Couldn't PSA just let you "take a number"?

[kcroyalsfan8515]

Not a huge grader and i know im in the minority, part of the reason is how long it takes to get your cards back. Maybe this has been discussed or maybe im overlooking something but instead of shipping your cards to PSA and have them sit there for months before they even acknowledge that thay are there, couldn't u just fill out online submission... pay a holding fee... and then when its like within a month of your cards being graded and shipped back they could email u and THEN u ship it off? If it isn't in their possession when its your turn they either ship back or whatever. But that way u have your cards if u want to sell or if market changes or whatever, and they don't have millions of cards sitting around. Am i overlooking why this wouldn't work, or make sense more than the current structure?

[DevonMPalmer]

From a collector standpoint, I love this. From a business perspective, it won't ever happen. Customers are too ambivalent. It would represent huge risk to PSA. Just look at all the people who don't ship or pay quickly on eBay. The masses would absolutely leisurely tack on an extra day or two here and there, wrecking their system. Moreover, chargebacks could go through the roof.

I know PSA has its worshippers, but I doubt it matters with this idea. #@#@#@#@ happens all the time.

[kcroyalsfan8515]

From a collector standpoint, I love this. From a business perspective, it won't ever happen. Customers are too ambivalent. It would represent huge risk to PSA. Just look at all the people who don't ship or pay quickly on eBay. The masses would absolutely leisurely tack on an extra day or two here and there, wrecking their system. Moreover, chargebacks could go through the roof.

I know PSA has its worshippers, but I doubt it matters with this idea. #@#@#@#@ happens all the time.

Maybe.... But if it's on the collectors to get it there by a certain date and they don't... I mean it's on u and u are just out your 25 dollar "placeholder fee" or whatever you want to call it. Just seems way better than not having your cards for 9 months.

[Ebucs1604]

The wait is one reason I have never sent a card to be graded. Im just too impatient for that, but I like this idea however I think it would be too hard to implement in between the amount of work in communication alone and keeping track of what orders are next to be sent in.

[actionbryan]

That'd be cool. I also don't submit because I am impatient. Also, you are trusting that they give you them back, which obviously has not been an issue historically, but it is always a risk that is there.

[ThoseBackPages]

like the DMV? :D

[Nostalgia]

I recently made my first submission. I held off for a long time because I couldn't stand the thought of the long wait. Now that my cards are there I am at ease and actually feel good about sending them. I will send again.

[oddstuff]

Person A sends in 10 cards at the $50 level. Person B sends in same 10 cards at the $200 super express level...because he wants his cards back sooner so he can flip them at current market condition...which is why he is willing to pay for the higher service. Under OP suggested way of doing business, person A has a higher "number" and gets order looked at first, prior to person B who's paying for a higher service. Does that make sense? People need to understand it is not a first in, first served scenario. Yes, it doesn't seem "fair" that someone else who pays for a higher service gets to jump ahead in the line but that's why there are different service levels. If you want your cards back sooner, pay for the higher services. Also, the idea of allowing people to hold onto their cards until shortly before it's their turn to grade really screws with logistics. What if it's your turn finally to get your stuff graded...that you're finally at the head of the line...but then you get your cards back to PSA several days or a week after you should have turned in your package? Imagine that happening with multiple people. Your package finally gets there, do PSA put you at the head of the line, even though you missed "your turn" when it was time? That creates a lot of headaches on their end. And as mentioned by someone else, it does not make business sense to do it. By pulling your grading order because market conditions has changed means loss business on PSA's end. It's like people preselling unopen wax at a certain price...and then because market conditions change and the wax shoots up in price...so then the sellers cancel all their preorders. If you're going to play the grading game, you have to factor in future value into the whole scenario. It's no secret if you look at the grading thread how much lag time there is for each service level. People that submitted cards at the bulk service level back in June are finally getting their stuff back for example. If you do bulk now, you have to factor that into what cards you submit. If you don't like it, send it at a higher level.

[kcroyalsfan8515]

The wait is one reason I have never sent a card to be graded. Im just too impatient for that, but I like this idea however I think it would be too hard to implement in between the amount of work in communication alone and keeping track of what orders are next to be sent in.

I mean.. I won't pretend to know the logistics but seems like once it was set up it would be easy. All on the computer as far as it generates a date based on what submission u select and how many orders are in the system. They are doing that now but with a bunch of boxes of cards in inventory. Seems like a much better process all the way around.

[oddstuff]

I mean.. I won't pretend to know the logistics but seems like once it was set up it would be easy. All on the computer as far as it generates a date based on what submission u select and how many orders are in the system. They are doing that now but with a bunch of boxes of cards in inventory. Seems like a much better process all the way around.

Problem with that is that "date" is always changing depending on others' submissions and as each order is finally checked in by PSA staff. Some people don't realize how much volume PSA takes in each day...the number of packages that get send to PSA. That "date" is a constantly moving target.

[gmoney328]

I figure with the submission I will eventually send them (who knows when), I can wait. The vast majority are going to be pre-1966, and they've all spent 50 plus years NOT slabbed. What's a few more months really?

I get that it could be VERY frustrating for people trying to make a living selling these. The wait times seem excessive.

[ucLAkers]

like the DMV? :D


But slower....

https://media.giphy.com/media/3og0INAY5MLmEBubyU/giphy.gif

[Nostalgia]

What's your estimate of how many cards are currently at PSA?

[kcroyalsfan8515]

I just feel like it would be "better" than what they do now.... But really they have no reason to change... They are doing quite well.

[kcroyalsfan8515]

Also it wouldn't be any different than now from the collectors end.... U would just hold your cards longer and they would be scanned in when they arrive... Not weeks or sometimes months later. I'm just try to shorten the time you don't physically have your cards in hand.

[oddstuff]

What's your estimate of how many cards are currently at PSA?

Revealing that number won't serve their business well lol. Imagining you running a company and people want you to tell them how far behind are you in getting orders out...not a good marketing thing. They seem to be at least a month behind in "checking" in bulk service packages for whatever that is worth. Last year, PSA graded 2.5 million collectibles. In a given business day (22 business days on average in a month), that means PSA graded 9500+ items per day in 2019. It looks like they are on pace to have increase their volume by 20% in 2020...to 3 million items (11,300+ graded items per day). IF they are a month behind checking in stuff, it's possible they can have 250,000 items sitting in their vault waiting for check in. Just a wild guess.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Most everyone slabbing are flippers.

What would flippers do with a number...?

Yes, flip it for profit.

Too lazy to read yet another slabbing thread, perhaps someone already said this.

[ThoseBackPages]

Most everyone slabbing are flippers.

What would flippers do with a number...?

Yes, flip it for profit.

Too lazy to read yet another slabbing thread, perhaps someone already said this.

that is a great idea!

[KhalDrogo]

Most everyone slabbing are flippers.

What would flippers do with a number...?

Yes, flip it for profit.

Too lazy to read yet another slabbing thread, perhaps someone already said this.
I'd pay you to get a number for me, just to say I bought a spot in line from MTP!