Experience with GAI

MartinDihigo · January 23, 2004 12:08PM

Here's a link to an experience I recently had with Global that involves former PSA personnel:

My experience with GAI.

I thought some on this forum might be interested.

-Ryan Christoff

koby · January 23, 2004 12:17PM

I heard Dmitri Young transfered his collection to GAI holders.

koby · January 23, 2004 12:19PM

I can't believe GAI would treat a customer in such a fashion. Terrible.

Cards look nice with black inserts, but your photos definitely show the pitfall of the black inserts. Cards sometimes get stuck between the black insert and the plastic shell and this can cause damage to valuable cards.

qualitycards · January 23, 2004 1:50PM

RYAN - I just read your story on another thread. Seems like a nightmare, I wouldn't wish this to any submitter from any of the grading companies (PRO notwithstanding). I hope you get that $1000 check before to long...jay

pc · January 23, 2004 2:31PM

whew-that was brutal.
thanks for sharing.hope
the card finds its way to you.

1420sports · January 23, 2004 2:40PM

Wow. I was reading that and I was getting mad ... I do not think I would have had that kind of patience.

Good luck with rest of the story.

calleocho · January 23, 2004 3:35PM

my cable went down last week and i had to go through a bunch of hoops with their costumer dept.

all and all i wasted about an hour...i got so fustrated that i changed my cable company.

sorry you had to go through that.

do you prefer the black inserts? or were you just trying GAI?

Tipem · January 23, 2004 8:45PM

Ryan,

I applaud your patience as well as your ability to refrain from slamming GAI.Most would not have had your patience as well as your integrity(I'm not sure I would have).I appreciate your posting this almost as much as GAI must be cringing over this thread.It sure seems that you have crossed your T's and dotted your I's as far as this travesty goes.I wonder how long it will take to get your money.I would venture to guess not long after the guys at GAI get wind of this.I hope that they realize that as thorough as you are that you will keep us informed and they should be expedient at this juncture in order to do what little damage control that they can.I think that their best avenue on this is to over compensate you($1500) in the hopes that a better than what you were expecting resolve would show them favorably in the card collecting community.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Vic

highend · January 24, 2004 4:37AM

OUCH!! my heart goes out to you. i agree that you should be overcompensated for this fiasco and soon!!

i will learn from your misfortune and hopefully the same will go for others!! i always thought the really old stuff looked cool with the black insert, it gives the cards that sharp looking matted quality. this is an unforseen pitfall.

good luck, i would imagine GAI will remedy this situation for you.

Mantlefan · January 24, 2004 4:53AM

Incredible story Ryan. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. You are a very patient man. Sorry for the pun, but I would have blown a gasket long ago!!

People always seem to post here how great GAI is and how we should consider leaving PSA. Your post should put an end to that. BTW, can we send a copy of this to Dmitri Young....maybe he'll have second thoughts about leaving PSA. He's a big guy. I would hate to see him blow a gasket!!

koby · January 24, 2004 4:57AM

lost cards, mislabeled cards, ill-fitting holders, untimeliness, bad customer service....

After reading this story, why would anyone send their cards to GAI?

grilloj39 · January 24, 2004 5:15AM

I made a similiar post on the network 54 forum...I have over 1,000 GAI graded cards...not one of them has been ill-fitted, card slipped through the border, etc. I have had tremendous customer service through them. I have made about 7 separate bulk submissions to them since I switched over without a problem other than 1 label "1972 Joe Greene" that should have been "1971 Joe Greene". But that's it...less than One-tenth of 1 percent. Their holder (although not as tamper-resitant as the beckett holder) is superior to PSA or SGC imo as far as being tamper-resitant is concerned.

I have even more PSA cards in my possession (Close to 2000K) and nearly just as many SGC cards (About 800) in my possession as I am not into the crossover thing. As such, I want to see the continued success of all the major grading companies (I want my cards to retain/increase their market value irregardless of what holder their in).

Koby...you asked the question, so there's your answer.

jackstraw · January 24, 2004 5:33AM

i wish they would(GAI) 01. use a "gasket" that has arrow head corners. i like the holder but the not so arrow head corners drives me nuts!
2. use a "gasket" that isn't so deep. this is just to accomodate the newer "thicker" cards. it allows the card to "curl" inside and just doesn't look right to me.

when they change these i might think of submitting to them but why would i submit to them when psa,sgc and scd has the correct sleeve and or holder that looks correct to me? all them years in the "graded card business" and they can't come up with a holder that looks right?

1420sports · January 24, 2004 6:52AM

After reading this story, why would anyone send their cards to GAI?

Let's be fair now, PSA has had it's share of ill deeds .....

I am a PSA collector, but GAI is second. I like the half grades, the holder, the service and Steve and Mary. I have had two problems with PSA and only one was taken care of. Steve and Mary took care of it.

aro13 · January 24, 2004 10:29AM

Every grading company makes mistakes. If somebody is happy with the service they are getting from PSA or GAI why should they switch?
My main concern with what happened is that a very knowledgeable collector (probably far more knowledgeable than the graders on the cards he was submitting) told them the card was trimmed and pointed out where it was trimmed and why he simply wanted it labelled authentic. It than came back in a VG 3 holder. How does that happen?

BigKidAtHeart · January 25, 2004 4:33AM

MartinDihigo,
from July 2003 until December 2003
I had a very similar situation with GAI.

Dispite REPEATED phone conversations and emails
with both Danny Fisher And Mike Baker, I was
repeatedly lied to about thing after thing.

The only thing they mangaed to do correctly,
the first time they tried was to CHARGE MY Credit Card!

Now, bear in mind that all I was trying to do was
get a "gai membership" so that I could try them out
based on the reccomendation of a major GAI dealer!
(who also placed emails and calls for me on this
REDICULOUS 5 Month debacle!)

In the end, I was "Offered" or "Promised" nearly everything
but had nothing delivered on (and what few things I did get
were wrong and very very late... )

Baker offered a refund in late august, that finally recived
in the form of a check, in December after I DEMANDED it be sent
and even got in a battle with the CFO, Howard Kent!

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I feel the EXACT same way you do!
and I never even Sent them a single card - and will never do it!
(I have even stopped buying them for crossover to PSA
out of sheer principle!)

Good luck getting that money back. You will have to work at it!!
~jeff

VintageBallCards · January 25, 2004 5:43AM

It seems these horror stories are regular for them, I just posted mine in a sepperate thread.

VBC

GoSoxBoSox · January 25, 2004 5:48AM

Thanks for the info Ryan. We met at this years Nationals. Please update me on how the cuban card market is doing. Those cards are fascinating to me. I just wish I had more faith in them holding the market value I would have to pay for them. Have things changed for these cards and where are you selling these cards?

Tom

GoSoxBoSox · January 25, 2004 5:55AM

Thanks for the info Ryan. We met at this years Nationals. Please update me on how the cuban card market is doing. Those cards are fascinating to me. I just wish I had more faith in them holding the market value I would have to pay for them. Have things changed for these cards and where are you selling these cards outside of the web site? is business doing well?

Tom

Mantlefan · January 25, 2004 6:53AM

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I feel the EXACT same way you do!
and I never even Sent them a single card - and will never do it!

Someone should send this thread to Dmitri Young!.

MartinDihigo · January 26, 2004 11:17PM

Tom,

Things continue to get better and better as more people become aware that these cards exist. I'm running an online auction containing strictly Cuban and Puerto Rican cards, mostly of Negro Leaguers, beginning this Friday. That's why I haven't had time to respond to any posts.

I'll send you a link to the auction and give you more details about the Cuban card market if you drop me an e-mail. My address is ryan@cubanbaseballcards.com.

I'd prefer to send the link via e-mail rather than spam the board, especially on a thread that isn't at all related.

I hope all is well with you.

Thanks,

-Ryan

Virtualizard · January 27, 2004 7:31AM

Ryan,

Spam the message board with your auctions. I think a lot of people would be interested in seeing them and would not be offended. You can even say that you are posting at my request if it makes you feel better.

I look forward to seeing your auctions.

JEB.

Tipem · January 27, 2004 8:07AM

Ryan,

I agree with JEB.

SPAM ahead!!!

Doesn't

go good with spam????

Vic

koby · May 11, 2004 2:18AM

MartinDihigo,

Did GAI ever reimburse you for losing your valuable Oscar Charleston card?

Koby

RayDBonz · May 11, 2004 4:44AM

Now I remember why I only use PSA!!

I guess there is another place to send those altered cards now. Move over PRO, you have competition!!

Experience with GAI

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