Question about using PSA to make money

mike1297

I was wondering what you guys think PSA would think if a PSA member put up on eBay that for a fee, that member would send in the cards for someone and then list that card on eBay for that person?
My wife just had a baby recently, and we are looking to find a work at home type of job, and even though we aren't on PSA's authorized dealers list, could we just as a plain old member of PSA send in cards for someone else, and find these people by listing the service on eBay?
Anybody's opinion would be most appreciated.
Thanks

lostdart58

Firstly, How would you advertise that on EBAY?

wufdude

Yeah, trying to sell a service like this on Ebay probably wouldn't work. I could see trying to advertise this on something like a local area message board or even in a local newspaper. You'd basically be offering a type of Ebay consignment service I guess. I think you'd have to be pretty careful in terms of making money on this though. You'd be taking a risk if you only intended to take a percentage of the final sale in that you'd also have to recoup any grading fees and a lower than expected grade could eat into any profit or lead to a loss.

To answer your initial question though, I don't see how PSA could have any say in doing this. If you are a member and pay the grading fees, I don't see why they'd care if they were your cards or not or if you were just sending them in order to re-sell them.

mike1297

My thought was that I would list an auction and say something like for $20, send me your card you want graded, maybe $15 for each card after the first one. It would also have to say no authograph before 1991 I think that came out of packs or cards that would cost more than the $10 or $15 PSA charges for a graded card, depending on what special they are running. I guess it could be optional to list it on eBay becasue I know if I wasn't already a PSA member I would want to keep the cards I got graded. I wasn't really sure it would work but I think that there are people out there that would want a card or 2 graded but not want to pay the $100 fee that PSA charges to join.

ajw

It might be easier to wait for the email from the African prince that needs to transfer his money to the US. All he needs is your bank account and you get 20%! Easy money!

I can forward you the next email I get from him, if you like.

SoFLPhillyFan

From the FAQ's on the PSA website -

Q: I am interested in becoming a PSA authorized dealer. Now that I am a member, can I submit cards/tickets for my customers? Can I advertise that I am a PSA submittal center?

A: Unless and until you are approved as a PSA authorized dealer, you may not advertise to accept cards/tickets from the public for submission to PSA. You can, of course, advertise to buy and sell PSA cards/tickets, and submit your own cards/tickets which are owned by you or a member of your immediate family. Only PSA authorized dealers may submit cards/tickets for members of the public.

wufdude

thanks for that - I guess I should have read their rules!!

TMc

This service was offered by a large card dealer a couple of years ago. I think they went bust. If I remember correctly, you send them the cards, they get them graded, posted them on ebay and sld them for you. They kept a %. It seemed to work for those who did not have psa or ebay accounts. I think customers ended up doing their own thing, and the card company found out that people were not that lazy.

ICE9

Not to mention the fact that you open yourself to the following allegations from consignors: you damaged my card, you switched my card, etc., etc., etc. Ignoring the fact that it's against PSA rules, the profit margin on this type of operation would be very low and the exposure for potential liability would be very high.

Mike