Quote:
Originally Posted by 53toppscollector
ebay's end game here is to obviously offer some kind of service where if you buy a card and it gets sent for authentication, you can just add on $20-25 to have it graded too.
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This has long-term potential. Ebay could negotiate a grading rate with the major TPGs. When purchasing any card that meets the dollar threshold amount, the buyer could have the option to have the card graded. The options would include the specific grading company and cost.
Once the buyer selects the option and chooses the grading company, the buyer immediately pays Ebay. Ebay obviously keeps a small fee for securing the service on the TPG's behalf, and then sends the remaining money to the TPG. The seller mails the card directly to the TPG.
The TPG then grades the card and sends it directly to the buyer. Ebay makes a small fee off of the TPG grading fee, because it has the card supply and helped secure the TPG's business.
The TPG makes money, because it now is potentially grading cards it otherwise wouldn't. I think a buyer is more likely to have a raw card graded if everything is done upfront, as opposed to receiving the card and then submitting it themselves to the TPG several months later.
The card's buyer benefits on two fronts. The first is the shipping. The seller is the one shipping to the TPG. Today, a buyer pays shipping to his house from the ebay, shipping to the grader, and then return shipping. Under my scenario, the buyer just pays shipping to and from the TPG with the seller being the one that actually sends it to the TPG. Plus, the buyer is ultimately getting a graded card back quicker than if he submitted it himself down the road.
I know there are a lot of other factors, but I think if done correctly everyone wins - Ebay, the TPGs, and the buyer.