Is this a WoTC issue or an Amazon issue?

[KorvinStarmast]

I suspect that some of you are far more familiar with publishing and delivery constraints.

We're encountering a delay in shipping your order. We'll send a confirmation as soon as it ships and communicate the expected delivery date. We apologize for the inconvenience. My pre order from some months ago, apparently, insufficient lead time to get an on time delivery.

Is it just me, or are the rest of you who pre ordered also getting "wait" messages?

Book in question is The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

[Dork_Forge]

Could be general shipping problems given today's climate?

[KorvinStarmast]

Could be general shipping problems given today's climate? From printer, perhaps? Something to do with supply chain management of ink, binding glue, et alia?

FWIW: In the last three months, the overwhelming majority of Amazon/Fedex/UPS stuff to our locaion has been on time, and in a few cases early.

[Dork_Forge]

From printer, perhaps? Something to do with supply chain management of ink, binding glue, et alia?

FWIW: In the last three months, the overwhelming majority of Amazon/Fedex/UPS stuff to our locaion has been on time, and in a few cases early.

This is only speculation, but if they do a timed delivery to Amazon in the interests of protecting content before release date, then those tight delivery dates can start to slide pretty fast in a world where the day to day isn't going day to day.

Granted this is based on my experiences in the UK, where half of the food shelves are empty and my darn rechargeable batteries still haven't shipped.

[KorvinStarmast]

This is only speculation, but if they do a timed delivery to Amazon in the interests of protecting content before release date, then those tight delivery dates can start to slide pretty fast in a world where the day to day isn't going day to day.

Granted this is based on my experiences in the UK, where half of the food shelves are empty and my darn rechargeable batteries still haven't shipped. OK, I think I see where some of the dominoes might not fall 'just right' over here as well. Thanks for the insights. There are some oddball empty shelves at our local Home Depot also, although the majority of stuff is in good supply.

[Temperjoke]

OK, I think I see where some of the dominoes might not fall 'just right' over here as well. Thanks for the insights. There are some oddball empty shelves at our local Home Depot also, although the majority of stuff is in good supply.

There's a lot of supply chain issues in most industries right now, and it's pretty inconsistent, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was affected as well.

[n00b]

I work for a book warehouse and distribution center. We're a pretty decent sized operation and the majority of our business comes from Amazon. Currently we cannot hire enough (or keep them employed long enough) workers to keep up with the work load. We are at this moment probably 5 days behind on fulfilling orders. And once we get the order filled and ready for shipping, it's entirely possible the trucking companies don't have enough drivers to pick up the shipment timely. I'm sure other supply chain businesses are having similar difficulties. Which is why you're seeing empty shelves in some spots.

[KorvinStarmast]

I work for a book warehouse and distribution center. We're a pretty decent sized operation and the majority of our business comes from Amazon. Currently we cannot hire enough (or keep them employed long enough) workers to keep up with the work load. We are at this moment probably 5 days behind on fulfilling orders. And once we get the order filled and ready for shipping, it's entirely possible the trucking companies don't have enough drivers to pick up the shipment timely. I'm sure other supply chain businesses are having similar difficulties. Which is why you're seeing empty shelves in some spots.Thank you for the insider look at that. The ripple effect on manpower management is certain sectors in the past two years is having some non linear effects. (I have two friends in the bar/restaurant business, and they are pulling their hair out).

[Foolwise]

A couple weeks back, Amazon notified me that the ETA for my Fizban preorder will be a week after release...

[KorvinStarmast]

A couple weeks back, Amazon notified me that the ETA for my Fizban preorder will be a week after release... :( I wonder if I can still get it on roll20)

[gloryblaze]

:( I wonder if I can still get it on roll20)

My Witchlight preorder came through on Roll20 this morning without issue

[Dork_Forge]

I bought the races on Beyond without issue too, just a physical problem the digital platforms are unaffected.

[Porcupinata]

I'm in the UK and I've had this problem on Amazon with every single 5e book since the PHB.

Every time I pre-order the book a month or more in advance, and every time when it comes near to release day I get an email saying it's not going to arrive for another month or so. It happens so regularly that I now assume it's going to be the case.

Sometimes I cancel my pre-order and buy the book (for a higher price) somewhere else on release day, and other times - depending on the book - I just accept the delay for the cheaper price.

But I've never actually had Amazon deliver a pre-ordered D&D book within a sensible time period after release day.

[RedGeomancer]

My copy of Witchlight arrived on the release date (now yesterday, when you posted this message).

You could ask Amazon. "I got a notice of delay for my preorder. Can you please tell me if you did not receive enough items from the publisher, have internal delays getting it prepared for shipment, or if the shipper is experiencing delays?"

FWIW, I think the last one is less likely, but if you are living in an area that has been affected by weather (for example), all shipping would be delayed and you would probably know it.

[Imbalance]

I've stopped preordering because of this (and some QC issues). It's much more palatable now to pick up older releases that have gone on clearance.

[jaappleton]

Every place is short staffed in America, because of a variety of reasons. I will not elaborate because I believe could ultimately devolve into a political discussion, so... No.

This impacts the printing, the shipping, the delivery, etc.

I believe Amazon is doing a thing where they're giving the latest possible delivery date, and if it shows up sooner, great. That mindset is far superior to a bunch of people upset that it's being delivered later than expected.

[AmberVael]

As someone involved in the ttrpg industry, I've heard about book distribution suffering since early last year. The whole chain got messy and I wouldn't be surprised if it was still bad.

A post on the subject. (https://www.enworld.org/threads/game-distributors-closing-down-rpg-publishers-affected.671257/)

Printing and distribution are not something I work with though, so I don't know much more than that.

[n00b]

Our warehouse and distribution centers have been working 10-12 hour shifts 6 days a week since about the time the pandemic began. It's crazy the increase in business we've had, and it jumped almost overnight it seemed. We even worked on Labor Day this year.

[KorvinStarmast]

Weirdly, the book showed up yesterday despite the 'wait' notice.
I think one of you put a finger on it: giving you a pessimistic expectation so that you can be surprised if it shows up early.

I believe Amazon is doing a thing where they're giving the latest possible delivery date, and if it shows up sooner, great. That mindset is far superior to a bunch of people upset that it's being delivered later than expected.
Thanks to all for various insights.

[Foolwise]

And now I have hope I'll get FToD before Halloween.

[Foolwise]

Hope smashed. Another email this week said Fizban's ETA was now TBD. And yesterday a new email now says it will arrive in the first week of Nov.

Amazon is punishing me for locking in FToD for $30.

[Emongnome777]

I pre-ordered FToD on Aug 3 and the arrival date has move around a couple of times, but it's now saying Oct 26th (the release date apparently). It was around the 19th-21st for a week or two, guess they didn't know the release date at the time?