A Couple of Heritage Questions

[Bruce]

To me, customer service is the name of the game. In great economic times, you can imagine some companies acting like they don't care about their customers, because they can always find more. Or they might only give good customer service to those who spend big bucks. But in these current terrible economic times, how can that philosophy make sense? Some companies wait until there are complaints on public forums and only THEN do they address the problems, and how many other people who didn't complain publicly never get any help at all?

I was a frequent buyer from auctions for decades, and I was appalled at how shoddily almost all of them ran their businesses, especially in the area of customer service. I founded my business on the belief that if I treated ALL customers great no matter how much or little they spent, that I would be able to keep customers coming back and again and again, and that has sure proven to be true.

It's easy to SAY you have great customer service, but buyers can quickly see who just talks the talk and who really walks the walk!

Bruce

[eatbrie]

Combining everything and essentially pocketing the difference in postage is totally unacceptable!

THANK YOU!!!

[ddilts399]

My biggest beef with Ha, and I think I've said it before, is the fact that they don't combine shipping when bidding over a few weeks.  I never have this problem with Bruce, or Rich, or anyone else for that matter.  Actually, let me rephrase that...  They do combine shipping, but they make you pay for each week of shipping, ed up sending your items together, and don't automatically reimburse you the difference.  A few months ago, I got 4 weeks of items sent together and the total shipping (added week after week) came up to $60.  It took 5 or 6 emails, including one to Grey, to get the $30 extra refunded to my account.  When it happened again a few weeks ago and I sent an email to Grey, I didn't even get a response.  Right now, I have 2 weeks worth of items, I'm going to have to pay for each week separately, they will send them together, and I will lose another $10-20, which I will never see again.

It's really annoying.

T

HA double dip pisses me off, take from the buyer and seller... that is just wrong. Take a pick. I realize business strategy and whatever to keep the wheels spinning, but it rubs me the wrong way to pay a buyer premium on anything.

[brude]

No offense, guys...but do I hear you right?
You routinely spend big bucks on individual posters and you're griping about shipping costs?
$10-$20 you'll never see again?
You guys should walk a mile in my moccasins... 

[eatbrie]

It's not about the money, Ted, it's about the service.

[brude]

It's not about the money, Ted, it's about the service.

OK, but your complaint sure sounded like it was the money.
Service -- especially response time -- is critical to success in this or any business.
I haven't bought anything from HA -- and for that matter, emovieposter and movieposterbid -- in quite some time and I found all three provided exceptional service even though my purchases were minimal.
So, when I am able to make some substantial purchases I will remember how well they all treated me when I was penniless and spend my money accordingly.

[eatbrie]

Well, in this case, money and service are the same.  Why should I gift Heritage $20 + every time I pay them?  I don't follow your logic.

T

[Simes]

To me, customer service is the name of the game. In great economic times, you can imagine some companies acting like they don't care about their customers, because they can always find more. Or they might only give good customer service to those who spend big bucks. But in these current terrible economic times, how can that philosophy make sense? Some companies wait until there are complaints on public forums and only THEN do they address the problems, and how many other people who didn't complain publicly never get any help at all?

I was a frequent buyer from auctions for decades, and I was appalled at how shoddily almost all of them ran their businesses, especially in the area of customer service. I founded my business on the belief that if I treated ALL customers great no matter how much or little they spent, that I would be able to keep customers coming back and again and again, and that has sure proven to be true.

It's easy to SAY you have great customer service, but buyers can quickly see who just talks the talk and who really walks the walk!

Bruce

Totally agree.

[jayn_j]

As inefficient and backwards as it would be to ship 4 weekly orders separately and charge you for all 4... it is at least understandable. 

I suspect that 9 times out of 10, the problem with separate shipments is lack of communication on the part of the buyer.  If I am anticipating additional items, I make darned sure to get the e-mail out as soon as I receive the confirmation e-mail.  In emovie's case, you can't even wait until the following afternoon because the package may very well be out the door already.

BTW, I agree on HA shipping.  It is just plain wrong, and someone who is charging those sorts of buyer fees and shipping already should be doing more for customer service.

[Bruce]

"In emovie's case, you can't even wait until the following afternoon because the package may very well be out the door already."

That is solely for those who sign up for our "autoship" program", where we automatically send your purchases the day after you make them, billing your card on file. Great for people who want their stuff ultra-fast, not good for those who like to combine with purchases from other sets of auctions.

We can't have people who want autoship part of the time, and hold items other times, because it wrecks a complicated system. No one is added to autoship unless they request we do so via e-mail, and the moment they say they would have liked to combine we suggest they should not be on autoship.

Does any other company go to these lengths to satisfy their buyers?

Bruce

[jayn_j]

I wasn't complaining, Bruce.  I love the quick deliveries.  Just commenting on how you need to be proactive on combining shipments.

[ATLfun]

  FYI, the internet bidding has started for the signature auction.  It actually began last night.

   It was fun posting early bids on stuff.  Its like okay this is a 1k poster, opening bid 500, why not?  Heritage really knows how to milk the anticipation of the auction.  First, it was like month of posting pictures and descriptions, now 24 days of internet bidding before the actual auction.   

 They are kind of like the NFL promotion machine.  They announce the schedule over a two week period in March, then you have the combine, then you have the draft,  then you have ota's, then training camp, then pre-season, then the season, then the playoffs, finally the Super Bowl in early Feb. Repeat cycle. Strike notwithstanding.   


   Brian

 

[Harry Caul]

  FYI, the internet bidding has started for the signature auction.  It actually began last night.

   It was fun posting early bids on stuff.  Its like okay this is a 1k poster, opening bid 500, why not?  Heritage really knows how to milk the anticipation of the auction.  First, it was like month of posting pictures and descriptions, now 24 days of internet bidding before the actual auction.   

 They are kind of like the NFL promotion machine.  They announce the schedule over a two week period in March, then you have the combine, then you have the draft,  then you have ota's, then training camp, then pre-season, then the season, then the playoffs, finally the Super Bowl in early Feb. Repeat cycle. Strike notwithstanding.   


   Brian

See Bruce, I've been telling you that you need to do this for your mini/majors!  It will not only help you build more excitement, as Brian said, but it will also allow your buyers more time to budget for big purchases. 

[ddilts399]

I was looking at a couple things that end Sunday today, I tell ya, I cannot stand their picture system. Whats wrong with click the poster, open a new browser window with full resolution shot of the poster instead of this 4x4 zoom window.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

I was looking at a couple things that end Sunday today, I tell ya, I cannot stand their picture system. Whats wrong with click the poster, open a new browser window with full resolution shot of the poster instead of this 4x4 zoom window.

Turn off Pan & Zoom to get the super-size image.  I agree that Pan & Zoom sucks.

[50s]

I can't bear pan and zoom as well. It is like trying to thread a needle crosseyed or get changed in a phonebooth (I do often of course)

It is one of those gimmicks that doesnt add any value except a fleeting interest until you realise its shortcomings.

With pan and zoom you cant view the image to fill the screen to appreciate the full image in its whole. It sux.

What also sux is many people disable flash because many sites ruin the viewing experience thru annoying ads and launching videos you dont want to see. So when such a user visits the heritage product page with flash disabled, they see the image below. Probably every Ipad users sees the same as below (no image) as flash doesnt work on ipads. At the least heritage coders should provide the non pan and zoom alternative automatically when it detects the user doesnt have flash. If a new user saw the below, is it obvious they need to click the link to see an image - I dont think so as they wouldnt know what the pan and zoom was doing in the first place.

Heritage, please get rid of this annoying gimmickry. Looks amature and dated to me and is faulty (your customers are seeing the below...) . Browsers let you zoom in and out when viewing large images perfectly well without the need for this.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

They do combine shipping, but they make you pay for each week of shipping, ed up sending your items together, and don't automatically reimburse you the difference.  A few months ago, I got 4 weeks of items sent together and the total shipping (added week after week) came up to $60. 

I just got skunked with that too - $20 to ship two posters from two different weeks.  It does kinda piss me off.  They'd probably give me a refund if I bitched about it but they really they should automatically credit the extra shipping.