We’ve spent a lot of time and a bit of money on the new website. It looks great. Facebook is cool too and people seem to be enjoying both. We think both are pretty awesome.
Website issues: Unfortunately, we are still working out some bugs and facing some technical difficulties with the website from time to time. PLEASE hang in there with us, as this is a work in progress.
So it's frustrating. We listen to our fans. We try to do what people (and we) want. We bust our collective behinds to make the new website happen, people love what they see, we love it too, and then boom: One problem after another, though nothing major or completely unexpected, other than a downturn in sales.
Please stick with us as we work through creating a better web experience for you. I hope you know the guys are doing their best to work out all the bugs and get the new Palladium website up and running smoothly on a permanent basis. Spread the word and please pick up those new and back in print books you've been meaning to buy.
Mystery Problem. Since the website went live, Palladium’s online sales have experienced a sharp drop off. And that’s bad. Very bad. And we can't figure out why. Sales were very good just prior to going live, the new Online Store looks fantastic and is easy to use, many descriptions and images have been updated, distributor sales are up and excitement for Palladium and upcoming products is high. So what the . . . . The sudden and sharp decline of online sales makes no sense. If anything, you'd think the new, attractive website would have increased sales. This is weird and troubling.
I know part of the problem is a lack of new products, which are coming, but even so, this drop is too much to be that alone. Ironically, I started 2-3 weeks later than planned on work for Vampire Kingdoms and other new releases due to time spent on the new website. Arrgh. There are times I feel like the old saying, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
If you are having problems with placing orders, using the store, or navigating the website, PLEASE let us know. Thank you.
Otherwise, things had been going really well.
I have been pumped up. So is the Palladium crew. The new books in the pipeline are awesome. Manuscripts look good and ideas for others are flowing. Artwork for them is looking fantastic. Fan input has been awesome too: We've been getting a ton of great suggestions, ideas and comments about books like Vampire Kingdoms, future products, the website, etc. Things are looking so good on so many levels it's not funny. And I'm writing like a demon. So the online sales drop is weird and frustrating.
Rifts® Book of Magic arrived from the printer yesterday, two days early. It looks great and has shipped to those of you who had pre-orders. It’s available now, so place those orders.
https://palladium-store.com/1001/produc ... Magic.html
Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms is awesome. By the time I’m done with it, it will practically be an entirely new book. EVERYTHING you expect to be in the book is there, only with much more detail, explanation, clarification and grittiness. People will see that vampires are one of the greatest threats on the planet. Do not think for a minute that I’ve softened vampires in any way. If anything, they are more scary and dangerous than ever. After every hunk of text I hand to Alex for editing, he comes into my office and says, “Wow, Kev, this stuff is excellent. I mean it, you’re writing is really on and this is scary stuff. I can hardly wait to see more” Cool. I have felt “on” with the writing. I think you’ll love the expanded and rewritten new material.
What’s new in Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms? So very much. I think I’ll end up rewriting every word or 80% of it. There is more background and info about vampires, what they are, how they function, their many powers, why they kill, how they kill, how they fight, vampire strategies and tactics, their hierarchy, and their kingdoms. There is the Deluded Vampire and Vampire Hunter O.C.C. I can’t believe I did not have a Vampire Hunter O.C.C. in the original book. And much much more – Desert travel and survival rules, travel through Mexico, a typical village, the Vampire Kingdoms, Archie, Republicans and more! Even the descriptions of El Paso and Juarez have been cleaned up, updated and tweaked. On a personal level, I’m a much improved writer, and I often cringe at the original text as I make it better. Wow was the original Vampire Kingdoms book poorly organized. That’s all fixed now. I guess I can’t be too hard on myself, I mean it was World Book “One” but yikes. Of course, it was packed with so many ideas, characters, and adventuring material that I can see how it sold something like 120,000 copies despite its weaknesses. The new version will be that much better. I just wish the writing was going even faster, because I want Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms out yesterday. Rifts® Lemuria too.
Speaking of which, I better get back to it. Please be patient with the new website, keep buying Palladium products and we’ll do our part to keep those imaginations burning bright with awesome new material.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer and Game Designer
© Copyright May 25, 2011 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.