GameStop x PSA

[Aribasebal]

Just got a submission back from GameStop and got hammered! All ultra modern cards got 1 out of 10 10s,a bunch of 9s and 8s and even a 6! I like the convenience of GameStop but I have not done well at all it terms of getting my money back. Gonna try some other way for a while

[Snowcat]

Originally Posted by Aribasebal

Just got a submission back from GameStop and got hammered! All ultra modern cards got 1 out of 10 10s,a bunch of 9s and 8s and even a 6! I like the convenience of GameStop but I have not done well at all it terms of getting my money back. Gonna try some other way for a while

Not being an ass, but submit your own cards. The process is extremely easy and you don't have to worry about some random Gamestop employee mishandling your cards

[Aribasebal]

Appreciate the advice but nothing is easier than GameStop. You literally just hand them the cards,they take a picture and send them off and you get them back within 2 months. However, after submitting several times through GameStop for whatever reason I have yet to turn a profit due to harsh grades.

[Snowcat]

Originally Posted by Aribasebal

Appreciate the advice but nothing is easier than GameStop. You literally just hand them the cards,they take a picture and send them off and you get them back within 2 months. However, after submitting several times through GameStop for whatever reason I have yet to turn a profit due to harsh grades.

These are near minimum wage workers handling your cards and many of them aren't card people. The cards also get moved around the store prior to them getting sent out to PSA. Too many hands and variables in the middle.

[tnvolfan16]

Originally Posted by Snowcat

These are near minimum wage workers handling your cards and many of them aren't card people. The cards also get moved around the store prior to them getting sent out to PSA. Too many hands and variables in the middle.

i will agree with you that it is not for paranoid people who think everyone is out to screw them, but for others, it is a good deal and most have never had a problem subbing with them, but to each their own. as for harsh grades, could just be that that persons cards were not 10's to start with

[Snowcat]

Originally Posted by tnvolfan16

i will agree with you that it is not for paranoid people who think everyone is out to screw them, but for others, it is a good deal and most have never had a problem subbing with them, but to each their own. as for harsh grades, could just be that that persons cards were not 10's to start with

Never said there was intent to screw anyone, but if you're getting shocking results in grading returns, it's either you, the grading company, or the other people handling your cards along the way.

Only the OP can speak to their ability to properly evaluate card condition. Submitting cards in 2025 is not complicated. If you're submitting higher value items, take the time and learn the process yourself. I've seen how group submitters handle their bulk submissions

[TXRunner]

Originally Posted by tnvolfan16

i will agree with you that it is not for paranoid people who think everyone is out to screw them, but for others, it is a good deal and most have never had a problem subbing with them, but to each their own. as for harsh grades, could just be that that persons cards were not 10's to start with

Yup, no issues here. My Gamestop is on the ball when it comes to submissions. The lady who works there is very knowledgeable about the process. Sounds like she even grades cards herself. I just put together a new submission to take to GS. Some sports, some TCG. The process of just bringing them in, they scan them, and then off they go, is such a time saver over having to search for every card on PSA's website, print out the forms, package them up, make sure the forms are included, then pay some ridiculous amount to ship them with insurance, etc. Plus the GS orders come back faster than self submitted orders.

I pretty much wasted the PSA membership fee this year as I haven't used it one and just use GS instead. But I do have a stack of PSA magazines new in the package if anyone is interested . I will not be renewing my membership when it expires at the end of the year. As long as the GS service is around, I am using that.
In fact, I just had my son's friend ask me about it. He got passed down from his uncle and bunch of early Michael Jordan cards. He is taking them to GS to be sent in for grading.

[inaka]

I used Gamestop one and only time for some oddball PC cards to complete graded sets, and it was perfect. Smooth and easy, no issues whatsoever.

5 card order:
3 PSA 10s
2 PSA 9s.

These were all thick Project 2020/70 cards that PSA usually grades really tough and usually gives PSA 8s on, but I looked them over carefully.

For high end cards I could understand being reluctant to use GameStop, but for most cards, Gamestop was perfect for me since I cancelled my PSA Collector's Membership and I don't grade high end cards with PSA anymore anyway.

I have another 2 card PC order with Gamestop now in progress after seeing how easy it was.

[youseekyoda421]

Originally Posted by Aribasebal

Just got a submission back from GameStop and got hammered! All ultra modern cards got 1 out of 10 10s,a bunch of 9s and 8s and even a 6! I like the convenience of GameStop but I have not done well at all it terms of getting my money back. Gonna try some other way for a while

Quoting your posts from last year...I don't think it's GameStop.

Originally Posted by Aribasebal

Just got back a 43 card submission from PSA. Sent it in at the end of January with the drop off submission in Jersey City. All ultra modern.While I appreciate the quickness I got absolutely hammered in the grading. Got like 6 10s and even a few 7s and 8s. Don't know if they are trying to prove a point that they are difficult graders there but really not happy with the results.

Originally Posted by Aribasebal

Took a second look at my order from NJ and was absolutely baffled how some of these got 8s and 9s. Some of these were Bowman Chrome and Bowman Mega that are generally very easy to gem. No surface issues,corners look good etc. I sent in like 15 Jordan Love Prizm cards and only 3 came back gemmed.This is after I looked them over for any surface issues. Definitely newbies grading cards at the NJ office

PSA has tightened their grading leniency and is actually adhering to their standards. If a card has a minuscule flaw of any kind, you will get a PSA 9. The biggest change, in my opinion, is that a card's centering (both front and back) affects the grade much more significantly now. If the card is even a bit off-center (think 60/40), you'll receive a PSA 9 at best even if the card is flawless in all other aspects. Also, again in my opinion, the difference between a PSA 9 and 10 may be simply arbitrary.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by youseekyoda421

Quoting your posts from last year...I don't think it's GameStop.





PSA has tightened their grading leniency and is actually adhering to their standards. If a card has a minuscule flaw of any kind, you will get a PSA 9. The biggest change, in my opinion, is that a card's centering (both front and back) affects the grade much more significantly now. If the card is even a bit off-center (think 60/40), you'll receive a PSA 9 at best even if the card is flawless in all other aspects. Also, again in my opinion, the difference between a PSA 9 and 10 may be simply arbitrary.

Receipts.

[aggie4ever]

Originally Posted by Snowcat

Not being an ass, but submit your own cards. The process is extremely easy and you don't have to worry about some random Gamestop employee mishandling your cards

Yes, it is easy to submit on your own. But it's even easier to submit through GameStop, and there are several good reasons why it's better too.

It's a lot cheaper for shipping. On your own, it's like $10-20 to PSA, and back is $20-25 since you no longer put in DV's. You used to be able to do a 20 card bulk order and choose your DV's to keep it under $1k total DV and have shipping costs of $12 or $14. But not anymore. With a GameStop Pro membership, it's only $5 for shipping.

You don't need to get a PSA membership. Instead of $150 for a PSA membership, you pay only $25 for a GameStop Pro membership. And get a coupon for $5 off each month. And earn points on your grading costs for more $ off.

And you can send in fewer cards in each order. I typically send in 4 - 10 cards each time. To get the bulk rates sending in on your own, you have to send in a minimum of 20 cards. I find not having a minimum to be convenient.

And if you've actually used GameStop, you know they aren't manhandling your cards. You bring in the cards already in Card Savers, they spread them out on the counter to take pictures, and put stickers on the back of them. Then they put the stack of Card Savers in a bag that gets sealed up.

[inaka]

Originally Posted by aggie4ever

Yes, it is easy to submit on your own. But it's even easier to submit through GameStop, and there are several good reasons why it's better too.

It's a lot cheaper for shipping. On your own, it's like $10-20 to PSA, and back is $20-25 since you no longer put in DV's. You used to be able to do a 20 card bulk order and choose your DV's to keep it under $1k total DV and have shipping costs of $12 or $14. But not anymore. With a GameStop Pro membership, it's only $5 for shipping.

You don't need to get a PSA membership. Instead of $150 for a PSA membership, you pay only $25 for a GameStop Pro membership. And get a coupon for $5 off each month. And earn points on your grading costs for more $ off.

And you can send in fewer cards in each order. I typically send in 4 - 10 cards each time. To get the bulk rates sending in on your own, you have to send in a minimum of 20 cards. I find not having a minimum to be convenient.

And if you've actually used GameStop, you know they aren't manhandling your cards. You bring in the cards already in Card Savers, they spread them out on the counter to take pictures, and put stickers on the back of them. Then they put the stack of Card Savers in a bag that gets sealed up.

All solid points. One other nice thing with Gamestop that I absolutely hated with grading on my own with PSA (and very few people mention) is that 1980 cut-off for batches of cards.

Have 20 cards that qualified for a bulk rate with PSA? Awesome.
Oh wait, three of those cards are from 1979? Nope. All cards in the batch need to be pre or post 1980. Can't mix n match for the bulk rate.

With Gamestop, (or other grading companies like SGC), you could have a two card order, one 1979 card and one 1981 card and it's the same cheap bulk rate in one order for just two cards. On your own, that's two separate orders, along with separate return shipping costs and separate turnaround times for reach card. Argh.

Gamestop solves that. Easy.

[aggie4ever]

Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 4
Dropped off at GameStop: 5/14
Ready For Pick Up: 8/2


Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 4
Dropped off at GameStop: 6/21
Shipped to PSA: 7/7
Arrived: 7/24
Research & ID: 7/31
Grading: 8/22
Assembly: 8/23
QA:
Grades Ready:
Ready For Pick Up:
Picked Up:


Type: GameStop PSA TCG Bulk
# of cards: 7
Dropped off at GameStop: 8/5
Shipped to PSA: 8/9
Arrived: 8/11
Research & ID:
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Ready For Pick Up:
Picked Up:

[TXRunner]

Dropped off two orders yesterday at GS. Once again, my GS employees are on it. Super knowledgable and explain the whole process and even upgrades. I was in and out in 10 minutes. One of my cards was a 1989 Topps Nintendo Punch Out scratch off card. He was like "whoa, what is that?". He had to Facetime his boss to show her. LOL. After I showed him some slabbed pics of the card, he was like "let's do it!". LOL

Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 7
Dropped off at GameStop: 8/10
Shipped to PSA:
Arrived:
Research & ID:
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Ready For Pick Up:
Picked Up:


Type: GameStop PSA TCG Bulk
# of cards: 8
Dropped off at GameStop: 8/10
Shipped to PSA:
Arrived:
Research & ID:
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Ready For Pick Up:
Picked Up:

[pharmd19]

Type: GameStop TCG Bulk

# of cards: 10
Dropped off at GameStop: 6-30-25
Shipped to PSA: 7-1-25
Arrived: 7-23-25
Research & ID: 8-11-25
Grading: 8-12-25
Assembly: 8-13-25
QA:
Grades Ready:
Picked Up:

Hopefully things start picking up soon.

[reptar]

Originally Posted by reptar

Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 15
Dropped off at GameStop: 7/7
Shipped to PSA: 7/8
Arrived: 7/22
Processing: 8/12
Research & ID:
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Picked Up:

Christ, it's so slow. Finally got to Processing today.

[pharmd19]

Type: GameStop TCG Bulk

# of cards: 10
Dropped off at GameStop: 6-30-25
Shipped to PSA: 7-1-25
Arrived: 7-23-25
Research & ID: 8-11-25
Grading: 8-12-25
Assembly: 8-13-25
QA: 8-15-25
Grades Ready:8-15-25
Picked Up:

Moved very quickly from research &ID.

Got hammered on the grades IMO but it is what it is. Sent in 10 cards, only 1 PSA 10, 8 PSA 9 and 1 PSA 8

I've been submitting cards to PSA for nearly a decade by myself. I know things have tightened up recently with centering so maybe I got hit with that harder than normal? I didn't expect so many PSA 9 grades.

At least the PSA 10 was the Captain Pikachu I sent in I thought it was for sure going to get a PSA 9, so very happy with that.

[PumpnDumpling]

Originally Posted by tnvolfan16

i will agree with you that it is not for paranoid people who think everyone is out to screw them, but for others, it is a good deal and most have never had a problem subbing with them, but to each their own. as for harsh grades, could just be that that persons cards were not 10's to start with

I walked into a GameStop once, you'd have to pay me to go back

You should be thankful you have a place where low value people like you have an avenue to congregate

[tconte]

Fortunately, I only collect vintage as most of the cards submitted through GameStop to be graded the stuff I would just put in Mag Pro holders.
No reason to burn money on cards that should never be graded that I’m sure most are sending in through them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[youseekyoda421]

Originally Posted by pharmd19

Got hammered on the grades IMO but it is what it is. Sent in 10 cards, only 1 PSA 10, 8 PSA 9 and 1 PSA 8

I've been submitting cards to PSA for nearly a decade by myself. I know things have tightened up recently with centering so maybe I got hit with that harder than normal? I didn't expect so many PSA 9 grades.

At least the PSA 10 was the Captain Pikachu I sent in I thought it was for sure going to get a PSA 9, so very happy with that.

Sounds like the best card in the order got the only PSA 10. Congrats!

Originally Posted by PumpnDumpling

I walked into a GameStop once, you'd have to pay me to go back

You should be thankful you have a place where low value people like you have an avenue to congregate

Two questions: 1) What happened to your cornflakes this morning? 2) Why did you walk into GameStop?

Your highest priced card on COMC is $29.95 and your highest priced eBay listings are for the '25 Chrome Sapphire ($749.95) and '25 Bob Ross ($699.95) boxes you're trying to flip from pre-orders. I see a completed sale (LEGO set) at $249.95. What high-value do you collect?

Originally Posted by tconte

Fortunately, I only collect vintage as most of the cards submitted through GameStop to be graded the stuff I would just put in Mag Pro holders.
No reason to burn money on cards that should never be graded that I’m sure most are sending in through them.

I'm with you in not understanding why folks grade so many modern base cards. I do appreciate low-grade vintage as I can often purchase a card with great visual appeal with a low grade for significantly less than raw (e.g. pinhole cards). I have also been collecting low-grade Killebrew Topps Venezuela cards so I get those graded for ID purposes as the difference from Topps base, especially with typical back-damage, can be difficult to identify.

[reptar]

Originally Posted by reptar

Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 15
Dropped off at GameStop: 7/7
Shipped to PSA: 7/8
Arrived: 7/22
Processing: 8/12
Research & ID: 8/15
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Picked Up:

Type: GameStop PSA Sports Bulk
# of cards: 14
Dropped off at GameStop: 8/23
Shipped to PSA: 8/25
Arrived:
Processing:
Research & ID:
Grading:
Assembly:
QA:
Grades Ready:
Picked Up:

Just dropped off a second sub saturday

[Icollectstuff]

The order I dropped on July 8th hit the graded stage so now I just have to wait for ready for pickup to hit...

I didn't do as good as I was expecting... It was a 5 card submission and only 1 got a 10 and 4 of them got 9s...

I was expecting at minimum 2 to get a 10 and 1 to possibly get a 10.... there were 2 for sure I knew would get 9s because the centering was too bad..

I have another 5 card submission still out and will probably drop off some more once I can pick up the 5 that showed up as graded today.

[reptar]

Originally Posted by Icollectstuff

The order I dropped on July 8th hit the graded stage so now I just have to wait for ready for pickup to hit...

I didn't do as good as I was expecting... It was a 5 card submission and only 1 got a 10 and 4 of them got 9s...

I was expecting at minimum 2 to get a 10 and 1 to possibly get a 10.... there were 2 for sure I knew would get 9s because the centering was too bad..

I have another 5 card submission still out and will probably drop off some more once I can pick up the 5 that showed up as graded today.

My july 7th order is still in research and ID...

[Icollectstuff]

Originally Posted by reptar

My july 7th order is still in research and ID...

The next couple steps might go real quick... I had one submission sit
On one stage for a long time then it went through a couple stages in one day... or did your gamestop get it out to psa slow? The one I go to is pretty quick to ship out

[reptar]

Originally Posted by Icollectstuff

The next couple steps might go real quick... I had one submission sit
On one stage for a long time then it went through a couple stages in one day... or did your gamestop get it out to psa slow? The one I go to is pretty quick to ship out

No they shipped it out next day. I usually call when i have a submission to check when their next one is going out and only drop off when I know they've hit their minimum to ship or will be over the minimum with my submission. The second submission I dropped off on 8/22 just arrived at PSA today.