CGC announces changes to label notations, see what remains? 20 20

[Krydel4]

IMHO, the endgame with this will be a slab with a numerical Grade, Title, Issue and Date with a QR code that will take you to CGCs site that will have ALL the graders notes, grading info and any other info (key issue info, artist, first appearance etc) locked behind a membership paywall. 

[Djangology]

If anything, CGC should be headed in the opposite direction to maximize transparency: Eliminate the custom labels in order to standardize the front and use the back of the label to dump the "grader's notes"-type info. Use acronyms for the common stuff to save space, then elaborate with additional text when necessary.

I don't see any consumer benefit from pertinent information being restricted to an online-only source gated by a paid account. Databases are compromised all the time. At best, this change just manufactures additional hoops for a consumer to jump through to feel confident about the grade of a CGC book. 

[Axe Elf]

On 5/26/2022 at 11:45 PM, ttfitz said:

I don't buy many graded books, but I've always assumed that anything that wasn't visible would be listed on the label. I guess they should remove this line from their "About" page:

"With a consistent standard, impartial grading, expert restoration detection and a tamper-evident protective holder, you know what to expect from a CGC-graded book."

They don't have to remove that line, they just have to add this one:

"Expect the unexpected."

Or maybe go all X-Files:

"The truth is in there."

Edited May 27, 2022 by Axe Elf

[Steven Valdez]

A few years from now, it'll be 'Remember when people used to get their comics slabbed and you couldn't see what condition they were inside? Then they'd on-sell them for a profit to the next guy, and so on and so on? Then eventually one guy would crack the case open and the book would have pages missing and coupons cut out? What a Ponzi scheme that was!'

Edited May 27, 2022 by Steven Valdez
additional material

[Gaard]

I noticed that Matt Nelson didn't really touch on the "why" they are doing this.

[Steven Valdez]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:49 PM, Gaard said:

I noticed that Matt Nelson didn't really touch on the "why" they are doing this.

Lack of transparency and forced paid membership, I think it might be.

[MetalPSI]

Except this is discouragement on getting a membership 

If they wouldn't make the stupid policies towards membership in the first place, they wouldn't have lost the dealers they had, so they wouldn't have to have done such a stupid thing as this

Amazed more people don't remember what happened, what, 6 months ago and why a lot of people let their membership expire in the first place

[Sigur Ros]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:48 PM, CGC Mike said:

The way it reads now, detached covers will no longer be listed on the label.  

Lol, wow. 

[Sigur Ros]

On 5/27/2022 at 4:49 AM, Gaard said:

I noticed that Matt Nelson didn't really touch on the "why" they are doing this.

Pretty $ure everyone know$ why. 

[Barth]

[wardevil0]

On 5/25/2022 at 11:03 AM, ADAMANTIUM said:

CGC will continue to identify on the label any significant missing pieces, pages, wraps or inserts from the interior of a comic.

From the original post and announcement.  The Tattooz from ASM 238, Marvel Value Stamps, etc will still be noted on the label.

[F For Fake]

Wow, 1 step forward, 10 steps back. I commented in the QC thread about how it's a good thing they're hiring someone to oversee QC. Now I'm back on my BS with this announcement. I'm not a "prominent" dealer, but I'd like to think that even I know that a detached cover is pretty significant, regardless of the grade. What a crock of .

[KCOComics]

It's the "prominent members of the community" that is just insulting. 

If Matt or CGC had said, "look, we need to diversify our earnings levers.  We are disproportionately dependent on grading fees, so we are trying to find a way to bolster paid memberships" 

I would have thought, "this sucks, it's not good for customer, but I get it". 

Instead, they treated us like children and tried to spin it like the community asked for this.  

It leaves us to assume one of two things are true. 

1) They lied about the prominent members and this is just a play to sell more memberships. 

2) they care more about a handful of "prominent members" than the collective opinion of the community. 

Both scenarios look bad. And there has been no reasonable effort to explain how anyone benefits from this, outside of those selling a high volume of GA and SA. 

 

By the way, has there ever been a topic where not a single board member has had a dissenting opinion?  It's interesting that no one (including CGC) has presented a reasonable argument to support this move.   Not even prominent members.

My hope is CGC either stops this change or is at least honest with us about the reason for it. 

 

 

[Sauce Dog]

I dub this trade of giving up better transparency on labels for no real reason the Pathetically Garish eXchange 

[wombat]

On 5/27/2022 at 1:50 AM, Red84 said:

@CGC Mike

I would like CGC to explain how ANYONE other than someone intending to scam and defraud a buyer benefits from CGC no longer writing the single but extremely important word “incomplete” on the label. Who benefits from removing the notation “centerfold detached”?

It takes no additional work to have “incomplete” on the label. 
Removing the word “incomplete” from the label serves ONE purpose—it makes an incomplete book appear like a complete book. 
Removing “detached centerfold” from the label makes a detached book appear to be a structurally sound book.  
It puts uneducated buyers, and even sophisticated buyers who may not be aware of the policy change, at higher risk of being defrauded. 

This is not a new goofy custom label or a font change; this is a direct assault on the primary purpose of a CGC book, transparency to facilitate transactions. 
As a buyer I can no longer rely on the CGC label. CGC is no longer in the authentication and grading business. It is only in the expensive plastic case business. 
A truly shockingly stupid decision. 

This right here. There is zero upside to collectors and tons of downside. 

[Dormian]

I tend to buy lower grade books under 5.0. I am usually happy with the offering of lower grade books and the books I am buying are not available in higher grades. This decision by CGC makes my collecting hobby more difficult.

 

[Sigur Ros]

For anyone still wondering... 

The "why" :

 

[skypinkblu]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:33 PM, CGC Mike said:

As Matt mentioned in a follow up post I made, Centerfolds detached below 5.5 will no longer be listed on the label.  

This just makes no sense to me...I'm guessing that when a grader finds an issue that is normally put on the label, they just click a button to add it to the label. If they have to determine whether the book is a certain grade BEFORE clicking the button, it's going to be less intuitive to click it and get missed more often...if you wait until you have all the defects determine the grade and go BACK to click the defects, it will actually take more time and there will be more room for mistakes.

BTW, can you please ask Matt  what is the upside to not listing detached centerfolds for "collectors"?

[CJ Design]

Detailed Graders notes better be included w/ anything less than a 10.0 No exception or or it gets redone on CGC's dime.

[Red84]

Congrats to CGC on bringing everyone on the forum together. 
There is 100% agreement from CGC’s customers that CGC is making a massive mistake.