Rick-

"There may be a bit of a wait on some products..."

Much too polite. Lay your groundwork at the git-go:

"IMIWIMI"

"I mail it when I mail it. Usually very fast, sometimes very slow, but always as soon as it's in stock, finished, ready to go and in A-1 condition. You'll know it's been mailed when you get it. Now, back to work."

I don't think that's too off-putting to be effective.

Yes...but my Opus when will be shipped????
:(
.(

Just to clarify... I wouldn't mind if the wait was expected but I really don't feel that it is made clear by the ambiguous comment on the site and lack of contact and clarity that the wait would be so long. If my expectation was that it was going to take 2 months I may have reconsidered my order or would not have been so disappointed by the wait.
Thank you for the apology Rick, I just think you need to be clearer about scheduling. I also feel that you've not been entirely honest as you said "Thank you for your purchase Bobcat, I will make sure your wallet will ship this time." So it's still not been shipped then? Despite you saying that it would be on its way to me on the 14th. Thank you for the reply, I respect you taking the time to respond.

Have any of you ever ordered from Todd Lassen?

Like Todd, Rick is a perfectionist who works solo and tends to every detail of his merchandise. He's not a machine. There are no assembly lines over at Outlaw. Rick is one dude.

You are buying a custom made item. Your item will be unique. You will love it and use it forever. Period.

Keep doing your thing, Rick. And remember, more than enough of us love ya to keep Outlaw going for a long, long time.

I've just looked at the site and it does not say what Rick quoted above, it actually says "There may be a bit of a wait on the aged books, but I assure you, you will not find mentalism products anywhere else with the care and craftsmanship we put into Outlaw products or the price we charge for these works of art." "Aged books", not "some products".
Sorry if I come across as pedantic, but I saw no comment on the site that suggested I would have to wait so long for my specific product.

Taking time with an item to ship is understandable, the enormous pre sell is becoming questionable, but more so is the reply to a question, here I have issues, now I know many of you loyal Outlaw fans will stick up for them, a while back I may have too, but I asked a simple question and got a reply the same day, but not answering my question, so I re-sent it, as of this note, it has been only about a week since and still no reply , no answer, normally I would be more understanding, but 2 things cross my mind, first, I am a good customer, I pay fast, buy a lot, and don't complain, until now, the big thing is, since my question, Roth has had 8 post's on other threads, surely his icon showing he has a PM is blinking like crazy, and I know I am not his only customer, but, just a simple answer to a simple question.
You may ask , why am I posting this here, well one I see Rick is reading this and not his PM’s and two, the subject is Outlaw, and there was mention of quick reply.

I will just say that once I have the extra cash at the end of the month, I will definitely be ordering The Departed from Outlaw, and not care how long the wait is.... I am already salivating.

Peace.

As I said, waiting for a product is understandable,and his products are worth waiting, I have given great reviews on all I have purchased, By the way, I just got a PM from Roth, Thanks.

Outlaw is a small custom shop with excellent customer service that produces top quality unique works of mentalism art. Art cannot be rushed and takes time to produce. Look at the wait as part of the process of long term appreciation and enjoyment of the product once you get it.

I don't think people are complaining about the waiting, more the lack of communication and things being posted by certain dates...

I may be wrong though?

OK, one more time, the products are great and worth waiting for, as Iain pointed out, it is the communication.and just minutes after my post , I got a PM from Rick.

I agree that Outlaw can be slow to communicate and supply.

However, in my experience Rick NEVER let me down, he always comes through.

It's very simple...

If you want the absolute best quality available, the kind of props that make you grin from ear to ear, you buy Outlaw and you wait with patience.

I can also assure you that Rick's biggest problem is that his stuff is so awesome he has had troubles keeping up with the demand. I'm not sure that Rick realised Outlaw would achieve that massive success that it has so quickly.

Being a business development specialist, Rick and I have discussed his business model regularly and I know he is taking steps to duplicate himself and get some hired help but it isn't easy to do this when your primary concern is QUALITY. Duplication takes time... interview, hire and train new staff, run quality control checks, monitor performance, organise wages etc etc. Rick is doing his utmost to keep up with the explosive demands he faces plus expand the business!! It will evolve but give the guy a break, he's a victim of his own superb quality work.

Just my view after many hours on the phone getting to know the man himself and talking about the Outlaw 'big picture'. And BTW, you ain't seen nothing yet...

Cheers,
Al

Carlwag....I know where you're going with this...and it's the same path travelled by so many of us and unfortunately, I don't know any way to prevent you from going the same route. I've spent thousands over the years and worn out two credit cards on a shotgun approach to performing....and now that I've developed my stage persona and know what I want to do, I can be a lot more selective in the props I purchase. If only I'd known this 15 years ago but we grow and change in this field and props that served us at one time end up discarded...and of course every one that comes out is a 'must have.' A few are resurrected but if we used all the props we had ever purchased, our shows would last for about a month and most audiences need to pee long before then! All the best!

I was not referring to his product, I said in every post(Please people, you must read it all)his product is great, I waited a week for a reply, when I see during that week he made many post's and ignored my PM, I appreciate all who wish to defend the hero of mentalism products, I am one of you, but I deserve the respect of an answer or simply a reply. I own a ton of Outlaw product, I use many Outlaw effects in my shows, It is not about the product.

I might bring a slightly different perspective. As a customer, Rick has always answered my emails and PM's. I have always been thrilled with the products from Outlaw, and I too had to wait a bit to get some items. However, each product is hand made. It is quality. You must wait for quality sometimes.

Now as a member of the Outlaw Family, I have a very clear understanding of what goes into each product. The work that is involved is immense, and Rick does an amazing job of creating and offering unique hand made items. I have worked with Rick on a number of projects, and I can tell you that he works hard, and cares about the products that Outlaw produces.

I too know the feeling of waiting for an Outlaw product, checking the mailbox everyday. However most of us here know the thrill of opening that priority mail envelope/box and knowing that what we hold in our hands is a quality hand made piece of art that will last a lifetime.

Outlaw Effects is the premier custom magic dealer on the planet.

Every once in a while the wait thing comes up or the communication thing comes up as well. Look at what's on the site at outlaw. Imagine running all of that by yourself pretty much i.e. answering emails, aging things, having your credit cards erased by the effects etc.

Then look at the prices!! Aside from Ark of Astaroth (that I want terribly and I'm sure it's worth the price) the prices are very low for the quality. I paid $300 for a booktest that cannot touch WA or Ipswich. Look at The Inquisitor. That thing screams quality and the way it works is sooo bizarre. The aged effects look authentic and I will remain loyal.

Everything at outlaw is worth a wait if there is one. I pre-ordered something a loooong time ago and Rick will make good on it. You cannot rush this stuff people, or you'll end up with junk no matter how well the effect works.

That's what I'm talking about!

There is no doubt that Rick’s products are unique and well worth waiting for, which is why I have purchased quite a few of them. Nevertheless, despite the fact that his is a one-man operation, and his products are all individually handmade, his failure to keep customers advised of estimated delivery dates until prodded (sometimes repeatedly) is increasingly becoming a source of no small amount of frustration.

A case in point is that I ordered -- and paid for -- Luna 1934, Luna 1935 and Lunaria on April 28. I sent an e-mail inquiring re: estimated delivery on June 11. On June 19 Rick advised that my order would be “expedited.” On June 21 he advised that Luna 1934 “has not been released yet” but that it would “start shipping in about 3 weeks” and that Luna 1935 “will ship this week.” When nothing was received by July 13, I sent another e-mail inquiry. He then shipped Luna 1935 and Lunaria by express mail and they arrived the next day. On July 14 he advised me that Luna “1934 will be released shortly.” As it is now October 27, it should be obvious that Rick’s definition of “shortly” is somewhat different from mine. I will continue to wait patiently -- but not much longer.

As one who was briefly involved in the production and marketing of a limited line of props in the 1980s I know and appreciate the amount of time and effort required when each item is essentially custom made. However, if one is to establish a reputation as a reliable dealer it is important that in addition to maintaining high standards of quality in one’s products -- as Rick clearly has -- the same is true in customer service as well and that includes keeping customers advised of the status of their orders and providing reasonable estimates of delivery dates. It is in that area that Rick is remiss.

It may well be that Rick is a victim of his own success and the quality of his products and the effectiveness of his advertising and promoting them is overtaking his production capacity. In an effort to correct that situation, he might do well to consider putting the introduction of new products on the back-burner until he can catch up on delivering products that customers have already paid for. Those who appreciate the quality of his line will remain loyal and continue to purchase new items as they are introduced -- especially if they can expect timely delivery. On the other hand, continued and increasing delays in delivery is likely to cost him all but the most fervent of his fans. Funds that I could have used to purchase products that other dealers have on the shelf and ready for immediate shipment have now been tied up in Rick’s account (where I hope they have at least been earning interest for him, since they haven’t been of any use to me) for six months.

I hate to air dirty laundry in public, but doing so seems to get results that private correspondence doesn’t. Meanwhile, I will give the matter careful consideration before ordering anything else from Outlaw unless I can be assured that the product is in stock and available for shipment upon receipt of payment.

How about it Rick?

Thank you for the kind words about my products Dick.

Yes there are growing pains. Yes I do have communication issues sometimes. Yes there are times when I make judgment errors when it comes to availability.

Yes Luna 1934 is horribly late (putting it mildly)

What people don't see on this thread are the packages that get opened everyday around the world from Outlaw.

What they don't see on this thread are the 98% of orders that do ship within a reasonable time frame.

The special discount deals I give. The personal connection I have with customers. Hardship clients that have never paid retail from me.

Personal phone calls to customers.

I'm not a super market though I'm a specialty shop. These items are not mass produced. They are hand made and hand aged for the most part.

I'm trying to bring some really wonderful stuff to the community.

Murphys does not distribute 200 of each to every internet site on the web that sells magic, and that's what makes them special.

There will never be shelves in a warehouse lined with these products.

Cabinet de los Muertos-The Witches' Almanac- Luna- The Departed- The Keybox- The Witch box- The Relic, and Templar hand pressed silver using a 125 year old press-

Hand aged Carnie Tarot decks- Hand aged Sanctum 2 and Sanctum 4- Hand made Scorpions with painted custom box-

The hand aged Teller deck-Homicide Trilogy- Ipswich an aged hard bound book-

These items are personal pieces. Right down to the sanding of the Sanctum 4 card and the mixture that is applied with a baby dropper to age each individual card.

I know the quality of Outlaw products is not in question, it's me that's in question here.

Today was not a good day for me. I'm about Outlaw 24/7 and it's a lot of work (as is evident), and then I get a public lashing.

Normally that would happen to most workers in a private office with the door shut, I gotta take it in front of 40,000 people on a public forum.

But that's the way it is for me and I understand that. I've always been "one of the guys here" and I always will be.

I'm not perfect. I'm not always right. I'm here and I'm listening to you all.

-Rick

I think the john riggs example is spot on, he mentions it clear as day on the homepage of his site, and any emails I've bothered him with, I get a reply pretty much the same day regardless of whether he's away gigging or whatever else the man does...and he's a one man army...

now, its in my mind to buy me a new hideout wallet (i sold my first one as I didn't use it) but now I'm working on new material, I need its abilities for something...hmmm...