ASM #5 Conquest Comics variant shipping damage

[Wall-Crawler]

I received my books in the mail yesterday. No problems whatsoever. All my copies looking shiny mint.

 

How were your books packaged? No rub?

 

I was kind of like "whatever" about this whole thing and willing to just move on, but now I am annoyed.

 

I sent Lockford a PM yesterday advising that I was disappointed with the packing methodology and inquired about the rub situation and I informed him of this thread.

 

I asked if he, having "packaged" a ton of these books if the "rub" was, in his opinion production related or result of something else.

 

He has read my PM and not yet provided any response to my complaint over packaging and question regarding the condition of my books.

[ItsJustRyan]

[Shark]

I received my books in the mail yesterday. No problems whatsoever. All my copies looking shiny mint.

 

How were your books packaged? No rub?

 

I was kind of like "whatever" about this whole thing and willing to just move on, but now I am annoyed.

 

I sent Lockford a PM yesterday advising that I was disappointed with the packing methodology and inquired about the rub situation and I informed him of this thread.

 

I asked if he, having "packaged" a ton of these books if the "rub" was, in his opinion production related or result of something else.

 

He has read my PM and not yet provided any response to my complaint over packaging and question regarding the condition of my books.

 

He just addressed it in his sales thread for what it's worth.

[Jordysnordy]

I got the books I ordered yesterday and I'm in Canada, so I'm sure that everyone will get their comics soon. Mine arrived in great shape.

 

I'm in Canada too and mine came exactly as Spidey78's books came.

I was surprised initially upon looking at and opening the "box" but the 2 comics were in A-1 shape - consider myself lucky!

[Wall-Crawler]

I received my books in the mail yesterday. No problems whatsoever. All my copies looking shiny mint.

 

How were your books packaged? No rub?

 

I was kind of like "whatever" about this whole thing and willing to just move on, but now I am annoyed.

 

I sent Lockford a PM yesterday advising that I was disappointed with the packing methodology and inquired about the rub situation and I informed him of this thread.

 

I asked if he, having "packaged" a ton of these books if the "rub" was, in his opinion production related or result of something else.

 

He has read my PM and not yet provided any response to my complaint over packaging and question regarding the condition of my books.

 

He just addressed it in his sales thread for what it's worth.

 

Cool, thanks - I will check it out.

[Shark]

I received my books in the mail yesterday. No problems whatsoever. All my copies looking shiny mint.

 

How were your books packaged? No rub?

 

I was kind of like "whatever" about this whole thing and willing to just move on, but now I am annoyed.

 

I sent Lockford a PM yesterday advising that I was disappointed with the packing methodology and inquired about the rub situation and I informed him of this thread.

 

I asked if he, having "packaged" a ton of these books if the "rub" was, in his opinion production related or result of something else.

 

He has read my PM and not yet provided any response to my complaint over packaging and question regarding the condition of my books.

 

He just addressed it in his sales thread for what it's worth.

 

Here is what he posted in his sales thread:

 

thanks guys. sorry, been super busy and to be honest im trying to avoid this board like the plague as it has been filled with alot of negative comments and hate by a handful of people. update time...we should be completely done with shipping by saturday. if by the weekend you have not gotten a notice of your package going out by paypal...shoot me a message. there are a few transactions that were done privately or off the website that i might have to contact a handful of folks about as it does not say what it is for. ill hopefully get to that this weekend sometime. but check spam folder first if you don't see a paypal shipping notice in your box.

 

 

Also i have seen a few mention the rubbing. this is on all the books for the most part. some have rubbing on the back top right cover. some front by staple. cgc is aware of this and told me it should not affect grading as it affects the run. it is due to inferior paper quality is what i was informed. it is what it is. we did not sent out any bad ones. we had a handful of unacceptable ones...those we are not sending....

 

 

i do just want to address one thing here before i get back to things...please don't feed into the hype machine started on a different thread and carried on by a few. once again...it is a few. we have sent over 1000 orders...we have had a total of 7 folks claim to us, that something came damaged.. ..that is less than 1% guys. things happen in transit. i just got 11 boxes delivered from b&n and 3 came smashed. it happens. has nothing to do with the pack job. i have been using this method for years. the box flaps secure it in place so it does not float around in the package as others have stated. the cardboard is thicker than regular mailers as to provide more protection and there is a 1/2 inch plus border around the entire book to hopefully prevent from the actual book being damaged if the package is dropped or whatever. i have been using this for years and have rarely had an issue. as for certain people complaining that i addressed them improperly....once again, you are only hearing one side of a story. im not going to even feed into it anymore per advice from a few here as it will do no good. just know when you first contact me and either curse at me, insult me, make demands, and come off plain ol rude??? im going to immediately lose interest in accommodating you in any way shape or form and will address you the same way.

 

lastly, for the unfunny hack from here ( and yes...they were from here ) who was using google voice to prank us over 12 times yesterday...come up with some better material if you are trying to be funny.....and lay off the race stuff....you don't need to work blue....

 

thx for the support and we hope you are loving the books.

 

chris

[RockMyAmadeus]

thanks guys. sorry, been super busy and to be honest im trying to avoid this board like the plague as it has been filled with alot of negative comments and hate by a handful of people.

 

Hate...?

 

 

Why is it, when a person blames the customer for having a problem, they invariably end up blaming others for criticizing them....?

 

Oh, wait, I answered my own question. Never mind.

 

What's missing from this entire post of Mr. Lockford's is any acknowledgement that customers are unhappy, any sign of humility and contrition, nothing. No "we're sorry that people were unhappy" (regardless of whether that unhappiness is justified or not.)

 

There's a complete unwillingness to accept any responsibility, here.

 

Believe me...it is MIRACULOUS what an apology can do to soothe angry customers.

 

i do just want to address one thing here before i get back to things...please don't feed into the hype machine started on a different thread and carried on by a few. once again...it is a few. we have sent over 1000 orders...we have had a total of 7 folks claim to us, that something came damaged.. ..that is less than 1% guys.

 

Again, this doesn't matter to the customer whose merchandise is damaged. They don't care, and should not be required to care, about all the success the retailer has had with other customers. That doesn't do anything to fix their order. It's just an excuse.

 

That's great that they have had such success, really (especially with the risks they take with their packing), but that doesn't matter.

 

The excuse of "well, everyone ELSE is happy, so what's your problem?" is never appropriate.

 

i have been using this for years and have rarely had an issue. as for certain people complaining that i addressed them improperly....once again, you are only hearing one side of a story.

 

I notice that Mr. Lockford failed to confirm or deny the validity of said "one side", and even though he is telling his side here...which does not refute anything anyone has said.

 

So....both sides accounted for, sir.

 

im not going to even feed into it anymore per advice from a few here as it will do no good. just know when you first contact me and either curse at me, insult me, make demands, and come off plain ol rude??? im going to immediately lose interest in accommodating you in any way shape or form and will address you the same way.

 

And here's the root of the problem, from Mr. Lockford's own fingers.

 

It is never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever appropriate...under any circumstances, even with the rudest customer on the planet...to "lose interest in accommodating (them)", immediately or otherwise, for any reason. You don't have that right as a retailer. Your very livelihood is premised on accommodating customers and their desires.

 

A customer who approaches you with a problem is already irritated because they didn't get what they wanted. You, the retailer, have to recognize that the customer is contacting you because they're already unhappy, and react with extra patience, care, and concern.

 

"But that's not fair!" That's right, it may not be. That's the reality you accepted when you chose to be a retailer. You have to swallow your own pride and ego, if necessary, and do ALL that you can to make your customer...the one who feeds, clothes, and shelters you...satisfied, if not happy.

 

To respond "in kind" with how you perceive the customer to be (and please take special note of that word, "perceive") is the very worst possible attitude and response that any retailer could possibly have.

 

"But, what about the customer who is threatening you, or using profanity, or is reallllly condescending, RMA? What about that, huh??"

 

Those situations are rare to begin with. Yes, there's obviously a line. Yes, most customers never even come close to that line. And, it begs the question: why is the customer in such a state to begin with...?

 

 

It may sound "cool", it may sound "hip", it may sound "sexy", to tell a customer "take a hike"...but it is anathema to sound business practice.

 

Great retailers are not judged on how many transactions they have with no problems. Great retailers are judged, always, on how they handle the situation when a problem does come along.

 

To Mr. Lockford: I don't know you, and I certainly don't hate you, so there's nothing personal involved on my part. I would take whatever you can use from this situation and IMPROVE, rather than becoming defensive.

 

Good luck.

[Chaseman210]

I thought pretty much the same thing. Stating that he won't deal with people who contact him with complaints about a product he is selling is pretty much why people are complaining on these boards. Taking the time to listen to them, addressing their needs, and then not dealing with them again would go a long way. Don't just blame the customers who have problems with their orders. Fix it, and they would probably be even more forgiving in the future.

[jaybuck43]

To RMA's point, this is from an article on Apple's sales practices and what makes them so successful (they are considered one of the pinnacles of retail)

 

"Show empathy. Apple Store Geniuses deal with angry, frustrated, or worried customers all day long. It’s essential that they display empathy. According to Gizmodo, Apple trains its employees—Geniuses and salespeople— to follow the Three F’s: Feel, Felt, and Found. “This works especially well when the customer is mistaken or has bad information.” Here’s an example from the Apple training manual:

 

Customer: This Mac is just too expensive

 

Genius: I can see how you’d feel this way. I felt the price was a little high, but I found it’s a real value because of all the built-in software capabilities."

 

 

[ChrisInBaltimore]

When I worked in restaurants and went through management training, one of the first things they talk about is saying sorry. Sure the customer isn't always right, but sometimes they need to be made to feel that way.

 

All it takes is one unhappy customer to ruin you too. One unhappy customer is ten times louder then ten silent happy customers.

[Wall-Crawler]

I spoke with Lockford and it seems there was a PM snafu where he missed my questions but once aware he did respond right away, so points in my book for that.

 

I have spoken to Lockford respectfully this whole time and he as treated me respectfully as well. Based on his post in his sales thread and his communication with me, I am going to take him at his word that the rub on the back is production related and out of his control.

 

My books were shipped using the service I paid for. We did discuss packaging and there was a positive conversation concerning that as well. So, long story short, as a customer, I feel that my concerns were acknowledged and responded to in a respectful manner and I am just going to leave things on a positive note and carry on to the next thing.

 

 

 

 

[fastballspecial]

Glad to see things are being addressed I thought they would be.

 

[CAHokie]

I spoke with Lockford and it seems there was a PM snafu where he missed my questions but once aware he did respond right away, so points in my book for that.

 

I have spoken to Lockford respectfully this whole time and he as treated me respectfully as well. Based on his post in his sales thread and his communication with me, I am going to take him at his word that the rub on the back is production related and out of his control.

 

My books were shipped using the service I paid for. We did discuss packaging and there was a positive conversation concerning that as well. So, long story short, as a customer, I feel that my concerns were acknowledged and responded to in a respectful manner and I am just going to leave things on a positive note and carry on to the next thing.