The "new" bulk submission issue
MCMLVTopps
Posts: 4,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
I currently have a sub that is soon to come out of PSA as its in the Assembly stage...great, no problem. When I submitted the cards, the process was then known as "Bulk (100 card minimum)...I sent in 113 cards. I don't know my grades yet.
I had been collecting a substantial number of raw cards since my first submission in December. The new sub comes to about 125 cards +/-. When the virus issue hit, PSA was pretty much locked down and not accepting Bulk submissions. So, I waited, like everyone else, waited and waited...composed my new online submission and was ready to box them up for the journey to Newport Beach.
I recently learned PSA was again accepting submissions...so, I go online, resurrect my submission and all of a sudden, changes have been made. The process is now called Value Modern 1972-2016 100 card min. I open my submission form to complete the process, and up comes a message...4 of your cards will be removed from this submission. I am collecting a player, who's current composition includes 2017 cards, thus the inclusion of some raw 2017 cards I had picked up along the way. There were only 4, but they would easily have been accepted into a composition change for inclusion.
Apparently, if I want to have these 4 cards graded, I must jump through a different hoop, like a separate submission at a higher rate, and wait the 6 months ( which is what my recent sub took) for a box of 4 cards to arrive.
Why would PSA do such a thing? We were all embargoed from sending in pending subs, which happily accepted the 2017 cards, but now they will not. I have a printed copy of my online sub, and the 4, 2017 cards are there. I had planned to use it to double check my submission. They have since disappeared.
I seriously question the wisdom of those making such decisions. What harm to just leave things alone?
It's things like this, when somebody, or group of people just willy nilly decide to change stuff without a courtesy notification to it's members that bothers me. What harm in a "hey, members, in 30 days, we're gonna do X".
What else will or can they do? It appears that we, the masses, don't come into the picture when it comes to these types of actions.
Comments
I was seriously thinking of joining as I have cards set aside for grading.
Now at 3 diff levels I most likely will not.
I agree a preview of what is to come would have been nice.
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
This change, made without notifying members first, of a "pending change", is, in my opinion lacks respect to those of us in the hobby who collect, and like lemmings, continue to send in untold number of cards for grading. The recent exclusion of the year 2017, impacted a submission I had already prepared with an online submission, yet put on hold because of virus issues. These cards, prior to May 1st, were set to go and included in my existing online sub, however, upon learning of PSA now accepting online subs, up pops a message saying "four of your cards will be removed from this submission", and, they were.
It is my understanding from PSA Customer Service, that this change was primarily implemented to help with bottleneck issues in the grading process...sounds like a PSA internal problem, not mine. Hire more graders, or review existing processes to see where things might be more efficient.
I think that those who have the authority to change existing procedures, will continue to do so without so much as a courtesy notification to members. Other comments on NET54 are not very complimentary to these newly established bulk rules, apparently created within the past few weeks. It is not so much the change itself, but the clear lack of inclusion of existing members and the impact this might have on their collecting efforts. There is such a thing called "being grandfathered in". If you had an online submission already in the pipeline, like me, it should have been honored, a notification made to members that the change would become effective of "X" date...then, no problem.
I sent an email to Joe Orlando, who forwarded it to the new PSA president, Steve Sloan. I will not divulge the contents of my correspondence with Joe, but, as always, he sounded "concerned"...he wears a different hat now. It'll be interesting to see if I hear back from Steve. Better yet, he should post something on this page about how and why this happened, without considering the impact to us.
This is really only cardboard, but they, PSA, are the door we must pass through to have our raw cards graded. I'm not so much concerned with the time involved, my recent submission, sent in on Dec 11, is now in Assembly...6 months. What really licks the red off my candy, is the fact that there was zero communication, or prior notification of a substantial change in the grading process. IF I want the cards now impacted by this change to be graded, I now have to go from paying $9 per card, to $20 per card and complete a separate submission.
My "new" online submission will go in, sans the 4 cards, which I will resell on eBay. My raw submission days with PSA are done. I will only try to acquire graded cards that add to my sets. Perhaps my time with PSA, since about 2004 may also be coming to an end.
December 11-May 13th is 5 months, not 6. I’m assuming the sub was 85 business days, which is about 4 months. And PSA was closed for a few days near the end of December and for a month because of COVID-19. Sounds like your sub is right on time. Now if it drags out another couple of weeks, I would say at that point it’s “late.” But not yet. And I apologize if my assumption that it was an 85 biz day bulk order is incorrect.
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
Correct, more like 4 business months and counting. Mailed Dec 11, logged into PSA on Dec 28th. As my sub is now in Assembly, then 2 QA steps, then shipping. I think it'll be closer to 5+ months. And yes it was an 85 day sub. A moot point, it's gonna get done when it gets done.
Not the issue of the original thread. They made changes without so much as a notification that such change was coming, or would become effective on a certain date, they just did it.
I had to pivot as well. I had one 200+ card bulk going a renewal and an express. I changed it to 1 Modern 100+ 1 ultra modern 100+ a renewal and an express. Shipped last Friday. My advice is send in your modern sub and find someone you can piggy back with for the ultra modern.
It is called the way it is. I also have a sub I mailed the day after Thanksgiving that is also just now in Assembly. It is part of the deal. Hopefully these changes will help with lead times. I am willing to pay the extra .50 as I was doing 200+ before to get the additional discount if it means things make it through the pipeline quicker.
Interesting that you found a workaround...good for you!
My new sub only had 4, 2017 cards, so, I'm not super impacted. I'm collecting the David Ortiz Master Topps set, which includes 2017 cards, other than a few I may have coming soon, I doubt the composition in the 2017 area will increase very much. My new sub is only 105 cards, then I think I'm done with the raw business. There are a ton of Ortiz raw, Topps went crazy over this guy after 2004, the variations are off the chart!
I'll finish boxing it up in a day or so and send it in. I guess it'll be October when I see them again.
GL with your sub...when I get my grades, which are all modern, I'll post a synopsis.
That is any superstar from about 2010 and up. Tons of variations.
I do have this Ortiz available. 2014 Heritage Action Variation if interested.
I have that one, tks for the offer: a quick view of some variations...
Yeah that is pretty standard everyone has chrome base and multiple refractors. Super stars like Ortiz have a few more parallels.