Jaywalker0

On 4/9/2022 at 1:30 PM, jjfversion1 said:

I wonder if the stricter grading on modern books is to deter more of them being sent in a time where CGC is drowning in submissions?

I predominantly submit bronze/copper age books with smattering of others from 2000s. From what I'm seeing return on books with much more variance (8.5-9.6 range) it appears the grading is tightening up from a technical perspective. Less allowance for subjective wiggle room, like "yeah it's technically a 9.6 but looks better than the last 5 I saw, so curving up."

Absolutely nothing to base that on but my own experience on lower quality books. But since TATs have sped up a little bit, my guess is we have a bunch of trainee graders set loose who are very by the book and aren't allowed to have a professional opinion that deviates far from whatever checklists they use. With that in mind, my expectations are set appropriately for new subs.

On 4/4/2022 at 11:35 AM, CGC Mike said:

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to CGC's 2nd grading contest.  It will start around April 25th.  Please post in this thread to enter the contest.   

I would like to join the grading contest, space permitting.

Dates are immaterial, but Bagley book w/remarque went to Grading yesterday and  SHIPPED today. (no CCS)

On 4/5/2022 at 2:13 PM, qlow said:

anyone have any movement yet on their bagley signing event order?

1x Bagley moved to G/E/I this afternoon. No pressing service.

TAT seems to be accelerating a bit. Definitely seems to be completed in a 48 hr window of time or so once an order goes to grading status.

24x Modern (no extra services)
Delivered: 11/23
Rcvd: 11/29
SFG: 11/29
G/E/I: 3/25
QC: 3/25
Shipped: 3/28

3x Standard (no extra services)
Delivered: 3/2
Rcvd: 3/17
SFG: 3/17
G/E/I: 3/24
QC: 3/25
Shipped: 3/28

On 3/29/2022 at 2:57 PM, rayne5446 said:

Shipped 3/20/2022 (yes, i realize that is tomorrow, but that's what it says)

They've been routinely shipping next day for a while. Can't remember last time I've had a same day shipped even when marked as such first thing in morning.

Too many orders on the loading dock waiting to go out. 

On 3/24/2022 at 5:26 PM, Sdmeyer11 said:

Umm yeah...my USPS shipment left CGC on 3/11 and still isn't here (St. Louis area). Tracking hasn't updated in almost 6 days. A tad sick to my stomach but trying to remain positive.

Keep the faith. I routinely see books hit predictable intermediate steps & hubs on way to Sarasota. Month ago, i saw one left local USPS where dropped off then NOTHING for days. Enough, no updates, time had passed I submitted a missing package search. Two days later it popped up in Pensacola regional hub and made it to CGC next day. This was a 2Day priority package. I think it got sorted as Media or Parcel ground service and missed a scanning step (or two) but it made it there fine. 

On 3/22/2022 at 10:52 AM, dikran1 said:

One year to the date...  Wow, have some good stuff in there! 

At this point you can discuss your books like a wine vintage....

"Ah, 2021 submission. A wetter harvest that led to a piquant finish."

On 3/18/2022 at 3:11 PM, Jethro66 said:

I have 23 books in Modern SFG since 08/02/21. Does this sound right? First time I've submitted to CGC...

Yikes! Unless you opted for CCS pressing beforehand, that makes no sense.

For reference, I've had everything "Received" by CGC up through 11/8 graded and shipped. Includes 3x Sept, 2x Oct, and 2x Nov orders so far. 

On 3/17/2022 at 7:26 PM, comixry said:

Has this happened to anyone and/or know of a way I can set up my delivery to arrive later when I get back? Would CGC be able to hold off on the shipment once I see that it's in GEI status (just before SHIPPED status)?

I used to have to do what @Stefan_Wand @Tnexus suggested, which is hold at local distribution hub for a Will Call pickup since I was never home. Then had delivered to work a few times until TAT got so long I was like "what if I'm fired?" Then I stumbled upon the real fix! Rent a mailbox service.  

Yeah it can be $200-400 a year, but someone is always there to sign for packages and they hold till I pick up and it works for anything I online order. Never again have I received damage to comics crammed in mailbox or stuff stolen from porch. Very, very handy and worth it. Bear in mind, you want Mailbox, NOT PO Box - since PO Box will only accept USPS. Mailbox service accepts from all carriers. Look for mailbox rental at UPS Store, Mailbox+, or similiar.

Good luck

On 3/16/2022 at 6:05 PM, Tnexus said:

It's possible some of the books got creased on or at the way to CGC. One of my submissions in the past came back with about five books with a crease all in the exact spot.

Had a batch of books ~1yr ago,the middle 4 of about 8 had same, small corner crush. Almost as if the batch was picked up and middle fell out. Only two were worth fixing, let the others ride. So is it rare? Exceedingly, but still possible damage en route or once in hand despite best case efforts. 

On 3/12/2022 at 2:53 PM, JJ-4 said:

 individual graders may work FIFO while others may grade books using no set system 

Which would definitely seem to be the case with pressing. like once they come back from CCS, consensus seems to be that those don't wait the normal grading period non-press gets. Like they line jump somewhat. 

On 3/11/2022 at 7:35 PM, universal soldier said:

This whole TaT fiasco is weird! No rhyme or reason to this madness.

Based on last couple years experience and feedback in this thread,I  think I've reversed engineered internal processes that make most sense as to why TATs are so weird. 

I believe that once books are SFG, they are assigned to a specific grader or queue a grader works from. Back in the day when books were RCVD, waited, then went SFG - it made it more predictable. Now they are SFG as soon as opened, it introduces more time for scheduling weirdness to happen. Case in point:

Your books assigned to Grader A, mine arrived two weeks later but assigned to Grader B. Over next few weeks, Grader A could go on vacation or have extended illness. Grader A could also be training which slows him down as he explains processes and such. Since it's not true FIFO workflow but for how it goes thru the assigned guy, my books are completed before yours due to your assigned Grader's schedule. 

We know MAGAZINE is weird due to equipment. They may be graded, but only slabbing like 2 days a month. If your graded magazine isn't slabbed then, it has to wait till next month's window. I think VALUE/ECONOMY is similar. Like they arent graded throughout, but once a month some dedicated group is set to work on just ECONOMY for a couple days which is why TATs can drop precipitously, then go back up just as fast and some "beat" TAT by a lot or wait a full month longer than estimated. 

FAST TRACK is weird and I can't explain readily. Maybe it's a couple grader's dedicated to just FAST and it's a shorter queue. Or just as likely, when FAST TRACK is checked in, they assume the period of time that tier has jumped and stuff it into middle of group of comics checked in couple months ago instead of back of line. Since that implies it's arbitrarily being put into middle of line, could explain why mine beat yours despite arriving after. 

The thing that blows up all of above is the warp speed lottery when books get shuffled to second facility or new grader/shorter work queue that has then flipped inside couple weeks. That's a true "no rhyme or reason."

Anyway, that's what I picture. While our books checked in same day, Your books beat mine because my assigned grader had weird schedule that put him behind on his assignments. 

7x Modern Fast Track (no addl services)

Delivered: 1/28
Rcvd: 2/3
SFG: 2/3
G/E/I: 2/22
QC: 2/23
Shipped: 2/28
Charged: 2/16

Pleased it was so quick, like I got my money's worth choosing Fast Track, but still so bizarre how willy-nilly their prioritization seems to be. 

On 3/1/2022 at 12:55 AM, Tnexus said:

 Hoping some boardies here who submit often can just compare their old submission numbers to #2613400.

Don't understand your sub#. I track historically and closest I have is a 214.... delivered June 2020 then jumped to a 370.... for delivered August 2020. So almost two years old. 

On 2/21/2022 at 8:21 AM, thingsofstuff said:

 Does anyone know if there is an update beyond that while they are still at CCS? 

It's been over 3 years since I used CCS, but your submission page should (or did) update with a new Received date, since CGC "received" from CCS. Making orders magically reappear at top of list.

On 2/20/2022 at 10:40 AM, Lord Gemini said:

Well, my June 2021 submissions have dropped off the tracking page, so so much for the possible expansion of the eight-month window. I would think that would be a fairly easy fix, but whatever.

Still waiting from June? Wow, were these Modern slow track or get CCS pressing too?

Couple of long term subs shipped recently. I think it's interesting they effectively posted grades and shipped same day even though they were checked in 2 weeks apart and graded 2 weeks apart. It would appear that some of the delay is waiting to actually be slabbed. 

11x Modern (no addl services)                 
Delivered: 9/14                                         
Rcvd: 9/14
SFG: 9/14
G/E/I: 1/18
Graded: 1/19
QC: 2/10
Shipped: 2/10
Charged: 10/5

5x Modern (no addl services
Delivered: 10/1                                       
Rcvd: 10/5
SFG: 10/5
G/E/I: 2/3
Graded: 2/3
QC: 2/10
Shipped: 2/10
Charged: 10/7

On 2/7/2022 at 8:11 AM, skybolt said:

That's very odd. Is it possible that 2 the books graded higher than expected and CGC will contact you soon about moving them to Standard or Walkthru service?

I don't think so. My one experience with that was a surprise 9.8 that bumped a book to Express tier (from original modern). They informed me of price adjustment, but did not delist the book from original order and they all shipped together. 

More importantly, this happened during grading. While in holding purgatory, all books were checked in together like nothing different was happening. @Troy Division says the 2 weren't even checked in with the other 8. Aside from something bad, like gone missing, I can only imagine that would happen if the two were pre-75 and being relisted as Economy. But that also sounds like a big sub mistake he *wouldn't* have made. 

On 2/5/2022 at 10:51 PM, Troy Division said:

Going to call on Monday, but just realized two (of the ten) books that I submitted in October are not showing as received (with all the other books) in the invoice using the submission tracker.
I have a physical copy of my packing slip and it matches the packing slip I can review on-line.

Has this happened to anyone else?

You mean your submission slip & package had like 10 comics, but when they were checked in, they only listed 8? Have never had that happen. 

On 1/31/2022 at 4:25 PM, Troy Division said:

In first after a decade submitting books...I have a new submission in my account that is NOT mine.
AND a pending charge for this new submission that is not mine.
So...that's a thing to call about tomorrow.

Anyone else ever have this happen?

How do you mess that up? The order form has a barcode! Just scan, pull up acct/order form and make sure books on list match what's in sub

On 1/29/2022 at 12:16 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

To be honest there wasn't any detail. I might not should have mentioned it, as that is how rumors can start. Specifically in quotes "we're still doing encapsulation from  August." I don't know if there is any real resonance there. It is still probably some getting out the door quicker, last I heard, but in the end it's indescribable the way of calling to get a customer service representative to tell you anything. 

No August sounds right because I had a Rcvd 9/8 ship 1/18 and a Rcvd 9/14 moved to grading status about a week ago  

On 1/28/2022 at 12:05 PM, Aarrow108 said:

some of the third-party's will ship it directly to CGC for you. some also give you a volume discount if submitting in bulk. on top of that, you are directly supporting a small business/someone in the collectible community that will potentially give you visibility to some of their process (I say some because  some of them claim to use secret formulas), before/after pictures, and they'll get it all done in about 1/6 of the amount of time CCS takes... but sure, keep giving your money to CCS/CGC. 

All of the above is why I go 3rd party. Extra shipping to bounce from press to CGC is usually equal/ less considering cheaper rates over CCS or intangibles of time saved and fact I'm kept in loop. Value of getting info like, precise wait/processing, pictures, or heads up about X problem I may have missed is incalcuable compared to CGC black box. But absolutely don't fault anyone's CCS loyalty. My $0.02.

7x Modern, no addl services:

   Delivered: 9/7

   Rcvd: 9/7

   SFG: 9/8

   Charged: 9/9

   G/E/I: 1/10

   QC: 1/17

   Shipped: 1/18

TAT - 90biz days or 136 calendar days, which seems in line or better than posted TAT at arrival during tail end of summer avalanche. Seems like TAT posted is estimating calendar days?