Oh, Panini. How will you ever compete with Topps at this rate?

So, as I mentioned in a previous post, the last box of 2012 Panini Triple Play was missing the guaranteed "Real Feel" game-used card.  There are six such cards in the master set, and this would have been the third in my possession.   Yet, it wasn't meant to be.  Someone in Panini's quality control division must have taken an extended coffee break and my box went without.

So, I went to Panini's website and filed with their Quality Assurance team.  Here's the packing slip information page that they requested I complete.

I wrote a letter as they asked and sent everything through snail mail.  I wasn't expecting the issue to be resolved anytime soon.   But sooner than expected, I had a response waiting for me on-line:

Huh, I guess Panini assumes everything will go as planned, everyday, on every line, in the packing department.  Why else would they not keep any extra "Real Feel" cards on hand.

Side note #1: I love how the Panini Representative can't spell his own product correctly.  They cards I'm trying to complete do not focus on fishing reels, but are called "Real Feel".

Side note #2:  Way to win over your consumer by calling him Tim, rather than Tom.  Who's in charge of quality control within the quality assurance department?  Yikes.

So, here's what arrived in the mail the other day:

Yep, my two packs were here!  Perhaps the individual in the pack picking department took time to "pack search" a bit before choosing the packs to mailed?  You know, to try to right the original wrong in a circuitous manner.

Nope.

Of the fourteen cards, I needed two.  One Andrew McCutchen puzzle piece and this card of Matt Kemp.  Bummer.

Oh, and not that Panini was intentionally trying to add injury to insult, but one of the stickers in the pack was of Mr. Verlander.

Hey, I have nothing against Justin Verlander, but I do not care for Panini's card collation within their boxes.

Yes, the sticker subset is ONLY thirty cards, and I still have 10 left to track down.  Yet, I have 10 Justin Verlander stickers.  Seriously? 

I originally thought I would collect the 2013 Triple Play set, but now I am seriously considering chasing something else.  I am a little more than frustrated with this card collecting experience and I'm afraid that the same collation issues will abound in '13.

What set should I build this year?  Vote in the poll within the right margin, and/or leave a comment!

Thanks for reading,
Tim  . . . um, I mean, Tom.