BGS

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by GradingAnon

The rumor is there is going to be a new $9 option called “Beckett Select”. I posted about it before, but it got lost in the chaos of the sun grade changes fiasco. Surprised they haven’t announced it yet. Probably waiting for survey results to see if it’s something they actually want to announce instead of having to backtrack yet again.

This is a bad idea unless they make subgrades mandatory on their regular slabs and have their "Select" slabs have no subgrades.

This is very strange to me why they would do BCCG again. Regular, BVG, and Select just causes more issues with uniformity of a brand. People will assume Select cards are graded easier like BCCG. Right now, there is CSG for cheaper bulk grading.

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by discodanman45

This is a bad idea unless they make subgrades mandatory on their regular slabs and have their "Select" slabs have no subgrades.

This is very strange to me why they would do BCCG again. Regular, BVG, and Select just causes more issues with uniformity of a brand. People will assume Select cards are graded easier like BCCG. Right now, there is CSG for cheaper bulk grading.

Agree, if they are re-branding BCCG as Beckett Select, that seems like a bad idea. Also the survey question that references this program was very misleading.

"Would you be interested in grading your cards for just $9/card, but with no subgrades?"

Collectors that use the no-subgrade option will obviously prefer a lower price point but isn't this "Beckett Select" supposedly using completely different slabs and no internal sleeve? Does anyone happen to have a link to an image of this Beckett Select case?

Based on Beckett's complaints about their Gemrate numbers not being accurate (don't include their BCCG items), assuming these "Select" items make the population report, this seems like an attempt to inflate the numbers with a knockoff grading service.

[The_Reverend]

Originally Posted by auburn35

Agree, if they are re-branding BCCG as Beckett Select, that seems like a bad idea. Also the survey question that references this program was very misleading.

"Would you be interested in grading your cards for just $9/card, but with no subgrades?"

Collectors that use the no-subgrade option will obviously prefer a lower price point but isn't this "Beckett Select" supposedly using completely different slabs and no internal sleeve? Does anyone happen to have a link to an image of this Beckett Select case?

Based on Beckett's complaints about their Gemrate numbers not being accurate (don't include their BCCG items), assuming these "Select" items make the population report, this seems like an attempt to inflate the numbers with a knockoff grading service.

Beckett is trying to pull a fast one with that question. I said no! If I want sub-gradeless slabs I have 3 other companies that are good. Fix the CS, TAT and price for sub-grade submissions and leave the scale alone.

[oddstuff]

My answer to that $9 grading option is NO. Beckett...subgrades is the one thing that makes you stand out over the other companies. That is your BRAND identity. Increase your ability to grade more cards instead of trying to look for a cheap alternative to make more money with the same amount of resources. Invest in increasing volume and you will make more money that way.

[mrseanc1]

Originally Posted by The_Reverend

Beckett is trying to pull a fast one with that question. I said no! If I want sub-gradeless slabs I have 3 other companies that are good. Fix the CS, TAT and price for sub-grade submissions and leave the scale alone.

Floating new BCCG is the tell that management is disconnected from the customer base. This disconnect explains a lot about their inability to build enterprise value over the last few years. Where is the board of this company?

[f2tornado]

Originally Posted by mrseanc1

Floating new BCCG is the tell that management is disconnected from the customer base. This disconnect explains a lot about their inability to build enterprise value over the last few years. Where is the board of this company?

Lost for a long time. Hell, I got a pink slip about a decade ago and saw an ad that Beckett was hiring graders. I applied, talked up my hobby and grading experience, and never heard a word. Their leadership probably prefers automatons which is why they continue to suck.

[thenightman]

18.) What other feedback would you like to share with Beckett?

Again, better CS, better pricing. Do what your competition isn’t doing and be better at what they suck at. If you can’t do that then what are you even doing?

[The_Reverend]

Originally Posted by f2tornado

Lost for a long time. Hell, I got a pink slip about a decade ago and saw an ad that Beckett was hiring graders. I applied, talked up my hobby and grading experience, and never heard a word. Their leadership probably prefers automatons which is why they continue to suck.

Did not even know you were a former BECKETT grader. If CSG ever stop charging $5 for thick cards and $2 for autos. They would get more of my business. BECKETT is not even a shell of itself. They are lost and h shooting blanks. We all thought CSG/SGC would,be the companies that go under, but the way BECKETT is going in 5 years they might not be around.

[Brwdot]

Originally Posted by TBT

The thread is littered with explanations on why a minor update makes sense for BGS, but I’ve yet to see a single counter argument to those explanations that isn’t rooted in a logical fallacy. At present you’re digging in deep on the “bandwagon” fallacy, which started with your textbook suggestion that the idea is bad because the “majority” disagree with it (nevermind how dubious that claim is in itself). You then took it a step further by suggesting that BGS should not fix a product gap because their customers have not been begging them to do so, as if businesses succeed merely by giving people exactly what they say they want. You’ve no doubt read the famous Henry Ford quote on that.

Didn't you know the public sentiment of crybabies on Twitter and message boards is always spot on? They know what they want! They want their PSA 10 base cards! The hobby is going to the moon! BGS should've never changed labels.

But seriously, hedging against clowns like Khal and the general public who know nothing and all they do is throw stones is actually a really strong bet.

The 90% of the population who doesn't give two craps about anything but the bottom line will be all about the new BGS.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Brwdot

Didn't you know the public sentiment of crybabies on Twitter and message boards is always spot on? They know what they want! They want their PSA 10 base cards! The hobby is going to the moon! BGS should've never changed labels.

But seriously, hedging against clowns like Khal and the general public who know nothing and all they do is throw stones is actually a really strong bet.

The 90% of the population who doesn't give two craps about anything but the bottom line will be all about the new BGS.

How has the hedging against me worked since 2019?

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Brwdot

The 90% of the population who doesn't give two craps about anything but the bottom line will be all about the new BGS.

Whats your title at Beckett?

BGS has no idea what theyre doing.

Good luck with the new Beckett Select. Im sure it will be a hit!

[TBT]

Originally Posted by mc1

Whats your title at Beckett?

BGS has no idea what theyre doing.

Good luck with the new Beckett Select. Im sure it will be a hit!

I agree that BGS appears to have no idea what they’re doing. I can’t imagine anyone would argue against that point of view. Their lack of common-sense business instinct is astounding. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a company do the obviously wrong thing, or execute an idea carelessly, with such consistency as I’ve seen from BGS. It seems entirely obvious to me that the only reason they are still in business is because their actual product (a grading service that provides full condition transparency and an inner sleeve that protects the card inside the slab) is so obviously superior to PSA’s product (which does neither of the two aforementioned things) that many people still value the BGS product in spite of the fact that the business is run atrociously.

And it is because I believe BGS still has the obviously superior product that I think they would be wise to update their grading scale slightly, in the specific way I’ve outlined many times in this thread, despite how poorly they run their company. I think that if they update their scales/labels in the way that is most obvious, it will be most attractive to the greatest number of people, and will, in turn, help them greatly reduce most people’s need/desire to cross a high-end gem mint BGS card over to a PSA 10. The perception issue and resultant market value issue driving this crossover behaviour is the problem that they can solve with a very simple update. And the only reason they even have any license whatsoever to solve this problem at this point is because their product is functionally superior to PSA’s in the obvious ways mentioned above.

Whether or not one hates BGS or thinks they’re a terrible company is totally beside the point. Whether one believes BGS has the ability to execute a good idea, even if they have one, is also beside the point. We simply don’t know yet. I’m personally not holding my breath. But if they miraculously manage to do the right thing for once, they stand to benefit from it greatly. There’s really nothing more to say.

[collective]

Beckett is known for its cheap tendencies when it comes to employee compensation. Something that has to change if Beckett wants to be a serious contender in the long run. They certainly have other issues to resolve, but this is a key one to both attract and retain key talent.

[auburn35]

Enjoyed the filmed (live) survey walk-through and responses from a blowout member, so thought this was worth a share.

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by auburn35

Enjoyed the filmed (live) survey walk-through and responses from a blowout member, so thought this was worth a share.

Interesting video but I'm curious where he got his info on EnTrust Global being the holding company for Beckett. I found Global Growth Holdings is the company that owns Beckett Media Group, here's a screen cap from their site:



I haven't found evidence yet that EnTrust Global and Global Growth Holdings are the same or share an address or reference each other in any way. That's not to invalidate anything Short has commented on, but it's important to know who actually owns Beckett and what company is the one who is extracting money from it and leaving it a shell of its former self.

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by jplarson

Interesting video but I'm curious where he got his info on EnTrust Global being the holding company for Beckett. I found Global Growth Holdings is the company that owns Beckett Media Group, here's a screen cap from their site:



I haven't found evidence yet that EnTrust Global and Global Growth Holdings are the same or share an address or reference each other in any way. That's not to invalidate anything Short has commented on, but it's important to know who actually owns Beckett and what company is the one who is extracting money from it and leaving it a shell of its former self.

Like Beckett is attempting a rebranding, the parent company did the same, after the owner was sent to federal prison.

- Entrust Global Group is a subsidiary of North Carolina-based Global Growth LLC, an investment firm with over 8,500 employees and 100 business units in over a dozen countries. Global Growth was founded as Eli Global LLC by Greg Lindberg, who was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison last year for attempting to bribe a North Carolina insurance commissioner with campaign contributions in exchange for favorable treatment of his companies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by auburn35

Like Beckett is attempting a rebranding, the parent company did the same, after the owner was sent to federal prison.

- Entrust Global Group is a subsidiary of North Carolina-based Global Growth LLC, an investment firm with over 8,500 employees and 100 business units in over a dozen countries. Global Growth was founded as Eli Global LLC by Greg Lindberg, who was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison last year for attempting to bribe a North Carolina insurance commissioner with campaign contributions in exchange for favorable treatment of his companies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

1. Thank you for that info (is there a source for that by chance?).
2. RE: Lindberg - gross.
3. Low expectations for BGS. Until they are spun off and run by someone who actually cares, expect them to continue driving the brand into the ground extracting every last cent the LLC can get.

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by jplarson

1. Thank you for that info (is there a source for that by chance?).
2. RE: Lindberg - gross.
3. Low expectations for BGS. Until they are spun off and run by someone who actually cares, expect them to continue driving the brand into the ground extracting every last cent the LLC can get.

There's probably other articles that discuss the story but here's the WSJ article (behind a pay-wall) the info originated from.

Insurance Executive Greg Lindberg Sentenced to Seven Years and Three Months in Prison

[TheTCGenius]

New Game!

Is Beckett Grading Today: Y or N

[Jolten Joe]

Just got an email stating BGS offering Free Shipping on all Standard and Priority Grading orders this week only through Apr. 30th... Code " FREESHIP "

[The_Reverend]

Originally Posted by Jolten Joe

Just got an email stating BGS offering Free Shipping on all Standard and Priority Grading orders this week only through Apr. 30th... Code " FREESHIP "

I have some The Cup RPA’s I think I will send to them.

[auburn35]

This weeks episode of the Wax Museum Podcast, briefly discusses Kyle's selection to take part in a Beckett focus group, only to find out Beckett is requesting NDA's for the participants. Good listen, as always.

Beckett: we want the hobby's input, jut don't want anyone to talk about it.

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-s89d7-13f2101

[thenightman]

Originally Posted by auburn35

This weeks episode of the Wax Museum Podcast, briefly discusses Kyle's selection to take part in a Beckett focus group, only to find out Beckett is requesting NDA's for the participants. Good listen, as always.

Beckett: we want the hobby's input, jut don't want anyone to talk about it.

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-s89d7-13f2101

I don't blame them. They got roasted for announcing a change hobbyists didn't like. I doubt they want to get roasted again for merely suggesting one hobbyists don't like.

[rohara99]

NDA's for a discussion like he's talking about are fairly typical.

[auburn35]

Totally understand the need for NDA's, just thought with the prior failures, Beckett might do better requesting participants sign consent forms (make the process public), rather than another behind the scenes change.

Collectors will have differing opinions, no matter the outcome.

Different topic but this video suggests Beckett is once again, changing CEO's.
Another oops.