The Big Kahuna vs Topps via the Better Business Bureau....PART 2

Well....Topps seems to have to move pretty fast on this issue. Five days after receiving a reply back from the BBB and Topps with their answer to the BBB I had received a package on my Birthday (July 26- how convenient) from the Topps company in good ol Duryea, PA.

Let us call this Exhibit A:

We've all received these "thoughtful and heartfelt" replacement letters when Topps fails to acquire the signatures of the athletes they are to have in a product. When I read over mine it was as if a "tear" had formed in the corner of my eye. Why? because I knew Topps was going to fail me and wanted me to know that the signature they were sending to me was the BASTARD CHILD from the result of Topps sleeping in a bed of greed with BECKETT. I love it when they say in the letter at how they are "trying to obtain the exact card on the redemption". Gee...It makes me want to get a kitten a warm bowel of milk over those warm felt words. Then my favorite, "Due to circumstances beyond our control".....in other words, "OOPS.....we shipped the product before the athlete signed....how sad for you. Here is a kitten with a bowel of warm milk to comfort you. No worries as he will sign soon". So if Toyota advertises a truck with V8 but gives you the same truck with a V6 and charges you the same price as the V8 that is justified in their words? AYE!

Let us call this Exhibit B:

a 2012 Bowman Devon Still autograph is what I received from Topps Customer Service. So they replaced my first round pick from a premium card stock with a second round pick with cheaper card stock. Sounds like they hired the guy from the Trojan company who made sure the second-hand irregular condoms were sold at a premium price for all Ollie's Bargin outlets. I do feel lucky though because some poor hobby lover had it worse than I did. Just look on some of the comments in BLOWOUT CARDS forums as to what they had for replacements.

This is what I had originally:

 

 So was I screwed out of my original card.....again by Topps. My question is should I send it back for something better? My other thoughts are why did they not replace it with something else from Strata? Mark Barron signed other cards-Could they not have replaced it with another Mark Barron autograph? The guy they did send me was from PSU and did they send that to me because I live near PSU ( I despise PSU- GO IRISH!)? Sorry but I can't help but feel like I got a little bit ripped off on this one. The Tribe is far from spoken on this one!

George "Boomer" Scott (March 23, 1944 - July 28, 2013)

 

George "Boomer" Scott (March 23, 1944-July 28, 2013)

George was a 3x All-Star and 8 Gold Gloves first baseman who spent most of his 14-year career with the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. George had also played for the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees. He was known to have worn his batting helmet at first base and playing ball with a big sense of humor. May you find peace in the arms of the Angels George.

 

Frank Castillo (April 1, 1969 – July 28, 2013)

 

Frank Castillo (April 1, 1969 - July 28, 2013)

Frank compiled a 82-104 record in 13 major league seasons. Frank had pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado, Detroit, Toronto, Boston and Florida from 1991 to 2005.

May you find peace in the arms of the Angels Frank.

The Big Kahuna vs Topps via the Better Business Bureau.....FOR WHAT ITS WORTH.

Well after waiting a while and not getting any replies from any Topps Customer Service other than from one person at Topps regarding my pending redemptions (2) who understood my frustrations but could not do anything at all, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I filed on July 2 and the BBB sent a letter on July 8th to Topps and this was the reply I got back today from Topps:

Dear Tim Hertzog :

This is in reference to your complaint against The Topps Company Inc..  Your complaint was assigned ID #9608718.

The business has sent the BBB a response regarding this complaint, which is below or attached.  Please respond to this message electronically or by written correspondence within 6 days. 

If we do not hear back from you within that time, we will assume the case is resolved.

Your statement of your complaint [and your final response to any replies from the business] may be made public in the BBB Business Review for this business on www.newyork.bbb.org.  Please be careful to make statements that are correct and not likely to create liability for you when they are published.

Sincerely,

Brandon Cardinale
Mediator
Phone: (212) 358-8022

THE TEXT OF YOUR COMPLAINT WILL BE PUBLICLY POSTED ON THE BBB WEB SITE (BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy). PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY UNNECESSARY PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (such as social security numbers, birth dates, etc.)  IN DESCRIBING THE NATURE OF YOUR COMPLAINT. BY SUBMITTING YOUR COMPLAINT, YOU ARE REPRESENTING THAT IT IS A TRUTHFUL ACCOUNT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE BUSINESS. BBB MAY EDIT YOUR COMPLAINT TO PROTECT PRIVACY RIGHTS AND TO REMOVE INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE.

MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:

Hi Tim, 

We're sorry to hear you've waited such a long time for this card. Unfortunately, Mark Barron has not signed these cards yet. When a card is meant to be put into production, we only insert redemption cards when we have a deal with the athlete in question, and the athlete's agent. Unfortunately, this does not always guarantee as timely signing session, as professional athletes travel frequently, as well as have varying degrees of willingness to sign cards for us. 

We only keep a very small percentage of what we print, which is why, if we replace this card for you ,we cannot guarantee any specific player. We can only promise that it will be a football athlete that has the same Beckett Book (memorabilia pricing) value.

Please let us know if you would like a suitable replacement, or if you would like hold off until hopefully Mr.Barron signs these cards.

Thank you.

From what I can recall Topps has these athletes sign a contract. Does not Topps put a payment clause  and signatures requested by a certain date in the contract if the athlete does not sign his "stickers" and thus the contract becomes voided when the athlete fails to do his part? Are they paying them before they get the signatures from the athletes? And why is BECKETT still in the same bed with Topps (Beckett book value)? Unfortunately that is one relationship that will never decease. 

 

Also I'm sorry but there is no way in hell that Topps sends out quality same Beckett book value cards in exchange. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LOYAL COLLECTORS THAT CAN TESTIFY TO WHAT TOPPS HAS GIVEN THEM IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR HIGH VALUE CARDS AND IT'S HIGHWAY ROBBERY what some collectors have received! Something has to be done. Someone has to see that this is a headache for everyone involved.

Speak out folks! How were you effected by the redemptions?

The Tribe has spoken!