I've got the B5 merchandise blues.

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: logbook at bigfoot.com
Date: 9 Feb 1998 09:30:09 -0700
Lines: 60

Ah, the bittersweet trials of getting one's protuberances on cool merchandise.

Today I found the smaller-scale B5 action figures, and I'm really happy with
'em.  Delenn and Londo are the best likenesses, and G'Kar comes close - but
Sheridan just looks kind of...sad.  Not serious, or angry, just...sad.  You
want to pat him on his little plastic back almost.  Here's hoping that there
will be a second batch of smaller figures from Exclusive Premiere - they're
cool!  They even got the coloring of G'Kar's artificial eye right!  If there
is to be a second wave, they can't get here fast enough.  And in a wonderful
instance of poetic justice, a handing down of the goblet so to speak, I gave
Londo a wine glass from one of the toys next door on the Star Trek shelf.
This may just mean that I'm a sad little man with too much free time on a
Sunday evening, but who can say? <chuckle>

Now on to the bad part.

Early in December, I sent a money order to Sonic Images to purchase the
"Walkabout" CD, to be shipped to a good friend in Sacramento.  This was
intended to be his Christmas present.

Well, we're past Groundhog Day and he *still* hasn't gotten it.  I have spoken
to Sonic Images at least three times on the phone, and one at least one of
those occasions, they didn't know *what* the hell was up with my order.  Last
time I spoke to them, I was told that the accounting department automatically
red-flags checks and money orders and holds those orders until the checks clear.

This makes no sense.  You cannot get a money order - especially not a postal
money order, which is my preferred method of payment - without cash in hand.
You cannot write a check or flash a credit card and get a money order.  They
*should not be treated like checks.*  Some of us simply do not have the budget
to support a credit card, so this is how we handle paying for things.

I was assured - almost three weeks ago now - that this would be cleared up and
the order would be en route immediately.  Considering the fact that both Sonic
Images and my friend are in California, I figured we'd find out soon.

Well, we've skipped past Christmas, vaulted over New Year, and slid past
Groundhog Day.  Can we make it in time for St. Patrick's Day?  Has anyone else
had this problem or am I an isolated extreme case of customer dissatisfaction?

Which leads to a further question.  Does the official fan club have the
episodic CDs and other items in stock, or are they passing CD orders through
to Sonic Images?  In other words: would I get more reliable service by ordering
through the fan club?

Last October, I ordered myself a copy of "Walkabout," and got it within a
month.  Later, I ordered "Shadow Dancing" and "Severed Dreams," and not only
were both almost a month and a half in arriving, but I wound up with *two*
copies of "Severed Dreams," one of which I had to return before I could get
"Shadow Dancing" shipped to me.

It might just be possible that Sonic Images underestimated how many people
they'd need in the ordering department to handle the demand for B5 episodic
CDs.  Can anyone shed some light on this at all?

      e  <-- Earl Green is made from people!   e-mail: logbook at bigfoot.com
               Writer / animator / artist / composer / curmudgeon at large
                         LogBook web site - http://www.execpc.com/~logbook

Thank you for your time.  It will be returned to you when you leave.

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 10 Feb 1998 14:27:29 -0700
Lines: 12


You can also order all this stuff from thestation.com, and we'll get it out
fast.

But I'll send a note to Sonic about your situation.


 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
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