[RANT] RPGNow/DriveThru/OneBookShelf - JUST MERGE TO ONE SITE ALREADY!!!!

[jaerdaph]

I really think it's time that RPGNow, DriveThru and OneBookShelf stop pretending that they are separate companies and merge to ONE SINGLE WEB SITE AT ONE SINGLE URL!!! It's time to shatter the illusion of choice. It's time to have all your different URLs point to A SINGLE FRIGGIN' Web site!

Today I logged into RPGNow to get a couple of the free PDFs offered today (A big THANK YOU to all the PUBLISHERS participating!) Later on, I see DriveThru is doing the same thing. I see they have a few titles that weren't up at RPGNow, so I log into my DriveThru account (which I had prior to the merge) to get them. My password doesn't work so I request a new one. (I'm not sure why DriveThru and RPGNow don't offer the exact same things on sale if this is supposed to be one company now).

Later in the day, I go back to RPGNow to check to see if I purchased something in the past. My password at RPGNow no longer works. I try the new password I got at DriveThru. Bingo I'm in, with all my RPGNow history plus the two things I ordered from my DriveThru account. For kicks and giggles I go back to DriveThru. Now I can't log in there on the new password. I go back to RPGNow and I can't get into my account there now either. I request a new password. I get a confirm from the Web site but no new password via email.

I now have NO password for either account. I've lost all confidence in the security of my accounts with RPGNow and DriveThru. These were TWO separate accounts that existed prior to the merge. They should have different account numbers and shouldn't have been linked to my email address which I assume is what is screwing all this up.

I really hope I can get a new password by tomorrow so I don't miss out on any of the generous specials publishers are offering.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

 

[Alzrius]

Today I logged into RPGNow to get a couple of the free PDFs offered today (A big THANK YOU to all the PUBLISHERS participating!) Later on, I see DriveThru is doing the same thing. I see they have a few titles that weren't up at RPGNow

Which ones? I compared the lists of free products, and they seemed identical.

 

[jaerdaph]

Which ones? I compared the lists of free products, and they seemed identical.

They do seem to be the same list now, but they weren't earlier. I think Dreadmire Bonus was missing from one site, Moebius Adventures Core Rules the other, but I can't tell you because I can't access my account.

And I still haven't received a new password from the system or had any reply to my tech support request. :\

 

[Ranger REG]

I was going to argue but then I just checked that RPGNow stopped accepting check/money order payment through snail mail.

That sucks.

 

[djdurant]

Eh. Seems like a nonevent. Email custserv, they'll fix your account, and BOOM! on to find something else to complain about.

 

[rpghost]

In hopes of dispelling a little confusion... your old DTRPG or your old RPGNow password shoudl work on either site... the merger was setup to allow both passwords. But if you did a password change, it'll change your current/main password I think which would be the DTRPG password. Not sure what CUSTSERV did in this case, but you shouldn't have had a problem in the first place as the system should have let you in. Not sure how you got locked out either unless there is a bug in the password change routines ... we'll look into it.

The reason the two sites are seperate is that we choose to retain the branding that has already taken place on both sites. RPGNow caters to the indie publishers and customers, while DTRPG caters to those who are mainly looking for print books from larger publishers in PDF. Our marketing and ads are all geared toward that.

But that said, any link to one site should work to the other. It should be trasparent which URL you go to.

Enjoy the sale!

James

P.S. The free list is generated from the one single database, so it's imposible for them to be different.

 

[jaerdaph]

In hopes of dispelling a little confusion... your old DTRPG or your old RPGNow password shoudl work on either site... the merger was setup to allow both passwords. But if you did a password change, it'll change your current/main password I think which would be the DTRPG password. Not sure what CUSTSERV did in this case, but you shouldn't have had a problem in the first place as the system should have let you in. Not sure how you got locked out either unless there is a bug in the password change routines ... we'll look into it.

The reason the two sites are seperate is that we choose to retain the branding that has already taken place on both sites. RPGNow caters to the indie publishers and customers, while DTRPG caters to those who are mainly looking for print books from larger publishers in PDF. Our marketing and ads are all geared toward that.

But that said, any link to one site should work to the other. It should be trasparent which URL you go to.

Thank you, James. This has now been taken care of to my satisfaction by your customer service with excellent response time. I wish I had known prior to though that my two accounts had been merged, but I am glad my purchase records are together in one place now.

P.S. The free list is generated from the one single database, so it's imposible for them to be different.

It *was* different this morning, but in retrospect it was more that one product wasn't showing up on the list of one site, and another product wasn't showing up on the list at the other site (so it wasn't really an issue of both sites having different products). It has apparently worked itself out as both lists are the same now.

 

[Vigilance]

I must admit, I'm happy the sites haven't merged entirely myself, even though I realize its just an appearance thing.

I like shopping via RPGNow, just as I'm sure there's some folks who'd prefer DTRPG and how their site is set up.

So in the end, even though its not logical, I'm glad the sites haven't formed like Voltron.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I was going to argue but then I just checked that RPGNow stopped accepting check/money order payment through snail mail.

That sucks.

Nuts.

 

[TheLe]

The reason the two sites are seperate is that we choose to retain the branding that has already taken place on both sites. RPGNow caters to the indie publishers and customers, while DTRPG caters to those who are mainly looking for print books from larger publishers in PDF. Our marketing and ads are all geared toward that.

It's true. 95% of my sales come through Rpgnow in some form or another. I am quite glad that the two sites did not merge into one.

The fact is that consumers like a sense of familiarity. Sometimes change is good, while other times it can be detrimental. I know many people who stopped going to their favorite stores because of massive layout changes -- it just doesn't feel right to them.

I like knowing that my core customers have been with me at Rpgnow for all these years now, and I look forward to catering to them for the foreseeable future.

~Le