Sorry, David, but I think this diatribe of character assassination goes beyond anything that we should be dealing with on Mopo - it's personal and vindictive. Rich may not be blameless in this matter but you go beyond the pale here.
Tommy On Wed, 4 Oct 2023, 13:00 David Kusumoto, <[email protected]> wrote: > ** Well considering that Peter is the founder of MoviePosterExchange, *of > course he'd prefer that none of these complaints were brought up publicly > in the first place. I didn't. Others did. And of course he - and you, the > owner of *MoviePosterBid <https://www.mpb.auction/auctions/> *- prefer > that only people with complaints should talk about this - (in public) - > while everyone else should keep their mouths shut. *Well, that's not > gonna happen so long as you keep stringing things out with insults - over > what I thought was a done deal.* > > ** But guess what, you're not a complainant either. *You're just an > amicus brief for "aggrieved" merchants - while I see myself as being a > friend to both customers AND merchants - armed with far less poison. So > your involvement, your whole line of argument is beyond contradictory - > because it's a line travels a complete circle back to yourself, and you > have a blind spot so big that you can't even see it. > > ** I've got no beef with Peter* and regard him highly, at least compared > to his former biz partner back in the day who had a promo for a famous > Fritz Lang 3-sheet that was seized shortly after it went up. I should have > probably shut up about that too, huh. Not my place, right? But ok for the > Hollywood > Reporter and other news outlets to chime in. *shrug* > > ---- > > ** Meanwhile, you should clean up your own house of cards* in relation to > movie poster auctions - before defending or slagging the operations of any > poster re-seller you love or hate. Your incessant defecation of movie > posters as a terrible investment collectible in relation to other > collectibles - is YOUR trademark message, at least compared to your stock > in trade, i.e., comics. You never stop making this point - betwixt and > between commenting on the news of the day as if you're Paul Krugman or Wm. > F. Buckley. OK, point made, we get it, along with your over-use of the > word, "analog" to compare different categories of collectibles like some > high-falutin' art professor at Columbia. Don't really disagree. > > ** You may have 40-60 years expertise as a hustler / salesman* - but your > public slagging of posters only arrives after several sputtering / failed > merry-go-rounds on your part - trying to make a go of posters as a > profitable auction enterprise for yourself. Hence the reason why the > "auction" portion of your creation, *movieposterbid.com* > <https://www.mpb.auction/auctions/> - is a moribund reminder of that > failure. It's a fixed price site today - with no auctions for, well, maybe > as long as three years now. Guess there's no need to update that page. > There's always hope. > > ** Unlike the Bruces, the Greys, the two Johns, the Helmuts, the Sams, the > Kirbs and Alans and Dales and on-and-on *- (sorry to drag you guys into > this but you are who I trust, no need to respond) - who continue to > co-exist with great reputations among customers AND with fellow merchants. > *Mensches all.* > > ---- > > ** I know what people say about me is not complimentary*. But when you're > gonna die sooner rather than later, fewer years ahead than behind - you > don't really care. I do try to be fair. > > ** But I don't think you yourself really KNOWS what people say about you - > and if you do* - you likely wear your short-fuse temper like a > self-hating badge of honor. You can't stop getting personal in your > writing, in my view projecting an aura that suggests that you see yourself > as a Tony Soprano hit-man or a self-appointed MoPo policeman - (a job that > only belongs to Scott Burns) - to counterpoint or to kill anyone who > disagrees by pounding them into tomorrow. So I'm trying that playbook in > response to your latest insult to see how it feels - trying to not sound > too crass. > > ** In my view, your rude articulation skills *have never been a good look > that persuades others who are armed with hilarious stories collected and > shared about your own quirks, proclivities and tastes. But I guess this > doesn't matter because you can't be hurt at MoPo because posters aren't > your bag except to acquire something for yourself. > > ** Your aptitude for warm personal relations is a big fail,* closer to a > wannabe Lee J. Cobb character - (a great actor, BTW) - in "On the > Waterfront," you know, "Hit 'em first before they hit you, every man for > himself, we're a law-abiding union." (Furtively hides his guns in the > safe.) You humble brag your resume but it arrives shortly before you get > fed up and use euphemisms for, "You're a dead man" - e.g., like that time > you physically threatened another person on these boards - whose posts you > didn't like. All documented. > > ---- > > ** Your writing might be relatable to others of your type *- but I don't > think it's relatable to the customer equation - unless that customer is a > re-seller YOU know personally. It exposes you as being egregiously > one-sided with no flex for other opinions - even when contrarian opinions > belong to merchants who are ALSO customers afflicted. I've no dog in this > squabble otherwise. You could also make the case of staying quiet. You did > not. Nor did I. I think you jumped in only because I did first. > > ** I snickered when you bragged* that you've been so helpful - while > conceding you "can only do much" from your Vegas outpost. You humble-brag > elsewhere about making millions - but you know, you really can't help > anyone, really, even your friends - the flag you waved in your last post. > > ** So to me, what have you done? *Your help falls well short of my > example when I tried - (but also failed) - to rescue Carol Tincup before > she died - when she had similar issues falling behind trying to deliver > services she promised - for which she took up-front deposits - but went > silent and responded to NO ONE - even after her customers complained in > public. Friend or not, I advised fellow merchants and collectors to hold > off sending stuff until she cleared her backlog. If I knew how Jason > operates, how his day unfolds - I might say the same but won't - because I > don't. I was just reflecting about customer complaints that go public when > there are plenty of warning flags that go up well before they become > "public knowledge." This doesn't preclude me or ANYONE from weighing in > about customer service issues - which can impact a small business's > reputation and a client's dollars. > > ---- > > ** I'm just bluster and words, a lowly member of the "peanut gallery," *as > you put it. And in my view you're hardly MoPo's version of Joan of Arc, > sacrificing yourself at the stake as if you're some titan, some noble dude > - using your body and rep as a shield against interlopers like me - as if > they need it, as if they can't speak for themselves, when I'm not parrying > anyone with aggression like you routinely do. Now you're doing it against > me, a dude who's likely ALSO been around a helluva lot longer than you've > been alive. You really think I'm clueless after nearly 30 years on MoPo. > > ** In sum - just three final words (maybe) - for you:* > > "You poor thing." > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of sales > comic-art.com <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wednesday, October 4, 2023 2:25 AM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > thanks Peter, and of course it's a fair point > Tommy Barr has a fair complaint, Sam has a fair complaint. David has no > complaint. > > Jason is having trouble. I've tried helping him some, but I can only help > so much from here. I hope he can get out from under. But you can be sure > when some braying jackass comes out berating him, and with that "you owe > the movie poster hobby Mister", that's baloney. > > Jason doesn't owe anything to anyone other than the people who are buyers, > or consignors and most especially to himself. Other people should indeed > mind their own business > > Jason can & will fix his own problems and shouldn't be dragged by some > third party buttinsky, and when some sniveling simp is going to drag my > friend, I'm going to speak up. David's childish reply only shows how much > of a sniveling simp he is > > shut up David. mind your own business > > ------------------------------ > *From:* peter contarino <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sunday, October 1, 2023 10:18 AM > *To:* David Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [MOPO] Not responding > > I am not defending Jason or Rich but it seems to me that Rich makes a fair > point. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sunday, October 1, 2023 3:43 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > * To suggest you should not weigh in on any controversy surfacing on a > public forum - unless you yourself are directly impacted - suppresses > opinions from members who have no stake in the outcome - or - that you > yourself are a stakeholder. > > * However frowned upon, all members - myself and others below this post > included - can weigh in - or not. I'm not from the school that says people > should shut up unless they're personally aggrieved. That view - suggests > some are taking sides anyway even when they say they're not. > > * I strongly believe disputes which go public - ALWAYS occur as a last > resort - after weeks or months of frustration KNOWN by all parties. Does > anyone doubt this? We hear publicly from the merchant being queried - only > AFTER a second customer this week weighs in more forcefully than about > being ghosted. > > ---- > > * 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿. Below was the first time > I weighed on this merchant whose name has surfaced not once, but multiple > times in 2023 alone. If it happens once, no one cares. Happens twice, maybe > some concern. Three times or more - that's a potential "pattern" linked to > health or other issues beyond anyone's control. Or maybe not. > > * Merchants know this when a customer refuses to pay and has a history of > ghosting other merchants. Just because they're stellar for you - doesn't > mean they've been stellar for everyone. Customers know this too - when they > pay or query a merchant and discover later that they're not alone receiving > less than satisfactory responses, presuming they get any. > > ---- > > * Remember the Carol Tincup issue (RIP)? She was a great restorer. > Numerous dealers and customers wrote on MoPo about non-delivery of their > posters. > > * No one was explaining broadly - what was going on. So I did because I > dealt with her. She had one of my items for more than a year but I stayed > quiet about it - because I wanted it back and felt she could still do it. > We spoke on the phone a lot. She had knee problems. Customers took their > complaints to MoPo not knowing this. I did not know until other clients > brought her up on MoPo - that I wasn't the only person waiting to hear from > her. > > * I told her that she needs to tell people her situation, that people are > forgiving about everything except intentional silence, that she is risking > her reputation in our small community. When people go public like this, it > can mean that others are seeing just the tip of an iceberg. I was > extremely sympathetic. In my last emails and voice mails to her - I begged > her to take my damage control advice. I spent an entire week leaving her > messages. She ghosted me. At that moment, I wrote off in my head that > what she had that was mine - was a complete loss. > > * It was only then - that I issued my public "opinion" - that people > should hold off sending her more stuff until her backlog was cleared and > her ongoing problems with merchants were resolved. I only found out she > was angry with me - when my unfinished poster and a refund arrived in the > mail 2 weeks later. I called her instantly. She had blocked my number. > She refused to see that while there are two sides to everything - that > ghosting causes people to think worst case scenarios. She had good reasons > for her backlog. But via MoPo I discovered she had many customers waiting > months to hear ANYTHING from her who were in the dark. I knew why but > others didn't. I didn't think that was fair. I wasn't going to write > individual emails to every complainant. > > ---- > > * There is no such thing as a convenient time to have such problems. > Anyone who goes public with them - has likely thought about the > consequences of asking others "out loud" - if they know what's going on. > And someone in the "community" knows - even if they won't say. I bet there > is someone besides the merchant in question who knows - but isn't saying - > or is contacting people looking for answers privately. > > * That's what this group does best. And sometimes public opinions from > others - is the cheapest solution to group-think inertia. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* peter contarino <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sunday, October 1, 2023 10:18 AM > *To:* David Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [MOPO] Not responding > > I am not defending Jason or Rich but it seems to me that Rich makes a fair > point. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 9:16 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > Huh, odd to get a public insult from a lonely life form that writes like > it goes to bed each night with spasms of self-loathing, chewing on its own > spine. -d. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* sales comic-art.com <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 8:00 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]>; David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > so do you have any unfinished business with Jason, or are you just the > peanut gallery mouthing off again? > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 6:30 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Addendum - Not responding > > *ADDENDUM to Friday, September 29, 2023 6:03 PM PT post: *BTW, I didn't > mean to imply that only merchants are at fault. There are customers who > abuse their relationship with merchants - and feedback extortion or "give > me what I want or else" threats do occur. There are customers who are > never satisfied unless they get their money back AND push to keep items > they don't want - and - on top of that they want more $$ to compensate for > their mental anguish or some other vague aggravation. Word can and should > spread about customers who are persistent headaches - as a "subjective > advisory" for others on both sides of the seller and buyer equation. It's > why a customer or merchant who complains in public - can be countered with > customers / merchants who describe "stellar experiences." Yelp is not > always a reliable forum to get a true picture of performance - nor is MoPo > - but if patterns surface more than a few times among diverse customers and > merchants - then that's what they are, "patterns." - d. > > -----Original comment below----- > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 6:03 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > *How about responding to the whole group as well - to avoid adverse > consequences to your business model in relation to the 250+ members of the > MoPo group? * > > *The following is my opinion and not necessarily fact: * > > When people use any public forum to resolve issues, it's almost ALWAYS the > course of last resort. It means unresolved issues have been festering for > weeks, months or even longer. > > When a customer or customers go public - it's because they're on the edge > of desperation. And if the merchant in question responds with something > like - "We apologize for the delay and someone will get back to you > tomorrow" - well, that has about as much credibility as saying, "the check > is in the mail" or "I never got any of your messages." > > ** If delays are due to family or health issues which can't be helped, > people are very forgiving up to a point.* > > But if service / delivery issues recur and are spread across more than 1-2 > customers who say "yeah, me too" - a merchant then loses control of his or > her story and any effort to resolve problems one-on-one - go out the > window. The problems convert into something broader that involves staying > liquid and saving the business over reputational issues beyond a merchant's > control - because future potential customers - are now likely to pause > before forking over future dollars for services reported as being > undelivered or being unsatisfactory. Meanwhile, other customers in limbo - > will stay quiet - because they want their money back - and if they do - > they eventually join the "never again" bad-word-of-mouth campaign that > spreads like wildfire. This is why a damn good explanation is required > that makes sense. > > * Merchants who feel targeted - understand this principle better when the > tables are turned. For example, you send me $300 for a flat-panel TV and I > convert it quickly into cash and I then cancel my accounts to block future > charge backs / refunds - and then ghost a pile of voice mails from people > asking, "Sorry to bother you but why the delay?" The aforementioned is > hyperbole, but customers and merchants aren't mind-readers - and worst case > scenarios pop into their heads, even if they're off. But if you heard that > I have more than 1-2 customers griping about my services or products - even > politely - you're unlikely to think too much of my reliability score. -d. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of Jason > Edgerley <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 4:31 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Not responding > > Yes the website is down and trying to remedy the problem and get orders > out. > Todd and Tommy I will be in touch tomorrow. > > On Sep 29, 2023, at 7:24 PM, Todd Feiertag <[email protected]> wrote: > > "...is anyone having problems with movieposterexchange?" > > HA!! I paid for several items last April and NEVER received them. > > I've emailed Jason at least three times. He originally responded that he > would send them out after he got back from the Columbus show on Memorial > Day Weekend but that never happened. > > Emailed him several times afterwords with NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER!! > > I just checked and now it looks like the website is down. > > Not sure if it's too late to dispute the charge as it's been 5 months now > but I plan on doing that with my credit card company. > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of Tommy Barr < > [email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, September 29, 2023 7:17 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* [MOPO] Not responding > > I had hoped that it wouldn't be necessary to ask this again, but is anyone > having problems with movieposterexchange? > > Tommy > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
