Hasslefree news and rumors

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**BrookM**

For those who have partaken of the Halloween sale, no mail will be sent out until the 20th at the earliest at this point.

So, a smentioned in the original newsletter somewhere below. We have had to extend the sale a few days. It will now run through this weekend. That's it though Sadly my meds didnot work out and needed assessment and coming off them caused withdrawal symptoms which cost me work time. So this will give me some of it back

If you are a new customer and don't want to see our newsletters, there should be an easy unsubscribe button accessible somewhere on your screen.

No Mail until at least 20th November!

Sale orders that are already in have already started being worked on. We have help for that while I am occupied fixing other issues.

Right, listen up guys and gals!

We're closing for 'regular' mail until the above. 'No' sale orders willl go out until we're back to work, which wil be at least 20th November (see below for details)

We will still be open during this time, I'll be sorting the Kickstarter and outstanding issues from my hospital stays etc.

**Sarouan**

Last time I ordered from them with a similar sale, it took several months to receive something, and I had some miniatures missing. A couple more months later, I finally got everything with a few extras as apology.

Sadly, as a result, I always had second thoughts ordering something ever again from them.

I understand their situation, but I'm still baffled that even after all this time they seem to be unable to plan something more long term according to it (it's clear the health problems are more than chronic and will only get worse with time, at this point).

**Kid_Kyoto**

I hate to say it but yeah, if - due to chronic illness - employees cannot do their job, you need to seek other options.

**KidCthulhu**

It's a shame, really. I love Hasslefree's products, but many times it's just not worth the hassle.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I hate to say it but yeah, if - due to chronic illness - employees cannot do their job, you need to seek other options.

not so much an employee as a good friend who closed down his mini selling business to help out when Sally's ME & treatment got to the point she couldn't do all the stuff needed for the business so it wouldn't be easy especially as i bet he covers for her back office stuff when she's not well too (https://hfminis.co.uk/about-us/#:~:text=Kev%20and%20Sal%20(The%20Whites,HF%20steadily%20through%20this%20chaos.)

**warboss**

For those wondering, ME is the most recent renaming of what is/was commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (and a myriad of other names over the decades).

**TheGenuineMetz**

I backed for a pretty large amount and I'm not happy. I didn't know about Hasslefree's history with kickstarter, only having a good impression from the few models of theirs I have purchased over the years. We're a year on now with no meaningful sign that any work at all has been done. No pictures of moulds, no pictures of cast minis, no pledge manager, nothing. Absolute shambles. If they can't maintain the most basic professional pretence they should close up shop and refund the backers.

**warboss**

Just out of curiosity, were you aware of this thread or its predecessor? Obviously I'm not blaming you for their delays but am just asking. Companies like Mierce and Hasslefree have a long documented history of repeated issues with fulfillment that only worsens with crowdfunding.

I've personally been holding off for years from ordering despite wanting several minis from their lines but am not willing to risk it until they're all in stock (which has not been the case for roughly three years at this point). Heck, one mini is removed from their website even though is still accessible if you have the link so probably no chance at all I'll ever get that one.

**Illumini**

Mierce in my experience is very quick to deliver anything not kickstarter. There are no issues buying something from their store

**warboss**

Illumini wrote:
Mierce in my experience is very quick to deliver anything not kickstarter. There are no issues buying something from their store

That is commonly reported but at other times historically it wasn't always the case. Regardless, do you think that the ability to force a refund upon them via your normal payment method as opposed to crowdfunding where that generally isn't the case plays a significant role in that?

**Illumini**

It seems the big difference is that they have good control of anything that they can currently produce, while the kickstarters they need to get it designed and mastered first, and that seems to be where they have overreached earlier. However, they are still plowing through their backlog there, I think the rise of 3d modelling and printing has helped them.

Hasslefree on the other hand clearly has major issues creating any stock even for minis they have had for years

**TheGenuineMetz**

warboss wrote:
Just out of curiosity, were you aware of this thread or its predecessor?

I was not aware of them, shame on me for not doing my research I suppose. I pledged based on my prior experience with Hasslefree being a little slow but delivering quality models. I didn't realise they were going to be THIS slow.

**warboss**

TheGenuineMetz wrote:
I was not aware of them, shame on me for not doing my research I suppose. I pledged based on my prior experience with Hasslefree being a little slow but delivering quality models. I didn't realise they were going to be THIS slow.

No worries as I was just curious. Dakka gets occasionally mentioned unironically as a bunch of negative nancies so I figured I'd ask.

As for Hasslefree, is their website down for everyone? It just shows up a blank white page for me instead of a more typical error 404.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Huh, just checked, down for me too.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Dead for me too (i've messaged them on facebook)

**Maccwar**

Seems to be working now

**warboss**

Good to see it back up then since a communications disruption can only mean one thing...

**The_Minsk**

I don’t suppose anyone has any news about hasslefree, has anyone received an order recently?

**Bubbatron**

Living up to their name I see...

**KidCthulhu**

I feel bad for them; they're nice people and their products are AMAZING but bad luck keeps throwing wrenches into everything.

**Kid_Kyoto**

I really like the company and the products but...

I mean it's been more than a month since we were promised a pledge manager before Christmas (and almost a year since we were promised one for April).

I'm sure the money did not go to blackjack and hookers, but they're really ramming their reputation into the ground.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

It does seem things are really crumbling and you begin to wonder how they're going to pull things round

**Undead_Love-Machine**

I think that the writing has been on the wall for a long time at this point.

**Apple fox**

I love the minis I have from them, and always wanted more. So it’s very sad to see.

**BrookM**

I am still waiting on my Halloween order to be shipped out.

Giving it another week and then I'll send an email, which will no doubt be ignored like so many others have had happen to them in the past here! If no reply by the end of February, I'll kick it up to Paypal and just ask for a refund through them.

Did check Facebook just in case, but nothing new there since December 31st. Nothing from Sally perchance? Anything new on the KS page itself, or are people being stonewalled there as well?

edit.

Well, Arty appears to be streaming Blood Bowl stuff, so he's still around.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Nothing on Facebook apart from a Happy Christmas/New Year image which the KS also got,

Sally's active on her page though both with her Dog Rescue stuff (which could have been more tricky/involved recently as the UK gov have just banned another dog breed), and some personal stuff which i could easily see having eaten up a load of time

but still no real excuse them for not posting a sorry, we're still working on things to KS/the Hasslefree facebook page

**BrookM**

Like I said, he's streaming as of typing this, but I'd rather not risk my Twitch account just to ask him what's what and risk getting banned.

**Coenus Scaldingus**

Saw this over at LeadAdventureForum from a few weeks ago:
(Original post here: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=144047.msg1838716#msg1838716)

« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2024, 04:54:00 PM »

Quote from: Too Bo Coo on January 02, 2024, 07:42:52 PM
I made an order like 6 or 7 months ago, their site said they had stock on the items I ordered, but then 6 weeks or so later I finally reached out. We went through the 'so sorry, let me look into this' before disappearing…. Twice.
Wrote them a few days ago after asking for a refund two months ago to zero reply (I could see they saw the message..) and jist said, 'ok, I guess no items, no refund so I guess I made an unintentional donation to your company'….
Very very disappointing, as this is hardly the first time. I know I'll hear ANOTHER story of some major personal issue, but frankly as this now seems to be a 'thing¡ for them, I really dont care. If there are so many issues that are this crippling for their business, perhaps its time to pack it in and close shop.
I really like Kev and Sally and I write this all with a very heavy heart, but enough is really enough…..
Sally here. I completely and utterly agree with every word that you are saying. Closing shop is something that has been at the forefront on my mind for the last year now.

The last few years have been a living nightmare for me too. I honestly wish I could go back 7 years and not let the business move to Wales.
At the time we thought it was the obvious next step up to a larger facility with designated workspaces then Brexit hit and we lost 40% of our business overnight that resulted in us doing some serious juggling behind the scenes to keep going. That business has not returned due to issues with import taxes and different countries sending back orders.
Then I had my accident and Dameon got very ill and we just seem to be chasing our tails constantly.
It has been a nightmare, neither of us has had an income for the last few years to try and keep restocks catching up.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, The minis will go on we are just figuring out the best way to do it. It might mean completely downsizing and possible relocations, we don't know yet.

So really what I want to say is that I am very sorry for the issues that you all have had but change is afoot and hopefully we can get back on track and you all start to love us again x

Sally

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Cheers for passing this on, hopefully they'll clear the existing orders and KS and then think of the best way to go from there

**warboss**

Nah, it'll be fine. I'm sure fulfilling those long overdue orders will be super easy... barely an inconvience!