isiTrue

PM sent.

I assume that it's much easier than if it were on paper, but is it something that anyone can do themselves without affecting the underling inks in/on the metal? It would be great if the marker could just be wiped off somehow. Or, could the removal be part of a clean-and-press?

The original cover art is available on Comiclink for a hefty sum: Comiclink

Yes, I've run into that as well, and it would be a completely different scenario if they'd mention this upfront on the website or, at the very least, communicated this differently when I asked about it. Like you, I usually try to qualify for free shipping, but I didn't think it would be an issue in this case. They do have it written that they reserve the right to combine free shipping orders with preorders or other free shipping orders, so they do it when it benefits them (I don't think different locations are involved). And to top it all off, they didn't even give me the opportunity to add another book to qualify for free shipping as some sort of resolution - just silence and a tracking number. The more I think about it, the more it looks like they packed the book up before checking their messages and didn't feel like unpacking it so they gave a BS excuse - customer be damned. It's a shame because this place always had great customer service up until recently.

Your answer surprises me. How is this even remotely a cost of doing business? Their reasoning doesn't hold any water and their answer is to not respond. Bad business, perhaps, just because they didn't want to unpack the book or, to squeeze a few extra dollars out of me. I'd understand if the preorder books came in and the previous orders were packaged and about to be picked up/shipped. Bad timing, it happens (although personally, I'd open up the box and combine the orders if there was time, especially for a repeat customer. I sell books, too.). But if all they have to do is add one raw book to my pile that is just sitting there, which already had free shipping, and instead choose to charge me an extra $8 for First Class Mail, then I don't see how anyone can reasonably side with that type of business practice. If I'm wrong, I'd like to know how. This is why I created the thread - to see if there's a piece of information that would change my perspective before I make a final decision about how to proceed. Thanks.

Long story (sort of) short: I have two separate pending orders from an online store that qualified for free shipping. They weren't shipped yet because one of the orders is a preorder. They will ship together. I purchased another book from their store the other night (only one copy was available, so I grabbed it). They offer free shipping for orders over $100. My order was under that amount, so $8 was charged. I sent this email immediately afterwards (they don't have a "note" section at checkout): "Hello, Could you please combine this order with my previous order, #5949, and refund the shipping charge? I presume that #5949 hasn't shipped yet because it's going to be combined with a preorder book that I purchased back in June (Khamunaki Zombie Tramp - Order #5750). Is this correct? Thank you" The next day, I received this response: "Your package is all boxed up and is ready to ship. As a rule, we don't combine orders that already contain free shipping. Adding books causes weight to the package, costing more to ship. Thank you" I followed up with this (I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, to possibly reconsider, maybe someone else is answering emails and the owner will take over and resolve this, etc.): "Good morning, I'm not sure I understand. Are my previous two orders already packaged and ready to ship, and the Penny for your Soul book will ship separately? Or, are you saying that separate orders- e.g. one with free shipping which hasn't been shipped yet and one without - can't be combined? Best regards" I waited all day today for a response which never arrived (not the first time, either). Instead, I received a tracking number for that single book. Most likely, they didn't read my original email, packed the book up, then saw my message and gave me the BS answer about not being able to combine shipping because of cost. It's difficult for me to interpret this as anything other than an insult to my intelligence because it obviously makes no difference if I purchased another raw book alongside the previous larger order, or now - the weight would be the same. What matters is whether the package was shipped or not. Also, one raw book being added to a few others and a slab likely won't make a difference in Priority Mail shipping cost. Keep in mind that this "rule" of theirs isn't mentioned anywhere on their website. Yes, it's only $8 and yes, they offer free shipping to begin with. However, this stings on principle alone, never mind that I've spent thousands of dollars in purchases from them. And then not even bothering to reply? I certainly wouldn't treat a customer this way. I'm considering cancelling the previous two orders since they haven't shipped yet, and the thought of making another purchase there leaves a sour taste in my mouth. So, I'm curious: what would you do if presented with this situation?

Good info, thanks. This makes sense, finding the right balance is key. Snug, but not "too" snug. And one should never use paper as padding for heavy packages. I received a few international packages that had ruined books because the seller didn't realize the paper padding will compress and let the books slide around, slamming into the sides. The pics looked fine and didn't show any of this shifting or damage. Agreed. 1 in 25 is too high of an error rate to not be addressed, especially for valuable collectibles that are limited in number. Then there's the hassle of dealing with something like this on a regular basis. I recall reading years ago that PGX doesn't have these problems. Is this true? If they have a different inner well design that is patented, CGC should just buy them out and use it themselves.

Maybe it's insured. Hopefully we never need find out first hand.

Agreed Good to know, thanks. And if I am the original submitter? Do they cover the value of the book? How does that work?

That's what adds to the frustration; that I found these books for a GREAT price. I don't blame the sellers because pictures of the books on their websites looked fine. They have been easy to deal with regarding accepting the return as well. I requested a prepaid return label for the Spawn book since I paid to have it shipped to me, and he sent me one. The WofS book had free shipping, so I'll pay for the return as it's only fair. So, at least there's no hassle with the return process.

These books were bought online from different stores. I'm not sure what CGC's policy is if a book arrives damaged directly from them; I (thankfully) haven't had to deal with that.

I tried that, too. It didn't move at all and is quite stuck between the plastic. I don't want to add too much force because even if it were to come loose, it could very well slam into the opposite side as a result. Not to mention that the top staple and cover looks a bit shifted compared to the "before" image of the Spawn book. Web of Spider-Man is a lost cause; too much corner damage to be a 9.8 anymore.

Thanks for the responses. I was leaning towards returning the book, and now it's confirmed. Disappointing, I was looking forward to this book. A new development: I just received another order, another 9.8 in the new style case. IT'S ALSO WEDGED IN BETWEEN THE PLASTIC WALLS. I am so pissed off right now. It's even worse than the Spawn book. How does this even happen? This is looking more and more like a defect with some of the slabs to me. Granted, I don't have a large sample size to base this off of, but I've never had this happen... and now two in one week? The Spawn book arrived with two other slabs and a raw book. The other books are fine. Web of Spider-Man was a single purchase. Both were well-packed with bubble wrap. Boxes weren't destroyed or had any gouges. So pissed.

Hello everyone, I recently received a CGC 9.8 Spawn #70 that has the upper left corner area stuck inside the case. I presume that this happened while in transit to me. I tried tapping it back into place, but it didn't move one bit. I read about a potential fix that involves sticking a piece of cardboard from the top of the case to relieve some pressure, but didn't want to risk cracking the slab in case I need to return it. Therefore, I only applied some force using my fingers. No effect. What would you do? Return it to the seller? (They said that they'd take it back.) Or, is there a fix? I'm not sure if it's worth pressing and having it reholdered. I'm concerned that the cover may be coming loose when comparing it to photos of the book as listed online. The top staple looks a bit impacted as well. And then there's the pressure/indent mark from being stuck between two pieces of plastic. Please let me know what you think. The first two pictures are what the book looked like online. Thank you.