CGC Update

[Robert Doggett]

Well, it's been six months since Paul wrote to assure everyone that things will get better! Training two new people to grade books and calling in someone who left CGC who was apparently unemployed. Yet, I'm still waiting for my books from the Baltimore comicon in early September, 2012.

 

This is what I find so hard to wrap my head around. CGC is obviously making hand over fist in money, why not hire more people (it's obvious that the situation warrants this rash behavior). I don't mean train current employees, bring in people and train them! Create a second shift to get caught up...with the proper supervision, of course. It's that simple. It's not like CGC is all that consistent in grading as it is, so the quality isn't going to go down with more graders. 2011 was good, 2012 they were grading Nazis!! If they were more consistent, I wouldn't mind...as much...for them taking so long.

 

Which brings me to my next gripe with CGC...paying for grader notes! We, the customers, are paying for a service without explanation. If we want the explanation, we have to pay extra for it. Really?? This is a great racket that only a monopoly can get away with! I wouldn't mind having to pay for grader notes if they were supplied when they shipped your book back to you in that lovely dirty old bag. Then if I need or want grader notes, I should have to pay for them. That would be very understandable!

 

Here's my future prediction: CGC is not going to get better in the time it takes to grade modern, standard tier books. In fact, I believe it is only going to get worse. They will push for everyone to fast track their books. When everyone does this, they will have effectively raised the prices on you without you knowing and it will eventually take 6 months to get your books back, just like old times. The standard tier books will take approximately 9-12 months. When they start losing money because of their lack of concern for their customers, then they will make a change. As it is now, they're not going to do anything because people are still submitting books (apparently faster than they can grade them).

 

Another thing they could do is open a branch on the left coast. Split the country in half. If you live west of the Mississippi, send them to Cali. Everyone else, keep sending them to Florida.

 

To me it just seems like they cut every corner possible to make the most money. At some point, you have to make it about the customers.

 

Now I will step down from my soap box and return to my regularly scheduled program.

 

Thanks for letting me vent!

[sterlingcomics]

Hey, they spared no expense to provide these boards so you can rant!

[TheMightyJohn]

I have no complaints because I fast track. Stop being cheap

[Underground44]

Well, it's been six months since Paul wrote to assure everyone that things will get better! Training two new people to grade books and calling in someone who left CGC who was apparently unemployed. Yet, I'm still waiting for my books from the Baltimore comicon in early September, 2012.

 

This is what I find so hard to wrap my head around. CGC is obviously making hand over fist in money, why not hire more people (it's obvious that the situation warrants this rash behavior). I don't mean train current employees, bring in people and train them! Create a second shift to get caught up...with the proper supervision, of course. It's that simple. It's not like CGC is all that consistent in grading as it is, so the quality isn't going to go down with more graders. 2011 was good, 2012 they were grading Nazis!! If they were more consistent, I wouldn't mind...as much...for them taking so long.

 

Which brings me to my next gripe with CGC...paying for grader notes! We, the customers, are paying for a service without explanation. If we want the explanation, we have to pay extra for it. Really?? This is a great racket that only a monopoly can get away with! I wouldn't mind having to pay for grader notes if they were supplied when they shipped your book back to you in that lovely dirty old bag. Then if I need or want grader notes, I should have to pay for them. That would be very understandable!

 

Here's my future prediction: CGC is not going to get better in the time it takes to grade modern, standard tier books. In fact, I believe it is only going to get worse. They will push for everyone to fast track their books. When everyone does this, they will have effectively raised the prices on you without you knowing and it will eventually take 6 months to get your books back, just like old times. The standard tier books will take approximately 9-12 months. When they start losing money because of their lack of concern for their customers, then they will make a change. As it is now, they're not going to do anything because people are still submitting books (apparently faster than they can grade them).

 

Another thing they could do is open a branch on the left coast. Split the country in half. If you live west of the Mississippi, send them to Cali. Everyone else, keep sending them to Florida.

 

To me it just seems like they cut every corner possible to make the most money. At some point, you have to make it about the customers.

 

Now I will step down from my soap box and return to my regularly scheduled program.

 

Thanks for letting me vent!

 

CGC doesn't need to get quicker.

 

People are still submitting more books than ever. There is - and never will be another grading company that comes close to CGC (at least in the next few years) so we're stuck with them.

Turn around times will not change in the forseeable future but if the do, the wait times will increase if anything.

Get used to it and plan accordingly.

 

[DougC]

To me it just seems like they cut every corner possible to make the most money. At some point, you have to make it about the customers.

 

Simply put CGC is a company, every successful company does what ever it can to maximize profits and shrink expenditures. The product a company produces can only be sustained by its customers, in this case the grading service is in demand regardless of the deterrent (time).

 

I would assume someone in CGC keeps metrics on quality (mislabeled), quantity (books in/out), and muda (waste). All of these charted out will tell management what needs to be adjusted and what can be cut. With more books coming in, the wait time increases across the board. Their metrics told them that if they only focus on fast track it will keep the majority of their customer base happy while maximizing profits. As a secondary benefit more books have shifted to fast track increasing profits (this is only an assumption).

 

CGC has no competition in the market place, they are in a unique position to set the precedent for what is acceptable and train their customer base as what is to be expected from their service. By creating this precedent they create their own defense in the form of expectation and the surrounding people who will defend that expectation from other companies that may crop up in the future.

 

Should CGC actively try and shorten turn around times of its service, absolutely, but they currently have no driving reason to do so. They should also vet all official and moderator comments and notices before they post, so to make sure to steer away from promises or any definitive times that may not be met. Situations like this original post being brought up by customers that which content was probably forgotten by CGC should be avoided by a company.

[joeypost]

I have no complaints because I fast track. Stop being cheap

 

Remember, fast track is never a guarantee for books being done in 10 or 20 days, If you go by what CGC has always stated it is half of the TAT for that tier of service. In this case, if CGC were to really hold you to it your fast tracked books (i.e Moderns) would be 50 days.

 

Customers expect their 10 to 20 day turnaround for fast track books, but we all know that many have waited considerably longer as of late. What happens when everyone does and fast books and fast track now becomes the new "regular" submission.

[Anfield Fox]

What happens when everyone does and fast books and fast track now becomes the new "regular" submission.

 

Walkthrough.

[kdoginohio]

I don't sub alot of books, so I really can't complain. I do however, think that a paid membership should include free graders notes. Also, having the choice of box size on return shipping would be nice. Getting one slab back in a box the size of an air conditioner seems silly. Just saying.

[rtecbot]

Until one receives a cracked slab in a return shipment, CGC can pack it in whatever they want as long as the book doesn't get damaged.

[Kevin76]

I'd like to see...

 

Explaining the FMV grading fee, seems like this was added because "We want a piece of the action too"

 

Better shipment options/Insurance - What if we don't want insurance? Some have outside insurance.

[Robert Doggett]

I have no complaints because I fast track. Stop being cheap

 

And what happens when "Fast Track" becomes the norm for everyone?? How long will the wait be then? It is not I that is being "cheap".

 

The thing is that CGC has such a strong hold on this business because PGX screwed it up for everyone else. They were so bad in the beginning that nobody trusts them anymore. PGX and your best friend warrant about the same merit when it comes to grading books.

 

So anyone else trying to compete with CGC will have to have extremely deep pockets and do things correctly right from the start. This could take years, if done well, to get a customer base large enough to sustain a business.

 

I know grading is done in such a way to prevent prejudice, but after these posts, I'm sure my Baltimore books will come back a full grade lower than expected. 8.5 seems to be the number they like to give invoices with my name on it. We'll see in a few months, I guess. (Yes, yes, I have learned to buy pre-slabbed books. Just not in moderns.)

[Bill1]

I am on verified 12 business days in with my coupons, first submission. Probably will be my last if everything I read here is correct. It should never take more than 3 weeks turn around, and as it seems to take months and months, I will just buy what I want that is already slabbed, and let someone else go through all the waiting. Too bad, but maybe when CGC gets their service running properly I will submit again.

 

Grader notes should ABSOLUTELY be included for the original submitter.

[drbanner]

Customers expect their 10 to 20 day turnaround for fast track books, but we all know that many have waited considerably longer as of late. What happens when everyone does and fast books and fast track now becomes the new "regular" submission.

CGC makes more $$, and when they open up the proposed "Super Duper Fast Track" tier, it's gonna be a par-tay!

 

It's all about the money, money, money

You know we want your money, money, money

We wanna make the big bank,

Forget about the Price Tag

[Robert Doggett]

I am on verified 12 business days in with my coupons, first submission. Probably will be my last if everything I read here is correct. It should never take more than 3 weeks turn around, and as it seems to take months and months, I will just buy what I want that is already slabbed, and let someone else go through all the waiting. Too bad, but maybe when CGC gets their service running properly I will submit again.

 

Grader notes should ABSOLUTELY be included for the original submitter.

 

Good luck on those 12 business days, Bill!! Let us know the actual turnaround time, please. I'd be curious to know.

 

Seven weeks ago, my books were two weeks out. Four weeks ago, they were one week out. Three weeks ago, they were two weeks out. Last week, they were a month out!!

[mschmidt]

I'd like to see...

 

Explaining the FMV grading fee, seems like this was added because "We want a piece of the action too"

 

Better shipment options/Insurance - What if we don't want insurance? Some have outside insurance.

 

CGC will happily ship your books back any way you want - I get all mine shipped back under my own Fedex account with insurance provided by Collectibles Insurance Services.

[mschmidt]

I am on verified 12 business days in with my coupons, first submission. Probably will be my last if everything I read here is correct. It should never take more than 3 weeks turn around, and as it seems to take months and months, I will just buy what I want that is already slabbed, and let someone else go through all the waiting. Too bad, but maybe when CGC gets their service running properly I will submit again.

 

What are you actually complaining about here? Your books aren't due yet, and seeing that the coupons are pretty close to being on time, they'll most likely be graded shortly :shrug:

[drbanner]

Seven weeks ago, my books were two weeks out. Four weeks ago, they were one week out. Three weeks ago, they were two weeks out. Last week, they were a month out!!

 

You bring your knees in tight.

But it's the pelvic thrust

That really drives you insane.

Let's do the time-warp again.

Let's do the time-warp again.

[reptilekingdie]

This post is a waist of time, CGC is the only game in town and they don't care how long it takes for the books to get done because they are the ONLY ones that can be trusted, period. Please someone end this post.

[etanick]

This post is a waist of time, CGC is the only game in town and they don't care how long it takes for the books to get done because they are the ONLY ones that can be trusted, period. Please someone end this post.

 

hehe...."waist"....appropriate since most our our waist line is expending also. I am here CGC. Hire me if you want logistic solver.

[Robert Doggett]

Seven weeks ago, my books were two weeks out. Four weeks ago, they were one week out. Three weeks ago, they were two weeks out. Last week, they were a month out!!

 

You bring your knees in tight.

But it's the pelvic thrust

That really drives you insane.

Let's do the time-warp again.

Let's do the time-warp again.