Auction Scans/Descriptions Expectation vs Reality

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

The bottom line for many consigners and future consigners is how much money an auction house can make for them on said card. Scans they could care less they just want the biggest check possible so they kiss their ring turn a blind eye to certain behaviors, etc. because they think they’re gonna need them sometime down the road for their stuff when they sell. They are just playing the long game because it’s not about the cards it’s how much money they're gonna want the house to bring for them down the road utilizing their platform.
When there is money involved and big money involved, many things are tied in as part of the deal. Just keep your head down and keep moving. It’s just the way it is. It’s all about the most money possible.

I am genuinely curious and do not mean this as a slight or a challenge, so please take it as my trying to understand your perspective, because that is what it is: as negatively as you seem to view most of the card collecting world and its participants, why do you continue to participate? I ask because my way of looking at my card collecting is that when it becomes more negative than positive for me, I will stop and find something else to do for fun. I am pretty cynical and snarky by nature but overall I enjoy this thing of ours a lot, and when I read your posts I wonder if you enjoy it at all.

[Stonepony]

I personally do not trust Goldin’s scans of lower graded cards. I’ve been burned before. I would never bid on one unless I researched the card and found other images I felt I could trust. Furthermore, I’ve contacted them about low grade cards inquiring into the details of the condition… they sent me a form letter referral to PSA grading standards and said they couldn’t comment further.
Call REA or LOTG and you’ll get a 10 minute conversation about the card, it’s history and it’s condition.

[Peter_Spaeth]

There can't be many lines of business where there is so little incentive to provide great customer service. Imagine calling a car dealer with questions about a new model and being told to go read the company's manual. But it seems like here, people know the stuff will sell anyway.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

There can't be many lines of business where there is so little incentive to provide great customer service. Imagine calling a car dealer with questions about a new model and being told to go read the company's manual. But it seems like here, people know the stuff will sell anyway.

Funny you should mention car dealers. My experience has been that I usually know more than the sales agent, and will have to correct their misconceptions about details of the cars. Plus they’ve been incredibly slow to actually help me, sometimes wasting hours of my time just ignoring me while I was trying to close a deal. And on one occasion, I had one rep accuse me of not caring about my car because I declined to buy their silly extended warranty and service plan. Needless to say, when I got the survey asking about my experience, I let them have it. And they responded and were very contrite.

I suspect the biggest issue for them is they have a lot of turnover, and a lot of different models, so the salespeople struggle to keep up with the details. As to why they ignored me for so long, I suspect sometimes it was a negotiating tactic, and sometimes they just couldn’t find someone who actually had the answer to my question.

So they may not be the best counterpoint and example of stellar service and attention to the customer, at least in my experience.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by raulus

Funny you should mention car dealers. My experience has been that I usually know more than the sales agent, and will have to correct their misconceptions about details of the cars. Plus they’ve been incredibly slow to actually help me, sometimes wasting hours of my time just ignoring me while I was trying to close a deal. And on one occasion, I had one rep accuse me of not caring about my car because I declined to buy their silly extended warranty and service plan. Needless to say, when I got the survey asking about my experience, I let them have it. And they responded and were very contrite.

I suspect the biggest issue for them is they have a lot of turnover, and a lot of different models, so the salespeople struggle to keep up with the details. As to why they ignored me for so long, I suspect sometimes it was a negotiating tactic, and sometimes they just couldn’t find someone who actually had the answer to my question.

So they may not be the best counterpoint and example of stellar service and attention to the customer, at least in my experience.

I must have a good car dealer, they're always responsive.

[MikeGarcia]

.." I am pretty cynical and snarky by nature but overall I enjoy this thing of ours a lot "

.Ese ' cosa nostra ' is a copyrighted trademark , owned by several famiglia located in Palermo.

Luca Brazzi sleeps with the fishes. Have someone else start your car for a cuppla days , eh .

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I must have a good car dealer, they're always responsive.

Could also just be small sample size. I’ve purchased a grand total of 3 new cars in my lifetime, and worked with 5 dealerships on those purchases. 2 of them were semi-okay and mostly responsive. The other 3 were great examples of how not to treat your customers.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by raulus

Funny you should mention car dealers. My experience has been that I usually know more than the sales agent, and will have to correct their misconceptions about details of the cars. Plus they’ve been incredibly slow to actually help me, sometimes wasting hours of my time just ignoring me while I was trying to close a deal. And on one occasion, I had one rep accuse me of not caring about my car because I declined to buy their silly extended warranty and service plan. Needless to say, when I got the survey asking about my experience, I let them have it. And they responded and were very contrite.

I suspect the biggest issue for them is they have a lot of turnover, and a lot of different models, so the salespeople struggle to keep up with the details. As to why they ignored me for so long, I suspect sometimes it was a negotiating tactic, and sometimes they just couldn’t find someone who actually had the answer to my question.

So they may not be the best counterpoint and example of stellar service and attention to the customer, at least in my experience.

I'd have told the sales person that perhaps I don't need the car if he feels it's going to crap out and require an extended warranty and service plan.

There have been a few times when the picture in the item description didn't match the card(s) received because of scanning manipulation or just poor scanning. After those incidents, I was just very hesitant to bid in those auctions. Only once did I return a card because it was creased and the item description didn't mention it (it was a raw card). The AH took the card back and sold it in the next auction (with a better description and picture of the card).

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

I personally do not trust Goldin’s scans of lower graded cards. I’ve been burned before. I would never bid on one unless I researched the card and found other images I felt I could trust. Furthermore, I’ve contacted them about low grade cards inquiring into the details of the condition… they sent me a form letter referral to PSA grading standards and said they couldn’t comment further.
Call REA or LOTG and you’ll get a 10 minute conversation about the card, it’s history and it’s condition.

+1 Dave, I'm not a big time collector and collect what appeals to me when I can afford it, I won't deal with an AH that gives me negative energy, there are way too many options including the two you mentioned that have amazing offerings and I am happy to spend my budget with them instead. You can always find fantastic cards to buy with people who are positive and and a joy to deal with.

I don't need any cards that bad (well, maybe one or two) but outside of that...

I find enjoyment with the people I meet in this hobby and will only hang around folks who I have positive interactions with. Life is stressful enough, collecting baseball cards should be a stress reliever not a stress multiplier.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I am genuinely curious and do not mean this as a slight or a challenge, so please take it as my trying to understand your perspective, because that is what it is: as negatively as you seem to view most of the card collecting world and its participants, why do you continue to participate? I ask because my way of looking at my card collecting is that when it becomes more negative than positive for me, I will stop and find something else to do for fun. I am pretty cynical and snarky by nature but overall I enjoy this thing of ours a lot, and when I read your posts I wonder if you enjoy it at all.

I enjoy it as well the cards are great along with many of the people. I don't mind the negativity, it's part of the industry.

[Yoda]

Although it may be axiomatic, I believe that high net worth individuals who drop a lot of coin in an AH auctions, will receive more attention, even if questioning a low value item.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

I enjoy it as well the cards are great along with many of the people. I don't mind the negativity, it's part of the industry.

Seems a lot of the negativity isn't even aimed at the people doing the alleged bad stuff most times, but it's aimed at people who enjoy the hobby despite all it's quirks and weird characters. Like what's wrong with you people who are having a good time and aren't outraged about what I'm outraged about.

There are people very invested in the hobby being what it was when we were 10 years old. People putting cards in the spokes of their bikes, carrying a stack of cards in their front pocket with a rubber band, and flipping cards with their friends in the schoolyard. I get it. Nostalgia has a strong pull on a lot of people.