[Bunnychan]

In leiu of this thread http://www.acen.org/forums/index.php?showt...mp;#entry394104

Where the Acen staff have informed us that people who dont recieve their badges in the mail by con-time will have to stand in line after they get there, and shell out an additional $25 to get into the con, bringing a lot of people's registration fees to $70+



If you disagree with this, please copy and paste the following information:

Real Name:
Badge Name:
Short comment:

To keep things as plain and simple as possible, please just copy and paste your information for the petition. Send any long winded comments/quotes/complaints/questions you may have to the thread linked above.

Thanks!

~~~~~~

Real Name: Jenny M.
Badge Name: Bunny
Short comment: I think this is absoloutly UNFAIR of Acen to ask their congoers to shell out $70+ For 3 days. Especially when part of that initial registration cost was specifically for having their badge mailed to them. There needs to be another soloution besides charging people two times.

[Sakhmet]

Real Name: Nicole W.
Badge Name: Sakhmet
Short comment: ...they weren't recieved, we didn't all "lose" them. I for one am NOT shelling out any more money, Acen is good...$45 worth of good is pushing it...$70 worth of good...psh...no.

[flyingcabbit]

Real Name: Viki G.
Badge Name: Flying Cabbit
Short comment: Maybe if it was a 4 day con, but other then that... No, unfair. If I knew this was going to happen I would have just gone and waiting in line on thursday anyways.

[Kitsu-chan]

Real Name: Curtis Jackson
Badge Name: Kitsu-chan
Short comment: If we never recieve them in the mail than they aren't lost. I registered for myself & my girlfriend as soon as reg was opened & sent my payments 2 days after that. I'm not planning on paying another $50

[Scottaconda]

Here's the post that Beryl Turner has put up. Look the entire thread over please.

http://www.acen.org/...topic=17124&hl=

The 2md post is worth looking over before actually signing. As it is common for congoers to compare ACEN policies to other conventions, there's a section of response that compares ACEN's 25 dollar replacement policy with GenCon. Beryl has even provided a link to GenCon's policy on this. This is for reference sake.

The new 25 dollar replacement policy works a lot better than last year's policy that was the same as GenCon. You had to buy another one. Now it's only a 25 dollar replacement. It's not like we're pocketing the money. None of us get paid. The 25 dollars is a way to discourage, pardon the pun, con-artists. AT least there won't be 50 badges that say Sephiroth on them all stemming from one person that "lost" their badge. The example was an exageration. Still, the point is to avoid duplicators/ghosts.

This is the first year we are implimenting this replacement policy and may change along the road to finding the best way to handle these situations. A constant work in progress that will NEVER be finished because of the fact that the convention keeps growing and changing. But even though it will NEVER be finished, it will only get better.

We can still find a middle ground. We are not without compromise. We could have just left it at "Lose your badge, buy a replacement full price" but we know that not everyone has that much loot to spend, or at the very least would like to use more of that money for swag. It's our mission to make this con better with every passing year.

[Bunnychan]

But its NOT a middle ground because its still "Acen loses our badges. We have to buy a new one." I dont care if its $1 or $25. The fact remains that we already paid you people. You shouldnt be allowed to take our money for absoloutly positively NOTHING and then charge us more. This is not gen-con. This is not a stupid game. Most people CANT give somebody money for nothing..Which is what we're all doing.

[FLAKK]

Real Name: Chris G.
Badge Name: Flakk
Short Comment: The whole idea of us paying an extra $25 because someone on your end screwed up is unacceptable. The reason most (read: all) of us payed the extra money was to not have to wait in the retardedly long lines. With that said, I have a plan. While this may only work for those who payed online and have a valid ID (I guess a school ID would work just the same), it will help a lot of people. Tell everyone that the receipt emailed to them AND the ID will grant entry to any of the rooms at ACEN. Then if the con-goer wishes to get an official badge, they can go to the badge office (or whatever you want to call it) and pick one up at their liesure. This helps us out AND is secure. Staff will not have to worry about the "lost badge" issue since the only person who could get by with the reciept is the buyer of the badge since the names on the reciept and the ID would have to match.

[Kasumisty]

Real Name: Lizzi K
Badge Name: Kasumisty
Short comment: Simply, I cannot afford to pay $25 more. If my badge does not come in the mail, I can not attend Acen. I cannot afford it. I already spent all my money I had been saving since December on my part of the hotel room and buying my badge. I have no income so I cannot get more money so no badge in the mail means no Acen.

[DoubleAction Trombe]

Ehhh... of course it sounds absurd that ACen would expect you to pay an additional $25 and wait in a line (the exact thing you're attempting to avoid with Badge-mailing) because they weren't organized enough to mail badges on time (and I don't think attendees would have been informed of this whole thing if it wasn't a very real possibility). But, I can't help but look at it from their point of view. ACen is an anime convention, true enough, but its also a business. If there were any sort of "free ride" policy regarding badges, it would be too easy to exploit. If there were no fee, what would prevent me from claiming to have not gotten my badge in the mail, getting a new badge, and giving my new badge to a badge-less friend? With a fee, there's at least a deterrent for anyone trying to do something like that. I don't see how it prevents you from using your friend's $25, buuuuuut... I guess it's better than nothing. You simply can't assume that everybody will be the good guy.

[Sakhmet]

FLAKK, on May 1 2007, 01:32 AM, said:

Tell everyone that the receipt emailed to them AND the ID will grant entry to any of the rooms at ACEN. Then if the con-goer wishes to get an official badge, they can go to the badge office (or whatever you want to call it) and pick one up at their liesure. This helps us out AND is secure. Staff will not have to worry about the "lost badge" issue since the only person who could get by with the reciept is the buyer of the badge since the names on the reciept and the ID would have to match.

That's not a bad idea. Granted sure it's not a be all end all, but it's proof concrete PROOF for those of us that have payed and have a statement showing such.

If anyone had recieved badges and people losing them was a viable concern sure $25 is acceptable, but the problem is NO ONE recieved theirs...and how many people are going to be out extra money? And yeah, I know cons are one big logistics madhouse, no one disputes that, but people are going to counterfeit the badges anyway, they ALWAYS DO. You're not going to stop that problem with this extra charge, con goers are just going to be pissed off. This isn't some kind of middle ground, we all understand how the policy works if you've lost a badge, but we all have already paid and never received the damned things, that is a BIG exception.

And you know what, stop bringing up damned Gencon and "what the other cons do". Since when is Acen EVERY OTHER convention on the planet? Why not take the high road here, you guys screwed up, big time. Essentially every paying attendee is getting screwed here. Wasn't Acen in the top five anime cons in the US with attendance last year? SET THE GOLD STANDARD, it's not like Acen is some no-name convention. You guys admit to the screw up and fix it in a way that no one else would, good lord that's going to score points with the masses. Even bigger attendance numbers next year. Screw what the other cons do, screw their god damn policies, do right by your attendees that have paid in good faith, trusting that those running the con would take care of the rest.

Not all of us are going to bend over and take it up the rear so to speak, you guys have to know how ridiculous that "pay more" line is going to be. Since...oh hey, it's going to be another six+ hour line because NO ONE HAS GOTTEN THEIR BADGE.

</soap box>

[Fullmetalcrusade]

Real Name: Tim
Badge Name: (withheld in case i get a little to angry on the forums)
Short comment: I just have this to say. Yes, $25 is not a lot of money, but when added to 46.50, it becomes 71.50 or when added to 51.50 then it becomes 76.50, which IS a lot of money. I still have faith that the badges will show up and all will be right, but I think it's messed up that we all must suffer because of something someone MIGHT do. I mean, why should I have to pay extra $$$ because of a POSSIBILITY that some douche decides to ripoff acen for a free badge? I mean, I can't lose something I never received, yet I'm paying the penalty for a LOST item. It's like a TV company charging me the same amount to fix an internal problem that THEY messed up on as they would charge someone who drove a bat through the screen. Hopefully the badges will show up and everyone will be ok, but if not, rest assured there will be nothing but HELL for customer service until I'm issued a replacement FREE OF CHARGE or given a refund.

To keep things as plain and simple as possible, please just copy and paste your information for the petition. Send any long winded comments/quotes/complaints/questions you may have to the thread linked above.

[kataimiko]

if you paid for you badge by check, then contact your bank and get ahold of a copy of the cashed check with the stamp on the back that verifies Acen cashed it and it was deposited to citibank by them.


if you paid by credit card I believe there is a way to look up your transaction history and print off an invoice that shows the amount that was deducted from your account, and from who.

I'd think that this would be enough proof (along with you registration number) to get things worked out once you arrive at the con. I'd recommend even contacting someone in charge before hand and trying to work something out.

[KeiCai]

Name: Caitlan D.
Badge name: Kei
Short comment: There is a very large difference between losing one's badge and fault on Acen's part. These badges, in all honesty, should have been sent out weeks ago. You claim it was to help protect people from losing it, but can you see the good that's done? x__x

[Cherry_Wolf]

Okay before I sign this, I want someone(preferably staff) to clarify this for me...

If our badge is lost in the mail... we have to pay full price at door, plus a 25 dollar fee? That is what I've been hearing float around the forums, so is it true? Only with that answer will I sign this petition.

[`Aygen`]

No, wolf, if your badge doesnt come in the mail in time, you pay 25$ only, as long as you bring your confirmation stuff)

[Tiresias79]

If your badge doesn't come, you pay $25 at the door.

One thing I'm finding funny here is the absurdity that people are posting as proof that NO ONE has received their badges, simply by the fact that no one has posted that they have them. There are maybe 50 people who are posting here regularly complaining about this, but not everyone who got their badges mailed to them are here on the forums. When you look at it, only about 1% of the mailed badges are regular posters on the forums. And just because they get their badge, doesn't automatically mean that a non-regular poster is going to come on here and screem "I GOT MY BADGE OMGWFTBBQSAUCE".

As a previous staffer for Reg, I can say that the replacement policy here is more than fair this year. You all might think that no one will will try to pull a fast one on the con, but from personal experience, I know better. I don't want to post what I've seen some attendees do to buck the system (it would become more of a how-to), but know that the gall of some people who think they deserve something for nothing is amazing.

My point here, just be patient for a few more days and give the PO a chance to get things to us. By the way, just because the badges were sent out in Bulk Batches doesn't mean they were sent out at Bulk Rate, if that were the case we got ripped of at $1.50 for shipping.

[`Aygen`]

Ok tire,if its fair, and I dont recieve my badge on time, your gonna fork over an extra 25$ for me then, right?

[stomptoMYbeat]

This thread is ridiculous and unnecessary.

It has already been stated that they CANNOT change the policy. I know, we're all honest people and wouldn't try to cheat the system and scam free badges, but there are people out there that do so. Sure, I'm not too happy about having to fork over more money that I don't really have, but doing this isn't helping the matter at all. Staff is already receiving enough guff from people about this whole situation; creating a thread like this just throws more weight onto their shoulders that they don't need. They're doing all they can for us, guys. Sit back, have a breather, and be happy for the fact that this con actually gets put together for us.

[ChibiMizuTenshi]

Excuse me, but this is absurd.

Acen claims to be a business that is only looking out for its best interests? Sorry, but as a business your best interest should be your customers/attendees…not your pocket books.

It’s YOUR fault not ours if we don’t receive our badges. Hence YOUR responsibility to replace them.

After all, would you rather replace lost badges and have a few “larcenous attendees” or would you rather loose a few lifetime con-goers? Because at this rate I’m seriously contemplating never going to Acen again.

And that’s not a threat, it’s just the truth.

[MacTruck]

Real Name: John McEchron
Badge Name: MacTruck
Short comment: If ACEN is going to make the recipient responsible for replacing lost badges then it is only common sense that they make every effort to guarantee delivery. ACEN should have required some sort of signature upon delivery so that they would know who really didn't get their badge - it is a service widely available and one that could easily be accessible online by MAPS staff at the con to verify lost badge claims.

[VampireLowell]

MacTruck, on May 1 2007, 10:45 AM, said:

Real Name: John McEchron
Badge Name: MacTruck
Short comment: If ACEN is going to make the recipient responsible for replacing lost badges then it is only common sense that they make every effort to guarantee delivery. ACEN should have required some sort of signature upon delivery so that they would know who really didn't get their badge - it is a service widely available and one that could easily be accessible online by MAPS staff at the con to verify lost badge claims.

The Problem is it's not even lost on the basis if it did not arrive on time (or at all) how could we lose something that we did not even get?

[XenoBlade]

stomptoMYbeat is right. Nothing can be done now anyways. Not to mention that the final badge mailings shipped yesterday.
So....Everyone could have been on the last rung of shipping so that is why no one got them yet, also those people who don't post here could have also been on the first rung since I did hear that people who post here won't be on the first shipments. I saw give it time before rapid complaining ensues. Give it at least til the end of this week.

[Dirksade]

I sent my payment in for the first teir, and I still haven't gotten my badge yet, just in case you were wondering. To tell you the honest truth, I am not pleased with the way the admins for ACEN are handling this situation, seeing as it is their fault completely, but I can also see why they are doing it from a business perspective.

I still have hope for the badges to show up sometime in the next few days, but if they don't, there just haas to be another way for all the people who got screwed this year to get access to the convention without being manhandled like a common thief.

I don't agree that a $25 fee is a justifiable way for ACEN to provide badges to people who have already paid $40-50 to get something that ACEN said would be delivered to us before the convention.

I wish there was a way to work this out, it just doesn't seem to be handled correctly right now.

[Lenne]

I think maybe people should be a bit more patient as there's still 11 days until ACen starts. That's 10 chances for it to be delivered between today and Friday, May 12th. Everyone seems to be thinking that since they haven't gotten their badges yet, they won't come in time. And that's simply ridiculous. So yes, there really IS no way to tell if someone who says they never got their badge actually didn't or just simply lost it or passed it off to a friend in hopes of getting a free one.

Why was badge mailing delayed? For starters, to let as many people as wanted to get a chance to select this option. Also, the badges do NOT assemble themselves. That takes time. I know I spent a good four hours at a meeting prepping badges to be assembled.

I've noticed a good number of the people here asking about their badges being mailed also asked if they made the deadline. Meaning they're going to be in the last batch sent out.

And also, as has been pointed out, the forum regulars here represent such a tiny portion of the number of people who attend ACen.

But frankly, this is the first year ACen's tried this. Many staffers who have nothing to do with the Registration department put in a LOT of work getting these badges assembled and ready to be mailed, on top of their other commitments (school, work, family, and so on). And I find it incredibly offensive that people are attacking the staff for working their tails off trying to offer something new that would make the attendees lives easier because it hasn't gone 100% to THEIR expectations.

So have a bit more patience. Some of the attitudes people are having about this are downright ugly. If it was Wednesday before the con and you hadn't gotten your badge then maybe you'd have a point in complaining. But as of right now...just be patient.

[Kachii]

Real Name: Katie Jasionowski
Badge Name: RawrnessKitten
Short comment: It's absurd that WE should have to pay for their mistakes and faults. My comment will continue on my next post because I feel the need to rant.

[VampireLowell]

Lenne, on May 1 2007, 11:34 AM, said:

I think maybe people should be a bit more patient as there's still 11 days until ACen starts. That's 10 chances for it to be delivered between today and Friday, May 12th. Everyone seems to be thinking that since they haven't gotten their badges yet, they won't come in time. And that's simply ridiculous. So yes, there really IS no way to tell if someone who says they never got their badge actually didn't or just simply lost it or passed it off to a friend in hopes of getting a free one.

Why was badge mailing delayed? For starters, to let as many people as wanted to get a chance to select this option. Also, the badges do NOT assemble themselves. That takes time. I know I spent a good four hours at a meeting prepping badges to be assembled.

I've noticed a good number of the people here asking about their badges being mailed also asked if they made the deadline. Meaning they're going to be in the last batch sent out.

And also, as has been pointed out, the forum regulars here represent such a tiny portion of the number of people who attend ACen.

But frankly, this is the first year ACen's tried this. Many staffers who have nothing to do with the Registration department put in a LOT of work getting these badges assembled and ready to be mailed, on top of their other commitments (school, work, family, and so on). And I find it incredibly offensive that people are attacking the staff for working their tails off trying to offer something new that would make the attendees lives easier because it hasn't gone 100% to THEIR expectations.

So have a bit more patience. Some of the attitudes people are having about this are downright ugly. If it was Wednesday before the con and you hadn't gotten your badge then maybe you'd have a point in complaining. But as of right now...just be patient.

We are being patient.

The thing is we do not think the policy in regards to mail-in badges not coming on time or at all - that we have to pay an additional fee of $25 is acceptable.

We are upset at the policy and process. Not the people. We thank you for your hard work. But realize that we are upset at the policy and the process.

If you were one of these individuals who took time out of your own department to help get these badges out as quickly as possible, then thank you. Thank you very much. We do appreciate your efforts as well as the others.

Also to add in:
If anyone was - I and others who are against the policy do not agree with those people who DID attack directly the people.

But we are attacking the policy and process. Not the people. As I stated in a previous post:

VampireLowell, on May 1 2007, 11:12 AM, said:

I'm really not pointing the blame on the staff. More on the policy and process.

As I've said before and I'll say again : I understand this is the first time that Acen is doing this. I understand that Acen/Maps is trying their hardest to take care of things as efficiently as they can in regards to getting these badges to us.

I applaud MAPS that they do take their time from their own lives to give Chicago/Midwest a little Otaku love. Without them, we'd have to fly out to either the West Coast or East Coast for that Otaku Love (or to Michigan *shrug*).

But the process and policies are faulty.
-------------------------------------------
Also if they are volunteering their services and wish to treat this organization as a business, then they have to expect a proper response from the customers in a business.

We are expressing our thoughts and complaints thru proper channels. For the most part, those users who have filed their complaints and thoughts - I feel have done so in a civil manner and will probably continue to present their case against such a policy that the customers do not feel is unacceptable. This is about business principle.

When does a customer EVER have to pay MORE money for a product that was not delivered on time or promptly?

[Calliel]

"Lenne" said:

I think maybe people should be a bit more patient as there's still 11 days until ACen starts. That's 10 chances for it to be delivered between today and Friday, May 12th. Everyone seems to be thinking that since they haven't gotten their badges yet, they won't come in time. And that's simply ridiculous. So yes, there really IS no way to tell if someone who says they never got their badge actually didn't or just simply lost it or passed it off to a friend in hopes of getting a free one.

The thing is, not everyone HAS until that Friday. My party is leaving for Chicago next Wednesday, and I know people who are leaving earlier than that.

[sammy-45]

Silly thing. All the badges were sent out. But non of them were prepeed no matter when you sent in your reg info or what teir you where in till April 10th.

So saying that because you sent your money in earlyer you should have your badge sooner is wrong. We told everyone(check it out anccments where made) that no badges would be sent out till after April 16th.

This gave us time to print the badges, comeup with a secirety feature, and then start printing them all out then putting them all together, then adding the secirty features, then putting them in badge holders(or not for the 10th year ones) then putting them in an envelop, then sticking your name and addy on it(hopefully you guys sent us the right address- cause it has been know to happen at other cons that not every knows their own address!!) then sorting them out in alpbetical order, then sorting them out by in state or out of state, or country, then dragging them all down to the post offfice(whee heavy) form there its out of our hands.

[Kachii]

So, adding onto my comment.

I'm already really tight on money and don't need to be shelling out another $25. No one should have to! If we really have to pay another $25, then ACen can say goodbye to a lot of its regular attendees, and oh my God, this will really scare away the people who are going for the first time this year. Then they won't be making money anymore. Maybe the reason is to prevent scammers, maybe it's to make money, I really don't know what other reason could be used, but whatever reasoning there is behind this is complete BS. How hard is it to flash a copy of your confirmation email, proof of payment, and a photo ID in order to get the badge? I'm sure THAT would prevent scammers.

And to the people who haven't even GOTTEN their confirmation emails (I know some who still haven't gotten theirs even when they registered during tier 1) there's no excuse for this crap. None at all. How come your systems get messed up so easily and so often? Are you even using a computer? Or are you using wet paper and disappearing ink? Seriously. I don't know what to say anymore, I am just so angry about this. Every single person who pre-registered better get their badges on time or else you just created what could potentially be an angry mob. I understand that the staffers are working hard, I am friends with some people on staff, but these rules and regulations are just stupid. That's all.

[VampireLowell]

Lenne, on May 1 2007, 11:34 AM, said:

I think maybe people should be a bit more patient as there's still 11 days until ACen starts. That's 10 chances for it to be delivered between today and Friday, May 12th. Everyone seems to be thinking that since they haven't gotten their badges yet, they won't come in time. And that's simply ridiculous. So yes, there really IS no way to tell if someone who says they never got their badge actually didn't or just simply lost it or passed it off to a friend in hopes of getting a free one.

Actually it would be 8 Days.

I counted today as Day 1 and ended my count on Wednesday.

I didn't count Sunday, because mail is never delivered on Sunday.

Count should end on Wednesday because people might be leaving on that day for those who are out of state/country. Also on Thursday, I'm sure those individuals who do live in Chicago or around the Rosemont area will start to leave their homes early on to pick up any necessary snacks/beverages/gas/etc and such to arrive at the hotel early enough so they wouldn't have time to check their mail that morning or afternoon (sometimes my mail arrives in the afternoon)