a few weeks as well. Yes, I also want my package as well.

However, nobody has really pointed out what it takes to create a business such as VFK, or even a regular business. Items can be ordered from the manufactures and things do go wrong. My own cousin is dealing the same thing as VFK. It's been an entire year with his items to be made and also the packaging to be done. Why? Because each time the item is produced for him, it has an error. Once it was his name, the other a wrong color or the wrong image on the packaging. Handmade items also take longer than machine manufactored.

Also, I have reminded many of this. VFK was not supposed to open that quickly. They only opened their doors to give us shelter from the virtual streets. I would have assumed that VFK would had wanted the membership items received to their offices first then done the Founder memberships. However, I do agree that they made a mistake. They should had stated in the order- Due to the lateness of the manufactor, please expect your items by _____.


VFK has worked so hard to develop a world that many of us love. To "use" our money as a scam is hardly doubtful. Why would they waste so many hard working hours, months, weeks... to release virtual products, lands and so forth. If some who are assuming its a scam for our money- Well, I do not believe so. If VFK had not excelled on their creativity, added more rooms/items/member gifts for us to enjoy and also staff communication (meaning, you still see staff out there with the players) Then and only then would I believe its a scam. No person would want to waste their time and energy to create such a world and then throw it out. Creating something, wheither or not its a virtual world or a book, it is transformed as a child. I know for certain that VFK developers share my thoughts as VFK being "their child"

Now, I do not know if VFK is planning to sell similar worlds or not. But at the moment, I am enjoying the one they have created.

You can smite me now.

[ScarlettPixie]

Oh, I was only talking on the production on items, not customers. He has not put it in the market yet for sale until the items are in his hands.

[littlebelle]

VFK is not a scam That I know. What I do not like is how they handle our money, the communications is aweful. And because of that I am unsure if I will sign up next year. I will still play with a wait and see. If I see better communication then I will continue the support.

[flamanar]

Oh, I was only talking on the production on items, not customers. He has not put it in the market yet for sale until the items are in his hands.

Ah.  Which is the way it should be done.  We can see what happens when businesses rely on 'estimates' from suppliers, then pre-sell items based on those 'estimates'.  Still wondering about the 'aborigine' agreement...did anyone in the 'tribe' there know how to write so they could sign a contract?  Was there a contract?  How could they be penalized for breaking the contract...suing them?  Seems to me that they chose a very unreliable source to do business with.  Not only do they probably have little to no legal power to use against them if they don't follow through with what they were supposed to supply, it causes dissatisfaction among hundreds (thousands?) of paying members...who may decide not to renew.  VFK needs to create paying members who are happy because they got what they paid for.  Those members will tell their friends to sign up, and word will spread.  Good business practices. 

I can't tell you how many posts I made 'elsewhere' about how VFK SERIOUSLY needs to work on their communications...always my biggest complaint...and I started doing that shortly after they opened...yet the problem still continues?  Shame.  Takes minutes to update a homepage, ppl...yet nobody has the time?

Flamanar

[PrincessWendyBird]

   Well, I am going to throw my 2 cents into the ring regarding this topic. First, let me say I think people are justified in wanting to receive the "real" goods from their membership(s). However, King and myself were not really worried about the real items when we bought our memberships. After calling and speaking with the folks at the VFK office, we knew this was a venture and these were people we wanted to support. We purchased memberships to support the game development and because we enjoy the game. Those memberships have now provided us with over a year of membership privileges and many fun times in game. For us, if we get the real items, that will be icing on the cake.

   As far as calling the BBB or the Attorney General's office...well, we won't be doing that. Our entire family loves playing this game and I want to see it succeed. I can assure you, these people are not trying to scam anyone. Have they been weak in the business/customer service are of this venture - yes. Hopefully, they are learning and with time we will see changes in these areas. We have talked to them many times over the phone dealing with questions, etc. I don't know that you could find more kind and caring people than the VFK Staff. They really do care about the community and the people playing the game. Do they have improving to do? Sure, I know my life is about constantly growing and improving. Sometimes that means learning by making mistakes. For myself, sometimes the same mistakes several times before I finally "get it". I am willing to give them some time to let the business end catch up to the creative side of the game.

   I know some may think this is a "Pollyanna" view of things. I guess that is just how I am about life these days. I understand, as a business, VFK needs to take some ownership of things and fix them. However, for me, I am just taking joy from a game I enjoy where I have met some absolutely wonderful friends. 

[ScarlettPixie]

Hear, Hear, Wendy!!!!! You just earn an exalt! 

I Just got off the phone with VFK. Boomerangs are either being shipped today or tomorrow to them! So, they are almost at your door folks.  Um... should we warn the UPS man?

[flamanar]

I understand what you mean, Wendy and agree to an extent with what you said.  I too have enjoyed the game immensely and it has given me an opportunity to make friends with some awesome people.  I'm just the type of person who always gets what they pay for. 

Alot of people paid for the memberships with the sole thought of getting the 'real items' (otherwise they would have gone for a cheaper membership).  Others bought the memberships and saw the 'real items' as something 'cool' or 'neat...but not something that had a big influence on their purchasing decision.  I'm one of those that see the 'real items' as items we are owed since my payment to VFK was mainly influenced by the 'real items'.  Have we gotten extra perks?  Yes.  Will I regret getting the memberships if the 'real items' don't show up?  No.  But again:  I hold people/businesses to their word.  If I'm supposed to get something that I paid for...I will get it.    If I don't get the items, it will leave a bad taste in my mouth and make me think twice about how and which membership I may or may not renew.  Our family does not have alot of extra disposable income.  We take care to spend our hard earned money on things that we are sure of...hence, we require places that we do business with to fulfill their end of the contract completely.  Just the way we are   Again, I understand and agree with some of your points, too.  VFK has changed our lives...which is why we decide to continue to support them monetarily.

Pix:  They're being shipped where?  To VFK or to members? 

...and will it be just the boomerangs or the entire "welcome kit"?

Flamanar...hopes the fact that they're boomerangs won't mean that once they're shipped, they'll turn around and head back to the shipper... 

[ScarlettPixie]

OMG!! You want me to call them again?!?! Uh... I'll get back to you then next month.

 

Boomerangs will be shipped to VFK either today or tomorrow. Rest of package, I do not know. But from the sound of it, it was that they were only waiting for the Boomerangs.

[flamanar]

OMG!! You want me to call them again?!?! Uh... I'll get back to you then next month.

 

Boomerangs will be shipped to VFK either today or tomorrow. Rest of package, I do not know. But from the sound of it, it was that they were only waiting for the Boomerangs.

Call! Call! Call!  Looks like you got a hotline!  LOL.

Are they being shipped from Australia...still...or are they being shipped from a dock/warehouse/condo?  Goodness woman...you need a copy of my forthcoming Ebook on how to question VFK!(only $5 for one copy...and if you buy within the next 5 minutes, you get an uber-special discounted rate of only $9.99 for 2 copies!  A steal!) 

Flamanar...it's all good...except for the bad... 

[ScarlettPixie]

Why would I want TWO copies?!!? Oh wait! Is one copy to throw at you!? And from your advertisement, I am only saving a penny! -.-

Anyway, Yes, shipped from Aussie! They are arriving at door step of VFK office.

[DreamTulip]

I feel pretty neutral about this topic.  I do think that we should get what was promised to us (even with the small print saying things can change) and that the time and lack of communication is disappointing.  I also don't personally care a lot about the real items so haven't been as anxious to get them as some.  I just wanted to support the company from the beginning and wanted credits so I wouldn't have to play the bird game much lol.  
I however don't understand why VFK doesn't want to get their name/game out there.  Things like T-shirts are so cheap to make but the advertising that they would/will/can lol get from them would be great.  For example, I see ads for Wizards101 all the time, on tv and even when on yahoo mail as well as other places.  Both games started around the same time (I think) but VFK is hardly known.  I understand that they might not have the money for tv and ad slots right now, but it is important for their game and customer base to increase.  By sending out the T's and um the other items I forgot about they will in essence be advertising.  If people wear the T's around school, work, mall, etc a lot more people will learn about VFK.  The more people that learn about it will lead to more people joining and most likely a lot more $$$ for VFK.  Win win???  

In business communication, customer service, and reputation are almost as important as the actual product.  I hope VFK improves on these areas so that they game we are enjoying will continue and grow.  They have done so much already, and it is frustrating that the "flaws" are a fairly easy fix.
(all my opinion...)    

~Dream

edit:  I just realized Karma was back, yay!!  

[flamanar]

Why would I want TWO copies?!!? Oh wait! Is one copy to throw at you!? And from your advertisement, I am only saving a penny! -.-

Anyway, Yes, shipped from Aussie! They are arriving at door step of VFK office.

Yes...you get to keep Enigmas penny   Hey... a discount is a discount...no matter how small   A penny saved is....really just a saved penny

...and...my question still stands.  You said:  "Boomerangs are either being shipped today or tomorrow to them! So, they are almost at your door folks."  You're saying that means they are leaving Aussie today or tomorrow en route to VFK?  That was supposed to have happened a month or more ago.  Then the story of the long boat trip, docks, customs, blah blah blah.  If the items are shipping from Aussie, that's old news.  If they're shipping to VFK from within the US, that's new news.  The question is...which is the news? 

Dream:  even though some of us feel differently about the importance of getting the 'real items' (which is ok, btw...everyone still gets big hugs ), completely agree with the rest of your post.  VFK needs some serious 'face time' in the world to compete.  They need to understand who the competition is and plan accordingly.  If you don't keep an eye on your competition, you can be left in the rear of the race very quickly

...and yes...Karma is back!

Flamanar...gets his 'exalter' and 'smiter' ready...