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Please allow me to rant
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46 posts in this topic

This has been discussed before but I really get tired of how Metro represents the grades of some books.  Like this one - I see the grade as 3.5 but the detail would mean to me as Incomplete or at best Qualified and the one below is even more egregious to me.  A 5.5???  A slabbed 4.5 of a #20 sold in Dec., 2018 for $161.  But given the discount offered, it must be a good deal.  

These are not isolated incidents as I have seen this on other Metro listings.

Title: CRACK COMICS
Issue: #15
Grade: VG-: 3.5
Price: $170.00
$119.00
30% off!
Publisher: Quality
Comments: off white pgs; panels clipped 3 int pgs, affects story
Clock cvr; 1st app of Spitfire

 

Title: CRACK COMICS
Issue: #20
Grade: VG/F: 5.0
Price: $162.00
$97.25
40% off!
Publisher: Quality
Comments: ow/white pgs; panels clipped 3 int pgs, affects story; cf dtchd
Black Condor by Fine
Edited by telerites
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5 minutes ago, comicdonna said:

I haven't checked their site in 9 years.  Do they still list books they have examined as "verified grade"?

Mike, that I do not.  I don't look that closely but saw these as newly received/scanned on their homepage.  There are numberous examples of this.  The positive is they list the defect(s) but in my world, that is not the correct grade.    It could as simple as adding a Q or Inc. to their grade but in some cases it is just not a correct grade even with the clarifier.

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4 minutes ago, telerites said:

Mike, that I do not.  I don't look that closely but saw these as newly received/scanned on their homepage.  There are numberous examples of this.  The positive is they list the defect(s) but in my world, that is not the correct grade.    It could as simple as adding a Q or Inc. to their grade but in some cases it is just not a correct grade even with the clarifier.

Well, the last book I bought from them was an Action #94 with a verified grade.  When I got the book and opened it up, the slplash page was Batman form Tec #109 (entire batman interior)  I was not amused.  I started a thread named "verified grade really?"  It hit about 80 pages and wasn't pretty.  I haven't looked back since.  

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Those books are poor. I have no problem with qualified though. Still poor but the qualified grade represents what the book looks like in a slab. If you are buying a book mostly for the cover, it is an affordable way to getting a nice looking book. 

The problem arises for me when the seller prices the book at the number on the green slab like it were a blue slab.

The way they listed it although a little shifty tells me weather or not I want to pay that amount for a incomplete book...

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1 minute ago, Robot Man said:

Those books are poor. I have no problem with qualified though. Still poor but the qualified grade represents what the book looks like in a slab. If you are buying a book mostly for the cover, it is an affordable way to getting a nice looking book. 

The problem arises for me when the seller prices the book at the number on the green slab like it were a blue slab.

The way they listed it although a little shifty tells me weather or not I want to pay that amount for a incomplete book...

RM, I could pull out a carpload of examples like this and has been a continual issue.  I don't really understand why it happens especially with Metro.  Do they allow consignors to grade their own books with no intervention - I know that is not the case.

I did this simple google search - missing site:https://www.metropoliscomics.com/

It is amazing and that is just on the word missing - granted some hits are legitimate, like when missing is part of comic's title and I found some that were graded as poor that missing panels, pages, CFs, covers, etc so I do not why such an inconsistency.

A search using replacing missing with clipped yielded other examples like the one below

book_detail_title.gif
Title: ALL STAR COMICS (1940-78)
Issue: #15
Grade: VG-: 3.5
Price: $441.00
$243.00
45% off!
Publisher: DC
Comments: 3 cpns clipped int, fc; DC bullet/lwr left crnr clipped, fc; cfo; ow/w pgs
origin & 1st app. Brain Wave
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1 hour ago, telerites said:

RM, I could pull out a carpload of examples like this and has been a continual issue.  I don't really understand why it happens especially with Metro.  Do they allow consignors to grade their own books with no intervention - I know that is not the case.

I did this simple google search - missing site:https://www.metropoliscomics.com/

It is amazing and that is just on the word missing - granted some hits are legitimate, like when missing is part of comic's title and I found some that were graded as poor that missing panels, pages, CFs, covers, etc so I do not why such an inconsistency.

A search using replacing missing with clipped yielded other examples like the one below

book_detail_title.gif
Title: ALL STAR COMICS (1940-78)
Issue: #15
Grade: VG-: 3.5
Price: $441.00
$243.00
45% off!
Publisher: DC
Comments: 3 cpns clipped int, fc; DC bullet/lwr left crnr clipped, fc; cfo; ow/w pgs
origin & 1st app. Brain Wave

Like I said "shifty"... Personally, I haven't bought from them for years. Questionable grades, and high prices. In person just "shifty", like someone is smiling at you and shaking your hand while using the other hand to grab your wallet out of your back pocket. They do have the best stock around as a rule. Why I don't know. Do they pay the best prices for stuff, connections or what. If you really want a book bad and are willing to roll the dice, might be an option. I just get the feeling that I am not their "business model".

The listing above appears to be a "qualified" grade even though they don't state it as such. I believe I could make a pretty good decision weather or not I would purchase this book. The price appears to be more than I think it's worth all things considered. Like I said, aggressive pricing and slightly misleading grading without ever seeing the book makes me move on quickly. Heck, because of these factors, I don't even consider them when buying books...

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1 hour ago, Black_Adam said:

I was actually surprised that the Shock Suspenstories #13 and Crime Suspenstories #15 I bought from them both came back from CGC graded higher than advertised.

Unfortunately BOTH also came back as restored with CT. :tonofbricks:

Did you return them? What was their response? If so, I'm sure they didn't refund your grading costs. Just a waste of my time. So many more better options out there.

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9 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

Did you return them? What was their response? If so, I'm sure they didn't refund your grading costs. Just a waste of my time. So many more better options out there.

Haven't returned them yet as just got both back from CGC, but the response was they would take them back for credit. No mention of grading fees, let alone the cost to ship them back to New York. For me it is a lesson learned. 

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4 minutes ago, Black_Adam said:

Haven't returned them yet as just got both back from CGC, but the response was they would take them back for credit. No mention of grading fees, let alone the cost to ship them back to New York. For me it is a lesson learned. 

From Metro - Look at the last line of the Unrestored Guarantee. 

OUR RETURN POLICY: We're certain you'll be happy with your merchandise. We take extra care to fully describe our items, including any flaws. If you have any questions regarding any of the items you are ordering, please email us at: orders@metropoliscomics.com before placing your order. If the rare occasion arises where you feel you must return an item, please contact us for return instructions within ten (10) days (by phone or email) of receipt of your item(s). Upon our receipt and inspection of the returned item(s), we will issue a refund or credit for your item(s) if returned in the same condition as it was when originally sent to you, excluding shipping/insurance costs. Buyer is responsible for return shipping/insurance costs, which will not be reimbursed for any reason. Returned merchandise must be received by us within seven (7) days of the date from which you contact us regarding the return.

When returning merchandise, please ship your books in the same packaging Metropolis used to send your order. Be sure all cardboard slabs are taped tightly to prohibit movement of the books between them. Insurance and delivery confirmation of returns is entirely your responsibility. Books returned to Metropolis in packaging other than our own or in packaging that has not been taped and sealed sufficiently will not be accepted. If you’ve any questions about this policy and how to pack your books, or if our packaging was damaged in transit to you, please call (800) 229-6387 before shipping your return. We do not accept returns on Original Art or comics/items that are part of a grouping(Group Lot).

GRADE GUARANTEE: All comics are carefully and strictly graded by Metropolis Collectibles under the supervision and guidance of owners Vincent Zurzolo and Stephen Fishler, who were instrumental in devloping the 10-point grading system currently in use throughout the industry.  Metropolis can not guarantee that CGC or other dealers will always agree with the grade Metropolis has given a book.  Under no circumstance does Metropolis take a return based on a difference of opinion from another dealer or CGC. Customers have 10 days to return any raw comic if dissatisfied with the comic or grade (see return policy, above).

UNRESTORED GUARANTEE: Metropolis guarantees that only books described as restored are restored. Before buying please read the comments field for the comic(s) you are interested in. In the rare case you discover a book Metropolis sold you as unrestored is restored Metropolis will give you a 100% refund within the first 30 days. After 30 days Metropolis offers a store credit redeemable toward any comic book purchase. This policy does not extend to any books that contain comments indicating any type or form of restoration. We consider books graded by CGC and placed into a blue, Universal holder to be unrestored. Customers are responsible for any expenses incurred in the discovery of restoration or shipping costs.

 

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My first experience with them was positive. After that, I’ve had mostly poor results.

One book had an impact tear through the entire book. When I questioned them about it, they said “that must be why the grade was a 3.5”, as if the rest of the book was flawless.

The next book in the batch had a detached cover. This, of course, was not disclosed.

i won’t even get started on the CC auctions...🤬

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1 hour ago, telerites said:

From Metro - Look at the last line of the Unrestored Guarantee. 

OUR RETURN POLICY: We're certain you'll be happy with your merchandise. We take extra care to fully describe our items, including any flaws. If you have any questions regarding any of the items you are ordering, please email us at: orders@metropoliscomics.com before placing your order. If the rare occasion arises where you feel you must return an item, please contact us for return instructions within ten (10) days (by phone or email) of receipt of your item(s). Upon our receipt and inspection of the returned item(s), we will issue a refund or credit for your item(s) if returned in the same condition as it was when originally sent to you, excluding shipping/insurance costs. Buyer is responsible for return shipping/insurance costs, which will not be reimbursed for any reason. Returned merchandise must be received by us within seven (7) days of the date from which you contact us regarding the return.

When returning merchandise, please ship your books in the same packaging Metropolis used to send your order. Be sure all cardboard slabs are taped tightly to prohibit movement of the books between them. Insurance and delivery confirmation of returns is entirely your responsibility. Books returned to Metropolis in packaging other than our own or in packaging that has not been taped and sealed sufficiently will not be accepted. If you’ve any questions about this policy and how to pack your books, or if our packaging was damaged in transit to you, please call (800) 229-6387 before shipping your return. We do not accept returns on Original Art or comics/items that are part of a grouping(Group Lot).

GRADE GUARANTEE: All comics are carefully and strictly graded by Metropolis Collectibles under the supervision and guidance of owners Vincent Zurzolo and Stephen Fishler, who were instrumental in devloping the 10-point grading system currently in use throughout the industry.  Metropolis can not guarantee that CGC or other dealers will always agree with the grade Metropolis has given a book.  Under no circumstance does Metropolis take a return based on a difference of opinion from another dealer or CGC. Customers have 10 days to return any raw comic if dissatisfied with the comic or grade (see return policy, above).

UNRESTORED GUARANTEE: Metropolis guarantees that only books described as restored are restored. Before buying please read the comments field for the comic(s) you are interested in. In the rare case you discover a book Metropolis sold you as unrestored is restored Metropolis will give you a 100% refund within the first 30 days. After 30 days Metropolis offers a store credit redeemable toward any comic book purchase. This policy does not extend to any books that contain comments indicating any type or form of restoration. We consider books graded by CGC and placed into a blue, Universal holder to be unrestored. Customers are responsible for any expenses incurred in the discovery of restoration or shipping costs.

 

That's the problem, because I didn't catch the restoration - and CGC took five months to grade the comics - I am well outside the 30 day window. And not sure I actually want store credit...

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