SGC Up-charges

[jethrod3]

A third party grading company that is willing to charge a flat reasonable rate, regardless of card value, plus actual rates for insurance and shipping, will be able to build a grading site in almost every state because of demand, and still make money hand over first at every site they build. There would be zero bias, since there would be no incentive to charge more money if the grade is higher and no incentive to grade higher to make more money.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by jethrod3

A third party grading company that is willing to charge a flat reasonable rate, regardless of card value, plus actual rates for insurance and shipping, will be able to build a grading site in almost every state because of demand, and still make money hand over first at every site they build. There would be zero bias, since there would be no incentive to charge more money if the grade is higher and no incentive to grade higher to make more money.

Ah yes. You mean like Beckett? I hear they're crushing it!

[jethrod3]

I typically don't send in cards or any material for grading unless they are autographed, so I don't keep tabs on who is "crushing it" and who is not, and why, but wasn't that grading company also swamped during COVID and the increased interest in cards and memorabilia needing grading/authentication? It seems there is an upcharge at least for autographs at some of the third party graders grading autographs on the materials they will slab, but I can tell you that if there was a company that was reputable and charged a flat rate, I would be sending a lot more of my collectibles to that company.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by jethrod3

I typically don't send in cards or any material for grading unless they are autographed, so I don't keep tabs on who is "crushing it" and who is not, and why, but wasn't that grading company also swamped during COVID and the increased interest in cards and memorabilia needing grading/authentication? It seems there is an upcharge at least for autographs at some of the third party graders grading autographs on the materials they will slab, but I can tell you that if there was a company that was reputable and charged a flat rate, I would be sending a lot more of my collectibles to that company.

Beckett charges a flat rate. The only differences in pricing they offer are with respect to turnaround times, not valuations of the cards themselves.

The hobby has nearly abandoned them. Their slabs sell for much less than PSA and SGC, and the pop report data shows them getting less and less market share every month. They are now in 4th place and appear to be destined for extinction.