Issue with PSA

[ljandkg]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

I thought the whole idea of the upcharge was to cover PSA's guarantee. They aren't guaranteeing a raw card or the price of a raw card. They are guaranteeing that a PSA 10 is an authentic PSA 10. If the original submitter is a collector (no interest in selling) the guarantee is useless. But once the card enters the secondary market in a PSA holder, PSA is on the hook to cover the cost of the new purchase price (as I understand it, I also have no experience with their processes so please correct me).

Wouldn't that be factored in to the original cost?
And also they'd guarantee the cheap and the expensive right? So why upcharge?

[duron]

Originally Posted by 2010GBPackers

Oh, no doubt there are other reasons they don't take the time to post on BO anymore. The vitriol here doesn't help, though. Most guys have moved on to IG, but trust me, everyone who's been in the hobby long enough is still around here and comes in to tap the wealth of knowledge and check in on the direction of true collectors on a regular basis.

Yea I know for a fact that they still lurk, it's just kind of ridiculous that very "vitriol" is often cited for not posting anymore.
I really don't think that or even the flourishing of Instagram were prime motivators to leave. They make for great scapegoats, though.

[Duvalier]

Nat...you there?

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Nat...you there?

He is busy on a phone call with Marx cards

[Zedlaw]

Originally Posted by ljandkg

Wouldn't that be factored in to the original cost?
And also they'd guarantee the cheap and the expensive right? So why upcharge?

It’s factored in by price tiers. Sometimes a PSA10 is in a different tier than a 9, hence the upcharge. It would get kind of crazy if you could submit a card to be graded up to a certain grade. Say I love this Iverson card I’ve had forever, now I want it graded and authenticated. I have no plans to sell so I don’t really want a high grade but an authentic label just looks tacky. Can I ask for an up to 9 grade or up to 8 grade. Even if the card would grade out as a 10, I just want the guarantee that it’s at least an 8 to avoid an unnecessary upcharge.

[ljandkg]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

It’s factored in by price tiers. Sometimes a PSA10 is in a different tier than a 9, hence the upcharge. It would get kind of crazy if you could submit a card to be graded up to a certain grade. Say I love this Iverson card I’ve had forever, now I want it graded and authenticated. I have no plans to sell so I don’t really want a high grade but an authentic label just looks tacky. Can I ask for an up to 9 grade or up to 8 grade. Even if the card would grade out as a 10, I just want the guarantee that it’s at least an 8 to avoid an unnecessary upcharge.

They upcharge to get a bite of the pie, let's be honest. If you have a $3000 card and then it is graded PSA10 all of a sudden it may be worth 15k...

They want a piece of that.

[ninjacookies]

'bUt ShiPpInG InSuRaNcE Is ReAlLy XpEnSiVe...'

[Rickey]

but when a card gets lost or stolen in the mail, they refuse to pay a fair price. the ca attorney general needs to investigate this co.

[Mahomescards777]

Is it worth grading for 50$ or just wait

[Donkaylove]

class action or other. The company has a sole responsibility of non-subjective grading of an item, value has no bearing on this service that was paid for up front for the plastic/judgement.

[cms11]

Card buyers shouldn't have turned PSA into a monopoly. Just sayin'.

[I only pull for]

Not only has Nat turned PSA into a bigger greedier mess, but he has also helped eBay screw its users with his assistance in the "authenticity program".

It makes one wonder, though, - if PSA is taking this opportunity to use it's genamint technology on every slab that comes through the door with eBay's authenticity program? Is this a possible data grab at the expense of eBay members?

Isn't it amazing how PSA has time to offer this service without having any affordable service available for a year due to its backlog? I guess up-charging every order that you can will make up for a lot of that lost income...

You're the hero Blowout wanted, Nat! So thank you for your hard work!!!

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by I only pull for

You're the hero Blowout wanted, Nat! So thank you for your hard work!!!

Yeah, good looking out Nat...you're a real gem.

[Woodsy074]

Originally Posted by I only pull for

Not only has Nat turned PSA into a bigger greedier mess, but he has also helped eBay screw its users with his assistance in the "authenticity program".

It makes one wonder, though, - if PSA is taking this opportunity to use it's genamint technology on every slab that comes through the door with eBay's authenticity program? Is this a possible data grab at the expense of eBay members?

Isn't it amazing how PSA has time to offer this service without having any affordable service available for a year due to its backlog? I guess up-charging every order that you can will make up for a lot of that lost income...

You're the hero Blowout wanted, Nat! So thank you for your hard work!!!

Nat and the other investors purchased CU at the absolute peak of the market and paid a huge premium for the stock. Subsequently, they’ve invested even more in scaling up and other acquisitions (Genamint, Goldin, Cardladder). Things are materially different now than in 2021 so this move is to help diversify the revenue stream to help hit any sort of meaningful return when they sell or retake the company public in a few years to monetize the investment.

[I only pull for]

Originally Posted by Woodsy074

Nat and the other investors purchased CU at the absolute peak of the market and paid a huge premium for the stock. Subsequently, they’ve invested even more in scaling up and other acquisitions (Genamint, Goldin, Cardladder). Things are materially different now than in 2021 so this move is to help diversify the revenue stream to help hit any sort of meaningful return when they sell or retake the company public in a few years to monetize the investment.

Good for Nat. I'm glad we could all help make him richer and help him try to create a monopoly.

[AbraCalabro]

Originally Posted by I only pull for

Not only has Nat turned PSA into a bigger greedier mess, but he has also helped eBay screw its users with his assistance in the "authenticity program".

It makes one wonder, though, - if PSA is taking this opportunity to use it's genamint technology on every slab that comes through the door with eBay's authenticity program? Is this a possible data grab at the expense of eBay members?

Isn't it amazing how PSA has time to offer this service without having any affordable service available for a year due to its backlog? I guess up-charging every order that you can will make up for a lot of that lost income...

You're the hero Blowout wanted, Nat! So thank you for your hard work!!!

Wow - just looked this up. Graded stuff $750+ eligible at this time. Is there a way to opt out of this crap altogether?

[I only pull for]

Originally Posted by AbraCalabro

Wow - just looked this up. Graded stuff $750+ eligible at this time. Is there a way to opt out of this crap altogether?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. The only way to avoid it is to not sell anything graded for $750 or more, or anything raw for $250 or more.

[r338]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Yeah, good looking out Nat...you're a real gem.

Looking out for the little guy. Good to have a fellow collector who is trying to help the hobby.

[auburn35]

Originally Posted by Donkaylove

class action or other. The company has a sole responsibility of non-subjective grading of an item, value has no bearing on this service that was paid for up front for the plastic/judgement.

Not directly related to PSA but Collectors Universe was recently hit with a class action lawsuit related to their video game grading division (WATA).
Several of the complaints easily crossover into trading cards, so it will be interesting to follow along.

If anyone is would like to read about the case, here's a good summary.
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/...o-game-market/

[Woodsy074]

Originally Posted by auburn35

Not directly related to PSA but Collectors Universe was recently hit with a class action lawsuit related to their video game grading division (WATA).
Several of the complaints easily crossover into trading cards, so it will be interesting to follow along.

If anyone is would like to read about the case, here's a good summary.
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/...o-game-market/

Great read. So many conflicts of interest in this hobby is the main take away.

[jerryw]

Nat where you at? Not gonna defend your companies policy’s and be transparent. I mean if anyone at psa should be transparent it’s you buddy

[88horsepower]

Originally Posted by jerryw

Nat where you at? Not gonna defend your companies policy’s and be transparent. I mean if anyone at psa should be transparent it’s you buddy

My biggest beef with PSA is the potential lack of transparency. I've never seen so many experienced graders getting absolutely hammered with the grades they've gotten back in the last year. If they have changed their grading standards or their methods for grading, they certainly never publicized that. Those who sent in cards for grading over a year ago were expecting grading methods consistent with those that were used and publicized at the time of submission. That's fraud as far as I'm concerned.

It's bad enough for people to be waiting over a year to get grades back on their cards, but to then get them back with worthless grades based on some new technology that exceeds even what the human eye can detect with a loupe is a total slap in the face to collectors and a sure way to lose a loyal customer base.

If they aren't using some new technology to grade cards, then the people they've hired to grade cards seem to be doing a bang up job of destroying PSA's reputation. Registry collectors who want to work on sets can't pay the exorbitant fees PSA is charging to begin with, but to have to also deal with either new and excessive grading standards or horribly undertrained human graders only hired to rush the backlog out the door is again a slap in the face to customers.

[NeedChapmans]

My order has been in QA2 Check for 6 weeks now. LOL. I really appreciate the tremendous amount of time and detail PSA is using to inspect my already graded and just sitting there 88 card order.

I wonder what the record is for a QA2 stop.

[jetcollectibles]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

My order has been in QA2 Check for 6 weeks now. LOL. I really appreciate the tremendous amount of time and detail PSA is using to inspect my already graded and just sitting there 88 card order.

I wonder what the record is for a QA2 stop.

The funny thing is it probably won't do any good! I've had more cards returned with plastic shavings, cardboard pieces, and fingerprints on my cards the last few months than the year and a half prior combined! There has been a noticeable significant drop in quality control on my returns. I get they are trying to grade quickly and get them out, but man it's been frustrating. If you try to go through their CRC process to get it fixed, then that's roughly a month or more to get them corrected and back for something they screwed up in the first place.

[88horsepower]

Originally Posted by jetcollectibles

The funny thing is it probably won't do any good! I've had more cards returned with plastic shavings, cardboard pieces, and fingerprints on my cards the last few months than the year and a half prior combined! There has been a noticeable significant drop in quality control on my returns. I get they are trying to grade quickly and get them out, but man it's been frustrating. If you try to go through their CRC process to get it fixed, then that's roughly a month or more to get them corrected and back for something they screwed up in the first place.

I'm seeing this, as well. In fact, one member I've spoken to actually has photos of the raw cards they sent in prior to grading and has proof that they were not all returned to him in the same condition they were sent. I can't even imagine the nightmare he is going through trying to prove that the damage happened during the grading process. I'm also seeing people get cards back with huge corner dings - cards people are adamant they would never have sent in to begin with having such obvious damage, but have no way of proving they were sent in without the damage.