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Started by Transplant,

68 posts in this topic

piper

piper

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Buzzetta said:

I have casually mentioned this in the moderation thread and here is how I see it... 

As of now, I assume that the money generated from the boards > than the cost of running the boards. 

However, eventually I see more and more companies drift toward social media and let places like FB handle all web responsibilities.  It varies with the vision of each individual.  For example, Hasbro is MUCH bigger than CGC and they do NOT have a dedicated message board.  Instead they reach out to fan sites and they utilize Facebook to unveil new product and interact with their customers.  Then you have a group like Lego. Lego recently saw the value of having a message board and BOUGHT Bricklink.  For those unfamiliar with Bricklink, aside from eBay, Bricklink hosts the largest second hand market for Lego and hosts a community message board like we have here. 

What will CGC do? It might be a conflict of interest for them to host or buy a market.  Lego does not 'grade' their product so the market is determined by desirability.  The condition of product is determined by the vendor.  Bricklink gets a percentage of the sale.  If CGC were to buy an auction house or something like eBay, there would be a conflict of interest since the higher the grade means the more valuable the book, which if sold on their site translates into a larger commission. 

I see CGC eventually shutting this place down and doing what Hasbro does on Facebook.   

Are the boards really worth all that trouble? 

If the boards shut down, where am I going?  I will interact with people on Facebook.  If the boards shut down I am still sending books to be pressed to Joe and I am still going to have things graded.

Are the boards valuable to me as a comic buyer?  Absolutely.  But if they are not valuable to CGC or if CGC feels that their end of the information chain can be distributed in a more cost effective way then I assume they will eventually do so. 

 

Facebook as a marketplace is a cesspool.

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skypinkblu

skypinkblu

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I'm never sure if people are upset about the boards themselves, or the rule regarding politics. Some people can't seem to wrap their most often very bright minds about the fact that it's not a great subject to discuss here, especially recently.

Maybe they are all much smarter than I am, but I think the no politics rule makes sense. If there were no rule, then there would be constant arguments. It's unfortunate, but people are very passionate about the subject. 
You also probably can't discuss other things (like porn) which might be a passionate subject as well, but maybe  not as hot a topic right now (I'm expecting memes for that one;)

Personally, I love the place. I love the marketplace, I feel safer selling there and I've bought things I would never have dreamed of buying. I've learned more about comics from the various threads than I could have ever imagined.
We have a wonderful group of people here.

These forums as a group have raised well over $500,000 for community members in trouble over the past 12 years (the time I've kept some records).  I've had a few recent threads trying to help out kids and I've been getting random, totally unsolicited help from members.

None of them seem to be so dissatisfied with the boards.

I'm not a fan of Newton Rings or other problems, but I LEARNED about them here. I had no idea what they were before.

I learn about movies, what books to read, what to watch on Netflix, facts about the pandemic (rumours about the pandemic) weather issues, how to decorate a comic book room, how to determine restoration, where to find certain books...just tons of info.

I've made some very close friends here, and some terrific acquaintances (including the thread starter;) 

I don't belong to facebook, it's not a place I've ever wanted to join, it's too big and too unfocused for me, and I can't imagine going there instead of here.

 

 

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miraclemet

miraclemet

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6 minutes ago, skypinkblu said:

I'm never sure if people are upset about the boards themselves, or the rule regarding politics. Some people can't seem to wrap their most often very bright minds about the fact that it's not a great subject to discuss here, especially recently.

Maybe they are all much smarter than I am, but I think the no politics rule makes sense. If there were no rule, then there would be constant arguments. It's unfortunate, but people are very passionate about the subject. 
You also probably can't discuss other things (like porn) which might be a passionate subject as well, but maybe  not as hot a topic right now (I'm expecting memes for that one;)

Personally, I love the place. I love the marketplace, I feel safer selling there and I've bought things I would never have dreamed of buying. I've learned more about comics from the various threads than I could have ever imagined.
We have a wonderful group of people here.

These forums as a group have raised well over $500,000 for community members in trouble over the past 12 years (the time I've kept some records).  I've had a few recent threads trying to help out kids and I've been getting random, totally unsolicited help from members.

None of them seem to be so dissatisfied with the boards.

I'm not a fan of Newton Rings or other problems, but I LEARNED about them here. I had no idea what they were before.

I learn about movies, what books to read, what to watch on Netflix, facts about the pandemic (rumours about the pandemic) weather issues, how to decorate a comic book room, how to determine restoration, where to find certain books...just tons of info.

I've made some very close friends here, and some terrific acquaintances (including the thread starter;) 

I don't belong to facebook, it's not a place I've ever wanted to join, it's too big and too unfocused for me, and I can't imagine going there instead of here.

 

 

+1 to all of that

No Politics is the easiest way to keep the peace. 

(though I do disagree with their definition of "Politics" sometimes, but that's just me smarting from my past hand smacking!)

 

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, piper said:

Facebook as a marketplace is a cesspool.

I agree with that in relation to comics.  Some say eBay is as well.  However, when it came to GI Joe toys and Lego, I did better on Facebook, with stronger prices, and quicker sales.

But then you have to ask yourself, is CGC here to promote a slabbing service or to promote an environment to sell their product?  Clearly they "tolerate" the sale of their product on a board hosted by them.  We have a hall of shame for a reason.  The boards are self policed but with no real teeth of enforcement.   I have heard conversation where several people conducted business through PM over the years because they were on a "list."

We have made the rules much like a facebook group to determine who should not be doing deals be it a hall of shame or a probation list.   But CGC keeps a "laissez faire" approach to that.  If they were truly invested in providing that venue then they would ban members upon selling or buying infractions.  

In a FB group the group administers will kick someone out.  Here, CGC hands it off to the community to decide whether or not they personally want to deal with that person while still allowing the transgressor to be present. 

At one point when we learned that Chip Cataldo was trying to conduct business behind the scenes through PM despite being on a no trade list, Arch was asked if PMs could be disabled for members who had committed marketplace infractions.  CGC ultimately did not and still maintains a hands off approach to what goes on here.

They allow it, will moderate the non-compliant listings, but do not regulate the actual trade or sale, or arbitrate complaints if a transaction does not result in the satisfaction of an offended party.

Edited by Buzzetta
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piper

piper

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2 minutes ago, Buzzetta said:

I agree with that in relation to comics.  Some say eBay is as well.  However, when it came to GI Joe toys and Lego, I did better on Facebook, with stronger prices, and quicker sales.

But then you have to ask yourself, is CGC here to promote a slabbing service or to promote an environment to sell their product?  Clearly they "tolerate" the sale of their product on a board hosted by them.  We have a hall of shame for a reason.  The boards are self policed but with no real teeth of enforcement.   I have heard conversation where several people conducted business through PM over the years because they were on a "list."

We have made the rules much like a facebook group to determine who should not be doing deals be it a hall of shame or a probation list.   But CGC keeps a "laissez faire" approach to that.  If they were truly invested in providing that venue then they would ban members upon selling or buying infractions.  

In a FB group the group administers will kick someone out.  Here, CGC says you hand it off. 

At one point when we learned that Chip Cataldo was trying to conduct business behind the scenes through PM despite being on a no trade list, Arch was asked if PMs could be disabled for members who had committed marketplace infractions.  CGC ultimately did not and still maintains a hands off approach to what goes on here.

They allow it, will moderate the non-compliant listings, but do not regulate the actual trade or sale, or arbitrate complaints if a transaction does not result in the satisfaction of an offended party.

I agree it’s not perfect but I feel safer purchasing here than on eBay. Relationships and Reputation is what is all it’s about.

I buy from people I know around here. It’s a very tight knit community.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, piper said:

I agree it’s not perfect but I feel safer purchasing here than on eBay. Relationships and Reputation is what is all it’s about.

I buy from people I know around here. It’s a very tight knit community.

That can be a detriment though.  

I am not going to start tagging names but I have a good memory.  There is a semi active board member, (who used to be more active) that once said, that he was disappointed by a sale and condition and just decided not to do business with that person again and said, lesson learned.   I, myself, felt compelled to stay silent when someone on the boards tried screwing me over.  I was only around for three years and as some people made me realize, they will jump to defend him because he has cool books.  Turns out, in the last few months we found out he had screwed over a number of people behind the scenes until you privately got him to make right on it. 

eBay is so large so that we can have a sense of indifference.   If something arrives damaged I am protected so long as I use PayPal. 

There are instances that I personally know of and instances where another board member showed me his messages where people on here tried to negotiate 'friends and family' payments into the deal.   Those are the transactions that go south VERY quickly on Facebook where I am a little more blunt.

There was a GI Joe thread complaint where someone said that this guy took the money and ran instead of shipping the product.  We all asked why not contact PayPal?  Well because he paid friends and family.  Okay... too effing bad.  This guy basically told you he was going to rob you as soon as you spoke to him. 

And yet... there are people that try and violate those rules around here.  "You can have it for $X or $Y F&F" through PM.   When my friend Rich was looking for a book he had a few offers like that come in.   Told him to ignore every single one of them. 

 

I am rambling... I have zoom codes to sort through... lol 

Edited by Buzzetta
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Domo Arigato

Domo Arigato

Posted
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6 hours ago, Buzzetta said:
6 hours ago, comicwiz said:

If this were true, then CGC has to find a solution to whoever is forcing feeBay links to function they way they do whenever anyone types that dastardly site.

I assumed that they were receiving money for that to be honest.  

After all, they are affiliated with eBay with their authentication service. 

CGC does that with a lot of names.

If you type Greggy then it will link you to his website.

 

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Park

Park

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3 minutes ago, Domo Arigato said:

 

CGC does that with a lot of names.

If you type Greggy then it will link you to his website.

 

I am so apprehensive about clicking that link......

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dupont2005

dupont2005

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Posted

I actually don’t mind the boards being moderated to keep trolling, fighting, politics, hate speech, and all that stuff off the board to keep it from becoming a toxic board that could make CGC look bad by association. I don’t like their deleting and locking of threads critical of CGC for valid reasons or their selectively enforced policy of not discussing competitors. That seems super sketchy and low class and not something I’d expect from a legitimate company.

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MrBedrock

MrBedrock

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On 9/16/2020 at 12:27 PM, piper said:

Facebook as a marketplace is a cesspool.

That may be true for some, but speaking for my company Facebook Live sales have been a huge boon for our bottom line since the onset of Covid induced retail closures. What started as an experiment has become a weekly production generating $5,000 to $10,000 per and plenty of excitement with very little in the way of dissatisfaction on either side. If you doubt me please check it out - Wednesday night from 7-9pm CST.

As for this site, which I greatly appreciate being able to take part in,  I don't feel CGC owes me anything for providing this platform, and I don't feel like I owe them anything for participating.

Edited by MrBedrock
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