My email to Paperflock

"Here is my response:

I have 2 questions.

Could you please provide the quote you received for shipping which can possibly justify you charging $85 for a book originally estimated at costing just $13? 

Even with inflation and doubling of weight that cost is simply ludicrous. 

I regularly ship to my sister in the US, and receive parcels from her. NEVER has a cost even approached what you are proposing, for parcels weighing more - and larger.

My previous job was shipping aircraft parts around the world priority, we only charged our customers, airlines, £25 per parcel for next day delivery anywhere in the world!

2nd question, when are you intending on shipping these? I ask this specifically because you state that we can change our address between now and when you are ready to ship.

You've already said you are ready to ship immediately. 

What is going on?

For a project which has been so poorly managed from start to finish, and taken over 4 years to reach a point when you are asking for more double the original I find the sheer gall to charge $85 

I await your response before progressing further"

via the Questions link in the email...

Screenshot_20201106-203311~2 (resized).png

Also it's quoting me $61.55 USD to ship to Canada for the $55 book....

I pledged $325. Shipping is $48. I went for it. Might as well see this thing through.

I have also emailed to Paperflock via KS at my disappointment and request an explanation and review of the shipping costs to Australia.

Perhaps the extra shipping charges are to help fund Joe’s next pinball book that he thinks you all want from the survey results!

Ok, this is a joke......

54F5E833-9093-49F3-B402-D22854B573DC (resized).jpeg

What was the $325 pledge level?

IDK, I think a special cover on the book signed by everyone. A jacket. A shirt. A zombie yeti poster. Idk what else.

Oh yeh, I think it was the jacket and stuff. Hate to think what would have made shipping to Oz.

Edit: only $195 usd shipping - that’s $278 Aud. Nice.

F35474C6-263E-40FD-8DD7-8FCA9402F72B (resized).jpeg

Wow!

I haven't got my survey but this is crap - he probably fleece us for more money and may still not deliver

where is he shipping from?

maybe someone near him could pick it all up and we pay that person to pack and ship - refuse to give Joe any more money.

This is what I sent him in 2016.

screen-capture-19 (resized).png

He only charges $3.00 for domestic shipping of those "Fcuk 2020" lapel pins he's selling.

https://fuckthisyear.bigcartel.com/

Yeah my Eve Online books I recently got was like way cheaper for shipping from NJ to MA and that was 2 heavy books. Also cheaper was Fireball Island and all it's expansions. I think the Street Fighter board game might be $125 because I got literally everything but it's literally this massive thing.

I tried to report Dameon to Paperflock over trying to obtain private sensitive data off his backers. I don't think they investigated because he never took that website down.

Media Mail, coast to coast US shipping is $3.95 for a 3 pound box 12" x 10" x 5". Let's generously add $2 for the box (it's really less than $1) and $5 for handling. That's $11, generously. So, obviously they're using the shipping as a secondary profit center - $12 pure profit in your case alone.

Ugly.

Or maybe it's for his Hep C treatment from all the carousing. That's like $40-95k to get cured.

I dunno, most of the people that would want this book pledged for it. And let’s be honest it doesn’t exactly look great, looks like Joe spent all these years gluing game flyers together to make a book.

$90 on Amazon this thing sits and collects dust at his moms house! Far better pinball books out there, if everyone tells Joe to ram his shipping quotes he’s stuck with a shit tonne of books and most importantly doesn’t get anymore money out of this community!

444 copies isn't much at all to ship out. If he's overcharging shipping by $12 on each one (and it seems like it's a lot more the more you got), that's $5000+ pure profit, minimum, on shipping alone.

Haha...a jacket...

I put in a kickstarter complaint as well went to backerkit and notified them.

I also went to kickstarter and checked out a few new book projects and postage varied $19 to $40 for similar size / weight (even 2 of one book to get to a similar weight) not $85

Joe and crew are scamming us

I would rather him write my name in big letters on the index so it is already used and can't be onsold.

Is there an exclusivity clause for backers or he can sell as many copies he wants afterwards?
Count me as interested, but not at the price the backers have to pay including shipping.

maybe we can leave company feedback here

https://www.bizapedia.com/ca/paperflock-inc.html

Hi friends,

here are shipping charge to France

I think they are dreaming eyes wide open

ship charge (resized).JPG

Why do people think it’s cool to fleece pinball folks. PaperFlock are nothing but scammers now. My blood pressure has skyrocketed since receiving the backerkit email. Hate everything about this Kickstarter project.

Well, look on the bright side gang, at least you all have the opportunity to be mistreated again on shipping by Joe...like a total dumbass I paid this fellow directly through PayPal as the Kickstarter had just closed when I learned of this project...so I’m not even being given the opportunity to consider paying this outrageous price for shipping, just totally ignored. Joe appears to have literally just made off with my money entirely...

Why does it list these estimates on the kickstarter page?

Shipping will be charged after the Kickstarter ends based on actual shipping costs and is collected via Backerkit. This allows us to charge shipping fairly for all backers and avoid a 'one size fits all' mentality to shipping.

Below are shipping estimates for the book (estimated to be around 2lbs). These are just estimates. Costs may rise due to weight increase as more items are unlocked via stretch goals and add-on purchases you choose. This will be calculated by Backerkit after backer surveys are turned in.

USA - $13

EU (including UK) - $17.00

Canada - $17

AU - $19

Mexico - $19

Most other countries - $19

Exactly. He knows he’s got us by the short and curlies. We have no choice but to pay these obscene shipping rates.

Got an automated response saying that they're closed on the 3rd, due to the election, they'll respond on their return on the 4th. This came through on the 6th.

Maybe the delay is that joe has been tasked with ballot counting, that would explain 2 f@%k ups.

If someone was able/willing to buy the whole stock off Paperflock and deal with addons, distribution additional books etc at realistic prices it would be an opportunity to make a profit.

Would be nice if Stern stepped in and took over now, as no doubt these will end up on the Stern store soon enough.

Selling $1000 toppers, do you really think they care? GTFOH

Based on my level of support I'm getting a tshirt. Not sure where I can wear it.

1. If I wear it in general public will people think I'm a cancer survivor?
2. If I wear it to pinball events will people think I'm a sucker?

Probably use it to clean playfields...

Exactly. I wasn't surprised at all at the shipping increase. Again, there is no accountability in this hobby. Just a few examples:

1. Continued playfiled issues that are not resolved, but let's give Mirco, JJP, Stern a free pass. Buy, buy, buy.
2. Shipping from some vendors is a complete fleecing. Example, $15.00 shipping for a sticker or side art for your machine.
3. Required $1000.00 deposit for new pinball machine, and yet after numerous emails, phone calls, no response or communication about when the game will ship or defects with the playfield.

book is apparently 4.5 pounds now

Hello Folks, I've sent in this question and am awaiting a reply but wondering if anyone might know the answer. I pledged $110 to get two of the $55 rewards which is basically the Pro book. The backerkit site doesn't provide me that option but rather gives me $55 in credit. Just wondering if someone else might of asked and was able to get this accomplished? Thanks

Yeah, we do, although it isn't a great option. I wrote off the initial investment a long time ago and I refuse to give these assh@les any more of my money. If we win the shipping cost battle I'll pay for actual shipping, but I'm not funding Joe's next vacation.

Man I feel bad for you guys getting charged unfair prices on shipping. I'm in the USA so I was going to get one. I don't know if I can support these people if they are truly trying to rip people off. This is a straight Deebo move, that's my bike punk!

Is it simply the case that KS money is as good as gone after you pledge? There’s no way to get a refund if you choose to back out?

I did pay because I'm sick of this thing being a thing in my life.

Yup, Kickstarter bills itself as a pledge, not a preorder. They don't guarantee anything, and are pretty clear about not having recourse for campaigns that fail to deliver. That being said, it can't hurt to reach out and say that they're trying to overcharge for shipping, but not sure what it'll do. I did with the link earlier in the thread-see if anything comes of that.

- I sent a message to kickstarter about the postage
- I sent a message to backerkit about postage
- and I posted my review about Paperflock and it was approved - may as well give them something that stays with them.
https://www.bizapedia.com/ca/paperflock-inc.html

I am not paying anything until I get some answers, and hell I wouldn't be surprised if part of the overcharge is for Stern.

I would love to know the dimensions of the book to then double check the postage.

here is the backer list (by country) and you start to get an idea of what he is screwing everyone over by

- just for Australia - 50 people x $85 = $4250 just in inflated postage

- or if you look at all the top countries outside of the USA - 151 x 85 averaged = $12835 (which I am sure there are others like 1 in Japan etc)

Paperflock is a THIEF

screen-capture-21 (resized).png

5 pounds shipped coast to coast via media mail is $4.92.

Well...someone called the shot, Kickstarter sent me a nice response to my complaint stating that I should contact their "creator" to dispute any issues, as they would not involve themselves. My response to Kickstarter was not so polite. Never again will I involve myself with anything remotely relating to their bulls!t company, as their "creators" have carte blanche to do whatever the hell they want.

How much are they charging you shipping?

A fleecing amount!

same, but also I'm still pretty sure I'll like the book

I'm not one to publicly complain very quickly. But I agree with all of you that this is quite ridiculous.

The original shipping estimate on their site was $17. And now Paperflock expect me to pay $125 for shipping for a book, a shirt and a poster. That sure feels like a rip-off. And that after a 4 year wait. For a book. Wow.

Considering the additional import duties that I will be charged here in the Netherlands, my total will come to roughly $455. Again, that's just a book, a shirt and a poster. I'm seriously considering writing this thing off, it's just not worth that kind of money.

I feel awful for all folks who got involved in this Kickstarter through my sticky on Pinside. Had I known what a #$% this would be...

Honestly, the sticky was justified. Stern got sucked in, you got sucked in, we all got sucked in. No fault at all to anyone except Paperf*ck.

I’m also starting to wonder if it’s worth throwing more money at this thing - it’s going to be $650 AUD landed!!!!!!

UPS Worldwide Saver 2 day service for 6lbs from CA to Netherlands is $56.03.
UPS Standard (slow) for 6 lbs to the Netherlands is $30.41

Impossible to see these massive shipping charge increases as anything but a surprise last-minute shakedown.

Where are these books shipping from? Does Paperflock allow pickup?

I have some time on my hands. I’ll pick them all up and ship them myself if someone can track him down.

The email account I used to subscribe to the kickstarter campaign (I "ordered"' two copies) has been inactivated since then. I therefore did not receive any update - not Paperflock's fault-, and I was considering sending an email to them.

Until I saw the comments on the shipping cost.

I am not going to comment any further, or I would have to moderate my own post.
Guess you know my feelings about this now (closest matching emoji is this one - just use a different finger)