BGS Nixing Guaranteed Turnaround Times beginning 2/19/20

[jbruner23]

Beckett Grading Services announced today, beginning February 19, 2020, submissions received will no longer have a guaranteed turnaround time.
Instead, the turnaround times will become estimated times, based on the service levels selected. Here is the official statement from BGS.
Dear Beckett Grading Customer,

The BGS team wants to thank you for the support you continue to show BGS/BAS and hope that we have been able to meet most, if not all, of your grading needs in 2019. It was a year to remember for the collectibles market. It’s crystal clear after just one month that 2020 has even more to offer! The market continues to grow in strength and popularity across the world.

Many factors go into this growth but being surrounded in this industry each day (and for the last 20 years),we see that our market is strong and growing, which is great news!

With that said, the number of cards Beckett is receiving daily has begun to eclipse the volume our staff can properly handle with strict guarantees in place. From invoicing, to card identification, to grading, to shipping…..cards are coming in at a rate never seen in our history. We are at the point we must address the issue so that we keep the integrity of our brand and services we offer to you. We built our business on being the only company that offered the guaranteed turnaround time, but the current reality is offering that feature is going to be a disservice to the industry.

Our team needs to be able to do their jobs properly and rushing through an order just to get it out the door, is foolish. Giving each card our best valuation and fairest grade is why we will be suspending the “Guaranteed” part of the service level and instead go to an “Estimated” turnaround time. This will start on all submissions received after February 18th, 2020.

Our goal will be to completely process (Receive, Grade, and Ship) the order in the exact timeframe each customer has requested but for now, this will not be guaranteed. We realize customers submit to Beckett for many reasons and knowing when the cards will ship is very important. Our goal is to get back to that guarantee as soon as possible, but for now, we have concluded this is the best option for our valued customers and Beckett. Our goal and belief is that most people will not see a difference at all. The orders will be processed as you have always expected but there could be some of you that see a day or two delay in the shipping of your order. I can only apologize and let you know we want your orders in and out of here as quickly as possible, without compromising the grading process.

As you can see, we have not raised grading rates. That would have been the easy thing to do, but we don’t feel thatis fair or warranted. We also still have a full calendar of shows/events planned for 2020. It’s important to many of our customers that we attend these shows, so we don’t want to pull back on that schedule. Canceling shows would be another easy move, keeping all our staff here in Dallas. However, the RCR and face-to-face business from shows is important to so many of you we don’t think it is fair to alter the schedule.

With all of this said, I know one of the first things (or the first thing) people will say/think is “just hire more graders!” We truly wish it was that easy, but finding graders is a very difficult task. In my 20 years with the company, we have never stopped looking for people to help our team, and that includes graders. We are openly hiring so if you, or someone you know, want to work for Beckett at our headquarters in Dallas, please reach out to us.

I hate to suspend the guaranteed turnaround for submissions to BGS. Beckett Grading was built with this as part of its core foundation, however, the market has forced us to adjust this plan. Beckett will continue to offer you the same service and products you have come to expect but, we might need a day or two more to do that for you. I truly appreciate your understanding, and we look forward to working with you in 2020.

Sincerely,
Jeromy Murray
Vice President, Beckett Grading Services

[MoreToppsPlease]

"I know one of the first things (or the first thing) people will say/think is “just hire more graders!” We truly wish it was that easy, but finding graders is a very difficult task. In my 20 years with the company, we have never stopped looking for people to help our team, and that includes graders."


This roughly translates to:
"We have found grading thousands of cards a week, week in and week out, causes severe mental health issues among graders, not to mention errors assigning grades, if they don't take substantial time off. Think "going postal", but ten times worse. So as you would imagine, grader retention is always a significant concern."

[Keyser Soze]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

"I know one of the first things (or the first thing) people will say/think is “just hire more graders!” We truly wish it was that easy, but finding graders is a very difficult task. In my 20 years with the company, we have never stopped looking for people to help our team, and that includes graders."


This roughly translates to:
"We have found grading thousands of cards a week, week in and week out, causes severe mental health issues among graders, not to mention errors assigning grades, if they don't take substantial time off. Think "going postal", but ten times worse. So as you would imagine, grader retention is always a significant concern."

I can't imagine a more awful and mind-numbing job. And probably doesn't even pay well.

[Stech36]

Originally Posted by Keyser Soze

I can't imagine a more awful and mind-numbing job. And probably doesn't even pay well.

If they’re getting more packages than they can handle, couldn’t they just raise the salary?

But apparently it’s not that easy, or they would’ve done it.

Honestly I’ve only graded with PSA the last couple years and I was considering switching some things over to BGS specifically because of the guarantee

[rfgilles]

Originally Posted by jbruner23

As you can see, we have not raised grading rates. That would have been the easy thing to do, but we don’t feel that is fair or warranted.

That was nice of them to not raise prices, after having got rid of their differentiating service.

If hiring more graders isn't the solution, how would raising prices help meet the higher demand?

[Ballerskrip]

It is a race to the bottom. And no, not the race to lower prices to gain business, a two team race between PSA and BGS to see who can offer the WORSE customer service. It is truly mind blowing that anyone with business sense can think that the way these two companies do business is proper or will help their businesses. We are in an amazon world and these two do business like Kmart.

[LC2nine10]

Originally Posted by rfgilles

That was nice of them to not raise prices, after having got rid of their differentiating service.

If hiring more graders isn't the solution, how would raising prices help meet the higher demand?

Less people would submit so they would have less csrds to grade, but at a higher price they would break even. Less work for the same $$ could be nice.


People knock em and their practices, but sure line up to send stuff in and then wait ages to get it back.

[auburn35]

Curious if the 1day service will also just be an estimate or will Beckett still guarantee the same day local drop offs?

Unless something has changed in 2020, Beckett in 2019 graded (BGS, BAS, BVG, BCCG) about the same as PSA claims to do in a quarter.

Beckett supposedly has 15~ fulltime graders, does anyone have the numbers on PSA?

[Triple B]

Pay the graders more and make it a job people WANT. Right now they have 12 people locked in a room looking at thousands of cards a week and paying them peanuts.

[I only pull for]

Originally Posted by jbruner23

Beckett Grading Services announced today, beginning February 19, 2020, submissions received will no longer have a guaranteed turnaround time.
Instead, the turnaround times will become estimated times, based on the service levels selected.



Dear Beckett Grading Customer,


I refuse to work long hours and provide good service. Beckett Grading was built with no integrity. Beckett will continue to offer you the same service and products you have come to expect but, we might need a month or year more to do that for you. I truly hope to run you all away in 2020.

Sincerely,
Jeromy Murray
Vice President, Beckett Grading Services

Jeromy could have shortened his statement up.

[doowopbruce]

Originally Posted by Triple B

Pay the graders more and make it a job people WANT. Right now they have 12 people locked in a room looking at thousands of cards a week and paying them peanuts.

And raise the prices? It'll cost more than some cards are worth.

[notoriousrmb]

I'd prefer they raise prices. Heck, make it $100 a card to grade minimum.

That way only the cards that truly need to be graded (read: very high end or rare) go through the process and we get away from this train of thought that every card needs to be inspected and assigned an arbitrary number to have value.

[bwalter1]

So let me get this right and this kind of is for PSA also, but in their case they raised/adjusted prices.

I have a business. My business is growing, more customers/more transactions/bigger and more time consuming transactions. I do not expand my employees or if I do i do not enough. Instead my decision is to raise prices or adjust my guarantee on turnaround times to "fix" the issue of having to much business which is the entire reason why the business was chosen, turnaround time or price.

Someone just tell Gary Vee to create a new grading company, he has $ or will definitely be able to find it. You have to think his face on the company will get it all moving.

[crazy4kinsler]

We did a walk in submission a couple years ago, and I was surprised at what all they had in there. The graders were playing ping pong, pool, watching TV, hanging out. This was in the middle of the day. I think it was a Tuesday or Wednesday at like 1:30 p.m. So maybe it was lunch time or something. But they definitely had breaks.

Originally Posted by Triple B

Pay the graders more and make it a job people WANT. Right now they have 12 people locked in a room looking at thousands of cards a week and paying them peanuts.

[SanAntonioSpurs]

Originally Posted by bwalter1

So let me get this right and this kind of is for PSA also, but in their case they raised/adjusted prices.

I have a business. My business is growing, more customers/more transactions/bigger and more time consuming transactions. I do not expand my employees or if I do i do not enough. Instead my decision is to raise prices or adjust my guarantee on turnaround times to "fix" the issue of having to much business which is the entire reason why the business was chosen, turnaround time or price.

They don't have to and they know it. People will still send in cards and will wait however long it takes to get them back. BGS knows this.

Also, the announcement was just for the general population. I'm sure certain submitters will still have guaranteed turn around times.

I also take that announcement as they are going to stop rushing through the grading process and slow down a little bit. Possibly to increase grade accuracy and catch altered cards that they've missed in the past? Just a guess.

[jewcer2k5]

I predicted this 2-3 weeks ago to a couple of people that have been upset about Psa slow downs. This is a cyclical issue that BGS chooses to have. Two years ago when this first happened I told them what they needed to do so they don’t have it and they refuse to do that. If BGS simply stops doing RCR at shows they won’t have this slow down but they choose to send multiple graders out of the office in Thursday / Friday for a show, have them work the weekend then give then off to start the week to make up for it. They do this nearly every week from mid January through early May. Those hours in the office would alleviate this issue. They are choosing rcr (cash grab bc they don’t even honor their grades) instead of having the cards in office slabbed on time.

[SanAntonioSpurs]

Originally Posted by notoriousrmb

I'd prefer they raise prices. Heck, make it $100 a card to grade minimum.

That way only the cards that truly need to be graded (read: very high end or rare) go through the process and we get away from this train of thought that every card needs to be inspected and assigned an arbitrary number to have value.

This would be ideal. But when someone can submit a .10 - .50 card and turn it into $30 plus just because it has a "professional opinion" grade, why not submit?

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by jewcer2k5

I predicted this 2-3 weeks ago to a couple of people that have been upset about Psa slow downs. This is a cyclical issue that BGS chooses to have. Two years ago when this first happened I told them what they needed to do so they don’t have it and they refuse to do that. If BGS simply stops doing RCR at shows they won’t have this slow down but they choose to send multiple graders out of the office in Thursday / Friday for a show, have them work the weekend then give then off to start the week to make up for it. They do this nearly every week from mid January through early May. Those hours in the office would alleviate this issue. They are choosing rcr (cash grab bc they don’t even honor their grades) instead of having the cards in office slabbed on time.

Maybe because RCR doesn't matter Beckett sends their "crappy" or least experienced graders to do it at shows? Such amateurs may not be missed for the real thing if absent.

[doowopbruce]

Originally Posted by notoriousrmb

I'd prefer they raise prices. Heck, make it $100 a card to grade minimum.

That way only the cards that truly need to be graded (read: very high end or rare) go through the process and we get away from this train of thought that every card needs to be inspected and assigned an arbitrary number to have value.

Why not $200 a card. Then we can open our own grading company and get rich.

[jewcer2k5]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Maybe because RCR doesn't matter Beckett sends their "crappy" or least experienced graders to do it at shows? Such amateurs may not be missed for the real thing if absent.

This has nothing to do with what I said and is a really misinformed post. If you don’t know what you’re talking about it’s generally better to not say anything at all.

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by jewcer2k5

This has nothing to do with what I said and is a really misinformed post. If you don’t know what you’re talking about it’s generally better to not say anything at all.

Frankly it's clearly spot on.

Beckett wouldn't lose much if it didn't send out its best graders to sell a product you yourself describe as not being useful. It makes sense for Beckett to do this.

[jewcer2k5]

Originally Posted by MoreToppsPlease

Frankly it's clearly spot on.

Beckett wouldn't lose much if it didn't send out its best graders to sell a product you yourself describe as not being useful. It makes sense for Beckett to do this.

This is my last reply to you.

You don’t know what you’re talking about. Generally they send senior graders to shows because they don’t know what they will be getting in and need people that can grade it all.

You also didn’t read my whole post or just chose to talk about the last sentence. The service is flawed and useless while causing a slow down in service. It obviously makes them a bunch of money, enough to choose it over keeping their guaranteed service.

[Garmin]

I’m fine with giving them a few more days as long as they don’t take 2-3 weeks to log your cards in line PSA does.

[bwalter1]

Originally Posted by jewcer2k5

This is my last reply to you.

You don’t know what you’re talking about. Generally they send senior graders to shows because they don’t know what they will be getting in and need people that can grade it all.

You also didn’t read my whole post or just chose to talk about the last sentence. The service is flawed and useless while causing a slow down in service. It obviously makes them a bunch of money, enough to choose it over keeping their guaranteed service.

Depends on the show with the graders. If basing "grade it all" off of being a senior then I know for a fact that they don't always send the senior graders because often they don't grade some old vintage because "they aren't sure" at my LCS each year.

The service is definitely not useless. I can RCR for 8-10 bucks a card, get a RCR 10 on some and submit them, with that min 10 grade. Or I can submit all of the cards at 2-3 times what I paid RCR (depending on amount) with a 30 day turnaround compared to 1 day turnaround.

RCR won't go away, they making a killing on RCR. One grader can do a lot of cards in one day when he just has to put a sticker/label on them, compared to all of the slabbing at Beckett. Not to mention if you do a min grade 9.5 with RCR you get a discount because they don't even label below the 9.5 allowing them to push out more cards.

[jewcer2k5]

Originally Posted by bwalter1

Depends on the show with the graders. If basing "grade it all" off of being a senior then I know for a fact that they don't always send the senior graders because often they don't grade some old vintage because "they aren't sure" at my LCS each year.

The service is definitely not useless. I can RCR for 8-10 bucks a card, get a RCR 10 on some and submit them, with that min 10 grade. Or I can submit all of the cards at 2-3 times what I paid RCR (depending on amount) with a 30 day turnaround compared to 1 day turnaround.

RCR won't go away, they making a killing on RCR. One grader can do a lot of cards in one day when he just has to put a sticker/label on them, compared to all of the slabbing at Beckett. Not to mention if you do a min grade 9.5 with RCR you get a discount because they don't even label below the 9.5 allowing them to push out more cards.

Yes, different graders go to different shows. Sometimes it’s 1 and sometimes it’s 2.

When you send in a RCR MG 10 and it comes back still in the RCR how do you handle selling it? Do you disclose you tried to slab it or sell as a 10 would sell?

As for sending them in sure, the rcr was still a cash grab because they are still going to grade them again. So now they are double dipping. It’s greed, simple.

If they want there to not be a slow down, get rid of RCR. It’s a very simple solution. They won’t do it though.