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Experience with GAI

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

Comments

  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    I heard Dmitri Young transfered his collection to GAI holders.image
  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    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.

  • qualitycardsqualitycards Posts: 2,811 ✭✭✭
    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
  • pcpc Posts: 743
    whew-that was brutal.
    thanks for sharing.hope
    the card finds its way to you.
    Money is your ticket to freedom.
  • 1420sports1420sports Posts: 3,473 ✭✭✭
    Wow. I was reading that and I was getting mad ... I do not think I would have had that kind of patience. image

    Good luck with rest of the story.
    collecting various PSA and SGC cards
  • calleochocalleocho Posts: 1,569 ✭✭
    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?
    "Women should be obscene and not heard. "
    Groucho Marx


  • 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
    Please be kind to me. Even though I'm now a former postal employee, I'm still capable of snapping at any time.
  • 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.
  • MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    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!!image
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    lost cards, mislabeled cards, ill-fitting holders, untimeliness, bad customer service....

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


  • 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.
    Gold Coins
    Silver Coins

    e-bay ID: grilloj39
    e-mail: grilloj39@gmail.com
  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭
    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?
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • 1420sports1420sports Posts: 3,473 ✭✭✭
    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.
    collecting various PSA and SGC cards
  • aro13aro13 Posts: 1,961 ✭✭✭
    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?
  • 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

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

    VBC
  • 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
    There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"
  • 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
    There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"
  • MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    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!. image
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
  • 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

  • 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. image

    I look forward to seeing your auctions.

    JEB.




  • Ryan,

    I agree with JEB.


    SPAM ahead!!!image


    Doesn'timage go good with spam????


    Vic
    Please be kind to me. Even though I'm now a former postal employee, I'm still capable of snapping at any time.
  • kobykoby Posts: 1,699 ✭✭
    MartinDihigo,

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

    Koby


  • 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!!
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