Hey Kids, Have You Heard The News? MOSAIC's IN TROUBLE!!!

[xybert]

Regarding postal address errors, the same thing happened to me in 2014. The shipping address in the 'your order is shipping' email was for an old address that i used to use (and was completely different to what i had entered and was confirmed in the earlier 'order received' confirmation email). Sent them a friendly email, and as usual with Mosaic the service was excellent, but it's clear that they have a system and/or process issue. Not wanting to pile on but it's worth noting that this is not a new issue.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, xybert said:

Regarding postal address errors, the same thing happened to me in 2014. The shipping address in the 'your order is shipping' email was for an old address that i used to use (and was completely different to what i had entered and was confirmed in the earlier 'order received' confirmation email). Sent them a friendly email, and as usual with Mosaic the service was excellent, but it's clear that they have a system and/or process issue. Not wanting to pile on but it's worth noting that this is not a new issue.

Really? 2014? C'mon Mosaic. You've known about this for 3 years and it's still happening?

Is anyone here a database person that would be willing to work for Mosaics?

[Jim Duckworth]

Mosaic Records once accidentally sent me the complete Herbie Nichols on Blue Note and a Chet Baker box.  Of course this was quite  while back....

[Scott Dolan]

1 hour ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

Really? 2014? C'mon Mosaic. You've known about this for 3 years and it's still happening?

My point exactly. 

From what other posters noted earlier, it seems like that was around the time they farmed their shipping out to a third party.

Perhaps un-farming that shit back in house is long overdue? 

Edited May 16, 2017 by Scott Dolan

[crisp]

If they aren't selling that many sets (at least not usually) does it need to be outsourced? I hope the recent flurry of sales buys Michael and Scott some time for a rethink.

[J.A.W.]

Currently available at Jazz Messengers (updated)

[JSngry]

14 hours ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

Is anyone here a database person that would be willing to work for Mosaics?

That's a simple question that should have a simple answer. It's definitely the right question!

[mjzee]

2 hours ago, J.A.W. said:

Currently available at Jazz Messengers (updated)

I see they're listing the Bobby Hackett, which is OOP.  Someone should grab that.

[Scott Dolan]

3 hours ago, crisp said:

If they aren't selling that many sets (at least not usually) does it need to be outsourced? 

I guess they found it more efficient and financially advantageous at some point, but I can't wrap my head around why. You'd think after three years of shipping woes they'd bring it back in house, or at least find a more reliable shipping partner. 

Edited May 17, 2017 by Scott Dolan

[JSngry]

As I recall it, it was cheaper to lease warehouse space at the shipper than it was to keep the inventory in-house.

Sounds like Cost Center Chess to me, and of that I'm not at all  a fan, and perhaps I am not recalling correctly. But there we go.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

As I recall it, it was cheaper to lease warehouse space at the shipper than it was to keep the inventory in-house.

Sounds like Cost Center Chess to me, and of that I'm not at all  a fan, and perhaps I am not recalling correctly. But there we go.

I believe that reason they lost the ability to store their boxes on site was because they moved to a much smaller location. I also believe that they laid off the shipping department when they did this. They really had to outsource the shipping and inventory management at that point.

[JSngry]

Ok, that sounds familiar as well...I guess the 20/20 hindsight question now is what kind of a contract did they do for warehousing/shipping, who'd they do it with and why (friend, recommendation, a suggestion by the Morris Levy estate, just who?), who's in charge of staying on top of how that contract is being executed, just basic business stuff, really.

Such things are not necessarily for public disclosure, but when a company such as this one which has engendered a lot of personal emotional investment from its clients, I don't think it's inappropriate to express concern along the lines of "well, we're happy to help you now, but if you're going to keep going, what are you going to do to keep it from happening again?"

That seems a very fair question, perhaps not from everybody, but from people who bleed Mosaic Black, yeah, that's a fair question.

[Hot Ptah]

This discussion reminds me of the time that there was an extended discussion on another jazz board about Jazz Record Mart (when the store was open in downtown Chicago) and how the problems with how it was run, and how its online site was run, were frustrating to many members. Possible solutions were discussed.

I wrote a letter to Bob Koester of Jazz Record Mart, telling him about the board and its discussion, and summarizing the problems and their solutions from the members.  I wrote that I was sending the letter out of my love for Jazz Record Mart and my thought that the suggestions might be helpful.

I received a letter back from Bob Koester which was typed and signed by him. It was a blistering reply that I should mind my own business. He wrote that he was surprised that so many people wanted to poke around in his private affairs.

 

[Ken Dryden]

You'd think that a business owner would appreciate an outside opinion from a group of customers. I bought some things from the Jazz Record Mart catalog, but always found that their website wasn't conducive to browsing. Since I've yet to visit Chicago, I had no opportunity to explore their inventory in person.

His loss.

 

[JSngry]

Bob Koester being grumpy contradicts everything I've ever heard about the man.

[danasgoodstuff]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Bob Koester being grumpy contradicts everything I've ever heard about the man.

FWIW, in my limited personal experience I found Bob K to be perhaps 'gruff' on the surface but basically friendly and willing to discuss internal business with me, a random customer.

[Scott Dolan]

Hey, the cat could have been under a lot of pressure and having a really bad day at the time. Who knows? 

[JSngry]

He's still in business, so afaic, he can be as gruff/grumpy as he wants to be. Whatever it is, it's working.

[AllenLowe]

actually, he's mean on the outside, but look under that rough exterior and he's.....still mean.

[king ubu]

Got my big Mosaic shipment ... or rather picked it up at the post office as I wasn't home when they tried to deliver it yesterday ... arrived fast, was packed well, and even slipped through customs. No complaints whatsoever, but I guess I never ran into much of the heartache that some seem to have had when Mosaic changed their shipping method.

I've got all bases covered now (hoping the Benny Goodman will return, though, that one's still missing), between the recent jazzmessengers order (Ella/Webb and Basie/Young #2) and this new one (Bee Hive, Savoy, Bing, Jazz Icons). Gotta save some now 

Have made it halfway through the James P. Johnson and enjoyed that bumpy (hey, it's 20s music, right! I need more of that) trip quite some, so far!

[John Tapscott]

I ordered exactly 14 days ago and haven't even got a shipping notice yet. They must be really backed up.  

[WarpedOrb]

Scott phoned me on my cell yesterday afternoon. Felt bad about it because I'm in Nova Scotia and I planned on using Paypal (he was calling LD for my card info). He likened the last week or so to the end of It's a Wonderful Life. Haha I knew what he meant.

Reading this thread I now understand how a company who seems to care so damn much could package orders in a way that's not always the best - they're not doing it. A bit disappointing finding that out, but mystery solved. Glad yours arrived in good shape King Ubu.

Now I'm waiting for Shaw, Pass, Beehive, and Getz. Should know in a month if the Jamal is coming back.

 

[Scott Dolan]

Mine wasn't necessarily packaged poorly, but it still sustained some very minor damage to the box. 

Whatever. I care about the music more than the packaging. It would have had to have been really fucked up in order for me to make a stink about it. 

1 hour ago, John Tapscott said:

I ordered exactly 14 days ago and haven't even got a shipping notice yet. They must be really backed up.  

Sounds like a friendly email is in order. I never received a shipping number. 

[David Ayers]

2 hours ago, WarpedOrb said:

He likened the last week or so to the end of It's a Wonderful Life. Haha I knew what he meant.

 

That's...a generation-specific reference if ever there was one...

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

On 5/17/2017 at 0:50 PM, Hot Ptah said:

This discussion reminds me of the time that there was an extended discussion on another jazz board about Jazz Record Mart (when the store was open in downtown Chicago) and how the problems with how it was run, and how its online site was run, were frustrating to many members. Possible solutions were discussed.

I wrote a letter to Bob Koester of Jazz Record Mart, telling him about the board and its discussion, and summarizing the problems and their solutions from the members.  I wrote that I was sending the letter out of my love for Jazz Record Mart and my thought that the suggestions might be helpful.

I received a letter back from Bob Koester which was typed and signed by him. It was a blistering reply that I should mind my own business. He wrote that he was surprised that so many people wanted to poke around in his private affairs.

 

That reminds me of the time I wrote an e-mail to Sergio Veschi of Red Records, someone who I used to interact with regularly on-line, to tell him that there were several grammatical errors in the English liner notes for a few of his CD releases. I volunteered to review his English liner notes if he needed a hand for future CDs. I offered to do it for free.

His answer caught me off guard, basically saying that their English liner notes were perfect, my inquiry was insulting and no, they would never accept my help.

I often wonder if my English E-mail was forwarded to the Red Records label's English translator and that this return e-mail was actually written by the very person whose writing I was criticizing.