Buying Comics Online Really Sucks Sometimes!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- #cgc #mcu #ComicMarket
Buying comics online really sucks sometimes. Let's discuss two really frustrating purchases I just made and why you need to always check your books.
Hope you enjoy and make sure to subscribe for more content in the future.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Selling Your Collection?
Reach out to me at:
Email:
automatic.comics@gmail.com
Instagram:
@Automatic_Comics
/ automatic_comics
Check out my eBay store at:
I will give a discount on eBay prices if you reach out to me on Instagram!
www.ebay.com/s...
You can also reach me by mail at:
Automatic Comics
PO Box 50352
Arlington, VA 22205
I’m so glad I don’t sell comics and I just buy the copies I like because certain quirks in grading are so weird to me. That crease is more limiting to the book than that incredibly ugly tape pull? And a book with a cover detached at one staple can still get a 6.0. I’d take a couple creases over a partially detached cover any day of the week. While I definitely see the benefit of standardized grading it is funny because all of us as humans are subjective in what we actually like.
Removing restoration so the book looks worse than before the restoration is the one that gets me
Buying books online is the only way I can get comics. There’s no comic shops around where I live unless I drive for 2 and a half hours one way so eBay and Mercari it is 🤷♂️
Great video Ryan, and so sorry for those bad experiences. I bought an FF Annual #6 (listed in VF condition) about 5 years ago from an "original first owner". I was such a happy guy that I failed to do a page count. Maybe a year later I was reading through and discovered the last page was missing. Coincidentally that was also around the time I discovered the INCOMPARABLE ETA NICK. At that point I went through his entire grading "course" and printed out that cheat-sheet, it has been part of my collecting ever since. Have been missing him since he "retired", so this was a nice blast from the past :-)
I miss ETA Nick. When I first returned to the comic hobby around 15 years ago, Nick was still active in the CGC Forums and would give his grade opinion on several of the books I posted in the grading forum. Great guy and a very accurate grader.
I bought a low grade, supposedly complete, raw Four Color Carl Barks duck book from a Heritage auction. Turns out it was missing the centerfold. Heritage refunded me and let me keep the book. But, yes, check from every seller no matter how reputable.
Bang on, Ryan. All too common a problem. I buy once, then done with that seller, Ebay rating does not matter after that.
I opened a book yesterday that I bought off Ebay 3 months ago. The centrefold is completely detached. 😡
It was only a £25 comic, and I've obviously left it too long now, but it's still frustrating.
This is a video all comic book sellers and buyers should watch. 👍🏻
My experience is that too many sellers don’t check, or don’t declare, missing Marvel Value Stamps. Not as big a ticket item as your more expensive books but still that should be a basic check of any Marvel comic from 1974.
as a collector of the books with the Marvel Value Stamps this is extremely disappointing.
I won an eBay auction last week- a lot of 10 silver age Hot Stuff comics that I needed to complete my run, a 230.00 dollar purchase. 10 cent covers in nice condition. I paid promptly, days later the seller said he must have 'lost' them on the way to the post office/failed to get a tracking number! Then he just wanted to refund my money and not help me find the lost package! I seriously wonder if he sold these books from under me to someone else who contacted him after the auction. Worst eBay experience ever.
I got a great deal one time on eBay. I got full refund with a message saying it burned up when we were frying bacon and the item was on the stove and it burned up. Can I see a photo of it? No we threw it away. :-(
Awesome video! One of the top ones I've learned something very important from in that last year at least. Well done!
I recently graded a book I bought from a big international dealer 10 or more years ago. High grade PCH. Recently had a big sale so off to cgc It goes. 3 trimmed sides and colour touch. Didn't cost much, but sheesh.
I always check the pages. I had at least 3 books that were missing pages, returned 1 and 2 of them I didn’t catch. Grading from eBay sellers is all over the place. I try to grade from the pics but it’s tough when the book isn’t in hand.
Whether its raw or graded, i check the books immediately. I take pics of the package before opening to show if it was damaged or not. I ask for more detailed pics amd ask about allnthe flaws when buying raw. If im not satisfied with the book, i take pics, circle all the flaws in the pic, and start communicating with the seller about it. If that doesnt get resolved, i communicate with ebay about it. If nothing is done, you get an honest negative review
Great wake up call video. I've been very guilty of not checking (but i don't sell any yet). Definitely need to change my habits.
I've gotten books off Ebay that had "dust shadows" on the entire back cover. Cost was so low, wasn't worth the hassle to return. Since then, I make sure that the pics are out of the bag and at a minimum show both covers. If not, hard pass.
Might be an idea for CGC and CBCS to start putting the page count on the label. Just for awareness
Very informative video, sorry for you bad luck on the disappointment books.
When I sell raw books I tend to undergrade so I dont have issues & as I grade a lot I know cgc can swing both ways,I try not to sell my silver age but if you run across mine,I guarantee they will be spot on or better & you will probably get a fantastic deal as I seem to set those record low sales. 😇✌
I have a nice Betty and Me 16 6.5 white pager. One of my favorites. Sorry that happened to you. There's a 9.4 on auction tonight at Heritage one of only four 9.4 on census. None higher. Not in my budget but yea sweet.
Only effects story if you cannot read it. Some of the art missing does not effect story unless significant part of panel missing.
You’re not correct. If it goes into the art on a story page it will be identified as affecting the story.
I always find something useful in your videos thanks for showing us cheat sheet
bought a real lowball older book, Wanted to practice pressing and restoring . Knew it was real bad shape,, and got it cheap. Seller actually refunded me some because of a problem he did not list.
ETA Nick is a legend, and the best reference for grading I can think of.
He kind of ruined one of my books with is "how to remove fingerprints video". I had a Wolverine 1(1st patch) in NM condition but it had some fingerprints on the back in the black area. I search Google get recommended his video. He used like cotton balls and was rubbing the crap out of this book and it worked it on his modern glossy paper book but it rubbed the ink off my copper age. After I pressed the book the fingerprints came out on their own. I noticed that with many books all you need to do to remove fingerprints is the heat from the press, it reheats the gloss and smoothes out the fingerprints.
Great info.I dontreally buy online and if I do its no more than 100 dollar purchase for the reasons you mentioned. Thanks
I didn’t know that cbcs graded detached, spine splits up to a 3.0. Interesting. Your rants about raw sellers are justified. I still think the ideal is to buy and sell raw but just provide very good images and descriptions of the flaws. A ONE grade, even if it accurately matches CGC, is insufficient. Tell me the size and severity of the worst flaws.
In Other News...Water's Wet.😉 True Ryan...I ask the usual questions....complete/missing coupons/restro/staples?/etc Then just like you said...open and check everything as soon as you get it. We all know most of the sellers grades are usually BS. ETA Nick's cheat sheet is my go to...helped me do well in CGC grading contests...he made my day...laughed my ass off at his vids/rants. he changed the completely detached to 4.0 on his updated sheet
If I sold a book with a 3/4" tear and 10 spine ticks, I'd feel bad if I gave it a 7.0-8.0. I'd feel more comfortable with a 5.0 Love the channel Ryan. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for watching 👍. But that’s why it’s important to know how to grade. It’s not a 5.0. If you’re selling it as a 5.0 you’re massively undergrading your book.
I'm pretty knowledgable on grading. Without closely inspecting the rest of the book, I'd feel better at a 5 or 6 than a 7 or 8. Again, love the videos and your Golden Age stuff.
This is why I primarily only buy slabs when buying online; it's the best way to be sure what you're getting. (Will only buy raw online if it's under a certain $ amount; much lower risk.)
And it's not just "count the pages"; it's count ALL the pages. I got into the bad habit early on of only counting to center and then doubling it. It took a surprise green label on an otherwise solid copy of Superman 233 (single page missing) to change that habit.
Had a seller (a few years ago) who would regrade (raw books) before he shipped, let me know the final grade and would reduce the price (to reflect the grade) and I could accept or not to purchase.
I’m working on a more modern run I want to complete lately and I’ve been buying them non stop from eBay. I found one really great seller but one of the books I purchased had the center page coming off, one of the staple holes were split down the middle. I read them and check them out when I get them, so to see It really sucked, and I get that not every comic you buy can be 100% perfect. I suppose it’s fixable (I hope,) but it sucks that the book didn’t have that disclosed on eBay. Buying online can be risky sometimes, especially when we can’t see everything that’s inside the books.
A handful of them were also good though. I suppose now and then some issues will slip through the cracks, which sucks but such is the fate of buying online.
I'm sure we've all been there. eBay auctions with terrible photos, like 1 pic with the book in the bag/board still, or very selective lighting to hide the flaws. There are also the whatnot shows that never really show the book close enough or give it a good scan, so you gotta trust what they say. I think they just hope for buyers who think its too much of a hassle to return. The is where that professional 3rd part opinion on the grade really comes in handy.
The worst I had was. a book I didn't even really want - seller had a deal on ebay where you guy 3 items, get 20% off. They had 1 book I really wanted listed for $250, so I had to find a couple others. I settled on some becaus ethey were cool, and listed as NM. One of them must have been someone's practice run with pressing - canvassing worse than I've ever seen, almost completely popped staples, and still some creases visible... on a "NM" book. Luckily they were good about refunding, but admitted they didn't really look at them that closely. They had a LOT of books listed, and as you said, it's their JOB to look at that stuff. The one book I really wanted looked great, probably better than the grade stated, so it worked out in the end.
For more expensive books I only buy graded. As I’ve gotten raws graded I’ve gotten back restoration, etc. I know that there is money to be made on buying raws and pressing and grading them, but it’s not for me any more.
One more thing. Great Video!!!!!!
All of this annoys the shit out of me. I have clearly asked "are all pages intact", for them to say "yes", for me to say "no rips, tears, nothing missing" and for them to be like "yea all good". Then I get book and clearly this something cut on it. They all say "don't worry we have free returns", yea thanks what about my wasted time? Why do I have to ask for pictures of the back of the book? You clearly posted pics of the book so then just post the back too... Shouldn't have to ask these things as a customer, its all common sense requirements. Then there are those with stock photos of the book as if I'm going to buy something I have no idea of its condition 🙄🙄🙄
Right? You shouldn’t have to cross-examine a seller to get honest disclosure.
Years ago I was thinking about purchasing a MAD special and I asked the seller, “does it contain the bonus insert?” Guy says yes, so I bought it.
Package arrives, there’s no bonus. I contact the seller, he says “yes, the cover says there’s a bonus.”
I ask him, “are you telling me that you personally checked, and the bonus was in the exact copy of the magazine that you mailed to me?”
He says, “send it back for a refund.” I kept it - less time and hassle to just live with the financial loss.
I collect golden age books and I rarely slab since I don't resell, but may in the future for protection purposes or to give my partner a chance at reselling once I'm gone. Any idea what max grade might be for brittle pages? Don't see that one on the cheat sheet anywhere.
Max for brittle is 3.5. Max for slightly brittle is 6.5. That’s specifically from CGC.
But if you are spending thousands are you not getting pics of every page?
I just stopped buying from heritage never even thought of trying to return it.
Raw books same here mainly bad experience. I usually buy CGC or CBCS for more expensive books.
I was in the live when you bought the Betty and Me (if its the same copy). I've also had issues with books I've bought from them. I'm not gonna blow up their spot. I don't believe they're doing it on purpose.
Yeah please don’t call out anyone in the comments.
I don’t think it’s intentional either, like I don’t think they know it’s missing a page/wrap. But it means they aren’t checking. So to me, that means they aren’t doing their job as a seller.
Whatnot guy was selling a jim last night had it priced at 170 when it was like a 2.0 i was like bro is over grading like hell but atlest he showed the whole book
Be honest and upfront
I'm not such a nice guy..good vid
A presser accidentally put a 1.5 tear into the back cover of an Iron Man 54 that had high 9s potential. The resulting grade was 6.5. Yours should do better since the tear on your Batman 232 is smaller.
Man that sucks. Sorry to hear that.
Oh man that X-men 50. Heartbreaking and I’m sure it wasn’t cheap.
If they didn’t send it in to get graded, that means the book is not good. I’m being straight up with you. I don’t like to buy from anybody online and I sell online and only buy graded books. Don’t waste my time with Raw
That’s definitely not true. I’ve bought plenty of raw books and gotten them graded and done very well on them.
The plastic container collector. 😂
Craziest first sentence ever. Nonsense at its best 😂
I only collect raw and have been happy more often than not. Not every seller / collector is looking for maximum profit; I understand that the majority of buyers are also looking to sell eventually and by leaving a little meat on the bone makes sales a bit earlier to make. I meet my profitability goals and the next guy makes a little as well; everybody is happy. Especially those that actually like to look inside a comic.
Not all the time. I have received some nm books that graded 9.8. It's all on the seller
Which presser u using/ recommend ?
He goes by “The Comic Book Presser”. You can find him online (his website) and on Instagram.
I also do not like to send back. I will let seller know and let them know I am not asking for action. And most sellers will just say ok and nothing else. A few will say I will get u next time and a few have given me a full refund. Those sellers I go back to. Yeah I know I know. Probably not smart on my part telling them I am not asking for any action. Also Rusty stapes. To me that’s throw out time. Maybe I’m picky but if u have Rusty staples with black marks inside u shouldn’t be selling it.
You can get in the 9s with rusty staples. So you might want to rethink that philosophy =)
@@AutomaticComics ohhh? I had no idea. Thank you. Always learning
I feel the same about rusty staples. It's death to the paper over time. The only restoration I have no problem with is replaced staples, specifically for that reason.
You should not be throwing out grades you are pretty far off.
Not sure what you mean. I’m a very accurate grader. Maybe watch my CGC return videos. I average being less than 0.5 off from my CGC returns.
Be smart and dont spend big money on comics in the first place.
Ha, never thought of Nick as cranky, but I sure did learn a lot from his videos.