Harley Yee's Email

[TheLiamSturgess]

I've heard nothing but good things (mostly) about Harley, so my statement above was purely my own perspective, not any 'attack' on Harley.

(thumbs u

[Whizzer]

I think I called him several months ago and left a voicemail. No return phone call. I'm not surprised nor did it bother me.

 

I'll call him again one day...and we'll see what happens.

 

One day I had 45 emails and 13 phone calls regarding my comics, and I responded to every one personally, the same day. Maybe i'm old-fashioned or strange, but that's the way an actual business should be run, IMHO. I don't have that volume every day of course, but if I had 100 emails, i'd respond to all of them ASAP. My 2 cents anyhow.

 

Me too, I just think condemning a trustworthy guy for something which at worst is an idiosyncrasy is a little harsh.

[gaz973]

No it isn't great business practice. Is it harming his business? Probably not. Why?

 

Because he has a well earned reputation in the industry that a few whining nerds on the internet won't harm.

 

It would be great if every business never made a mistake and replied to every email promptly, but when even corporations with whole customer service departments don't respond quickly to customers it may be a little harsh of you to expect a guy on his own (or with a small staff) who we know is jetting around the world selling comics to reply to every email by return.

 

Harley isn't ripping people off or shilling auctions or even being rude to customers, he is doing what all small businesses do; which is spinning a million plates while trying to make an honest living.

 

Is customer service important? Yes, very. Are your expectations of Harley unrealistically high? Yes.

 

A few whining internet nerds ? That's a pretty all encompassing ignorant, statement. Are you typing on a typewriter right now? I guess it is a UK thing. I , as well as a huge number of people on these boards, do a lot of comic buying over the internet and phone. Not responding to calls, emails and having a useless website is unaccepatable nor is it an unrealistic expectation of any business to have good communication. He sells on eBay. He has time to list, accept money and pay his eBay bill. His company has 3 to 4 personnel and does about an estimated million a year in sales ( according to public record.) Bob Storms travels all over the US and goes overseas occasionally. He maintains a website, Ebay business, attends shows and has a full time job. It is only him, yet somehow he responds to all inquiries. There are a myriad of other dealers in the same boat People have been posting for years on this site about Harley's lack of response . It is not just not responding in a timely manner, there are times he never responds. Ever. I have personally experienced it and it is has been a problem for years. It's one of the reasons I do not buy from him, I know there will be no service, especially if there is a problem. Does he work hard? Yes. Does he a have reputation for being an upstanding guy? Yes. Is he losing business because of lack of communication? Absolutely. Maybe he would not have to travel as much if he made more sales online and by phone.

What are you saying is a UK thing and what is its relevance?

 

Harley didn't reply to my email for months, lack of communication bugs me so I don't bother buying from him. No big deal, his choice and his loss. The same happened with Brent from Quality Comix.

 

What the does any of it have to do with being from the UK?

[He11blazer]

No it isn't great business practice. Is it harming his business? Probably not. Why?

 

Because he has a well earned reputation in the industry that a few whining nerds on the internet won't harm.

 

It would be great if every business never made a mistake and replied to every email promptly, but when even corporations with whole customer service departments don't respond quickly to customers it may be a little harsh of you to expect a guy on his own (or with a small staff) who we know is jetting around the world selling comics to reply to every email by return.

 

Harley isn't ripping people off or shilling auctions or even being rude to customers, he is doing what all small businesses do; which is spinning a million plates while trying to make an honest living.

 

Is customer service important? Yes, very. Are your expectations of Harley unrealistically high? Yes.

 

A few whining internet nerds ? That's a pretty all encompassing ignorant, statement. Are you typing on a typewriter right now? I guess it is a UK thing. I , as well as a huge number of people on these boards, do a lot of comic buying over the internet and phone. Not responding to calls, emails and having a useless website is unaccepatable nor is it an unrealistic expectation of any business to have good communication. He sells on eBay. He has time to list, accept money and pay his eBay bill. His company has 3 to 4 personnel and does about an estimated million a year in sales ( according to public record.) Bob Storms travels all over the US and goes overseas occasionally. He maintains a website, Ebay business, attends shows and has a full time job. It is only him, yet somehow he responds to all inquiries. There are a myriad of other dealers in the same boat People have been posting for years on this site about Harley's lack of response . It is not just not responding in a timely manner, there are times he never responds. Ever. I have personally experienced it and it is has been a problem for years. It's one of the reasons I do not buy from him, I know there will be no service, especially if there is a problem. Does he work hard? Yes. Does he a have reputation for being an upstanding guy? Yes. Is he losing business because of lack of communication? Absolutely. Maybe he would not have to travel as much if he made more sales online and by phone.

What are you saying is a UK thing and what is its relevance?

 

Harley didn't reply to my email for months, lack of communication bugs me so I don't bother buying from him. No big deal, his choice and his loss. The same happened with Brent from Quality Comix.

 

What the does any of it have to do with being from the UK?

 

Allow me to translate. Tomega mistook the phrase 'a few whining internet nerds' to imply that internet nerds are a minority, what with the internet being such a new fangled contraption. He then proposed that this may be the norm in the UK, it being a backward backwater peopled by luddites.

 

Still, if I could use a typewriter to post on here, that would be cool. I learned on a mechanical and I miss the rapid thwack of the typebars.

[Whizzer]

I'm also struggling to understand how 'FEW' is all encompassing but whatever.

[gaz973]

No it isn't great business practice. Is it harming his business? Probably not. Why?

 

Because he has a well earned reputation in the industry that a few whining nerds on the internet won't harm.

 

It would be great if every business never made a mistake and replied to every email promptly, but when even corporations with whole customer service departments don't respond quickly to customers it may be a little harsh of you to expect a guy on his own (or with a small staff) who we know is jetting around the world selling comics to reply to every email by return.

 

Harley isn't ripping people off or shilling auctions or even being rude to customers, he is doing what all small businesses do; which is spinning a million plates while trying to make an honest living.

 

Is customer service important? Yes, very. Are your expectations of Harley unrealistically high? Yes.

 

A few whining internet nerds ? That's a pretty all encompassing ignorant, statement. Are you typing on a typewriter right now? I guess it is a UK thing. I , as well as a huge number of people on these boards, do a lot of comic buying over the internet and phone. Not responding to calls, emails and having a useless website is unaccepatable nor is it an unrealistic expectation of any business to have good communication. He sells on eBay. He has time to list, accept money and pay his eBay bill. His company has 3 to 4 personnel and does about an estimated million a year in sales ( according to public record.) Bob Storms travels all over the US and goes overseas occasionally. He maintains a website, Ebay business, attends shows and has a full time job. It is only him, yet somehow he responds to all inquiries. There are a myriad of other dealers in the same boat People have been posting for years on this site about Harley's lack of response . It is not just not responding in a timely manner, there are times he never responds. Ever. I have personally experienced it and it is has been a problem for years. It's one of the reasons I do not buy from him, I know there will be no service, especially if there is a problem. Does he work hard? Yes. Does he a have reputation for being an upstanding guy? Yes. Is he losing business because of lack of communication? Absolutely. Maybe he would not have to travel as much if he made more sales online and by phone.

What are you saying is a UK thing and what is its relevance?

 

Harley didn't reply to my email for months, lack of communication bugs me so I don't bother buying from him. No big deal, his choice and his loss. The same happened with Brent from Quality Comix.

 

What the does any of it have to do with being from the UK?

 

Allow me to translate. Tomega mistook the phrase 'a few whining internet nerds' to imply that internet nerds are a minority, what with the internet being such a new fangled contraption. He then proposed that this may be the norm in the UK, it being a backward backwater peopled by luddites.

 

Still, if I could use a typewriter to post on here, that would be cool. I learned on a mechanical and I miss the rapid thwack of the typebars.

 

Good grief.

 

Thanks for the translation.

[Whizzer]

No it isn't great business practice. Is it harming his business? Probably not. Why?

 

Because he has a well earned reputation in the industry that a few whining nerds on the internet won't harm.

 

It would be great if every business never made a mistake and replied to every email promptly, but when even corporations with whole customer service departments don't respond quickly to customers it may be a little harsh of you to expect a guy on his own (or with a small staff) who we know is jetting around the world selling comics to reply to every email by return.

 

Harley isn't ripping people off or shilling auctions or even being rude to customers, he is doing what all small businesses do; which is spinning a million plates while trying to make an honest living.

 

Is customer service important? Yes, very. Are your expectations of Harley unrealistically high? Yes.

 

A few whining internet nerds ? That's a pretty all encompassing ignorant, statement. Are you typing on a typewriter right now? I guess it is a UK thing. I , as well as a huge number of people on these boards, do a lot of comic buying over the internet and phone. Not responding to calls, emails and having a useless website is unaccepatable nor is it an unrealistic expectation of any business to have good communication. He sells on eBay. He has time to list, accept money and pay his eBay bill. His company has 3 to 4 personnel and does about an estimated million a year in sales ( according to public record.) Bob Storms travels all over the US and goes overseas occasionally. He maintains a website, Ebay business, attends shows and has a full time job. It is only him, yet somehow he responds to all inquiries. There are a myriad of other dealers in the same boat People have been posting for years on this site about Harley's lack of response . It is not just not responding in a timely manner, there are times he never responds. Ever. I have personally experienced it and it is has been a problem for years. It's one of the reasons I do not buy from him, I know there will be no service, especially if there is a problem. Does he work hard? Yes. Does he a have reputation for being an upstanding guy? Yes. Is he losing business because of lack of communication? Absolutely. Maybe he would not have to travel as much if he made more sales online and by phone.

What are you saying is a UK thing and what is its relevance?

 

Harley didn't reply to my email for months, lack of communication bugs me so I don't bother buying from him. No big deal, his choice and his loss. The same happened with Brent from Quality Comix.

 

What the does any of it have to do with being from the UK?

 

Allow me to translate. Tomega mistook the phrase 'a few whining internet nerds' to imply that internet nerds are a minority, what with the internet being such a new fangled contraption. He then proposed that this may be the norm in the UK, it being a backward backwater peopled by luddites.

 

Still, if I could use a typewriter to post on here, that would be cool. I learned on a mechanical and I miss the rapid thwack of the typebars.

 

 

 

Perhaps he should Google 'Sir Tim Berners Lee'

[chromium]

Perhaps he should Google 'Sir Tim Berners Lee'

 

Or better still "Robert Cailliau"

[Dale Roberts]

Persist. He's great in person.

 

That may be but that is an awful way to run a business.

 

I think Harley will survive your criticism.

 

It is not a criticism, it's a fact. Do you really think not answering your customer's communications is a good business practice? It's the same thing said about him over and over again. He may do well at shows and is a nice guy but everything from his defunct website to lack of returned calls/ emails hurts his business. Period.

 

May be a fact, but the other fact is that Harley travels almost all the time. You can't imagine how many phone calls this man gets. You go to dinner with him and he ALWAYS gets multiple calls on business. ALWAYS. He does 40 - 50 shows a year. That is an unbelievable amount of travel time.

 

You could cut him a little bit of a break, or you can simply buy from someone else, but there are very few people in comics more successful at running their business than Harley. There is certainly no one who works harder at it.

[october]

There is certainly no one who works harder at it.

 

I forget which show it was, maybe C2E2, where he showed up for a day or two and then had to leave other people in charge of his booth so could fly to Canada to do a show at the exact same time. Now THAT is hustle. The logistics involved in setting up at one major show are a pain, let alone two on the exact same weekend.

[Whizzer]

Persist. He's great in person.

 

That may be but that is an awful way to run a business.

 

I think Harley will survive your criticism.

 

It is not a criticism, it's a fact. Do you really think not answering your customer's communications is a good business practice? It's the same thing said about him over and over again. He may do well at shows and is a nice guy but everything from his defunct website to lack of returned calls/ emails hurts his business. Period.

 

May be a fact, but the other fact is that Harley travels almost all the time. You can't imagine how many phone calls this man gets. You go to dinner with him and he ALWAYS gets multiple calls on business. ALWAYS. He does 40 - 50 shows a year. That is an unbelievable amount of travel time.

 

You could cut him a little bit of a break, or you can simply buy from someone else, but there are very few people in comics more successful at running their business than Harley. There is certainly no one who works harder at it.

 

 

THIS.

[TheLiamSturgess]

Bottom line: the positives far outweigh the negatives.

[Whizzer]

Bottom line: the positives far outweigh the negatives.

 

THIS TOO.

[blazingbob]

Working harder doesn't necessarily translate into working smarter.

 

If you constantly have to answer the phone regarding transactions that shows your website sucks. The more automated the better.

 

As far as doing two shows the same weekends translating into "hustling". Harley has made some very bad convention choices when doing 2 shows on the same weekend.

 

When your primary income is conventions you have to hustle. My biggest Sales channel is my website. Conventions are where you pick up new customers, meet with existing ones and network potential collections etc.

[Dale Roberts]

Working harder doesn't necessarily translate into working smarter.

 

If you constantly have to answer the phone regarding transactions that shows your website sucks. The more automated the better.

 

As far as doing two shows the same weekends translating into "hustling". Harley has made some very bad convention choices when doing 2 shows on the same weekend.

 

When your primary income is conventions you have to hustle. My biggest Sales channel is my website. Conventions are where you pick up new customers, meet with existing ones and network potential collections etc.

 

I am not defending his business decisions. Harley likes to travel. This business affords that luxury to him. I would assume if he wanted a big website, he would have one. Just like me. Its just not what I want to do right now. Maybe at some point, but not right now.

 

He does what he does because he enjoys it. The chase and all.

 

[nearmint]

Conventions are where you pick up new customers, meet with existing ones and network potential collections etc.

 

It's also where you convince defenseless convention-goers that a celebrity chef is loitering at the next booth.

[mar-vell]

First time i ever saw harley he was at a little con in seattle back in 99. He had some great books for that little show. I remember him having a marvel comics #1 in low grade on display. His prices seemed aggressive to me and i was really on a budget back then so he didn't make any sales to me.

 

Over the years i have heard many great things about him but once again i always thought his books were aggressively priced and never pulled the trigger until today. Just picked up midgrade copies of avengers 6,8,11, and a highgrade copy of 51. The prices might have been a little high for raw books but not too bad so i will finally get a close look at his grading.

[Jeffro.]

Working harder doesn't necessarily translate into working smarter.

 

If you constantly have to answer the phone regarding transactions that shows your website sucks. The more automated the better.

 

As far as doing two shows the same weekends translating into "hustling". Harley has made some very bad convention choices when doing 2 shows on the same weekend.

 

When your primary income is conventions you have to hustle. My biggest Sales channel is my website. Conventions are where you pick up new customers, meet with existing ones and network potential collections etc.

 

Waiting for whizzer's rebuttal to this.

[october]

Working harder doesn't necessarily translate into working smarter.

 

If you constantly have to answer the phone regarding transactions that shows your website sucks. The more automated the better.

 

As far as doing two shows the same weekends translating into "hustling". Harley has made some very bad convention choices when doing 2 shows on the same weekend.

 

I never claimed it was the wise thing to do. I wouldn't know if it was or wasn't, because I have never and would never do two shows in a weekend.

 

Regardless, setting up at two conventions at the same time requires hustle...as in "effort".

[blazingbob]

Brian could have made a lot of money signing autographs at that show.

 

Throw on some sunglasses and carry around a glass of scotch and I would have had him at my booth signing books all day.