Has anyone found a way around the new "Authenticity Guarantee" program for Trading Cards?

[cardconnoisseurs]

I will keep this blunt. I have *zero* interest in participating in this program. As far as I am concerned:

1) It is illegal for anyone other than the individual a package is addressed to to open it.

2) There is no way to verify that the card the buyer recieves is the same card that was sent to the "Authenticator", nor that the same card that was sent to the authenticator is the one sent to the buyer.

As such, I am *hoping* that this thresold will be determined based on the item's price alone, not including the shipping, so we can just increase the shipping price accordingly to keep the card from qualifying. If Ebay finds a way to interject in sales of a single card totalling $251+ including shipping, we will be discontinuing listing any cards above that threshold going forward.

I see no logical reason to participate. Ebay already interferes *far* too much in what should be a "community marketplace" transaction, where we as sellers pay a "stall fee" for the right to set up. Between the skewed relationship created by "buyer protection", the high selling fees, and the shaped search results, the value of the Ebay marketplace is *diminishing* compared to their competitors, particularly Whatnot. All this new program does is create the expectation in buyers minds that our expertise in authenticating cards stops at the $250 mark. 

I could begrudingly come onboard if this was done similar to Amazon's FBA program, with sellers being able to opt in, send qualifying cards in AHEAD of time to be graded/authenticated, with Ebay storing and handling fulfillment once sold. This seperation of the sale, and the authentication would give sellers recourse against the third party authenthicator for any claims of inauthenticity they make, and keep this info from the customer. As it stands, a seller who has a card rejected by an authenticator might as well be branded with a scarlet letter, as *that* buyer will certainly never order from them again, and people *talk*. 

Having a third party in between a buyer and customer is why I *never* order *anything* from US-based Ebay sellers as a buyer (IE, the "Global shipping program"). Pittney Bowes can fly a kite, and Ebay's authenticators can as well AFAIC. End rant!

[rocketscollectibles]

I did not test yet but i like the program personally. The fact there is an authentification process will make buyers more confident to do high end purchases, and if they're more confident, they should buy more. In cases where there is a return too the cards needs to be authenticated again for an item match, means that sellers are now fully protected against item swap scams. This program will drive sales and reduce frauds for boths buyers and sellers. It's positive. I had a $500 error card i was scared to sell because it's too easy to swap and say seller's shipped a correctly printed version worth $30. I literally sent it getting graded only to have a certification number on it. Having the program i could have list it without it. 

[recped]

Re #1

The package will be addressed to the Authentication Centre,  in addition only First Class Lettermail is protected from inspection.

Re #2

If a buyer was to make an INR or NAD claim on an item that has "authenticated by eBay" you as the seller are protected from any claims.

Plus #3

I don't think you understand what Amazon's Brand Transperacy actually is.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Theoretically, it's a safer chain of custody than the previous system because eBay's partner who it is sent to have significant incentive not to steal your card. 

While 99.9 percent of buyers won't steal a $250+ card from you, the odd seem much lower that an employee at the grading company eBay partners with would claim that an insured $250 shipment arrived empty, or had the wrong card compared to a random buyer. 

From a liability POV, it's a good deal. Right now, it's "free". Or at least, the costs are already baked into th current fee structure. Once your card is sent by their facility to the customer, eBay absorbs most of the liability with the shipment. You're basically getting an added level of insurance for free.

The only downside, is that I suspect they will eventually charge for this service or raise fees. Whether it is still a positive would depend on how many issues you experience with customers that otherwise would be between eBay and the customer with the authenticity guarantee service, and what the added cost of the service is per transaction. 

The only other place to sell cards would be on a collecting forum. Otherwise, you can use local classified sites, but outside of really common high demand cards, you aren't likely to have a lot of success. Most of the buyers are likely resellers looking to buy large collections. From a marketing POV, eBay has the absolute best placement for sports or trading cards. 

There is also COMC, but it doesn't fit what you're looking for. 

[ians_vintage]

What an absolutely terrible rollout of this system.

You can't opt-out of it, the seller is responsible to shipping to the authenticator with tracking (at your own cost if the buyer paid lettermail for their item), and weeks of delays now in getting the item to buyers.

Listed at $249.99, no Authenticator, but that one extra penny causes a whole lot of problems.

I can not trust authenticators at all, and have zero faith in them. They often grade things incorrectly, and items do not show up in the same condition as they were sent. (From previous experience dealing on a personal level).

[brettjet38]

It will be interesting to see how many cards are determined to be fakes, copies, or others...

A few Card Sellers wanted this system implemented here in Canada, so...

"Let the Games Begin"

And get ready for a slew of "Anti Authenticity Guarantee" posts to shower upon us.

[rocketscollectibles]

Listed at $249.99, no Authenticator, but that one extra penny causes a whole lot of problems.

For scammers yes. Wanna bet that all counterfeits on eBay will be listed $249.99 now?

I really don't understand how you guys can be against an anti-fraud program. Protecting both buyers and sellers. 

(at your own cost if the buyer paid lettermail for their item)

You ship lettermail $250+ items? 

[ians_vintage]

Just lost out on a $250 sale because the seller didn't want to wait for weeks for this dumb authentication system.

Thanks eBay.

[ians_vintage]

Yes, and I've never had a lost item.

[rocketscollectibles]

Yes, and I've never had a lost item.

C'mon. No way you never lost a package shipping lettermail in 16k sales. Hard to believe. 

Shipping $250+ items with lettermail is insane let's be honest. 

[ians_vintage]

I don't care if you believe me. Some items I do require tracking (everything outside Canada) for example. If a buyer has good feedback, I'm happy to offer them cheaper shipping. Never had an issue with it, and I have had many dedicated, repeat customers as a result.

[cardconnoisseurs]

---

@rocketscollectibles wrote:

I did not test yet but i like the program personally. The fact there is an authentification process will make buyers more confident to do high end purchases, and if they're more confident, they should buy more. In cases where there is a return too the cards needs to be authenticated again for an item match, means that sellers are now fully protected against item swap scams. This program will drive sales and reduce frauds for boths buyers and sellers. It's positive. I had a $500 error card i was scared to sell because it's too easy to swap and say seller's shipped a correctly printed version worth $30. I literally sent it getting graded only to have a certification number on it. Having the program i could have list it without it. 

---

I don't see how it's a positive. You could simply have the card graded prior to selling it, which would increase the sale price, and eliminate all threat of substitution. 

[cardconnoisseurs]

The "aiuthenthicaton center" has no standing, since they are not involved in the transaction. Again, there is no way to tell if the card sent is the one the buyer recieved, or the reverse in the case of a return. Also, if a buyer purchases a card that is deemed to be counterfeit, that buyer is *certainly* going to leave a negative feedback stating as such, which will pretty much tank your reputation as a seller. 

Again, Ebay should be separating the authentication and sale if they want to roll out a program like this. All this will do is force sellers to get cards graded, or migrate higher end cards elsewhere. There is *zero* upside to the program for sellers. 

And with all due respect, I have sold on Amazon for 15 years, the last five of them full time professionally. I am fully aware of their brand protection policies. 

[cardconnoisseurs]

"The only other place to sell cards would be on a collecting forum". With all due respect, that's absolutely absurd. Whatnot *alone* is *demolishing* Ebay's market share in the trading card category. I suspect this is their way to try to win buyers back, at the sellers expense. 

If in fact Ebay takes responsibility for INR's once a card arrives at the authenthicator, that is a minor benefit, but realistically, you as a seller would have sent it with tracking either way, so there is a marginal benefit at best. 

As I said, the downside is if/when the authenticator decides a card is fake. The seller is not branded as incompetant. I can see many lawsuits arising from this eventually. 

[cardconnoisseurs]

I am in absolute agreement. We will not be participating in the program as it currently exists. The only way I would even *consider* having a third party decide if my product is authentic in order to sell it is if the fees for selling such item were dramatically *lower*, and/or if we could have the item "authenthicated" before selling it, via some sort of FBA-style program as I mentioned in my initial post. 

In no universe will I be sending a customer's card to a third party with nothing in it for me. *never*.

[cardconnoisseurs]

No, for everyone. And it's not an anti-fraud system, it's an anti-seller system. It by definition offers *nothing* to us as sellers, and is a significant liability. As I said, a seller determined to have sold a counterfeit card might as well go get a day job, because that negative feedback will be *worse* than a scarlet letter. 

[flipistics]

---

@cardconnoisseurs wrote:

As I said, the downside is if/when the authenticator decides a card is fake. The seller is not branded as incompetant. I can see many lawsuits arising from this eventually. 

---

They're apparently authenticated by CGC / CSG, so it seems it's being done by a legitimate and well-established grading company and not someone like eBay employees. I should hope they'd know how to determine the legitimacy of a card. I doubt they'd still be in business if they can't.

The upside wouldn't be INRs, it would be INADs where the buyer tries to switch cards or something.

[sniper10000]

I dont consider it a AUTHENTICITY Guarantee as much as they want sellers to grade the card, or get it graded so they make more $$. A way around the Guarantee is to sell in a lot rather than singles which also gets way less traffic. If you offered local pock up it was not to be added to the guarantee, but it still gets included. 

[needsmorerobots]

---

@sniper10000 wrote:

I dont consider it a AUTHENTICITY Guarantee as much as they want sellers to grade the card, or get it graded so they make more $$. A way around the Guarantee is to sell in a lot rather than singles which also gets way less traffic. If you offered local pock up it was not to be added to the guarantee, but it still gets included. 

---

@sniper10000 in the forums be like: