First try at ordering comics online. It took about five days to get here, but it could have taken four if they had not shipped it to the wrong zipcode. That was the least of my worries since opening the package to discover that they sent me the wrong comic. I had ordered a signed Alex Ross copy of Avengers Invaders #4 sketch variant, but just received the variant without the signature! I'm debating if I should order online again. To me it seems kind of sketchy, I think they were trying to pull a fast one on me. I paid $26 for it too. The non-signed copy is selling for $13. I emailed the online store stating the error made in shipment, but have not heard a reply back. I will update the status.
I too just placed my first order from an online shop (MyComicShop.com) and 3 of my books had problems.
2 of them claimed to be NM, but either had color lift or were dirty, and the 3rd I ordered the 2nd Printing of a comic, but they sent me a first print in a bag marked second print.
They gave me a credit, although I should have just asked for the money back on them as I am unsure if I will order from them again (would have to wait until I get over $50 for free shipping).
Hello Ken.
Thank you for contacting us.
Please accept our apologies for the mix up. We'll send out the correct item as soon as possible, and you may keep the original item, free of charge, as our way of making amends for our error.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.
Thank you kindly,
Midtown Comics
What happens is that the guys packing the shipments from a printout of the orderlist don't always know their way around all the variants. They probably didn't know they sent you the wrong one.
I did have the same experience dough boy had with mycomicshop.com. I ordered a whole bunch of comics with them online and about 20 of the 100 comics I ordered were lower grades than advertised on the site. Particularly the NM's. They were more like VF or VF but certainly not NM. 2nd hand comics sold as NM.
But normaly stores like Midtowncomics.com or grahamcrackers.com or fantasticrealm.com do fine. They're friendly and the comics are NM if advertised as such. So I think you had bad luck.