HERO RESTORATION - BOOKS NOT BEING RETURNED 20 20

[Changer]

I am not excusing anything bad that happened to other customers and feel sad about that and his personal issues going on, just wanted to pass along my experience. I hope everyone is eventually made whole and Mike can get back on his feet. 

I had a contact with his legal team as they  contacted me about a book  (luckily  decided not to send in at that time but paperwork must have been still out there) as they had a robbery ,. Obviously I did not file a claim on it. letter sent is below: 

Later, I did have some books pressed  several years ago by Mike, it was good service for me then. Some items were done by him, and some sent to east coast.  I met Mike in person as he was in Seattle (actually to get some of those books stolen and then sold to dealers in seattle), it was around august 2021. I paid for several tiers and they came back reasonable time and grades. Hawk 9 was a book pressed by him I believe. 

 

   

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Changer

[CAHokie]

On 6/26/2023 at 6:53 PM, Changer said:

I am not excusing anything bad that happened to other customers and feel sad that and his personal issues going on, just wanted to pass along my experience. I hope everyone is eventually made whole and Mike can get back on his feet. 

I did have some books pressed  several years ago by Mike, it was good service for me then. Some items were done by him, and some sent to east coast.  I met Mike in person as he was in Seattle for something, it was around august 2021. I paid for several tiers and they came back reasonable time and grades. Hawk 9 was a book pressed by him I believe. 

I did have another contact because legal team from them contacted me about a book (but luckily  decided not to send in but paperwork must have been still out there) as they had a robbery shortly later,. Obviously I did not file a claim on it. letter sent is below: 

 

 

   

 

To be clear, they sent you that letter even though they didn’t actually have your book? I wonder if a claim was accidentally made on your book even if you did not make a claim? 

[Changer]

On 6/26/2023 at 3:58 PM, CAHokie said:

To be clear, they sent you that letter even though they didn’t actually have your book? I wonder if a claim was accidentally made on your book even if you did not make a claim? 

I had filled out a form but never sent in the book as after discussing with Mike on the phone seemed like it was pointless to press due to the stain. I forgot about the submission and months later was reached out to me because I had the book submission. I believe I wrote back lettting them know it was not in their box and not missing. 

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Changer

[NP_Gresham]

I got the book back today. No work done, but just happy to be done with this

Thanks to all the boardies here who kept this on the front page. I really can’t thank you all enough

[DR.X]

On 6/26/2023 at 6:06 PM, NP_Gresham said:

I got the book back today. No work done, but just happy to be done with this

I assume it's the AF15?? Great news.

[Point Five]

Excellent!  

[wombat]

Great to see something good come from this thread. 

[Changer]

One thing I should mention , he personally pressed most my books but only because he had them in hand (which was kinda what I hoped) ,

originally, I think he was going have me send most of them to east coast as that was part of his expansion. Sometimes expanding is a disastrous undertaking ,as tempting as it sounds, for many small business owners. 

Be careful for what you wish for, especially if its not your expertise (esp managing remotely). 

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Changer

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

Let's not forget the others who have yet to be made whole....

[jharvey]

On 6/26/2023 at 7:13 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

Let's not forget the others who have yet to be made whole....

Keep in mind the person who just got his AF15 back wasn't "made whole". His money was still stolen, even if he got his book back.

Edited June 27, 2023 by jharvey

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:02 AM, jharvey said:

Keep in mind the person who just got his AF15 back wasn't "made whole". His money was still stolen, even if he got his book back.

I was still considering that. I thought if I said it I would sound negative in light of the good news of NP getting his book back 

[Lightning55]

On 6/26/2023 at 1:12 PM, Lightning55 said:

We ship every week on Thursday. It gets there Tuesday. They open it by Friday and it's charged. I can't say they charge COMPLETELY in advance, as they did some of the work (open box, input submission) before charging. But toward the end of the process? No.

As a follow-up as to whether CGC charges up front, during the grading process, after the grading is completed, etc....

From their Terms of Service, Section 5:

Customer agrees to pay Company all Services fees at the time of submission. Prices for Services are subject to change. Prices on pre-printed paper Submission Forms are only current as of the date of printing, so Customer should confirm current prices on Company‘s web site. If payment is being made by credit card, Customer agrees that Company may charge all Services fees to the credit card upon receipt of the Submission Form. Unpaid balances shall accrue interest at the rate of 1.0% per month until paid. Customer hereby grants to Company a security interest in the collectibles submitted to secure payment of any Services fees. In addition to such security interest, Customer agrees that Company may hold any collectibles or other property submitted by Customer until Customer has paid in full all outstanding balances, regardless of whether such balances are related to such collectibles or other property.

https://www.cgccomics.com/legal/terms-and-conditions/

[manetteska]

.

Edited June 28, 2023 by manetteska
Never mind

[Dr. Balls]

On 6/26/2023 at 5:52 PM, Changer said:

originally, I think he was going have me send most of them to east coast as that was part of his expansion. Sometimes expanding is a disastrous undertaking ,as tempting as it sounds, for many small business owners.

 

It takes some serious forward thinking on the part of the small business owner to see all the problems with expansion. We'd spent several years on the idea of expanding and franchising, talking to lawyers and all that malarky - ultimately letting it go because the problems it would create were 10X the benefits. It's tough to walk away from because there are soooooo many traps set that you don't see.

I always liken small business expansion to the horror movie where you scream at the guy: "Don't go in there, the killer is there!" only to see them go in and be killed. But, without the guy going in, the movie would have ended and that's not how horror movies go.

In our case, we opted to "not go in there" thus ending the movie and we were good with that. I can count at least 10 first-hand examples in my lifetime of the small business owner "going in there", getting killed and watching a horror movie of those results play out. Some people pull it off, but in my view: if you were fortunate enough to pull off a successful small business with hard work, talent and everything else - expecting to do it twice the same way is a pure gamble, and the risk of destroying what you've built is not worth it.

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[jimjum12]

On 6/28/2023 at 11:42 AM, Dr. Balls said:

It takes some serious forward thinking on the part of the small business owner to see all the problems with expansion. We'd spent several years on the idea of expanding and franchising, talking to lawyers and all that malarky - ultimately letting it go because the problems it would create were 10X the benefits. It's tough to walk away from because there are soooooo many traps set that you don't see.

I always liken small business expansion to the horror movie where you scream at the guy: "Don't go in there, the killer is there!" only to see them go in and be killed. But, without the guy going in, the movie would have ended and that's not how horror movies go.

In our case, we opted to "not go in there" thus ending the movie and we were good with that. I can count at least 10 first-hand examples in my lifetime of the small business owner "going in there", getting killed and watching a horror movie of those results play out. Some people pull it off, but in my view: if you were fortunate enough to pull off a successful small business with hard work, talent and everything else - expecting to do it twice the same way is a pure gamble, and the risk of destroying what you've built is not worth it.

 

It's kind of like The Blob once said, "It's easy to make $500 a month selling, but making $5000 a month is another story." 

For clarity we're talking net, not gross. 

GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

Edited June 28, 2023 by jimjum12

[DonConnolly]

On 6/9/2023 at 4:52 PM, Kamenliter said:

Sounds very likely! Wish I could find other people that have been this situation. 

Hey I'm in this boat too...sent him an ultimate fallout 4 to press and send to cgc.  Comictom101 the big YouTube comic guy has books with him too.  And this other comic YouTube person named Swagglehaus just did a video that mentions this forum and hero. The second half . It's how I found this. Let's network on this and maybe with comictom influence we might get somewhere? Or try class action.  Here's the video link:

 

 

[Kamenliter]

On 6/29/2023 at 9:50 PM, DonConnolly said:

Hey I'm in this boat too...sent him an ultimate fallout 4 to press and send to cgc.  Comictom101 the big YouTube comic guy has books with him too.  And this other comic YouTube person named Swagglehaus just did a video that mentions this forum and hero. The second half . It's how I found this. Let's network on this and maybe with comictom influence we might get somewhere? Or try class action.  Here's the video link:

 

 

Wow will check out the video. I’m sure there are still many people with books out. I think you just need to keep messaging him. I thankfully received my books back, as well as a few other people in this thread. Not their money back, though, if work to be done wasn’t started. I wish you the best.

[thehumantorch]

On 6/29/2023 at 7:50 PM, DonConnolly said:

Hey I'm in this boat too...sent him an ultimate fallout 4 to press and send to cgc.  Comictom101 the big YouTube comic guy has books with him too.  And this other comic YouTube person named Swagglehaus just did a video that mentions this forum and hero. The second half . It's how I found this. Let's network on this and maybe with comictom influence we might get somewhere? Or try class action.  Here's the video link:

 

 

Welcome to the boards.  Sorry it's because of this situation.

[Cat]

On 6/30/2023 at 11:50 AM, DonConnolly said:

Hey I'm in this boat too...sent him an ultimate fallout 4 to press and send to cgc.  Comictom101 the big YouTube comic guy has books with him too.  And this other comic YouTube person named Swagglehaus just did a video that mentions this forum and hero. The second half . It's how I found this. Let's network on this and maybe with comictom influence we might get somewhere? Or try class action.  Here's the video link:

 

 

Sorry you haven't had your book returned. Let's hope it happens soon. You listening, Hero? 

[brute_nm]

On 6/9/2023 at 2:52 PM, Kamenliter said:

Sounds very likely! Wish I could find other people that have been this situation. 

I am also in this boat.  I have 2x outstanding invoices with Hero for pressing/cleaning/submit to CGC.  One invoice is from Sept 2022 (40 weeks) and the other is from Nov 2022 (33 weeks).

• ASM 41
• Action 276
• FF 39
• New Gods 1

I reached out in Feb 2023 for refund (and request my books back) and Jaclyn gave me the standard "terms and conditions" response

Quote

we do not work with due dates. We are very clear on our website and in our terms and conditions, any date provided is strictly a best guess scenario based on the current workload (at time of submission). Books begin being worked on as soon as they are received. The pressing process can be a lengthy one. Some books have to go through multiple rounds of pressing and quality control. 

Once books arrive, they go through our Intake & Verification process, followed by being dry cleaned and then CGC forms are done. After going through 1st press, they have to sit for a minimum of 2-3 weeks before going through 1st QC (Quality Control). It is very common for books to revert & fail the 1st QC. Once that happens, we have to use different techniques during the 2nd round of pressing. The books then have to sit again before going through 2nd QC... and so on. HRC has developed it's processes over 15 years and no one else in the industry has a process like ours. Your books are in great hands! We are working hard to get our turnaround times back down, but in the meantime please trust the process and know that your books are going present beautifully when we are finished. 

@Hero Restoration, are you able to locate these books and return them to me please?  At this point, I am willing to eat the cost for cleaning/pressing/grading that I've already paid you (i.e., I'm not asking for refund) - I just want the books back.  These were HRC Invoice # 3223 and 3311 if that helps at all.

Edited June 30, 2023 by brute_nm