You like to sell with the big consigners, but what about buying?

wallst32 · February 29, 2012 11:14AM

It seems that many are very happy consigning their cards to a probstein123 or a PWCC. But what about buying from them? I don't have any doubts on the customer service and integrity, but do you feel like you're paying a premium to buy from them? And if so, is it really worth it? Ultimately all I care about is the card and case are untampered, and the seller has great feedback. Cards change hands so much that you could have passed on a card from seller_X only to have the same exact one end up with a popular consigner and you'd be paying 10-15% more; which to me makes no sense (paying more for the same card).

Brick · February 29, 2012 11:22AM

If you set your snipe or bid as you normally do perhaps you will not win as many with the big name consignors but you will still win some without overpaying. I will be purchasing some of the more expensive cards to finish off a set. I will buy them from a dealer I am familiar with and may pay a little more but I will have peace of mind. The less a card costs the more of a risk I am willing to take.

fattymacs · February 29, 2012 11:30AM

I have purchased from both Probstein and PWCC and was happy with both. Peace of mind with a well known seller is worth the extra $$$.

psychump · February 29, 2012 11:37AM

Rick(probstein123) routinely has cards with a .99 starting bid and then lets the market dictate the price. He will probably let you know in a while...

smtjoy · February 29, 2012 12:56PM

I purchase from both and think they are great (I also buy a lot from Davids Vintage), you might pay more if you have to have the card but when buying any card, you should have a limit/snipe and stick to it then you can never be upset over the closing price. Also many times I pass on expensive cards from unknown sellers on ebay but I dont have any worries with what I buy from them.

jeffcbay · February 29, 2012 1:08PM

I've always had a positive experience when buying from ebay consignors. On the other hand, I would NEVER buy from a non-ebay auction house.

Scottiec2288 · February 29, 2012 1:14PM

I am with OP,I don't understand why someone would pay more because of seller.

jeffcbay · February 29, 2012 1:23PM

It's not that someone would intentionally pay more with a consignor, I think it has more to do with the amount of eyeballs that graze their auctions. A consignor's auctions get a TON more looks than a seller like you and I. It the card is in limited supply, it will certainly get that extra bump if a consignor is selling it.

Scottiec2288 · February 29, 2012 1:43PM

I agree that they do have a tremendous following and your right about getting the premium price.

JoeBanzai · February 29, 2012 3:15PM

There are certain sellers I avoid, most have been mentioned here before, but I don't spend more just to buy a card from a certain seller.

Joe

CollectorAtWork · February 29, 2012 4:21PM

Well, I buy from everyone including auction houses. However, I have certain searches on ebay such as for some Ruth cards. If one of the bigger sellers on ebay such as probstein123, PWCC, henry yee have one of these, then I will look at what else they have in their auction at that time. If something else that they are selling strikes my interest, then I will put a bid/watch/snipe on it. That's something I don't usually do for smaller sellers, and why the larger consignors get more eyeballs and higher prices.

And speaking of Henry Yee, he's an advisor for PSA photos. So if he says in his listing that a raw photo will pass PSA Type I, then it's going pass. That's why his listings will get higher prices for photos.

Probstein123 · March 1, 2012 1:03AM

some things sell high, some things sell low...we start almost all auctions at 99 cents so we have a culture where supply and demand determine the market...
I dislike when an item is really a $69 item and the sellers starts the auction at $80.00
==========
as a seller I do believe all of the following are difference makers:

feedback, reasonable shipping, timely shipping, accurate descriptions, and high rez scans , and quality product

Alfonz24 · March 1, 2012 1:46AM

and return policy.

trex · March 2, 2012 2:41AM

Me personally, I don't buy from consignors because they're prices seem to always run right around 15%-20% and more what the card is worth. Is shilling going on, probably, but good luck proving it. Although I have seen it done personally first hand multiple times on Ebay. Good for they're clients but bad for little guys, like me. In addition most, not all, but most charge incomprehensible shipping charges. Most of what I buy are graded cards, so I'm not really concerned about high rez scans, or accurate descriptions, or pretty websites. A PSA 9 is a PSA 9 no matter how much you try and dress it up. I do take feedback into account and I do question how the seller packages the product for shipping. Raw cards, now I do want the high rez scans and accurate descriptions. All that being said, if I were a seller I would consign everything out for the simple reason of not having to jump through Ebay's hoops and trolley's. But as a buyer, I avoid them.

artistlost · March 2, 2012 4:02AM

I have no problems buying for a consigner but I have never sold with one. Not that I am a big boy on Ebay but, most of the time I end up selling my cards for more than the average price.

jwgators · March 2, 2012 4:08AM

It seems kind of like a double edged sword, right? Use them to sell your items for the premium prices they receive. However, as a buyer, those same premium prices are what I do not want to pay.

That being said, I am a little guy here, but have used a consignor and was pleased with the results for my sales. I still buy from them, but enter max bids with a sniper so I do not get caught up in the bidding frenzy that can occur.

fiveniner · March 2, 2012 5:20AM

I have purchases from Rick and am very pleased.

lifeshouldbefun · March 2, 2012 6:01AM

There are some that allocate $$$ specifically for PWCC's auctions. It's a set schedule and you know that great stuff will be listed.
Some just have money to burn and will win what they want regardless of cost. I actually buy some cards knowing that I'm just going
to flip them in PWCC auctions. It's been VERY profitable. Pocketed $3,000 on a single card last time I went with Brent.
I'll send over 2 1970's PSA 10 Ryan's next time and know that I'll make a large profit.

WinPitcher · March 2, 2012 6:02AM

I've bought from Rick, and IMO I got one of the ones that sold low.

Must have been Bobby's.

soundgard · March 2, 2012 8:18AM

<< <i>I am with OP,I don't understand why someone would pay more because of seller. >>

Same here. Never buy from consignors. Its usually throwing money down the drain.

cefy1 · March 2, 2012 8:27AM

I buy from the two prominently mentioned in this thread all the time and have never been disappointed. I agree on the higher rez scans, and I also think the quality of the cards that are consigned are typically at the high end of the grade in most cases which should fetch better prices.

trex · March 2, 2012 9:47AM

Okay, so I put two PSA 9 cards side by side. One I bought from a consignor, not that I would, but hypothetical. One from the consignor had the high rez scan, ultimate description, consignor's name plastered all over the listing, so you KNOW you're getting a better card.....right. The other is from a mom and pop operation barely getting by the picture in their listing was taken with a phone camera. Now, you're going to be able to tell me without a doubt which PSA 9 card I bought from a consignor and which one I bought form mom and pop. Bear in mind we're talking graded cards here, raw cards are a whole different story. Good luck with that.

bobbyw8469 · March 2, 2012 9:53AM

You shouldn't be able to tell a difference. If I am buying for resell or an upgrade for my PC, then I would ON PURPOSE not go after the big name seller and try to get the mom and pop one if I thought it would be cheaper.

MattyC · March 2, 2012 10:07AM

I respectfully disagree with the earlier posts that intimate hi-rez scans don't matter much, and that all PSA 9s are the same card.

If one buys the holder and not the card, then sure, they are equal.

But there's a reason why VCP data shows wide price spreads for cards with the same grade. There are 9s that look like dogs relative to other 9s, which on the right day could have been 10s. Those often better-centered cards sell for a premium over their counterparts in the same grade, because many collectors like to own the best, or cards that are solid to superior for the assigned grade, and not cards that merely squeaked into the grade.

Listings with hi-rez, larger scans enable the discerning collector/buyer to better evaluate the strength of the card offered. I am more likely to go all out bidding for a card if I can determine from the scans in the listing that it is a solid or superior example for the grade.

Also, consignors who do big business offer a certain piece of mind, if one is buying high-dollar cards. Odds are they will not put a potentially tampered slab up for auction, because they know what to look for and care about their rep. A one-time random seller might not know, or might be shady. No worries about knowledge or character with a Rick Probstein.

If a smaller time seller with great feedback lists a card that is accurately yet not hucksterishly described, with good, clear scans, then that's great.

bigreddog · March 2, 2012 2:15PM

<< <i>I respectfully disagree with the earlier posts that intimate hi-rez scans don't matter much, and that all PSA 9s are the same card.

If one buys the holder and not the card, then sure, they are equal.

But there's a reason why VCP data shows wide price spreads for cards with the same grade. There are 9s that look like dogs relative to other 9s, which on the right day could have been 10s. Those often better-centered cards sell for a premium over their counterparts in the same grade, because many collectors like to own the best, or cards that are solid to superior for the assigned grade, and not cards that merely squeaked into the grade.

Listings with hi-rez, larger scans enable the discerning collector/buyer to better evaluate the strength of the card offered. I am more likely to go all out bidding for a card if I can determine from the scans in the listing that it is a solid or superior example for the grade. >>

I Absolutely agree with the above statement. I suppose if your a label collector it makes no different, But only a complete fool would ever think that all 9's or any grade for that matter are all the same card wise. Each card has its on unquie "Fingerprint" Graded or not a hi-res clear photo is mandatory for me. I won't even bother looking at anything with "Bad photo"

On the other hand I don't buy from the "big Names". There are plenty of solid sellers. No need to pay the higher prices.

I'd really like to have that SGC 96 1976 Jim Carter Rick has up. But $18.99? and $4.00 Shipping. Not a chance.

John

You like to sell with the big consigners, but what about buying?

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