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Positively impressed by Newkadia prompt service

Started by botolo,

27 posts in this topic

Accursed Arachnid-migratio

Accursed Arachnid-migratio

Posted
Posted

Oh, my experiences with NK. At first they impressed me with their fast service and decent grading. I also liked their no questions asked free returns(including shipping!). But, alas, to offer such amenities apparently they have to lack in something. That something is grading consistency.

 

While I have had books come BETTER than advertised, most books are NOT. VF or better seems to be OK, and reader copies are reader copies. The problem area seems to be between VG/FN to VF-(Which just so happens to be the line where they usually do not have pictures of the books). I've received VF- copies that were soiled....heavily. Books that were advertised to have 1/4" crease actually having multiple book length creases. The last whopper I got was Marvels #2. Advertised in VF. I received a water stained SECOND PRINT with no acetate cover. I don't know if they are purposefully overgrading, it's more likely that they have little to no quality control.

 

The funny part was this email exchange I had with who I believe was the owner, Jim Drucker:

 

"I appreciate your concern and we've worked to improve our grading. We've improved our grading over the years and as a result, books with stock numbers over 1,300,000 generally have a much lower return rate than books with lower stock numbers which were graded years ago.

 

You can find any comic's stock number by placing your cursor on the conditon of any comic. In the bottom left corner of your browser you'll see a number. That's the stock number.

 

Jim Drucker"

 

My response:

 

"Interesting response...so you admit that you are aware at least some of your books are misgraded. If you are aware that your descriptions are misleading(and seemingly always in your favor), doesn't that constitute fraud? It is at least immoral business practice. If Toyota KNOWS they have a defective part, they initiate a recall(whether safety is involved or not). If you know many of your comics could be misgraded (or"defective"), then doesn't it become YOUR responsibility to regrade those books?

 

And I just received a Batman #251, stock #1,472,881 that was advertised as "Fine-" with "no tears at staple" in the description. The book I received was VG- with loose staples and a LOT of damage to the spine and middle of the book(basically, the book looks like someone folded it in half at some point). I didn't return it, because I have had a hard time finding that book in any condition. Anyway, I don't want to get lost in the semantics of differences of opinion in a single grade off here or there. My problem is when you're off, it's usually not even within two grades.

 

BTW, I checked the stock # for the MTU Annual I said had MULTIPLE book length creases when a 1/4" crease was described.

 

Lo, and behold it's after your magical #1,300,000.

 

#1,335,333

 

I'm not returning it, because, really $6 isn't worth the trouble. But you just lost a customer. Good luck."

 

 

His response:

 

"I appreciate your concern. That's why we've tightened our grading, especially in the Very Good to Very Fine minus range. We monitor all our returns and as a result of good feedback like yours, our return rate continues to drop."

 

So, for him it's not worth regrading the overgraded books he's aware are out there, just let those books continue to get sent out to customers and hope they don't return them. I've returned at least 1 for every 3 I've bought from them. So, basically, buying from NewKadia is a shell game. And I keep picking the empty shells.

 

One thing I do wonder about is this: Does anyone on here know of anyone who has won a $100 gift card from them? I'm beginning to think those ten names per day are either made up or customers who haven't bought from them in so long, NewKadia knows they aren't going to check now to see if they won. :censored:

 

 

 

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Accursed Arachnid-migratio

Accursed Arachnid-migratio

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Enlightened by your post, thanks!

 

I have an order in transit, will let you know if I have similar experiences.

 

 

I have one as well. I had bought one of their Prime memberships three months earlier so I had free shipping that was expiring on Nov 15. So I bought a bunch of around 50 centers to total what it would cost to ship(around $4). I was curious how long it would take to get to me. It's been over a week and it's still in Jersey. I could return them all and cost them even more, but I'm not that mean-spirited. :whistle:

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