More on GAI Pack Grading
rana
Posts: 242 ✭
Let me relay my experience with Global Authentication (GAI) pack grading. I recently sent in an order of 25 or so football and basketball packs on the 30 business day economy service. I sent the items on 6/9 and they received them on 6/13. It was my first order from GAI. I was not notified of my order # or my new customer number (no phone/letter/email). My credit card was charged. I waited 30 business days and then emailed asking for an order number so I could see if my items had been graded yet. I got a fairly fast reply from one of the head graders that my order was in house and being looked at, along with my order number so I could track it online. I was happy enough. I was able to track the order online then.
Three weeks later, the online tracking system still stated my items were in grade verification. I emailed them an address change request, since it had now been 2 months and I had moved. I requested a reply confirming receipt of my address change request, but it was not provided. I got a phone message that the order was delayed, and it might be a couple of weeks. I waited three weeks. I sent an email requesting a callback or email about the status. I got another phone message it might be a few more weeks because the oversized pack holders were on backorder. I waited a month.
Then I called in a bit upset this time and talked to a customer service person. She said she would look info this and call me back. I never got a callback. I waited again for 3 weeks and finally got an automated reply from UPS with the tracking number and details. The final arrival date back to me was 10/20. In the end, it took 3-4 times as long as it should have. My experience may be slanted because I sent some packs requiring oversized packs, but I think this shows some flaws in their customer service and their ability to find reliable suppliers. If oversized packs are always slower (as I've heard from others), this is an issue they should work to correct or document. I'll be happy once PSA is grading packs so there is some competition and hopefully some improvement in customer service.
On a positive note, the 2 out of 3 of the packs I sent in that seemed questionable were in fact marked as resealed, which is good. The other pack not marked as resealed came from now-NARU eBay seller who is a known resealer, but was a fairly good one and I wasn't sure about it, but personally believe it to be more skillfully resealed. The grading for my order was was strict but reasonable. In the past I've seen some inconsistent results from GAI pack grading, though. I have one GAI 9 basketball pack that has a 2/5 inch tear on the front of the pack, for example. Also, they seem to fairly often ignore their wrapper centering guidelines. I don't mind them being looser on this, but the looser standards should be documented on their web site.
Overall, I'm not sure if I'll order from GAI again. If I do, it will be because they currently have a monopoly on pack grading, and sadly not because I was overall pleased with my first order.
Three weeks later, the online tracking system still stated my items were in grade verification. I emailed them an address change request, since it had now been 2 months and I had moved. I requested a reply confirming receipt of my address change request, but it was not provided. I got a phone message that the order was delayed, and it might be a couple of weeks. I waited three weeks. I sent an email requesting a callback or email about the status. I got another phone message it might be a few more weeks because the oversized pack holders were on backorder. I waited a month.
Then I called in a bit upset this time and talked to a customer service person. She said she would look info this and call me back. I never got a callback. I waited again for 3 weeks and finally got an automated reply from UPS with the tracking number and details. The final arrival date back to me was 10/20. In the end, it took 3-4 times as long as it should have. My experience may be slanted because I sent some packs requiring oversized packs, but I think this shows some flaws in their customer service and their ability to find reliable suppliers. If oversized packs are always slower (as I've heard from others), this is an issue they should work to correct or document. I'll be happy once PSA is grading packs so there is some competition and hopefully some improvement in customer service.
On a positive note, the 2 out of 3 of the packs I sent in that seemed questionable were in fact marked as resealed, which is good. The other pack not marked as resealed came from now-NARU eBay seller who is a known resealer, but was a fairly good one and I wasn't sure about it, but personally believe it to be more skillfully resealed. The grading for my order was was strict but reasonable. In the past I've seen some inconsistent results from GAI pack grading, though. I have one GAI 9 basketball pack that has a 2/5 inch tear on the front of the pack, for example. Also, they seem to fairly often ignore their wrapper centering guidelines. I don't mind them being looser on this, but the looser standards should be documented on their web site.
Overall, I'm not sure if I'll order from GAI again. If I do, it will be because they currently have a monopoly on pack grading, and sadly not because I was overall pleased with my first order.
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Comments
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
mike
Julen
RIP GURU
<< <i> On a positive note, the 2 out of 3 of the packs I sent in that seemed questionable were in fact marked as resealed, which is good. The other pack not marked as resealed came from now-NARU eBay seller who is a known resealer, but was a fairly good one and I wasn't sure about it, but personally believe it to be more skillfully resealed. >>
Ok, let me get this straight. You paid Money to GAI and waited (without any real fierce complaint) for over 6 months to get back packs that you knew were resealed??? and are happy that these bogus/resealed junk packs are graded?
am I missing something?
<< <i>Ok, let me get this straight. You paid Money to GAI and waited (without any real fierce complaint) for over 6 months to get back packs that you knew were resealed??? and are happy that these bogus/resealed junk packs are graded?
am I missing something? >>
Yes, I think you are missed the first part of my post. They got the packs on 6/10 and sent them back 10/16, so it was 4.2 months instead of over 6. As I stated, I sent in ~25 packs of which a small percentage (exactly 3) were of questionable authenticity, in my opinion. I never stated I knew anything was resealed, and don't consider myself enough of an expert to state that conclusively. 2 of those 3 packs I questioned they marked as resealed and one they thought was authentic. What exactly is wrong with this? Global Authentication is a company where a major part of their business is to authenticate, and that is what I paid them to do. They did so very slowly, but I don't feel their authentication quality is nearly as bad as their customer service and timeliness.
I am happy that it seems my amateur opinion on the packs generally matches theirs (it gives me more confidence to purchase raw packs, as the occasion arises), and I am also happy that they seem able to identify resealed packs with some accuracy.
Also, I did call/email them and complain several times, but I am the type of person who prefers to talk to people rationally and voice my dissatisfaction with my wallet rather than any form of fierce complaining (which I've found just seems to alienate you from the discussion).
I assume you just threw away the ones that had been resealed, right? I mean, what else would you do with them?
FYI there is probably 3 dozen "horrible experience with GAI " thread around here if you search. you cna find out how horrible they really are if you just check.
<< <i>I assume you just threw away the ones that had been resealed, right? I mean, what else would you do with them? >>
One might open them rather than throwing them away. I've never thrown any packs away. Last year, I took some (perfectly legit) packs that were not of value to me personally (1990s stuff), and gave them to a local card shop owner that then passed them out to children that came into the store.
<< <i>you cna find out how horrible they really are if you just check. >>
Yes, but we currently don't have a choice if one needs packs graded right now. Hopefully PSA will announce their pack grading prices/policies and fire things up early next year, so we can get some competition in this market.
<< <i>they are going to be a show this weekend, I hope I can get packs graded there. If not, I am holding off. >>
Ted,
Are you from Detroit i.e. Gilbralter show?
One thing that may delay GAI pack grading is that Ryan Rutter supposedly verifies every packs authenticity. He lives in Ohio and travels the show circuit. I would assume sending him the packs while he is on the road contributes to the "lost packs" and slow service.