Brighton, Tennessee February 18, 2008 – Suffering from large drops in sales from increased competition and languishing reputations, 'Consignpro' and 'CCE' swoop in to bag big fees from those 'left hanging' by the Stoker 'Group'.
The Backdrop
Stoker is or was a part-time programmer with a full-time consignment store business. He joins a list of solo programmers who toyed with the idea of making some extra money selling consignment software online, and failed.
Except for BCSS and Liberty, each consignment software program offered online today is written, updated, supported, marketed and distributed primarily by one individual. Most use product and company names (and the word 'we' repeatedly) attempting to appear to be 'companies', but each is basically a one-man show. Most will fail in the coming years due to tough competition, shrinking profit margins, rising expenses, poor management and poor marketing.
The Pitfalls and Fallout
Buying software from an individual programmer creates unnecessary uncertainties. Is he going to be around tomorrow? What if he gets on the wrong airplane? Will he change the rules? Will he quit? Who is 'he'? Is there any financial backing? Just because a programmer has managed to survive the past does not mean he will survive a much different more competitive future.
The fallout for Stoker users is that they are left with no support and are now having to purchase another (expensive) software program, learn it and teach it to their employees again. Enter the carpetbaggers.
The Ruse
If (over some period of time) a 'software vendor' manages to sell 2,200 copies of his software (as Consignpro claims to have done since 1998) and each user only pays $2,000 (purchase price plus annual service fees at a minimum), that adds up to $4,400,000 (that's four million four hundred thousand dollars), so you can see the dollars signs that must roll around in programmers' heads as they scour the Internet for a software program to write and sell.
Stoker users paid a high price for his software. Despite that, Stoker was less than fair when he closed the doors last Spring. He could have given the software source code to users so they could find another programmer to continue support, but no, he tried to get more money from the same people by offering each one the code for $1,000.
That didn't fly so he now attempts to steer his users to the extortionist at 'Consignpro' who Stoker openly promotes on his website home page. Do you suppose Stoker stands to gain from this exclusive alliance?
Stoker could let his users know that they can acquire Best Consignment Shop Software (for free) and get their data converted (for free) and pay only $99 per year for usage but kickbacks aren't forthcoming from BCSS.
Lesson Learned
Those who choose to do business with a part-timer, a moonlighter or a Ne'er Do Well (someone doing his darndest to avoid 9-5 work), sooner or later will lose their money and will be buying (and learning) new software again.
The Marx Brothers Lunge
Wilson and Hawkins embarrass themselves with transparent half-truths and clumsy come-ons to stranded Stokerers:
Wilson (Feb, 2008, TGTBT Forum): “We [sic: We? Who is 'we'?] can convert you to ConsignPro in 1 hour. We have a handy new conversion program that's converted 22 Stoker customers to ConsignPro this year.”
Hawkins (Feb, 2008, TGTBT Forum): “Converting your Stoker data to either of our programs "Best Consignment Software - ($395)" or "Consignment Success Software -($695)" is a routine process”.
It's Not Your Fault
The NASD and the SEC are right on top of every word written and spoken by a stock broker. Brokers who break the rules often lose their jobs, pay fines and serve jail time.
One 'rule' for brokers is Full Disclosure - complete and accurate written revelation before purchase of each and every pertinent detail - ESPECIALLY all fees, adverse policies and above all, 'risk'.
Not so in the 'consignment software industry'. There are no qualifying exams, background investigations, periodic audits, disclosure requirements or minimum financials for those hanging out a 'consignment software company' shingle.
All anyone needs is a computer, an 800#, an answering machine, an Internet connection and a burning desire to avoid 9-5 work.
You Are on Your Own
Purchasers of consignment software are vulnerable and totally unprotected. These individual programmers are not forced to disclose who or what stands behind the software, if anything. They jump in and out of the 'industry' with only their time invested and nothing to lose if they flop. On to the next (day) dream if they do, or back to their day jobs.
There are no government regulatory agencies setting and enforcing conduct rules. Consequently charlatans write and say whatever they please without fear of repercussion. (NARTS, by the way, does absolutely nothing to 'assure professionalism'.)
It should be said that the majority of programmers in this category are honest. Unlike CCE, Consignpro and Liberty, they don't hide fees, falsely advertise on the Internet and devise schemes to deceive people as to the real cost of owning their software over time.
Carpetbaggers, Clowns and Merry-Go-Rounds
Educating yourself about carpetbaggers and clowns will allow you to get off of the consignment software merry-go-round.
A circus clown wear lots of make up. It's amazing how unrecognizable he becomes in disguise.
An Internet clown however is much more transparent:
He uses a company name to hide his solidarity and to suggest plurality, like "The Stoker Group" -- "Visual Horizons Software, Limited Liability Company"
He is a 'punk' (novice) in an apartment with "offices in Miami and New York" splashed on his home page.
He hides behind a form of business (Limited Liability Company) which he hopes will protect him from personal liability for his unethical business practices.
He feigns as 'the good neighbor' in forums - the 'good ole boy' just out to help but who contradicts himself by attempting to exploit posters' requests for help and information.
He is his own 'spokesperson' and often acts unprofessionally, making slanderous public comments about competitors he can't beat.
He answers the phone, uses an answering machine to screen his phone calls, answers his own emails. You can speak directly to him because he's also acts as secretary.
Carpetbaggers? They showed up in the South after the Civil War with their possessions stuffed in a carpet bag, ready to loot and plunder. Likewise, now that Stoker has fallen, here comes the clowns with egregious offers to peddle their wares at full price with no mention of adverse policies and with long lists of usage fees.
How do you make a clown run? Insist upon a written full disclosure of all fees and adverse policy provisions before purchase, just like the big boys do on Wall Street. Make him sign a legally-enforceable Agreement giving you the unequivocal irrefutable right to sue him for every penny when (not if) he lies to you. You won't get the document or the signature. That's how you expose a charlatan on the Internet. Get it in writing. (Notice that clowns like to have phone conversations to avoid this very issue.) Run clown run!
The demise of Stoker is not your fault and you should not allow yourself to be victimized, but if you turn right around and buy software again from another Ne'er Do Well, moonlighter or part-timer...
Contact:
Best Consignment Shop Software
Email BCSS
877-669-0854
http://www.bestconsignmentshopsoftware.com
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