What is a dealers reputation worth... specifically BBCE?
llafoe
Posts: 7,220 ✭✭
What does BBCE add to the value of a sealed box?
If I could purchase an IDENTICAL sealed box from another dealer for $600; would it be better to pay $875 to BBCE for their reputation, customer service... what is their value add? Is it 45% as in this example? Less? More? Does the BBCE sticker on the bottom of the box add value?
What value does customer service and reputation add to a dealer?
If I could purchase an IDENTICAL sealed box from another dealer for $600; would it be better to pay $875 to BBCE for their reputation, customer service... what is their value add? Is it 45% as in this example? Less? More? Does the BBCE sticker on the bottom of the box add value?
What value does customer service and reputation add to a dealer?
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Customer service isn't really top on my list as long as I get what I paid for, or get a refund (if there was a problem). I don't know if I could pay $275 more for same item just because it came from bbce. I probably just wouldnt buy it lol. I don't have that kind of money!
There are a number of fellow collectors and dealers I've dealt with over the years with terrific results, too.
My best advice is to learn as much as you can, be skeptical without being paranoid, do your homework, and know with whom you are dealing.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I'd say anywhere from 10-25%. And in some cases people, like myself, wouldn't even buy a wax box unless it comes from Steve Hart (or a few other rare sources).
As availability decreases and sale prices increase it becomes more and more important to trust the seller.
That said, if you buy from BBCE and then try to resell using their name to try and make more don't get too enthusiastic about it ... one of the reasons why they can command a premium is become it actually comes from them. >>
Ditto, 10 to 20% depending on how rare and how expensive.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Never get cheated.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
My first month on this forum, you guys did one of the Group Rips and he sent out a 1980-81 Basketball Pack as part of it knowing there was a Bird/Magic on the bottom. I was sold at that point. Incredibly rare to find that kind of integrity in this hobby. And unopened material is far too easy to mess with
TheClockworkAngelCollection
I do have a question for all that are more familiar with unopened than myself. What do you think about buying GAI graded vending boxes and cards from auction houses and/or Ebay? Can they verify that a vending box hasn't been tampered with or searched before putting a grade on the material ?
thanks for the input
Where else can you get that kind of confidence on an unopened purchase?
I agree, that the BBCE seal of approval adds between 10%-25% regardless of if it comes directly from them.
Dave
<< <i>I have been thinking about this..I have bought quite a bit from BBCE and had some great packs also had some boxes I bought that were questionable. I always wondered if someone bought say 2 boxes of 86 fb and pulled the Jerry Rices out of the two boxes then merged the remaining packs into one box, how would the guys at BBCE be able to tell if someone sold the box to them. I always just wonder what percentage even of BBCE inventory is purely clean, not that I do not trust them, just how do you trust the boxes they are buying. I would think BBCE material would command a 30% premium. However, a box from a random seller on EBAY with the BBCE seal would not command any premium from me....only the direct buys I put a premium on. Just my thoughts. >>
BBCE will usually state if something comes from a case. Usually he will sticker the bottom with a date and stating it came from a case. If it came from a case, you can be certain packs were not moved around. As far as getting a single box is difficult to say, but I am sure he may have some reputable sources he deals with and may investigate it to some degree of its origin. I am sure he not picking stuff off eBay all day long just to fluff inventory.
<< <i>If it's sealed and stickered by Steve then it means you know it hasn't been tampered with...PERIOD.
Where else can you get that kind of confidence on an unopened purchase?
I agree, that the BBCE seal of approval adds between 10%-25% regardless of if it comes directly from them. >>
So if I bought two boxes of 86 topps and opened each one until I pulled a Jerry Rice rookie then merged back the packs into one box and offered to sell the box back how would he or anyone else be able to determine, technically it is 36 packs unopened. I know on the 86 fleer basketball their is a sequence where you can tell, but on others say 89 upperdeck I am just curious how anyone could tell. It seems unethical on some of the pack rips if people see a few jordans 86 fleers pulled they just send their packs in and get em graded and can be sold off as a fresh unopened graded pack when the odds of pulling a Jordan are low given a few have already been pulled from a box. So I guess my question or point is how can anyone tell if they truly have random packs and the odds of pulling a big card is the same as if it was fresh from the manufacturer.
<< <i>
<< <i>If it's sealed and stickered by Steve then it means you know it hasn't been tampered with...PERIOD.
Where else can you get that kind of confidence on an unopened purchase?
I agree, that the BBCE seal of approval adds between 10%-25% regardless of if it comes directly from them. >>
So if I bought two boxes of 86 topps and opened each one until I pulled a Jerry Rice rookie then merged back the packs into one box and offered to sell the box back how would he or anyone else be able to determine, technically it is 36 packs unopened. I know on the 86 fleer basketball their is a sequence where you can tell, but on others say 89 upperdeck I am just curious how anyone could tell. It seems unethical on some of the pack rips if people see a few jordans 86 fleers pulled they just send their packs in and get em graded and can be sold off as a fresh unopened graded pack when the odds of pulling a Jordan are low given a few have already been pulled from a box. So I guess my question or point is how can anyone tell if they truly have random packs and the odds of pulling a big card is the same as if it was fresh from the manufacturer. >>
There are things to look for to help you determine if a box is original or "put together" in the cases you are describing such as consistency in the wrapper colors and intact gum and uniform wear (in original vintage boxes the last row of packs usually exhibit some dirtiness from being on the bottom of the box), but really there is no way to say with certainty if a box is original unless it's pulled from a case. 70s wax cases are scarcer than hen's teeth so dealers like Steve do have to trust their sources to a certain extent when buying wax on the secondary market.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>That said, if you buy from BBCE and then try to resell using their name to try and make more don't get too enthusiastic about it ... one of the reasons why they can command a premium is become it actually comes from them. >>
And a shrink wrapped box with the BBCE label that is resold doesn't come from them?
<< <i>
<< <i>That said, if you buy from BBCE and then try to resell using their name to try and make more don't get too enthusiastic about it ... one of the reasons why they can command a premium is become it actually comes from them. >>
And a shrink wrapped box with the BBCE label that is resold doesn't come from them? >>
It's like saying I'll only buy PSA cards directly from PSA.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.