Topps Complaints

[jbmm161]

Couple questions in regards to the Topps/MLB contract.

1. Do you think starting a petition to have MLB end Topps exclusive contract would work? Thus allowing other card companies to purchase the rights to make licensed team logo trading cards.

2. What about sending this same type of petition or complaint to the better business bureau?

A few complaints here and there is not going to get much done but thousands of collectors united should get the ball rolling.

 

[cgilmo]

The BBB is useless

It's not relevant in todays marketplace.

 

[PoseyBuster]

Couple questions in regards to the Topps/MLB contract.

1. Do you think starting a petition to have MLB end Topps exclusive contract would work? Thus allowing other card companies to purchase the rights to make licensed team logo trading cards.

2. What about sending this same type of petition or complaint to the better business bureau?

A few complaints here and there is not going to get much done but thousands of collectors united should get the ball rolling.

I'd think that petition would have to have 25k+ sigs before topps would even have an intern "look into it". Then they would get back to the world about their take on it in about 18 months.

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

Couple questions in regards to the Topps/MLB contract.

1. Do you think starting a petition to have MLB end Topps exclusive contract would work? Thus allowing other card companies to purchase the rights to make licensed team logo trading cards.

2. What about sending this same type of petition or complaint to the better business bureau?

A few complaints here and there is not going to get much done but thousands of collectors united should get the ball rolling.

Sadly..No to both...Neither care enough

 

[mancini79]

1. MLB will only care if it risks losing money. Topps has paid handsomely for that exclusivity. Instead of petitioning, the only effective way would be a boycott. But it's highly unlikely anyone could get enough people together to stop buying Topps products.

2. BBB has no affect these days. It's only a company that gathers information to inform consumers. Topps already has a bad reputation, yet they continue to do business as usual.

 

[rsmath]

1. Do you think starting a petition to have MLB end Topps exclusive contract would work? Thus allowing other card companies to purchase the rights to make licensed team logo trading cards.

nope, there is a legal contract in place for Topps to enjoy the benefits of having MLBP exclusive licensing to 2020 or whatever it is now. If you were Topps you'd have to be stupid to see a petition fans/collectors have "signed" and decide to draft up a legal document to express a desire to let the MLBP license be open for new negotiations and
new competitors who get to use logos.

The way to hit topps is in the P/L sheet, but there aren't enough collectors (hardcore or casual) who can go without at least the base topps products or get casebreakers and brick/morter shops and retailers who
sell blasters to quit buying topps products to make any dent in the company's books.

 

[cstmleather]

Maybe if complaints were sent to the MLBP instead of Topps or BBB. Seeing some of the recent redemption replacements makes Upper Deck look good. I don't think UD ever replaced a redemption of mine, though they did take years on a few. But they included a few extras along with them.

 

[BBCgalaxee]

Last year Topps bbb rating was an F.

Now, last I checked it was an A.

Topps has only gotten worse and yet they have a perfect rating now.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[PoseyBuster]

Last year Topps bbb rating was an F.

Now, last I checked it was an A.

Topps has only gotten worse and yet they have a perfect rating now.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

It's not an A...they are no longer accredited at all and have 95 closed BBB cases in the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, other companies:

Upper Deck: B+, only 15 closed BBB cases in the past 12 months

Panini had no rating and no cases, Leaf/Razor didn't show up.

 

[jbmm161]

Thanks to those that posted but the Petition would be sent to MLB asking for a change. A copy would be sent to Topps but MLB would have to be the one asking for changes.

And yes I know hitting Topps in their pocketbook is the answer but it is just not going to happen.
The majority of the problems with Topps I read is the aftermarket(ROI from individual boxes) and redemption issues.

IMHO - Topps makes the cards for a certain price as long as they sell their inventory they don't care what a card sells for in the future. Should they want to create a quality product so that dealers/distributors want to purchase more cards yes they should. Should we be dealing with cards that are damaged or off center no not really. Autographs with streaks no
not really but players sign the cards not Topps employees and do you think Topps is going to say no that is a bad signature do it again. I think not.
As far as busting wax its gambling plain and simple you win some you lose some.

Redemptions suck when you pull them or when they don't get fulfilled. There are better options Topps could come up with and at least make a list of cards, players, or team that would be acceptable. I personally rarely buy them unless I find them at a good price. Would never spend over $200 for now though.

The other question I raise is what did all these other companies that either went out of business or where knocked out of the baseball market do so much better than Topps?

 

[cgilmo]

How to Write a Petition | Try these Winning Ideas | GoPetition

someone would have to start it up

 

[PoseyBuster]

I can't believe how many unhappy topps customers there are =[

 

[jbmm161]

How to Write a Petition | Try these Winning Ideas | GoPetition

someone would have to start it up

I will work on it this week see what happens.

 

[jbmm161]

I can't believe how many unhappy topps customers there are =[

Personally I get tired of all the threads bashing them. Same people still collect and buy the cards anyway. I stopped buying boxes and just buy what I want at the prices I'm comfortable paying. Much happier collector.
How does the saying go.
"The definition of insanity is do the same thing expecting a different result."

 

[PoseyBuster]

Personally I get tired of all the threads bashing them. Same people still collect and buy the cards anyway. I stopped buying boxes and just buy what I want at the prices I'm comfortable paying. Much happier collector.
How does the saying go.
"The definition of insanity is do the same thing expecting a different result."

I ~just said the same thing in an instant message here. I see the threads of people complaining (and my heart goes out to them, I think Redemptions should not even exist), but then I look back at threads from 6 months, a year, 2 years ago (yes I am bored and have no life and like to read anything and everything) and they keep busting Redemptions or Buying them and redeeming them. Continuously, sometimes they get the redemption fulfilled, rarely do they ever get anything near their redemptions value back (including non-issue sticker autos), and even rarer-ly-er-ly-ish get something even slightly better.

It seems to have really got bad in the past year though.

 

[CubsfanP]

1. MLB will only care if it risks losing money. Topps has paid handsomely for that exclusivity. Instead of petitioning, the only effective way would be a boycott. But it's highly unlikely anyone could get enough people together to stop buying Topps products.

2. BBB has no affect these days. It's only a company that gathers information to inform consumers. Topps already has a bad reputation, yet they continue to do business as usual.

I think there are enough collectors/companies out there fed up with Topps to organize a boycott. I hear breakers complaining all the time. Live case break recently posted their outrage over a replacement redemption auto that had a hair in it. How many boards and twitter posts have you seen about outrage over something topps did?

The mission would need to be clear, such as "unless topps can make product that has less than 5% redemptions we will boycott NEW product." I would think that it would have to be a planned boycott to start on day XX/XX/XXXX. I would suggest that it be the beginning of 2014.

I for one would be happy to sign up, I could still get my fill from older stuff on the secondary market. It just might work. Social media is powerful.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Couple questions in regards to the Topps/MLB contract.

1. Do you think starting a petition to have MLB end Topps exclusive contract would work? Thus allowing other card companies to purchase the rights to make licensed team logo trading cards.

2. What about sending this same type of petition or complaint to the better business bureau?

A few complaints here and there is not going to get much done but thousands of collectors united should get the ball rolling.

All a waste of time.

 

[hive17]

The problem is really in the high-end sets, which are hobby only. Base Topps, retail Gypsy Queen and A&G, as well as Heritage and Bowman don't have as many problems. So a petition or boycott by those who are even aware of the problem would probably only rise to a small percentage of the market for base Topps alone.

We couldn't really make a dent. We're talking about maybe thousands of problems (maybe), versus millions of satisfied customers each year.

 

[matfanofold]

If everyone, and I mean EVERYONE just boycotted 1 product release, JUST 1, it would send a shiver down Topps spine. Let them sit and eat the millions it took to produce just one offering and see how fast they put damage control in to place with regards to customer service. I honestly think a worldwide boycot of a single product offering would do the trick, but sadly it would never happen and here is why...

The major players in the industry that include large volume Rippers/sellers, B&M stores, and case busters all RELY on residual sales so they, who usually have the most influience and support in our hobby will NEVER advocate such a thing as it would hit their bottom line, and this is why most who are financially vested downplay such things with regards to an actual boycot. Also, even the average collector appreciates the value of a product and usually would not do anything that could potentially diminish the value of their hobby expierence, even if it meant just letting one release slip by.

At the end of the day, if ANYTHING is going to change, it needs to start at the top of the foodchain down. Large busters like B&B need to pass up on a product letting everyone know they are doing so in effort to 'help the cause'. Online retailors like BO need to do the same, as well as well established Brick & Mortars. If these 3 segments of the 'hobby' banned together and just let Topps eat a single product in protest, change would come, people who could make a difference would notice. But, and again, it will have to start at the top and they simply will not do it as it would potentially affect their wallet first. Topps knows this and this is why we are all screwed.

 

[hive17]

If everyone, and I mean EVERYONE just boycotted 1 product release, JUST 1, it would send a shiver down Topps spine. Let them sit and eat the millions it took to produce just one offering and see how fast they put damage control in to place with regards to customer service. I honestly think a worldwide boycot of a single product offering would do the trick, but sadly it would never happen and here is why...

The major players in the industry that include large volume Rippers/sellers, B&M stores, and case busters all RELY on residual sales so they, who usually have the most influience and support in our hobby will NEVER advocate such a thing as it would hit their bottom line, and this is why most who are financially vested downplay such things with regards to an actual boycot. Also, even the average collector appreciates the value of a product and usually would not do anything that could potentially diminish the value of their hobby expierence, even if it meant just letting one release slip by.

At the end of the day, if ANYTHING is going to change, it needs to start at the top of the foodchain down. Large busters like B&B need to pass up on a product letting everyone know they are doing so in effort to 'help the cause'. Online retailors like BO need to do the same, as well as well established Brick & Mortars. If these 3 segments of the 'hobby' banned together and just let Topps eat a single product in protest, change would come, people who could make a difference would notice. But, and again, it will have to start at the top and they simply will not do it as it would potentially affect their wallet first. Topps knows this and this is why we are all screwed.

Even crappy products move. The WBC Tribute stuff is awful, but I bet they sold a ton in Asia.