Beckett 3 3

[namisgr]

2 minutes ago, 1950's war comics said:

pxg, voldy/beckett, vault and i think there are a couple more are completely invisible to me ,,, and i am for from alone

when i see one of their listings on CL eBay or anywhere i just shake my head  and realize that they whom submitted them to those companies where looking to their comic graded a couple grades higher than their comparable CGC counterpart and then hoping to command CGC money when selling it...

I guess you missed this from the post by a major dealer in slabbed comics:

I have gotten the same price for competitor copies when the book is accurately graded.  I have gotten crossover CGC grades from competitor books.

[1950's war comics]

i have witnessed first hand when a former employee/co business owner has a falling out with others and decides to leave that company and start up there very own in the same business , often times they try to pull existing customers away from their old old job and try to lure them away by bad mouthing and other tactics

i witnessed this first hand when a family run electical company, three generations strong was underminded by one son who felt he knew better and left to form his own company , it destroyed the family and caused both businesses to suffer severe financial hardship

[Domo Arigato]

Edited October 30, 2017 by Domo Arigato

[blazingbob]

19 minutes ago, 1950's war comics said:

i have witnessed first hand when a former employee/co business owner has a falling out with others and decides to leave that company and start up there very own in the same business , often times they try to pull existing customers away from their old old job and try to lure them away by bad mouthing and other tactics

i witnessed this first hand when a family run electical company, three generations strong was underminded by one son who felt he knew better and left to form his own company , it destroyed the family and caused both businesses to suffer severe financial hardship

Sometimes I wonder where people get this from.

I've been friends with Steve or almost 20 years.

Steve didn't leave because he knew better.  He went to work for Heritage before "other grading company" was started.  He wanted to be a part owner which is what the venture capitalist firm granted him.  

I have never had Steve bad mouth the competition to get me to get books graded and frankly I have NEVER shied away from being honest and direct with him or anybody else that worked for the company.  I have always been available to either of the grading companies when it comes to improvements,  grading issues,  the holders etc.  My belief is that the grading companies should help me sell the book,  not hinder it.  Loose grading,  lousy holders,  etc all make it harder for me to sell the book.  

CGC hasn't suffered from the competition.

 

Edited October 30, 2017 by blazingbob

[blazingbob]

1 hour ago, Jaydogrules said:

 

Don't give it a second thought. There are some on here who are knee deep in Voldy slabs and are nervous if not terrified that the bottom just fell out of whatever value there was in those slabs.   So their deflections and petty asides are understandable.  

My advice to them-  CPR to CGC so you won't lose any (more) sleep (or money) over it.

-J.

Am I knee deep in Voldy slabs?  Let me help you answer that.  I have 54 CBCS books currently for sale versus 2336.  Public knowledge using my advanced search feature on the website.

I have sold 101 CBCS books.

I have sold 21,867 CGC books.

Now if I were the other grading company I would ask why does Highgradecomics.com only have 2.5% of his graded inventory in our holders?

Edited October 30, 2017 by blazingbob

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 10/27/2017 at 10:24 PM, valiantman said:

The end of what?

 

I see more packs of sportscards in stores now than I have since the 1990s.

Agreed. The sportscard market is huge. Yeah, the late 80s and early 90s dreck is dead,but the key vintage cards and key refractors have exploded in price. 

Cards also have their Walking Dead #1 now with the Aaron Judge rookies. All someone has to do is search Aaron Judge rookie cards on Ebay and they will be shocked at the prices.

[Shockmaster]

Now we're going to see a Beckett Comic Book Monthly so they can overinflate the values of CBCS books like their sportscards price guides overinflate the values of BGS, BVG, BCCG and whatever other grading system they have.

CGC values, like PSA, will be okay because you can't tick off the top dog. But values from any other grading company will be near worthless, even if those companies are superior to Beckett.

[buttock]

1 hour ago, blazingbob said:

Sometimes I wonder where people get this from.

I've been friends with Steve or almost 20 years.

Steve didn't leave because he knew better.  He went to work for Heritage before "other grading company" was started.  He wanted to be a part owner which is what the venture capitalist firm granted him.  

I have never had Steve bad mouth the competition to get me to get books graded and frankly I have NEVER shied away from being honest and direct with him or anybody else that worked for the company.  I have always been available to either of the grading companies when it comes to improvements,  grading issues,  the holders etc.  My belief is that the grading companies should help me sell the book,  not hinder it.  Loose grading,  lousy holders,  etc all make it harder for me to sell the book.  

CGC hasn't suffered from the competition.

 

Didn't you read what he wrote?  He has seen it happen first hand!  Clearly that single example extrapolates to every other business in the world.  

[shadroch]

On 10/26/2017 at 2:53 PM, elove said:

And this would not be helped by the Beckett purchase. Beckett is notorious for having the worst customer service out of all the card grading companies.

The last two times I called, the phone was answered quickly and by Steve B himself.  Maybe they have caller I'd and he knew who it was.

Edited October 30, 2017 by shadroch

[blazingbob]

7 minutes ago, shadroch said:

The last two times I called, the phone was answered quickly and by Steve B himself.  Maybe they have called I'd and he knew who it was.

When I see you call I let it go to voicemail.  

 

[shadroch]

3 hours ago, Jaydogrules said:

Excuse me ?

Pointing out the reasons why a poorly managed, under funded company with bad ideas failed is not taking "joy" in its failure.   

-J.

 A startup attracting an industry leader in another field to invest in them is hardly failure. 

[shadroch]

Just now, blazingbob said:

When I see you call I let it go to voicemail.  

 

Or take a nap.

[valiantman]

I have been tracking slab sales on Ebay for a few years...

538,000+ sales:

2017 (so far) = 90% CGC, 7% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2016 = 91% CGC, 6% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2015 = 91% CGC, 4% Steve-other, 5% PGX

2014 (Oct-Dec) = 93% CGC, 2% Steve-other, 4% PGX

Edited October 30, 2017 by valiantman

[drotto]

54 minutes ago, valiantman said:

I have been tracking slab sales on Ebay for a few years...

538,000+ sales:

2017 (so far) = 90% CGC, 7% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2016 = 91% CGC, 6% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2015 = 91% CGC, 4% Steve-other, 5% PGX

2014 (Oct-Dec) = 93% CGC, 2% Steve-other, 4% PGX

Just shows that there is a small market for a second grading company, and that CGCS is stealing it from PGX and CGC somewhat equally.  Butg CGC ccan afford to take the percentage hit if you gigure in market growth. 

[namisgr]

4 minutes ago, drotto said:

Just shows that there is a small market for a second grading company, and that CGCS is stealing it from PGX and CGC somewhat equally.  Butg CGC ccan afford to take the percentage hit if you gigure in market growth. 

E-Bay sales figures don't represent the volume of ongoing grading at each company.  When one company has been in business for 18 years and another for 3, the former has far, far more slabs in the hands of dealers and collectors, and hence will dominate the proportionate sales figures on the Bay.

So while CGC is clearly number one in the current marketplace, the discrepancy isn't as great as it appears from the E-Bay sales figures cited above.

[1Cool]

1 hour ago, valiantman said:

I have been tracking slab sales on Ebay for a few years...

538,000+ sales:

2017 (so far) = 90% CGC, 7% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2016 = 91% CGC, 6% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2015 = 91% CGC, 4% Steve-other, 5% PGX

2014 (Oct-Dec) = 93% CGC, 2% Steve-other, 4% PGX

Wait - PGX sold over 16,000 slabs on E-Bay last year?  Pittance compared to CGC but still a lot of slabs for a company with terrible reputation.

[Mr. Zipper]

In my view, this is another move consistent with what appears to be Beckett's strategy to diversify and expand their base across collecting fields.

Last fall, Beckett opened an autograph authentication division by poaching the well-known head authenticator from PSA, Steve Grad, to lead it. (The autograph guy who appears on Pawn Stars.)

This move is essentially the same. In one move, they acquired an established turn-key comics grading division. If anything, I think this would speak to the positive attributes of the distinguished competition, NOT that they were in any sort of trouble.

[ComicConnoisseur]

32 minutes ago, 1Cool said:

Wait - PGX sold over 16,000 slabs on E-Bay last year?  Pittance compared to CGC but still a lot of slabs for a company with terrible reputation.

Just goes to show some people take cheap over quality. McDonald's doesn't have the best food,but millions eat there yearly. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by ComicConnoisseur

[Tony S]

19 hours ago, namisgr said:

20 hours ago, blazingbob said:

If you say so.

Any competitor that comes into a market second isn't going to take over unless they have a business plan that clearly overwhelms the first company in the marketplace.  Not only should your business plan cover how you plan to attack the competition but how do you convince the largest customers to try your company?  And those largest customers are dealers by and large.  You have to work twice as hard as the established company.  

I have gotten the same price for competitor copies when the book is accurately graded.  I have gotten crossover CGC grades from competitor books.  I have also seen numerous copies that have not.  

When a company "needs the money" they will take on higher risk.  Dead signature verification is one example which opens the company up for fraud lawsuits if those signatures are deemed fake.  If a grading company cannot get you to grade high ticket books because they are cheaper and faster they will have to make the decision to "grade looser and take the money" or not.  The risk then goes on the submitter if the higher grade is accepted by the buying public or not.  As I've said before if you get a business reputation of being a loose grader that is not quickly undone.  You may make some short term money but it costs you in the long run.  

There holder is not Cheap.  If it was so bad why did CGC go to the same inner well material?  

Putting grades on non-slabbed books for a fee was not a horrible idea.  Just opens up the company to criticism and fraud issues that weren't there before.

There presence at major cons was limited due to CGC doing an exclusive deal with Reed.  Not because they didn't have the money to be there which is what jaydogrules post implies.

I have no problem if I have the competitor's books in my inventory just because Beckett's bought them.  

 

19 hours ago, namisgr said:

Eh, what do you know about the slabbed comics market?  Remember, Jaydog rules.  Even if he may not realize the distinguished competition that started with 6 employees now has over 30.

Having the support of a larger, better financed organization will only help the guys across the street to be serious competition and a legitimate alternative that all collectors of third party-graded books should welcome in our hobby.

 

All the above... Spot on....

Let's be honest here. CGC --- Today --- is a much, MUCH better company as a result of finally - after some 14 years -- having LEGITIMATE competition.  And it is us - the consumer - that has really benefited.  Modern tier rolled back to 1975? Graders notes now available to the submitter? An awesome new slab? TAT's better than they have been in a decade?  Why did these things happen? Because of real competition. 

Other comic grading companies appearing  someday was a fairly common discussion point on these boards over the years. It was the consensus opinion of members of this board for over a decade that CGC would never have competition.  The hobby not big enough to support multiple companies.   Well - the numbers speak for themselves.  It took CGC seven years to grade 1 million comics. Fiver more years to grade two million. Less than four to grade three million. And only a couple of years to reach four million. The pace of grading comics continued to climb even when a legitimate competitor opened. 

It was inevitable that a major sports card grading company would take an interest in the market. And once they took an interest, it's just good business to buy the #2 company than it is to enter the market as #3 and start from the ground up. 

And for all of this - consumers - us - benefit.   CGC loyal? That's great!! I send LOTS of books to CGC myself.  But CGC loyalists have benefited from another legitimate grading company being in business. And if Beckett helps keep legitimate competition, everyone benefits.  Everyone...  Because nothing spurs innovation and good customer service like customers having a choice. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Tony S

[valiantman]

34 minutes ago, 1Cool said:

1 hour ago, valiantman said:

I have been tracking slab sales on Ebay for a few years...

538,000+ sales:

2017 (so far) = 90% CGC, 7% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2016 = 91% CGC, 6% Steve-other, 3% PGX

2015 = 91% CGC, 4% Steve-other, 5% PGX

2014 (Oct-Dec) = 93% CGC, 2% Steve-other, 4% PGX

Wait - PGX sold over 16,000 slabs on E-Bay last year?  Pittance compared to CGC but still a lot of slabs for a company with terrible reputation.

The 538,000+ sales are for October 2014 through October 2017.  About 20,000 PGX slabs sold over that 3 three year window.  That was 8,200 in 2015 and 5,300 in 2016.  It's 4,600 for 2017 with two months to go.