I've consigned with Probstein a lot of cards. I've bought a lot of cards on EBAY and I've sold on my own. I can see why buyers are excited about how the rules have changed in favor of buyers. As a buyer and a seller the pendulum has swung too far towards buyers on EBAY. You hold your breath with these authemticators. I recently sent a BGS an expensive graded card to Probstein for consignment. It was rejected by the authenticator and here is why :
verified that your item is authentic. I also observed that the item has minor issues that were not specified in the listing:I verified that your item is authentic. I also observed that the item has minor issues that were not specified in the listing:
Rick Probstein sent me this back when I asked him for an explanation from EBAY. So now I have to guess what these "minor issues" are. Was there a problem with the case with a scuff? Fine I can send it to Beckett to recase it. And it said "issues" in the plural. What else? They not only made a judgment on this card making it virtually unsellable, but they dont need to tell you why. Brutal. To cut to the chase, we decided to list the card with "minor issues" even though neither me or Probstein never could identify what the authticator saw. IT SOLD FOR $920 MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL AUCTION. So I guess we should list "minor issues" whether we see them or not,
Do you know what the buyer's version of shill bidding is? Don't pay for the first auction. And maybe not the second. I had another card that sold for $493, on the relist sold for $444, and it was relisted once more and sold for $223. The last one the buyer paid lol. So to be safe, I need to let Probstein know at some point not to relist the card for fear of dishonest buyers, and pay for him to return it to me
So whatever you think of Probstein, it is easy to see why consignors would leave EBAY. I think other consignors quickly changing over if they see Probstein having success in this new platform .
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