Are We Now Looking at a New Normal? 1 1

[Math Teacher]

Unless you have had your head in the sand for the last month, you should be aware of the current Delta variant that is causing so many new infections. Recently, the CDC recommended that everyone (even vaccinated people) begin wearing masks in indoor locations, especially if you're in an area with a high infection rate. I recently looked at a map, and it seems that there are very few areas that do not fit into that category.

Please, I'm begging you, don't turn this into a political debate or an argument about the effectiveness of the vaccine.

So, here's my question. If things continue to get worse, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the comic conventions scheduled for the fall/winter get cancelled. When COVID began, it led to a massive increase in books being sent to CGC for grading. If comic conventions start to get cancelled, I would imagine that the number of books being sent to CGC would remain steady.

If this is so, do you foresee current TATs increasing, staying the same, or decreasing? I have no intention of sending my books to the other company; the majority of my key books are in CGC cases, and I would like to maintain that. I just don't know if I can maintain my patience that long anymore. Even a book submitted under the Standard tier will take well over six months (current TAT is 112 days, plus at least a month for the box to be opened). Granted, if I send in my copy of Flash #110 to be graded, it's not like I am going to be missing it every day. Nonetheless, it is very bothersome to not know the status of your book for over half a year. I imagine that some people will suggest, "Just ship it and forget it. When it finally returns, you'll be pleasantly surprised." That may work for some people, but I'm not one of them. I'm a professional worrier, even though I am fully aware that nothing will change due to my worrying. I learned how to worry by watching my Dad, a farmer. If I'm a professional worrier, my Dad was All-Pro.

So, I guess what I'm asking is this: Do you foresee the current TATs getting worse, staying the same, or getting better? And if you state "getting better," when do you think this will happen?

I am very interested in hearing other people's thoughts. Thank you!

[kav]

getting worse.

[kav]

ps is the delta variant worth more than the regular edition?

[Tghutcn]

I don’t submit but have plans to start in the current situation that most places are in I realistically can’t see that the will be any improvements with turnaround times unless there’s a shift of speculators moving on to different investments or Cgc setting up more grading areas in different regions so we don’t have all the book’s being graded in one area and a giant backlog 

[MatterEaterLad]

Blackstone will make everything better. 

[vheflin]

On 8/2/2021 at 6:19 PM, kav said:

ps is the delta variant worth more than the regular edition?

[kav]

On 8/2/2021 at 4:32 PM, vheflin said:

[MatterEaterLad]

I actually think it'll get slightly better in about a year. All these graded book will trickle into the marketplace, supply will outpace demand, and then prices will retreat, causing more selling (or the hope of selling). People will slow their roll and stop sending in as many books when the slabs they hoped to sell start to collect dust for lack of buyers.

[kav]

On 8/2/2021 at 4:32 PM, vheflin said:

Gets super powers.  Thinks up a name.  I know I'll be Delta Wave!
If I ever get super powers I'll just call myself Bill or something.

[comicginger1789]

To my knowledge, CGC just hired a bunch and just (within last month or so) moved into new facility. Once they get their groove I imagine wait times will come down.

Also colour me positive but I’ve seen a lot of people who are getting their books 3-4 months which maybe is still too long but what can ya do.

 

[MGsimba77]

Last year during the worst of the pandemic TATs were actually fast or was that not the case? I didn't have many subs last year but the ones I had were super fast. A couple of dealers I bought from communicated the same thing. My guess is unless there are widespread restrictions or something resembling a shutdown like last year TATs remain where they are for the foreseeable future. I mean if this Delta suddenly becomes able to penetrate the vaccinated enough to cause severe illness then all bets are off. Yeah at such point TATs will go way down but who would care....we'll have bigger problems to deal with. Thankfully that's not the case and enough people are taking the vaccine to ward off another health emergency on the scale of last year. 

Btw, It would be of great help if cgc took a break from the signings for a little while. 

[Cruzin' Thru Comics]

My customers want to buy slabs. I just sent 25 to the other company 2-day modern. It’s about the same price as CGC fast track modern. From what I can see I should receive them within a couple weeks. Waiting 4 months is just not feasible when you need to restock your shop. 

[Microchip]

Blackrock owns CGC, and a good amount of Pfizer share.  So in terms of the next few rounds of booster shots slowing down TAT's, I wouldn't think so.    You'd expect some kind of synergy.  

[Falcon760]

Fact is, CGC has not improved turnaround times in any real noticeable way.  When they hired a bunch of people, it was (not coincidentally) at the exact time they were being purchased, which made their company seem bigger than it really is.  That's kinda funny that the hiring was done at that exact time.

I doubt very much they will ever improve their company by any process changes or positive improvements on their own behalf.  It's more likely that submissions will decline and they will naturally catch up.  Any real company like Target or Amazon would have a new process humming in very short amount of time but CGC hasn't been able to do that.  People have made excuses for CGC for months and months.  "Give them time to get in a groove" or "They'll improve soon when the new people get trained".  If I made excuses like this at my job, I'd be fired. 

It hasn't happened.   I doubt it's going to happen.  

[cgcmod8]

I have locked this thread because talking about the virus is off limits on the boards.  The first post and some of the others have already crossed the line.  About a 100 warnings have been issued from this topic.   This thread is bound to cause more.   Here is what dena has said about the covid topic.

"This topic is now locked and off limits. Any new threads on this topic will be removed and anyone pushing the issue will be suspended. Enough already."