Mound City Collection One of the Greatest Silver Age Finds of the Century

[skypinkblu]

I would think that the some of shipping/handling employee charges would be figured into the percentage the auction house was getting for their services. This is why Heritage and Comic Link, etc...charge a pretty much flat rate. The fact that the auction house did not make ADEQUATE plans to cover packing before hand, would not be the bidder's problem, it's a problem the AUCTION house needs to cover.

 

I looked at the auction, seriously...but did not bid because we were away. I also don't like leaving my credit card number, so that turned me off bidding early...However, the fact that these numbers were GIVEN to a third party...is very disturbing.... and now it looks like some were given to TWO third parties.

 

It would seem that a reasonable solution would to just make all the bidders whole. You don't need to ship for "free" but you do need to go look at what other houses charge, figure out a reasonable tier and then refund anyone who was charged more.

 

I don't like the noose images either...but I would like to see you correct your errors, you used this forum to drum up sales, now you need to repair your reputation here as a fair and honest business person..which I'm sure you are...but you need to do something to

solve this, even if some of it comes from your own profits. It is a cost of doing business properly.

[etanick]

If you bought $5,000 in books and the shipping cost was on the box, what do you deem a fair amount for packing and handling, as well as profit?

 

isn't handling profit? so you still think your old shipper deserved a profit on top of the handling fee?

 

[Boozad]

I would think that the some of shipping/handling employee charges would be figured into the percentage the auction house was getting for their services. This is why Heritage and Comic Link, etc...charge a pretty much flat rate. The fact that the auction house did not make ADEQUATE plans to cover packing before hand, would not be the bidder's problem, it's a problem the AUCTION house needs to cover.

 

I looked at the auction, seriously...but did not bid because we were away. I also don't like leaving my credit card number, so that turned me off bidding early...However, the fact that these numbers were GIVEN to a third party...is very disturbing.... and now it looks like some were given to TWO third parties.

 

It would seem that a reasonable solution would to just make all the bidders whole. You don't need to ship for "free" but you do need to go look at what other houses charge, figure out a reasonable tier and then refund anyone who was charged more.

 

I don't like the noose images either...but I would like to see you correct your errors, you used this forum to drum up sales, now you need to repair your reputation here as a fair and honest business person..which I'm sure you are...but you need to do something to

solve this, even if some of it comes from your own profits. It is a cost of doing business properly.

 

[Foolkiller]

I would think that the some of shipping/handling employee charges would be figured into the percentage the auction house was getting for their services. This is why Heritage and Comic Link, etc...charge a pretty much flat rate. The fact that the auction house did not make ADEQUATE plans to cover packing before hand, would not be the bidder's problem, it's a problem the AUCTION house needs to cover.

 

I looked at the auction, seriously...but did not bid because we were away. I also don't like leaving my credit card number, so that turned me off bidding early...However, the fact that these numbers were GIVEN to a third party...is very disturbing.... and now it looks like some were given to TWO third parties.

 

It would seem that a reasonable solution would to just make all the bidders whole. You don't need to ship for "free" but you do need to go look at what other houses charge, figure out a reasonable tier and then refund anyone who was charged more.

 

I don't like the noose images either...but I would like to see you correct your errors, you used this forum to drum up sales, now you need to repair your reputation here as a fair and honest business person..which I'm sure you are...but you need to do something to

solve this, even if some of it comes from your own profits. It is a cost of doing business properly.

 

 

AMEN. Perhaps if enough people say this extremely simple message, they will get it.

 

So far, a lot of b.s. and talk, not a lot of action. Give full restitution and refunds. You screwed up. And the fix is not nearly as complicated or convoluted as you make it sound.

[comicalgems]

 

 

 

LOST BOOKS?????????

I hope this is not idicitave of the board. Boy this looks like a threat. I don't think it is called for. Deep breaths folks, deep breaths. I am not off playing craps or poker while Rome burns. I went to an NAA school, a school I had scheduled before any problems with shipping surfaced.

 

I have been talking with freinds tonight, folks I met over 7 or so years ago. People I met by selling them an item on eBay. We are great freinds now and I trust their advise. I asked them to give me their ideas on the subject. They buy a lot of stuff on-line, and are both solid people. They suggested I go ahead and refund the money to your credit cards. I think they are right. What I would like for you to do is help me help you. I need to figure out what is a fair amount to refund. I will not be shipping for free, but there has to be a way to figure this out

 

I see it like this, the first shipper obviously dropped the ball. I did all I could to get the situation fixed, including going down there and removing books he had not shipped yet and getting the new guy up to speed. I would like the group to tell me what fair shipping costs for 10 books (or under) same box, same bubbles, same label same peanuts for 1 or 10 books correct? I think most of the complaints have come about the Packaging Store, is this correct?

OK, lets sum up

I picked a shipper to speed things along, I used a guy that had shipped for me for years.

He was overloaded by the work, and charged more than seems fair.

I removed the books and fired him,

I got a new shipper,

I want the groups input on a fair price to ship 10 books, insurance is of course a factor, a $100 item does not ship for the same thing as a $1000 item or a $10,000 item or a $100,000 item. Let me put it this way, lets say a books went for over $1,000 the shipper is going to have to ship it 2nd day or overnight or his insurance is not going to cover him. Ground shipment is not an option.

If you bought $5,000 in books and the shipping cost was on the box, what do you deem a fair amount for packing and handling, as well as profit?

 

Not a threat. I was jokingly illustrating the mob mentality that is forming here and figured I would beat someone to the punch by posting a few pictures instead of them writing an essay on why it's wrong to misplace books. I've already received my book and I'm content to pay the amount I was charged as it's only $3 more than USPS Priority-Insured would have cost.

 

Good luck sorting this out, I'm glad you're working with people and trying to salvage your image.

[faster friends]

Just another example... I shipped a $3000 Book in the US, Registered mail, in a USPS priority box. It cost me $26

[Timmay]

So I'd say handling charge should be $10 to $12 max. Still seems high, but I would consider it reasonable. It could also be a little less for one or two books, and more for even larger numbers of books.

 

That would be very reasonable.

 

 

[MoundCityAuctions]

 

 

 

LOST BOOKS?????????

I hope this is not idicitave of the board. Boy this looks like a threat. I don't think it is called for. Deep breaths folks, deep breaths. I am not off playing craps or poker while Rome burns. I went to an NAA school, a school I had scheduled before any problems with shipping surfaced.

 

I have been talking with freinds tonight, folks I met over 7 or so years ago. People I met by selling them an item on eBay. We are great freinds now and I trust their advise. I asked them to give me their ideas on the subject. They buy a lot of stuff on-line, and are both solid people. They suggested I go ahead and refund the money to your credit cards. I think they are right. What I would like for you to do is help me help you. I need to figure out what is a fair amount to refund. I will not be shipping for free, but there has to be a way to figure this out

 

I see it like this, the first shipper obviously dropped the ball. I did all I could to get the situation fixed, including going down there and removing books he had not shipped yet and getting the new guy up to speed. I would like the group to tell me what fair shipping costs for 10 books (or under) same box, same bubbles, same label same peanuts for 1 or 10 books correct? I think most of the complaints have come about the Packaging Store, is this correct?

OK, lets sum up

I picked a shipper to speed things along, I used a guy that had shipped for me for years.

He was overloaded by the work, and charged more than seems fair.

I removed the books and fired him,

I got a new shipper,

I want the groups input on a fair price to ship 10 books, insurance is of course a factor, a $100 item does not ship for the same thing as a $1000 item or a $10,000 item or a $100,000 item. Let me put it this way, lets say a books went for over $1,000 the shipper is going to have to ship it 2nd day or overnight or his insurance is not going to cover him. Ground shipment is not an option.

If you bought $5,000 in books and the shipping cost was on the box, what do you deem a fair amount for packing and handling, as well as profit?

 

Hi Rob,

 

No dog in this fight, as I did not participate in the auction. But to lend a bit of perspective, I just paid for 2000 dollars of books from ComicLink and shipping was $20. (I believe it was 8 books.) So if you want to use that as a model, that may be a starting point. I can tell you, if I was told shipping was $50 or even a $100 prior to the auction, I would have told them to stick it. I don't see any problem with you charging whatever you want for shipping, as long as you tell the buyers BEFORE they bid, so that they can make an informed decision, but these preposterous shipping charges out of the blue are flat out not right. I'm glad you're doing something about it.

 

ML

Thanks, we are taking a 5 hour drive from New Mexico to Pagosa Springs today. It is in the mountians a lot of the way. I will be in and out of coverage. I am reading the groups ideas. It is helping me to decide what to do. Brent, your $20 you spoke of would have been agumented by the insurance idea you sent in a PM to me, but did it include any cost for help? It seems way low to me, did you factor into that price the cost of the insurance?

 

By the way.

We will offer free shipping in our NEXT auction of comics. I hate all the trouble this guy caused me and you.

Now please note I said next auction. We are not doing free shipping in the last auction. We are just trying to come up with fair solutions for everyone.

[G.A.tor]

folks, the bottom line is the auctioneers opened the winners up to this shipping fiasco based on their decisions and lack of exploratory due diligence concerning shipping (cost, times, etc) and in most everyone's opinion, they should fix with "cash" refunds (as many have mentioned, the probability of an auction like this ever passing through their hands again is slim to none,so future credits are likely worthless )

 

this is just my opinion... I hate to see folks get ripped off, so it is just a matter of principle to me...

[awe4one]

[by the way.

We will offer free shipping in our NEXT auction of comics. I hate all the trouble this guy caused me and you.

Now please note I said next auction. We are not doing free shipping in the last auction. We are just trying to come up with fair solutions for everyone.

 

Do you have a NEXT collection of the same quality in hand? If not, this is a false premise.

 

Deal with the situation as it exists now and rectify the situation and, maybe, you'll have bidders at your "NEXT" comics auction. Because all you're promising now is rebates at a mythical auction that no one really cares about or is willing to pony money to based on this auction...

 

Jim

[Count]

I recently shipped 86 slabs in 5 boxes via priority mail insured. They weigh close to 100 lbs and are insured for 13k+. The total cost to ship? About $290 for 86 slabs.

 

Here is a receipt with the breakout for each box which contained about 15-20 slabs.

 

[etanick]

amen...restitution is not about dangling a carrot for a future purchase. It is like buying a lemon of a car and you can't return it but the dealer promised to give you a discount if you buy another car.

 

Rob,

 

please don't take it personally but I went to business school so I understand how to run a business and I have always encouraged many people I met over the years that want to be their own bosses to take some courses. Sure many of what I learned in MBA was common sense but it gave me an understanding on how to run a business, how to size up competitors, how to improve what others did and how to compete. Your operation is a mom and pop operation that has a chance to move out of the bottom floor but you need some business senses. You want million dollar auctions in comic books (assuming you can get the books) a few times a year, start acting like you understand on how to put the customers that paid you at the same level as the people that consigned the books to you. Without both sides, you have nothing.

 

the $40k that were spent to slabbed those books for the auctions, who paid them? who drove down to drop off and pick them up? surely, if you are willing to spend that money and time to ensure higher prices for the auctions and more commission for you later....you can't be sitting here, saying I am not eating $15k in shipping cost. You need to evaluate what you have done from the start of getting those books and then what you did for us, the buyers since 11/2. It is no doubt you treated us with much less attention and care.

 

Lastly, please don't plan any trips until every books is shipped when and if you ever have another auction. Again, not to harp on common business senses, get some and get them quickly.

[Sal]

I would think that the some of shipping/handling employee charges would be figured into the percentage the auction house was getting for their services. This is why Heritage and Comic Link, etc...charge a pretty much flat rate. The fact that the auction house did not make ADEQUATE plans to cover packing before hand, would not be the bidder's problem, it's a problem the AUCTION house needs to cover.

 

 

Here is the deal.

 

You guys at MC keep acting as though you think the auction is one thing, and the shipping something else entirely.

 

IT'S NOT.

 

Shipping items "won" at auction is a cost of the auction itself, and should have been factored in at the very beginning. Costs should have been made clear up front, on a per-book/per-slab basis, and some of the price of shipping should have been built into MC's cost/profit ratios. The fact that you did not do this and chose to use your own models based on non-comic auctions is not something you should hang on your customers.

 

This is how every other comic related auction is run. This is what customers expect. Quite frankly, the lack of communication by MC at the outset regarding shipping should have kept a lot of people away but I suspect many thought that you were going to follow the proven models used by the other auction houses.

 

 

That you did not, and that you considered shipping to be something for the individual buyers to deal with after the auction is ridiculous. I do appreciate your willingness to make people whole with CC refunds however, and hope that you guys have learned from this whole process

[MoundCityAuctions]

[by the way.

We will offer free shipping in our NEXT auction of comics. I hate all the trouble this guy caused me and you.

Now please note I said next auction. We are not doing free shipping in the last auction. We are just trying to come up with fair solutions for everyone.

 

Do you have a NEXT collection of the same quality in hand? If not, this is a false premise.

 

Deal with the situation as it exists now and rectify the situation and, maybe, you'll have bidders at your "NEXT" comics auction. Because all you're promising now is rebates at a mythical auction that no one really cares about or is willing to pony money to based on this auction...

Jim

Jim,

 

I said "They suggested I go ahead and refund the money to your credit cards. I think they are right." We have agreed to refund into peoples credit cards, why are you still acting like we did not say that?

 

Did you even bid in our auction?

I will be emailing all of our bidders today to get their imput so we will know what they paid for shipping so we can proceed. I will not be posting here for a while so I can deal with bidders, who feel they were overcharged.

[Aman619]

simplest solution now is for collecting the usual shipping prices charged by Comiclink, Heritage etc. build a database and settle on a useful avg price in the industry for boxes of books. 1 book; 2bks, 3, 5, 10, 20, etc. Round numbers.

 

Then since MC is willing to chip in tp lower the prices and solve this issue, use this one price list to calculate rebates to every shipper who requests on. (or MC does the math and sends Xmas bonus checks to EVERYONE who overpaid (even better).

 

MC would spend a few grand... and probably get most of that back from his usual shippers huge profit in return for giving him future business after messing this up so badly.

 

problem solved. Everyone reasonably happy. Lets get some numbers together.

[sd2416]

 

 

 

LOST BOOKS?????????

I hope this is not idicitave of the board. Boy this looks like a threat. I don't think it is called for. Deep breaths folks, deep breaths. I am not off playing craps or poker while Rome burns. I went to an NAA school, a school I had scheduled before any problems with shipping surfaced.

 

I have been talking with freinds tonight, folks I met over 7 or so years ago. People I met by selling them an item on eBay. We are great freinds now and I trust their advise. I asked them to give me their ideas on the subject. They buy a lot of stuff on-line, and are both solid people. They suggested I go ahead and refund the money to your credit cards. I think they are right. What I would like for you to do is help me help you. I need to figure out what is a fair amount to refund. I will not be shipping for free, but there has to be a way to figure this out

 

I see it like this, the first shipper obviously dropped the ball. I did all I could to get the situation fixed, including going down there and removing books he had not shipped yet and getting the new guy up to speed. I would like the group to tell me what fair shipping costs for 10 books (or under) same box, same bubbles, same label same peanuts for 1 or 10 books correct? I think most of the complaints have come about the Packaging Store, is this correct?

OK, lets sum up

I picked a shipper to speed things along, I used a guy that had shipped for me for years.

He was overloaded by the work, and charged more than seems fair.

I removed the books and fired him,

I got a new shipper,

I want the groups input on a fair price to ship 10 books, insurance is of course a factor, a $100 item does not ship for the same thing as a $1000 item or a $10,000 item or a $100,000 item. Let me put it this way, lets say a books went for over $1,000 the shipper is going to have to ship it 2nd day or overnight or his insurance is not going to cover him. Ground shipment is not an option.

If you bought $5,000 in books and the shipping cost was on the box, what do you deem a fair amount for packing and handling, as well as profit?

 

Hi Rob,

 

No dog in this fight, as I did not participate in the auction. But to lend a bit of perspective, I just paid for 2000 dollars of books from ComicLink and shipping was $20. (I believe it was 8 books.) So if you want to use that as a model, that may be a starting point. I can tell you, if I was told shipping was $50 or even a $100 prior to the auction, I would have told them to stick it. I don't see any problem with you charging whatever you want for shipping, as long as you tell the buyers BEFORE they bid, so that they can make an informed decision, but these preposterous shipping charges out of the blue are flat out not right. I'm glad you're doing something about it.

 

ML

Thanks, we are taking a 5 hour drive from New Mexico to Pagosa Springs today. It is in the mountians a lot of the way. I will be in and out of coverage. I am reading the groups ideas. It is helping me to decide what to do. Brent, your $20 you spoke of would have been agumented by the insurance idea you sent in a PM to me, but did it include any cost for help? It seems way low to me, did you factor into that price the cost of the insurance?

 

By the way.

We will offer free shipping in our NEXT auction of comics. I hate all the trouble this guy caused me and you.

Now please note I said next auction. We are not doing free shipping in the last auction. We are just trying to come up with fair solutions for everyone.

 

 

I doubt you have many return customers after this fiasco. You would be better off eating the charges now instead of trying to coherse the buyers into another one of your auctions with free shipping. Either way, you are going to eat shipping charges, so why not make it right on this go around?

[paperheart]

cost of 4 books: $888

cost of shipping 4 books: $49

reading this thread: priceless

 

[MoundCityAuctions]

I think maybe you missed it a bit earlier when Classic stated that we ARE going to refund portions of people's shipping fees to their credit cards. And are you seriously complaining that we are going to have free shipping at the next comic auction? Seriously?

 

We will be doing more of these in the future - after the last sale we had enormous media coverage, and there have been plenty of people who have been calling and emailing us, wishing to consign some very attractive books to future sales. I haven't been mentioning them on here because of the complaints about this thread being used for advertising purposes.

 

I also wanted to mention that the issue with FlyingDonut has been resolved - I was the one who spoke with him on Dec. 2nd - he misunderstood what I was telling him, there was a miscommunication - part of which was my fault. I sent him a pm yesterday, as well as left him a voicemail. He responded back, and was satisfied with the solution I came up with for his problem.

 

While Classic is weaving his way in and out of telecommunications range in the southern portions of Colorado, I'm here in St. Louis, trying to get the 13 or so people who still haven't even bothered to pay for the items they won to answer the phone and make good on their auction payments - I mention this because the issues with this auction, with any auction usually aren't as black and white as some of you seem to view them as.

 

Trust me when I say that we are working to resolve these issues. I'm sorry its taking so long to get everything fixed.

 

Rob "Don't throw bricks at my head just yet" Lite

[Boozad]

Did you even bid in our auction?

I will be emailing all of our bidders today to get their imput so we will know what they paid for shipping so we can proceed. I will not be posting here for a while so I can deal with bidders, who feel they were overcharged.

 

Doesn't matter if he bid or not, this is a public forum.

 

And I fixed your post for you.

 

I seriously hope people are made whole for a decent ending to this mess.

[thirdgreenham]

I'll be honest. I liked the auction, and how it was run. I bought some books and was pleased with the online bidding. MCA listened to people's suggestions before the auction and made adjustments. The shipping and handling of the books after the auction was a mess and they are dealing with that now. I think they really are listening to us and they are constantly changing their stance to make us happy. For this, I give them (thumbs u . If they do have future comic book auctions, I would be interested to see what is offered, so I will check it out. Some of you have a bitter taste in your mouth, and I can see why. But to be honest, they really are trying to work with us and that means a lot to me.

 

Looking forward to being contacted by MCA to figure out a fair resolution to the overcharge on shipping.

 

Thanks for listening everybody.

 

Andy