Questions for CGC and the Liason Committee

[Straw-Man]

Why on earth should a Monopoly care what you think?

 

i always wanted to be the shoe.

[ciorac]

Why on earth should a Monopoly care what you think?

 

i always wanted to be the shoe.

 

[Straw-Man]

Website advertising is one thing. The perceptions being that all are welcome to participate.

 

A sole-source FAQ recommendation is something entirely different. The result, predictably, has been to undermine the perception of impartiality and fairness, rather than to promote it.

 

So if you are a General Contractor are you going to recommend the best subcontractor to your developer? Or in the interests of impartiality and fairness, are you going to either abstain from making a recommendation? Or say, "Hey here is a list of all of them, you choose."

 

No, you do your due diligence and recommend someone you have experience with and a good business relationship. That is how trust and good business gets built, and buidings that don't collapse.....

 

Your analogy is good if you're in the construction business. CGC is not.

 

In keeping with your comparison, however, CGC has not set themselves up as a general or sub contractor, but as a construction Inspector.

 

As with any city, state, federal, or self-employed inspection operation charged with conducting examination to ensure compliance with standards, they must remain an impartial third-party to prevent compromise of applicable construction codes and specifications.

 

Any unduly familiar relationship between a construction contractor and an inspector has the perception of comprised impartiality. Whether the nature of that relationship is in fact unduly is not the question. Perception has already cast the shadow of doubt.

 

The case is no different in this situation.

 

But MC, they are not inspectors, they are a grading company that encapsulates funny books, so others can sell them at a profit. That is what they do.

 

And for the record, I do know something about the construction industry to, I am a senior executive at a GC that has been in business for over 50 years. We understand integrity and making sound judgements on alliances. Our reputation is linked to our subs.

 

So, CGC feels their best option for pressing service recommendation is Matt, I agree. That is a sound business decison on their part.

 

i have so tried to understand the bitterness toward Nelson and the pressing deal, not just in this thread but from the countless other drivel-spewing "debates."

cgc puts restored books in purple slabs, no problem taking an adverstiment from a restorer, huh? cgc puts books with married c'folds in green label slabs--if a new entrepreneur came along with the pitch "hey you guys with books missing c'folds, hire me and i guarantee i'll find you a c'fold and complete your book" [remember dave anderson's 'want list comics'? this guy could be 'need a middle comics']. any problem with cgc taking an ad from him? i think not.

 

but with nelson and the pressing deal, y'all practically hyperventilate. don't get me wrong, i don't want you to stop, because reading this stuff is better than seinfeld reruns, but, really, do the words "tired litany" mean anything to you?

 

'nite.

[MasterChief]

And for the record, I do know something about the construction industry to, I am a senior executive at a GC that has been in business for over 50 years.

 

Glad to meet you, Ciorac! We have something else in common than just ‘funny books’. I have spent time in your neck of the woods. Gulfport to be exact.

 

--Mitch

[FFB]

Looks like this overall discussion about CGC's policies and perceived bias has run its course. I've said my peace.

 

Peace?

 

See what I mean?

[tth2]

I've asked several times where he has an ad. No one has responded. I've looked repeatedly through the site. I still see none. Where is it?

 

It's not on CGC's site, although maybe it will be as I think there's a placeholder for Featured Partners, it's right here at the top of the boards. Look at the banner ad at the top rotates between several "Featured Partners".

 

Yes, now I see it. Thank you!

 

I hadn't even paid any attention to ads on the message boards themselves.

Oh, wonderful! Now Matt (and the other "featured partners") will read this and complain to CGC that their ads are so unobtrusive that guys like Mark Zaid don't even notice them, and so in response CGC will start putting in HUGE ads right in the center of the page to make sure they don't get missed.

 

Thanks a lot, Mark!

[FFB]

They choose to care (CGC), they provide these Boards, a liaison committee, make themselves available at shows and forum dinners, they don't have to do that.

 

Of course they do. These boards have provided more buzz for CGC than money could buy.

 

What you call "buzz" I call "seemingly endless caterwauling." I think you overestimate the benefit CGC gets from these boards, particularly when balanced against the headaches caused by all of the griping.

 

And their availabity at shows and forum dinners is simple business promotion. CGC doesn't provide the liason committee, they tolerate it.

 

Anyone who has ever stayed up with Steve Borock until 2 in the morning after a forum dinner knows that he's not there just to promote the company. He's there until the wee hours because he loves the hobby and enjoys spending time with his friends.

 

And the liaison committee is here to save Steve from having to type as much. Nothing more, nothing less.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Well, that's a whole lotta reading to catch up on....

 

For what its worth, here's my two cents:

 

This whole issue is a non-starter. Seriously, anyone who is worried or fretting over CGC's impartiality or the dreaded "appearance of impropriety" hasn't been reading the relevant threads on these boards for the last four years.

 

I agree with Red Hook 100%. Furthermore, if you don't know what CGC is by now, you shouldn't be buying the CGC product. If you need your illusions shattered, there are plenty of threads you can search for that will do that.

 

There isn't any new news here.

[Red Hook]

 

Anyone who has ever stayed up with Steve Borock until 2 in the morning after a forum dinner knows that he's not there just to promote the company. He's there until the wee hours because he loves the hobby and enjoys spending time with his friends.

 

That may be well and true, but that's exactly the kind of altruistic overused chestnut I was referring to earlier. It's irrelevant to a discussion of CGC's practices. Steve's a businessman first and foremost and his role as CGC head trumps everything else. Not criticising, just describing.

 

I don't want this to become an analysis of Steve. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about CGC and their business model. Hosting dinners is essentially part of CGC's promotional program.

[Red Hook]

 

What you call "buzz" I call "seemingly endless caterwauling." I think you overestimate the benefit CGC gets from these boards, particularly when balanced against the headaches caused by all of the griping.

 

That sucking sound you hear is Scott attempting to ingratiate himself to the powers that be once again.

 

And if you see the Liaison Committee as the equivalent of a three-headed press secretary for CGC, I suspect you're in the minority.

[OldGuy]

Maybe their business model is moving away from impartiality and towards building lasting mutually beneficial partnerships that drive revenue sources. Not a bad idea, most companies do that. Successful ones anyway.

 

From the CGC web site:

 

"CGC is the only expert, impartial, third-party certification service."

 

Either they are impartial or they are not and according to them they are.

 

Not to be rude Old Guy, but quoting that tenet of theirs is a preposterous argument against advertising deals!!

 

So, they can't impartially grade because they allow only Matt to be a featured partner for restoration advertising? The very line you quoted states "impartial GRADING service", plain and simple. They can impartially grade AND sell featured ad space for Pete's sake.

 

The Henny Penny drama gets tiresome.

 

WTF are you talking about? You're the one that said "Maybe their business model is moving away from impartiality". Did you not say that? Now read what I posted again. Get it?

 

You sure did read a lot into my post that wasn't there. You seeing things that aren't there is what is getting tiresome. Stop creating drama where there isn't any.

 

Mr. Pot..meet Mr. Kettle...

 

Wait, are you saying you're black, I'm black, or we're both black?

 

[OldGuy]

CGC doesn't provide the liason committee, they tolerate it.

 

They tolerate a lot more then I would, that's for sure.

[MasterChief]

CGC doesn't provide the liason committee, they tolerate it.

 

They tolerate a lot more then I would, that's for sure.

 

Actually, it's pretty clever to keep all the dissension right here in this little corner or cyberspace.

[drbanner]

Actually, it's pretty clever to keep all the dissension right here in this little corner or cyberspace.

 

Apparently you've never read any of the ebay comics boards that discuss CGC!

[Straw-Man]

Actually, it's pretty clever to keep all the dissension right here in this little corner or cyberspace.

 

Apparently you've never read any of the ebay comics boards that discuss CGC!

 

and i'm going to keep it that way.

[garthgantu]

Oh, wonderful! Now Matt (and the other "featured partners") will read this and complain to CGC that their ads are so unobtrusive that guys like Mark Zaid don't even notice them, and so in response CGC will start putting in HUGE ads right in the center of the page to make sure they don't get missed.

 

Thanks a lot, Mark!

 

Why not just put the ads (on acid-free paper, of course) RIGHT OVER the books in the slabs? What better way to reach the people who already buy, sell and submit slabbed books? And you could still see the grade, so no biggie...

[mica]

Oh, wonderful! Now Matt (and the other "featured partners") will read this and complain to CGC that their ads are so unobtrusive that guys like Mark Zaid don't even notice them, and so in response CGC will start putting in HUGE ads right in the center of the page to make sure they don't get missed.

 

Thanks a lot, Mark!

 

Why not just put the ads (on acid-free paper, of course) RIGHT OVER the books in the slabs? What better way to reach the people who already buy, sell and submit slabbed books? And you could still see the grade, so no biggie...

Man I love this place.

[drice6900]

Oh, wonderful! Now Matt (and the other "featured partners") will read this and complain to CGC that their ads are so unobtrusive that guys like Mark Zaid don't even notice them, and so in response CGC will start putting in HUGE ads right in the center of the page to make sure they don't get missed.

 

Thanks a lot, Mark!

 

Why not just put the ads (on acid-free paper, of course) RIGHT OVER the books in the slabs? What better way to reach the people who already buy, sell and submit slabbed books? And you could still see the grade, so no biggie...

 

Don't laugh. I bet they could put them on the label (front or back) sooner or later...

[chaos_ad-migration]

Oh, wonderful! Now Matt (and the other "featured partners") will read this and complain to CGC that their ads are so unobtrusive that guys like Mark Zaid don't even notice them, and so in response CGC will start putting in HUGE ads right in the center of the page to make sure they don't get missed.

 

Thanks a lot, Mark!

 

Why not just put the ads (on acid-free paper, of course) RIGHT OVER the books in the slabs? What better way to reach the people who already buy, sell and submit slabbed books? And you could still see the grade, so no biggie...

 

Don't laugh. I bet they could put them on the label (front or back) sooner or later...

 

Davenport already took care of that for them:

 

[drice6900]

Whose perception is reality? And who are the "everyone" you refer to? I certainly see no concensus on this issue.

 

How about a poll? vote here