IST (instocktrades.com) problems

[ShooCat]

Plus, their packages are rock-solid.

[joltman]

Do they still have the 2% loyalty discount going (where you get 2% off any order placed within 8 days after your last order)? The only place I see it mentioned is in the FAQ where it says "There will be a banner on the homepage announcing when the extra discount promotion is running" but I don't see a banner on the homepage.

[Andru]

Do they still have the 2% loyalty discount going (where you get 2% off any order placed within 8 days after your last order)? The only place I see it mentioned is in the FAQ where it says "There will be a banner on the homepage announcing when the extra discount promotion is running" but I don't see a banner on the homepage.

They do! Banner only generates after you place an order.

[Graphic Autist]

I just received the ship notification for Peter David's Hulk Omnibus from IST. A book I ordered 10 days ago, and I received from them the day before yesterday...

[Bri]

I received notification today that IST would not be able to fill my order for the POWER PACK OMNIBUS DM HC. They offered a refund or an exchange.
They claimed they had no copies in stock and the distributor was out.

Here's the thing, as Mike McD. would say:

I pre-ordered and prepaid for this (from IST's "Tales of Wonder") on December 16th. The one sale date was March 3rd. They had over 2 and a half months to make sure they had the order in with the distributor. I paid through papal so they already had the money.

CGN lists copies for sale.

IST / TOW has no valid excuse for not having my copy ordered and ready. I wrote them telling them so and have received no response.
That they didn't order enough to fill advanced, prepaid orders is a major failure. I have informed IST that if they do not send the book I will no longer be ordering from them. I can't deal with a company that shows a complete lack of responsibity.

[Bri]

IST, against my instructions, processed a refund for items I ordered and paid for months in advance of publication.
What was once a top notch company is now incompetent and unreliable.

They didn't even try to explain their failure.

How can anybody trust a company that can't order enough copies to fill advance orders, especially given that the orders were prepaid?

[Raffi Ol D'Arcy]

IST, against my instructions, processed a refund for items I ordered and paid for months in advance of publication.
What was once a top notch company is now incompetent and unreliable.

They didn't even try to explain their failure.

How can anybody trust a company that can't order enough copies to fill advance orders, especially given that the orders were prepaid?

I can totally understand how you feel. I do think, however, that IST are in a very serious predicament at the moment what with what's going on around the world. Diamond have halted all orders of books as of 04.01.2020 to the DM so certain preorders are totally out of their hands. If IST don't have some financial cushion to fall back on during this time, they may cease to exist. I agree that they should have explained the situation to you but they probably have a ton of disappointed customers. Personally, they always came through for me.

[Bri]

I can totally understand how you feel. I do think, however, that IST are in a very serious predicament at the moment what with what's going on around the world. Diamond have halted all orders of books as of 04.01.2020 to the DM so certain preorders are totally out of their hands. If IST don't have some financial cushion to fall back on during this time, they may cease to exist. I agree that they should have explained the situation to you but they probably have a ton of disappointed customers. Personally, they always came through for me.

But I ordered (and paid for) the books over two and half months in advance. All they had to was make sure they had enough copies to fill advance orders.
The books were ordered well before COVID-19 was a concern.

[Taiyaki]

Since IST does not have physical shops and they depend on online sales, I think they probably have it better than some others. Eventhough new releases are temporarily halted, they should still be able to make some profits with existing content that they have in stock, even if it is does result in a lot less profit. I hope we can all support them and their competitors so that they all make it through.

[Dr Hank]

But I ordered (and paid for) the books over two and half months in advance. All they had to was make sure they had enough copies to fill advance orders.
The books were ordered well before COVID-19 was a concern.

But since they don't know when, or even if, they'll be able to fill your order they may have no choice but to refund your money instead of holding it indefinitely. Not saying you shouldn't be upset just saying their hands may be tied.

[Bri]

But since they don't know when, or even if, they'll be able to fill your order they may have no choice but to refund your money instead of holding it indefinitely. Not saying you shouldn't be upset just saying their hands may be tied.

The book in question (Power Pack Omnibus) was published and distributed. They simply failed to order enough to fill orders. Which is gross incompetence, seeing as my book was ordered and paid for.

[My Two Cents]

I remember the DM Power Pack Cover Omnibus was up for sale on IST
For a hour or so and than was gone. I have ordered a few books from
TOW and payed a little more, if I thought IST would sell out .....
and they did and I still received them.

[Bri]

I remember the DM Power Pack Cover Omnibus was up for sale on IST
For a hour or so and than was gone. I have ordered a few books from
TOW and payed a little more, if I thought IST would sell out .....
and they did and I still received them.

This is what I mean.
They had copies. As written I ordered and prepaid for my copy from TOW on 12/16. There is no valid excuse for not filling my order. They didn't even offer a reason.

[skrewler]

The book in question (Power Pack Omnibus) was published and distributed. They simply failed to order enough to fill orders. Which is gross incompetence, seeing as my book was ordered and paid for.

They messed up, we get it. I don't understand why you're upset they refunded your money.

What were you hoping they'd do instead? W/ the current lockdowns, don't see how they could guarantee you a reship from Diamond.

Pay the $15 extra and buy it from CGN and get on with your life.

You remind me of that guy who made a fuss when IST sent him a book by mistake.

[Bri]

They messed up, we get it. I don't understand why you're upset they refunded your money.

What were you hoping they'd do instead? W/ the current lockdowns, don't see how they could guarantee you a reship from Diamond.

Pay the $15 extra and buy it from CGN and get on with your life.

You remind me of that guy who made a fuss when IST sent him a book by mistake.

Why should I be forced to pay more because of ISTs gross incompetence?
A reorder shouldn't have been needed. How hard is it to make sure you have ordered enough copies to fill orders you already accepted payment for?