Greg Morris and grading companies

[parkplace33]

So from reading the responses, I guess GM does not have an affiliation with a grading card company.

That is strange to me , especially with all the recent buy outs. Maybe they will soon? or even start their own company?

[timn1]

*Edited to clarify that I have never done any business with Greg Morris either as buyer or consignor.*

Seems to me that gm does a lot of Topps era set breakups, and obviously most of those cards will be bought by other set collectors. Most set collectors, except for the registry types, don't want to have to mess with graded cards. Who wants to have to pay for and store 598 graded cards, most of which are worth less than the cost of grading?

So Morris has developed a sensible model where he tries to assign raw cards grades that will be generally accurate. Many people find them accurate enough that they buy from him repeatedly, therefore he is successful. It's not rocket science, just a sensible market niche and business model.

To the guy who said Morris is a joke: Like some others have said in this thread, I am amazed that any dealer would give a refund under the conditions you described (except the card that graded trimmed). And if I were that dealer and did give those refunds, you can bet that i would ban that customer from that point, as not worth the hassle. What you asked for, and your comment in this thread, were totally unreasonable. Guarantees of authenticity are fine, but if you want a guarantee that a card will achieve a certain number grade from a TPG, you have to buy it already slabbed in that grade!

[Flintboy]

Comical to see all these guys carrying the water for GMC on here.

[Kutcher55]

From what I see, a lot of the cards he grades NM/MT or better are not true 8+ cards. But most eBay sellers overrate the condition of raw cards. Some sellers overgrade to a point that is unethical. I wouldn’t put GMC in that category. As for deleting negative comments I wasn’t aware an eBay seller could do that. I never received a comment I felt like deleting though.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by timn1

*Edited to clarify that I have never done any business with Greg Morris either as buyer or consignor.*

Seems to me that gm does a lot of Topps era set breakups, and obviously most of those cards will be bought by other set collectors. Most set collectors, except for the registry types, don't want to have to mess with graded cards. Who wants to have to pay for and store 598 graded cards, most of which are worth less than the cost of grading?

So Morris has developed a sensible model where he tries to assign raw cards grades that will be generally accurate. Many people find them accurate enough that they buy from him repeatedly, therefore he is successful. It's not rocket science, just a sensible market niche and business model.

To the guy who said Morris is a joke: Like some others have said in this thread, I am amazed that any dealer would give a refund under the conditions you described (except the card that graded trimmed). And if I were that dealer and did give those refunds, you can bet that i would ban that customer from that point, as not worth the hassle. What you asked for, and your comment in this thread, were totally unreasonable. Guarantees of authenticity are fine, but if you want a guarantee that a card will achieve a certain number grade from a TPG, you have to buy it already slabbed in that grade!

GMC does well because buyers are looking to score on grading these raw cards and getting high grades. Its a gamble, maybe it is worth it to these buyers.

I see the same thing at card shows this year. Buyers looking to score off of raw buys. Dealers that have a ton of raw cards at cards shows do well.

But ask yourself this questions when you buy raw... if it is such a high grade card and raw, why is the dealer/GMC selling it this way? Why aren't they grading it?

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

GMC does well because buyers are looking to score on grading these raw cards and getting high grades. Its a gamble, maybe it is worth it to these buyers.

I see the same thing at card shows this year. Buyers looking to score off of raw buys. Dealers that have a ton of raw cards at cards shows do well.

But ask yourself this questions when you buy raw... if it is such a high grade card and raw, why is the dealer/GMC selling it this way? Why aren't they grading it?

Nail Hit on Head....Spot On. The dealers and Gm aren't grading because if they auction them off through ebay they know dummies will pay stupid numbers for them...why bother grading. Most of GM graded I would bet are purchased that way already graded or consignments.

This is why the grading companies love GM and raw dealers who have cards with nice eye appeal.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

This is why the grading companies love GM and raw dealers who have cards with nice eye appeal.

Well collectors certainly like dealers of raw cards with nice eye appeal. To many/most of us that's what collecting is all about. What a "grading" company thinks of our cards is irrelevant to us. It's whether a card meets our standards that's the key.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

GMC does well because buyers are looking to score on grading these raw cards and getting high grades. Its a gamble, maybe it is worth it to these buyers.

I see the same thing at card shows this year. Buyers looking to score off of raw buys. Dealers that have a ton of raw cards at cards shows do well.

But ask yourself this questions when you buy raw... if it is such a high grade card and raw, why is the dealer/GMC selling it this way? Why aren't they grading it?

Because grading is a huge pain, it's expensive, it's criminally inconsistent, it takes forever, and they are already getting great prices selling them raw. Why go through the hassle of grading when you're already realizing top-notch pricing?

Not everyone in the hobby is a slave to the TPGs.

[ALR-bishop]

I can only speak for myself. I am an ungraded set and variant card collector. If I do end up with a graded card I usually break it out. Some exceptions. I appreciate dependable ungraded card sellers like GM. And I seldom pay attention to how sellers describe a card as long as they provide a good scan and I believe them to be reputable.

[gregndodgers]

I have bought dozens of raw, vintage cards from GM. Generally, I'm happy with his service, but that's probably because I don't intend to get my vintage graded and never have. The reason he is so successful IMO is that he is not scamming like so many on Ebay who sell raw cards that have defects they don't tell you about. On the other hand, he is fairly generous with his grading criteria, like PSA used to be, and he has not changed with the times.