“Is It Just Me?”: Why Fans Post About Outlier Mistakes – Stonemaier Games

“Is It Just Me?”: Why Fans Post About Outlier Mistakes

Earlier this morning, I received a pledge manager notification for a Kickstarter project I backed a while ago. As I tried to complete the pledge manager, an error appeared: My reward level was sold out.

I wasn’t sure if I had done something wrong or if there was an inventory error in the pledge manager. Normally this would have resulted in some searching in the project’s main comments or on BoardGameGeek, but fortunately the creator had sent a project update about the pledge manager as it went live. So I clicked through to that update, checked the comments, and learned that other backers were having the same issue. No worries–I’ll just wait for the creator to send an update confirming that the issue has been fixed, and then I’ll return to the pledge manager.

This situation happened at an opportune time, because just this weekend I internally questioned the need for a public post I saw about a Stonemaier Games product. A customer had received their copy of Tapestry: Plans & Ploys, and much to their dismay, they discovered water droplets in one of the insert slots. So they went to BGG and posted about it to see if anyone else had the same issue.

When I saw the post, my first thought was, “Clearly this is an outlier. Why worry people with a post when you could just solve the problem faster by requesting replacement parts?” That’s not how I replied to the comment, of course (I apologized for the errant fluids and linked to our replacement parts form, amidst other comments from customers saying they hadn’t experienced the same issue).

With today’s pledge manager situation, I think I have a better understanding of why the person posted publicly instead of contacting us privately. Sure, it’s a odd mistake that we need to solve for that specific person–posting on BGG doesn’t demoisturize their expansion. But like the broken pledge manager, a person doesn’t know if it’s just them or if it’s a widespread issue (potentially with a widespread solution), especially if they’re the first person to post about it. They’re often just trying to help, not spread negativity. Plus, they may have had a better (and faster) experience getting answers from the community than from creators/companies in the past.

Ultimately, while a creator may not be overjoyed to see a post headlined by words like “broken,” “damaged,” or “warped,” such threads can help to determine if an issue is an outlier or something that needs to be explored with their manufacturer or fulfillment center. Also, it provides a forum for other customers to chime in and respectfully deflate the situation, offering solutions for problems that can be implemented at home.

For fellow creators who see posts like these, I’d suggest that they respond with an apology and solution for the customer, then follow along to see if it truly is just an outlier or not.

  • If it’s an outlier and you’ve already provided a solution for the customer, no further action is necessary.
  • If others report the same issue, get ahead of the problem by posting about it yourself. If you already have a solution, great; if not, let people know that you’re working on it and will be in touch soon. If a bulk solution may be required, you could post a link to a form for people to fill out to receive more information when the time comes.

For fellow fans who want to know, “Is it just me?”:

  1. First check to see if there’s already a thread on the topic. If there are already enough responses to indicate a pattern, there isn’t a reason to pile on.
  2. Ask yourself, “Is there an obvious answer?” For example, every now and then we hear from someone who is concerned about their order because they heard that someone else received their order and they haven’t gotten theirs. Obviously when a company is shipping thousands of orders, they’re not all going to ship on the same day, nor are they going to arrive at the same time. I think sometimes we jump too quickly to assume the worst.
  3. If you post about an issue to see if it’s just you and learn the solution, consider how the language you use will impact the responses (both from the creator and other backers/customers). Sure, you could say, “My game is missing a card. This is a terrible production, and I’m incredibly disappointed in the creator for letting such an obvious mistake slip through QC,” but you’re dealing with real people here. Sure, you can yell at a customer service representative on the phone, and it’s still their job to help you, but is that the right way to talk to a fellow human?

Have you ever wondered, “Is it just me?” How did you learn if you were the outlier or not, and what did you learn from that experience?

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Also read: Etiquette in the Public Eye

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11 Comments on ““Is It Just Me?”: Why Fans Post About Outlier Mistakes

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  1. I must say that I bought many stone Maier game, and like any industry, it could be that there is a dice smeared or an insert broken, I was always surprised how quick and efficient was the customer service.

    Working in the industry (not the boardgame industry), I think it is always better to go back to the manufacturer, the only downside could be indeed that the manufacturer doesn’t take into account those issues as it could keep the community in the unknown but I would say it is very rare.

  2. Yeah this is a tough one. I want backers to know about issues that could affect them, but since comments are public, I also want to protect the game and company’s brand from non-backers who are looking at the Kickstarter campaign to judge the game’s quality. The last thing you want is a bunch of comments about problems with the game.

    Two things that have worked for me:

    1) Give a clear option for direct contact (Kickstarter message and/or the email address to use) for issues that only affect them in every single update. They might not use it, but making it easy will provide the best chance that they will. If it’s something that they think may affect more than just them, they usually opt for a public comment, which is great.

    2) When someone contacts you with a problem, whether it’s a public comment or a private message/email, show that you care. Because you do. But put it in words. “I can imagine waiting for months for a game and finally getting it but realizing you’re missing a card. That sucks. I’m going to get a new one shipped out to you ASAP. It might take up to 2 weeks but it’s coming. In the mean time, take out cards X and Y and you can still play.” When I show I care in a genuine way, that’s all they want. They just don’t want to be left in the dust.

    1. I really like how you put this, Brian, particularly about showing that you care (and presenting a temporary solution).

  3. A customer who confirms that they are experiencing a problem isn’t “piling on”, they are adding confirmation of their personal experience and participating in the public validation of an issue.

    Considering how difficult it can be for component issues to be resolved in this industry, such public expression should be encouraged, not in any way discouraged.

    How does a customer benefit personally from keeping silent?

    It’s simply not their responsibility nor to their benefit to cushion a publisher from public awareness of the extensiveness of a problem.

    A customer expressing disappointment over an issue should not have to worry that they might not “get the response” they’re hoping for because they did not suitably curtail their public reaction for the publisher’s benefit. What is excessive to one person may be repression and self-censorship to another.

    I’m very surprised at the tone of your position towards these issues and the excessive reaction to the rather tame examples provided. They seem to indicate a serious disconnect with the customer perspective or a rather thin skin, neither of which is beneficial in such a situation.

    Now, since this was not a customer service issue, was I still expected to contact you directly with these concerns?

    1. I respectfully disagree, Kent. In my example about the pledge manager not working, there was no benefit gained for any party if I also chimed in among the comments to say, “It’s not working for me either!” At that point, it was already clear to the creator that the pledge manager wasn’t working.

      “Now, since this was not a customer service issue, was I still expected to contact you directly with these concerns?”

      I’m not exactly sure which issue you’re talking about. If you had a missing or broken component that you want us to fix, definitely, the procedure is for you to fill out our replacement parts form so we know what to send you and where to send it. That’s the customer service procedure to fix the problem. If there’s nothing to fix and you’re just looking to talk about an aspect of a product you’re concerned about–and you don’t know if it’s just your copy or if it’s a known, widespread issue–as I said in the post, I completely understand if you want to post about it publicly in a constructive way.

      1. You seem to not understand that your opinion on whether someone receives a benefit from publicly posting will have unique and different personal motivations than the typical customer — and different does not mean wrong or otherwise ethically challenged on their part.

        The world is gray, not black and white. People are not clockwork machines emotionally, despite the inconvenience that this may cause you as a game publisher. Not everyone has your apparent confidence when approaching such situations.

        Your value system and lack of a need for affirmation in this case seems at odds with the reality of most participants that I have observed in this context on forums. That doesn’t make it better or place you in a position of ethical judgment of free expression that may contain unpleasantries.

        While from your perspective you may have seen your comments as a gentle attempt to mentor, guide, or otherwise influence the behavior of customer reactions, it came across to me as a step too far that revealed a real empathetic disconnect from the internal value systems and motivations of typical customers.

        To clarify, the final sentence of my original comment was rhetorical with a note of sarcasm. In other words, since my comments were critical, should they have been sent only to you?

  4. I’ve had several instances like this occur. Typically, I just email someone and they resolvr the issue, some faster than others. I guess I also consider the game value. If it’s a game I’m buying for a party, where I know nachos and beer stains may occur, I probably won’t mind a discolored token or two. However, if I’ve preordered it and can’t wait to see it up on my game table for a week’s worth of play with my wife, then likely it’s worth the time.

    I really would only post on a public forum if I was dissatisfied with the resolution to warn others.

  5. I think people get really emotionally connected to certain products, esp with KS and preorders where your anticipation has really built! I think I have previously pointed out to you that with your model, the very personal touch, your customers are super loyal, but also feel an emotional connection to you (hopefully in a healthy way, which is what being a fan is).

    I think as a producer, you have to manage any negative press, but man, some of it can be very entitled and unforgiving. Some mistakes are huge, I think Splotter with the giant boats if I recall correctly, where fixing it was beyond their means, and as a customer, you just have to laugh really. I mean I get it, getting a Splotter is a big deal, and now you own the infamous big boat game FWIW. It is still a hard to find game.

    I guess my point is, it should go both ways, customers should have grace for producers, and give them a chance to fix things, and producers need to know how emotionally attached people are to the product, and the more attached, great for business, but also the higher their expectations of flawless service.

  6. I think the only solution is how pro-active you deal with the issues that come up. The level of service you provide in situations like these will impact a lot of the communications. A perfect example are the sandtimers from Pendulum. When the first early review copies were reviewed, there was quite a bit of talk about the sandtimers not functioning. When you opened up about the issue, and Panda provided a solution, the discussion soon died and right now there is little talk about the sandtimers anymore. Well done!!

  7. Jamie, I think the trouble is you are the outlier sometimes when it comes to customer service. Hahaha

    Taking ownership of a problem is a massive skill I learned while working for Apple. Even if it isn’t your fault, Owning the problem to try to provide a solution puts people at ease.
    So many people want their new baby/toy to be perfect. But with all products quality control can sometimes be an issue. I think many of us innately try to trouble shoot or problem solve or find commonality because the community is so passionate with games. Sometimes our own panic is tempered and allows us to let go of issues by just finding common ground if others have the same issue or others can provide a fix or solution.

    I think of a certain miniature company that frequently has broken parts, missing/incorrect language cards and spotty customer service and the community basically says. “Yeah, that’s (name), never know if a replacement will ever show up” its unsettling for a game I want to love. But a company I can’t fully trust in for support.

    Brand loyalty is a huge thing and stonemaier holds a lot of equity in people’s hearts. I think people love your games as much for your integrity as your gameplay. It speaks mountains when you see people from your team engage versus that recent incident where that games company basically said if you have a parts problem that is our fault you are on your own or you can return it to the store you bought it from. I trust in stonemaier mostly because of the integrity you hold for yourself and your company.

    1. Michael: That’s true, a poor experience with one company can make people think that all companies will act that way. And that’s a great point about “community troubleshooting”–I like the way you put that. I appreciate your trust in Stonemaier, and I hope we continue to earn it!

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