What conciliatory actions are your proposing?
And what do you mean sloppy inventory control? If there was anyone who should feel betrayed It should be us. The fact we shipped out the sculpts as soon as they were ready for each person is the problem here? How is that sloppy inventory control? Please explain it to me, I will be glad to incorporate any breakthrough suggestions that you may have If I collaborate again later with the artist or any other.
Understand first that I am not trying to blast you or make anyone feel bad... but sure: hand signed pieces with CoAs, real hair, some kind of extra(s) .... anything would be better than nothing. Nobody is suggesting that you somehow eat your margins, personally I don't care about any type of refund. I just think some kind of a gesture (that would probably cost $10-$25 max/per) goes a long way in the customer service department. This is an expensive piece. And I'm sure if you paid $300 for something that was solicited as being exclusive, definitive and closed, only to see a version of it hit the market for 1/8th the price you wouldn't be happy about it either. I know the paint should be superior to the factory, but I've never paid $250 for a paint job. $50, $75, $100, sure. Beyond that it's resculpt, rehair, etc.
While I understand that you feel the victim here (your concept and sculpt was ripped off and recast). That would piss me off to no end as well. But that's part of the game these days. The HT recasts are showing up months prior to release (clearly those breaches are at factory level). But the fact remains that you have been paid. You were also paid by many folks "after" the recast came to light, because, at least from my perspective, people wanted to honor commitment made to the project and team. I'm sure there were some who pulled up stakes, asked for refunds or didn't pay the balance. BUT there seems to have been nothing to me that said "look unfortunately we were shafted by some unscrupulous person along the way, but to make it up to you folks who are sticking by us we are going to do X (take suggestions, make a poll, whatever)." To me this is just good customer service. So yes, if it were me I would be trying to find some way to make it "right" with folks.
Regarding inventory control, you're talking about a pretty finite universe here. I don't know your model or who's hands what passes through so apologies if I over simplify, but there is a list of buyers and those who received what and when, there's whoever did the molding and casting, and there's whoever else was involved. So again if it were me that's what I would start with. Somehow, somewhere early along the way it got to someone who had the sole motivation of recasting and reselling. And without weeding through this thread (because I really only check it sporadically), I don't know if that person(s) has been identified. If they have they should be outed if for no other reason as a service to the community.
But I've spent far too much time on this subject as it is. Like I said, I'm really not out to argue about this. To me it's little more than a minor annoyance. I've paid. I'll get what I get, and that will likely be the last word on this as I move on to other things.
I sincerely wish you the best with the remainder of this project and your future endeavors.
