Posting here

[VintageComics]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

[Jeffro.]

Two threads, hours and hours of typing, and hundreds of thousands of words devoted to a $1 comic that someone didn't get. A. ONE. DOLLAR. COMIC.

 

Get a grip.

 

not the dollar value.

 

 

Of course it is. Some things are worth the trouble, some aren't. This falls squarely in the latter category.

 

Do you call the police when a coworker takes a quarter off of your desk for the vending machine? Endlessly whine and moan when someone grabs a beer without asking at a party you are having? It's the principle of the thing after all, right? Technically right is just that, "technically". Most people have the good sense to have a "who cares" threshold....or not.

 

And as long as we can't see the other side and we can't empathize over what someone else thinks is important, then we will continue to have 126+ page threads that devolve into nonsense and name calling after about 35 pages.

 

I regret my actions in that thread and I'm taking steps to make sure I don't go down that road again. At the risk of sounding like a pompous , we can all learn a lesson from that.

[aunt agatha-migration]

The way mycomicshop is treating this customer has landed them a place on my "do not buy from" list.

[bababooey]

 

I recognize Conan's POV. They strictly adhere to established policy.

 

 

I like lonestar, but this is frankly BS. I run a multi-million dollar business for a major corporation and I concede dollars all the time.

 

This is not seeing the forest for the trees. Policy exists so that people don't do crazy things. Empowered people have the right to violate it if they think it is the right thing.

 

That Conan can't convince his father to spend $1.50 to make it right or frankly isn't just empowered to give the credit doesn't make a lick of sense.

 

I've also watched companies waste thousands of dollars of time over $1. Like what's happened here.

As a responsible business person - how many times do you feel a client should be made aware of a policy before you enforce it?

 

Policy read it when ordering.

Agreed to it when accepting credit.

Written notice of policy.

Written notice of policy.

Posted policy on CGC boards in response.

 

& yesterday the customer posts that MCS can still make it up to them.

[BrianR]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

 

I know.

 

 

I bought off them once and only once due to the overgrading. I passed it off as a bad ebay transaction and never left feedback; this was back before I knew Conan posted on the boards. My brother has also bought books that were overgraded, he posts on here as well. I'm not sure he bothered to leave negs either.

 

I find I like buying dealers with quality over mass quanity like yourself. I tend to be a lot more satisfied with my purchases

 

I'm sure their great guys as they have a fan base on here and they fill a niche in the market. You get what you pay for and when you buy from a bulk comic business.

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

Exactly. Taking a stand against refunding an irritated customer five dollars might have cost them an unknown amount in the long run. How many people will avoid mycomicshop in the future? Hard to tell because there are so many silent, passive aggressive consumers out there that will simply avoid them instead of making a huge ruckus online about it.

 

The problem is that most retailers aren't smart enough in the areas of customer service to recognize this, and that they have enough current income floating in that they don't consider their image. Sure, mycomicshop has more pleased customers than pissed off ones - but being inattentive to your customer's problems, quick with excuses, and blaming them for venting about it eventually catches up to you.

 

I have purchased from them several times, without issue. However, I am a passive aggressive consumer, and will probably stay away in the future - only because I have read first hand how they are rigid and unwilling to go outside of policy in certain circumstances. As a consumer, I want to believe that the place I do business with will take care of my problems and treat me like a valued customer when problems arise. I don't get that from mycomicshop's response.

[MediumLover]

Customers book does not get shipped, Customer finds missing book on businesses web site, The business , after having this error brought to their attention,ships the book to customer, at no charge,

[MediumLover]

[VintageComics]

Two threads, hours and hours of typing, and hundreds of thousands of words devoted to a $1 comic that someone didn't get. A. ONE. DOLLAR. COMIC.

 

Get a grip.

 

not the dollar value.

 

 

Of course it is. Some things are worth the trouble, some aren't. This falls squarely in the latter category.

 

Do you call the police when a coworker takes a quarter off of your desk for the vending machine? Endlessly whine and moan when someone grabs a beer without asking at a party you are having? It's the principle of the thing after all, right? Technically right is just that, "technically". Most people have the good sense to have a "who cares" threshold....or not.

 

Of course, this is an internet chat forum and most people on here have time to burn so this is where everything gets dissected.

 

And the knife cuts both ways...whenever there is a side A vs. a side B, some people will never deal with side A again and some people will never deal with side B again after a discussion like this.

 

It's just politics on a comic book chat forum. Never going to be a solution.

 

It's definitely not Peace On Earth. God this was a great album.

 

 

[Jeffro.]

Customers book does not get shipped, Customer finds missing book on businesses web site, The business , after having this error brought to their attention,ships the book to customer, at no charge,

 

Seems pretty simple doesn't it?

[bababooey]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

The problem is that there are those who exploit knowledge of the bold point above. Maybe MCS can afford it, they are a big fish, you have a smaller operation & can't afford it.

 

I'm sure you've likely had customers with unreasonably high expectations but putting a gun to the merchants head over a minor issue is something you as a seller should not publicly support, in my opinion. It appears you support RMA's position since your smaller scale problems are within your control.

 

What happens to your opinion of this when your feedback is held hostage by a buyer who takes advantage of the less than stellar rules of ebay & plays games to put you on public display?

 

[Transplant]

Two threads, hours and hours of typing, and hundreds of thousands of words devoted to a $1 comic that someone didn't get. A. ONE. DOLLAR. COMIC.

 

Get a grip.

 

not the dollar value.

 

 

Of course it is. Some things are worth the trouble, some aren't. This falls squarely in the latter category.

 

Do you call the police when a coworker takes a quarter off of your desk for the vending machine? Endlessly whine and moan when someone grabs a beer without asking at a party you are having? It's the principle of the thing after all, right? Technically right is just that, "technically". Most people have the good sense to have a "who cares" threshold....or not.

Once again, Andy is the voice of reason in a roomful of teeth gnashing. Do I get mad at the dollar comic guy if he doesn't proactively disclose a tear on page 22? No. Do I think it was stupid not to just eat the shipping cost here since it was MCS' mistake? Yes. But I'm not going to post a thread about it.

 

Allow me to direct everyone now to the "Let's Paypal RMA $1.20" thread. Hopefully, with everyone's help, we can make a difference in a young man's life.

[comix4fun]

Two threads, hours and hours of typing, and hundreds of thousands of words devoted to a $1 comic that someone didn't get. A. ONE. DOLLAR. COMIC.

 

Get a grip.

 

not the dollar value.

 

 

Of course it is. Some things are worth the trouble, some aren't. This falls squarely in the latter category.

 

Do you call the police when a coworker takes a quarter off of your desk for the vending machine? Endlessly whine and moan when someone grabs a beer without asking at a party you are having? It's the principle of the thing after all, right? Technically right is just that, "technically". Most people have the good sense to have a "who cares" threshold....or not.

 

 

 

Oddly enough, you just made your argument on BEHALF of RMA.

 

The seller is standing on/hiding behind a technicality in their, self-created, selling terms.

 

The principle of the thing would be: make a mistake, make up for it, send the wrong book, send the right book, buyer didn't mess up, don't charge him for the fix up.

 

Any business, that wants to stay in business, knows the value of silencing vocal critics and doing a cost-benefit analysis on the possible paths to resolution.

 

Standing on technicalities is what the seller did here. How much easier would it have been to stick the comic in a mailer, pay the buck-fitty out of pocket and never hear another word about this?

 

 

[Senormac]

What about the character of the people involved here? From what I have read over my short time here, RMA seems to be a wave maker of unparralled proportions .... at least around here. Its been my experience that people like that take that attitude and approach with them in everything they do.

 

I had a man complain to me one time that the meter reader who read his water meater didn't put the metal lid back on the cement collar all the way, and he was ticked off about it. I was thinking, "you insufficiently_thoughtful_person.... what a waste of time and energy complaining about it this much. Just fix the damn thing. It would take one tiny kick with your toe to knock it back into its proper place" Theres people like this all over the place. When I recognize em..... I try to stay away.

 

Conan has been nothing but cordial around here, that I can see

 

 

[comix4fun]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

 

 

This.

 

 

Also....Business and PR 101

[comix4fun]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

The problem is that there are those who exploit knowledge of the bold point above. Maybe MCS can afford it, they are a big fish, you have a smaller operation & can't afford it.

 

How small of an operation is it that they CAN'T swing a $1.50 to fix their own error?

 

If someone running a business can't swing $1.50 to fix an internal error, they have far bigger problems than customer service. A return to the Kinko's graveyard shift might be in their future.

 

 

[MediumLover]

What about the character of the people involved here? From what I have read over my short time here, RMA seems to be a wave maker of unparralled proportions .... at least around here. Its been my experience that people like that take that attitude and approach with them in everything they do.

 

I had a man complain to me one time that the meter reader who read his water meater didn't put the metal lid back on the cement collar all the way, and he was ticked off about it. I was thinking, "you insufficiently_thoughtful_person.... what a waste of time and energy complaining about it this much. Just fix the damn thing. It would take one tiny kick with your toe to knock it back into its proper place" Theres people like this all over the place. When I recognize em..... I try to stay away.

 

Conan has been nothing but cordial around here, that I can see

 

As a business, you go put the lid on straight.

 

[MediumLover]

What about the character of the people involved here? From what I have read over my short time here, RMA seems to be a wave maker of unparralled proportions .... at least around here. Its been my experience that people like that take that attitude and approach with them in everything they do.

 

I had a man complain to me one time that the meter reader who read his water meater didn't put the metal lid back on the cement collar all the way, and he was ticked off about it. I was thinking, "you insufficiently_thoughtful_person.... what a waste of time and energy complaining about it this much. Just fix the damn thing. It would take one tiny kick with your toe to knock it back into its proper place" Theres people like this all over the place. When I recognize em..... I try to stay away.

 

Conan has been nothing but cordial around here, that I can see

 

As a business, you go put the lid on straight.

Son.

[VintageComics]

I'll just add that I wouldn't make a deal about a small loss. My time is worth more than that to my business, my kids etc but I do understand RMA's position. If you open a crack it eventually gets bigger and that is what he is trying to prevent.

 

(thumbs u

 

And that is what their business model is based on. And probably why you don't see a higher negative count for overgraded books.

 

 

Brain, I understand their business model.

 

As a consumer I can afford to eat a small loss. My time is worth more than a $1.50 comics (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

As a retailer, I can't afford to have negative feedback. My business, if it is long term, is worth a heck of a lot more than $1.50 (or a $5-10 shipping charge).

 

That was what I was trying to get across. Just wanted to clarify.

The problem is that there are those who exploit knowledge of the bold point above. Maybe MCS can afford it, they are a big fish, you have a smaller operation & can't afford it.

 

I'm sure you've likely had customers with unreasonably high expectations but putting a gun to the merchants head over a minor issue is something you as a seller should not publicly support, in my opinion. It appears you support RMA's position since your smaller scale problems are within your control.

 

I was in the automotive service business for 22 years before becoming a comic dealer so I'm not new to service on a large or small scale. I worked for Mercedes Benz Canada for my last 3 years and there was lots of customer service issues to deal with on a micro and a macro level.

 

We did a lot of volume at Benz too. 50+ employees, 10+ technicians, 20-70 cars a day. Plenty of room to screw up. Fortunately, we also had a budget for screw ups and grey areas so that customer service could be as good as possible.

 

Bottom line is that we bent over backwards to meet or exceed customer satisfaction.

 

What happens to your opinion of this when your feedback is held hostage by a buyer who takes advantage of the less than stellar rules of ebay & plays games to put you on public display?

 

In any service industry you are going to have the odd customer use your policies against you. We'd handle them on a case by case basis. Bend over backwards if the mistake was ours, offer a small concession if it wasn't. If the customer was unreasonable, you document everything, deal with the situation the best you could and if necessary black list them.

 

I've seen unreasonable customers walked off the property, heck I had one employer physically pick a customer up by their collar and belt and toss them out into the parking lot when I was younger.

 

I think I understand MCS' business model pretty well and with the sort of volume they do I'd expect a small margin of error and negative feedback (0.3 % is a very small margin).

 

All you can do is write up the best customer service policy you can and deal with the problems on a case by case basis.

 

 

 

[bababooey]

Two threads, hours and hours of typing, and hundreds of thousands of words devoted to a $1 comic that someone didn't get. A. ONE. DOLLAR. COMIC.

 

Get a grip.

 

not the dollar value.

 

 

Of course it is. Some things are worth the trouble, some aren't. This falls squarely in the latter category.

 

Do you call the police when a coworker takes a quarter off of your desk for the vending machine? Endlessly whine and moan when someone grabs a beer without asking at a party you are having? It's the principle of the thing after all, right? Technically right is just that, "technically". Most people have the good sense to have a "who cares" threshold....or not.

 

 

 

Oddly enough, you just made your argument on BEHALF of RMA.

 

The seller is standing on/hiding behind a technicality in their, self-created, selling terms.

 

The principle of the thing would be: make a mistake, make up for it, send the wrong book, send the right book, buyer didn't mess up, don't charge him for the fix up.

 

Any business, that wants to stay in business, knows the value of silencing vocal critics and doing a cost-benefit analysis on the possible paths to resolution.

 

Standing on technicalities is what the seller did here. How much easier would it have been to stick the comic in a mailer, pay the buck-fitty out of pocket and never hear another word about this.

 

I'd wager a policy change from "refund" to "correcting error at no charge" would not pass the cost-benefit statement you've made for their particular business model.

 

If your argument is to only appease the squeaky wheels to avoid travesties such as these then your cost-benefit statement would pass!

 

Is the latter scenario fair to consumers who won't fight for every penny yet benefit from the low costs that are maintained by enforcing this policy?