New Overstreet grading guide

[Davenport]

I've never understood why the Overstreet Grading Guide has examples of 3rd party graded comics.

 

I think all of the grading companies have their own propritery grading standards, I don't recall any of them espousing Overstreet grading standards. So why does this book have pictures of slabbed books (which are admittedly graded by that particular company's standard) being held up as examples of Overstreet grading?

 

I mean, the old saw about the Price Guide is that it applies to raws, not 3rd party graded books. Wouldn't the same apply to the Grading Guide as well?

Marketing partnerships.

 

They're not a myth or conspiracy or tin-foil hat stuff. They're one of the brilliant things CGC did for themselves during their glacial decade-long roll-out. Lock down as many partnerships with as many 'big names' in the hobby as possible.

 

What I'd like to read is some boardie-lawyers weighing in on how those partnerships can only take you so far. How they can't be used to exclude and squeeze out competition. There's a got to be a tipping-point somewhere between mutual-promotions and unfair anti-competition tactic. But that's lawyerin' stuff.

[Mark 1]

See my post above.

 

Oversteeet is partnering with 3 grading companies...

 

I'm surprise CGC allows this

[Davenport]

See my post above.

 

Oversteeet is partnering with 3 grading companies...

 

I'm surprise CGC allows this

I did see your post Mark 1. (thumbs u But what I'm wondering... is Gemstone partnering with all 3 now, or capitulating to 2 because they've partnered with 1? In other words, doing what they have to do to not find themselves in court?

 

Make sense? CGC/Gemstone can't just 'Microsoft' out the other players via their mutually beneficial marketing agreements. Can they?

[Davenport]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

That's my thumb by the way...looks kind of strange

 

Might be a little stick-in-eye fun being had there. Look at the Example book used. Look familiar?

 

[thirdgreenham]

See my post above.

 

Oversteeet is partnering with 3 grading companies...

 

I'm surprise CGC allows this

I did see your post Mark 1. (thumbs u But what I'm wondering... is Gemstone partnering with all 3 now, or capitulating to 2 because they've partnered with 1? In other words, doing what they have to do to not find themselves in court?

 

Make sense? CGC/Gemstone can't just 'Microsoft' out the other players via their mutually beneficial marketing agreements. Can they?

 

So, when Overstreet has a segment on 3rd party grading, they likely have a partnership with whichever company they're talking about?

[thirdgreenham]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

That's my thumb by the way...looks kind of strange

 

Might be a little stick-in-eye fun being had there. Look at the Example book used. Look familiar?

 

Edumacate me.

[Heronext]

Isn't that choice of images kind of ironic? Wasn't there a trimming scandal around a book of that format?

[steveinthecity]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

That's my thumb by the way...looks kind of strange

 

Might be a little stick-in-eye fun being had there. Look at the Example book used. Look familiar?

 

Edumacate me.

Remember this?

 

http://www.justafanboy.com/PGX/

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

 

That is an advertisement masquerading as a mission statement.

Gemstone should have refused to publish such self-serving tripe

[Doohickamabob]

Remember this?

http://www.justafanboy.com/PGX/

I either haven't seen that in so long I can't remember it, or haven't seen it before -- but wow, what a well-done web page. Slam-dunk evidence.

[Mark 1]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

 

That is an advertisement masquerading as a mission statement.

Gemstone should have refused to publish such self-serving tripe

 

I'm in full agreement. Quite a misleading assessment of that company and now it's almost seen as an endorsement from Gemstone and Overstreet.

[deadleg]

The fact that they used a book invovled with Terrance Leder scandal as advertisement amuses me and also begs me to ask the question of who is in charge of marketing at PGX?

[thirdgreenham]

The fact that they used a book invovled with Terrance Leder scandal as advertisement amuses me and also begs me to ask the question of who is in charge of marketing at PGX?

 

Indeed.

 

[Mark 1]

The fact that they used a book invovled with Terrance Leder scandal as advertisement amuses me and also begs me to ask the question of who is in charge of marketing at PGX?

 

Indeed.

 

You think they even have someone who manages their marketing? It's all one guy right?

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I jut noticed its a mission statement instead of a review but still very misleading to the consumer by advertising this company as legit

 

 

 

That is an advertisement masquerading as a mission statement.

Gemstone should have refused to publish such self-serving tripe

 

I'm in full agreement. Quite a misleading assessment of that company and now it's almost seen as an endorsement from Gemstone and Overstreet.

 

Actually, after I thought about it, I believe that it IS, for all intents and purposes a paid advertisement. I would posit that anyone listed as a third party grader was required to buy $X amount of advertising.

[Mark 1]

I wouldn't doubt it but why even allow PGX do take part in what we consider legitimate players in this hobby. I just don't understand except for the $$$$ aspect. So you might be right.

[jaybuck43]

But is it our decision or "the markets"? People submit to pgx. And they also submit to vault, and um that other Florida company (don't strike me bro) so aren't they all valid third party companies? I'm not saying I trust pgx (I don't) but they should be listed.

[Hibou]

Cool gotta get me one of those. (thumbs u

 

+1

[Mark 1]

But is it our decision or "the markets"? People submit to pgx. And they also submit to vault, and um that other Florida company (don't strike me bro) so aren't they all valid third party companies? I'm not saying I trust pgx (I don't) but they should be listed.

 

I understand your point. I just don't think anyone can trust PGX grading (or Vault for that matter) and when you put pictures of their books as examples of grades...it's so misleading. At least that's how I see it.

 

Once I saw PGX was in the book, I didn't buy it. I put it right back on the shelf.

 

 

[Davenport]

I wouldn't doubt it but why even allow PGX do take part in what we consider legitimate players in this hobby. I just don't understand except for the $$$$ aspect. So you might be right.

That's what I was wondering about earlier. If "unfair competition" comes into play and Gemstone HAS to include whatever CGC competition exists at the time of publishing.

 

Marketing agreements can't be used to just freeze out competitors, preventing "their ability to compete on equal and fair terms" (wiki).

 

Where are all the lawyers who used to hang out here? I wish some legal eagles would weigh in. Because I'm just guessing there's some legal line that can't be crossed, somewhere.