Rick Probstein 123 Auctions worst customer service EVER
 

LONG story short- I sent a box of mainly 1980's slabbed/raw cards and rack packs with an 89UD BBCE box to Rick Probstein back on May 22. Rick Probstein auctioned the high dollar cards after 3 weeks of holding and not acknowledging receipt or scheduled auction time. Once auction completed Rick quickly sent payment via pp and a listing of items sold. I asked Rick Probstein when the other items would be listed and he stated within the next week. On June 16 I began trying to contact Rick Probstein about other items status. Rick would not return phone calls, text, or emails. Finally around July 1 Rick Probstein stated he was "slammed" with business and should have my items listed shorly. Which my response was please return items unsold and I will pay shipping. Rick Probstein did not answer.

On Aug 11 I received a box from Rick Probstein in which the 89UD bbce box was demolished. He stated box was damaged on original arrival back in May. I stress no one ever contacted me about damage on shipment arrival nor mentioned anything about damage until he has kept the items for 3 months. This time lapse has barred my ability to file an insurance claim with USPS or my own insurance carrier. Rick was so kind to offer auctioning the damaged packs without consignment fee and felt the individual packs would sell for the box price. NO THANK YOU RICK PROBSTEIN!

I strongly recommend using an auction company that keeps you informed after they receive your product as much as they do when they want your business.

Kirk

Kirk in this environment, save yourself the heartburn, sell you items on your own :-) It should be no problem people are buying like I've never seen before.

I had a similar issue last year. I sent him a large group of raw cards. After weeks and weeks of no response he said they were too low value to auction. I was well aware that this might be the case so I asked that he ship them back which he did after several more weeks passed. When I finally received the package the cards were still in their holders but thrown back into the original shipping box unsecured and with no protective padding etc. He runs a terribly unprofessional operation. It’s quite laughable.

Adam Wanaselja

Additional text
 

That sucks.
I have had nothing but positive experiences consigning lower valued graded cards with him.

Are you sure it's the same box?

Oh no.:eek:
But that is a good question

Not easy to find info on how to even contact this guy for a consignment. I have 3 pretty cool 1/1s of a recent high end baseball set. Emailed him as this seems to be the sort of thing they do well. Asked him if by any chance I could just drive over and drop them off at an office. His mailing address is about a 9 minute drive from where I live. I could have ridden them over of my bike and gotten some exercise. Would save me the time and angst of dealing with USPS.

Crickets . . . . No response. Whatever. Plenty of other places to go, including listing them myself of course.

Lyndhurst, NJ is where they are now...moved out of Passaic...

Pales in comparison to this customer service:
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=285486

But really, this is kind of how they've always operated. As far as I've read, the only way to consign to Probstein is to have blind faith that it will all work out.

All this shitty AH customer service reminds me of the building boon in Seattle a couple years ago. Contractors were so busy that you would call them with a 6 figure project you wanted to do and they wouldn't even return your calls. Or worse yet they'd come out, give an astronomical FU money bid, you'd say "ok" and then they'd still ghost you. The market was so hot, they could afford to treat people like shit.

I have used probstein roughly a half a dozen times this last six months. All cards between $500 and $7k. No problems whatsoever. I sell below $500 on my own. Maybe he does discriminate between lower value and higher value. I don't know.Thomas Church

Awful
 

Sorry to read this Kirk. We should think twice before consigning to him in the future.

One issue I've had is that Rick's Company does not answer their phone. If you call during the day or at night it goes right to voicemail. Why have a phone if you don't answer it?

That's super frustrating.

I've had positive experiences consigning with them, though that obviously doesn't help resolve anything for your experience here.

Have you been talking to my wife? :)

Everyone commenting in this thread needs their full name in their post or you can edit your comment out. Read the rule at the top of every page in bold letters. Thanks

I have used Rick many times to sell. With maybe one or two exceptions, things have gone fine. My criticism is that you never know whether he has received your items, when they will be listed, etc. I have had to go into ebay, search for my items, and build a watch file so I could keep track of the status. If he simply acknowledged receipt of items with an estimated listing date, that would be very beneficial. He does quickly make payment to you for your proceeds.

I have won quite a few of his auctions, and his delivery has always been prompt and I have experienced no problems.

All in all, I would use his service again for the ""right" cards and value involved.

And yet some companies don't. Maybe if people would take their business where they are treated right, some less desirable companies wouldn't stay in business!!!

The less desirable(ethics wise) AHs seem to make WAY more money for most so they will sadly always get the majority of the business.

Then I don't want to hear people whine about shitty service and bad ethics.

I am a grumpy old man today!

Seriously there are plenty of guys and companies who do it right, it would go a long way to cleaning up the hobby if people had the courage of their convictions. Not to mention it would strengthen the prices realized by the honest companies, in all likelihood, if more good stuff went their way. If Brockelman or Sterling or one of the other good small houses got rewarded with the stuff CU got it would make a massive difference in the public perception and awareness oh those auctions, and the better prices would follow.

How about this? If you wouldn't buy from them, maybe selling with them is unethical!

I have been taking consignments for ebay since 1997. We run our auctions monthly. You material does not have to be high end, I am looking for single items or lots that should sell for $50 or more. Commission rates are very reasonable and I pay the ebay fees out of my commission. if you are looking for a seller, drop me a message through Net54, ebay or email.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/Sports-Mem-...inders&_sop=16

Probstein
 

Rick said he would call me today and discuss...not holding my breath

don't even get me started on Rick......

I had good experience with Rick, but this was around 7 or so years ago. Maybe things have changed?? Things happen when you get to be too big to handle. I have a feeling that is what happened here.

Here's my issues with him: for 4 months he has held my 2 cards + an unopened box hostage without ever updating me on why he never listed them nor there whereabouts now so I'm just assuming he's stealing them from me? Also, he listed a few hundred $$$ worth of my cards that I sent him to sell for me and he ended up sending the money to someone ELSE plus to make things worse he has made me wait while he "investigates" his mistake from over 3 months ago even though I already sent him my personal scans from the cards, some of which are serial #'d! If anyone is considering sending anything to him I'd strongly suggest staying as far away from him as possible

Probstein
 

Monday came and went. Rick Probstein did not call as promised. Every time Rick has stated he would do something he has failed. I sent him a text and tried calling but he would not answer.

I work in Lyndhurst, wonder where he is.
Last time I bought from him, the return address was a PO Box in Clifton.