Wrong book received back from signing event 3 3

[Cpauger]

Has anyone ever received back the wrong book in your slab from a CGC signing event?  This has now happened to me twice in the span of 7 months.  The first was not really an issue as I had my LCS send the book in for me and he had both books that were switched in the slabs so he was able to send them back to have them swapped.  This latest occurrence though is a much different story.

Unfortunately, I did not go through my LCS this time and sent it in on my own.  I sent in an already graded 9.6 Secret Wars #8 newsstand edition and what I got back was a 9.4 direct edition.  Not only was it not the right book in the slab but it was also the book that was used for grading as the grading notes mentioned a stain on the back, which the book in the slab had, but the one I originally sent in did not.  I called CGC and they set me up to return it under the mechanical error.  I was told that once they received it I would be contacted by a someone from their claims department.

Instead of receiving a call, I looked at my account today and saw that they checked in the book and shipped out another book all in the same day.  The problem is that the booked that they are sending back to me is only graded at an 8.0.  Immediately call CGC after seeing this and all they said was that grades are not guaranteed when they crack the slab.  I can understand this but to have the grade drop that drastically?  A drop to a 9.4 or a 9.2 is frustrating but understandable.  A drop from a 9.6 to an 8.0 is unacceptable.  Of course there were no grader notes to find out how my 9.6 book dropped all the way to an 8.0.  It also states that it was graded today which is also skeptical since the the other book I was sent was graded over a month ago back in June.  If my book and another book got mixed up during the signing wouldn't it be believed that someone else received the book i submitted?  It is very hard to believe that they "found" the book I originally sent in, graded it, sealed it in the case and shipped it all in the same day they checked it into the system.   

I honestly feel like I am still not getting back the same book I originally sent in.  How can a book drop from a 9.6 to an 8.0 when the only people handling it were the "professionals" at CGC and the artists.  I feel like they had a newsstand copy lying around and are just sending that copy back to me because my book is now in the hands of someone else never to be seen again.  Does anyone actually know their process for trying to fix the mistake when something like this happens? 

Supposedly customer service is submitting a ticket back to the department and I probably won't hear back for a week or two.  This has really left a bad impression of CGC for me and I will not be renewing my membership.  I paid over $300 (grading, signatures & remarks and pressing) to get back a book (that I still do not believe is the actual one i sent in) that has now been devalued by over $300+ due to the massive drop in grade.

Anyone know how to escalate this issue?  Feel like customer service isn't the right department I need to contact.

 

[CGC Mike]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:55 PM, Cpauger said:

 

Anyone know how to escalate this issue?  Feel like customer service isn't the right department I need to contact.

 

Hi

I'll send an e-mail to the team for you, and let you know what I found out.  

Mike

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:55 PM, Cpauger said:

Has anyone ever received back the wrong book in your slab from a CGC signing event?  This has now happened to me twice in the span of 7 months.  The first was not really an issue as I had my LCS send the book in for me and he had both books that were switched in the slabs so he was able to send them back to have them swapped.  This latest occurrence though is a much different story.

Unfortunately, I did not go through my LCS this time and sent it in on my own.  I sent in an already graded 9.6 Secret Wars #8 newsstand edition and what I got back was a 9.4 direct edition.  Not only was it not the right book in the slab but it was also the book that was used for grading as the grading notes mentioned a stain on the back, which the book in the slab had, but the one I originally sent in did not.  I called CGC and they set me up to return it under the mechanical error.  I was told that once they received it I would be contacted by a someone from their claims department.

Instead of receiving a call, I looked at my account today and saw that they checked in the book and shipped out another book all in the same day.  The problem is that the booked that they are sending back to me is only graded at an 8.0.  Immediately call CGC after seeing this and all they said was that grades are not guaranteed when they crack the slab.  I can understand this but to have the grade drop that drastically?  A drop to a 9.4 or a 9.2 is frustrating but understandable.  A drop from a 9.6 to an 8.0 is unacceptable.  Of course there were no grader notes to find out how my 9.6 book dropped all the way to an 8.0.  It also states that it was graded today which is also skeptical since the the other book I was sent was graded over a month ago back in June.  If my book and another book got mixed up during the signing wouldn't it be believed that someone else received the book i submitted?  It is very hard to believe that they "found" the book I originally sent in, graded it, sealed it in the case and shipped it all in the same day they checked it into the system.   

I honestly feel like I am still not getting back the same book I originally sent in.  How can a book drop from a 9.6 to an 8.0 when the only people handling it were the "professionals" at CGC and the artists.  I feel like they had a newsstand copy lying around and are just sending that copy back to me because my book is now in the hands of someone else never to be seen again.  Does anyone actually know their process for trying to fix the mistake when something like this happens? 

Supposedly customer service is submitting a ticket back to the department and I probably won't hear back for a week or two.  This has really left a bad impression of CGC for me and I will not be renewing my membership.  I paid over $300 (grading, signatures & remarks and pressing) to get back a book (that I still do not believe is the actual one i sent in) that has now been devalued by over $300+ due to the massive drop in grade.

Anyone know how to escalate this issue?  Feel like customer service isn't the right department I need to contact.

 

Maybe you should wait to see if the 8.0 copy that you get back is the 9.6 that you sent in.

Do you have a picture of the old 9.6 that you sent in? That could help you confirm whether the 8.0 is or isn't the same book.

Edited July 27, 2023 by jimbo_7071

[Cpauger]

On 7/26/2023 at 10:37 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

Maybe you should wait to see if the 8.0 copy that you get back is the 9.6 that you sent in.

Do you have a picture of the old 9.6 that you sent in? That could help you confirm whether the 8.0 is or isn't the same book.

I contacted my LCS that originally sent the book in when it came back a 9.6 and they are looking to see if they have a picture of it.

As for waiting to see if it is an 8.0 or 9.6, the CGC# and my submission summary both show it as an 8.0 being sent.  Not sure how it would say that and then get one with a different grade.

I’m just confused how they could “find” my original submission that quickly after sending me the wrong book the first time and have it some how have the grade drop that drastically from  them receiving it to when they regraded it.

Hopefully when I actually get it and review it with my LCS we will be able to determine if it looks like newer damage or older damage to prove if it is the same book I submitted.

[jimbo_7071]

On 7/26/2023 at 11:58 PM, Cpauger said:

I contacted my LCS that originally sent the book in when it came back a 9.6 and they are looking to see if they have a picture of it.

As for waiting to see if it is an 8.0 or 9.6, the CGC# and my submission summary both show it as an 8.0 being sent.  Not sure how it would say that and then get one with a different grade.

I’m just confused how they could “find” my original submission that quickly after sending me the wrong book the first time and have it some how have the grade drop that drastically from  them receiving it to when they regraded it.

Hopefully when I actually get it and review it with my LCS we will be able to determine if it looks like newer damage or older damage to prove if it is the same book I submitted.

A change from a 9.6 to an 8.0 wouldn't be unheard of. Books can be damaged while being autographed. (A Signature-Series grade is a qualified grade, anyway; due to the writing, the universal grade on any autographed book would be much lower.) Some artists are careful when they handle the books that they're autographing, but some aren't. Books can come back with hand sanitizer spilled on them, coffee spilled on them, popped staples, etc.

What is weird is that they "found" the book so quickly. I guess the likelihood of that depends on how many copies of that issue were submitted to be autographed by that artist on that date.

 

[austinhg]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:55 PM, Cpauger said:

Has anyone ever received back the wrong book in your slab from a CGC signing event?

No,  not exactly, but I've had something similar happen.

I had a facilitator send in two signed photos under my account for me. They both came back with the correct labels, but with two completely wrong photos in them. They were supposed to be signed by some actresses, but what I got back were signed photos of Jason Momoa and Jon Bernthal.

[CGC Mike]

On 7/26/2023 at 8:27 PM, CGC Mike said:

On 7/26/2023 at 5:55 PM, Cpauger said:

 

Anyone know how to escalate this issue?  Feel like customer service isn't the right department I need to contact.

 

Hi

I'll send an e-mail to the team for you, and let you know what I found out.  

Mike

Hi @Cpauger  Can you give me the original cert # on the 9.6 you sent in for signing?  BTW, no need to go through customer service.  I will assist you through this, as the team is aware of the issues you are having.

Mike

[Cpauger]

On 7/27/2023 at 12:20 PM, CGC Mike said:

Hi @Cpauger  Can you give me the original cert # on the 9.6 you sent in for signing?  BTW, no need to go through customer service.  I will assist you through this, as the team is aware of the issues you are having.

Mike

The original Cert# was 4148369003

[CGC Mike]

On 7/27/2023 at 3:23 PM, Cpauger said:

The original Cert# was 4148369003

I am going to send you a PM regarding this.

[deliotk]

Hi, I recently received two comics that were placed in the wrong slabs. I have not gotten any reply from CGC contact submission BS. I hope you can help me. I've attached a pic of the screw ups.

 

Thanks for your time and assistance.

Dave

[CGC Mike]

On 8/1/2023 at 12:28 PM, deliotk said:

Hi, I recently received two comics that were placed in the wrong slabs. I have not gotten any reply from CGC contact submission BS. I hope you can help me. I've attached a pic of the screw ups.

 

You can submit these as a mechanical error if done so within 14 days of receiving them.  After you fill out the submission form, a prepaid shipping label will be sent to you through our website.  (not by e-mail)  We will fix the issue and ship them back to you at no cost.

[deliotk]

Thanks for your prompt reply. It would be nice if that was stated somewhere so people realized they is a deadline. You could easily wait two weeks for a reply and not get one. I'll go check submissions now.

[deliotk]

Hi Mike, I see no Mechanical Error box to check off for submissions. I got it. Now to see if I beat the deadline.

[deliotk]

Hi Mike, I'm past the Secret Deadline. How about insurance? Will they cover that?

Thanks again.

 

Dave

[CGC Mike]

On 8/1/2023 at 2:29 PM, deliotk said:

Hi Mike, I'm past the Secret Deadline. How about insurance? Will they cover that?

Thanks again.

 

Dave

PM me your Mailing address, e-mail address and the submission number.   You will also need to fill out a submission form by using the reholder option.  Then, send me the packing slip number.  I will have someone change your submission from a reholder to a mechanical error.  I will also e-mail you a prepaid shipping label.  We will fix this upon receiving them, and ship them back to you at no extra charge.

[Danger Haggis]

Just had a similar thing happen to me.  I received a book I 100% know is NOT the book I sent in.  I submitted 7 books for grading at a Comic Con - 3 of them Sig Series.

I just got the sig series books back, and I know for a fact that at LEAST one of the books I received is not the one I submitted.  I had Ryan Stegman sign Superior Spidey #1 (Skottie Young variant).  The guy at the comic con booth was going to the LA Comic Con next, where Young and Dan Slott were going to be.  He graciously asked if I wanted the book signed by them as well.  I said yes, paid for 2 additional autographs, and off they went.

The book I received only has ONE autograph on it - Skottie Young - who wasn't even at the convention where I had the book signed (again, by Stegman).

What's more concerning is that it's been over 2 months and the other 4 books I sent in aren't even showing in they system yet.  Two of the books are pretty big keys.

[CGC Mike]

On 1/22/2024 at 11:31 PM, Gavin Crawford said:

Just had a similar thing happen to me.  I received a book I 100% know is NOT the book I sent in.  I submitted 7 books for grading at a Comic Con - 3 of them Sig Series.

I just got the sig series books back, and I know for a fact that at LEAST one of the books I received is not the one I submitted.  I had Ryan Stegman sign Superior Spidey #1 (Skottie Young variant).  The guy at the comic con booth was going to the LA Comic Con next, where Young and Dan Slott were going to be.  He graciously asked if I wanted the book signed by them as well.  I said yes, paid for 2 additional autographs, and off they went.

The book I received only has ONE autograph on it - Skottie Young - who wasn't even at the convention where I had the book signed (again, by Stegman).

What's more concerning is that it's been over 2 months and the other 4 books I sent in aren't even showing in they system yet.  Two of the books are pretty big keys.

Hi

I recommend that you contact customer service.  You can create a thread in the Ask CGC section, call, e-mail or text them so they can look into this for you.

Mike

[Danger Haggis]

Thanks Mike.