time for another does VCBC still exist post

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Posted By: warshawlaw 

While cleaning the bathroom, er, library the other day I came across an old magazine. June 2004 VCBC. Has anyone seen another one since? I thought they were getting a new manager, were going to meet a production schedule, etc.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

My wife bought me a subscription to this magazine for my birthday ! That was in June. They cashed the check. Thats the last indicator that I have that they exist.

Gil

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Posted By: Jay Miller

I spoke to Don Betz yesterday. Don indicated that there is at least a month to go until the next issue goes to press. They are trying to make some improvements to the magazine and Dennis Purdy will have a larger role going forward. I think these are positive moves and look forward to the next issue.

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Posted By: runscott

I would really hate for us to lose this journal. I think the hobby is well-represented by updated publications of Mr. Lemke's "Standard Catl'g...", "VCBC", and "Old Cardboard", but they each have their own focus. For instance, VCBC contains great stuff on the history of baseball that sometimes doesn't involve cards.

I'm making assumptions about "Old Cardboard" since I subscribed recently but haven't actually seen an issue. But everyone says it's cool.

Now that the old Beckett's vintage magazine is defunct, do we have other choices? Please enlighten.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

In June, as a birthday present, my wife bought me a subscription to VCBC. This follows her subscription to Beckett Vintage, and more recently to Old Cardboard.

I wonder if there are any vintage magazines. I am about to give up. (I only let her subscribe to Old Cardboard after y'all reported that they exist and they actually send the magazine, not just cash your check).

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Posted By: runscott

Looking forward to seeing that one, and the next VCBC.

I think VCBC is still easily the best vintage baseball journal available - there are always a few articles that are relevant to mainstream vintage collecting, and the other more esoteric subjects are usually interesting as well. I also like the ties to history and don't mind in the least the reprints of old articles that they enhance with card images.

I have issues that I use as reference for 19th century photography, baseball history books, woodcuts, etc. But what makes it great is that many of the articles are written by people who frequent this board, and those are the people who have their fingers on the pulse of the hobby. Even if this publication eventually dies, the back-issues are still a must-have.

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Posted By: Julie

have writtern an article for VCBC, had it accepted, been told it would be in the next issue, and that Don would be in touch during the nexr week about final details--and then, NOTHING! I did a re-write--have NO IDEA whether he read the re-write; I put all the pictures in the right places. I just called, and someone told me to call back in two hours...he's out of the office.

I know that similar things have have happened to others, but also, that when the magazine finally does appear, it's very, very good. So it's not that my feelings are hurt (much), but that--what a WASTE OF TIME!

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Posted By: hankron

This isn't specifically about VCBC, nor is it a comment on Julie's article. But for small-time magazines like these, one of the most difficult things is to get enough quality ariticles. Many readers assume that piles of articles are sent in, but that's not the case. Few people take the time to write good articles for these magazines, so there's no way one of these magazines could become a monthly.

Any long time editor/publishers of these magazines would tell you this is the situation.

As far as Julie's situation goes, whether or not the article is acceptable, the publisher not communicating well with the writers like this is unprofessional and sign of a poorly run organization ... If the publisher acts this way towards people who put in the time and effort to write an article, it loses any right to complain that it doesn't get enough articles to publish a monthly.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

If there was only one staff writer, I would imagine that he or she could crank out one article per month. I have only been waiting five months for my initial issue. How long has it been since this magazine was last published?

Or do you mean that a magazine exists with no staff writers?

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Posted By: Richard Dwyer

I recently called and asked for a sample. It took repeated calls until they finally sent one. I felt it was too much of a risk sending in money if they were that slow to respond. From what I'm now reading, it sounds like I made the right choice.

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Posted By: hankron

If you advertise a publication as a bi-annual, readers won't bat an eye when it takes six months to to get their copy. If you advertise it as a monthly, the publisher shouldn't act bewildered that readers are angry when it takes six months.

I publish little booklets printed on my computer (about wirephotos, fashion photos, etc). When I offer them for sale I purposely and clearly call them "small stapled booklets." If I were to advertise them simply as "books," many readers would say, "I want my money back. This ain't no book, this is a small stapled booklet." However, with my clear description, the buyer will say, "I'm satisfied. It's a little stapled booklet just like I expected."

This suggests that, whether it's a magazine or meal or blind date, communication of expectations is often as important towards enjoyment as the the thing itself.

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Posted By: Rob L

There still hanging in. I had emailed Don Betz 6 weeks ago regarding their interest on an article discussing the development of the baseball in the 19th century. I did not get an email back until an hour ago when Mike Walleson emailed me and apologized for not getting back sooner, but they were very interested in publishing this article. At least they are still breathing

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Posted By: runscott

I tend to assume that everyone who reads this board has a keen interest in baseball history and the intimate details of cards, including their production and history. But recent posts by others show that some people simply like buying cards and viewing them through a nice piece of plastic, while others take their items straight to the safety deposit box and take pride in the size and value of their collection, without really understanding what they own - I'm sure there are many high-dollar forgeries sitting in safety deposit boxes at this moment. And to others it's simply an investment, with appeal due to a touch of childhood nostalgia.

For the rest of us, who practice varying degrees of "studiosness" with regards to the hobby, waiting for months for the only Vintage Baseball Journal around, is something we'll gripe about (everyone likes to see improvements), but we would never abandon our subscriptions...because then we would miss stuff. I have subscribed to every single vintage baseball publication I know of, because I don't want to miss ANYTHING. If one's worse than another, so what - I'm reading it anyway.

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Posted By: leon

and think as long as I have been a subscriber it has been the absolute, hands down, WORST run organization still in business. I think they totally suck where business is concerned. I called once to see if my subscription had run out. They NEVER called back. I got my next magazine about a week later but I still don't know if my subscription has run out? I met Don Betz once at a National and he seemed nice enough. This is in no way a personal attack. They are just the worst run business I have seen that's still in business ( I guess ). As for staff writers...I doubt it if they don't even have someone to return a call. I guess I wouldn't be quite as wriled (sp?) up if they hadn't said that they had their operations all worked out about a year or so ago. What a lie that was. I hope they get better as I still do enjoy the magazine just not their business practices. It's good they have a captive audience. regards all.....

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Posted By: JimB

Let's be serious. As much as I love VCBC when it eventually comes out and they eventually decide to send me a copy, they have been incredibly unprofessional in the way they conduct their business. Everybody seems to cut them a lot of slack because we appreciate what they do produce (I liked the content more when Dennis Purdy was running it), but the reality is that if a dealer or anybody else in another business treated their customers the way VCBC does, they would be out of business in a split second. For several years they were the only game in town. I look forward to Old Cardboard magazine. Perhaps they will put the fire under VCBC's butts and they will begin to be a responsible business. Don't get me wrong. I still subscribe to VCBC. In fact I think I have probably paid for twice as many issues as I ever received. I would just like to make a public appeal to them to get their act together.
JimB

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Posted By: Julie

nobody answered, and there was no message-taker.

I'm STILL loking forward to the next issue, but in the future I will be a little bitter because of all the time I put into the (accepted) article...

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Posted By: runscott

Do you really think our posts are jokes?

When you receive "Old Cardboard", you may very well change your mind - they clearly are not in competition with VCBC, and unless something drastic happens, they won't be lighting any fires under anyone. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate them, just that I realize they aren't "Time Magazine" any more than VCBC is.

And while it's clear that VCBC isn't running smoothly, I'm sure they are aware of that fact, and the fact that we aren't happy about it. The public appeals have been made. Are they sitting by the pool drinking Margaritas? When they read your post, will they all go "Wow, we ARE screw-ups - everyone run back to the office!"

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Posted By: hankron

What would happen if subscribers started demanding immediate refund or partial refund of subscription money for issues missed and/or deceptive advertising of product. Perhaps the sudden loss or potential loss of this money would cause VCBC to consider listening to readers' concerns.

You don't have to publish a magazine if you don't want to. But that doesn't mean you also get to keep the subscribers' money in your bank account. It's known as 'One or the other. Take your pick.'

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Posted By: runscott

I think that if anyone called Don and asked for a refund, they would get it. If that's where you are with this subject, then you should call him and wipe your hands of it.

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Posted By: hankron

I didn't make any accusation.

I did, however, say in so many words that if you get paid to dow a job you should do the job. If you know you can't do the job, don't take the money to do the job.

Didn't realize that was such a radical concept.

I will ask for a refund today. This means that the only difference between me and the rest you reading this thread is that you guys will be paying to not receive next's months issue. I'll get my non-existant copy free of charge.

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Posted By: Julie

They are still alive in Baltimore, and so is my article. And someday, in the not too distant future, we will get another issue of VCBC (which, I said, "although it has begun to fade in our memories" I thought most thought "somewhat juicier" than
"Old Cardboard." ). They are glad about "Old Cardboard," since it is also a magazine about vintage cards...now that's simple, isn't it?

About delivery: only ten or twelve people ALTOGETHER get their VCBC "priority mail."

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Posted By: hankron

Duly note that this type of thread pops up on this board about once every every year. It always starts with a collector who subscribes to a "12 issue subscription" and wondering why he hasn't received his first's months copy in six or eight months. He assumed the 12 issue subscription meant it was a monthly, not 1 issue every six months for six years.

That this same type of thread appears regularly, shows that VCBC has got issues (figuratively obviously).

That VCBC still hasn't figured out to explain to the new subscriber that the "12 issue" subscription does not mean it's a montly but that a new issue is mailed out every six or eight months or so, says VCBC is either incompetant or they simply don't care about the readers expectations or feelings.


"Dear Potential Subscriber. You are subscribing to 12 issues. A new copy comes out about every six or eight months. There are no set dates for release of a new issue. VCBC is not a montly magazine."
-- That, my friends, is known as communicating clearly to potential subscribers. It's that simple and it took me seven seconds to write. For some strange unfathamable enchanted forrest pixies on dewdrops magic carpet ride reason, it has never dawned upon VCBC to write such copy even though about every new subscriber wonders why their first month's issue hasn't arrived yet.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I guess I'll chime in again.

My wife is studying marketing and she told me that a satisfied customer tells on average five to six people to use the product or service, but a disgruntled customer on average bitches to 11 people. There seem to be a lot of dissatisfied customers here, and the reasons are totally avoidable customer relations errors. David hit it dead on the nose: publish whenever you want but tell people what is going on. Nothing is more corrosive in a client relationship than silence. I think all we want is to know when we can reasonably expect to see another issue.

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Posted By: Julie

Vezina article. But also make constructive suggestions, like: "this dame obviously doesn't know zilch about early hockey or its players!" Also Scott Mosley and other Americans hockily inclined...

To save anyone the trouble of asking: I don't have this card, know nobody who does; the picture came from BMW Sportscards and is a rare English postcard, which cost $30,000 last time one changed hands...

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Posted By: EP

whoever said "As much as I love VCBC when it eventually comes out and they eventually decide to send me a copy, they have been incredibly unprofessional in the way they conduct their business" is dead right.

The magazine may be fantastic, but if you never get it, what is the point?

The people who run this magazine are bonafide business idiots. I subscribed about two months ago, I will be charging back my credit card charge first thing tomorrow. What a joke.

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Posted By: Pcelli60

Soon it will be gone and a little of my money with it..I only hope for one or two more issues..shame...

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Posted By: dennis

and in it was a promise (etched in stone)on how from here on it would be published regularly.i think my subscribtion is over(not sure)but i think i will buy my issues from the website(if still there), or ebay if someone should be selling, as things don't look good with the mag.