What do you think about Beckett running auctions?
- Thread starter timfsu2k
- Start date
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Other than an ability to advertise better than many sellers, it's really just a consignment house selling items for other owners, is it not?
This Beckett ID acts as a 3rd party seller for the real owner. The seller gets excellent exposure and probably has to pay a consignment fee for this service. The buyer has a feeling of safety in bidding with a known entity on high dollar items. Everyone wins.
I didn't look at other auction listings or know where this one started, but if these listings start at $1 w/o a reserve and are not owned by Beckett, it would make for the least questionable scenario.
The kind of items that most likely end up in this type of listings are not really priced to begin with I assume, so Beckett isn't reporting prices and/or trying to manipulate prices either, so I don't see any conflict of interest in the pricing arena.
I don't really see an issue here.
This Beckett ID acts as a 3rd party seller for the real owner. The seller gets excellent exposure and probably has to pay a consignment fee for this service. The buyer has a feeling of safety in bidding with a known entity on high dollar items. Everyone wins.
I didn't look at other auction listings or know where this one started, but if these listings start at $1 w/o a reserve and are not owned by Beckett, it would make for the least questionable scenario.
The kind of items that most likely end up in this type of listings are not really priced to begin with I assume, so Beckett isn't reporting prices and/or trying to manipulate prices either, so I don't see any conflict of interest in the pricing arena.
I don't really see an issue here.
What about the grading part of the equation? Do you think that this card is going to sell for more now that it is a 9.5? What if it had been an 8.5? That would have meant less money for Beckett, right? That is the conflict of interest to me.
They'd for sure mess it up. No way.
Do you think that I could file an item not as described and have them take it out of the BGS holder? The auction pic and title don't say anything about having in encased.
Anyway, yes, I agree that it is very shady for them to be doing anything like this. They shouldn't be pricing thier own grading and they shouldn't be selling things that they grade. That's a sharp card, but a 9.5? And don't forget, they are the ones that have authenticated all of those bogus Burge cards.
If they are going to be setting the market with pricing, then they should stay out of the other parts of the hobby.
Do you think that they are trying to raise some money to release their new website?
JMO.
Anyway, yes, I agree that it is very shady for them to be doing anything like this. They shouldn't be pricing thier own grading and they shouldn't be selling things that they grade. That's a sharp card, but a 9.5? And don't forget, they are the ones that have authenticated all of those bogus Burge cards.
If they are going to be setting the market with pricing, then they should stay out of the other parts of the hobby.
Do you think that they are trying to raise some money to release their new website?
JMO.
I didn't see the listing when it started. Were the graded pictures added later?
I do know that since they grade cards, it should be graded prior to an auction beginning. It's feasible that any grade could be given, mid-auction, likely a high grade, thus driving the price higher. I could see that in action, "Hey, the bids are too low, let's give this bad boy a 9.5 to spark bidding!"
I did look at their other listings after my first comment. Not sure what to think. There are BINs, low and high opening bids and a variety of things. I could see them selling their own items, like subscriptions, books and such, even selling "vault" items like Topps does. That would be fine. Not sure about the singles and such though. I'd like to know for sure if these are consigned or not.
I do know that since they grade cards, it should be graded prior to an auction beginning. It's feasible that any grade could be given, mid-auction, likely a high grade, thus driving the price higher. I could see that in action, "Hey, the bids are too low, let's give this bad boy a 9.5 to spark bidding!"
I did look at their other listings after my first comment. Not sure what to think. There are BINs, low and high opening bids and a variety of things. I could see them selling their own items, like subscriptions, books and such, even selling "vault" items like Topps does. That would be fine. Not sure about the singles and such though. I'd like to know for sure if these are consigned or not.
Lets face the facts here. Beckett doesn't care about us or the hobby. They obviously only care about their bottom line and will do anything to get their money. In my experience with Beckett they are a very dishonest company. Grading cards and selling them for profits! Giving 9.5 gradings to their highest spenders and website that cost's way to much for the service that doesn't even work.
Are their any Lawyers on here? I wonder if their might be a legal issue with them selling singles that they grade?
Are their any Lawyers on here? I wonder if their might be a legal issue with them selling singles that they grade?
So you are saying that they started the auction at 8 PM, then decided to hurry up and grade it, then changed the description at 6 AM the next day? Are they grading 24/7 at Beckett? And are you saying that Beckett should not be selling any cards, or just their own graded cards? So in that respect, Wonderbread should not be selling their own bread at their own store?
But wonderbread isnt taking someone elses bread and judging it and selling it for more. I dont agree with what beckett is doing but I dont think there is anyway to stop them. It gives them the opportunity to grade them better than they are and make money off it.
"Under magnification, you can see white on two back corners." - uhm, seen white on those two back corners immediately, and I didn't have it magnified, nor had I read it yet. But that still allows that card to get a 9 for corners?
Also, what about the white chipping on the green on the right front of the card? That doesn't bring the card down from the 9.5 for edges? I guess that is why I have never submitted a card for slabbing/grading, as I wouldn't have figured this card for that high of a grade. The corners on the back would have killed any chance of anything better than a 8 in my opinion.
Also, what about the white chipping on the green on the right front of the card? That doesn't bring the card down from the 9.5 for edges? I guess that is why I have never submitted a card for slabbing/grading, as I wouldn't have figured this card for that high of a grade. The corners on the back would have killed any chance of anything better than a 8 in my opinion.
If a card graded a 9.5 sells for more than one graded 9.0, and my company both graded the card AND sold the card, then I would be the owner of one very shady company. That doesn't sound a little off to you?
Also, I don't think they should sell any cards, graded or not. They come up with a "value" of the cards, then sell those cards. Doesn't sound very ethical to me. They are supposed to be an unbiased third party. How can they claim to be that when they are profiting off of the grades they themselves assign?
Profiting off grades and they make up the values of cards. This is disgusting and something should be done but cant.
Oh and if you complain to them they just dont listen anyways.
Oh and if you complain to them they just dont listen anyways.
I think most of you are giving Beckett far too much credit. This is a company that can barley keep its own website up, and you think they have the ability to get more than one arm of their company to communicate and to try to squeak out a few extra dollars from a bidder.
Really this is no different from an auction house who guarantees a painting is a true (insert famous painter here), and then sells it. What we are talking about here is a reputation.
If you do not trust Becketts reputation on what they are doing then don’t purchase anything from, or having anything to do with them. If enough people feel this way their company falls apart, and leaves the door open for someone else to take over; if they can make it profitable.
- Chris
Really this is no different from an auction house who guarantees a painting is a true (insert famous painter here), and then sells it. What we are talking about here is a reputation.
If you do not trust Becketts reputation on what they are doing then don’t purchase anything from, or having anything to do with them. If enough people feel this way their company falls apart, and leaves the door open for someone else to take over; if they can make it profitable.
- Chris
I don't know anything about their ebay auction department, but it appears they are selling items (mostly, I assume) owned by others. Unless we know for a fact that they get more per item if the item sells for more, then we don't know if grading a card makes any difference. If they charge a flat fee to list a card, regardless of the outcome, then they don't stand to make anything more by grading it, other than the possibility of added exposure.
When cards like the HOF cut auto book, the hottest rookie 1/1 (Strasburg) or similar list, those auction listings end up going viral. That is good advertising for the lister (Beckett).
I'd say from what I have heard and seen, you have a better case to question their grading standards and ethics. Wasn't there a video showing a card getting obviously overgraded that became somewhat of a joke?
When cards like the HOF cut auto book, the hottest rookie 1/1 (Strasburg) or similar list, those auction listings end up going viral. That is good advertising for the lister (Beckett).
I'd say from what I have heard and seen, you have a better case to question their grading standards and ethics. Wasn't there a video showing a card getting obviously overgraded that became somewhat of a joke?
Agreed 100%. They assign the values to the cards. They should have no hand in selling/buying of cards. That's my opinion.
Jason
They do give values to cards, but they don't determine what someone will purchase them for. A card is only worth what the market determines. Beckett is a starting place for most people but rarly determines the end value of the cards. I have seen countless times where someone states they feel beckett is over or under priced on a card.
- Chris
Don't sound right. So I won't be bidding on any of Beckett's auctions. Best regards, David
Rodgers
Tim,
I have to agree with you. I've actually held this card in my hand. I was a little surprised that it came back a 9.5 due to a (very minor) issue on the back (but 9.5s are supposed to be nearly pristine).
The actual owner is a regular store customer from Pittsfield, Maine. He picked Rodgers as 'his boy' when he was first drafted and picked up a ton of high end on the cheap while he was the rookie backup (you'd just shake your head if you knew what he originally paid for the card).
With regard to the timing, I can vouch for the owner and Beckett on this one. Up until a month ago, he wasn't even sure he wanted to part with his Rodgers collection. He contacted them for the first time 3 weeks ago about selling the card raw for him and things quickly progressed from there to where they recommended he send the card in for grading and sell before SB. It was just graded last Friday. Whether or not they should have waited to list it until after grading, I guess is a matter of opinion. Did not the same thing happen with one of Strasburgs?
Tim,
I have to agree with you. I've actually held this card in my hand. I was a little surprised that it came back a 9.5 due to a (very minor) issue on the back (but 9.5s are supposed to be nearly pristine).
The actual owner is a regular store customer from Pittsfield, Maine. He picked Rodgers as 'his boy' when he was first drafted and picked up a ton of high end on the cheap while he was the rookie backup (you'd just shake your head if you knew what he originally paid for the card).
With regard to the timing, I can vouch for the owner and Beckett on this one. Up until a month ago, he wasn't even sure he wanted to part with his Rodgers collection. He contacted them for the first time 3 weeks ago about selling the card raw for him and things quickly progressed from there to where they recommended he send the card in for grading and sell before SB. It was just graded last Friday. Whether or not they should have waited to list it until after grading, I guess is a matter of opinion. Did not the same thing happen with one of Strasburgs?
