The Muppets.com Countdown has begun

[GelflingWaldo]

But when this occurs, the companies do not put out a press release or an apology explaining the delay, we just assume that they are improving the product.

I don't agree, although they will not have a press release, most companies when delaying a product after setting an exact date will explain why. No, they don't put out official statements, but they do explain themselves if asked. I have followed the releases of many DVDs, action figures, CDs, etc; and when they get pushed back the company will explain why to people who call or e-mail. If you look on websites that track the releases of products you usually can find news from the creators onto why. Although it may seem like an obvious answer onto why, at least they are courteous enough to reply I know this is just a website and not an actual product for sale, but a message on their site onto why the delay would be nice, or at least an answer to the e-mails/phone calls.

Wouldn't you rather have them work on improving the site and getting it up before the next deadline than responding to overly-angry emails?

Maybe they aren't responding because they are working on the site.

Most of the people I am asking are not the people who would be physically doing any work on the website. Having them respond (which would only take a few seconds) would not take away any time from website work. The entire Muppet Holding Company is not working on building, programing, and creating the website.

I have asked many people at the Muppet Holding Company as to why the confusion on release date and they all refuse to respond. Even customer service, whose job it is to answer questions and complaints by consumers (AKA people like me) will not respond. I know there are things the need to keep secret winthin the company and they can’t answer every question, but why the website was delayed should not be one of these secrete items.

]

They just werren't ready.

People are saying that obviously the website was not ready (and I'm fine with that, if it is true) but we do not know this for sure. Here are just some of the other things that could have happened. We have no clue as to why the delay cause the Muppet Holding Co. will not give us an answer, so don't assume you know why.

1) The original countdown was inaccurate, they always planed to release it in mid-November but for some release the application on the website malfunctioned before and they never caught the mistake.

2) Finishing the site would have been done on time but they ran into unexpected delays/complications, so they pushed the date back to give them more time to fix the work.

3) Finishing the site just took longer then they expected ( they bit off more than they could chew), so they pushed the date back to give them more time to finish their work.

4) They had the site finished and ready to go ( or almost ready), but got ideas for newer and better features so delayed the launch to add them rather than launch a new site again a few weeks later.

5) They were almost done with the site, but then had a brand new idea for the direction to take the so they had to delayed the launch to allow them to rework the site them rather than continue with the work they were doing.

6) They finished the site and were ready to upload it, but when testing it they ran into technical problems, so they delayed it to allow them to work out the bugs now rather than listen to a list of complaints once they uploaded and opened it.

7) They had the site finished and ready to go, but wanted to launch it in conjunction with a special event, contest, promotion that was not going to be available until mid-November so they held off on the launch.

8) They planned to have the countdown jump in order to string along the hopes of the fans and not make the original countdown seem so long. Plus it allowed them to do the "Muppet labs malfunction" joke.

9) They thought that there would be less competition or a larger market for visitors in November, so holding off could allow them to get a bigger reaction to the launch.

10) They had the site finished and ready to go, but wanted to launch it with brand new special news/information from the Wizard of Oz project or other productions/products they have in the works but they were not available until mid-November so they held off on the site’s launch.

there will be a new Muppets.com eventually, and I am sure that after it comes out, it will have been worth the wait

I’m not denying this, I agree 100% with this statement, but I don’t like their sneaky way of delaying it.

they did move the date back in a fairly clever way - by blaming the Muppet labs timer. It seems like a very fun Muppet way to admit a mistake. I think that is a small reference that us fans can appreciate.

It was clever, but it was also a way of escaping answering for their decision.


Why when I ask customer service, or any of the employees and executives at The Muppet Holding Co. do they either not reply, or say they don't know what is going on, or say are not allowed to comment on this issue. WHY THE SECRETS? WHY CAN’T THEY ANSWER?

Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by how “open” most other companies are (like The Jim Henson Company, HIT! Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, and many, many other) But when I asked them about this the day it happened (and several days and weeks later) the Muppet Holding Co.’s inability to respond frustrates and worries me in the way that they are treating their fans and customers on such a simple problem/question.


Now that I’m done venting and (what some may consider) "complaining" (hopefully this will be the last...ever). I can’t wait until the site is up in 8 days. I just hope the Muppet Holding Co. learns to respect and respond to consumers rather than ignore an issue (and hope it goes away). I can’t wait until the site is up. I don’t doubt for a second it won't be a great site, I know it will be out of this world. I just wish the trip to it’s release was smoother. I am truly excited!

Let’s hope that on November 16, 2004 at 12:56:41 PM Greenwich Mean time (GMT) we finally can experience the whole new Muppets.com

I can’t wait!!!!!

 

[GelflingWaldo]

Let’s hope that on November 16, 2004 at 12:56:41 PM Greenwich Mean time (GMT) we finally can experience the whole new Muppets.com [/QUOTE]



Oops...at a second inspection I found a calculation mistake, I was off (I forget about daylights saving time, and didn't carry over to the days place properly) - I fixed my math and here you go:

According to the counter the time of launch should around : November 17, 2004 at 11:56:31 AM Greenwich Mean time (GMT)

So in the United States that would be on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at about 7AM in New York, and 4AM in California.

Although it is a to-the-second counter I would not take it for that 100%, just assume the site will be up by the end of the day on Wednesday the 17th...and let's hope this time it actually goes up.

 

[timrikthegorf]

1) The original countdown was inaccurate, they always planed to release it in mid-November but for some release the application on the website malfunctioned before and they never caught the mistake.

2) Finishing the site would have been done on time but they ran into unexpected delays/complications, so they pushed the date back to give them more time to fix the work.

3) Finishing the site just took longer then they expected ( they bit off more than they could chew), so they pushed the date back to give them more time to finish their work.

4) They had the site finished and ready to go ( or almost ready), but got ideas for newer and better features so delayed the launch to add them rather than launch a new site again a few weeks later.

5) They were almost done with the site, but then had a brand new idea for the direction to take the so they had to delayed the launch to allow them to rework the site them rather than continue with the work they were doing.

6) They finished the site and were ready to upload it, but when testing it they ran into technical problems, so they delayed it to allow them to work out the bugs now rather than listen to a list of complaints once they uploaded and opened it.

7) They had the site finished and ready to go, but wanted to launch it in conjunction with a special event, contest, promotion that was not going to be available until mid-November so they held off on the launch.

8) They planned to have the countdown jump in order to string along the hopes of the fans and not make the original countdown seem so long. Plus it allowed them to do the "Muppet labs malfunction" joke.

9) They thought that there would be less competition or a larger market for visitors in November, so holding off could allow them to get a bigger reaction to the launch.

10) They had the site finished and ready to go, but wanted to launch it with brand new special news/information from the Wizard of Oz project or other productions/products they have in the works but they were not available until mid-November so they held off on the site’s launch.

Does it really matter if it's any of these reasons at all? Seriously, stop obsessing over this. There are far more important things to worry about in this world. Trying to figure out the reason for the delay is simply a waste of time. All you need to know is there is some kind of delay.

 

[GelflingWaldo]

Does it really matter if it's any of these reasons at all?

No, I really don't care why. But I am dissapointed in the way they handled a simple issue like this. I just want to know why customer service, and the employees and executives at The Muppet Holding Co. refuse to reply, or say are not allowed to comment on any issues. I know some things need to be kept "under raps", but WHY THE SECRETS? WHY CAN’T THEY ANSWER?

Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by how “open” most other companies are (like The Jim Henson Company, HIT! Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, Palisades and many, many other) But when I asked them about this the day it happened (and several days and weeks later) the Muppet Holding Co.’s inability to respond with an actuall answer frustrates and worries me in the way that they are treating their fans and customers on such a simple problem/question.

I'm not so concerned about the website, I'm more concerned on how they handle their customers.

 

[christyb]

Six days and counting. The excitement is building

 

[GelflingWaldo]

The excitement is building

Less than 92 hours left..and counting!

 

[Dantecat]

3 Days Left!!

 

[McFraggle]

It's almost here.

 

[DanDanStrawberry]

Yay! Cant wait to see Kermit and the gang back on the net! Let's just hope all goes well with the site. But even if it is postponed again, then it will definitely be worth the wait!!

 

[GelflingWaldo]

Let's just hope all goes well with the site. But even if it is postponed again, then it will definitely be worth the wait!!

Oh yeah, it has been (and will be) worth the wait, no matter what happens (or happened). I am excited. I do hope all goes well.

Less than 59 hours left to go!