Lone Star Comics (MyComicShop.com) is robbing me! Need advice! 2 2

[shadroch]

If Lonestar is so overpriced,then I think I'd have taken the $100 cash.Looking at his inventory,I could do a hell of a lot better at any con with $100 cash than picking books I didn't want,but take just for the sake of getting something.

[underthebigw]

I agree. It would be a waste of time, money and effort to pursue this beyond the e-mails and posting where others can learn from it and use discretion about who and how to deal with.

 

I am one of those people that has a hard time letting things go because of ego, and it is hard to walk away from someone that has wronged you, but ultimately some things just aren't worth it. The thing to do is to take pride in the fact that you are a better person.

 

You know, it not always ego, and you shouldn't always walk away.

 

Some people and businesses need to know that customers aren't going to be walked all over. They need to know that, not only do they not get to keep the customers' money, but also that it's not going to be worth their time to screw over their customers. Since I started my business, I can not tell you the kind of cr@p I've had to call some companies on: invoiced sales tax on out of state orders, added charges for services not rendered or quoted, defective merchandise, fake shipping charges, fake storage charges--the list is endless. You don't call people on this kind of stuff, they keep trying to pull the same garbage. It's not always about the 100 bucks, but often about making people do what's right.

 

I hear ya! That is why I said some things just aren't worth it. I have to deal with similar issues on a daily basis as well in my business, and you are right if you let it go, it will just keep happening if not get worse. That's why early on in this thread, I said it was more about the principle rather than the $100.

I was sort of talking about walking away rather than letting it get to the point of wanting to punching someone in the flippin' nose. Even then, it might feel a lot better to let loose with a nice haymaker.

 

 

(thumbs u Was definitely not directed at you, other than to suggest you shouldn't dismiss the impulse to stand up to people trying to screw you as a matter of ego. Most of my diatrible was directed at everyone suggesting it was only a matter of $100. It's not. It's the principle and it's their behavior that's at issue.

[Moondog]

As far as the "its only $100" I'm not saying he can't be pissed and air his grievence, but to take the time from his job and go to court over it or hire a lawyer is a bit much over $100 in the end. Its also a bit much that LS comics would do this over $100.

 

It goes both ways.

 

 

 

 

If you look at the bigger picture that was his business relationship with this company that turned on him it was thousands of dollars.

Even as a business you have to look at the whole monetary relationship every now and then and make a reassessment. In this case mycomicshop.com made a one and we need to make it known to them , by email, if they are too stupid to come to this forum.

 

 

Yeah, I can't begin to fathom how he built a business as big as Lone Star, with this kind of business sense.

 

I know that if I had someone who was selling me $1200 of books a year for credit (no money out of my pocket). And then I was selling those books for a 30% profit (and covering the 10-20% overhead) ($360 profit), and then he in turn, was buying another $1200 in product from me with the credit. Thus yielding me another $360 in profit on those sales.

 

So I have now made $720 because of this customer. Even if they return a batch of books every month for misgrade, and I have to eat $5 a month in return shipping, I would gladly still have them as a customer because I would still be making $660 in profit from them, ALL WITH NO MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET!

 

I was a cash cow for them. I didn't really t rack how much I traded very well, but I think it would be safe to say it was $1200-$2000 per year in trade credit.

 

Again, it just blows my mind that he can have a succesful business with this approach. Maybe if you were a customer who placed one order a year for $3, and every time returned your item and wanted a $3 shipping credit. Maybe if a customer is doing this chronically and you are losing money. Maybe then you ask them to go elsewhere. But not when they are a cash cow...

 

Shakespear:

 

I've known Buddy Saunders for 25 years. He's a great retailer. His stores have a wide and deep stock of new comics and tries to be fair regarding back issues.

 

Selling back issues via mail order is a very difficult way to make a living. Because so many sales are low-priced bulk copies, many errors can be made. They try to be accurate, but they know mistakes will happen.

 

Aggravation has a price and clearly you've reached that threshold with him. Buddy has made a business decision that YOUR business isn't worth it.

 

It's nothing personal. You just hit the limit.

 

And Buddy couldn't care less what anyone on this board thinks.

 

As I said before. Time to move on.

 

--Gary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Moondog]

I'm glad things got resolved to your satisfaction.

[DiceX]

If Buddy knows mistakes will happen when they deal with that large of a volume, why does he get bent when someone returns a few books? I guess because he's bent all the time, so why would he change?

 

As much mess as I give Chuck, I don't have a problem doing business with him from time to time because, if nothing else, Chuckles is a very nice guy. Buddy's a legend in his own mind and has the personality of a gomco clamp. If he was the only comic dealer in the world, I'd collect Beanie Babies.

 

 

[Ze-man]

Steve, stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel.

 

[DiceX]

Steve, stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel.

 

 

 

 

[bhhooks22]

I could travel to Texas from Ohio and beat the out of someone

 

Back off, beeotch... Texas is my turf. If there's someone who needs an asswhoppin' in Texas I get first crack at it.

 

Puny human.

 

 

I know it doesn't seem possible but almost every day I learn a new, even better way to physically hurt someone.

 

Yeah , I think I'm gonna return that latest tanning lotion that smelled like A-1 & Worcestershire sauce .....

[skypinkblu]

I'm sorry you had the problem...and I know from experience that many times people take offense when you return things...

 

I'm glad it's resolved....the one thing that stuck in my mind though, is here is a business person, willing to call you and take their time to try to resolve the issue.

I've never bought from Lonestar, I'm not a dealer...but I would certainly want someone to take the time to talk to me, it's their time, too, and also valuable.

 

It's the one thing I would have changed...email communication is not the best way to settle disputes, people read things in different "voices" and many times, it's not what either of you intended.

 

I'm not criticizing, just thinking it might be something you'd consider in the future, because in this instance for example.It might have worked out more quickly had you taken a few minutes to speak on the phone.

 

Best of luck finding something you like for the credit...

.

[langur88]

 

 

Aggravation has a price and clearly you've reached that threshold with him. Buddy has made a business decision that YOUR business isn't worth it.

 

 

I have dealt with Buddy many times with no problems whatsoever.

 

The problem is the "collector" who buys hundreds of books hoping that the dealer undergrades some of them which he keeps and then returns the "overgraded".

 

Never mind the old scam of trading a pile of spoon and taking a few key books with the credit.

 

The customer is always right. The "collector" trying to twist the system to stick it to the store owner is not.

 

I am sure that Buddy has another side to this story.

[MedicAR]

The problem is the "collector" who buys hundreds of books hoping that the dealer undergrades some of them which he keeps and then returns the "overgraded".

 

I know what you're talking about happens far too often, but that certainly doesn't sound like the case here.

 

...Because of a dispute over a misgraded item I had returned (a book was supposed to be NM, but it had a 2" color-breaking crease, a 1-1.5" color scrape, and many other minor defects, and Lone Star insisted this was okay for a NM book.....

 

For my money, any one of those defects would have been enough to keep it out of NM.

[Broken Shakespear]

 

Aggravation has a price and clearly you've reached that threshold with him. Buddy has made a business decision that YOUR business isn't worth it.

 

 

I have dealt with Buddy many times with no problems whatsoever.

 

The problem is the "collector" who buys hundreds of books hoping that the dealer undergrades some of them which he keeps and then returns the "overgraded".

 

Never mind the old scam of trading a pile of spoon and taking a few key books with the credit.

 

The customer is always right. The "collector" trying to twist the system to stick it to the store owner is not.

 

I am sure that Buddy has another side to this story.

 

Yeah, I was getting key books like Superman: Man of Steel Annual #4, Marvel Team-Up #88, Spectacular Spiderman #50, and many more key books just like these...

 

And is it even a scam if you trade them 100 books for $.50 each, and take a single $50 book with the credit? You act like it is a scam, but what is the difference. If the dealer couldn't sell the $.50 books, they wouldn't be on their buy list. So they buy them for $.50 and sell them for $1.50 and triple their money. What's it matter what you take with the trade credit? That isn't a scam.

 

Now, if you were buying 100 books. Picking through them at taking 10 and sending the other 90 back as misgraded, then you might have a point. But the opposite is the case here. I ordered 90 books and sent back 13. Do you really believe he sent 77 undergraded books?

Edited June 19, 2008 by Broken Shakespear

[Broken Shakespear]

I think another part of the problem is that Lone Star hired an Internet Sales Manager that can't grade comics!

 

With the previous manager, I could send a scan of the misgraded item, say, see the giant color breaking crease on this book that is supposed to be NM.

 

Then he would say, "well, that book was just $1.60, and with that crease it would just go in the quarter bin if it came back. Not worth the $2-$3 to send it back. I'll just credit your account for the purchase price, don't worry about sending that rag back, and you can order another copy on the next order. Sorry for the mix up."

 

Then he left and Buddy hired Beth to take over. She can't grade and requires that every return, even if the book was a $1, to be sent back so senior graders can examine it and determine if it was misgraded. So it ends up costing them $2.76 in return shipping to get back a $1 misgraded item worth $.25.

 

I can understand sending back a $50 NM book, that if it is really a fine, might still be worth $20. But when it is a $1.50 NM, that if it is really a fine is worth $.25, why bother?

[sterlingcomics]

Why bother? Because they can

 

BTW, you forgot the major cost here...the cost for all of the staff to deal with it.

 

Just let it go...you'll live longer that way without the stress.

[toro]

Are they just as lousy on grading the books you send in for cah or trade? Or do they then become tighter then CGC?

[sckao]

Are they just as lousy on grading the books you send in for cah or trade? Or do they then become tighter then CGC?

 

I've had a couple of books downgraded by them when I've sent it in... They give you the option of getting the books back or you authorize the downgrade and the lower trade/price value.

 

Their automated system and buying process is pretty nice actually... You're always able to view the status of your books and trade process electronically.

 

 

[toro]

Are they just as lousy on grading the books you send in for cah or trade? Or do they then become tighter then CGC?

 

I've had a couple of books downgraded by them when I've sent it in... They give you the option of getting the books back or you authorize the downgrade and the lower trade/price value.

 

Their automated system and buying process is pretty nice actually... You're always able to view the status of your books and trade process electronically.

 

 

Thanks, looks like I have a whole pile of cr@p I can send to them.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Are they just as lousy on grading the books you send in for cah or trade? Or do they then become tighter then CGC?

 

I've had a couple of books downgraded by them when I've sent it in... They give you the option of getting the books back or you authorize the downgrade and the lower trade/price value.

 

Their automated system and buying process is pretty nice actually... You're always able to view the status of your books and trade process electronically.

 

 

Thanks, looks like I have a whole pile of cr@p I can send to them.

 

Are you going to trade the pile of junk for one piece of junk ?

 

 

[shadroch]

I think another part of the problem is that Lone Star hired an Internet Sales Manager that can't grade comics!

 

With the previous manager, I could send a scan of the misgraded item, say, see the giant color breaking crease on this book that is supposed to be NM.

 

Then he would say, "well, that book was just $1.60, and with that crease it would just go in the quarter bin if it came back. Not worth the $2-$3 to send it back. I'll just credit your account for the purchase price, don't worry about sending that rag back, and you can order another copy on the next order. Sorry for the mix up."

 

Then he left and Buddy hired Beth to take over. She can't grade and requires that every return, even if the book was a $1, to be sent back so senior graders can examine it and determine if it was misgraded. So it ends up costing them $2.76 in return shipping to get back a $1 misgraded item worth $.25.

 

I can understand sending back a $50 NM book, that if it is really a fine, might still be worth $20. But when it is a $1.50 NM, that if it is really a fine is worth $.25, why bother?

 

 

Just speculation,but it wouldn't surprise me if a few people caught on to the fact that they were so liberal on accepting buyers complaints about overgraded books. Telling the buyer just keep the book and we'll credit you is a policy ripe for exploitation.I'm not surprised the guy is no longer in his job.While it might sound foolish to spend $2.76 for a 50 cent item,1) it doesn't really since they are crediting it towards overpriced books,and 2) it cuts down on fraud.

You never did answer my question,so I'll ask you again- Couldn't you have done much better with $100 cash to spend at any convention than with $200 in credit towards over-priced books?

Edited June 19, 2008 by shadroch

[Old Fashion PB and J]

4200 is alot o scratch.. $200.00 not so much

 

Hi Shadroch

 

Pat-