SGC - New Pricing and Submission Policy

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Posted By: Anonymous

Hadn't seen anyone post on this yet. One of the reasons I use SGC (including what I think is their consistency, accuracy and good customer service) for a lot of my grading has been there low cost and ease of submissions. PSA's grading tiers are complicated enough to drive me nuts and I hate how you have to use different invoices (and additional S&H fees) for various cards. Looks like SGC is on a similar path:

http://www.sgccard.com/default.asp?PageID=46

Sorry for the vent but I just noticed this change on their website - see also the cards that require special inserts and need to be submitted on their Express service. I guess they need to do this from a business standpoint but I think they could have done without the multiple tiers for pre- and post- 1948. Hopefully they will not punish me to hard on my submission that I sent around the 15th of March.

Adam B.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I saw these new prices a week or so ago. The most annoying thing is having to pay more for a card that is valued more than $250. I don't get this at all. The same quality of service should be given no matter what the value of the card is. And it certianly shouldn't cost more to get a a more valuable card graded.

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: hrbaker

I have asked this question before as it related to PSA. Seems it is becoming an industry wide "standard" now. Was given some lame excuse by PSA that ultra rare/expense cards needed to be graded faster because the insurance was cheaper if they did not stay on site as long. Simply put, I believe it is a way for the grading companies to "participate" in the secondary market value of the card.

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Jay,

I think the reason you pay more for a $250+ card than a $10 isn't that the quality of service differs between the two. They both get graded properly.

What is different is that if something happens to the card, whether they lose it or drop it and ding a corner or whatever, they have a much greater liability with the $250 card. Specifically, they have $250 worth instead of $10.

-Ryan

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Posted By: jackgoodman

happened at their site? Does everyone keep a high res scan of cards they send for grading or ?

I've always wondered about this issue. Any opinions or facts?

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Posted By: barrysloate

I think there is some theory of economics at play here that states the more valuable the card, the more quickly the consumer would want it back, and the grading services recognize that. The submitter doesn't mind the grading service taking a month to grade his commons, but he probably wants his Cobbs and Mathewsons back as quickly as possible, and he's willing to pay a premium for the faster service.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Barry,
I see and recognize your point. But there is no choice left to the consumer who may not care if he/she waits.

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

I think it is actually simpler than the old system. We use the grading services for 2 purposes, to protect our cards and to hopefully get a high grade that we can resell the card at a nice profit. I see no problem with them getting a little extra, heck that is what we are mainly using them for, why can't they make money in the process.

I think $8 a common for 3 week turnaround and $10 for 2 week turnaround seems more than fair to me.

I have always been curious what you should be charged if you submit a card you feel is worth $300 as EX grade you feel it should have, and it comes back at a lower grade that drops the value below $250, do you get a refund?

Lee