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70 posts in this topic

8 minutes ago, shadroch said:

When my friend Jim Silver was briefly running Wizard, I asked him if it would be possible to have a grading seminar at some of the shows. He said he'd look into it.  A week or so later I was told no, it wasn't going to happen.

maybe stick to or switch to coin and/or stamp collecting. both hobbies offer a plethora of how to grading seminars, and in-depth classes.

with examples, and books, and hands on learning and everything.

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6 minutes ago, mattn792 said:

In this case, it’s easy money over integrity.  Dylan clearly does enough business with CGC that he could take a few minutes to look over his plethora slabs to bring his grading more into alignment with industry standards.  

But it’s quicker, and likely more profitable, to deceive customers with overinflated grades and hope they don’t notice.

I'm sure it is likely more profitable to deceive customers.  But when you come from a place of deceit and short term profit you are sacrificing longer term profit for short term gain.  

All it takes is for one or more to take notice and your reputation is compromised.  It is very hard to go from a loose grader, crook to a tight grader/honest seller who is fair.  There are a lot of readers on these boards.  Dylan doesn't even know how much money he has lost because these customers won't ever shop with him.  And if he says that he can use the auction houses to sell his stuff he cost himself 10% or more versus me who doesn't need them.    

Edited by blazingbob
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42 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

I am not forgiving of bad grading on ebay and frankly this is where Overstreet and the hobby have badly failed over 30+ years.

NO FORMAL GRADING training available.  You learn by your interpretation of badly created grading guides, lousy photography.  If you are lucky enough to have the courage to ask help from others or learn from a good grader consider yourself fortunate.

Most jobs,  most businesses require some kind of training before you get hired or put in some kind of influence.  Setting up at shows,  hanging a sign off your display rack and putting out some boxes does not reflect that you KNOW ANYTHING.    

TOO much acceptance of GRADING IS SUBJECTIVE.  No,  it is not.  Defects are defects.  Again,  get taught what they are and learn how to grade from somebody who knows how to do it and you will be successful in this business.  

NO REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT for a referral to become an Overstreet advisor.  

No meetings of these advisors,  No business direction from these advisors.  Market reports are mostly HYPE.

Overstreet advisors should and I stress should go above and beyond to show business integrity or you get removed.  

The business aspect of the collectibles hobby is one where the goal is to grow the business for ALL,  not line the pockets of a FEW. 

The more people that get ripped for short term profit the smaller the buyer pool becomes.   

An editor's job is not to censor but to show some guidance on what Overstreet advisor reports are reflective of the hobby or pure BS.  

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14 minutes ago, JollyComics said:

It would be nice if Overstreet grade advisers offers the grading workshops at the conventions.

Otherwise, the seller and I will agree where the grade should be. I have done that many times.

Are you going to sign up for Dylan's grading course?  He is an overstreet advisor.

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2 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Overgrading is just sloppy. He obviously sells TONS of books on ebay every month. He is playing the odds that more people won't complain and send books back. How he gets so many positives is way beyond me. Are people blind? He even get positives with "overgrading" in the comments. Are people scared to leave a neutral or a negative?

What gets me the most is his calculated attitude about it. He knows exactly what he is doing. He also seems to have the support of his father. What kind of parent raises his kids that way? They seem to have no idea what ethics and common decency are.

His career in this hobby will be short lived...

I think the playbook is taking stuff back when people complain and having negative feedback removed by ebay whenever possible.   Suspect some sellers leave positive feedback with negative comments because they feel a neg/neutral isn't justified because they got a refund but they want to warn future buyers.  I also believe many buyers don't bother to leave negative feedback because they could see the book was overgraded and bid accordingly or just don't bother and never bid on his auctions again.  Even then he has quite a few negs about grading and it's telling.
 

I do agree that he could grade more accurately, hell Helen Keller could grade better than he does, he's been in the hobby for a while and he's submitted to CGC and I'm sure he's had PLENTY of feedback about his grading on ebay.  Overgrading is a deliberate attempt to overvalue his inventory and make more money and we've seen this tactic for years from many different sellers.

Let's hope his comic career ends soon.

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1 hour ago, JollyComics said:

It would be nice if Overstreet grade advisers offers the grading workshops at the conventions.

Otherwise, the seller and I will agree where the grade should be. I have done that many times.

Wonder which way that conversation went? It always depends on which side of the table you are on...

At the end of the day, price is all that really matters. Do you want the book how it is, or not? 

I never argue grade or GPA or “eBay price”. If I want it in the grade I think it is, I either buy it or hand it back and say thanks. 

Unless, you are really hot, the dance is real quick...

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3 hours ago, Robot Man said:

All 3 were very cheap books that I wanted as readers. Not really unhappy with the prices I paid for any of them. I just don't like being screwed over. And I really hate his trying to manipulate people and the system.

Since you mentioned it. The spine split “5.0” Mr. District Attorney you bought for $38. There is only 1 graded copy on the census. A 4.0. GPA for that VG copy is $53.  As you point out whether you got a good or bad a deal is frankly irrelevant. I also collect Mr. DA and do not have a 39. I’d want a 5.0 for my collection but not a 1.0 at any price. No excuse I can think of would justify such pathetic grading by an “Overstreet Advisor”. Anyone else think that buying an ad in the book might be all it takes to get that coveted status?

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5 hours ago, thehumantorch said:
5 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Last was a 5.0. Came with a detached back cover and split top and bottom several inches. Clearly never even taken out of the bag when “graded”. 

5.0?  lol 

Clearly he's over grading.  Clearly he's aggressive.  Clearly he's taking shortcuts to make money.   

I think Dylan would want me to post this:

It's an ugly 5.0, but it is a 5.0

 

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5 minutes ago, ThothAmon said:

Since you mentioned it. The spine split “5.0” Mr. District Attorney you bought for $38. There is only 1 graded copy on the census. A 4.0. GPA for that VG copy is $53.  As you point out whether you got a good or bad a deal is frankly irrelevant. I also collect Mr. DA and do not have a 39. I’d want a 5.0 for my collection but not a 1.0 at any price. No excuse I can think of would justify such pathetic grading by an “Overstreet Advisor”. Anyone else think that buying an ad in the book might be all it takes to get that coveted status?

I got tired of “holding out”. Besides, I thought I was getting a 5.0. I personally think this is a classic cover and severely under valued. Hell, $38. Is more or less “lunch money”. I would probably pay close to that for this copy just to fill a hole until I could upgrade. “Guide”, “GPA” or previous prices seem to be irrevelant anymore on cool books like this. On cheaper books like this, I just think what is worth to me. 

When I get the “it isn’t worth that” from someone at a show, I just ask them to take it to a 7-11 and see if they will give you a carton of milk for it. That will show you what it is really worth. The price often comes down to weather I want to take it home or not. Often, I’m happy to do so. 

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9 hours ago, blazingbob said:

I am not forgiving of bad grading on ebay and frankly this is where Overstreet and the hobby have badly failed over 30+ years.

NO FORMAL GRADING training available.  You learn by your interpretation of badly created grading guides, lousy photography.  If you are lucky enough to have the courage to ask help from others or learn from a good grader consider yourself fortunate.

Most jobs,  most businesses require some kind of training before you get hired or put in some kind of influence.  Setting up at shows,  hanging a sign off your display rack and putting out some boxes does not reflect that you KNOW ANYTHING.    

TOO much acceptance of GRADING IS SUBJECTIVE.  No,  it is not.  Defects are defects.  Again,  get taught what they are and learn how to grade from somebody who knows how to do it and you will be successful in this business.  

NO REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT for a referral to become an Overstreet advisor.  

No meetings of these advisors,  No business direction from these advisors.  Market reports are mostly HYPE.

Overstreet advisors should and I stress should go above and beyond to show business integrity or you get removed.  

The business aspect of the collectibles hobby is one where the goal is to grow the business for ALL,  not line the pockets of a FEW. 

The more people that get ripped for short term profit the smaller the buyer pool becomes.   

An editor's job is not to censor but to show some guidance on what Overstreet advisor reports are reflective of the hobby or pure BS.  

 

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, blazingbob said:

I am not forgiving of bad grading on ebay and frankly this is where Overstreet and the hobby have badly failed over 30+ years.

NO FORMAL GRADING training available.  You learn by your interpretation of badly created grading guides, lousy photography.  If you are lucky enough to have the courage to ask help from others or learn from a good grader consider yourself fortunate.

Most jobs,  most businesses require some kind of training before you get hired or put in some kind of influence.  Setting up at shows,  hanging a sign off your display rack and putting out some boxes does not reflect that you KNOW ANYTHING.    

TOO much acceptance of GRADING IS SUBJECTIVE.  No,  it is not.  Defects are defects.  Again,  get taught what they are and learn how to grade from somebody who knows how to do it and you will be successful in this business.  

NO REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT for a referral to become an Overstreet advisor.  

No meetings of these advisors,  No business direction from these advisors.  Market reports are mostly HYPE.

Overstreet advisors should and I stress should go above and beyond to show business integrity or you get removed.  

The business aspect of the collectibles hobby is one where the goal is to grow the business for ALL,  not line the pockets of a FEW. 

The more people that get ripped for short term profit the smaller the buyer pool becomes.   

An editor's job is not to censor but to show some guidance on what Overstreet advisor reports are reflective of the hobby or pure BS.  

 

 

 

 

mycomicshop.com is (and has been for some time) hiring people to train as graders right now. I don't know how long it takes them to train somebody, but I do know it's intensive, and they don't set the new graders loose after a week or so. Buddy won't let somebody grade new stock until he's confident they have fully embraced the "Lone Star Standards" for grading. One of the things that is so screwed up about comic grading is that no 2 people are going to follow the same exact rules unless they work together setting it up. mycomicshop will have differing opinions than CGC or CBCS on certain items, and both grading companies will grade differently in some areas.  Everybody is supposedly basing their grading using Overstreet's parameters, but that really only guarantees that anybody attempting to grade a comic does so using their own bastardized version. I think eventually somebody will invent a program that can accurately measure how close a comic is percentage-wise to being gem mint. In the meantime, there needs to be an official Overstreet Grading School for shops to send people to. Everybody learns and uses the same procedure start to finish for every comic. There is too much money involved in the expensive comics for somebody's distraction while grading to cost a person thousands of dollars. Byw, It's very hard trying to put into words what I'm trying to say, so I hope everybody can figure out where I'm coming from.

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