Everybody's Favorite NJ Seller Is At It Again!

ASDA might as well read ASPCA, because they sure aren't protecting anyone in our hobby, let alone vouching for the credibility of their member dealers:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSwCFta947y
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSwxCFa947k
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSw0Lha947v
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSwnGha946-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSwQO9a948d
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stamps-...AOSwh2Fa947- (Yeah, this one has "multiple faults" alright, the biggest one being that it is NOT #491-I would call that a MAJOR fault!)
I used to be dismissive of Anthony's fraud, but more and more, I am angered by it. Do we have to resign ourselves this will go on forever, or is there something we can do collectively to rid our hobby of these cockroaches? As I eluded to earlier, we can not depend on ASDA; they have already demonstrated that they are nothing more than a "shingle for sale".

I have written the ASDA multiple times with my latest being this past Monday. I have never heard a peep back out of them. It ticks me off big time. It is truly frustrating and disgusting. It is also at this point a gigantic middle finger to the hobby from Anthony's. The owner Marc must have some extremely compromising photographs of some ASDA officers for them to be so silent on the topic. I would think however that there were a group of good dealers that are aware of the situation and would voice their concerns as one about this rubbish. Apparently not. It is a stain on the hobby, it damages the hobby and it is bilking collectors out of a lot of cash. I am not going down the "buyers need to educate themselves" rabbit hole. This should not be allowed to go on. There are zero excuses. Suggestions?

Write a press release for Linn's. Of course, they probably won't publish it, but a letter to the APS Journal might be published. Also, post on the "other" SCF chat board. Also, send a letter to the editor of "American Stamp Dealer and Collector" published by ASDA. The editor is not located at ASDA "headquarters".

Also, the eBay-ASDA logo program is protracted bad joke that eBay cannot seem to get right. Not all ASDA members have logos showing and eBay doesn't seem to know why.

Finally, as an ASDA member, I would happily block bidders who post blanket statements about avoiding ASDA sellers or unfairly characterize all ASDA sellers as crooks assuming eBay ever figures out how apply the ASDA logo to Top-Rated Seller accounts. One notorious eBay seller has been attempting to block every account belonging to anyone posting critical remarks about him or similar eBay sellers. Who has time for that?

No seller likes cranky buyers. I want my buyers to be happy. I wish that other sellers did also, but some don't seem to care. Sellers, including ASDA members have a variety of attitudes about interacting with buyers. Some sellers clutter their listings with long or hostile boilerplate seeming to invite disputes. It also goes without saying that if a listing description is "see picture" or is missing, buying from the seller is less likely to be a good experience.

For what it's worth, his Australian material seems ok and not too badly priced

I just sent all their board members this thread (again)

Clark,
I am avoiding eBay sellers with the ASDA logo, I hope that you are not blocking me. While I have never recommended that others avoid ASDA members, I think I have a right to post my opinion. I have always promoted buyers doing discovery on who they are buying from and mentioned that many great sellers like you exist. As it stands now, a ASDA logo does not instill confidence and my opinion is that as a buyer I will continue look for other ways to understand who are the highest quality sellers.

Here is one of the guidelines from the ASDA 'Code of Conduct'


And this from the ASDA Pledge

I do not understand why ASDA cannot enforce its own ethical guidelines. From the outside looking in, it appears the situation so politically charged that the organization is impotent; frozen with inaction. In my opinion the ASDA is totally aware of the situation; I do not see value in beating this dead horse by continuing to contact them. If the ASDA is placing the highest priority on membership dues, then they should abolish the logo program and/or change their ethical guidelines.

I do not think the issue is people posting that they are avoiding ASDA logo sellers. I do not think the issue is eBay's oversight of the ASDA logo program. I think the issue is that the ASDA is promoting a logo program with members who do not meet their own ethical guidelines and have not responded to inquiries on this subject.

What possible excuse is there for ignoring inquiries on this subject for months and months? What a horrible optic it is to simply not respond. It would have taken 2 minutes to write a simple 'non-committal' response like 'Thank you for your inquiry, we are currently evaluating input and working through how best to use it to make improvements.'

The ball is 100% in the ASDA's court and ASDA members can influence change if desired. As long as there are obvious violations of ASDA guidelines there will be bad perceptions for the ASDA logo.

To build a good ASDA logo reputation the first step is to be responsive. Of course there will be some silly, frivolous, or other unjustified complaints against some members. But the mechanism for submitting complaints, evaluating complaints, and resolving complaints has to be perceived as fair and responsive. (A person like you or I could develop an online system that automates this in a day or two, this is not rocket science.) The results also have to be transparent.

Alternately, the ASDA could change their guidelines and allow practices being done by some of its current members. But they cannot ignore enforcing their own ethical guidelines and expect buyers to look upon the ASDA logo with confidence.
Don

Can't believe these conversations.

Do I understand correctly that you want to block buyers who make negative comments about the ASDA?? You're kidding, right??!!

Block away. Good business model. Good luck with that...

I would call for a total boycott of anything related to the ASDA. Now that I know you're a member, I would not buy from you. Whether you display their logo or not. I would not attend an ASDA show. I would certainly never become a member.

Any organization that ignores unethical behavior to the extent that the ASDA has is useless. If their members won't speak out, then they are condoning & therefore promoting this type of behavior.

I'll speak with my wallet & encourage everyone else to do so as well - the only way to effect change is to hurt them where it counts...

I realize everyone here is focused on their trimmed/bogus US material, but this seller does not discriminate - they sell similar nonsense for many countries. I reported this one on stampsmarter recently. I've notified the seller that the ID is wrong - it is actually a #584, which has a CV of $2.50...doesn't seem to have bothered them much!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Turkey-Sta...AOSwqQZazPOO

I got a ridiculous, somewhat canned response thanking me for letting them know and acting like it was the first time they've been notified.

'If a fraudulent or inaccurate listing by an ASDA member is brought to our attention, we will take immediate action to determine the facts and rectify the situation through our disciplinary procedures if the facts establish fraud, inaccuracy, misrepresentation or other fault on the part of the member.'

right

Absolutely pathetic

Their larceny knows no bounds, so I wouldn't expect them to limit their deception to just U.S.

On another note, and just to be perfectly clear, my "inflammatory" comments about the ASDA were not targeted at any member dealer(s) that joined the organization in good faith, but rather the organization itself, and their utter lack of policing or vettting that goes into supporting "the professionalism" their logo is "supposed" to represent.

You should see the replies I'm getting from them now. I should post them but not yet...

I'm curious to know what the ASDA membership numbers are over the last 15 years. Is it declining, staying level, or increasing? I'd bet dollars to donuts when the ASDA contacts one of these shady sellers that their cop out is "I'm a dealer, not an expert" and that will satisfy the association. Will ethics take a back seat to money? What is the yearly membership cost?

The ASDA has a meeting at NAPEX from 8 to 10am Sat Jun 9 in the San Francisco room.

That's great to know, but I am 3000 miles from San Francisco with no intention or ability to attend (prior business obligation).

Are any of the contributors to this thread, who I think it's fair to say are mostly fed up with Anthony's and the protection afforded them by the ASDA, planning on attending NAPEX? If so, it is also your intention to attend the ASDA meeting, and bring this matter to their attention in-person?

NAPEX is at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia. "San Francisco" is just the name of the meeting room.

Reedededge,

Per your profile, you are very close to NAPEX.