CX78+, 7800 carts delayed

[UnRedeemed]

On 5/17/2024 at 11:51 AM, John Stamos Mullet said:

When I hear people complaining on here about the delays and making unfounded accusations of potential malfeasance or bad customer service, and then we see the literal guy from the company making these products giving updates on a public forum with this level of process detail (which Ben has been doing this whole time if you've paid any attention) you gotta start to wonder what their real motivation in coming here is.

To the extent this was directed in part at me, since I was the one who expressed a general frustration about the trend of companies requiring full payment long before products ship, you are way off base.  Once again I was not even posting primarily about an issue with Atari, or minor delays, but with what seemed a growing prepayment trend that has sometimes left me waiting over a year for pricy products while I wonder if the money is simply lost.  And the frustration was certainly not directed toward you as I was unaware of your existence before you responded like it was a personal affront.  I can only say that it is disappointing you have reverted to your earlier pattern of questioning people’s integrity, “good faith,” or motivation – or suggesting they have no place expressing an opinion you do not happen to share if they have not been typing on here for as long or prolifically as you have.  This despite your conceding at one stage that I raised valid points, while I noted that we seemed to agree on a fair bit and maybe had different ideas about what is reasonably necessary.  Again regarding the business climate in general I have shared examples from my own experience, which are exactly that and not “unfounded accusations.”  

 

Your philosophy that the customer is usually wrong and is, essentially, the enemy of a business has got to be the most – well let’s just hope Atari does not share this view. I want them to succeed.  Why wouldn’t I?  I own and use a great deal of gear from various incarnations of Atari, and came to this website for years before finally joining up mainly to participate in high score clubs along with some interesting discussion among adults who can consider/debate ideas without resorting to ad hominem attacks.

That is my motivation, if anyone wonders.  And please do not forget it is healthy for a business to reevaluate its policies periodically as circumstances evolve.  It can benefit long-term from repeat customers “keeping them honest” so to speak.

[THX-1138]

Just had an update from Amazon UK that my CX78+ etc will now be delayed until June 22nd.

I might have to cancel as I'm probably going to be away from home by then.  They must be having real problems with the shipping from the factory to the UK/EU distribution centres.

 

(When I first started this thread, I wasn't intending for it to become a point of argument, it was about Amazon UK and to inform others in the UK and EU since shipping to the US would probably be handled differently).

[infinite.pies]

Local retailers here are currently reporting shipping dates ranging from June 6 to June 14, and one just saying "June", so I guess there's still a degree of uncertainty over when the stock is actually going to arrive.

[THX-1138]

Just had another update from Amazon UK, the 7800 carts are also delayed to the 22nd.

[+Atari2600PAL]

Amazon UK have delayed my CX78+ until 24th June

[THX-1138]

1 minute ago, Atari2600PAL said:

Amazon UK have delayed my CX78+ until 24th June

I'm sure it can't be helped, I don't want to cancel but I may be away at the end of June.  

[JetmanUK]

It looks like the games and controller are arriving near the end of June now, I say push it a few days later and it's after payday then.

 

Joking aside I don't mind, these things will be out soon enough, I can wait. My attention has now turned to what is next!? I assume that there will be no announcement until this batch of releases hit the stores... This is the potential delay I do not like as I can't wait to see what will be announced next.  

[Magpieboy]

I'm in Australia, and I preordered both the paddles and the 7800 controller through The Gamesmen. I received the notification of the delay on the 15th of May, with the new date being the 6th of June. Then 8 days later I received another saying that my order ready to be shipped and I received 4 days later on the 27th of May. The funny thing is EB Games in Australia still the release date of all the new products (minus the 7800 controller, which I'm pretty was there before) still as the 6th of June. So I don't know what the hell is going on there.

[tradyblix]

On 5/24/2024 at 12:07 AM, UnRedeemed said:

To the extent this was directed in part at me, since I was the one who expressed a general frustration about the trend of companies requiring full payment long before products ship, you are way off base.  Once again I was not even posting primarily about an issue with Atari, or minor delays, but with what seemed a growing prepayment trend that has sometimes left me waiting over a year for pricy products while I wonder if the money is simply lost.  And the frustration was certainly not directed toward you as I was unaware of your existence before you responded like it was a personal affront.  I can only say that it is disappointing you have reverted to your earlier pattern of questioning people’s integrity, “good faith,” or motivation – or suggesting they have no place expressing an opinion you do not happen to share if they have not been typing on here for as long or prolifically as you have.  This despite your conceding at one stage that I raised valid points, while I noted that we seemed to agree on a fair bit and maybe had different ideas about what is reasonably necessary.  Again regarding the business climate in general I have shared examples from my own experience, which are exactly that and not “unfounded accusations.”  

 

Your philosophy that the customer is usually wrong and is, essentially, the enemy of a business has got to be the most – well let’s just hope Atari does not share this view. I want them to succeed.  Why wouldn’t I?  I own and use a great deal of gear from various incarnations of Atari, and came to this website for years before finally joining up mainly to participate in high score clubs along with some interesting discussion among adults who can consider/debate ideas without resorting to ad hominem attacks.

That is my motivation, if anyone wonders.  And please do not forget it is healthy for a business to reevaluate its policies periodically as circumstances evolve.  It can benefit long-term from repeat customers “keeping them honest” so to speak.

The customer shouldn't be a pain in the ass either. Being a customer doesn't allow you to be a king or dictator. The amount of "customers" I've had to deal with that were super unreasonable and argumentative over the years has soured me on the "every customer is right" BS. No they're not. Some people are just looking to fight.

 

I've seen people raise hell over tiny amounts of money when there was a simpler approach. You'd think the company had killed their children or something and they were just out 100 bucks or less, usually because of their own ideas didn't jive with what the product actually was. 

Edited May 29 by tradyblix

[John Stamos Mullet]

On 5/24/2024 at 1:07 AM, UnRedeemed said:

To the extent this was directed in part at me, since I was the one who expressed a general frustration about the trend of companies requiring full payment long before products ship, you are way off base.

It wasn't. There are a number of people who fit the description I gave here at this site.

[UnRedeemed]

15 hours ago, tradyblix said:

The customer shouldn't be a pain in the ass either. Being a customer doesn't allow you to be a king or dictator. The amount of "customers" I've had to deal with that were super unreasonable and argumentative over the years has soured me on the "every customer is right" BS. No they're not. Some people are just looking to fight.

 

I've seen people raise hell over tiny amounts of money when there was a simpler approach. You'd think the company had killed their children or something and they were just out 100 bucks or less, usually because of their own ideas didn't jive with what the product actually was. 

Sure there are plenty of unreasonable customers who expect the world, and others who are always looking for some sort of angle -- I have dealt with both and have neighbors who could be described in that way.  Yet I fail to see how that has much if anything to do with whether it should be considered perfectly fine and unobjectionable for companies to take customer money and hold onto it for lengthy periods while the customers wait and wonder if they will ever receive the products ordered.  That is the point I was trying to raise.  To my mind, postulating that most customers suck, etc., is not material to this issue and so cannot serve as a satisfactory rationalization.  

 

Personally, I have waited well over a year for products costing around $500 as I recall that had been expected to arrive much sooner.  That is a long time to be left wondering.  Another time I ordered a bike that turned out to be on backorder, but the company charged me right away.  Never received the bike.  It does not make me a wannabe king or dictator to believe companies should hold up their end, or that customers should not be expected to shoulder an unfair share of risk.  Good grief.  And since some make comparisons to Kickstarter as an analogy for preorders to illustrate a beneficial situation for customers, please take a look at what was supposedly Kickstarter’s best item for quite a while, the “Coolest Cooler” – according to a youtube documentary many thousands of people ended up waiting years but never received either the product or a refund of their $200 paid per item.   

 

Whether we agree that most customers suck, I just do not think it is ever cool to do that kind of thing to people.  I always paid and waited patiently... even when that patience turned to concern.  After Atari took my money up front for a bunch of things and I saw this thread, it felt a little like “here we go again” though I was not yet nearly as concerned as with those other companies I mentioned.  Given my prior experiences, and the reduced inhibitions flowing from like half a Zima, I finally spouted off in a way I thought was mere commiseration with my fellows (we are all customers of Atari, are we not?).  Somehow I did not anticipate the customer-despising sentiment that seems to prevail in certain quarters.  

 

To add a little more to an already long post, I also noticed that even people raising the customers suck argument may not really be too thrilled with Atari’s practices.  In the thread entitled “A bit of advice for Atari as a brand in 2024,” John Stamos Mullet himself complained about Atari’s marketing practices and at one point even proclaimed: “don’t take my money for games 5 months in advance and then hound me to buy ugly ass sneakers ....”  And then there are the many relevant observations in the thread about Atari recently acquiring Intellivision.  At any rate, I appreciate that at least we are getting updates with details about the current delay.  I am counting on Atari not to become like those other companies I’ve had to regret entrusting with my money. 

[SparkleFork]

23 hours ago, tradyblix said:

The customer shouldn't be a pain in the ass either. Being a customer doesn't allow you to be a king or dictator. The amount of "customers" I've had to deal with that were super unreasonable and argumentative over the years has soured me on the "every customer is right" BS. No they're not. Some people are just looking to fight.

 

I've seen people raise hell over tiny amounts of money when there was a simpler approach. You'd think the company had killed their children or something and they were just out 100 bucks or less, usually because of their own ideas didn't jive with what the product actually was. 

Absolutely. I worked for Sony customer service and you just get the idea that people gleefully jump on any problems so they can ring up and take out whatever is wrong with their lives on you instead. We had people who had minimal issues screaming and ranting, and ones who had real disaster deliveries being calm and philosophical about it. Guess which customers who wanted to help the most? 

[Maztr_0n]

On 5/22/2024 at 10:03 PM, Marc Fiorillo said:

Why not?  If there's extra, I hear there's room in a landfill in Alamagordo NM! 😝😜

or those warehouses in colombia/venezuela that i see sealed atari games pop up in... odd...


but in all honesty i'm kinda not surprised with any delays or the fact that i didnt get my stuff in May when i preordered in Feb, this is still a fairly niche market thats barely sizeable to do this whole thing, like the fact they didnt just do like a cheap re-release of "Pro-Line" joysticks made out of rejected mcdonalds toys for 50 orders only or something is well enough. Plus i mean outside of those who grew up with atari in the heyday... there aren't too many consumers, like me as in: spoilers so nobody feels too old when i say this

Spoiler

my first consoles were the DS and Xbox/360

i'm not sure how many like me, even if they had a flashback or went to a grandparents house or parents attic to play with a system would be that into the community enough to buy little controllers and 30$ games. but its not unappealing i'd say....

[Maztr_0n]

On 5/28/2024 at 7:10 PM, THX-1138 said:

(When I first started this thread, I wasn't intending for it to become a point of argument, it was about Amazon UK and to inform others in the UK and EU since shipping to the US would probably be handled differently).

tbh i was just wondering how the US shipments were in addition to UK/EU just for a point of reference, shit happens i guess. No worries so far...

[Ben from Plaion]

On 5/29/2024 at 1:07 PM, Magpieboy said:

I'm in Australia, and I preordered both the paddles and the 7800 controller through The Gamesmen. I received the notification of the delay on the 15th of May, with the new date being the 6th of June. Then 8 days later I received another saying that my order ready to be shipped and I received 4 days later on the 27th of May. The funny thing is EB Games in Australia still the release date of all the new products (minus the 7800 controller, which I'm pretty was there before) still as the 6th of June. So I don't know what the hell is going on there.

Lucky you in Australia. EB Games release date is right. Stock landed at distribution centre in Australia last week and is on route to retailers for 6th of June.

 

US stocks are in port right now. They will now have a short trip to US distribution centre then be shipped to Atari.com and Amazon.com. Current release date is 21st June for US.

 

European stock delivery is pretty much the same as US. Current release date is 21st June for US

[Ben from Plaion]

2 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Lucky you in Australia. EB Games release date is right. Stock landed at distribution centre in Australia last week and is on route to retailers for 6th of June.

 

US stocks are in port right now. They will now have a short trip to US distribution centre then be shipped to Atari.com and Amazon.com. Current release date is 21st June for US.

 

European stock delivery is pretty much the same as US. Current release date is 21st June for Europe.

 

[ABA180]

On 5/16/2024 at 10:56 AM, UnRedeemed said:

Personally, I will be happy so long as I receive items ordered within any sort of reasonable time even if it is after the period that was expected at the time of order placement.  My concern was not with the current Atari situation in particular but was more generally aimed at the trend of businesses requiring immediate payment from us for items whose future stocking date is remote or ultimately unknown.  In my experience there has been an unfortunate move toward the prepayment scenario, along with many other less than customer-friendly policies, since the ‘08 crisis.  Every crisis since seems to accelerate the process.  As someone who attended law school back in the day with a keen interest in consumer affairs, I can say with a fair degree of confidence that this trend, along with the somewhat paradoxical growth in the ranks of anti-customer sycophants, is quite the departure from where we were.    

 

A couple of years ago, I was surprised when I was charged in full for a bicycle that turned out to be on backorder with no shipping date planned.  And since then this sort of thing has happened several times among family members.  The problem is that many businesses these days have been emboldened to shift the risk of a failed transaction onto their customers.  The fact that in some cases even the original expected delivery date is beyond the period for contesting a charge is thus part of the problem, not a justification of it.  Sorry if my generally pro-consumer viewpoint based on an objective fairness evaluation has ruffled a feather.  

I do agree things have changed over time, though I'll submit as well that business in general has.  Definitely something like this is a tiny market and that matters, though service should not suffer horribly..which I don't think it has here though.  

 

The bike, was that a BMX by chance?

On 5/18/2024 at 2:49 PM, Marc Fiorillo said:

I was a retail manager, and I used to tell my employees that 'communication forgives most sins'.  One of the reasons I bought a 2600+ was because of what I see here.  Communication like this shows the commitment Plaion, and Ben specifically has.  Thank you for the constant updates.  It looks like we'll get our stuff soon enough.

 

In a way, it is nice to see the demand outstrip the original projections.  More customers mean more games and accessories for all of us down the line.  It's a win-win for everybody.

I like that quote.  Sometimes things happen..but it's how the thing is addressed ultimately.

 

Some years ago my old Chevy truck engine died and the dealer told me oh well that's normal.  Despite 2 written GM warranties, that is.  Finally got another dealer to do the job and showed up to a bill I never agreed to but couldn't get my truck back without paying.  

 

Granted my Toyota truck I have now "shouldn't" have needed a new frame either but when the issue cropped up the dealer took the truck, put me in a rental, got the truck fixed (providing me updates when they became available).  Guess who I will and won't buy from next?

[Gabe]

Now I'm seeing that the CX30+ paddle pack is showing as "Currently unavailable" on Amazon. I'm hoping it's just a case of the number of orders now reaching the number of paddle packs they're expecting to receive, and those of us who pre-ordered them will still see them ship to us on June 21st. 

[UnRedeemed]

On 6/1/2024 at 1:35 AM, ABA180 said:

The bike, was that a BMX by chance?

 

No, a cruiser.  

[ABA180]

57 minutes ago, UnRedeemed said:

No, a cruiser.  

There's been a furor in the BMX collector market for a while about a company that's been doing this stuff.  

[PowerDubs]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:16 PM, Gabe said:

Now I'm seeing that the CX30+ paddle pack is showing as "Currently unavailable" on Amazon. I'm hoping it's just a case of the number of orders now reaching the number of paddle packs they're expecting to receive, and those of us who pre-ordered them will still see them ship to us on June 21st. 

 

They arrived at port May 31.  So now it is up to customs, trucking, inventory...and ship to customers.

[John Stamos Mullet]

On 5/24/2024 at 1:07 AM, UnRedeemed said:

To the extent this was directed in part at me, since I was the one who expressed a general frustration about the trend of companies requiring full payment long before products ship, you are way off base.  Once again I was not even posting primarily about an issue with Atari, or minor delays, but with what seemed a growing prepayment trend that has sometimes left me waiting over a year for pricy products while I wonder if the money is simply lost.  And the frustration was certainly not directed toward you as I was unaware of your existence before you responded like it was a personal affront.  I can only say that it is disappointing you have reverted to your earlier pattern of questioning people’s integrity, “good faith,” or motivation – or suggesting they have no place expressing an opinion you do not happen to share if they have not been typing on here for as long or prolifically as you have.  This despite your conceding at one stage that I raised valid points, while I noted that we seemed to agree on a fair bit and maybe had different ideas about what is reasonably necessary.  Again regarding the business climate in general I have shared examples from my own experience, which are exactly that and not “unfounded accusations.”  

 

Your philosophy that the customer is usually wrong and is, essentially, the enemy of a business has got to be the most – well let’s just hope Atari does not share this view. I want them to succeed.  Why wouldn’t I?  I own and use a great deal of gear from various incarnations of Atari, and came to this website for years before finally joining up mainly to participate in high score clubs along with some interesting discussion among adults who can consider/debate ideas without resorting to ad hominem attacks.

That is my motivation, if anyone wonders.  And please do not forget it is healthy for a business to reevaluate its policies periodically as circumstances evolve.  It can benefit long-term from repeat customers “keeping them honest” so to speak.

I find that Liam Gallagher sums up my thoughts on this best:

 

 

[ForceInfinity]

On 5/31/2024 at 11:34 AM, Ben from Plaion said:

Lucky you in Australia. EB Games release date is right. Stock landed at distribution centre in Australia last week and is on route to retailers for 6th of June.

 

US stocks are in port right now. They will now have a short trip to US distribution centre then be shipped to Atari.com and Amazon.com. Current release date is 21st June for US.

 

European stock delivery is pretty much the same as US. Current release date is 21st June for US

I don’t suppose you know if the XP carts are part of this shipment by chance?

[SuperZapperRecharge]

2 hours ago, ForceInfinity said:

I don’t suppose you know if the XP carts are part of this shipment by chance?

Not at all, different distribution. Plaion is not involved in XP.

[BitMerge6502]

Looks like my order is arriving mid-late July. Has any Amazon customers recieved their preorders? I remember there being an issue with the 2600+ release whereas Amazon customers recieved their orders about a month before Atari official website purchases. Is this another case of Atari prioritizing Amazon fulfillment, or just lousy drop shipping logistics? I'm asking because next time they announce a new product, should I just wait until the Amazon listing is live & order from there instead of Atari's shopify webpage?