• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

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

Started by ADAMANTIUM,

634 posts in this topic

onlyweaknesskryptonite

onlyweaknesskryptonite

Posted
Posted
On 5/28/2022 at 3:46 PM, KCOComics said:

 

I have gone with the flow, with CGC for 18 or so years now. I think my first submission was in 2004 and I've submitted nearly every year since.  Never a ton of books, but many big keys. 

I have always believed that they were trying to do what was best for the community, while growing and maintaining a profitable business. Even when they've made tough and unpopular decisions, I've been able to empathize with them. Business is complicated and filled with tough decisions.  You can't always make the popular choices, but you should do your best to make the right choices.

But the last few years have been disappointing and I've been left in bewilderment. They didn't anticipate volume picking up with Covid, no one could have.... But two years later their TATs have actually gotten worse... All while punishing consumers with higher prices, worse service and signature event after signature event that continue to drive up TATs.  

They've rescinded the rights of key pressers (like Joey Post) to maintain Signature labels on books they work on. They've started to charge key dealers additional fees to do submissions.

And now we get this.... 

Each one of these events, I've rationalized to myself or even explained away on the boards. But when you step back and look at it, in is totality, it's kind of appalling. 

They have a strong enough market position that they can continue to punish their customers without much fear of retribution.

I have 13 books with them now, that have been gone since February 2021. I have a massive backlog of books I've wanted to submit and I'm patiently waiting for TATs to come down... But I think I'm done at this point.  And I know I'm small potatoes too them and they really don't care. 

It's just hard to continue to support a company who doesn't support us.  

I could not agree more.  Very well thought out post. 

This all has done the same to me. I know that the list of members who have gotten to this point continues to grow like CGC'S problems. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steven Valdez

Steven Valdez

Posted
Posted
On 5/29/2022 at 5:26 AM, Sigur Ros said:

They don't exist.

It's CGC's way of saying "important people told us they wanted this" instead of just being honest with "screw you guys, we need more money".

Hopefully there'll soon be a follow-up announcement: 'Due to a unanimous backlash from actual collectors, we will be hastily backtracking on this absurd proposal.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites
alexanderjk

alexanderjk

Posted
Posted

The ‘90s-era hologram should be replaced with a QR code that links to the grader’s notes, and any other notation (missing pages, detached CF, cut-outs, etc.), accessible for free. The only condition notation on front of label (foe aesthetics) should be the page quality, IMO (and THAT should be moved off of the white grade label). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gaard

Gaard

Posted
Posted

It's one thing to make unpopular changes. It's another to be dishonest about the reasons for those changes. I don't know, maybe that's not unusual in the business world. What I do know, however, is that CGC seems to be dishonest about pretty much everything ... should anyone be surprised then with, not only these changes, but with the reasons given for making them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JollyComics

JollyComics

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 5/27/2022 at 7:27 PM, KCOComics said:

Yes, I also appreciated @mycomicshop and their response. 

MCS has consistently gone above and beyond to be open, transparent and have a dialog. They've been an active and prominent member of this community.  Thier customer service is incredible. They are open to feedback and address criticism head on. They are a company I have used many times and I will countiue to use, because they have worked to establish trust. 

Trust, integrity, ethics, honesty, transparency... It's really all customers are looking for. 

I like an old school philosophy.  Without it, it becomes more vague, rigid and silence.  So, eliminating those essential defects, will they make the young generations more ignorance?  No, we have to carry old torch and bring on our voices to make it right. If it goes that way to the worst side, maybe we can turn it around or other way.  This is not a good sign.

Give a big credit to @mycomicshop for keeping the tradition.

Edited by JollyComics
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
FineCollector

FineCollector

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

I need CGC to fulfill it's original purpose: to inspect the books I want to buy that I can't inspect for myself.  I don't sell anything, so I've never needed a subscription.  I'm not getting one just for the privilege of making an informed purchase.  I no longer have confidence that your product offering will meet my needs, therefore I will no longer be paying a premium for your brand or your service.

Signed.

John Q Public

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
joeypost

joeypost

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted
On 5/29/2022 at 11:03 AM, snitzer said:

Should “prominent members” be disclosed so we all know who to avoid as disclosure clearly isn’t in their best interest? :whistle:

I drop off 1500-2000 books a month and I wasn't contacted, so not sure who prominent members would be. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted
On 5/28/2022 at 4:30 PM, MTDEW said:

Weren't they in Florida at the time?

Did you think this was a fact based discussion?   This is the 'if we bash Steve B hard enough, people might forget we are discussing CGC's ineptitude"  segment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Popular Post
joeypost

joeypost

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

Not sure if this was already covered, but I have a question for those computer programmers and application specialists on the boards.

I can only assume the notes section of the grading process are stored in some kind of relational database. How difficult would it be to programmatically “grab” those notes and create a QR code that is printed out on the actual label that links you to that data?

If CGC’s concern is redundancy that would eliminate that, wouldn’t it? Might cost some money up front, but the benefits later on would pay off big time for them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bc

bc

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 5/29/2022 at 11:48 AM, joeypost said:

Not sure if this was already covered, but I have a question for those computer programmers and application specialists on the boards.

I can only assume the notes section of the grading process are stored in some kind of relational database. How difficult would it be to programmatically “grab” those notes and create a QR code that is printed out on the actual label that links you to that data?

If CGC’s concern is redundancy that would eliminate that, wouldn’t it? Might cost some money up front, but the benefits later on would pay off big time for them. 

Umm, I'm not a professional software developer, but I wrote a Visual Basic macro to query the database and put the results in a spreadsheet in one evening.

Can't see this taking very long for a real programmer.

-bc

ps - that's also how I learned about the limit on the cert# lookups

Edited by bc
add more data
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
20 20
Go to topic listing