Payment Overdue Notice - Does ComicLink EVER read their emails

[seanfingh]

 

Wow. There is a tremendous amount of latent aggression in this thread. Obviously, C-Link is undergoing some growing pains. I, too, have experienced problems with C-Link not answering emails, but when Tomis finally called me it all got cleared up. Plus, at the end of the day, it was the fact that my CC had expired and been reissued that caused the problem. It seems that some of the posters in this thread are not thinking about the fact that there most likely are some slow pay clients and also issues such as expired CCs.

 

From some of these responses, some posters apparently believe that changing protocols, making technological advances, and keeping up with rapid growth are easy for small businesses. I can assure you they are not. If you don't like the speed with which C-Link is keeping up with their explosive growth, let them know with your wallet, or give them a call. I wouldn't suggest an email, though.

[Galactus]

Well we seem to all be saying it, but will everyone speak with their wallets and not buy or sell with Comiclink until they do better ?

 

I know that my mind is made up and i will not be buying again from them until the general consensus is that they have improved drastically and treat us with some respect as prompt paying customers.

 

 

[Galactus]

Wow. There is a tremendous amount of latent aggression in this thread. Obviously, C-Link is undergoing some growing pains. I, too, have experienced problems with C-Link not answering emails, but when Tomis finally called me it all got cleared up. Plus, at the end of the day, it was the fact that my CC had expired and been reissued that caused the problem. It seems that some of the posters in this thread are not thinking about the fact that there most likely are some slow pay clients and also issues such as expired CCs.

 

From some of these responses, some posters apparently believe that changing protocols, making technological advances, and keeping up with rapid growth are easy for small businesses. I can assure you they are not. If you don't like the speed with which C-Link is keeping up with their explosive growth, let them know with your wallet, or give them a call. I wouldn't suggest an email, though.

 

You know i would be in agreement with you if they were truly a smallish company, and not one that probably took $600,000 or more in commission, over the last year from all their sales. Are you really trying to say that they couldn't be spending some of that funds on extra staff or better systems ? C'mon man, please dont excuse them for their deficiencies, especially not when they have been pointed out time after time over long periods of time.

 

Having built up 4 companies over my years in business and getting them well past the point that Comiclink is at, at the moment, let me tell you that the first few years are the hardest where you are building up your reputation and cash flow is at an all time low. Cash can sort out these problems, you just need to spend it and not hoard it. Evolve and re-invest funds in your business, something that from their lack of improvement to their website alone, has not been the case with Comiclink.

 

[supapimp]

two words for you...EFF comicstink!

[seanfingh]

You know i would be in agreement with you if they were truly a smallish company, and not one that probably took $600,000 or more in commission, over the last year from all their sales. Are you really trying to say that they couldn't be spending some of that funds on extra staff or better systems ? C'mon man, please dont excuse them for their deficiencies, especially not when they have been pointed out time after time over long periods of time.

 

Having built up 4 companies over my years in business and getting them well past the point that Comiclink is at, at the moment, let me tell you that the first few years are the hardest where you are building up your reputation and cash flow is at an all time low. Cash can sort out these problems, you just need to spend it and not hoard it. Evolve and re-invest funds in your business, something that from their lack of improvement to their website alone, has not been the case with Comiclink.

 

First off, I guess your definition of small business and mine differ. Secondly, I am not excusing anything. Nothing kills business faster than poor customer service. My experience has been that many small business people are so focused on what they do, that they do not focus enough on the business side of their endeavor, whether that encompasses poor cash flow management, poor customer service, or any other side effect of being focused upon, in this case, auctioning comics.

 

My initial post was a visceral reaction to watching all the little Nikita Khrushchevs furiously banging their virtual shoes . . .

[Galactus]

 

If only Comiclink not only read this thread, (which i am sure they are), but actually did something about it..

 

If Only.....

[marvelcollector]

Wow. There is a tremendous amount of latent aggression in this thread. Obviously, C-Link is undergoing some growing pains. I, too, have experienced problems with C-Link not answering emails, but when Tomis finally called me it all got cleared up. Plus, at the end of the day, it was the fact that my CC had expired and been reissued that caused the problem. It seems that some of the posters in this thread are not thinking about the fact that there most likely are some slow pay clients and also issues such as expired CCs.

 

From some of these responses, some posters apparently believe that changing protocols, making technological advances, and keeping up with rapid growth are easy for small businesses. I can assure you they are not. If you don't like the speed with which C-Link is keeping up with their explosive growth, let them know with your wallet, or give them a call. I wouldn't suggest an email, though.

 

Please.

 

If they can't separate true slow payers from people that paid immediately, they have some basic problems. Of course there are slow payers and expired cards. That doesn't mean they can be so sloppy as to accuse (apparently several) customers to whom that does not apply, and not send out the merchandise for weeks. Funny how so many other businesses seem capable of getting these things straight.

 

This has been going on for years with them, so they really can't use their growth as an excuse.

 

There is no excuse for not replying to emails. Period.

Or screwing up so much in the first place.

[COI]

Yeah but isn't the fact that their customer service is so poor but people still buy from them a sign that we *spoon* comic collectors will just go where the books are, and be damned with very poor customer service.

 

Yep.

[COI]

Sean, as long as I've been on this forum, people have been complaining about c-link's customer service, so this isn't a new phenomenon brought on by their recent growth.

 

 

[seanfingh]

 

Please.

 

If they can't separate true slow payers from people that paid immediately, they have some basic problems. Of course there are slow payers and expired cards. That doesn't mean they can be so sloppy as to accuse (apparently several) customers to whom that does not apply, and not send out the merchandise for weeks. Funny how so many other businesses seem capable of getting these things straight.

 

This has been going on for years with them, so they really can't use their growth as an excuse.

 

There is no excuse for not replying to emails. Period.

Or screwing up so much in the first place.

 

Whatever. If it really matters to you, then be part of the solution. If you buy enough stuff for them to care, then vote with your dollars. Or contact them and tell them how badly they are failing. Or you can just keep impotently raging on an internet message board. Let me know how that works out for you. (thumbs u

[seanfingh]

Sean, as long as I've been on this forum, people have been complaining about c-link's customer service, so this isn't a new phenomenon brought on by their recent growth.

 

 

Yeah, but this whole not responding to emails thing is relatively new. Even though I am a very small fish, Tomis has, previously, always been pretty quick to respond. It seems like it might be getting a lot worse as a result of another round of growth.

[hockey&comicsguy]

Yeah but i already spoke to them, how much more can i do, i have sent them probably 4 e-mails since calling them and sorting out the payment and yet they cant be bothered to spend the one minute it will take to update their bloody system to the fact that i should not be receiving their damn e-mails telling me to checkout.

 

CUSTOMER SERVICE, CUSTOMER SERVICE..their is no excuse

 

I'm sorry but when did it become my job to chase them to sort out something that they have been informed about ?

 

I'm not saying it is your job. And your situation sounds exponentially worse than most folks.

 

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Josh saying a book I sold in the May auction was not in their possession. I emailed them back to say WTF, it sure is in your possession. No response from Tomis or Josh via email. A couple of days later I called Tomis, he looked around the office or wherever he was sitting and spotted the book, said he didn't know how the error happened. No biggie, mystery solved. I had bought some books in the May auction and asked him to send them and use my seller credit as payment. He said fine. I didn't even bother to ask about my check for the balance of my seller credit. 3 days later my books are in my possession, 2 days after that my check.

 

So yeah, it took a little bit of work for me to get what I wanted. But they provide a service that provides me with books that I want and in the grand scheme of things I am not bothered so easily by an unanswered email or an unreturned phone call.

 

They should make customer service a top priority. If they're treating you like krap, take your money elsewhere.

[hockey&comicsguy]

 

They have money, probably made more year on year for the last 5 years, so why not spend some of it on more staff and improving services, GREED and complacency that's why. This whilst their communications has gotten worse, year on year for the last 5 years (imho).

 

 

Let's be clear that there's no factual information in your post. You're guessing.

 

I don't know how many people they have on staff. I haven't had a look at their books. I don't know how much money they have. Running a multi-million dollar steel foundry, servicing customers that do hundreds of millions of dollars per year in business I can tell you that not everybody has money these days. Alot of businesses are hurting. Alot of buyers aren't holding extra inventory or making capital expenditures and 100% of them aren't adding staff right now. I don't know why Comic Link would be any different. Like I said, haven't seen their books. Don't know if they are understaffed or not. Don't know if they can handle the added payroll, added benefits. There's alot I don't know and can't assume about their business.

 

But, they provide me with an opportunity to secure books that I want. They provide me with a venue to sell my books for profit. And in the end, the customer service short comings, albeit a nuisance at times, aren't that big a deal to me when I realize I can still pick up a telephone and resolve everything.

[hockey&comicsguy]

They did the same (or similar) thing to me three times. In all instances I paid within hours of the end of the auction, the card was charged, and I waited...and waited....and then got their charming email accusing me of not paying.

 

It took 2 emails from me for them to get it straight.

 

 

What's with the stiff defensive posture from some folks? I think those emails are automated. I don't believe Tomis is sitting at his keyboard with a scowl on his face, writing this "accusatory" email that you are a deadbeat.

 

Comic Link should do a better job of answering their emails.

 

People need to chillax.

 

Stiff defensive posture???

 

You're kidding right?

 

If you appreciate paying promptly, not getting the merchandise for weeks AND THEN being accused of not paying, have at it....

 

Oh, yes...multiple times.

 

 

Sounds like you need to have a serious phone conversation with Josh or Tomis. Or have you already had that conversation? If you have had that conversation and they're still screwing you over. Then who's fault is that? If you haven't gotten them on the phone, I suggest you call them. My experience has shown that they will try to make it right.

[hockey&comicsguy]

Wow. There is a tremendous amount of latent aggression in this thread. Obviously, C-Link is undergoing some growing pains. I, too, have experienced problems with C-Link not answering emails, but when Tomis finally called me it all got cleared up. Plus, at the end of the day, it was the fact that my CC had expired and been reissued that caused the problem. It seems that some of the posters in this thread are not thinking about the fact that there most likely are some slow pay clients and also issues such as expired CCs.

 

From some of these responses, some posters apparently believe that changing protocols, making technological advances, and keeping up with rapid growth are easy for small businesses. I can assure you they are not. If you don't like the speed with which C-Link is keeping up with their explosive growth, let them know with your wallet, or give them a call. I wouldn't suggest an email, though.

 

You know i would be in agreement with you if they were truly a smallish company, and not one that probably took $600,000 or more in commission, over the last year from all their sales. Are you really trying to say that they couldn't be spending some of that funds on extra staff or better systems ? C'mon man, please dont excuse them for their deficiencies, especially not when they have been pointed out time after time over long periods of time.

 

Having built up 4 companies over my years in business and getting them well past the point that Comiclink is at, at the moment, let me tell you that the first few years are the hardest where you are building up your reputation and cash flow is at an all time low. Cash can sort out these problems, you just need to spend it and not hoard it. Evolve and re-invest funds in your business, something that from their lack of improvement to their website alone, has not been the case with Comiclink.

 

I'm with sean in saying that your idea of what constitutes a small company is vastly different from mine.

[seanfingh]

Alot of businesses are hurting. Alot of buyers aren't holding extra inventory or making capital expenditures and 100% of them aren't adding staff right now. I don't know why Comic Link would be any different. Like I said, haven't seen their books. Don't know if they are understaffed or not. Don't know if they can handle the added payroll, added benefits. There's alot I don't know and can't assume about their business.

 

But, they provide me with an opportunity to secure books that I want. They provide me with a venue to sell my books for profit. And in the end, the customer service short comings, albeit a nuisance at times, aren't that big a deal to me when I realize I can still pick up a telephone and resolve everything.

 

Hush your mouth! You're letting logic, reason, and an understanding of the current business climate to cloud a perfectly good rant.

[Vtcomics]

Having dealt with Josh since 1996, I think this is clearly a situation where they are undergoing some major growing pains. Except for a lost book that was Delivery Confirmed at their address, I have had ZERO problems with the Link. Clearly they need to address the customer service issues; I agree on that. And the website could use some snappy updates. I'm confident Josh will fix these things; he's not so arrogant that he wouldn't realize the implications if he didn't address them.

 

 

[Beau]

My initial post was a visceral reaction to watching all the little Nikita Khrushchevs furiously banging their virtual shoes . . .

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

The phone has become as obsolete as the telegraph. If I had the choice, I wouldnt even pay for a commercial phone line anymore. Evolve or die. What's more annoying as a retailer or any business owner: listening to clients ''female dog'' and moan in your ear or reading an email and sending off a ''Not to worry, we will take care of everything''. It just boggles the mind...

 

I MUCH prefer talking to customers in person. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast".....well so does sweet talking. I pride myself on being able to talk a customer down from the ledge.

 

Can't do that in e-mail nearly as well.

 

(thumbs u

[dikran]

They wouldn't have to talk us off a ledge if they just replied to emails...