Damaged case + book from C-Link

[WilliamG.Staggers]

I received my order from ComicLink's April auction today and the case is cracked in the top right back cover of the book. I can see right above the crack that the book is crunched and it couldn't have been before or it certainly would not have received the grade it did. The micro chamber paper is also sticking out and it wasn't in the auction listing picture.

 

Does anyone know what ComicLink's policy is on situations like this? I'm very concerned because the price difference is huge on the grade it now appears to be. I'm definitely not comfortable re-selling the book because it would be very dishonest even if I mentioned the crack and the MC paper sticking out.

 

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

Have you contacted ComicLink?

[VintageComics]

Have you contacted ComicLink?

 

Great question.

 

 

[WilliamG.Staggers]

I called customer service and Sean told me to email pictures to them so I did just that. He said that they could re-holder the case at no cost but I could just do that out of pocket. He had nothing to confirm and they never respond to me quickly.

[loadstone]

Step 1: back away from the keyboard

Step 2: grab your camera, camera phone, or borrow one and take a bunch of photos of the whole item and close ups of the damages to both the slab and book.

Step 3. Take a bunch of photos of the shipping box and packaging if the box/packaging shows any signs of damage or abuse.

Step 4. Return to your keyboard and load any cached, saved, or still visible ComicLink listing for your book with a visible photo. Download/copy the image to your hard drive.

Step 5. Grab your camera and upload your photos to your computer if not taken with a camera phone but avoid the urge to post them here just yet. (Talk with them first)

Step 6. Go to comiclink's website and locate their customer service phone number.

Step 5. Call ComicLink support and report the issue offering to send photos of the comic, slab, packaging and anything else they might find useful.

 

If the damage was due to shipping:

This will be an insurance claim if the slab was damaged due to shipping and the shipping carrier has sufficient evidence to rule as such. Prepare yourself for a long drawn out investigation and a bunch of trips to the shipping carriers location with the "evidence".

 

If damage occurred while in ComicLink's care:

Alternatively, if this was the condition it was in prior to shipping and wasn't visible from the picture you'll need to work this out with comiclink. The right thing for them to do would be to accept a return for full refund. They don't post back cover scans but if the damage is such that it is clearly visible through the front then it should appear that way from the front cover scan so check that CLINK scan. It's possible that it happened sometime after the CLink photo was taken during handling or packing.

 

If the damages were visible in some way from the website, it is poor form on CLinks part to have sold it as such but you may be stuck with it as the condition was somewhat visible. However, I still feel they should accept the return as it was a misrepresentation of the item to advertise it as the stated condition/grade when in fact there was damage to it.

 

Good luck and let me know what they say

[WilliamG.Staggers]

Step 1: back away from the keyboard

Step 2: grab your camera, camera phone, or borrow one and take a bunch of photos of the whole item and close ups of the damages to both the slab and book.

Step 3. Take a bunch of photos of the shipping box and packaging if the box/packaging shows any signs of damage or abuse.

Step 4. Return to your keyboard and load any cached, saved, or still visible ComicLink listing for your book with a visible photo. Download/copy the image to your hard drive.

Step 5. Grab your camera and upload your photos to your computer if not taken with a camera phone but avoid the urge to post them here just yet. (Talk with them first)

Step 6. Go to comiclink's website and locate their customer service phone number.

Step 5. Call ComicLink support and report the issue offering to send photos of the comic, slab, packaging and anything else they might find useful.

 

If the damage was due to shipping:

This will be an insurance claim if the slab was damaged due to shipping and the shipping carrier has sufficient evidence to rule as such. Prepare yourself for a long drawn out investigation and a bunch of trips to the shipping carriers location with the "evidence".

 

If damage occurred while in ComicLink's care:

Alternatively, if this was the condition it was in prior to shipping and wasn't visible from the picture you'll need to work this out with comiclink. The right thing for them to do would be to accept a return for full refund. They don't post back cover scans but if the damage is such that it is clearly visible through the front then it should appear that way from the front cover scan so check that CLINK scan. It's possible that it happened sometime after the CLink photo was taken during handling or packing.

 

If the damages were visible in some way from the website, it is poor form on CLinks part to have sold it as such but you may be stuck with it as the condition was somewhat visible. However, I still feel they should accept the return as it was a misrepresentation of the item to advertise it as the stated condition/grade when in fact there was damage to it.

 

Good luck and let me know what they say

 

Thanks for this advice!

I emailed customer service with detailed photos of the case and book damage. They should know that the grade doesn't match the obvious defect. It may or may not be Fedex's fault because the box doesn't have any signs of abuse although only one side of the comic was protected. All of the packing peanuts were to one side of the book and the other side was exposed to the surface of the box although still in a mailer.

 

It's most likely that this was C-Links fault. The only evidence from the front of the book is the exposed micro chamber paper as it was not sticking out in the listing. The real defects are on the back of the book as there is a crack and resulting damage to the book right above it from what I assume was SCS.

 

I'll post what their response is. It always takes them a long time to respond. All I can say is if they don't resolve this, I won't give them any more business. I certainly can't afford to spend the money that I do on books that won't fit my collection or have any re-sell potential. I trust that they will handle this the right way.

[VintageComics]

Step 1: back away from the keyboard

Step 2: grab your camera, camera phone, or borrow one and take a bunch of photos of the whole item and close ups of the damages to both the slab and book.

Step 3. Take a bunch of photos of the shipping box and packaging if the box/packaging shows any signs of damage or abuse.

Step 4. Return to your keyboard and load any cached, saved, or still visible ComicLink listing for your book with a visible photo. Download/copy the image to your hard drive.

Step 5. Grab your camera and upload your photos to your computer if not taken with a camera phone but avoid the urge to post them here just yet. (Talk with them first)

Step 6. Go to comiclink's website and locate their customer service phone number.

Step 5. Call ComicLink support and report the issue offering to send photos of the comic, slab, packaging and anything else they might find useful.

 

If the damage was due to shipping:

This will be an insurance claim if the slab was damaged due to shipping and the shipping carrier has sufficient evidence to rule as such. Prepare yourself for a long drawn out investigation and a bunch of trips to the shipping carriers location with the "evidence".

 

If damage occurred while in ComicLink's care:

Alternatively, if this was the condition it was in prior to shipping and wasn't visible from the picture you'll need to work this out with comiclink. The right thing for them to do would be to accept a return for full refund. They don't post back cover scans but if the damage is such that it is clearly visible through the front then it should appear that way from the front cover scan so check that CLINK scan. It's possible that it happened sometime after the CLink photo was taken during handling or packing.

 

If the damages were visible in some way from the website, it is poor form on CLinks part to have sold it as such but you may be stuck with it as the condition was somewhat visible. However, I still feel they should accept the return as it was a misrepresentation of the item to advertise it as the stated condition/grade when in fact there was damage to it.

 

Good luck and let me know what they say

 

Thanks for this advice!

I emailed customer service with detailed photos of the case and book damage. They should know that the grade doesn't match the obvious defect. It may or may not be Fedex's fault because the box doesn't have any signs of abuse although only one side of the comic was protected. All of the packing peanuts were to one side of the book and the other side was exposed to the surface of the box although still in a mailer.

 

It's most likely that this was C-Links fault. The only evidence from the front of the book is the exposed micro chamber paper as it was not sticking out in the listing. The real defects are on the back of the book as there is a crack and resulting damage to the book right above it from what I assume was SCS.

 

I'll post what their response is. It always takes them a long time to respond. All I can say is if they don't resolve this, I won't give them any more business. I certainly can't afford to spend the money that I do on books that won't fit my collection or have any re-sell potential. I trust that they will handle this the right way.

 

The suggestions laid out by loadstone are pretty logical and not rocket science.

 

Don't you think it would be fair to allow a company to allow their customer service department respond to your issues in full before you start an internet discussion about their customer service?

 

 

[Ghost Town]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

Step 1: back away from the keyboard

Step 2: grab your camera, camera phone, or borrow one and take a bunch of photos of the whole item and close ups of the damages to both the slab and book.

Step 3. Take a bunch of photos of the shipping box and packaging if the box/packaging shows any signs of damage or abuse.

Step 4. Return to your keyboard and load any cached, saved, or still visible ComicLink listing for your book with a visible photo. Download/copy the image to your hard drive.

Step 5. Grab your camera and upload your photos to your computer if not taken with a camera phone but avoid the urge to post them here just yet. (Talk with them first)

Step 6. Go to comiclink's website and locate their customer service phone number.

Step 5. Call ComicLink support and report the issue offering to send photos of the comic, slab, packaging and anything else they might find useful.

 

If the damage was due to shipping:

This will be an insurance claim if the slab was damaged due to shipping and the shipping carrier has sufficient evidence to rule as such. Prepare yourself for a long drawn out investigation and a bunch of trips to the shipping carriers location with the "evidence".

 

If damage occurred while in ComicLink's care:

Alternatively, if this was the condition it was in prior to shipping and wasn't visible from the picture you'll need to work this out with comiclink. The right thing for them to do would be to accept a return for full refund. They don't post back cover scans but if the damage is such that it is clearly visible through the front then it should appear that way from the front cover scan so check that CLINK scan. It's possible that it happened sometime after the CLink photo was taken during handling or packing.

 

If the damages were visible in some way from the website, it is poor form on CLinks part to have sold it as such but you may be stuck with it as the condition was somewhat visible. However, I still feel they should accept the return as it was a misrepresentation of the item to advertise it as the stated condition/grade when in fact there was damage to it.

 

Good luck and let me know what they say

 

Thanks for this advice!

I emailed customer service with detailed photos of the case and book damage. They should know that the grade doesn't match the obvious defect. It may or may not be Fedex's fault because the box doesn't have any signs of abuse although only one side of the comic was protected. All of the packing peanuts were to one side of the book and the other side was exposed to the surface of the box although still in a mailer.

 

It's most likely that this was C-Links fault. The only evidence from the front of the book is the exposed micro chamber paper as it was not sticking out in the listing. The real defects are on the back of the book as there is a crack and resulting damage to the book right above it from what I assume was SCS.

 

I'll post what their response is. It always takes them a long time to respond. All I can say is if they don't resolve this, I won't give them any more business. I certainly can't afford to spend the money that I do on books that won't fit my collection or have any re-sell potential. I trust that they will handle this the right way.

 

The suggestions laid out by loadstone are pretty logical and not rocket science.

 

Don't you think it would be fair to allow a company to allow their customer service department respond to your issues in full before you start an internet discussion about their customer service?

 

 

Whether or not they fix the problem, there is still a problem. All signs point to that the damage was on their end. I'm not complaining or talking badly about their customer service at all. I even said that I have faith that they will fix this. I simply said that they take some time to respond. That's why I took to this thread in the first place. I'm trying to figure out what their policy is on these types of situations from someone else's possible past experience with a damaged shipment.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions? What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions? What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

 

You are not being unreasonable. Comiclink's customer service sucks. I stopped buying from them because of it some time ago. I've had the same issue as you. In the end I gave up and just cracked the book out. The book itself was not damaged and I crack out a lot of books anyway (didn't intend to with this one), so I guess I was fortunate. They take far to long to respond to any sort of complaint. If you neglect to pay an invoice they will get in touch again and again, so there is no defense for their lethargy in responding to their customer's needs in regards to decent customer service. Good luck mate.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions? What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

 

You are not being unreasonable. Comiclink's customer service sucks. I stopped buying from them because of it some time ago. I've had the same issue as you. In the end I gave up and just cracked the book out. The book itself was not damaged and I crack out a lot of books anyway (didn't intend to with this one), so I guess I was fortunate. They take far to long to respond to any sort of complaint. If you neglect to pay an invoice they will get in touch again and again, so there is no defense for their lethargy in responding to their customer's needs in regards to decent customer service. Good luck mate.

 

I'm hardly comfortable cracking out a 10.0 slab so I guess if I end up with no resolution, then I'll just re-holder the book and mention that it has SCS if I sell it. I'm hoping they own up to their mistake but if I get no response then I will just keep calling and checking up. I won't give up easily on this return. I'm surprised to hear that their customer service sucks since their one of the top auction sites. It seems that they'll re-holder any cracked cases but the process would take over month when I could just drive an hour and have it done quickly.

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions? What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

 

You are not being unreasonable. Comiclink's customer service sucks. I stopped buying from them because of it some time ago. I've had the same issue as you. In the end I gave up and just cracked the book out. The book itself was not damaged and I crack out a lot of books anyway (didn't intend to with this one), so I guess I was fortunate. They take far to long to respond to any sort of complaint. If you neglect to pay an invoice they will get in touch again and again, so there is no defense for their lethargy in responding to their customer's needs in regards to decent customer service. Good luck mate.

 

 

 

I'm hardly comfortable cracking out a 10.0 slab so I guess if I end up with no resolution, then I'll just re-holder the book and mention that it has SCS if I sell it. I'm hoping they own up to their mistake but if I get no response then I will just keep calling and checking up. I won't give up easily on this return. I'm surprised to hear that their customer service sucks since their one of the top auction sites. It seems that they'll re-holder any cracked cases but the process would take over month when I could just drive an hour and have it done quickly.

 

 

I dare say others will sing their praises but I can only state my own experience/opinion.

I have a simple rule of thumb. I experience bad/sloppy customer service in a shop/restaurant or in any situation where I am handing over money, then I don't go back.

There are many fantastic comic book dealers out there who are more deserving of my cash. Comiclink dropped the ball with me on a few occasions, hence they can bog off.

[VintageComics]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions?

 

But have you deduced what cracked the slab?

 

Was it cracked before it was sold, after it was sold, during shipping?

 

What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

 

That would be for you to answer. I have no idea.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

I hear a lot of positives and negatives from different people using the site. I've never had any real problems with them. All I know is that my future business will depend on this transaction and how it is resolved. Smaller dealers are usually a better bet since they have a reputation to maintain whereas C-Link can afford to lose a few customers. Thanks for your input.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

Broken slabs happen. They've been happening for years. Good dealers like ComicLink address the issue when it happens. It may not always be as quickly as some might want. But it's not newsworthy unless a dealer refuses to fix the problem.

 

Not the point. I know that ComicLink is handling the situation in some manner. I received tons of cracked slabs from all sorts of places but only about 5% had actual damage to the book. Is there some kind of problem with asking for other people's opinions?

 

But have you deduced what cracked the slab?

 

Was it cracked before it was sold, after it was sold, during shipping?

 

 

What do you think the purpose of this thread was for?

 

That would be for you to answer. I have no idea.

 

It comes down to 2 possibilities.

1. During shipping - They poorly packed the book and it easily could've shifted from a drop.

2. After it was sold - Poor handling of the book in preparation for shipment. (I waited 3 weeks before seeing it ship out)

 

It couldn't have happened before they listed it because the MC paper was not sticking out in the listing and the crack would have been slightly visible in the photo. The crack starts from the edge of the case and runs a little bit sideways.

 

In either scenario, it's on them.

 

I simply wanted feedback from others who have dealt in this type of situation from C-Link.

Maybe I should've asked for that more clearly in the beginning.

[Ghost Town]

I have dealt with the same situation with ComicLink. I bought a Hulk Annual #2. The slab and book were damaged somewhere in transit. It was worked out and I got a full refund. It wasn't an instantaneous process. I doubt it ever is when there are insurance claims involved.

 

If you want to claim that ComicLink's response time is slow that's one thing.

 

But if you want to blame them for a slab getting damaged in transit, that's misguided.

 

Unless you were in ComicLink's shipping room when the book went out and were in the FedEx truck during transit, you have no idea when or how the damage occurred.

 

I've received books directly from CGC with damaged slabs. It happens no matter how well they're packed. Until slabs are hand delivered by angels floating on puffy cumulus clouds, there's a chance they'll sustain damage during shipping.

 

I'm looking forward to this new delivery service opening for business. Until then, I try to be kind of understanding.

 

(Though I hate the freaking ComicLink stickers they put on the back of slabs.)

[WilliamG.Staggers]

I have dealt with the same situation with ComicLink. I bought a Hulk Annual #2. The slab and book were damaged somewhere in transit. It was worked out and I got a full refund. It wasn't an instantaneous process. I doubt it ever is when there are insurance claims involved.

 

If you want to claim that ComicLink's response time is slow that's one thing.

 

But if you want to blame them for a slab getting damaged in transit, that's misguided.

 

Unless you were in ComicLink's shipping room when the book went out and were in the FedEx truck during transit, you have no idea when or how the damage occurred.

 

I've received books directly from CGC with damaged slabs. It happens no matter how well they're packed. Until slabs are hand delivered by angels floating on puffy cumulus clouds, there's a chance they'll sustain damage during shipping.

 

I'm looking forward to this new delivery service opening for business. Until then, I try to be kind of understanding.

 

(Though I hate the freaking ComicLink stickers they put on the back of slabs.)

 

You're right. I just assumed this because the box it was packed in didn't look like it was dropped at all. It look brand new to be honest.

 

I can also say that Sean got right back to me this morning. He emailed me a return label and the book is already on it's way back. He also offered to issue a full refund upon receipt. I'll go ahead and eat my words, although I believe it comes down to who you're talking to.

[shadroch]

If the book is damaged, CGC won't reholder it at the same grade.

[Ghost Town]

I can also say that Sean got right back to me this morning. He emailed me a return label and the book is already on it's way back. He also offered to issue a full refund upon receipt. I'll go ahead and eat my words, although I believe it comes down to who you're talking to.

Absolutely. Glad it's working out for you.