What does a PSA upcharge notification look like / say?

RufussCkingston · February 17, 2021 4:08PM

We always talk about PSA up charges when a grade is better than the declared value the card was submitted at, but I've never seen any post with regard to what and how they notify you.. Assuming that it is a multi-card submission:

Do you get an email that just says you've been up-charged on blank number of cards for blank amount? Do they tell you which cards and what they graded. Does this email/notification come AFTER the grades have popped, but then the cards are held hostage before they will be shipped?

Do they just send you an invoice attachment that lists the cards and the amount, and the grade? What if you are trying not to see the grades till the box comes in the mail?

tonylags · February 18, 2021 6:24AM

good question, bump

AANV · February 18, 2021 8:54AM

They will send an email with a PDF of your grades and notations on the lines that exceeded their tier value. You will only receive this notice once your cards are ready for shipment. It will be tricky to not see the grades before you receive them, since you will have to look at the PDF and authorize the charges that they have outlined for you.

billwaltonsbeard · February 18, 2021 10:26AM

you receive an email with the cards in your order and their grades......you're advised that you have to pay an upcharge for some of the cards or they won't send them to you.

thehallmark · February 18, 2021 12:50PM

Ok but they don't charge you straight away - you actually have to have some interaction with them first?

frankhardy · February 18, 2021 6:27PM

When did they start doing that? I have sent them cards for years, but I haven't sent them any in over 2 years because of the wait. Out of hundreds of cards I was never upcharged.

Do they do this on a large scale or just super obvious instances?

orioles93 · February 18, 2021 8:54PM

They just send you an email stating which cards in the order qualify for the up charge and they show you the grades for those cards. They also tried calling me before sending an email the one time it happened to me. You just have to respond to the email saying that you authorize the charge. I mean at the end of the day, no one is gonna not authorize the charge, you gotta do it to get your card back in the holder, and if you get this email, then you’re also getting good news in a way.

And from what I’ve seen, it’s gotta be a pretty obvious circumstance for this to happen. I’ve sent in cards for the under $500 in value service that after grading were worth around $1-2k, and I havnt been upcharged.

RufussCkingston · February 18, 2021 8:59PM

@PricePanic said:
What happens if your cards didn't have substantial value before they held them for 8-9 months?

I have cards waiting for grades that were 5 dollars when I sent them in. Now they're getting expensive. They've had my cards 7 months already. I sort of want to cancel my order because prices are soaring. I've tried calling them at least 3 times. I've been in the call back queue. No callback.

So you don't want your cards graded because they would be worth more graded now than when they were submitted?

gemint · February 18, 2021 11:00PM

The strange thing is they are very inconsistent with this. I've received vintage tens and star 9s on bulk orders without getting upcharged. Then a few orders in the past few years were flagged for upcharges. The one that sucked was a PSA 10 1972 Tug McGraw In Action. One sale hit $3500 when two set builders slugged it out. Otherwise, it's a sub $1000 card. I had to pay like $75 for that one and ended up selling it for under $1,000. Still a good haul but not warranting a $75 grading charge.

I have mixed feelings about it. I'm fine with paying an upcharge if it gets me a card valued at a premium of hundreds to thousands. However, it costs the same to grade each card. Are they going to credit me when they give me a 5 for a micro surface wrinkle on a card that is otherwise an 8 or 9??

Jayman1982 · February 19, 2021 5:08AM

My question is whether an upcharge on a value sub goes to the next available service level ($50 Regular) or does it just jump to the currently unavailable $20 Economy with the $499 limit? It's probably too early for anyone to have any experience with this as all that changed recently and those orders are likely months away from being completed, but I'm very curious to hear what happens with that. Some of my value orders cards were touching the $99/$199 limit then, now they are well passed that. Being charged $50 for a card that would normally be sent in at $20 is a big hit, especially if it happens many times in an order.

RufussCkingston · February 19, 2021 9:07AM

@PricePanic said:
The agreement I made with them was 100 cards for 10 dollars a card. Or something like that. I have the receipt. Or estimate. 7 months later the value of the cards has changed. The work I agreed to have done has not changed. It's exactly the same job they agreed to do for the price on the estimate and their turn around time isn't the turn around time a higher service level would bring. The policy seems to lead to a gray area. Potentially causes problems. Stresses me out. A nice case and professional opinion is cool and all. But, It's not as if I'm going to get my cards back and dump them off to pay my grading bill. I don't know if the whole process is worth the risk. The case and the opinion are worth the 10 bucks to me. But 75 dollars for a card case is over the top.

I guess you can refuse to pay any up-charges and they will send those cards back raw?.... but you'd lose the $10.

Your agreement says they charge you based on the value of the card AFTER it is graded. Unfortunately PSA doesn't price its product as a case and opinion, they price it based on the value it "creates". Thus they have to be compensated for that value it "created". You more or less agreed to this "risk" when you submitted, as well as everyone else who uses its services. You should have used SGC or BGS if you wanted a guaranteed price for services as specified in their aggreements.

RufussCkingston · February 19, 2021 9:10AM

@Jayman1982 said:
My question is whether an upcharge on a value sub goes to the next available service level ($50 Regular) or does it just jump to the currently unavailable $20 Economy with the $499 limit? It's probably too early for anyone to have any experience with this as all that changed recently and those orders are likely months away from being completed, but I'm very curious to hear what happens with that. Some of my value orders cards were touching the $99/$199 limit then, now they are well passed that. Being charged $50 for a card that would normally be sent in at $20 is a big hit, especially if it happens many times in an order.

The lower levels are still there, they just don't allow you to submit at them, but pretty sure they will still up-charge to them. Plus it would be a hell of an argument if you submitted before those price levels got locked up...

LarkinCollector · February 19, 2021 10:41AM

NB4

Jayman1982 · February 19, 2021 10:45AM

@PricePanic said:
If it's based on the price after it's graded it's to their advantage to hold the cards as long as they can. They will never charge you less. Only charge you more. I would never use this service based on the rules i see talked about on this forum. It's a total scam.

I wouldn't say that, the increases in valuation over the last 6 months are far from normal, that paired with the prolonged wait times caused by the increased popularity of the hobby has created a perfect storm for initial declared values to far exceed their intended service levels. You can't blame PSA for what has happened in the hobby, we can only hope they will apply the fairest pricing to the current situation. I don't mind paying an extra few bucks per card if what I thought was worth $150 back then ends up being $450 the day it is returned to me.

What I will lose my $hit over is if they upcharge me from Value ($12/$15) to Regular ($50) because Economy ($20) is suspended, but as another member pointed out that would be a pretty outrageous thing to do and is unlikely to happen.

Jayman1982 · February 19, 2021 11:25AM

@PricePanic said:
Have you ever heard of Pay to Play?

I've seen some real ugly 10s. I wonder if those guys got upcharged.

Lots of people believed in Bernie Madoff too. Gave him all kinds of money.

I'm not blaming PSA for anything except their policies and their service. At this point I just want my cards back and to cancel my order.

I try not to let my hobby affect me emotionally for more than an a few minutes, maybe more if I come across some obscene factory damage to a blue chip card while ripping.

I suggest you just accept the fact your cards are worth more today than before, and in the unlikely event you get charged a few more bucks just take it in stride, because ultimately those $5 cards you submitted are no longer that, they are valuable commodities in coveted PSA holders.

Question, these $5 cards, you are worried that they are now over $199? What on earth are they?

ChewliesGum · February 19, 2021 12:05PM

What I will lose my $hit over is if they upcharge me from Value ($12/$15) to Regular ($50) because Economy ($20) is suspended, but as another member pointed out that would be a pretty outrageous thing to do and is unlikely to happen.

This is a valid question that I would like answered also. I have a few there now that if they hit 10s will move them well past the $199 level. Maybe the forum mod could jump in and answer this question for us before someone gets the thread shut down.

LarkinCollector · February 19, 2021 12:14PM

There seems to be a whole lot of worrying about nothing going on in this thread. I've had cards graded back when it was a $99 limit on bulks that greatly exceeded my grade expectation, turning a $75 card into $1300+ at the time w/no upcharge. If a card was submitted under Value several months back and is worth $250-400 now after grading, I would bet a large amount of money you're not going to see an upcharge. It's going to have to be several multiples of the $199 limit before it's even a possibility, and many multiples for it to be likely.

Jayman1982 · February 19, 2021 2:27PM

@PricePanic said:
The cards aren't worth any more after they're graded. If I take the card out of the case, it still has the same value as before it was put in. PSA is saying their opinion and the case are worth more if the card is in better condition.

You actually think you can sell a raw card you pull out of a PSA 10 holder for the same card still in a PSA 10 holder? That's just not true

Dpeck100 · February 19, 2021 8:14PM

You should be praying for an up charge.

I am hoping one day I get an email that says Dave you hit the jackpot on this card.

erikthredd · February 19, 2021 9:23PM

I’ve been waiting for a (19) 5x7 Nike Poster Cards Regular order to pop for a few weeks now knowing it’s close and while watching the Celtics-Hawks game tonight I missed a call from Andy at PSA with regards to one of my orders. Didn’t see the message until about 20mins ago so I won’t be able to reach him until Tuesday he said and I’m guessing it’s likely an upcharge in my order.

Odd thing is I could have subbed these at $25/card through a group submitter but chose to sub at the Regular level myself so I’d have an additional $500 of DV at $999 in case something got upcharged. Looks like I get to spend all weekend wondering what it is.

erikthredd · February 23, 2021 11:07AM

@erikthredd said:
I’ve been waiting for a (19) 5x7 Nike Poster Cards Regular order to pop for a few weeks now knowing it’s close and while watching the Celtics-Hawks game tonight I missed a call from a PSA rep with regards to one of my orders. Didn’t see the message until about 20mins ago so I won’t be able to reach him until Tuesday he said and I’m guessing it’s likely an upcharge in my order.

Odd thing is I could have subbed these at $25/card through a group submitter but chose to sub at the Regular level myself so I’d have an additional $500 of DV at $999 in case something got upcharged. Looks like I get to spend all weekend wondering what it is.

Just got off the phone with someone from PSA and turns out that there were no upcharges in my order but one poster card did get crimped while getting slabbed. It went from a 7 to a 5 and the loss of value came out to about 40% off my total grading fees, I haven’t seen the damage yet but I can always replace it at some point. It also sounds like I did save myself from getting some upcharges by subbing at the level I did. Now it’s just waiting for my grades to pop by the end of the day.

Batpig · February 23, 2021 11:29AM

You sure are worrying and complaining a lot for

1) something that hasn’t happened yet, and probably won’t.
2) something that is considered good news in most cases.

At the old $99 bulk limit I had a couple $1000+ cards that they don’t contact me on. Relax.

Cakes · February 23, 2021 12:00PM

@Batpig said:
You sure are worrying and complaining a lot for

1) something that hasn’t happened yet, and probably won’t.
2) something that is considered good news in most cases.

At the old $99 bulk limit I had a couple $1000+ cards that they don’t contact me on. Relax.

I agree. People have been trying to walk him off the ledge for a couple days now. Did he not realize how backed up PSA was before submitting?

What I can say is you are much more likely to receive the grader of death then you are of getting up charged. I wish I had submitted all of my cards 5 to 10 plus years ago when they had a seemingly more lenient grading policy.

billwaltonsbeard · February 23, 2021 12:49PM

The problem I have with this new policy is that I'm paying for the service. If I chose to pay the lowest level for the longest turnaround time, I don't really think it's fair to upcharge me to a higher service level if I had to wait 9+ months for the cards to pop.

I also think it's kind of unfair to be upcharged on cards that were near the price level limit when received by PSA but have since skyrocketed while waiting to be graded.

All this being said, I love PSA!

Batpig · February 23, 2021 12:55PM

It’s not a new policy. It also has not happened yet.

Wait until it actually happens, and then we’ll be glad to explain why it’s still stupid to complain about it.

billwaltonsbeard · February 23, 2021 12:57PM

@Batpig said:
It’s not a new policy. It also has not happened yet.

Wait until it actually happens, and then we’ll be glad to explain why it’s still stupid to complain about it.

It has happened...........to me. Thanks

Batpig · February 23, 2021 3:45PM

@billwaltonsbeard said:

@Batpig said:
It’s not a new policy. It also has not happened yet.

Wait until it actually happens, and then we’ll be glad to explain why it’s still stupid to complain about it.

It has happened...........to me. Thanks

Cool, I’ll play along. What was the scenario?

LarkinCollector · February 23, 2021 5:18PM

@LarkinCollector said:
NB4

What do I win?

Cakes · February 23, 2021 6:42PM

@LarkinCollector said:

@LarkinCollector said:
NB4

What do I win?

Patience grasshopper.

LarkinCollector · February 23, 2021 7:18PM

@Cakes said:

@LarkinCollector said:

@LarkinCollector said:
NB4

What do I win?

Patience grasshopper.

$2m, thanks!

billwaltonsbeard · May 21, 2021 5:34PM

I just got hit BIG with upcharges on an Economy sub.............Yaayyyyy!!!!!!

OAKESY25 · May 21, 2021 6:43PM

@billwaltonsbeard congrats!!! prove it ( please)

stevegarveyfan · May 21, 2021 7:14PM

@billwaltonsbeard said:
I just got hit BIG with upcharges on an Economy sub.............Yaayyyyy!!!!!!

Man, I SO want to get a notification that tells me I'm going to be paying much, much more to PSA. I feel ya and wish I was in your shoes! Congratulations!

billwaltonsbeard · May 21, 2021 7:31PM

yeah, i'm THRILLED..........maybe i'll feel better when I get them in hand.......but I'm pretty peeved

billwaltonsbeard · May 21, 2021 7:38PM

@OAKESY25 said:
@billwaltonsbeard congrats!!! prove it ( please)

just a couple of examples.......lots of $75........about $1500 total upcharge

OAKESY25 · May 21, 2021 7:49PM

@billwaltonsbeard wow, very nice

grote15 · May 21, 2021 7:50PM

First world problems.

RufussCkingston · May 21, 2021 10:26PM

So my Voucher sub just popped today (didn't look), but before that, when in QA2 for a few days, in the last 24 hours, the cards disappeared from the submission view. I always thought when this happens it is because of an issue or an upcharge. Alas, I didn't get an upcharge message and just the grades are ready email. Unless they are letting $1k cards slide on a $250 limit, I guess I'm not going to be running around like I just pulled a Jim Brown rookie out of a cello!

billwaltonsbeard · May 22, 2021 5:31AM

I had a 100 card Value sub pop a few weeks ago. No upcharges, and a few of the cards were worth well over $99. That makes this seem very arbitrary, which I think is what bothers me the most.

blurryface · May 22, 2021 5:45AM

whether you get upcharged or not, the list of subbed cards always disappear right before the grades pop. theoretically once your list has vanished, it could be called "qa3" as it's definitely a step in the pizza tracker.

fergie23 · May 22, 2021 3:14PM

Wait, you are peeved that you got up-charged for a PSA 10 2012 Durant silver prizm that will now sell for $10,000-$11,000? As well as a Lillard PSA 10 silver prizm and Thompson PSA 10 silver prizm that both sell for over $5,000? Am I reading that right?

Robb

blurryface · May 22, 2021 4:45PM

@billwaltonsbeard said:
I had a 100 card Value sub pop a few weeks ago. No upcharges, and a few of the cards were worth well over $99. That makes this seem very arbitrary, which I think is what bothers me the most.

upcharges tend to come more frequently on the higher level to begin with vs your $99 bulk orders.

the difference between a card getting pegged a 9 or a 10 at the $75 is usually pretty substantial, as seen here.

and what makes it “seem very arbitrary” is because, imo, psa lets ALOT slide under the $99 bulk levels. probably due to the time, resources and delays that would ensue.

and just you thinking its arbitrary would mean you kinda got away with a lot at the bulk levels that you know shoulda been upcharged, right? 😉

would you be happier with 9s and not getting upcharged?

would you be happier if they got pegged 8s considering how tight theyve become?

a member above stated one of my favorite quotes and honestly puts just about everything in perspective.

“first would problems”

billwaltonsbeard · May 22, 2021 6:09PM

@fergie23 said:
Wait, you are peeved that you got up-charged for a PSA 10 2012 Durant silver prizm that will now sell for $10,000-$11,000? As well as a Lillard PSA 10 silver prizm and Thompson PSA 10 silver prizm that both sell for over $5,000? Am I reading that right?

>

Robb

I can appreciate you guys trying to shift my focus to the sweet part of this bittersweet situation. But this just reeks of nothing but greed to me.

This was a economy sub that took 7 months to pop, BTW.

RufussCkingston · May 22, 2021 7:29PM

I think the only semi-valid time to complain is if the cards are for PC, as there would be no near-term recovery of the upcharges.

What does a PSA upcharge notification look like / say?

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