Backlog... What Backlog???

epatmythes

So, I was way too bored this afternoon after lunch...

Debating whether or not to get a last minute July Special sub mailed off (Yes, I caved and sent one out... just much smaller than originally planned). Seriously debating whether to even renew my current CC membership when it expires in November if the turnaround times don't improve. Honestly, I probably won't until I start seeing some evidence on the forums that PSA is back to operating at a level more commensurate with how they were turning around subs before July 2011.

All I know is that I'm a little torn... are subs running way over the "estimated" turnaround times? I guess the answer is NO! However, at the same time, my personal experiences have soured over the past year as, well, when you've become accustomed to X... then you're constantly getting a sub-standard Y (even though Y is the explained expectation)... it doesn't make it any less bothersome!

So, being a CC member for 3 years now... here is my PSA Submission History...



NOTES:
1. Shipped/Popped times are based in business days from the day after loggage (their rules) to the date shipped (sometimes it's the same day, but not always)
2. For simplicity sake, business days have been normalized to a standard 45-day turnaround time
3. Actual 45 day submissions are shown as the blue data points; The orange data points are submissions (IE. 5 day, 10 day, 20 day and/or 30 day) normalized to 45 days
4. The 2 high mark data points, prior to July 2011, were 5 day submissions that shipped/popped in 4 business days... so they look bad, but they really weren't
5. The single data point, after the second week of July 2011, below the 45 day line was a 20 day submission... that took nearly 3 weeks to log, in advance of the Awards Deadline, that I called customer service to complain about on business day #10 because I had cards in it for my sets... following my complaint(s), it coincidentally popped on business day #12
6. The single data point, after the second week of July 2011, that went way over the "estimated" time was a 20 day submission that shipped/popped on business day #31... it was only a 2 item submission, but PSA did graciously provide me a voucher for the full grading fee
7. I certainly haven't changed the type, sports, era, etc. of cards I've been submitting over the past 3 years... so out the window with the same sport/different sports, modern vs. vintage vs. mixed, theories... it's simply went from great service, to within-the-limits but seemingly sub-standard service

All I know for certain right now is... a) I've been very disappointed with the service execution over the past year, b) as a business-minded person as well, I get the pros/cons (from PSA's standpoint) of the backlog, but I still can't fathom how they (PSA) have allowed it to go on this long, and c) finding myself really torn in trying to convince myself to continue giving PSA revenue (even if I'm only a small fish) when it seems like they are doing very little with all this new-found revenue to actually improve service and customer satisfaction.

Happy Collecting

gosteelers

Thanks for providing this, very interesting. I wonder how many individuals are in the same boat as you (debating to renew or not in the next few months). My subscription lapsed a few months ago and I have no intention of renewing until turnaround times improve. If subscriptions drop dramatically, would PSA ever consider eliminating (or reducing) the 'annual fee'? I personally wouldn't mind waiting longer for a submission if I already didn't drop $100 on the signup fee.

Griffins

Mine has lapsed and while I have about 60-70 cards to submit I'm not really bothered, all due to the long backlog. If they were on top of things I would've submitted these and more, and probably sent a few hundred in for review. Figure I'll do it if and when they staff up properly.

grote15

The turnaround times are frustrating but I'd rather wait longer than have them hire graders off the street who don't have any experience or knowledge about cards and different issues and eras.

Griffins

Tim, I think that happens regardless!

grote15

<< <i>Tim, I think that happens regardless! >>



LOL, you may be right!

hammered

I have sent in five smallish orders recently (CC specials) and all were graded in one to two weeks.
My opinion is that they are past the backlog that was causing many (including myself) frustration.
That said, with some of their graders at the national this week, I wouldn't expect delayed orders to be graded until next week.

epatmythes

<< <i>The turnaround times are frustrating but I'd rather wait longer than have them hire graders off the street who don't have any experience or knowledge about cards and different issues and eras. >>



Maybe it's just me... but I don't fully buy into this line of reasoning... and here's why:

a) This hasn't been a 2-4 month problem... it's been a full freaking year, and it hasn't been getting better; and
b) Really, most of us (I'd hope) are amateur graders anyway... we don't just blindly send stuff into PSA without some idea what they should grade, I'd venture a guess that we're all collectively way more closer to "right" than we are to being "way off". It's rendering a reasonable, definable & consistent opinion on trading cards, it's not rocket science.

Honestly, nobody's just hiring Average Joe of the street to do this job... but to not identify, train and vet enough "right" people in a years time... that's a problem, and not one that reasonably shouldn't have been resolved by now! That's all I'm sayin'

grote15

<< <i>

<< <i>The turnaround times are frustrating but I'd rather wait longer than have them hire graders off the street who don't have any experience or knowledge about cards and different issues and eras. >>



Maybe it's just me... but I don't fully buy into this line of reasoning... and here's why:

a) This hasn't been a 2-4 month problem... it's been a full freaking year, and it hasn't been getting better; and
b) Really, most of us (I'd hope) are amateur graders anyway... we don't just blindly send stuff into PSA without some idea what they should grade, I'd venture a guess that we're all collectively way more closer to "right" than we are to being "way off". It's rendering a reasonable, definable & consistent opinion on trading cards, it's not rocket science.

Honestly, nobody's just hiring Average Joe of the street to do this job... but to not identify, train and vet enough "right" people in a years time... that's a problem, and not one that reasonably shouldn't have been resolved by now! That's all I'm sayin' >>



As hammered said, though, it's starting to get better and my last sub was logged in within 3 days. I don't mind waiting as long as I'm happy with the grades. If I wanted faster service, I could also send my cards to SGC..

packCollector

if you want faster service , pay for it. I sent in a few orders and had a quick service(higher priced) in the box and it was logged in 1 day. if you are paying for 45 business day service , who cares if it takes 6 days to log it

itzagoner

at least the process seems to be turning in terms of how they measure the fairness to the buyer.

i think we've been damn lucky Eric, but that's just me.....to have made it through such a long period with 45-day subs flipping overnight was a blessing. i, too, am accustomed to X.

sure, we got spoiled, but it seems now they actually are trying to turn these things around according to service level. so be it. bite the bullet and pay a few bucks more.

i got the message for sure earlier this year when i paid 6 bucks a card on a different special and it came back very quickly. i figured maybe one more shot at a 45-day order at the end of April, and what would prevent them from doing it fast? it was only 25 cards.

day 47. my longest sub ever.

threatening to not renew is a common rah-rah to this forum, but it doesn't phase them, and it won't touch the bottom line, because other people keep subscribing.

where do you think all these freaking cards are coming from, anyways? ;-)

bbuckner22

<< <i>if you want faster service , pay for it. I sent in a few orders and had a quick service(higher priced) in the box and it was logged in 1 day. if you are paying for 45 business day service , who cares if it takes 6 days to log it >>



I recently did, paid for the $10-10 day service. Got my grades in only 24 business days, so much for paying for a quick turnaround.

epatmythes

<< <i>day 47. my longest sub ever.

threatening to not renew is a common rah-rah to this forum, but it doesn't phase them, and it won't touch the bottom line, because other people keep subscribing. >>



Yeah, I know, I'm just ranting... call it simple stress relief

Not really threatening, or trying to rah-rah... if you look at my chart, you see a decent gap between July 2011 and roughly end-of-November 2011! I took that long to renew last year, as I was furious after that July 2011 sub that took 47 business days to pop. It was the last sub I made when that yearly CC membership expired... but then I got sucked back in when they posted a $4.75 November CC Special... it's been nothing but crap turn-around times since.

I could be wrong, but I believe that was the last time we had a sub $5 special! Yes, we were perhaps spoiled... and I do pay for quicker service when I want it (EG. more than half my submissions have been at a higher service level than 45-day)... but even those have been going over! So, with a year of (what I'll refer to as) bad service times, no solid communication from the company on steps being taken to remove, specials that have progressively gotten "less" special... really hard to keep tossing another $99 (or more) at them on an annual membership just for the privelege to sub... well, at least not until they start making that money "worth it" again!!!

Dboneesq

<< <i>threatening to not renew is a common rah-rah to this forum, but it doesn't phase them, and it won't touch the bottom line, because other people keep subscribing. where do you think all these freaking cards are coming from, anyways? ;-) >>


I guess Yogi Berra would say: Nobody sends cards into PSA anymore because they have so many there already!

itzagoner

i sympathize with those who feel frustrated, i've felt that way, too.

i side with Griffins on this one today. wait awhile for the right time to sub a nice stack.

Mickey71

Folks....if they're grading that many cards and business is that booming.....where are the Collectors Universe stock guys verifying this? I'm not buying this one bit. Business may be up a little; but not that much. They're changing their business model of wanting the customer to pay for expedited services. I think some do not realize that this is 100% a business for PSA. This is not some love of the hobby venture. I mean why would someone get up and publicly give the grading "Gettysburg Address"....Four score////We will never go to half grades. Then in 2009 they go to half grades. My only problem with them is this.....they need to log in subs within 2 days and I'll play the expedited service game.....................................TURNAROUND TIMES SHOULD BE GUARANTEED on other than specials.

Dboneesq

<< <i>Folks....if they're grading that many cards and business is that booming.....where are the Collectors Universe stock guys verifying this? >>


Their (CU) card grading is only about 13% - 14% of their Annual revenue. In 2011 CU had Gross Income of $44 Million of which $6 Million was from card grading. $27 Million was from the grading of coins.

Sportsamerica

This thread made me look at my pass subs for time frame.. I currently have one in which got logged on 7/9... I did do something different this time, which I didnt do on the others... So I guess I should go back to my old way of subbing them to get quicker poppage... Lesson Learned....

Logged - Popped - Cards
2012
7/9 - ???? - 103 (Monthly Special)
3/2 - 3/4 - 5 (Monthly Special)
3/2 - 3/15 - 75 (Monthly Special)
3/2 - 3/11 - 6 (Free)

2011
12/2 - 12/31 - 105 (Monthly Special)
10/5 - 10/22 - 104 (Monthly Special)
9/8 - 9/14 - 73 (Monthly Special)
9/1 - 9/8 - 70 (Monthly Special)
7/27 - 8/10 - 120 (Monthly Special)
6/25 - 7/1 - 20 (Monthly Special)
5/5 - 5/17 - 56 (Monthly Special)
5/8 - 5/12 - 55 (Monthly Special)
4/5 - 4/8 - 71 (Monthly Special)
2/25 - 3/3 - 54 (Monthly Special)

Bonzo902

I'm brand new to this and so far, the estimates make no sense to me. My first submission was a set of 55 non-sports cards. I used the CC 15 cards voucher (7 day estimate) with the remainder using the June special of 30 days. Well, I got the 30 day ones back in about a week and the 7 day ones back in about three weeks. Nothing to complain about there, but I guess they may have just swapped the orders. The problem is half of the 30 day order came back in a different sized holder, which they agreed swap out for the appropriate size. Those have now been setting there for a month. Called earlier today on it and did not get any solid answers. Maybe two more weeks.

I'm thinking their issues may be more moire related to process than staffing.

ldferg

I just posted this in another thread, but this is by far my longest wait. I'm waiting on a March special logged in April. I'm hoping the delay is all of the reviews the need to have for 10s. Haha.

I'm going to chart mine like the OP. good idea.

CollectorAtWork

I think this might be improving although I can't say what effect the submissions from National will be. I just sent in a submission, and it arrived at PSA yesterday (Aug 1st). Today (Aug 2nd), I got loggage! I did label the outside of the box that one of the orders was the free Collectors Club Service voucher.