Fanfest Las Vegas 2018: Merchandise Considerations and Feedback

[Wolftamer]

With respect to you, and with no judgements as to the quality of service or lack thereof, I must say you are quite mistaken. They sold out in less than half an hour; they lost nothing by waiting to announce this.

If you view only in the money made this moment, sure. But as a company you have to value customer happiness for long term success. I know I'm not the only person that did not make plans this year because of the lack of information on merchandise line. This still does a disservice to the brand and satisfaction to wait like this.

Yes, it makes me less willing to hand my money to square for other things also, and again, I know I'm not the only one. So it can have an impact.

[ExKage]

But as a company you have to value customer happiness for long term success. I know I'm not the only person that did not make plans this year because of the lack of information on merchandise line. This still does a disservice to the brand and satisfaction to wait like this. I know I'm not the only one. So it can have an impact.

I think the Showclix+High(SQEX Unforeseen) Demand+Low Supply did more of an optics impact to it than the lack of details in the merchandise line. People who went and dealt with the merchandise line still wanted to buy tickets. People who knew about the line, did not go, and yet still wanted to go.

Anything can have an impact by your statement. Having the FanFest in Las Vegas can have an impact (the hotels/flights cost) vs having it in Los Angeles can have an impact. I'm not going to say you're wrong but I think the significance of the impact on sales by being forthcoming about this aspect of the merchandise line is not as big as you would think. Having the 2016 experience with the line, again, would have more impact.

[Wolftamer]

Having the 2016 experience with the line, again, would have more impact.

It would, so that just goes back to why the hell hold on to that info like it's a giant secret that wasn't brought out until the point where they were getting hammered from multiple outlets demanding to know if it would happen or not? Why tell EU before ticket sales that yes, we won't make that NA mistake each time, yet sit on it for the event that had the actual problems? It doesn't make any sense.

[ExKage]

It would, so that just goes back to why the hell hold on to that info like it's a giant secret that wasn't brought out until the point where they were getting hammered from multiple outlets demanding to know if it would happen or not? Why tell EU before ticket sales that yes, we won't make that NA mistake each time, yet sit on it for the event that had the actual problems? It doesn't make any sense.

You're just going to have to live with the fact that people who had the same experience were willing to wait for more details as demand ate up the supply. In some sense, it doesn't make sense to buy tickets to an event with not much information but it happens all the time. A wrestling event sold out before knowing what the card is for example. No idea if there are meet and greets. For the last two FanFests, they fill up information on the event as it gets closer to the event and it happened to be the same here. It makes more sense to wonder why you waited on purchasing something that previously has sold out in hours to 10 hours when it takes days to months to release that information. Here you relied on other people to take the initiative in using the forums they set up to press for the information to make your decision, one that clearly many people did not have an issue with in making their purchase decision.

[Jinxie]

You have NO idea how relieved I am to hear they're even considering (let alone actually DOING) preorders for fanfest. My MAIN complaint the last two years has been that I spent more time standing worthlessly in line for 8+ hours each time, and missed literally the entire first day of events, panels, keynote etc. I missed ALL the best things because if I didn't I wouldn't get ANYTHING I wanted from the merch booth. If they properly do pre-orders they'll know precisely how much swag to bring (and if they are REALLY smart, they'll bring even more than that, for people who still wanna pick up something at the event itself) and people like me can actually sit down at panels, and omg...it will be SO refreshing to attend the event I paid 150 dollars to be in! I'm literally shaking in delight right now! The very THOUGHT that I might get to RELAX and ENJOY the event rather than stand in that awful, cramped, cutty, long, dangerous, smelly merch line has me over the moon!

Just imagine it! Getting to sit in a chair, and enjoy the keynote from a place where you can see the screen! Holy CHEESE is that not the greatest thing you've ever heard?!

Now imagine they also did timeslot pickups for said preordered merch! You bought 300 dollars in merch, get a cute lil print off ticket or text 'You can come to pick up your merch at x:00 pm during X day."

If they manage to do this right...I think I might actually have to begin recommending people GO to the event instead of recommending against it. x.x

[Wolftamer]

You have NO idea how relieved I am to hear they're even considering (let alone actually DOING) preorders for fanfest. My MAIN complaint the last two years has been that I spent more time standing worthlessly in line for 8+ hours each time, and missed literally the entire first day of events, panels, keynote etc. I missed ALL the best things because if I didn't I wouldn't get ANYTHING I wanted from the merch booth. If they properly do pre-orders they'll know precisely how much swag to bring (and if they are REALLY smart, they'll bring even more than that, for people who still wanna pick up something at the event itself) and people like me can actually sit down at panels, and omg...it will be SO refreshing to attend the event I paid 150 dollars to be in! I'm literally shaking in delight right now! The very THOUGHT that I might get to RELAX and ENJOY the event rather than stand in that awful, cramped, cutty, long, dangerous, smelly merch line has me over the moon!

Just imagine it! Getting to sit in a chair, and enjoy the keynote from a place where you can see the screen! Holy CHEESE is that not the greatest thing you've ever heard?!

Now imagine they also did timeslot pickups for said preordered merch! You bought 300 dollars in merch, get a cute lil print off ticket or text 'You can come to pick up your merch at x:00 pm during X day."

If they manage to do this right...I think I might actually have to begin recommending people GO to the event instead of recommending against it. x.x

The ideal thing would be to have it ready when you pick up your badge. Hammer both out at one time.

[Jinxie]

The ideal thing would be to have it ready when you pick up your badge. Hammer both out at one time.

I would agree with this, but that might make badge pickup a bit of a mess. I worry if they did that it'd take 3x as long to get a badge, and it'd take far more space than they usually have for the pickup area. not that it isn't a brilliant idea!

[Avenger]

I can confirm that we'll have a pre-order program that will allow attendees to purchase merchandise ahead of time.

Thank goodness!! People will be much happier being able to order the new lore book ahead of time without wasting up to 16 hours and still not getting one!!

[Comstrike]

As a first timer, what is the nature of the merchandise sales? Aside from these items that will be on pre-order, is there a vendor room like other conventions, or is it 100% SE organized presentation?

[ExKage]

As a first timer, what is the nature of the merchandise sales? Aside from these items that will be on pre-order, is there a vendor room like other conventions, or is it 100% SE organized presentation?

Just a Square Enix merchandise booth.