All Things Comics, UPDATE 0

[427Impaler]

Just in case there may be someone new on the boards who hasn’t had the benefit of reading some of the threads on these guys, here is this weeks chapter:

A collector friend of mine had a nice SA key that I was interested in.  It was raw so we struck a deal contingent on grading, just as we were packaging the book for CGC I happened to ask where he had acquired it, you guessed it: All Things Comics.  Even worse was that he had purchased it over a year ago, and not being a board member he had no idea of some of their history.

So we apprehensively fast track the book through CGC, you guessed this one also: purple label, colour touch and some glue on the spine.

He did keep a copy of the original posting stating “no restoration of any kind” although after more than a year later likely not much that can be done, other than warn others yet again.  I really don’t care if they are beginning to disclose resto in their fine print, I would have nothing to do with this group.

Edited November 7, 2018 by 427Impaler

[Larryw7]

At least it wasn't trimmed. They're good at that too.

[James J Johnson]

4 hours ago, Larryw7 said:

At least it wasn't trimmed. They're good at that too.

Good at it? Some of the books are so trimmed that I've seen them with a full inch or more sliced off the right and bottom edges. The amount they can slice off of the top is only limited by how close the title and the comic code are to the top edge, but sometimes that doesn't even stop them, cutting the top down to and beyond the top of each.

Many of the books they list as unrestored are formerly graded books, cracked out, and grades in the 3.0 to 6.0 range are then listed as "almost perfect". In many cases, when they restored these former low-grades, cobbling them together with glue and ink markers, the spines have been solidified with glue (which is why they're so badly indented in spots), and swathed in horribly matched amateur ink that bleeds through and discolors the surrounding areas. It's like putting masking tape over a bullet wound.

A lot of the books are retreads. Relisting of books that sold and returned.

That said, I've never heard of them turning down a return request, and of course, their unrestored books are indeed unrestored. Not because they're any more capable of reliably detecting all forms of restoration unless it's blatantly obvious, as they are of doing the restoration (childish attempts at best) but because a reliable, professional restoration check was already done by CGC and it's a low grade slab crack out.

[James J Johnson]

5 hours ago, 427Impaler said:

Just in case there may be someone new on the boards who hasn’t had the benefit of reading some of the threads on these guys, here is this weeks chapter:

A collector friend of mine had a nice SA key that I was interested in.  It was raw so we struck a deal contingent on grading, just as we were packaging the book for CGC I happened to ask where he had acquired it, you guessed it: All Things Comics.  Even worse was that he had purchased it over a year ago, and not being a board member he had no idea of some of their history.

So we apprehensively fast track the book through CGC, you guessed this one also: purple label, colour touch and some glue on the spine.

He did keep a copy of the original posting stating “no restoration of any kind” although after more than a year later likely not much that can be done, other than warn others yet again.  I really don’t care if they are beginning to disclose resto in their fine print, I would have nothing to do with this group.

Why doesn't he contact them and tell them what happened?

They may make good, or at least give him a credit towards something else.

I would try. He's already out. There's nothing more to lose by asking.

[kav]

1 hour ago, James J Johnson said:

Why doesn't he contact them and tell them what happened?

They may make good, or at least give him a credit towards something else.

I would try. He's already out. There's nothing more to lose by asking.

he could point to this thread and tell them its a good opportunity to show theyve turned things around.

[Spidey 62]

Is there more the one all things comics?  An all things comics just bought a book from me earlier in the week.  They have no negative feedback. Their current listings seem consistent with an above comment (near perfect, almost perfect).   

Don't people leave negative feedback anymore? 

Edited September 22, 2018 by Spidey 62

[427Impaler]

I will invite him to come here and discuss this issue and address the other threads as well.  They just messaged each through eBay saying there is no way they sold a book as unrestored that had colour touch and glue.  The person who was selling me the book is going to contact them directly on Tuesday when the book returns and see how things go.  

[bababooey]

2 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

Good at it? Some of the books are so trimmed that I've seen them with a full inch or more sliced off the right and bottom edges. The amount they can slice off of the top is only limited by how close the title and the comic code are to the top edge, but sometimes that doesn't even stop them, cutting the top down to and beyond the top of each.

Many of the books they list as unrestored are formerly graded books, cracked out, and grades in the 3.0 to 6.0 range are then listed as "almost perfect". In many cases, when they restored these former low-grades, cobbling them together with glue and ink markers, the spines have been solidified with glue (which is why they're so badly indented in spots), and swathed in horribly matched amateur ink that bleeds through and discolors the surrounding areas. It's like putting masking tape over a bullet wound.

A lot of the books are retreads. Relisting of books that sold and returned.

That said, I've never heard of them turning down a return request, and of course, their unrestored books are indeed unrestored. Not because they're any more capable of reliably detecting all forms of restoration unless it's blatantly obvious, as they are of doing the restoration (childish attempts at best) but because a reliable, professional restoration check was already done by CGC and it's a low grade slab crack out.

  You're bolded statement is false based on the OP in this thread? 

also, 

 http://comic-book-information.blogspot.com/2012/06/scammer-named-aram-shirinyan.html

 

[James J Johnson]

24 minutes ago, bababooey said:

  You're bolded statement is false based on the OP in this thread? 

also, 

 http://comic-book-information.blogspot.com/2012/06/scammer-named-aram-shirinyan.html

 

Exceptions to every rule, right?

What I meant (not fake news) is that for the most part (since a lot of their listings feature books that were once slabbed, and I was referring to mostly those that were slabbed at one time) their unrestored books are indeed unrestored (only because they have already been through a reliable resto check).

Also, they've been at this for a long, long time, what? At least 10 years under one name or another?

At one time, their unrestored listings could take one turn or another. Lots of restored books with no mention of the work.

Then, over a period of about a year or so, that business model changed and less books were being sent out as unrestored that had the work after all.

So, we'd have to differentiate between their past and present business models to really be accurate, which did slightly change.

So, to be clear, there's a few different scenarios.

The old business model was to touch things up and not disclose it.

That changed a bit to still buying low grade slabs and raw books and either leaving them alone, God forbid, right?, and listing them a super-high grade unrestored, almost perfect, and they remain unrestored.

Or, if that looks like total s*** anyway, giving them the 3 edge trim and glue/color touched amateur job, and listing them as almost perfect and mentioning the work.

From my understanding, the old non-disclosure resto model was stopped in favor of the latter two models.

Edited September 22, 2018 by James J Johnson

[bababooey]

1 minute ago, James J Johnson said:

Exceptions to every rule, right?

What I meant (not fake news) is that for the most part (since a lot of their listings feature books that were once slabbed, and I was referring to mostly those that were slabbed at one time) their unrestored books are indeed unrestored (only because they have already been through a reliable resto check).

I'd suggest clicking on the links before making any further statements that require 3 sets of parentheses to clarify.  I'm counting the joke one 

There are instances of slabbed purple books being sold as unrestored raws on ebay.  

[James J Johnson]

3 minutes ago, bababooey said:

I'd suggest clicking on the links before making any further statements that require 3 sets of parentheses to clarify.  I'm counting the joke one 

There are instances of slabbed purple books being sold as unrestored raws on ebay.  

Recently? By recent, I mean in the past 2 years or so? 

I try to avoid clicking on message board links. I once downloaded some nasty malware from a runner's forum that way.

Edited September 22, 2018 by James J Johnson

[James J Johnson]

8 minutes ago, bababooey said:

There are instances of slabbed purple books being sold as unrestored raws on ebay.  

OK. I see it now, I stand corrected. I thought they had abandoned that business strategy altogether. Wasn't aware that older habits persist!

Edited September 22, 2018 by James J Johnson

[telerites]

Very nice?   They just never cease to amaze me.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202479759133?_trksid=p11021.c100851.m5053&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170803121420%26meid%3D4c9f7d0f36294592abce1b513a16e931%26pid%3D100851%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26b%3D1%26sd%3D401625453853%26itm%3D202479759133&ul_noapp=true

[427Impaler]

Just thought I should add an update to this thread.  The original buyer of the comic approached the seller (all_things_comics) and presented the facts.  Now keep in mind the return time frame with both eBay and Paypal has long since expired, regardless of that the seller immediately and graciously offered to do a return/refund.  Once it was explained the book had already undergone resto removal and re-grading the seller also offered to pay any and all expenses caused in doing this.  I/we accepted the partial refund and are moving forward feeling much better.

I realize there is some history on these boards, but I was quite impressed with the manner the issue was handled by the seller.  As the OP I felt obliged to give credit when due, which is the case here and now.

A side note that I also wanted to share, my friend who originally purchased this book also purchased several others around the same time, all listed the same way (no resto, unmolested).  Many of these books have just recently come back from CGC, and although we were apprehensive they all came back blue label.  One was a particularly nice X-Men 12, 8.5 white pager.

Based on this experience I would be much less afraid to bid on their books, the situation ended up being well handled.

[Callaway29]

I’m currently watching one of their books. Should I be apprehensive? Any other recent experiences? Have they successfully exorcised the demons?!

[James J Johnson]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 8:59 AM, Larryw7 said:

At least it wasn't trimmed. They're good at that too.

Old thread. Duplicate-type post.

Edited February 1, 2019 by James J Johnson
Old thread. Forgot I posted way back.

[RockMyAmadeus]

On 9/22/2018 at 3:33 PM, Spidey 62 said:

Is there more the one all things comics?  An all things comics just bought a book from me earlier in the week.  They have no negative feedback. Their current listings seem consistent with an above comment (near perfect, almost perfect).   

Don't people leave negative feedback anymore? 

No. 

People have had it beaten into their heads that if negative feedback is left, they will be punished, in some way, by the seller, which has included some really psychotic and illegal behavior (such as stalking.)

Since people are naturally reticent to complain in the first place, and since sellers aggressively fight (and almost always succeed, despite claims) to have negative feedback removed, negative feedback that manages to stay on an account is actually worth perhaps 10-20 complaints.

The feedback system on eBay has been useless, since its beginning.

[James J Johnson]

48 minutes ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

No. 

People have had it beaten into their heads that if negative feedback is left, they will be punished, in some way, by the seller, which has included some really psychotic and illegal behavior (such as stalking.)

Since people are naturally reticent to complain in the first place, and since sellers aggressively fight (and almost always succeed, despite claims) to have negative feedback removed, negative feedback that manages to stay on an account is actually worth perhaps 10-20 complaints.

The feedback system on eBay has been useless, since its beginning.

Negative feedback for sellers only is also equally useless. There are buyers that go on a buying frenzy and leave dozens of unpaid sellers on the hook. Though richly deserved, buyers can't receive a negative for any reason and imbedding any type of negative, unflattering commentary in a positive feedback is a violation of feedback guidelines, and will be removed! The whole feedback system, for sellers and buyers, need some type of review and amendment to get back closer to what it was in eBay's formative years.

[RockMyAmadeus]

2 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

Negative feedback for sellers only is also equally useless.

No.

1. As eBay discovered, and others have known, buyers faced with the threat of retaliatory negative feedback WILL NOT leave legitimate negative feedback themselves.

2. Feedback for buyers is pointless. Buyers can buy at any time, provided they aren't blocked, with no ability by sellers to "pre-screen" them before they buy. This is the same with bidders who bid at the last minute.

3. As has been demonstrated over and over and over again, sellers who CAN retaliate...regardless of the merit of such retaliation....WILL retaliate. 

4. The sole and only obligation of a buyer is to pay. The buyer is under no other obligation. Failing to pay can be addressed in other ways. Since paying is the only obligation a buyer has to a seller, feedback for buyers serves no purpose.

As for your claim that there are "buyers that go on a buying frenzy and leave dozens of unpaid sellers on the hook"...you'll have to both prove that's true (it isn't), and prove that eBay did nothing to stop those buyers (they do.) And...again...negative feedback has no effect on a buyer's ability to buy from another seller, unless that seller happens to be in a position to check prior to their interaction (which is almost never)...and even when they are, sellers rarely do, because, again, feedback for buyers serves no purpose.

"Richly deserved" is just an expression of vengeance...emotion...which has no place in business. Emotional responses always lead to problems for everyone.

And if you think the feedback system was better in eBay's formative years, I would suggest you weren't around then, and don't know how the feedback system used to work.

[jcjames]

The "Revised Feedback" indicates how many buyers have removed their negative feedback, supposedly this indicates the efforts of the seller to accommodate the unhappy buyer. It doesn't say why the buyer left negative fb in the first place, it just indicates the seller must have made an effort to get the seller to remove the neg.