New CGC Shipping Restrictions??? 2 2

[EC ed]

If this indeed remains the policy, my solution would be to not select FedEx as the return shipping option for CGC submissions - rather, I would just choose the USPS registered mail option. With registered mail, I think USPS will typically make one delivery attempt, then hold at a USPS facility for pickup - which in the end accomplishes (sort of) the same end result as having redirected the package to be held for pickup. 

It's not as good as FedEx shipping with the ability to redirect the package, but it's certainly better than FedEx without the ability to redirect.

If a critical mass of CGC customers stop using FedEx in favor of USPS, perhaps FedEx would want to discuss this policy with CGC.

Of course, CGC might then respond by removing USPS as a shipping option 

[Ryan.]

Registered mail is more expensive.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

9 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

The answer, as mentioned before, is to continue to make noise about this until they fix things. It's arbitrary, and an unnecessary hassle. Continue to write to CGC about it. 

  Hide contents

 

It's much like the "we can't give out grades if the books aren't submitted under your account" policy. It's ludicrous. If you have:

1. The invoice number

2. The name of the account holder

3. The account number of the account holder

4. All the other information of the account

5. The information about the books themselves

...then it's likely that you are, in fact, in possession of the green invoice copy, and are an authorized person to get grades...unless there's a ring of green invoice thieves operating out there to get grade information that anyone can access with a dealer account after they've shipped anyways (yes, you can see ALL the grades on ANY invoice, if you simply input the invoice number and item number from a single known serial number, i.e. I know "9998274001" (made up number), and I can get the rest of the books on that invoice by simply putting "002" or "013"...up to "030"...in the correct field.)

I've been told, twice in recent weeks, that they could only "e-mail" the grades to the account holder...which, in this case, is the facilitator...but facilitators are usually busy with more important things than getting me my grades.

These aren't state secrets, after all.

When it happens, I usually just hang up and call again...get somebody else in customer service who doesn't act like I'm trying to steal someone's identity just because I want grades. Usually, someone else doesn't grill me and then tell me I can't have them.

Consistency is key.

 

 

Quote

if you simply input the invoice number and item number from a single known serial number, i.e. I know "9998274001" (made up number), and I can get the rest of the books on that invoice by simply putting "002" or "013"...up to "030"...in the correct field.)

I've used this trick before...works pretty well.

[MadGenius]

11 hours ago, Moetown said:

I just discovered this lovely change earlier as I had a large shipment of books delivered around 1:00-pm this afternoon (that I tried to unsuccessfully re-route multiple times prior to).  Bottom line: Fed-Ex left the box of books on my uncovered porch with no signature and they just sat there for hours while I worked and eventually came home and retrieved them around 6:00-pm.  I'm glad it didn't rain today as it was a quite expensive batch of books (B&B 28; Batman 121; Strange Tales 110; ASM 300; Harbinger 1; Showcase 8; Adventure Comics 247; Action Comics 242; Superboy 68; etc...). 

CGC can get the 'no re-routing' part right but I would rather they get the delivery signature confirmation correct as I avoided a big headache earlier today...  AND...  If I was able to re-route to a local Fed-Ex facility like I wanted, my package would have been safe and sound even if it rained, just like I wanted it! 

I'm guessing it will take something terrible to happen for CGC to re-evaluate this nonsensical policy.

 

 

This is the reason why I want the option to have packages held at Fedex if I know I won't be home to receive them. Also, I don't want to list the carrier facility address on my submission form 2-3 months in advance because I don't know if I will be home to receive the shipment that far in advance. However, I do know two days prior to arrival which is the whole reason why Fedex has the option to hold shipments in the first place. CGC, please tell me why this new policy is more "secure?"

[Turtle]

I like CGC and have for years.

Over the years I've noticed that they are extremely reactionary when making decisions like this.  This fact has been super evident in the Signature Series program in the last decade.  More than once, a single facilitator and/or witness has acted like a boorish oaf and broke some of CGC's rules either during or after a convention.  Instead of dealing with the rule-breaker, CGC enacts sweeping policy changes that affects (and often restricts) the work of other facilitators and witnesses who have worked hard to help build and maintain the Signature Series brand by following the rules.  Inevitably, another (or sometimes the same) boorish oaf will break the new rules and a new round of restrictive policies go into effect for everyone.  At least 3 different instances come to mind immediately, but I'm sure there are many more.

Based on this, it seems to me that CGC had a few shipments that went missing for one reason or another and this new restriction is their knee-jerk reaction to it.  Just like with the Signature Series issues, instead of drilling down and finding a specific solution to a specific problem, they enact new restrictions on the vast majority of people who never had an issue before. 

Par for the course, unfortunately.  Again, I like CGC.  I just wish they were more methodical and communicative when it comes to solving problems that affect their customers.

[I like pie]

So I'm on vacation and I have a submission in. I won't be back until 8/4 and once I heard about this new restriction, i emailed cgc and requested them to ship any day after 7/31. They said no problem. They ended up shipping it today and is scheduled to arrive 8/3.

Now what?

Edited July 31, 2018 by I like pie

[pjray55]

1 hour ago, I like pie said:

So I'm on vacation and I have a submission in. I won't be back until 8/4 and once I heard about this new restriction, i emailed cgc and requested them to ship any day after 7/31. They said no problem. They ended up shipping it today and is scheduled to arrive 8/3.

Now what?

Which is exactly why I do not want to call in or email in an address change for my sub that they had received prior to this shipping restriction going into place.  I am not sure what to do about it short of taking an afternoon off from work on the day it is scheduled for delivery.

[MadGenius]

2 hours ago, I like pie said:

So I'm on vacation and I have a submission in. I won't be back until 8/4 and once I heard about this new restriction, i emailed cgc and requested them to ship any day after 7/31. They said no problem. They ended up shipping it today and is scheduled to arrive 8/3.

Now what?

You'll miss the first delivery attempt. They'll try two more times before they return it to CGC. Sadly it might take a huge influx of returned shipments for CGC to reverse this ridiculous policy.

[VintageComics]

2 minutes ago, MadGenius said:

You'll miss the first delivery attempt. They'll try two more times before they return it to CGC. Sadly it might take a huge influx of returned shipments for CGC to reverse this ridiculous policy.

That is exactly what's going to happen. CGC must mail out 100's if not 1000's of packages a day. Just imagine how many will return in a year.

While I don't have this problem I do sympathize with those who do. It would be nice to have some clarification.

[Gaard]

What exactly do they(CGC) have to do when they get a returned package? Obviously, they don't have to repackage it. I would think they just slap another label on & put it in the outgoing cart. Do they have to do more data entry?

[MadGenius]

59 minutes ago, Gaard said:

What exactly do they(CGC) have to do when they get a returned package? Obviously, they don't have to repackage it. I would think they just slap another label on & put it in the outgoing cart. Do they have to do more data entry?

Not sure, but I imagine customers will be charged a second time to ship it out again.

[RockMyAmadeus]

8 hours ago, Turtle said:

Over the years I've noticed that they are extremely reactionary when making decisions like this.  This fact has been super evident in the Signature Series program in the last decade.  More than once, a single facilitator and/or witness has acted like a boorish oaf and broke some of CGC's rules either during or after a convention.  Instead of dealing with the rule-breaker, CGC enacts sweeping policy changes that affects (and often restricts) the work of other facilitators and witnesses who have worked hard to help build and maintain the Signature Series brand by following the rules.  Inevitably, another (or sometimes the same) boorish oaf will break the new rules and a new round of restrictive policies go into effect for everyone.  At least 3 different instances come to mind immediately, but I'm sure there are many more.

This.

[VintageComics]

3 hours ago, MadGenius said:

4 hours ago, Gaard said:

What exactly do they(CGC) have to do when they get a returned package? Obviously, they don't have to repackage it. I would think they just slap another label on & put it in the outgoing cart. Do they have to do more data entry?

Not sure, but I imagine customers will be charged a second time to ship it out again.

Sooo....kind of like a forced resubmission program?

[skypinkblu]

Last week, I got a notice that my Wonder Woman #1, was mailed out and would be arriving tomorrow.  That's when I saw this thread. Unfortunately no one could be here tomorrow, Thursday or Friday, so I was a little concerned

So, I  asked the Fedex guy when he showed up last week, if he could just hold the package at the main hub (about 25 miles from here. He said "you don't want to go to that neighborhood". I said I'd be fine, I grew up in a not so "great" neighborhood and went to school in an area that was supposedly the worst area in NYC (now it's expensive and trendy;) . He kept repeating that I shouldn't go, he mentioned murders and a lot of car thefts.

. Finally, I gave up and 

I moved a bunch of appointments so that someone COULD be here tomorrow.  The one I moved to this morning, I had to beg to get moved... 

I get a call from the Fedex guy at 7:30 am, saying he has a package for me and he'll be here at 12-2.   I did make it back in time buy rushing like a maniac, but barely.  So the problem was compounded by the fact that they didn't deliver the scheduled day (and there was no clue on the website last night)

Luckily, this was the same supervisor who got stuck with my packages last week and he's very nice. 

But the whole problem would have been solved, had I KNOWN they were making a change..

This was a walkthrough, so if I had KNOWN, I could have put on the original slip to  have them hold the package at the Fedex place that is only 15 miles from here,.. You would think that customer service would take "customer service" into consideration.

This was the first time I noticed that CGC's name was not on the package, just the name of the shipping person.  I got a package like that from a store today...so maybe businesses are being advised to hide information because of theft?  

[walclark]

Soon, we will all be forced to just go to Sarasota and pick them up in person. 

[Dick Pontoon]

10 hours ago, skypinkblu said:

This was the first time I noticed that CGC's name was not on the package, just the name of the shipping person.  I got a package like that from a store today...so maybe businesses are being advised to hide information because of theft?  

Both Heritage and Clink have shipped with anonymous return addresses as long as I can remember. I think Heritage says "Ustic" and Clink says "Josh Nathanson" above "Clink". Haven't had any problems with theft in my neighborhood, but I'm glad they aren't advertising the contents of the box.

[Transplant]

11 hours ago, skypinkblu said:

This was a walkthrough, so if I had KNOWN, I could have put on the original slip to  have them hold the package at the Fedex place that is only 15 miles from here,.. You would think that customer service would take "customer service" into consideration.

Not according to CGC.  They ship it with a designation (made when they create the label) that prohibits you from redirecting to a Fedex location.  Whether you knew or didn't the outcome is the same. 

Now, after all of this, I was able to pick up my package from the Fedex distribution center, the place where trucks go out of each day with deliveries.  This is no more or less secure than a Fedex office center location.  So, again, the end result is no more secure than being able to redirect. 

• CGC unilaterally modified their shipping practice without notifying customers
• The boards, again, have to glean what's going on from mutual experiences
• CGC, again, fails to communicate proactively or even concurrently with customers about changes
• CGC enacts a policy that is ham fisted and accomplishes little of the desired outcome, all the while angering customers

[Dick Pontoon]

Any post that includes the phrase "ham-fisted" is okay by me!

 

[Transplant]

46 minutes ago, Pontoon said:

Any post that includes the phrase "ham-fisted" is okay by me!

 

[ExNihilo]

If you have an issue with CGC, I strongly suggest you call AND write management.  I spoke with a CS rep regarding a separate issue and based on what I was told, it seems that they don't receive all that many complaints.  The majority of requests are related to accounting or information about submission status.  I'm also not sure how much they patrol the boards and take what is said here into account.  (Granted, a CS rep is probably less likely to surf the web searching for issues.  I'm sure some other internal employees does that).

That said, it might behoove the board to go the GotG cast route: have someone write up a well thought out letter detailing the issues and perhaps provide some suggestions.  At the bottom of the letter, have all boardies sign with their name on account and/or board name like a petition.  Have each boardie email the same signed letter to CGC and request it be sent to a manager.