Send ebay purchase directly to CGC? 0

[bluechip]

Questions are --

can it be done?   

Should it be done?   

Can/will CGC make a quick determination what a comic is and if it is genuine?   (which could provide 3rd party evidence if someone mails an empty package, or if the book is a reprint?   (I could generally spot a reprint or counterfeit on first sight, but I've wondered whether I would be able to tell in the case of, say, a ragged coverless Superman 1; could I tell if it was original and not a carefully "aged" reprint of exact original size)

If yes to any or all of the above, can it be done both quickly and inexpensively?

 

[Bomber-Bob]

1 hour ago, bluechip said:

Questions are --

can it be done?   

Should it be done?   

Can/will CGC make a quick determination what a comic is and if it is genuine?   (which could provide 3rd party evidence if someone mails an empty package, or if the book is a reprint?   (I could generally spot a reprint or counterfeit on first sight, but I've wondered whether I would be able to tell in the case of, say, a ragged coverless Superman 1; could I tell if it was original and not a carefully "aged" reprint of exact original size)

If yes to any or all of the above, can it be done both quickly and inexpensively?

 

You want a quick, yet inexpensive determination. In the CGC world, quick and inexpensive are mutually exclusive. I'm curious as to what you are trying to accomplish here? Is this for a specific situation/book or an ongoing process ?

[bluechip]

15 hours ago, Bomber-Bob said:

You want a quick, yet inexpensive determination. In the CGC world, quick and inexpensive are mutually exclusive. I'm curious as to what you are trying to accomplish here? Is this for a specific situation/book or an ongoing process ?

A little of both.   I've seen books listed which I knew were reprints with fake wear and aging, and some that made me wonder.  A couple times in the past I thought of having a questionable seller send a questionable book directly to CGC, but instead I opened it at the post office right in front of the clerk.   In one case I ended up verifying that it was indeed an attempted scam and sent it back without ever stepping away from the clerk.   Felt a little embarrassed doing that, so I still wonder if direct to CGC would be a way to go.    Thought somebody here might've done that at one point, but perhaps not.

[Bomber-Bob]

20 minutes ago, bluechip said:

A little of both.   I've seen books listed which I knew were reprints with fake wear and aging, and some that made me wonder.  A couple times in the past I thought of having a questionable seller send a questionable book directly to CGC, but instead I opened it at the post office right in front of the clerk.   In one case I ended up verifying that it was indeed an attempted scam and sent it back without ever stepping away from the clerk.   Felt a little embarrassed doing that, so I still wonder if direct to CGC would be a way to go.    Thought somebody here might've done that at one point, but perhaps not.

Interesting. I'm not sure if this is logistically possible as CGC requires associated paperwork for all incoming shipments, even a reholder. How would the CGC receiving department know what to do with your incomnig E-Bay purchase ? 

[revat]

47 minutes ago, Bomber-Bob said:

1 hour ago, bluechip said:

A little of both.   I've seen books listed which I knew were reprints with fake wear and aging, and some that made me wonder.  A couple times in the past I thought of having a questionable seller send a questionable book directly to CGC, but instead I opened it at the post office right in front of the clerk.   In one case I ended up verifying that it was indeed an attempted scam and sent it back without ever stepping away from the clerk.   Felt a little embarrassed doing that, so I still wonder if direct to CGC would be a way to go.    Thought somebody here might've done that at one point, but perhaps not.

Interesting. I'm not sure if this is logistically possible as CGC requires associated paperwork for all incoming shipments, even a reholder. How would the CGC receiving department know what to do with your incomnig E-Bay purchase ? 

I'm 100% sure CGC does NOT WANT THIS, although I don't know if they will do it from time to time for the right customer for the right book.  But can you imagine them confirming to you that they received the right book?  Trying to match up your name with the package your getting with the books?  What if its the wrong book?  What if you need to return?  What if there's fraud on either party?  What about disputes?  What about grade disputes?  There's so many liability issues that I would refuse outright if I'm CGC, they get no benefit from it.

[bluechip]

2 hours ago, revat said:

I'm 100% sure CGC does NOT WANT THIS, although I don't know if they will do it from time to time for the right customer for the right book.  But can you imagine them confirming to you that they received the right book?  Trying to match up your name with the package your getting with the books?  What if its the wrong book?  What if you need to return?  What if there's fraud on either party?  What about disputes?  What about grade disputes?  There's so many liability issues that I would refuse outright if I'm CGC, they get no benefit from it.

I think you're reading more into this than I was suggesting.   CGC receives things all the time that were recently purchased from ebay and which are then graded or authenticated different from the ebay listing.  It is then up to the buyer to ask for redress, if any.  The buyer is free to cite CGC as an authoritative third party, which I am sure that many do.   So, if you're thinking there's potential for liability between the seller and CGC, it would be essentially the same as it is already in regard to "grade disputes."   

As for what happens if it's the "wrong book," it is still the buyer who has to make the claim.   Perhaps you are thinking that, theoretically, a crooked seller could sue CGC if they sent an old newspaper in the package and not a book, and it was CGC who identified it as an old newspaper, which resulted in the seller ended up getting hit with a charge-back.  I would consider that very unlikely, because the seller could more easily and effectively sue the buyer, who passed along the authority to CGC, or for that matter he could sue paypal, who actually took back the money and returned it to the buyer.  I haven't heard of any cases of that nature, but would be curious to hear if there have been.

I understand there is a case to be made that the only acceptable amount of liability for CGC is zero, but the company is in the business of handing out decisions which directly impact the value of items being bought and sold, so they've always been operating in a zone where the chance of some crazy person trying to blame them for a loss is somewhat above zero.  

I've heard people complain that grading guarantees offered via ebay are meaningless or close to it because of the short window for returning items.  Sending directly to CGC could help ensure that a misidentified book could be returned within that window.   

Off course all of that is speaking academically.   Obviously, as you implied any such service only makes sense, it it does at all, with books of a certain value and involving a customer they know. 

Along those lines, as I said at the top, I wasn't so much proposing CGC do this as I was asking if anyone knew of it having been done, and under what conditions.    

Edited October 17, 2018 by bluechip

[MadGenius]

Well, you could suggest a seller send a book to CGC for certification prior to the sale, but I don't believe it's feasible to involve CGC during the sale. If you're looking for a book and it looks suspicious, the best thing to do is move on and maybe take a look at something that has already been graded by CGC.

[revat]

15 hours ago, bluechip said:

18 hours ago, revat said:

I'm 100% sure CGC does NOT WANT THIS, although I don't know if they will do it from time to time for the right customer for the right book.  But can you imagine them confirming to you that they received the right book?  Trying to match up your name with the package your getting with the books?  What if its the wrong book?  What if you need to return?  What if there's fraud on either party?  What about disputes?  What about grade disputes?  There's so many liability issues that I would refuse outright if I'm CGC, they get no benefit from it.

I think you're reading more into this than I was suggesting.   CGC receives things all the time that were recently purchased from ebay and which are then graded or authenticated different from the ebay listing.  It is then up to the buyer to ask for redress, if any.  The buyer is free to cite CGC as an authoritative third party, which I am sure that many do.   So, if you're thinking there's potential for liability between the seller and CGC, it would be essentially the same as it is already in regard to "grade disputes."   

As for what happens if it's the "wrong book," it is still the buyer who has to make the claim.   Perhaps you are thinking that, theoretically, a crooked seller could sue CGC if they sent an old newspaper in the package and not a book, and it was CGC who identified it as an old newspaper, which resulted in the seller ended up getting hit with a charge-back.  I would consider that very unlikely, because the seller could more easily and effectively sue the buyer, who passed along the authority to CGC, or for that matter he could sue paypal, who actually took back the money and returned it to the buyer.  I haven't heard of any cases of that nature, but would be curious to hear if there have been.

I understand there is a case to be made that the only acceptable amount of liability for CGC is zero, but the company is in the business of handing out decisions which directly impact the value of items being bought and sold, so they've always been operating in a zone where the chance of some crazy person trying to blame them for a loss is somewhat above zero.  

I've heard people complain that grading guarantees offered via ebay are meaningless or close to it because of the short window for returning items.  Sending directly to CGC could help ensure that a misidentified book could be returned within that window.   

Off course all of that is speaking academically.   Obviously, as you implied any such service only makes sense, it it does at all, with books of a certain value and involving a customer they know. 

Along those lines, as I said at the top, I wasn't so much proposing CGC do this as I was asking if anyone knew of it having been done, and under what conditions.    

I see your point.  I think my concern about liability is that unscrupulous buyers or sellers might accuse CGC, costing CGC their REPUTATION, as well as getting tied up in potential litigation or other disputes.  It just doesn't seem worth it in general.

BUT now that you've got me thinking about it, I COULD see a situation where there is potentially an INTERNATIONAL buyer buying from and AMERICAN (or possibly british seller if the London office is operational) where they'd rather have it graded before shipping out to whatever foreign country.  If the parties were known and trusted by CGC, they could probably work it out. 

ALSO, I see no real reason why the buyer couldn't just fill out a CGC form for the seller to include with the comic(s) as the seller mails them to CGC, assuming you trust the seller enough (which is assumed in this case I think).  And maybe ask for a VIDEO of the seller packing up the comic(s) and handing to postman.

Of course this is all a lot of trouble, but it would only be done for an expensive book anyways by parties who can afford expensive books. 

[evilskip]

While I understand and can see why you would want to do this, I'm thinking that CGC wouldn't want to get involved.

If you have your doubts, listen to them and pass on the book.

[JollyComics]

On 10/18/2018 at 2:19 PM, evilskip said:

While I understand and can see why you would want to do this, I'm thinking that CGC wouldn't want to get involved.

If you have your doubts, listen to them and pass on the book.

You need eBay protection if the book is not meeting your exception or was found faulty. You can either get the partial/full refund to keep the book, return the book (if the seller doesn't accept returns - eBay will make the seller to accept it no matter) or report the fraud and others.  It's not their problem (for CGC) and they have no time for that.  eBay will help you to solve the problem. Make sure you leave the feedback to let other sellers rather than having the similar problem as your.

[Pirate]

Hi, I just bought one of Divad's ebay 10.0.  Can i send it directly to cgc for the 10.0?  I would hate to handle it and have it drop to a 9.9.

[joecgcmaniac]

1 hour ago, Pirate said:

Hi, I just bought one of Divad's ebay 10.0.  Can i send it directly to cgc for the 10.0?  I would hate to handle it and have it drop to a 9.9.

[pjray55]

Though not exactly as the OP was envisioning PSA offers something close with sport card autographs called eBay quick opinion.  For the fee of $10 they will look at the auction you are questioning and give a general opinion as to the autographs authenticity based on the listing.

So instead of sending a book right to CGC instead CGC might consider offering a quick opinion on grade or restoration or trimming without being held to that "best guess".  Personally I think one can do the same by posting in "Hey Buddy, Can You Spare a Grade?" section and get the thoughts of boardies to make a solid assessment of the book in question but I could also see why someone might not want to share a live auction with the boards and potentially increase competition for the listing.

[Tony S]

There are a couple of ways that what the OP wants can happen. Most of the ways that come to my mind all have downsides for either buyer or seller. 

If the seller has a CGC dealer account, then they could send books they have sold to CGC. In the name/ship to address of the buyer.  I've done this a few times for customers - but not eBay customers. I don't sell a lot on eBay and when I do most of the time it is books already slabbed.  There shouldn't be much in the way of downside here for buyer or seller, as this  one of what CGC's dealer accounts are for. 

If the seller only has a collector account, they can only send in books for themselves. So an eBay seller with a Collector Society account could send in the book just sold. But it would be in the sellers name and return shipped to the seller.  Besides extra postage, there are potential problems here. What if the book does a lot better than expected and now the seller doesn't want to sell? 

If the buyer has a CGC account (either type) they could ask the seller to ship the book(s) purchased to CGC under their account. Send the seller a completed submission form to include with the books. The potential problem here is for the seller. It's not wise on the sellers part to ship sold merchandise to any address other than the listed PayPal address. If sellers wants to quailfy for seller protection from eBay or PayPal, it's required to ship to the address on the PayPal account.