SGC Registry – Why isn’t there one?

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by ClementeFanOh

Since we are all guessing, here's a couple for your consideration:

1) The process of collating all past grades is a logistical nightmare.
Far too much buck, not enough bang.

2) Perhaps SGC is simply sticking with it's specialty- honoring their
service promises over something which, in some cases at least, is
little more than an ego massage for certain collectors.

Trent King

Meanwhile the registry is what has made PSA far and away the industry leader. Ask PSA if the buck was too much for the bang.

At this point I doubt SGC having a registry would help them with market share. I am not into registries.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Love them or hate them, there is no denying that with the set registry, a robust and user friendly pop report, prices realized, and more, PSA dwarfs S_C in terms of resources available to the collector. I don't know if the original intent of the set registry was just to provide a checklist type service or whether they had in mind all that it would become, but it was pure genius.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Love them or hate them, there is no denying that with the set registry, a robust and user friendly pop report, prices realized, and more, PSA dwarfs S_C in terms of resources available to the collector. I don't know if the original intent of the set registry was just to provide a checklist type service or whether they had in mind all that it would become, but it was pure genius.

PSA offers a lot in terms of extras...extra value...extra resources for the collector but grading costs extra, wait times are extra long and customer service is extra horrible.

SGC has a nicer holder, their customer service is terrific, the turnaround times are great and the lower cost in grading is a huge plus. An easy to use pop report would be nice but I do not care about a registry unless in some way it makes their cards more marketable.

With all the ways they outdo PSA none of it is worth it to me when they continue to grade excessively harsh especially when their cards almost always sell for less than same card in the same grade in a PSA holder.

The PSA Set Registry is what drives the graded card market. There is just no denying that. Unless someone comes up with a new twist on a set registry, the mere fact of having one might not have an impact on that grading company's business.

[Peter_Spaeth]

With a 20 year first mover advantage now, and countless collectors committed to it, the PSA set registry is so entrenched I don't think anyone would even care if a competitor came along.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

With a 20 year first mover advantage now, and countless collectors committed to it, the PSA set registry is so entrenched I don't think anyone would even care if a competitor came along.

I think that is right. It would be an inside appeal to a competitor's base but not make a dent in PSA's standing within the hobby.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

I think that is right. It would be an inside appeal to a competitor's base but not make a dent in PSA's standing within the hobby.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another registry, and might put SGC in a better position to capitalize if/when PSA stumbles.

In some ways, I like to think about the old monopoly that WordPerfect used to have in word processing software, with MS Word being little more than an afterthought. Most people were pretty locked into WordPerfect, enjoyed using it, memorized all of the silly function key shortcuts, etc. But eventually, WordPerfect began to stumble. Their product started losing functionality, and became riddled with bugs. Eventually, even the most die-hard supporters started to think it was time to consider an alternative.

Although they had to go kicking and screaming, in the end, even the biggest WordPerfect acolytes couldn't take it anymore, so WordPerfect died and MS Word conquered all. But if MS Word hadn't really made the effort to provide a solid product that could be a real alternative, then no one would have switched.

It usually takes some pretty big failures to get there. But the competition needs to have a compelling value proposition. Otherwise, no amount of failures by the market leader will really matter if the competition won't make the effort to really compete in all of the areas that the consumer values.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by raulus

It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another registry, and might put SGC in a better position to capitalize if/when PSA stumbles.

In some ways, I like to think about the old monopoly that WordPerfect used to have in word processing software, with MS Word being little more than an afterthought. Most people were pretty locked into WordPerfect, enjoyed using it, memorized all of the silly function key shortcuts, etc. But eventually, WordPerfect began to stumble. Their product started losing functionality, and became riddled with bugs. Eventually, even the most die-hard supporters started to think it was time to consider an alternative.

Although they had to go kicking and screaming, in the end, even the biggest WordPerfect acolytes couldn't take it anymore, so WordPerfect died and MS Word conquered all. But if MS Word hadn't really made the effort to provide a solid product that could be a real alternative, then no one would have switched.

It usually takes some pretty big failures to get there. But the competition needs to have a compelling value proposition. Otherwise, no amount of failures by the market leader will really matter if the competition won't make the effort to really compete in all of the areas that the consumer values.

Pretty much the exact same thing that happened to Lotus 1-2-3 after Excel came along.

And actually, on a certain level, Microsoft did sort of the same things that PSA's Registry did when they came up with their Microsoft Works bundle. At one time they offered it to all the different computer manufacturers who could have them pre-installed on computers they sold. People got so used to using Word and Excel that all the other similar software out there became pretty much abandoned by everyone. Just like the Registry sort of took over and placed PSA at the top of the TPG heap.

[BobC]

Isn't CSG supposed to have some kind of Registry in place, or working on one, as well? Obviously, they haven't been around and graded enough cards yet to make it more meaningful, and possibly allow them to be any competition to PSA's Registry, but if so, I guess they're working on it.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by raulus

It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another registry, and might put SGC in a better position to capitalize if/when PSA stumbles.

In some ways, I like to think about the old monopoly that WordPerfect used to have in word processing software, with MS Word being little more than an afterthought. Most people were pretty locked into WordPerfect, enjoyed using it, memorized all of the silly function key shortcuts, etc. But eventually, WordPerfect began to stumble. Their product started losing functionality, and became riddled with bugs. Eventually, even the most die-hard supporters started to think it was time to consider an alternative.

Although they had to go kicking and screaming, in the end, even the biggest WordPerfect acolytes couldn't take it anymore, so WordPerfect died and MS Word conquered all. But if MS Word hadn't really made the effort to provide a solid product that could be a real alternative, then no one would have switched.

It usually takes some pretty big failures to get there. But the competition needs to have a compelling value proposition. Otherwise, no amount of failures by the market leader will really matter if the competition won't make the effort to really compete in all of the areas that the consumer values.

Valid comments. PSA did have some epic fails recently but SGC did not seem to want to capitalize or think that they could. Maybe they are content being 2nd and are doing more than enough business. What we might want as end users might not mirror what management feels is warranted for one reason or another. Thinking about their not showing up to grade onsite at the National is one of those things.

Nothing would make me happier than for PSA to get some serious competition.

[ClementeFanOh]

To Lorewalker-

The post topic was an inquiry asking for opinions(!) on why SGC doesn't
make use of a set registry. I offered those opinions as part of the back and
forth on topic. I am not at all interested in "asking PSA if the buck was
worth the bang" for a number of reasons, most directly that I don't care
one bit about their registry. Perhaps you could do that for us and report
back in, say, a decade when you get a reply? While I did float an eye roll
toward a couple commenters' free PSA on behalf of PSA- see what I did
there?- it wasn't the point of the post.

Trent King

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by ClementeFanOh

To Lorewalker-

The post topic was an inquiry asking for opinions(!) on why SGC doesn't
make use of a set registry. I offered those opinions as part of the back and
forth on topic. I am not at all interested in "asking PSA if the buck was
worth the bang" for a number of reasons, most directly that I don't care
one bit about their registry. Perhaps you could do that for us and report
back in, say, a decade when you get a reply? While I did float an eye roll
toward a couple commenters' free PSA on behalf of PSA- see what I did
there?- it wasn't the point of the post.

Trent King

Just curious but are you usually a di(k or only all of the time?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

SGC their customer service is terrific

I would disagree this. When I can't call in with a question the customer service has a huge hole in it.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I would disagree this. When I can't call in with a question the customer service has a huge hole in it.

I 2nd this. Not being able to call in to ask basic questions is a huge misstep on their part. They used to have a customer service rep. Great guy. I wonder what happened?

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

They used to have a customer service rep. Great guy. I wonder what happened?

He works for REA now

[parkplace33]

Thanks for all the insight, some great information here.

What else was brought up was how the owner of PSA is everywhere, but you never hear from the owner of SCG. Forman I believe? I would love to ask this question of him.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I would disagree this. When I can't call in with a question the customer service has a huge hole in it.

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

I 2nd this. Not being able to call in to ask basic questions is a huge misstep on their part. They used to have a customer service rep. Great guy. I wonder what happened?

Call in? Ever try calling PSA? They intentionally limit the number of customer service reps to discourage people from trying to reach them about anything. That is one area they actively decided to not expand and maybe a thankless one but an easier position to fill in the scheme of things. It can take them up to a month to reply to an email.

I have never tried calling SGC but I have emailed them and someone always gets back to me the same day with an answer or if they do not have the answer they get it for me within 24 hours. I do not need communication via the phone as long as there is communication.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

Call in? Ever try calling PSA? They intentionally limit the number of customer service reps to discourage people from trying to reach them about anything. That is one area they actively decided to not expand and maybe a thankless one but an easier position to fill in the scheme of things. It can take them up to a month to reply to an email.

I have never tried calling SGC but I have emailed them and someone always gets back to me the same day with an answer or if they do not have the answer they get it for me within 24 hours. I do not need communication via the phone as long as there is communication.

At least you can call PSA. SGC doesn't even have a customer service number. Sorry. They are not the same.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

At least you can call PSA. SGC doesn't even have a customer service number. Sorry. They are not the same.

The phone call has largely been replaced by text and email.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

At least you can call PSA. SGC doesn't even have a customer service number. Sorry. They are not the same.

Sorry you feel that way but to me, if someone at SGC can effectively communicate with me in writing, even if it is by postcard, it is far better and faster than what PSA is able to do.

Will write this again...both companies are awful, presently, for similar and different reasons. Just pointing out that for me not having a phone number is the same as having one that really cannot be used to reach anyone with any consistency.