• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

CGC found restoration in 2 books i bought. Should the Comic shop refund my CGC fees in addition to my purchase price?
1 1

69 posts in this topic

This is my first post on the boards.   I recently bought 2 fairly expensive books on ebay from a well known comic dealer with a good reputation.  I have bought from him before with no issues.  I would like to continue business with him if possible.   I would like to think that he did not know of the color touch and trimming that was detected by CGC.   I requested a refund and upon receipt of the books back from me, I got my money back. He now has his books back in slabs that I paid for.  I asked for reimbursement of my CGC fees.    Because of the value of the books (over $5600) I had to submit them under the Express tier which was $90 each.   Shipping and insurance to CGC and back puts me out over $250.   Since the books were not disclosed as being restored or trimmed this is money I would not have spent if I had known the books had been doctored. I have now asked twice for the reimbursement and gotten no response.   I don't think I am being unreasonable but would like to know what others who have been around longer think about this.  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think the seller will reimburse you as it was your decision to have them slabbed.  Not saying its the right move on their part but knowing sellers on eBay I'm pretty sure that will be the response if you get one at all.  Can you divulge who the seller is?  There may be someone who has had a similar experience with them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Number 6 on this one.   Doesn't CGC have a "don't" clause-- i.e. don't slab if it falls below a certain grade-- do they have the same option for restoration?   A few years ago I submitted a Batman #15 to CGC in person and about three hours later they texted me to come by the table and they pointed out some minor restoration on the book that I hadn't noticed.  The seller, Metropolis, was set up nearby, so I walked the book over there they apologized and gave me a credit for the book.   I'd bought the book from them online and brought it to Chicago to get graded.  They were cool about the whole return and I think it was an honest mistake.    

I think it's on the buyer for the CGC fees since you didn't spot it either (which would lead me to think honest mistakes all around) and no one said you had to slab it.   But it can't hurt to ask.   I just wouldn't expect them to comply, nor would it make them a bad seller IMO if they don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Keys_Collector said:

Agree with everyone else and actually give some level of kudos to the seller for refunding the entire sum and taking a full return on the books.  If its a common theme from the seller then its a different story and we won't know unless we hear the name.  If I spent over 5K and the seller made the return easy while I was out a couple of hundred books...I wouldn't be too upset at that.

This.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Keys_Collector said:

Agree with everyone else and actually give some level of kudos to the seller for refunding the entire sum and taking a full return on the books.  If its a common theme from the seller then its a different story and we won't know unless we hear the name.  If I spent over 5K and the seller made the return easy while I was out a couple of hundred books...I wouldn't be too upset at that.

^^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2020 at 2:45 PM, kypackman said:

  I would like to think that he did not know of the color touch and trimming that was detected by CGC.

Any major keys I’ve sent to CGC, I’ve gotten CCS pre-screening for resto and the possibility of removal. If either book was color touch only, it might have been worth a review by CCS for removal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/13/2020 at 1:45 PM, kypackman said:

This is my first post on the boards.   I recently bought 2 fairly expensive books on ebay from a well known comic dealer with a good reputation.  I have bought from him before with no issues.  I would like to continue business with him if possible.   I would like to think that he did not know of the color touch and trimming that was detected by CGC.   I requested a refund and upon receipt of the books back from me, I got my money back. He now has his books back in slabs that I paid for.  I asked for reimbursement of my CGC fees.    Because of the value of the books (over $5600) I had to submit them under the Express tier which was $90 each.   Shipping and insurance to CGC and back puts me out over $250.   Since the books were not disclosed as being restored or trimmed this is money I would not have spent if I had known the books had been doctored. I have now asked twice for the reimbursement and gotten no response.   I don't think I am being unreasonable but would like to know what others who have been around longer think about this.  Thanks.

First of all, welcome to the board. Second, what is their seller ID?   If it was kellyssuperheroes, the world is going to be pissed off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, JollyComics said:

First of all, welcome to the board. Second, what is their seller ID?   If it was kellyssuperheroes, the world is going to be pissed off.

Kellyssupeheroes seems to be consistently disclosing restoration on comic books now. Of course it is not in the title - you have to read - usually all the way to the bottom. 

They are hustling fake autographs now. It's amazing how many books out of the dollar bin Stan has signed :flipbait: And how many of such they have for sale. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having been burned several times buying raw books online for reasonably big dollars I can tell you I will never do so again ( from a seller mentioned in this thread ).

My hope is you have also learned that principle with this experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.  I didn't expect reimbursement from the seller, but I did think it would be the right thing to do.   I think if I had a customer consistently spending good money on books I would want that to continue and would make it back plus more in the long run.   He evidently does not share that same view as he has decided to ignore both of my emails.   Oh well, lesson learned.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same thing happened to me on a high 4 figure book last fall. Seller with 8000+ 100% positive feedbacks listed this book as unrestored. It came back from CGC as restored. He apologized and refunded my money, but did not refund my CGC fees (which I asked several times too). Coincidentally, he never even responded to my requests for it either. The seller did do the right thing by refunding me without needing to get eBay involved, though I have no doubt they would've sided with me and granted the refund. So, they really didn't have a choice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, manofsteel said:

Same thing happened to me on a high 4 figure book last fall. Seller with 8000+ 100% positive feedbacks listed this book as unrestored. It came back from CGC as restored. He apologized and refunded my money, but did not refund my CGC fees (which I asked several times too).

Seller was right in not refunding your CGC fees.  Submitting the books was your decision. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Seller was right in not refunding your CGC fees.  Submitting the books was your decision. 

The book was advertised as unrestored, and it turned out to be restored. Had I not chosen to sub the book, I never would've known till X amount of years later when I went to sell it. Where I would've taken a huge loss on it. But that's ok with you? Ooooook, pal. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
1 1