Why only "50% Off"? You might as well promise 90% off.

I'm not a lawyer, but I know if they were using the US Mail and you could prove intent to defraud, they would face federal charges. Unfortunately for us, the internet is not subject to any such regulation. The only recourse consumers have is to complain to the better Business bureau (www.bbb.org) which takes only a few seconds online, or post comments on public message boards like this one or epinions.com.

What I suspect is going on, and this is strictly conjecture on my part, is that they billed all those credit cards to show a huge chunk of income in the first quarter. This massive influx of cash could have been used to pay off debts or acquire Roan Group, or whatever. This short-sighted venture is now blowing up in their face as they now have "obligations",i.e. customer orders, to fulfill and probably no money to pay for production, shipping, etc. In effect, they were borrowing money from consumers, figuring they would be able to make it up later. Why else would they try to sell DVD's at a loss or break-even price?
Although this scenario would indicate an extremely poor business move by a desperate company, it is not illegal and not fraudulent. Since Troma is a private company, we cannot see their financial statements.
My prediction is that they will go belly up and blame it all on the current dot-com bust. They might manage to survive a little longer if they have another so-called sale.

I hope Troma was wise enough to setup TromavilleMaul as a separate company so that their e-commerce fiasco doesn't bring down the whole studio, as I am still a fan of Troma's films.

Quick update.

For some reason, I felt like e-mailing my blood-curdling tale of ordering woe to Steve (address given previously) and explain that even though I got my order, I felt it was way too much work & trouble.

He agreed and offered to send me a couple of freebie DVDs as an apology. Classy guy, if he delivers.

-- John

Er, John, see my previous post. I can't even get Steve to fulfill my initial order from February.

Hence my "if he delivers" qualfier...

Expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed.

-- John

Credit where credit's due. After having read this thread, I contacted Steve Bono about two orders (one from Feburary, one from March) which weren't completed. He was very courteous and shipped two of the three remaining DVDs (the other DVD is apparently currently unavailable). The DVDs arrived today, as promised.

Obviously I would have preferred to have these earlier, but Steve's courtesy and apology have made me much happier. For those who are still having problems with their orders, I'd encourage you to try to contact him. Worked for me.

Cheers,
DougL

P.S. Steve's email address is [email protected].

I've been trying to get 2 redneck zombie dvds for about 3 months now and they've never sent me anything. I've been going round and round with "millie" about this but I never get anywhere. Supposively she's sending them out tomorrow but she has said she's sent them out before. I was also promised free stuff or something but I doubt that will happen and I doubt I'll get anything. If I do I'll be sure to post.

I also contacted Steve DeBono about my March 1st order. Last Friday evening probably about 7PM NY time, I sent an e-mail to [email protected] (Steve DeBono) after reading this thread. To my surprise, he responded within an hour and said he would handle it Monday. I got another e-mail from Steve on Tuesday morning with a UPS tracking number and an explanation that my order had shipped. UPS from that area usually takes 5 days to my house but I was sort of hoping I would get it before the weekend. Alas, there was no delivery today but it shows up on UPS's website as scheduled for delivery Monday, July 2. I will have to wait and see what is in the box before I pronounce the matter closed, but at this point it looks like Steve came through. I will post a follow up Monday.

I've spoke now both to Lloyd and to Steve and both of them are committed to fixing this amazing mess.

From what I uderstand the online store used to be run by folks from Troma Team Video which operated apart from the Troma Mothership. Recently when Steve took this over and sent us a promo, I believe he didn't know how bad it was left by his predicesors.

From all that I can see, it looks like it was handled about as bad as it gets. So Steve inherited one of the worse messes since DVD Universe bought DVD Wave.

So far in all my exchanges with both Lloyd and Steve, both of them seem 100% commited to fixing the issues.

So if you have a problem with a Troma order it's really important that a) you send steve an e-mail and b) that you follow up in this thread if your issue is or is not being resolved.

I had places two orders in Feb. was charged for both but recieved only the second.

I sent a message to Steve, he was very nice, and in about a week I received my order.

I know Troma had some problems but the sale prices were great and I'm content to have the discs.

Maurice

Well, I'm happy to report that my ordeal with Troma has finally ended. After telling me several weeks ago that The Big Lift was no longer available, Steve had asked me to list what titles it would take to make it up to me. I listed three--any or all, I said. He replied that he'd send something out. I never got anything. I emailed him again this past week. He replied a few days later that something had been sent out and he didn't know why I didn't get it, but "this time" he'd try a different method. (I receive dozens of packages a week as part of my job and know all of the couriers well, and nothing has ever gotten misplaced or gone undelivered before.) Anyway, he eventually sent me a UPS tracking number, and the package arrived Friday--with all three titles.

I can't say for sure whether the whole ordeal was worth the grief, but I'm glad to say that it's all over. Troma's sale prices (even after ludicrous shipping) are swell and I got a lot of fun titles, but I think I'll sit the next one out.

A sincere thanks to Steve, though, for doing what his colleagues apparently couldn't: answer email and actually deliver paid-for product.

Randy

P.S. Ironically, Millie, who rarely responded to email or calls and didn't follow up when she did, was actually listed as the sender.

Rasalas, I just picked up a copy of The Big Lift today at a local retailor. I've also seen it listed by a number of online e-tailors over at http://www.dvdpricesearch.com, so don't give up hope. You just may not be able to get it for five bucks though. I didn't mind paying the 17 bucks at my retailor, as I've already saved soooo much money, and I also didn't have to deal with Troma again.

My story? Well, it really is hard for me to talk about; it is that fuhking aggravating. Yes, between Lloyd, Chip, Millie, and finally Steve, my two orders have been completed. My first order took three months, my second order, placed only weeks ago, was at my door in ten days. It does seem like they're turning things around, but I'll be damned if I make them a regular stop on my shopping list. Unfortunately, as my second order went well, I am contemplating making a third order (stupid is as stupid does). I'm planning on buying three more sets (Lugosi, Roy Rogers, Westerns), which will pretty much put the whole Roan collection thus far in my posession. I think once I do that, I will be done with Troma. Then again, if the order does go well, as the second one did, maybe I will support them in the future. I'll tell you this though; if they price their merchandise at retail, I'll be buying from my local retailors or elsewhere online. There is no way I'd put myself in this position again without any discount.

All in all, I hope for the best. I know, BELIEVE me, I know everyone is mad as hell, but I do hope that Troma turns it around and gets - and STAYS - responsible. It's really easy to stay mad and say things like "I hope they go out of business" or "they should be sued into non-existence", but it would be better for all parties if they succeeded in becoming a responsible, reliable, and therefore respected e-tailor. Hey, I'm not saying that's what's going to happen; I'm just trying to be positive.

Good luck to everyone concerned, on both sides of the front. This truly has been "Troma's War".

Mutley, thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it.

FWIW I ordered from the Roan catalog deal around the time it was first announced here and received everything within a couple weeks.

Would you guys say it is safe to go back into the water? It sounds like the Troma folks...Millie, Steve, Lloyd, Dan, and the warehouse boys have all been reformed! What do you think? I would like to buy some more of those Roan titles before they are OOP! How about a special sale for the DVDTalkers who were screwed in the past? It seems only fair! Troma could call it the, "Screw You Again Special Sale!"

[QUOTE]Originally posted by darkside
[B]Well actually there is no way Anchor Bay will handle Roan Group stuff, they are "rivals", remember?

I do believe most fo that stuff that the rights elapse will eventually go to anchor bay anyway, as they pretty much dominated and put roan group and elite out of competition on these kind of titles anyway.

i was just about to place a large 1st order w/ them last month until i read through the amazing thread here. It stopped me DEAD in my tracks. I absolutely did not & would not order with them.

While i am extremely glad that most of you are beginning to finally get this resolved, the above quote demonstrates why i will not give them a chance with my money. After the number of stories i read here, many which involve the lack of communication from this particular employee, the fact that she is still employed there & touching the packages & not putting a personal apology in each box is enough to turn me away again.

Like i said, i don't know these people or have any vendetta against them - but for gosh sakes, don't companies listen to consumer complaints & follow through w/ their employees???

Geoff, you talked to Lloyd! My hero! How 'bout getting me an autograph!

Ok, maybe that's a little too much - but how about a DVD Talk Interview?

I placed an order AND then found this thread and was prepared for the worst. However, Troma did come through and Steve was very helpful. Did have a bit of a goof when the Cineschlock coupon wasnt applied but it was taken care of by Steve and refunded quickly. Steve's attention made me feel better about placing a 2nd order and all went well with that one too.

Too bad that they didnt start out that way, because from some of the messages above--OUCH! A bad first impression is hard to overcome.

What Cineschlock coupon Phibes? Wait - do I really wanna know???

Salamander - Most of these films are in the public domain, and are not in jeopardy of being discontinued. I don't know the story behind Rain and The Big Lift, but I think they are the exceptions to the rule, as Roan has discontinued those. Well, I'm not really too sure about Rain either - I say it's discontinued, but all I really know is that Troma doesn't list it for sale. As for the rest of the series, I really wouldn't be worried about "grabbing them while you can". Unless of course Troma fuhks up so bad they cause Roan to go under, which is what I predicted the day I heard they'd bought the distribution rights to the collection.

As for Anchor Bay, I don't see them in competition with Roan at all. They don't produce the same material. I think it would have benefitted AB greatly had they stuck it to Troma and picked up Roan. Troma produces absolutely nothing like what Roan does, yet they still felt it a viable move to acquire the line. I rue the day that happened.

Mutley,
The Cineschlock coupon has long expired, it was only like 10% off anyway if I remember correctly.
Cheers.

My order placed on March 1 arrived via UPS last night (about 7:30 PM which was a little weird). I have to say that Steve ([email protected]) did fix the problem as he said he would. I even included a short list of Roan & Troma titles that I didn't have (as he suggested for a consolation prize) and he sent me all but one. Maybe he will be able to turn things around at Troma. I hope all the lunkheads involved in the screw up and subsequent lies about "shipping it out today" get sacked. Now that the matter is resolved, I have to ask myself: would I order from them again?
The grand total was 123 days, 10 or 11 e-mails, a phone call and having to post angry messages to a public forum to finally get their attention. The DVDs were really cheap, and I appreciated the freebies, but if I factor in aggravation and lost time, it probably wasn't such a great deal. I will keep an eye on this thread to see if they have cleaned up their act, but for now I think I will avoid them. I wonder what all the poor bastards who don't read this forum are doing about their "lost" orders.

I know for a fact that this would never have been resolved without DVDTalk, so thank you Geoff Kleinman for empowering us consumers by allowing us to publicly embarass and humiliate would-be scam artists. That's exactly what the internet is all about: equality.

Finally got a refund from these bottom feeders, after 4 and a half months, countless e-mails and broken promises. So basically I’m back to where I was mid-February except I now have an abiding dislike of Toxie and his chums, not that I didn’t have before. Before people post saying "well you got the refund, so Steve came through", well no he didn’t. Like so many other people who are now posting, it wasn’t until I "went public" with this, made a few threats, Geoff got involved and only then did the long promised refund materialise. Steve’s other promise to also send me my order gratis has as yet, unsurprisingly, not happened. However I am not holding my breath for this as to do so would mean thinking about Troma again and I do not ever intend to do that.

So go ahead Troma have a one cent sale - you will never see me or any one I know back through your site - Think of me as a kind of anti-ambassador for Troma.

Finally I received my DVDs from Troma after 4 friggin' months.

The only bad thing is Millie said she would include some free stuff but she didn't. After all this hassle I wish I could have gotten Terror Firmer out of this. Steve can you hook me up???

Am I the only one who ordered a handful of discs (4, to be precise) during the big $.25 sale then received the discs in a reasonable amount of time and without any hassles? Sure, it took a few weeks but I didn't experience the drama the rest of you seem to have. Heck, I even got to meet Lloyd during his bookstore appearance in Dallas and found him to be gracious and friendly. (He was taping everything. Everything. Somewhere in the Troma archives is now a snippet of tape of me burbling on about why I liked the first "Toxic Avenger" movie most of all. I apologize in advance to any Troma staffers forced to watch Lloyd's home movies.)

Am I alone in being treated decently by Troma? This thread sure makes it sound that way.