[Entarion]

I have recently jumped in to the hobby again and I wanted to browse some new books. To my surprise, the new look of Black Library site is very messy. I have already sent some questions to BL support but I wanted to share my issues and questions with you as well.

Issues I have:

1. Subcategories are missing for different series or armies/characters. I don't even know where I should start.
2. No reading orders given.
3. No availability for different formats. Are they discontinued, when will be the reprint etc
4. I am interested in Space Marine Battles series. No information on hardback format. Space Marine Legends - what was already released for these series. And I could continue..

I am really desperate because I would like to start/continue some collections but website is not giving me enough information. And going through website is really tiresome.

Do you see same issues? Do you have better information on books ? I am :frown2:

 

[Khorne's Fist]

The BL site has always been pretty shit. It was just crap for a while up to the last update, but then they turned it back to shit.

 

[Doelago]

The utter shitness of the website is nothing new, but the last overhaul they did really took it to a new level of shit. It‘s so fucking convoluted to browse, with everything hidden in inconvenient places and no filters whatsoever.

And the search function? What an absolute piece of shit. Say I want to search for the HH novel *Legion*... There are over 120 books that appear before it in the search results out of 460 what the fuck. No way to sort the results by relevance, language or format. Only date of release or A-Z. Fucking useless. Trying to find anything after it has left the new releases page is a big pain in the arse, which is especially apparent when trying to find a book in the Horus Heresy series. You go to the series page, but there is no fucking order whatsoever since they re-release the same shit three times over meaning that the release orders are completely fucked up the butt and no amount of sorting by release date will help there.

Ouh, and sweet jesus trying to find the regular oldschool paperback releases of the HH novels. On some product pages it says Premium Paperback whilst on others it just says Paperback but it is priced the same as the premium paperbacks. Which is it for goodness sake. The website is such a mess at this point that nothing short of a full purge and rebuilding will fix it.

 

[Knockagh]

Yea the BL site is utter rubbish. Which is pretty surprising given that the FW and regular GW sites are pretty darn good.

 

[Scrad]

I routinely use Lexicanum to find out the order of any given series. Without it, i'm sure i'd have caved my own head in from confusion.

 

[Entarion]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I got this answer from BL support

Although we have change the layout of our web store in recent times, and we are still making changes, within in each main category there are sub categories that will see once you have clicked on the main category button.

We are planning to create new categories for many of our long running, and soon to be long running series such as the Primarchs books but you can use the search bar to look for items as well such as the Space Marine Battles books.

I won't tell them again that categories and search function are useless but hopefully there is bright future and BL layout will be soon changed according to answer.

I remember, how I once contacted BL support and was complaining about quality of book spines and how wrinkles appear immediately when book is opened for the first time and that books from other publishers don't do it.

And they told me to not open books so wide... So again it is enough for me to not contact support for next few years.

 

[Knockagh]

Are you kidding they said not to open the books so wide?? That's awful! In fairness paperbacks do crack it's why I'm not a fan of them, but that reply is terrible!

 

[Entarion]

Are you kidding they said not to open the books so wide?? That's awful! In fairness paperbacks do crack it's why I'm not a fan of them, but that reply is terrible!

Wish I was kidding.

We are sorry to hear that you are not happy with the cover and binding
on the Black Library books.

With regards to our print runs we make sure we use a high quality glue
which does not necessarily require as much to bind the pages, however it
is impossible to guarantee that the cover will not crease. It is
inevitable that with reading a book's spine will eventually break on a
softback book, this is the nature of paper put under pressure.

You can delay this effect by ensuring you do not bend the pages back too
far or spreading them too wide whilst reading.

I am always very careful with the books and I first try how far I can open book before spine gets damaged. But for example Helsreach novel was damaged immediately upon slight opening. That's what I only want HB format now from BL.

I have much thicker books at home from local publishers which won't crack no matter how wide I open them. For premium price I expect premium quality.

 

[Knockagh]

I agree that they should be producing premium products as they are expensive. Hence my rage fuelled by the recent changes to the gallery prints. Noticed this morning that the gold foil on the spine of the Dante book has flaked quite badly. I feel an email coming on!

 

[Doelago]

Noticed this morning that the gold foil on the spine of the Dante book has flaked quite badly. I feel an email coming on!

Eeeh, mind sharing a picture? Because I was just yesterday worried mine was looking like it might start coming off and I have not even started reading it yet. If this starts turning into a common issue mine is getting returned fast as lightning. :|

 

[Knockagh]

Haven't got round to sending the email yet but I think it's quite bad.

 

[evanswolves]

I think you shouldve emailed themt he moment you got it, they might have put a copy aside for when you returned it, now theyve all sold out

 

[Knockagh]

It didn't come like that, its worn off. I didn't notice until last night.

 

[Doelago]

I think you shouldve emailed themt he moment you got it, they might have put a copy aside for when you returned it, now theyve all sold out

I can tell you from experience that they do keep a few copies away from sale in case of replacements being needed.

Haven't got round to sending the email yet but I think it's quite bad.

God that‘s awful. Mine is doing the same, tho its nowhere near as bad as of yet.

 

[Entarion]

In other thread I read about prints worsening quality and now these "exclusive" editions (where only price seems to be exclusive).

Why do I feel they just want to screw you instead of delivering superior product. It's disgusting.

 

[evanswolves]

Email tonight about changes to the site, seems like theyre going to try and make the site better

 

[Knockagh]

Web site changes approach! They must be reading these threads!

I emailed about the gold spine flaking and they immediately came back to say they would replace it so they must have some copies left for emergency situations. That's what I've come to expect from GW they are expensive but customer service is great.

 

[Entarion]

Email tonight about changes to the site, seems like theyre going to try and make the site better

Separation of digital and physical products might be good idea if that's what it means. I think it can't get any worse so let's hope at least categories will be coming back.

I emailed about the gold spine flaking and they immediately came back to say they would replace it so they must have some copies left for emergency situations. That's what I've come to expect from GW they are expensive but customer service is great.

Good for you. Wondering if it's just the case for you two or is it common problem for other books ?

 

[Khorne's Fist]

Big changes coming to the site soon. Looks like the rules are getting their own site, which should remove some of the clutter from the BL site.

 

[Knockagh]

I emailed about the gold spine flaking and they immediately came back to say they would replace it so they must have some copies left for emergency situations. That's what I've come to expect from GW they are expensive but customer service is great.

Good for you. Wondering if it's just the case for you two or is it common problem for other books ?

It might be a problem with thIs particular book but I've bought loads of limited editions and they are always top quality. This one is particularly stunning, to be honest the flaking wouldn't have put me off buying it. It really is a cracker