Topps over the past two years has failed in my opinion.
Last year Topps ran a promotion where you could redeem codes online for a card (random card from 1952-2010) and then trade the cards or take delivery of them. They also seeded the promotion with autos, relics, and high priced cards that would provide free shipping for every card in your account. I came to the promotion a bit late but in the 10 months I participated, I turned my approx. 300 codes into 4,000 cards (mostly vintage from 1952-1970) and was lucky enough to have two prize cards to get them all shipped free. Topps pushed this promotion through social media including facebook and twitter. There were many problems with cards being backordered, website issues, problems with hijacking accounts, etc. Even with the problems, it was fun and made some new trading partners.
Flash forward to this year...Similar promotion is happening. Topps head of social media comes onto the facebook site and says the promotion will run the same as last year with prize cards, free shipping, new limited edition cards, etc. They start the promotion and it seems to be running great. I decide to do it with some of my fourth graders and start an account. We trade very aggressively and turn our 50 codes into nearly 1,500 cards in just over a month. Topps announces shipping is open but there will be a 25 card limit. $2.92 for the first card and $.53 for each additional card up to 25 and then you have to start over for $2.92. We had a prize card and were told that the promotion would run the same. Not that our prize card would only get us 25 cards! In their rules it states two things...that a prize card will provide free shipping for the cards in your account and that shipping will be $2.92 for the first card and $0.53 for each additional card. Nothing about recurring charges, shipping limits, etc.
After calling Topps and speaking with Mike Mader, head of social media, their in house lawyer, and several customer service reps. I was essentially told that my class was screwed and that no changes would be made. I filed reports with the BBB of New York and the NY Attorney General. I also took my case to their facebook pages were many other fans and people doing the promotion were upset.
Flash forward another few months after trying to trade my way back down to 50 cards, not easy this year since no one wants extra cards because they can not get them shipped easily, Topps was having other issues. Namely account hijacks, technical problems and a lack of policing their facebook page which had become worse than anything you could see here (yes, worse than Dorskind!). When I started posting on the page asking for help and sending them emails, namely to Mike Mader, I soon found myself banned from their sites. They actually took me off their sites and refused to answer questions. I soon found out that Mader no longer worked for them and they would be outsourcing the media side. Signed on with a new account and was banned again when I questioned customer service about the threats and technical issues.
I did manage to cash out a few cards but the kids did not get any because I could not afford to cash out a bulk lot. Topps customer service is a joke and the company itself is losing a lot of it's base. Even owning the only MLB license is not going to help. Many collectors who came back to topps after years, like myself, are now staying away.
Just awful and I am very disappointed.
Joshua
|