Are collectors becoming increasingly impatient with TPG submissions?
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
Gripes about "slow" TPG service seem to be increasing, yet once details are revealed collectors have only waited a few days? Is that correct or am I seeing only part of the picture. (Maybe the tail of elephant when the head is a giraffe?)
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I don't have a way to get TPG from PCGS or NGC, so I recently used ANACS for a Standing Liberty Quarter. They gave me an expected shipping date of February 20 on my coin and 15 business days to process, yet they graded my coin a week earlier than expected and the coin was mailed out and back in my hands by the 19th, so kudos to them.
Fast delivery of product seems to be the rule in today's world. Companies that have delivery of product that is perceived as slow are likely to warrant negative feelings from the consumers of their product.
With me I have no complaint with PCGS on time. I would rather they take longer and do it right. I am just always anxious to see my results.
Been anxious since 1-2-18. Grades popped 2-22-18.
Ken
Their world grading turnarounds are really getting bad
Latin American Collection
Good question Roger. From my perspective, it's just difficult to see the turnaround times ebb and flow after the coins are in their possession...such as Economy that is currently estimated at 39 days, and I believe it was 21 when I sent them in December.
I also don't believe any of us would deny that we are impatient in waiting for grades.
In a world that goes insane if an Amazon Prime package isn't delivered in 2 days, probably yes.
I think the complaining starts whenever the wait times get much over about 20 days....and currently economy is at 39 days.
So, there you go, as far as complaining...
Now, once the grades pop, the process is nearly complete, and PCGS is quite quick to ship....which might explain your last observation(?)
Gripes about "slow" TPG service seem to be increasing
well, you tell me if this is slow.
--- My original order was received by PCGS around November 6th, 2017 --- returned to me incorrectly encapsulated in non-Secure holders. it was sent back before Christmas and received, again, on January 17, 2018. pictures and grades were posted on January 29th, 2018 and it is still at PCGS.
I'm not pushy, but that's a little over-due, wouldn't you say??? Customer Service made a mistake way back in mid-November and now three months later I am still waiting.
8 days for express, and to make it worse, my order sat there 3 days pending before being logged in, even though EXPRESS was written all over the box. 2 weeks total on express orders? Too long.
Hmmmm.....how extensive are these occurrences?
Once I send them in I don’t worry to much about em to be honest. Every now and then I send one in that I’m on the edge waiting for the results. But for the most part I’m a very thick skinned easy going patient guy. Like my dad use to tell me- Don’t sweat the small things in life you have no control over. The older I get the more that rings true.
I remember reading somewhere that’s says- By the time I realized that everything my dad told me was right, I have a son that thinks I’m wrong.
Happy hunting, Joe
I only get a little more impatient with each passing day........
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
we got accustomed to years of fairly consistent turnaround times (holidays and big events notwithstanding) and over the past 2 years, it has taken much longer on average. there are plenty of threads with dates posted and it is a bit confusing what happened on their side.
we are thankful for their service though.
.
ICG was two weeks and a day on an economy I sent in to them, $10 a coin, good holder, graded about what I expected.
PCGS is running two calendar months on economies now.
Not me.
vote with your wallets if you are unhappy people
I've seen people complain online about an eBay buy not showing up the next day, so I'm going to vote Yes.
The sportscard side seems to be “suffering” as well.....mark
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/994318/special-message-regarding-psa-turnaround-times#latest
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
The best things in life are worth waiting for.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I'm normally patient and try to plan my submissions. I don't currently have anything at PCGS BECAUSE of the slow turnarounds. I get frustrated when the estimated turnaround isn't accurate, regardless of why.
If I send my coins in and the posted turnaround time is 20 days, it shouldn't take 35 days. If PCGS communicated better I think this would alleviate much of the frustration you see here.
Hell, with dominoes, you can see what stage in the process your PIZZA is in!
What is puzzling is that coins graded are down big time but turnarounds are slower than ever. Maybe that Gold Shield that was forced upon us? (Express and above levels)
I got grades on an econo sub back on Jan 26th. PCGS received it on Nov 20th. Slow enough to make lots of people complain- and rightfully so.
Could the slow down be due to the imaging included with Gold Shield?
I shoot more than a hundred a month and doing them right takes many hours. I can't imagine the line-up at Phil's shop. (Or my friend Todd Pollock's.)
Lance.
The wait would not be so bad if it was done right the first time around.
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
Trueviews seem to take much longer to post as well. 1-2weeks after grades post.
Latin American Collection
There does seem to be an increase in chatter about turn around times lately... In general, collectors have always been impatient on this issue. Didn't I read that there was recently a relocation to a new building? Having done such moves during my professional career, I can tell you that can have some major impact on processes. Perhaps a statement to the forum on the issue would help to calm the situation. Cheers, RickO
I am not concerned when I know the TPG companies are in possession of my coins. I am patient. they can take their time. I am most concerned when they are in transit. I cant tell you how many scenarios that go through my head! I do feel like the general population is getting a little impatient.
The pool of truly proficient coin graders isn't huge. It must be the devil trying to recruit, train, and retain the talent. It would probably be far easier to find an outstanding neurosurgeon or expert criminal defense attorney.
well, it looks like my order above has shipped(maybe they are reading this thread) but it also appears that they are still not in the proper holder. I can only go on what is posted at the "cert verification" link, but if that is the case I think I will just surrender.
I just got a modern/economy back in about 20 days, and a standard submission in 30 days, one with a requested FS attribution. No complaints here.
I had one go 90 Days and may have been longer if I did not call, Then I called and then they rushed it out in two days.
Hoard the keys.
Who doesn't love Amazon for its wide selection and speedy, cheap delivery? These are things consumers most care about. Ask your mailman how busy Amazon keeps him. It's staggering.
Okay...it's a little different in the hobby world. But does it have to be? If the major TPG's aren't careful, a well-managed, talented, delivery-optimized crew will come along and knock them for a loop.
What other business asks customers to wait four weeks for their easily produced product? Someone's not thinking ahead.
Lance.
Lance, when someone comes along and gains consumer confidence at the PCGS level then what you ponder may happen. in the meantime we will most likely keep using PCGS and complain. several members have mentioned ANACS, ICG or other TPG's in the past about a quick turnaround and/or low cost. do you really want your coins in their holders?? do you trust their attribution?? do you feel their capsule adds value or makes a sale easy??
as far as Amazon, they are good for some things and I use them occasionally. they tend to ship fast but also make mistakes.
IMO, The first part of the year, Grading services are flooded with American Silver Eagles from the Coin Vault, HSN and the like.
For some reason, I think these Coin TV shows get priority treatment from TPG, with the amount of money they spend.
Making money in numismatics? For many this is a hobby where you are doing ok if you aren't losing money. I've heard some direct sales people say that unless you are making 5X you are "wasting your time". "Never sell a product by direct mail in which the markup is not 5x. http://bit.ly/MarkupBly"
I strongly disagree, many hobbies are enjoyable in themselves, have a lot of good traditions tied up in them. The alternatives to PCGS are good options, some collectors like the main alternative, others tolerate Anacs and ICG, their attributions are good. Their grading may be a little loose or irregular as I have had recently graded ICG coins upgrade at PCGS. Maybe in the end on more expensive coins, even if they are professionally imaged and quality, collectors still want PCGS and cac.
I think you get a good service for the rate you pay. I mostly use the economy, and in doing so I expect it to take longer than the other services (many of my coins get the attribution, too which adds more time). If in a hurry a would opt for the higher tier in which takes less time. I would say I was more impatient when I first started sending coins to our host for grading over 10 years ago. Now, I just wait to see when they grade. With today's world a lot of people want everything now; sometimes we just have to have patience.
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
Does anyone other than the TPGs track their turnaround, converted to calendar days, over time? The current times on PCGS's grading page are pretty long, and I am still waiting for stuff shipped to them at the end of November.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Surely you don't think that they are putting their best graders to doing monster boxes of ASEs. At least I would hope not.
I imagine it's how they haze the new hires.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Junior graders?
I am just a collector with a submission or two a year so cannot really comment on possibly increased turnaround times. My last submission (Club Regular) went out almost to the day of when it was supposed to and my impatience was mainly due to my excitement at what the grades might be.
K
You have to start somewhere. They could also be using seasonal temps for going through ASE monster boxes, I suppose.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Were they ever actually PATIENT?
There is reasonable and unreasonable service and turn-around times. If the delays fall into significantly beyond expected times, "Houston we have a problem", like the Astronauts said. We have all heard about the grading services getting slammed with submissions from time to time. I'm not sure what the reason is for every delay. "Patience" as a virtue only applies when a reasonable person should exercise that, not when situations are unreasonable, then it becomes a defect.
Based on many of the posts Is it fair to say that: collectors do not like being given a published delivery schedule, then having that violated; and the absence of communication from the TPG that were will be a delay?
From my experience in corporate management, managing customer expectations and truthful communications are two of the most important external traits.
If I'm told 5 days then I expect 5 days. If I'm told 2 weeks and you don't meet the 2 weeks, then I lose trust in you. If I don't trust you, then I'm not going to trust anything about you including your ability to grade and handle my property. Just human nature. I think I checked my first submission 2 days after I sent it and at least once every day it was there , NO I checked twice a day until it was posted they had received it and THEN , I went to at least once a day. Uh I don't think I was impatient , Uh well maybe a little bit impatient, Uh well yeah I think I may have been impatient, Uh OK OK so I was impatient, WHAT IS THE GRADE OF MY COIN. No No I'm not impatient. In reality, we all want to know what is going on and human nature leads us to be "Want it now". Years ago when I was a Service Mgr for CompUSA I had an elderly gentleman tell me in response to me advising him his computer would be available tomorrow " Sonny if I'd wanted it tomorrow I'd have brought it in tomorrow" Its the NOT knowing that is so disconcerting. Maybe 30 seconds of the TPG's time to pop out a prepared text msg just to say, Hey we got it, Hey it's being looked at now , Hey its an Ms66, etc. Hey you know, I was expecting an MS 63, wow you know these guys really know their stuff, and they do a great job. Lead times too long why heck no, These guys are experts, they do a great job and we all know quality takes a bit of time and I GOT AN MS66! I don't care if it took 2 months,
Bob Sr CEO Fieldtechs
The good news is some of the moderns will be classics by time they leave Newport Beach
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Bajjerfan... That picture almost looks as if it was from the closing of Raiders of the Lost Arc
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
RE: "If I'm told 5 days then I expect 5 days. If I'm told 2 weeks and you don't meet the 2 weeks, then I lose trust in you. If I don't trust you, then I'm not going to trust anything about you including your ability to grade and handle my property. Just human nature."
This seems to be the salient feature under discussion.
If correct, it would seem to be of great benefit to TPGs to read and adapt accordingly. Why would any company risk its hard-won reputation by disappointing customers on trivial, non-technical things.