ComicLink 'Raw'

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Although it wasn't an issue on the return. Just the slabbed grade vs. the raw grade proved off by at least 2 grade levels for the two books I had purchased. That probably was the last time I bought a raw HG.

 

Most of the Forum members are very tight graders, and have enough submissions under their belts to be able to seperate a 9.0 from a 9.2 from a 9.4. You can always buy raw from us.

 

Yeah, right!

 

What's so funny?

[Timely]

Actually about 5 years ago (before CGC) I put some books up on his site, including a Captain Marvel Adventures. I graded the book NM and it got a bid. I accepted the bid and sent it out. Josh calls me a few days later and says he looked at the book and only thought it was a NM-, so he sent a scan out to his client, who naturally agrees with Josh. He made a rather low counteroffer (which I mistaken agreed to) and all was done. Funny thing, I saw the book two months ago CGC graded 9.4!

 

Not sure about his raw grading now, but his "strict" grading back then cost me some $$$

 

Timely

[FFB]

Thank you for making my point better than I could with hypotheticals. The chances are that the buyer would not have batted an eyelash if Josh hadn't screwed up the deal for you.

 

Actually about 5 years ago (before CGC) I put some books up on his site, including a Captain Marvel Adventures. I graded the book NM and it got a bid. I accepted the bid and sent it out. Josh calls me a few days later and says he looked at the book and only thought it was a NM-, so he sent a scan out to his client, who naturally agrees with Josh. He made a rather low counteroffer (which I mistaken agreed to) and all was done. Funny thing, I saw the book two months ago CGC graded 9.4!

 

Not sure about his raw grading now, but his "strict" grading back then cost me some $$$

 

Timely

[jbud73]

Well thank you for correcting where the 10% issue comes from, and thank Timely for the example to the contrary. It would seem in our original case then that according to CGC's opinion, the seller overgraded the book and Comic Link either complied with the grade or didnt assign one. Drice got the book and either didnt feel the book was an 8.5, or wasn't confident enough and sent it to CGC for their opinion - which was 8.5 instead of 9.4. I will also agree with FantasyFootball............, er you need an acronym for that handle man FFBB, on his earlier post,that a buyer needs to do the math, especially on books in the $50-$100 range.

 

Thats is, if you ascribe that CGC is the ultimate authority on a grade - then can I buy a slabbed book in the desired grade for cheaper than it would cost me to buy raw and send in for grading? It would seem that Comic Link's raw auction did not work for Drice in this case if his ultimate goal was slabbing.

 

Next time maybe if you are in doubt, punt the scan up in the Grading forum - pre and or post purchase and let the gallery have at it.

 

Good conversation all around.... Oh and I edited the original post to remove the incorrect use of where the 10% is charged.

[sterlingcomics]

I think that the point is moot as the positions articulated would indicate that Josh is not grading the books - in fact he is posting raw grades up sight unseen in certain instances if I am correct in that assumption..

 

It seems that it is not an assumption, but the truth. Both DrBanner and I said basically the same thing. Simply go to CL's web site about 'selling' and you will see the veribiage there.

 

Sorry about the mishap drice6900--good luck with future purchases.

[blowout]

We need a safer and more cost-effective method than eBay to buy/sell comics.

 

What do you suggest?

[Darthdiesel]

Actually about 5 years ago (before CGC) I put some books up on his site, including a Captain Marvel Adventures. I graded the book NM and it got a bid. I accepted the bid and sent it out. Josh calls me a few days later and says he looked at the book and only thought it was a NM-, so he sent a scan out to his client, who naturally agrees with Josh. He made a rather low counteroffer (which I mistaken agreed to) and all was done. Funny thing, I saw the book two months ago CGC graded 9.4!

 

Not sure about his raw grading now, but his "strict" grading back then cost me some $$$

 

Timely

 

maybe it was anm- and the BSD buyer cleaned and pressed it up a notch?

[sfilosa]

Without trying to sound too pessimistic, do you really believe you are going to get a GREAT DEAL buying off of ComicLink?

 

Let me say that I have bought CGC and raw books from Josh and he ships fast and communicates well. I look at his site several times a day and will continue to.

 

That said, doesn't he really have first dibs on any book? If you place a buy order, it doesn't necessarily mean you get the book. You have to wait for him to repsond back. There was one book listed the other day that I thought was worth taking the chance on without a picture. I put in a Buy order and also emailed him saying if the book had any arrival dates or cream pages, I would more than likely send the book back.

 

About an hour later, I get an email that the book isn't available and now it doesn't even show up on the site (and usually books that have been sold are on his site for a month or longer).

 

Basically, what I'm saying is that if he wanted to (and I'm not saying he does), he could he can buy ANY BOOK at the listed price, even if someone else put an order in front of his. Is this wrong? Probably not, since the seller is still getting the same price.

 

 

 

 

[sterlingcomics]

We need a safer and more cost-effective method than eBay to buy/sell comics.

 

What do you suggest?

 

Glad you asked. I don't have the solution (yet), but I'm working on it....(little mice in my head goes round and round)...

 

Speaking of 'safer', check out my Heritage thread coming up...

[drice6900]

It seems that it is not an assumption, but the truth. Both DrBanner and I said basically the same thing. Simply go to CL's web site about 'selling' and you will see the veribiage there.

 

Sorry about the mishap drice6900--good luck with future purchases.

 

Thanks - it has been a learning experience. I know I will not be buying raw books sight unseen anymore, despite who is selling them and what the return policy is.

 

I appreciate the conversation on this issue - good points have been raised by all!

 

 

[Samurai-Bill]

This a bit a bit scary !

I just bought a Amazing Spiderman 54 NON CGC graded by the site as 9.20 for 165 Dollars .

I did this because I am fed up of being ripped off by ebay sellers overgrading and cheating with cropped scans .

I thought buying from a reputable dealer while costing me more would at least get me what I paid for .

I will wait for this comic with baited breath .

[FFB]

To answer your first question, no. Comiclink is like ebay, only with a higher seller's commission, an illegal 3% credit card surcharge, a "Buy It Now" that isn't really a Buy It Now, and an auction site owner who can snipe books from you if he thinks the seller is asking too little. But sellers will keep using the site because they know that buyers go there looking for key books in high grade.

 

To answer your second question (Is this wrong?), I say HELL YES IT IS. It is a conflict of interest for him to run an auction site like that and be able to snipe his buyers. What happened to you sounds a little too much like what happened to me with the AF#15.

 

Without trying to sound too pessimistic, do you really believe you are going to get a GREAT DEAL buying off of ComicLink?

 

Let me say that I have bought CGC and raw books from Josh and he ships fast and communicates well. I look at his site several times a day and will continue to.

 

That said, doesn't he really have first dibs on any book? If you place a buy order, it doesn't necessarily mean you get the book. You have to wait for him to repsond back. There was one book listed the other day that I thought was worth taking the chance on without a picture. I put in a Buy order and also emailed him saying if the book had any arrival dates or cream pages, I would more than likely send the book back.

 

About an hour later, I get an email that the book isn't available and now it doesn't even show up on the site (and usually books that have been sold are on his site for a month or longer).

 

Basically, what I'm saying is that if he wanted to (and I'm not saying he does), he could he can buy ANY BOOK at the listed price, even if someone else put an order in front of his. Is this wrong? Probably not, since the seller is still getting the same price.

 

 

 

[sterlingcomics]

To answer your second question (Is this wrong?), I say HELL YES IT IS. It is a conflict of interest for him to run an auction site like that and be able to snipe his buyers.

 

There will be a better solution...there has to be...

[FFB]

Here's another great Comiclink story. Listing deleted for being "too expensive"

 

To answer your second question (Is this wrong?), I say HELL YES IT IS. It is a conflict of interest for him to run an auction site like that and be able to snipe his buyers.

 

There will be a better solution...there has to be...

[jbud73]

Here's another great Comiclink story. Listing deleted for being "too expensive"

 

To answer your second question (Is this wrong?), I say HELL YES IT IS. It is a conflict of interest for him to run an auction site like that and be able to snipe his buyers.

 

There will be a better solution...there has to be...

 

After reading that and alot of other CL stories I wonder why ppl shop there, of course I wonder why ppl do alot of things - I have never bought a book there because of the 3% CC surcharge and its legal ramifications - collectors have to take a stand from getting . Personally Im tired of the BSDs, not all of them, who conduct business like those kooky Capital One CC commercials, "Hmm Whats in Your Wallet"..............

[fantastic_four]

Here's another great Comiclink story. Listing deleted for being "too expensive"

 

What's wrong with that? If you're gonna let people list for free, you've got to keep them under control, or your web site will end up being like Yahoo auctions--repetitive overpricing since there's nothing to lose.

[jbud73]

I think the point thats being articulated is that if you list too high he pulls them down, if you list o low he buys them and they never hi topn market. Nice circular buying tactic hes got going on there. Anyway for me this has really few ramifications as I said I won't buy off CL just over the principle of the CC surcharge. But I think it important to let collectors know whether they buy or sell on CL exactly what they are up against don't you?

[fantastic_four]

I think the point thats being articulated is that if you list too high he pulls them down, if you list o low he buys them and they never hi topn market. Nice circular buying tactic hes got going on there. Anyway for me this has really few ramifications as I said I won't buy off CL just over the principle of the CC surcharge. But I think it important to let collectors know whether they buy or sell on CL exactly what they are up against don't you?

 

Yea, I do wish I knew for sure, but I've seen no evidence that he "snipes" listings...did someone present some in another thread somewhere?

[Darthdiesel]

I think the point thats being articulated is that if you list too high he pulls them down, if you list o low he buys them and they never hi topn market. Nice circular buying tactic hes got going on there. Anyway for me this has really few ramifications as I said I won't buy off CL just over the principle of the CC surcharge. But I think it important to let collectors know whether they buy or sell on CL exactly what they are up against don't you?

 

Yea, I do wish I knew for sure, but I've seen no evidence that he "snipes" listings...did someone present some in another thread somewhere?

 

 

Come on this is the same "point the finger due to circumstantial evidence although there is no proof" logic at work here as it is in the Heritage thread where I believe you were opposed to my holding out for evidence before I cast aspersions on Heritage. what is the difference here that you need a quote or some testimonial about foul play with josh of comiclink bidding and sniping his consignments? The way Heritage is set up facilitates foul play - I think the peanut gallery here is doing the same thing and just accusing Josh of foul play becuase his site is set up to give him the ability to do what he is accused of, although there is no known instance where he has done this for certain.

 

I;m sorry that fantasy football got screwed on the AF15... I'm just using FF's post here to point out the irony in his "wanting proof" of Josh's foul play but basically insinuates I have place on the Heritage thread since I don't commiserate with the "victims" of big bad Heritage John

[fantastic_four]

Circumstantial vidence that Heritage buys books, presses them, and resells them:

 

• They explicitly say they allow their employees to bid on their own auctions
• They have a restoration expert working with them who has been doing cleaning and pressing work since before he moved down to Texas. They publicly announced he was working with them, and since then, we haven't heard a peep about it. And what happened to the newsletter that announced Matt was working with them? They sent it out, and they archive them on their web site...but I've looked and not been able to find that one anywhere with the rest of their news announcements. The Ed Jaster one is still up there, but the Matt Nelson one is gone.
• When asked about this, Heritage doesn't deny it, they simply say "we don't consider cleaning and pressing to be restoration."

So help me out here...what's the evidence that Josh snipes his own auctions? I haven't noticed anyone presenting any at all yet, circumstantial or direct. I'm not saying he doesn't do it, because I suspect he might, but there's a big difference between forming an opinion based upon actual criteria and speculating without any specific information whatsoever.