SGC Response concerning new labels

[GregMitch34]

Leon, with respect, telling me "you failed to listen" is pretty impolite. Apparently that applies, I guess, to 4 out of 5 here. They did NOT offer any real explanation for the design choices, just the need to make some sort of changes. As others have shown, changes that reflected more of their current design, with all of the "lines" they want, could be made easily--contrary to what SGC clalms. They were free to choose any type face, keeping the green box and so forth. And the current label itself already has 4 lines of copy (and they've now deleted the bar code).

[Leon]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Leon, with respect, telling me "you failed to listen" is pretty impolite. Apparently that applies, I guess, to 4 out of 5 here. They did NOT offer any real explanation for the design choices, just the need to make some sort of changes. As others have shown, changes that reflected more of their current design, with all of the "lines" they want, could be made easily--contrary to what SGC clalms. They were free to choose any type face, keeping the green box and so forth. And the current label itself already has 4 lines of copy (and they've now deleted the bar code).

Greg, I was only giving my opinion just as you do..and had I wanted to include others in that opinion I would have done that too. SGC gave this explanation in the first post-

"Internally we needed a label
that could contain more information (we now have 4 lines of text area, instead of 3 lines). Having 4 lines of available space is necessary for our business going forward. Having a colored border would have made this difficult and cluttered."


Whether there are work-arounds, or other solutions is besides the point of this post, and then you said this.... many posts down-

" Their claim that "some people just don't like change" is, frankly, pretty offensive when they have offered no explanation of why these particular choices were made."

So that is why I said what I did. However, I could have been more tactful so for that, I apologize. I doubt I will post in this thread anymore but will relegate myself to the others concerning the same subject.

[pgellis]

Let me preface what I am about to say by saying that I only collect SGC graded cards. I love the look of their holder/flip. I love their grading and their customer service, etc., etc. I am a customer.

So here's the question we all want an answer to: WHY CHANGE?

I know what Sean said, but why make such a drastic change? Perhaps, perhaps they thought that if they made a dramatic change to the flip, that then collectors would send in their existing collection to be re-holdered so their existing collection would have uniformity going forward?

Just a thought, but maybe it is more about creating a new revenue stream?

I know most of us will say that they would never send in their existing cards for re-holdering, but as we have already seen, continuity is a very important issue to collectors.

Just a thought....

[2dueces]

Wow. All this because a company changed it's flip design? OCD really does go hand in hand with card collecting.

[bobbyw8469]

The slabs the cards are in are just as important as say, 1993 Sport Kings (or whatever particular set you are working on). Together, the cards and the holders compliment each other. And let's say you are not finished. Do you really want to have half the set in different looking holders? As silly as you think this dilema is, this is a very real problem for card collectors.

[JohnP0621]

Hate the New SGC Holder . Love the New Version of "Yesterday".

JP

[gregr2]

Maybe they should have made a contest for the flip design. They could have set requirements, i.e it must have 4 lines, include SGC, etc. and had folks submit designs. Then take the top 3 designs and let people vote on their website. Winning design gets 10 free grades.

[MVSNYC]

Originally Posted by gregr2

Maybe they should have made a contest for the flip design. They could have set requirements, i.e it must have 4 lines, include SGC, etc. and had folks submit designs. Then take the top 3 designs and let people vote on their website. Winning design gets 10 free grades.

Jeez, the last time little lines were in such high demand was 1978 at Studio 54, and i don't mean the lines at the door.

[2dueces]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

The slabs the cards are in are just as important as say, 1993 Sport Kings (or whatever particular set you are working on). Together, the cards and the holders compliment each other. And let's say you are not finished. Do you really want to have half the set in different looking holders? As silly as you think this dilema is, this is a very real problem for card collectors.

Bobby, As much as I respect your opinion this isn't a problem for card collectors. Seems to me it's a problem for flip collectors. I've been on this board 10 years and this thread is a close 2nd to the New York dinner thread in "does it really matter in the big picture?" points. Sorry, I don't see the big deal.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by 2dueces

Bobby, As much as I respect your opinion this isn't a problem for card collectors. Seems to me it's a problem for flip collectors. I've been on this board 10 years and this thread is a close 2nd to the New York dinner thread in "does it really matter in the big picture?" points. Sorry, I don't see the big deal.

I guess equate it to what would Jefferson Burdick do when we went to the New York museum of art and started cataloging his cards. Did he just randomly put them in books, or did he make sure everything was cataloged nice and neat? If you don't understand a card collector's wish to keep everything nice and orderly, then you don't understand all the full nuances of card collecting. And yes, there are different levels of card collecting. You can just buy cards and throw them in a shoebox and call yourself card collecting. You can also only buy PSA 8's and ignore anything high and anything lower. That is collecing too. But to dismiss the fact that a collector would want his labels to match is kinda short sighted on your part.

[2dueces]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I guess equate it to what would Jefferson Burdick do when we went to the New York museum of art and started cataloging his cards. Did he just randomly put them in books, or did he make sure everything was cataloged nice and neat? If you don't understand a card collector's wish to keep everything nice and orderly, then you don't understand all the full nuances of card collecting. And yes, there are different levels of card collecting. You can just buy cards and throw them in a shoebox and call yourself card collecting. You can also only buy PSA 8's and ignore anything high and anything lower. That is collecing too. But to dismiss the fact that a collector would want his labels to match is kinda short sighted on your part.

Sorry Bobby, I didn't realize the degree of the obsession. Actually I haven't been that obsessed about any thing since Farrah Fawcett's bathing suit poster came out.

Originally Posted by 2dueces

Bobby, As much as I respect your opinion this isn't a problem for card collectors. Seems to me it's a problem for flip collectors. I've been on this board 10 years and this thread is a close 2nd to the New York dinner thread in "does it really matter in the big picture?" points. Sorry, I don't see the big deal.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you do acknowledge you're in the minority though right?

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you do acknowledge you're in the minority though right?

If I'm in the minority, I am in good company with some of the greatest collectors in the game.

On a serious note, the only nuance I have is wanting all my cards in a set to match. I don't want to have them in all different slabs. I want them to all be graded by one company, and I want the "flip" to match. That's it. Like someone stated earlier, maybe SGC is hoping to get rush of collectors wanting to get stuff in the new label. I can promise, I am not the only collector who feels this way.

[2dueces]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you do acknowledge you're in the minority though right?

Let me understand this whole flip-flap because since I'm in the minority and not yet a physiatrist, I'm a little slow. The majority of the board has it's panties in a twist because of a tiny piece of paper in a flip that has no value. It protects the card that you bought to look at. You bought the card right? The card? Ok. So I was unaware that the majority of board members suffers from the same serious case of OCD that Sheldon has. I apologize for not being more sympathic. I think we have too many lawyers on the board and not enough Health professionals.

BTW. Above post is all in fun and meant to try to get a rise out of the majority. But I still say, Just let it go.

[philliesphan]

Originally Posted by 2dueces

Wow. All this because a company changed it's flip design? OCD really does go hand in hand with card collecting.

Pish.

SGC gets a big fat "F" for failing on branding and marketing. If they had a thoughtful approach as to how this would roll out to collectors, why they were making the change, and being proactive in communicating before the new flips were ready, collectors would not be responding like they have.

It's interesting (to me) that Leon is essentially being the spokesperson for SGC on many of these changes. SGC has the love of the pre-war collecting crowd. It would not have taken much to roll out these changes in an engaging way. The "surprise" factor on the announcement, along with the general lack of communication is what has largely pissed off this group of collectors, in my opinion.

m

[chernieto]

Originally Posted by philliesphan

Pish.

SGC gets a big fat "F" for failing on branding and marketing. If they had a thoughtful approach as to how this would roll out to collectors, why they were making the change, and being proactive in communicating before the new flips were ready, collectors would not be responding like they have.

It's interesting (to me) that Leon is essentially being the spokesperson for SGC on many of these changes. SGC has the love of the pre-war collecting crowd. It would not have taken much to roll out these changes in an engaging way. The "surprise" factor on the announcement, along with the general lack of communication is what has largely pissed off this group of collectors, in my opinion.

m

For the most part I agree on your take on SGC. but not Leon.
Leon is doing his best to represent the N54 crowd & his engagement in discussions with SGC may be a win win for members here & SGC .
if the poll here resembles other non N54 SGC's customers SGC would be making an error in their business model with a change most loyal customers don't like.
My fingers are crossed Leon's efforts on our behalf pay off.
I wish my emails to SGC received a response

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by 2dueces

Wow. All this because a company changed it's flip design? OCD really does go hand in hand with card collecting.

Yes - Pretty much stating the obvious there - OCD & Collecting should not require any type of excuse or explanation.

I would think , tho, that we would get more mileage if everyone would simply email Earl over at SGC. I have never known SGC to NOT listen to their customer base. I do like everything about the new flip - except for the sans Green Border. The very 1st photoshop design which incorporated the green border with the new flip looked absolutely fabulous to me and kept the SGC "look" intact. I would think this could easily be implemented on the SGC side.