Another EBAY is idiotic thread
 

I have about had it with EBAY with the Authenticity program.

I have sold 11 cards that fell under this umbrella and now have three items with issues.

The first card under this program couldn't bless the card but was still shipped to the buyer, who had no issue with the card. He assumed the people involved in the authentication process are stupid.

The second issue was a card was somehow destroyed during the Authentication process. The buyer was refunded and was told the problem was not my fault and I did not suffer monetarily but how was a card destroyed?

Today a card I submitted to SGC, stored and shipped in a graded card sleeve was stated by the Authenticity program as scratches and failed Authentication and being returned to me.

Nearly 30% of cards I shipped under this program had issues, none of which is my fault. Has anyone else experienced such?

I have also listed other cards from $450 to $1200 that did not fall under the EBAY Authenticity program. I sold a handful of cards at $450 and more that I shipped direct to the buyer with no issues and received positive feedback.

I can not detect a reason for this in my listings. Any insights on that? When I received the rejected card back and the case is damaged by the Authenticators I may be done with EBAY, atleast with expensive cards unless I can figure out why some of my more expensive listings are getting around the EBAY Authenticity program

I can't speak to your specifics but on balance I believe it is a fairly valuable service. I have had no issues buying or selling -- maybe 25 total transactions, so far. I'd like to think it has saved many from scams in both directions.

The only "loop hole" in the system I've seen is that if a buyer uses a P.O. box, the process is circumvented. I have no answer why.

Scott

That is it. All of the more expensive items that did not go through the program was shipped to a PO Box. I need to require buyers of more expensive cards to have PO Boxes to ship to for now on.:)

Really? I use a PO Box and haven't had anything circumvent authenticity yet.

I bought a really low pop, SGC graded Carolina Bright last year for a great ‘buy it now’ price. The ‘authenticator’ lost it...that’s right...they completely misplaced the the card. I was refunded the money, but the whole process is ridiculous. The cynic in me can’t help but keep an eye out for it to resurface some day.

Sonny Tutor

Post a link to auctions so we can see whats up.


With all your issues, you never lost money. Seems to be working to me.

You're not alone in your frustrations with eBay, and particularly with their AG program, although I haven't joined the club just yet.

From personal experience, I've never had a problem with it, at least not one that vexed me greatly.

About the only time it has ever even come into play was one time when a SGC slab had separated, but had not damaged the card. The authenticator got it, let me know that the slab had separated, and gave me the option to either accept it with a separated slab, or to reject it for a refund.

Every other time, everything has sailed right on through.

That really sucks!
.

I have only had a handful of transactions in the last year and have had no issues. I think it is helpful for the less experienced buyer and probably gives them comfort in purchases they might not have made otherwise.

It also makes me as a seller feel safe selling more expensive items. No more BS returns or the partial refund scam that is very popular.

I give the program a big two thumbs up.:)

Sorry to hear, OP. I have not had anything for through the process, but from what I've heard, I would prefer to avoid it as both buyer and seller.

The authenticator for graded cards is PSA. They are moving something like a million cards per month through their facility so if your card is the only one that got lost, it is literally a one-in-a-million occurrence. Of course, if somebody at PSA is snatching cards that is a big issue.

As a buyer I have had 3 cards go through the authenticating program and all 3 took between 1-2 months to arrive. As I travel alot, I have stopped buying cards off of Ebay due to the uncertainty on when the card will arrive, plus the requirement that it needs to be signed for when USPS delivers it. Ive resorted for the time being to just buy any cards in person now.

1-2 months? Yikes...the few I've bought this way have added maybe a week to the process, and I found THAT annoying.

I just keep telling myself...."that time between when you buy the card and receive it is a time of such anticipation and excitement...now I get to experience that for twice as long! " :D

I've had 6 or 7 purchases get authenticated (combination of raw and graded) with no problems and no significant delays. I'm not sure if I've been lucky or others have been unlucky, but 1-2 months seems very unlucky. From the tracking, was the delay in delivery to the authenticator, the authentication itself or delivery from the authenticator? For me, the authentication has never taken more than 2 days.

I think what he is saying is that they sat at the post office for a month or two waiting for him to come in and sign for them.

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I think you’re exaggerating.

Am I the only one that thinks if a card gets "lost", perhaps it was purchased at below market and some nefarious "authenticator" along the way decided they would "buy it" for the price paid?

Yes, Bob. EBay and PSA are in cahoots to steal your cards. Better keep an eye on them.

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