Brandon Steiner hardly slept at all last night

[SikSyko]

Originally Posted by Leon

Thanks Chris. Here is the message I just sent them...


"Hi Ann
I run a forum of extremely avid collectors. We look out for the hobby a lot. I personally have helped the Secret Service, FBI, Postal Inspector and Dept. Of Homeland Security, over the last year in rooting out fraud. Unfortunately it seems Steiner is only out for the money. Here is a message you might pass on, if anyone caresﾅI cut and pasted it from my forum, and it is from Christopher Williams, who helps the hobby a ton.

"For years I tried to get Steiner Sports (Brandon Steiner) to help fight autograph fraud in the hobby. I must have emailed Steiner Sports over a dozen times about certain issues.

I remember two years ago I emailed Steiner Sports about a website that was selling over 100 Derek Jeter forgeries. The forgeries were the GAI (Steve Sipe) certed forgeries. There I as going out of my way to protect the interests of Steiner Sports and nothing, and now they want to advertise their over-priced items here!!!

I vote "No."

The heck with them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!








So with that being said I will respectfully decline working with Steiner until Steiner proves they help more than their pockets.
Thanks
leon"

Great response.

[khkco4bls]

Steiner all about the dollar. Everything overpriced. Greed by the tenth degree.

[Lordstan]

Leon,
I'd love to hear what their response is to your email.
Mark

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Lordstan

Leon,
I'd love to hear what their response is to your email.
Mark

It is a polite and professional response.-


Hi Leon,


I can definitely appreciate your interest in and protection of collecting. As one who works in the signed memorabilia world, I have aligned myself with a business that I believe has the highest level of integrity.


I cannot speak to Christopher Williams' experience because I don't have all the facts. The only facts I do have are what I see day to day at Steiner. I see the handling of our athletes, their signing process, and the meticulous treatment of items once signed. I see the double authentication that rigorously goes into place for each piece of game-used memorabilia. And I see a business whose focus is on keeping their offerings fully authenticated, often at greatly inflated expense.


We are a business, that is true, so making money is how we continue on. I hope you'll consider this and decide to join us. But, if not, I do understand that you're in a unique position and coming at this decision from a very passionate place and you have my respect.

Thanks,
Ann




.

[Lordstan]

That is a very professional response. Of course, I know there are many who have had a very different and decidedly not "meticulous" experience sending things into Steiner for private/public signings. I never had an issue, but I know others have.

I see in her quote "And I see a business whose focus is on keeping their offerings fully authenticated, often at greatly inflated expense," she forgot to add "at a greatly inflated price" to the end of the sentence.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Lordstan

.....
I see in her quote "And I see a business whose focus is on keeping their offerings fully authenticated, often at greatly inflated expense," she forgot to add "at a greatly inflated price" to the end of the sentence.

From everything I have read I immediately thought that too....but she did give a very good answer to a somewhat pointed rejection. I sort of felt bad when I read her response......

[Lordstan]

Originally Posted by Leon

From everything I have read I immediately thought that too....but she did give a very good answer to a somewhat pointed rejection. I sort of felt bad when I read her response......

I felt the same way reading it. At the same time what else could she really say? FU? I'm sure she has no idea about the incident Chris is talking about. I wonder if anybody there would remember it. Not because Chris isn't known, but because they are so busy doing all the stuff she listed, who knows if they stop and pay attention to emails like his. She certainly wasn't going to tell the owner of Net54 to take a hike and subsequently piss off the membership, who might be future customers.
I am a capitalist so I don't begrudge making money, but unfortunately it seems as though they take advantage of the common person, who has no idea about the type of stuff they sell. They sell manufactured "collectibles" and get top dollar for them. Good for them. Unfortunately, when the unsuspecting buyer goes to sell it for top dollar, or at a minimum tries to get their money back, because it came from "Steiner," they are in for a rude awakening. I can't tell how many times I have seen Steiner stuff on ebay for less than half of it's original price.