New Ebay Authentication service

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I saw this being discussed on the Blowout forums but wanted to get the discussion going here.

Ebay appears to be offering a trading card authentication service for any card with a value of $750. Doesn't look like they actually grade it, just confirm it's authentic.

It appears the seller ships the card to eBay, they authenticate it, and then they ship it to the buyer.

Ineresting.

Here's the link:

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-...e-tradingcards

[butchie_t]

No way I trust eBay to do this. I have enough trust issues as it is now.

[Natswin2019]

Not sure how this will work in practice but I dont hate the idea. It seems like a smart move on Ebay's part. Plus they are using CCG and their affiliates to do the authenticating which also seems like a good idea on paper at least too me.

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Natswin2019

Not sure how this will work in practice but I dont hate the idea. It seems like a smart move on Ebay's part. Plus they are using CCG and their affiliates to do the authenticating which also seems like a good idea on paper at least too me.

VOLUME. PSA shut down for a year effectively based on submissions in one week. Not sure how any company can attempt to hire all the people needed to receive, unbox, log, message, authenticate, sleeve, box, ship, etc. This is a great idea, but will be terrible.

[egri]

They started something similar with watches a while back (I believe the threshold was $2,000).

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by swarmee

VOLUME. PSA shut down for a year effectively based on submissions in one week. Not sure how any company can attempt to hire all the people needed to receive, unbox, log, message, authenticate, sleeve, box, ship, etc. This is a great idea, but will be terrible.

yep, this is pretty much it

[chadeast]

Who is the authenticator? What if they say a card is real when it's actually a fake? Will the buyer then lose their ability to return it? I'm guessing they will, sure that's part of what Ebay is trying to clean up. This is fraught with problems, not to mention the inevitable backlog and delay. Perhaps the part I like the least is that some middle man (?) will be handling the card. No bueno.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I'm still trying to wade through the FAQ and figure out how it all works.

It says it's a free service to buyers, but I'm guessing the seller has to "opt in"? Not sure if that costs money? Also, out of curiosity, I started a test listing of an expensive trading card, and I DON'T see the option to offer this service on my listing...maybe they can only authenticate cards of certain sets? (my example was a w517 Ruth).

Also appears to ONLY be for raw cards. If it's graded, they won't "re-authenticate" it.

I wonder what the turnaround time is?

Very strange.

[Bigdaddy]

Very interesting. And it looks like this will happen to all cards over $750 automatically, without any buyer choice in the matter.

My son used to buy/sell sneakers several years ago and there were 'middle men' who performed this service for a fee. When he sold a pair online, he'd box them up and send them to a guy for a 'legit check'. There was a fee for this service (~$20 if I remember) and an additional shipping charge, but the guy would check to see that the sneakers matched the photos/description and that they were not counterfeit. Fake sneakers are a thing.

We'll see how this plays out and if it carries any weight after the initial sale. Interesting model, especially with it being done at no extra cost. Though somebody is paying.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

Very interesting. And it looks like this will happen to all cards over $750 automatically, without any buyer choice in the matter.

My son used to buy/sell sneakers several years ago and there were 'middle men' who performed this service for a fee. When he sold a pair online, he'd box them up and send them to a guy for a 'legit check'. There was a fee for this service (~$20 if I remember) and an additional shipping charge, but the guy would check to see that the sneakers matched the photos/description and that they were not counterfeit. Fake sneakers are a thing.

We'll see how this plays out and if it carries any weight after the initial sale. Interesting model, especially with it being done at no extra cost. Though somebody is paying.

eBay has been doing it with sneakers for a while. They recently bought the company that authenticated them for eBay. It is/was free for all sneakers $100 and over.

[BobC]

So I wonder what happens the first time someone buys one of these "authenticated" cards off Ebay, and they send it in to a TPG who comes back that it is fake?

You all know it is eventually going to happen.

And Ebay is only going to verify authenticity, right? So nothing about trimming, recoloring, removing creases, etc.?

[BobbyStrawberry]

From the seller perspective, this seems to me just another headache.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

From the seller perspective, this seems to me just another headache.

With sneakers the biggest problem is the extra time it takes to get your purchase. Can easily be a month from purchase date till you receive them.

On the flip side I have bought 2 pair of fake Nike off eBay before the change and now you see way less fakes listed.

[canjond]

Just read the blurb and it sounds like that if you have the option to use the service and chose not to and the seller has a no return policy, the policy will be enforced and you can't return a purchase. It also sounds like it will be free for a while (the description states "eBay covers all the costs associated with the authentication process for a limited time"), and then they will start charging. So, it sounds like you essentially will have to pay eBay to authenticate your card, or otherwise void the return.

[NYYFan63]

It’s sent to a 3rd party authenticator, not ebay. Same thing with watches as someone else mentioned above.


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[Popcorn]

They are doing this because they have a 3 day return policy for cards and a lot of people can’t tell if it’s fake without sending to psa ect.

Imo they should have a 3 day return for graded cards and a 30-90 day return for raw cards so folks can have them looked at to ensure it’s authentic.

[Exhibitman]

I guess you slab your expensive cards and sell the rest raw.

[jburl]

My experience with the new service. Bought this card on 1/30, shipped to authentication service on 1/31. Arrived at hub on 2/3, authenticated on 2/4, and in my hands on 2/7.

Card was presented in an ebay box with elastic straps. It was in a screwdown holder, which is how it was pictured in the original listing. It came in a bag, sealed with a tamper-evident seal, and a QR code that takes you to the listing.


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[Snowman]

Originally Posted by jburl

My experience with the new service. Bought this card on 1/30, shipped to authentication service on 1/31. Arrived at hub on 2/3, authenticated on 2/4, and in my hands on 2/7.

Card was presented in an ebay box with elastic straps. It was in a screwdown holder, which is how it was pictured in the original listing. It came in a bag, sealed with a tamper-evident seal, and a QR code that takes you to the listing.

Wait, so you mean someone on Blowhard was lying about their "$30k raw Griffey dangling from a piece of cardboard"? I'm shocked.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by Snowman

Wait, so you mean someone on Blowhard was lying about their "$30k raw Griffey dangling from a piece of cardboard"? I'm shocked.

It is like plane crashes. The press makes sure everyone hears about the plane that crashed and killed 250 people. However, not once do you hear them speak of the THOUSANDS of planes that landed safely that very same day, or any other day. I would guess the person on Blowhole is insignificant and wanted to get some attention by fanning the flames of mass hysteria.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by jburl

My experience with the new service. Bought this card on 1/30, shipped to authentication service on 1/31. Arrived at hub on 2/3, authenticated on 2/4, and in my hands on 2/7.

Card was presented in an ebay box with elastic straps. It was in a screwdown holder, which is how it was pictured in the original listing. It came in a bag, sealed with a tamper-evident seal, and a QR code that takes you to the listing.


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Isn't that actually a 1935 Diamond Stars Hank "Greenburg" (Greenberg) rather than a 1951 as ebay has indicated? Awesome card by the way. Been looking for one myself.

I guess ebay is just listing what the seller listed, which was 1951: https://www.ebay.com/itm/13400690492...p2047675.l2557

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Isn't that actually a 1935 Diamond Stars Hank "Greenburg" (Greenberg) rather than a 1951 as ebay has indicated?

Incorrect. It has been certified by eBay and CSG that it was printed in 1951.

Add: But that leads to an interesting question. Since it was described improperly, should they have returned it to the seller for a full refund of the buyer's purchase price?

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Incorrect. It has been certified by eBay and CSG that it was printed in 1951.

Add: But that leads to an interesting question. Since it was described improperly, should they have returned it to the seller for a full refund of the buyer's purchase price?

Sorry, but how does ebay/CSG know it was printed in 1951? It says the copyright is 1935 on the back of the card. Wasn't it just an incorrect description in the ebay listing that was then repeated during the Authentication process when they simply showed the original listing title?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Sorry, but how does ebay/CSG know it was printed in 1951? It says the copyright is 1935 on the back of the card. Wasn't it just an incorrect description in the ebay listing that was then repeated during the Authentication process when they simply showed the original listing title?

Your sarcasm detector isn't working.

[jburl]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

Isn't that actually a 1935 Diamond Stars Hank "Greenburg" (Greenberg) rather than a 1951 as ebay has indicated? Awesome card by the way. Been looking for one myself.

I guess ebay is just listing what the seller listed, which was 1951: https://www.ebay.com/itm/13400690492...p2047675.l2557

That's just the listing title, which is why i was able to get it for a dedent price. It does raise some questions, but I'm just thankful I got the card!



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[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by jburl

That's just the listing title, which is why i was able to get it for a dedent price. It does raise some questions, but I'm just thankful I got the card!
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Yeah, nice find! So its not like ebay is authenticating the listing description, which was incorrect, they are just saying the card itself is authentic.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by jburl

That's just the listing title, which is why i was able to get it for a dedent price. It does raise some questions, but I'm just thankful I got the card!



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I'm happy you got a fake 51'. That is retarded. it's clearly a fake 35. Fake.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

I'm happy you got a fake 51'. That is retarded. it's clearly a fake 35. Fake.

Are you claiming the Diamond Stars card is fake?

I'm not asking about it having been labeled with the wrong year. Clearly, the Diamond Stars set was not produced in 1951.

I'm asking if it's a counterfeit card. I was under the impression the card is genuine R327 Hank "Greenburg" (Greenberg).

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Originally Posted by jburl

My experience with the new service. Bought this card on 1/30, shipped to authentication service on 1/31. Arrived at hub on 2/3, authenticated on 2/4, and in my hands on 2/7.

Card was presented in an ebay box with elastic straps. It was in a screwdown holder, which is how it was pictured in the original listing. It came in a bag, sealed with a tamper-evident seal, and a QR code that takes you to the listing.

Wow, that's actually pretty cool. Maybe I'll wait a bit to pass judgment on this new service.

[tschock]

Doesn't this really beg the question of what is it ebay is authenticating? If it doesn't, it should. Ebay is just mimicking what was in the title, so what did they actually "authenticate"? I get that mistakes happen, but this isn't even close.

Originally Posted by jburl

My experience with the new service. Bought this card on 1/30, shipped to authentication service on 1/31. Arrived at hub on 2/3, authenticated on 2/4, and in my hands on 2/7.

Card was presented in an ebay box with elastic straps. It was in a screwdown holder, which is how it was pictured in the original listing. It came in a bag, sealed with a tamper-evident seal, and a QR code that takes you to the listing.


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[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by tschock

Doesn't this really beg the question of what is it ebay is authenticating? If it doesn't, it should. Ebay is just mimicking what was in the title, so what did they actually "authenticate"? I get that mistakes happen, but this isn't even close.

Exactly. Did the "authenticator" even look at the card? If CSG is the authenticator, this is a terrible look for them, too.

[D. Bergin]

I'm beyond annoyed that Ebay is doing this, but to be fair, I believe the spirit of the service is that they are authenticating that the card is actually what it is supposed to be. Pictures are there, we know what the card is SUPPOSED to be.

I don't think anybody wants Ebay/CSG to cancel the transaction and send the card back to the seller because there was a typo in the title/description.

Unless you want Ebay to start charging "research" fees like other "authentication" companies, I think they are fine to stick with the title given. No need to complicate things further. It doesn't add any value to the card, like a traditional TPG service would.

[jburl]

Originally Posted by tschock

Doesn't this really beg the question of what is it ebay is authenticating? If it doesn't, it should. Ebay is just mimicking what was in the title, so what did they actually "authenticate"? I get that mistakes happen, but this isn't even close.

From my perspective (as the person who bought the card), the authenticator didn't make a mistake. The person who listed the item title (which is the only thing that shows up on eBay) made an error. The "authenticator" verified that the card is, indeed, "authentic," meaning that it isn't a forgery. That's all I would expect out of the service, that I admittedly don't really want.

-Justin (Burl) Burleson

[Eric72]

The story nobody is discussing:

A card in a screwdown holder listed on eBay was actually authenitic.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Eric72

The story nobody is discussing:

A card in a screwdown holder listed on eBay was actually authentic.

Proof that miracles do happen.

[drcy]

It is an interesting (and odd) test case, with the seller saying it is from 1951. What happens if the seller instead said 1915 or 1885? The seller describes it as being 1951 four times, so it's questionable that it's a typo. It appears the seller may have really believed it is from 1951.

It appears the authenticator is identifying if the card is original or reprint, which is a reasonable and good service that I like. It also appears to be working under the assumption that "anyone who's a collector knows the Diamond Stars are from the 1930s, not the 1950s," which is largely but not entirely true. However, authentic means the item matches the description and "1951" is way off. Technically speaking, a reprint is authentic if it's described as a reprint.

It can be argued both ways, but I think authentication should correct such blatant description errors. A buyer may be a newbie who assumes that it's from 1951. It's also such an unusual, odd case that it may not be worth debating too much.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by jburl

From my perspective (as the person who bought the card), the authenticator didn't make a mistake. The person who listed the item title (which is the only thing that shows up on eBay) made an error. The "authenticator" verified that the card is, indeed, "authentic," meaning that it isn't a forgery. That's all I would expect out of the service, that I admittedly don't really want.

-Justin (Burl) Burleson

But then technically isn't the card "Not As Described" in the Ebay listing, and also not an authentic ""1951" Diamond Star card? I understand about a listing error/typo by the seller, but come on!!!!

And also, if you specifically bought the card raw so you could put it in a binder with the rest of set, how does that work with the screwdown holder and the guarantee seal/tape they put on the holder? So if you remove the card from the sealed holder the guarantee is gone? That really kind of sucks. But I guess for now it's no big deal as no one's paying for the authentication service..............yet!

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by BobC

...if you remove the card from the sealed holder the guarantee is gone? That really kind of sucks...

As far as I know, removing the card from its sealed holder would void any guarantee it might have had before removal. It's analogous to cracking a PSA/SGC card out of its case.

I mostly agree with this stance; however, I'm hopeful they'll make exceptions for cards sent (still sealed, of course) to third party graders.

Perhaps a cottage industry will spring forth wherein a bulk submitter will examine the eBay seal - before inspecting the card for authenticity - before removing the seal - before submitting the card to PSA. (nothing could possibly go wrong with that, right?)

[tschock]

Originally Posted by BobC

But I guess for now it's no big deal as no one's paying for the authentication service..............yet!

Yeah, and in looking at the packaging that was involved, I seriously doubt it's going to be free for long. Someone's going to have to pay somehow at some time.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by jburl

From my perspective (as the person who bought the card), the authenticator didn't make a mistake. The person who listed the item title (which is the only thing that shows up on eBay) made an error. The "authenticator" verified that the card is, indeed, "authentic," meaning that it isn't a forgery. That's all I would expect out of the service, that I admittedly don't really want.

-Justin (Burl) Burleson

As opposed to what? A forgery from the '1952' set? Seriously. How can they authenticate it is not a forgery if they can't even identify correctly what the non-forgery card is? It certainly isn't an "authentic 1951 Diamond Star".

Regardless, I am sincerely glad though that you were able to a good deal based off an inaccurate description. Since it's registered, I'm wondering what would happen with ebay if you tried to sell it as an authentic 1935 Diamond Star without voiding the seal.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by tschock

As opposed to what? A forgery from the '1952' set? Seriously. How can they authenticate it is not a forgery if they can't even identify correctly what the non-forgery card is? It certainly isn't an "authentic 1951 Diamond Star".

I cannot believe anyone is defending this. This is what eBay's "Director of Trading Cards " says about the service:

MEANS: If it doesn’t pass our authentication — which basically means the card that was actually shipped was not, in our authenticator’s opinion, the card that was listed — it gets returned to the seller, and it’s a done deal.

MEANS: We want buyers to get what they thought they were getting, we want sellers to feel confident that the buyer’s going to be happy with their purchase. At its simplest, it’s making sure that when someone buys a Kobe Bryant, they get a Kobe Bryant and they don’t accidentally get a LeBron. It prevents mistakes from happening, too, which are always frustrating.

So, let's see: The card shipped is not the card listed, and the buyer who thinks they're buying a 1951 card gets a 1935 card instead.

They can't even meet the most base level expectations of the service. What a joke.

Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/...914xlepioy0s5v

[Gorditadogg]

Well the process seems to be working so far.

I have mostly raw cards in my collection and I have hope now that I may be able to sell them someday without the time and cost of sending to a grading company first. Wouldn't that be nice.

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