VCP Price change date

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Instead of putting this at the bottom of a long thread people wanted to know how much time they had to add time to their current term.


It is official you now have until 8/8/08 to add any additional years to your term at the going rate of $99.99 a year.

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Posted By: Dave F

Not exactly much time to decide. So I'm assuming Bobby since prior to this you had the an automatic hit on credit cards each month/year depending on the scenario, that now goes out the window? Obviously I shouldn't have to expect you to now withdrawl $180 instead of the $99 I had agreed to per the terms. Based on this increase nobody should have to give notice to cancel, am I correct in that statement?

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Wow, a whole 2 days notice.....classy.
I made sure to instantly contact your website to notify you of my cancellation of service.

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Posted By: PAS

Can a man legitimately raise his prices, get ripped for that, give people the chance to lock in their existing price, and get ripped for that too.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Yes you have 3 days to add time to your membership at the current rate.

Dave,

What you and all existing VIP members will see when you log in to use your account is a "Yellow" warning icon. Once you click on it you will have to choose what membership type you would like the next time you are due to be charged. If you do not click on the icon and try ignoring it then what will happen is a week before your membership expires. A window will pop up forcing you to make a decision otherwise you can not access the site. If member has not gone to the site in a long period of time then they will still get charged the original rate. But once they log in again they will be prompted to decide.

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Posted By: Dave F

Peter,

Not sure we are reading the same things here. First, I thought folks would have a couple weeks to decide if they wanted to commit futher in years at their current rate. That has now went to two days.

Second, I can buy Bobby's point of things have becoming more expensive in cost to run his operation. What I can't understand is why the need for a 30% hike for something less, or an 80% hike for something equal. OR.....everyone has an option at locking in their current price of $99 a year for up to five years. Now, I'm no rocket scientist. However, if your company is not able to operate at its current level with the money being brought in, why would you give the option to let everybody keep that exact same rate for the next five years?? It just doesn't make sense. And who is to say Bobby won't come out two years from now and say that because eBay is doing this, or because there are now three more auction houses to follow, or because snow can sometimes be yellow that he won't ask for ANOTHER increase two years from now when people have already committed for an additional five?


This was just handled poorly in my opinion and Bobby will lose some customers over it. It's terrific he brought this to the attention of the board here. I know it was also brought up on VCP. However, I don't ever check the forum section on VCP, I wonder how many people do? What should have happened, and for me anyway what has NOT happened is Bobby should have sent an email to each customer explaining this as well. Besides here, the forum on VCP (which again, how many notice?) and the PSA board....how would any other customer know about this until they are suddenly shown a flag when they try to log into their VCP account? Oh, and by that time the two day notice to keep your current rate will be gone.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Dave,

I did post on all 3 boards VCP, Net54 and CU giving full details. As far as you thinking that we will collect all of our money now and run out in the future is a little flawed. For the past year we have been averaging about 90 new sign ups a month. So to think we wont be getting any new members paying the increased rates. Basically we have given everything to the members and it was a mistake to let you all have the images and seller information with out making a change in the membership when it started. But that is then and this is now so to compensate I made it so everyone can lock in the existing rate to show our appreciation for the members.

You make it seem like I am a money grubber or something. But correct me if I am wrong did you first join as a monthly member in 2006. Then you told me you had to cancel because someone was going to buy you a Yearly for Christmas. There was about a month difference and I kept you at full VIP status and not down grade you?

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Posted By: Dave F

Bobby-

Yes, your correct...sort of. I did have a period where my monthly membership expired and I believe there was a 2-3 week period in between where I was going to pay up for a yearly subcription. I told you then I appreicated the couple free weeks. That, was good customer relations, this that your doing now...is not. Amazing though that you as a business man would bring that up where as I would think that would be more customer privied information.

I also agree, if things were tight you should have raised the price at some point instead of waiting until now to do an 80% increase. I know there are many on this board that disagree and say "hey its just a few bucks". I can go buy milk at the store for $4, doesn't mean I want to pay $7.65 though just because it's only an additional $3.65. As someone else said, it's the principle of it. I like VCP, I think it has some good info (although its not perfect and it does miss auctions). But, I can't foresee myself personally agreeing to such a deal. My current deal runs out at the end of the year. Why in the world would ANY company require a customer under a current subcription to have to pay for another supscription 5+ months ahead of time? And, with two days to do so?

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Posted By: Rob D.

Spin it any way you want it, but giving customers so short of time to decide when the percentage of increase is so great simply is bad customer relations. This has nothing to do with the quality of the product or whether the product is "worth" it.

The insinuation that Bobby should be given kudos because of the offer for subscribers to lock in long term at a given rate borders on comical. That's the least that should be done. I can't think of a business that deals in non-tangible goods that wouldn't want 1-5 years of payment up front.

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Posted By: scott brockelman

Bobby,

Thats really a bad date, especially given the fact that many of either are or will be at the National most of this week with little time to do anything else.

How about extending it til the following Friday, so people can get back and regroup and make their decision.

Scott

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

I am finding out and will get back here as soon as I know.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Cardpricer.com

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Posted By: Alan U

Hi Bobby,

I have been to the website and heard good things about it, but have never signed up because I would only use it 2-3 times a month. Has there been any thought to make available a "per use" plan too, or maybe it's already available and I didn't notice it.

Also, as a minor note, the yearly plan indicates it's a 20% savings when it's only 17% (20/120).

Thank you in advance for your time.

-Alan

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Posted By: scott brockelman

Bobby,

Out of curiosity I went to my account and logged in, I got no "yellow warning icon" I went to my subscription which expires soon, again no options to extend it?

I am thinking all of this may be moving to fast for either the subscribers or the web site. I was actually going to see my options and act upon them, now I am off to Chicago with no internet and will not be back before the Friday deadline????

Scott

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Posted By: Matt

does cardpricer.com save auction images?

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Posted By: MikeU

I think Bobby is using Joe O. as his customer service mentor.

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Posted By: Rob D.

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Posted By: Tim

I'm not sure I can afford the increase because I spent the money on the Clapco D-29, the state of the art in home security.

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Posted By: Larry P.

edited due to anonymity

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Scott,

I am pretty sure we will extend it a week and the Yellow alerts is what is going to happen in the next couple of weeks it is not in place as of yet.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Mike U,

May I ask where have I lacked in customer service? Whenever a member contacts me I bend over backwards to help them out. I answer every email usually within minutes. Anyone can call anytime because my number is online and I will help them out over the phone. I take pride in my customer service and helping out the members and answering all questions thrown out at me on these boards. By you saying that is a real slap in my face and I do not appreciate it at all.

Matt,

No they do not grab any images we are the only ones.

Larry P.,

It is your choice to join or not that is up to you. But to say I am greedy is out of line you have no idea what is going on in my business.

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Posted By: MikeU

"Mike U,

May I ask where have I lacked in customer service? Whenever a member contacts me I bend over backwards to help them out. I answer every email usually within minutes. Anyone can call anytime because my number is online and I will help them out over the phone. I take pride in my customer service and helping out the members and answering all questions thrown out at me on these boards. By you saying that is a real slap in my face and I do not appreciate it at all."

Your response time is second to none. I do feel your handling and subsequent responses to the price increase leaves a bit to be desired.

I have been with you since day #2 (literally), have never strayed to the competitrion, am #11 on your VIP member list, have e-mailed you several errors to correct over time and am paid through until September of 2009.

In summary, I have earned enough "goodwill" the last two years to give you some **** about your price increase.

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Posted By: JK

.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

What does a price increase have to do with my customer service? Have I not responded to all of your emails and fixed all the errors you reported in a timely manner? Yes I know that a lot of people are not happy about the price increase and I am sorry for that, really. I think by letting you lock in the rate for a long period of time was a good will gesture. We have 3 really nice features now in the works that will be rolling out soon that will make your membership better. We are busting our humps here everyday working on this site to be the best and latest information in the hobby. We have 6 people working here now and increased or expenditures to make the site what it is today. You should know more then anyone else here since you are an original member and you have seen how the site has grown over these past 2 years. Right now you are getting a lot more then when you originally signed up in the first place. Am I correct in saying this?

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Posted By: cmoking

I was going to extend for two years. I followed the instructions per Bobby's post in the other thread..and like Scott, I did not find any option under My VCP. I am leaving for Chicago tomorrow. I don't know if my laptop will work on the road (if my hotel doesn't have wireless, I'm screwed). Here's to hoping the option to extend is still available by Monday morning.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

If there is no button in the MY VCP then click on the sign up and follow the screens. And repeat it for how many years you want to add.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

There may be a misunderstanding here...

When you are a SILVER member you get to see the link to the auction as long as it is still alive. This means you get to see the seller, buyer, number of bids and the image of what was sold. On eBay these are usually good for 90-120 days before they delete the page. So to say you wont get images is wrong you do for a limited period of time. Now there are some sellers that do not use eBay for their images and pull them shortly after the auction ends.

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Posted By: MikeU

"What does a price increase have to do with my customer service?"

Personally, I feel the percentage increase in price and the abruptness in change can or even has negatively affected your company's perceived (real) quality of customer service. Even if you would like to separate the two (price & service), not sure the public feels the same way. Maybe I am way off base.

"Have I not responded to all of your emails and fixed all the errors you reported in a timely manner?"

Yes you have, thus my comment above about "second to none" in regards to my personal experience with customer service. Also, this is why I have been a member for two years and am already paid out for another 14 months and recommend your service to others.

"Yes I know that a lot of people are not happy about the price increase and I am sorry for that, really. I think by letting you lock in the rate for a long period of time was a good will gesture."

I really liked the opportunity for the rate lock and took advantage of such. I do not think you initially offered the rate lock. Did this not evolve from initial critism on the CU boards? Also, the nice gesture of a rate lock was negated to an extent with the two day decision window. It looks like you will likely also have to loosen up or evolve into something different for this.

"We have 3 really nice features now in the works that will be rolling out soon that will make your membership better. We are busting our humps here everyday working on this site to be the best and latest information in the hobby. We have 6 people working here now and increased or expenditures to make the site what it is today."

Great

"You should know more then anyone else here since you are an original member and you have seen how the site has grown over these past 2 years. Right now you are getting a lot more then when you originally signed up in the first place. Am I correct in saying this?"

You are correct. However, the glass half empty viewpoint would be that I was overpaying the first 6-18 months as your database and features improved and am now just getting to the point where the $10/month seems to be the right amount.

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Posted By: Dave F

"We have 3 really nice features now in the works that will be rolling out soon that will make your membership better."


Bobby- Just curious here, is there any good reason you wouldn't go ahead and make these new features known? What is the purpose is keeping secret three really nice features that will make VCP better when all this is going on?

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

It is official you now have until 8/8/08 to add any additional years to your term at the going rate of $99.99 a year.

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Posted By: Steve

Bob

You might want to edit your first post in this thread.

Good luck with VCP!


Steve