I just want to say thank you for the support, in my opinion, it had to do with more than one person. I truly feel there has been a slow build to what is going to be acceptable to post about VMP outside of VMP threads. My post was basically that I had a good conversation with Matt and Lloyd because they mostly listened instead of trying to explain things away. But I included that I still have issues and was not too happy with them using the "we're working on it" line. I also mentioned I don't plan to withhold info from conversation unless it is tentative plans or spitting balling things because we all know what happens when we get some info about VMP and it doesn't happen. The status was, in my opinion, fair because they are people and should be talked about as such and I tried to do that. I got comments that I don't think were appropriate and were allowed to go on, some were definitely worse than others but the continued tone was disturbing to me and if I were to respond to any of it would have made it worse (based on a couple of comments I did make and a recent dust-up that I bear a good bit of responsibility for).
I will be meeting with Lloyd (and Matt if he can make it) in person to go over more things since we live fairly close and Lloyd has family near where I live. This doesn't excuse past situations but if they are willing to listen to customers and actually make changes that would be great and give me more hope. If it is all just a show then that would most likely be the tipping point for me.
As to the VMP slow build, I know there is a good portion of people that are extremely upset with VMP and that is totally fine. But if I can't post a status post with mixed commentary about VMP (though I would say it had a lot more skepticism than positive).
The truth is there
was a fair amount of good about VMP - some amazing Classics picks, intriguing exclusives, generally human CS, the forum (where many of us rediscovered a love of vinyl, interacted with the VMP staff and built friendships among an incredibly generous online community).
But then shipping issues became more than an occasional thing. And then quality issues, quantity issues, distribution issues, etc. And all of it collapsed - including the forum - under the weight of high expectations, a discerning consumer community and really, really horrible public relations and customer service debacle.
For most of us, our anger is not focused directly on the staff (except Matt
) - Storf, Pauly and others appear to be caught between a passionate customer base and a corporate rock(head). They've been given canned responses which haven't helped. And they have absolutely botched the anthology.
I truly believe most of us wanted VMP to succeed. To do what they do and do it well. But the indifference - and even worse, blaming of the customers for the company's issues, was finally a step too far for many. Including me.
I guess that is why I admire
@Enoch's effort to mend the relationship - to see if Matt and the rest of the organization are just going through a growth phase that they were in able to manage. Or if they really don't give a damn what we do with our extra money ... or our "extra time."
As a group of vinyl hungry consumers we have nothing to lose here except one outlet for discovering new music. But VMP has EVERYTHING to lose. They see the numbers. They know exactly how much each of us has spent on vinyl through the store and our VMP memberships. And it can't look good.
So while I missed the dust-up here on N&G this afternoon, I'm grateful for
@Enoch's willingness to sit down and talk with Matt and others. I'm grateful for his status update (both anti- and pro VMP). And he can represent my point of view anytime.
Now, back to
and
#fin
