Rejected prints policy

It is bad enough that the current rejection policy is so completely unfriendly to the customer.

I come away every time annoyed at time it takes and the fact I have to make a new order and then ask them to combine the postage - would it not make more sense ton have this done automatically, as this is something that it going to happen a regular basis? I am very unhappy with Shapeway's customer service, which is frankly appalling bad at every level. It is difficult to even complain about it, since if you don't submit feedback on your interaction near-instantly (because, for example, you actually have to, y'know, work), the opportunity is gone. (Recent experience.)

Even the "print-it-anyway" option is unhelpful... where exactly is it actually located anyway? The information doesn't tell you where it is... There is a checkbox for when you re-upload a model on the model page I think... After having to cancel my order today because of one rejected model rendering the rest of the other simply not worth it (as I'd be paying postage for one model that would cost five times more than the discount, so I may as well wait until I have more models to bulk order), I suspect it MIGHT be accessed from the page on the orders - it would be nice if it SAID somewhere - anywhere - in the documentation that this was the case.

The sales discount problem is just adding insult to this injury. The fact the sales come in so randomly and with such a short window of time makes it even worse. The policy on sale discounts is appalling. Given that Shapeways's rejections are happening at a frustratingly increasing rate (sometimes on models that have printed perfectly fine before), the policy of only having a discount code apply once and not to repaired models is increasingly ludicrous.

The whole system desparately needs a complete re-vamp so that it at the very least doesn't feel like an "ahahaha! Gotcha!" everytime you get a rejection. Because honestly, that's what it always feels like..



I can see that as soon as someone else comes along - and they will eventually - Shapeways will likely find people deserting in droves, since their current customer service and customer policy generates absolutely no loyalty at all.


Edit: As if determined to prove that last point, while I was typing this, I got a reply from customer services, after I'd replied to the order problem email to say I was cancelling my order because it was no longer worth having done at this time, the gentleman replied with "Happy to hear!" REALLY? You're happy to hear your rejection and sales policy is so poor that your customers are cancelling their orders? Even IF that was merely an untentional well-meaning blunder, someone trying to be overly cheerful at this time of year, it really doesn't excuse it... Working in customer services, where communication is key, you need to be able to phrase your words much more tactfully. A bit of common sense might help, for crying out loud - you don't tell your customers you are happy to hear that they have had problems with your company, regardless of the time of year, Christmas period or not. (And if that wasn't the intended message, then you need to work on your communication skills!)

Words fail me.

Yes, I know why know why model was rejected - though the picture you sent initally (which was not that one) was entirely unhelpful and I had to spend several minutes looking for the one part that was loose. I had already fixed and reuploaded that when I fully realised how the preported sales discount was useless, given your policy of "if it isn't right the first time or we reject it for any reason, you've had it."

Which frankly comes across as a cynical attempt to squeeze more money out of customers we you know PERFECTLY WELL there is a high rate of model rejection EVEN ON MODELS you HAVE already printed once. (Not in specific case, true, but I have had it before on other models for the most ridicuolous of reasons, up to an including a 0.02mm "too thin" on a 1mm pole - a part that I have on literally every one of my 200-odd models - your resolution isn't even that high!) There is even a thread in this very forum on that issue and I have seen legions of complaints on the topic before.

Not having such a sale apply over a period - especially given the very narrow margins of time that you use - unheralded - and at random times of the year - is just ludicrous and it honestly comes across as you only put it out when you're trying to grab opportunity money. I might even go as far as to say it often feels like you use the sale and an excuse to make some extra profit on the side when people's models DO bounce.

You can be sure that I am seriously looking into better alternatives, as shapeways is just not even remotely the same company I started using five years ago.

I am just so sick and tired of having to deal with this sort of problem, which crops up EVERY TIME I place an order with you, of dealing with changes to the user interface that make uploading and making my shop litems look more professional a longer and longer task everytime, nevermind things like your idiotic decision to change your pricing policy with a WEEK'S notice (and happening to co-incide with being just prior to the wargames convention where I typically tout 3D printing). Every single major decision you seem to make seems to benefit you to the deteriment of me as the customer.

Your reply was simply the icing on the cake.

I don't have this trouble with other companies. Whether they are larger or smaller than Shapeways, so the size of your company is no excuse.

I would say I'm sorry to be so critical at this seasonal time of year, but in the case of shapeways - I'm afraid to say that I am no longer concerned about making an exception.

I hope I'm not too late to this discussion, but I agree for the most part with this guy. I'm getting increased rejected orders, and to prove it, I've had several models print fine before but not anymore. Why, for Pete's sake, does SW not have automatic checks after uploading the models? I realize that this could overload the "3d print engineers" when one uploads many versions of a model in a short period of time, but you could have like a max 4 checks per model per 24 hours or something... just as long as we don't get rejected AFTER ordering! And I'm still sore over the october 7th price change, which DESTROYED my sales for 2 months and even now some of my models are ridiculously priced
EDIT: My most recent order didn't get rejected so i can't complain about that, but my customers are turning their heads on me, and with every rejected order they are probably blaming me for the automatic checks shapeways didn't do before their orders