100% CGC is doing this intentionally to generate sales. What’s easier than acquiring new customers and getting new submissions? Getting money from already submitted slabs. It’s clear to anyone not biased by personal investment in CGC’s continued success.
1 Like
That $82 didn’t last long. Already blew thru it on Funko Pops and Sodas and I’m pretty sure the sister heavily influenced some of those choices.
I had a pretty long talk with a new regular who doesn’t understand the system. He’s used to sending orders in Friday or Saturday nights and getting the items with the next weeks pick-ups but didn’t understand that those items were only available because the store pulled them from their own stock that was already there or arriving the first of the week. If the items not in stock and has to be ordered, PRH MAY ship it in as little as a couple days, Lunar will add it to your next order shipment which may be a week or more out if you’ve waited until the weekend to speak up. Diamond may actually take a couple weeks. Also, since FOC has passed there’s no guarantee any of the items will be available. He said he likes to read #1 before deciding if he wants #2 which I understand but the way the system works, if you haven’t ordered #2, it may not be available to order the week of release. You’re pretty much dependent on there being some leftovers from damages at the wholesaler or the store having guessed correctly that you would want a copy. That’s why taking maybe 5 minutes once a week is important. After FOC there’s no way we can be sure to get the item for you.
2 Likes
Most FOCs got issue #2 is a few days after #1 comes out…so just need to pick up the book within a few days of release and read it!
I’m a little opposite…If it’s a series I’m interested in I’ll grab the first two to three issues of the arc before deciding. And if I hear it’s a dud I may not even read them.
He’s a little peculiar, he’ll wait and grab #1 off the shelf and not say anything at all until the week #2 is coming/arriving. He’s got a box set up for 4 titles which he gets 25% off on those thru subscription but hasn’t committed to anything else yet even though it’s basically getting 1 out of every 4 comics free. I’d love to see most issues on a 5 week interval to give people a full week to find the current issue and read it in time to commit to the next before FOC but I doubt it’s going to happen. We’re frequently doing FOC’s with no sales data to go by basically guessing and I’m in a cycle that says lets take the rest of the year not guessing on most covers other than A and not on most small publishers for now. Meat and potatoes year.
Now that I’m getting back with Diamond I’m noticing how many titles they don’t have back stock on ready to fill in like Power Rangers the return and Lilo and Stich. It’s going to force me to skip some series and wait for new #1’s to come around and this guy keeps getting caught when a friend tells him something is great but he’s waited until the wholesalers are out of #1 while insisting he will not accept a 2nd print or take #2 unless he gets #1 first and likes it which may mean #3 is already out befor I can get a #1 in his hand if then
Odd day today, so far Little Golden Books are outselling comics in store and on E-Bay.
Have you thought of having an ‘old school’ adult section; you know, the one with the black curtain? You could sell Captain America Vibrators…Iron Man Butt Plugs…Scarlet Witch Blow-Up Dolls. You’d make a fortune. You’re welcome.
1 Like
Just change the name to BRG (Black Rock Grading) because the old CGC is long dead bought out by one of the greediest organizations on the planet.
1 Like
Cant wait for the daily reports
1 Like
They’ve been doing this since the very beginning. The higher the book grades the more you have to pay for it to be graded.
I do pretty much that for store buying with Marvel, DC, IDW, Image and Dark Horse and now I’m working Dynamite and most of Boom back in. I go 5 issues, 2 A covers, maybe an extra copy or two of #1’s. Once #5 is FOCing I start checking the shelf. If I have the last 3 issues in a row on the shelf that means the walk-in customers haven’t grabbed a copy and the online copy hasn’t sold either or I’d have pulled the store shelf copy to make a new listing to replace the one that sold online. That’s when I drop them but even then I’m frequently trying to order #5 on FOC before #4 is out on the shelf so sometimes I’ll just make #5’s automatic.
I have considered a black curtain kiddie section adults are NOT allowed into so I could put great books mixed in with the cheap stuff and expect it to be there for the kids. Adults typically have no interest in letting things get into the hands of children when they could maybe make a buck reselling it if they can grab it first.
My goal for the rest of this year is to drastically expand the selection of Step Into Reading books.
You searched for step into reading - Penguin Random House Comics Retail (prhcomics.com)
Apparently there’s an enormous amount of them on all subject types and they offer a Step 1, Step 2, step 3 type system so it’s easy to group them together for different reading ability ranges. They have lower price one’s close to the cost of comics to one’s a little higher.
I may begin a manga section by the end of the year as well to maybe pull in more teens.
2 Likes
Hasn’t that been the case for a few decades though? 
2 Likes
No. I think the shift began to occur when Steve Borrock left to form CBCS.
3 Likes
Kinda, yeah, but before they sold out there was much more constituency overall but definitely some favoritism for sure. It was not perfect that’s, but better than the constant mess we have now.
For me this is the first time in years that I let my membership laps. I could care less about the slight discount I am missing out on. I won’t’ be send anything to CGC until I see significant improvement in QC. It might be a while. Regardless, I have a backlog of books both graded and non-graded I need to sell so I’m in no rush to send anything in, anyway.
I can tell you that I specifically have been buying those step into reading books. I love that they have them clearly indicated like that as my grandkids are all at different levels and it makes it very easy for me to choose.
Marvel is doing a very good job of getting kiddos into their characters and such. As an example, my 5 year old grand-daughter (who was a significant preemie and is behind with learning) loves to watch the kid oriented Spidey and friends show. The step into reading books has a Spidey and friends version as the very lowest level and she absolutely loved it when I brought it home to her.
Anyway…i think you are spot on with little golden books and those reading books. As a parent/grand parent…it’s very hard for me to resist grabbing those and adding them to my stack of my comics each week.
3 Likes
I wonder what he thinks of what has become of both grading companies he helped found. Maybe I’m projecting, but it has to hurt on some level(?).
1 Like
I think he’s been asked that question since leaving CBCS. He’s done interviews which should be available on YouTube. I know he’s one to be careful with his choice of words as to not burn bridges and generally be positive about the grading business as a whole…so not sure you’d get a candid answer if asked directly anyway.
2 Likes
Older cgc slab. THis could totally grade a 9.8 now. Maybe 9.9.
CPR that sucker!!
For those Skottie Young fans out there, he is having a sale of leftovers/2nds/less than 9.8 sale on his site this Wednesday:
4 Likes
Wow. Whoever sold that through MCS will be pissed.
1 Like