Has Anyone Thought About Local Grading Services? Ebay Run Or Approved

[stevesrecords]

I was just thinking how good it would be if there were a place in town I could drop off a box of lps to have graded by someone who would either work for ebay ,or else just be approved by ebay. I think that the benefits of such a service are quite obvious. I certainly wouldnt mind paying $1 or so per lp if I know that potential buyers dont have to worry at all about getting an overgraded record. Also the considerable time and mental energy I have to put into the task of describing them would no longer be issues either.

[stevesrecords]

I just thought of the first problem ,that being what would stop someone from using the grading they get from one lp to put on another one. One possible solution would be for the grading service to seal the lp along with a small certification inside the seal. Im sure there are other ways too of getting around this problem,but this is the first one I thought of,and I dont see why it wouldnt work.

[femmefan1946]

It is quite possible to have a local dealer appraise your items.

However, getting eBay to accept his expertise is another question. While eBay seems to accept some grading companies in the coin and card categories, I am not sure that they even accept APS or Royal Philatelic Society certs in the Stamps category, never mind respected smaller certs like those from Sergio Sismondo.

To have an appraisal done, phone your dealer and confirm an appointment. Explain that you want a written "estate appraisal" . An estate appraisal is based on value at auction, if the collection (or items) were to be sold that way. The dealer will not expect to me making an offer to buy.

A "cash value" appraisal would be the lowest value for the same collection, since the dealer has to mark up for expenses and time. It is usually not written but verbal.

An "insurance appraisal" is the retail replacement value of the collection or items. It is the highest value.

All three are valid appraisals, but the dollar value will vary widely.

Expect to remain during the appraisal. This will probably be insisted on by the appraiser, for his protection, not yours.

Expect the appraisal to take much less time than your would think. If the appraiser is knowledgeable, he's seen it before. And most of the items he sees are common. So are most of the items in your collection. And in mine. (I collect milk glass, royalty on tins and Firefly/Serenity memorabilia) That's what common means, eh?

And don't just walk in. The guy who does the appraisals may not be there that day or involved with another customer.

[recped]

"appraisal" and "grading" while vaguely related are not the same thing at all.

No way is anyone going to grade records for $1 as the OP proposes, nowhere close.

Have a look at the PCGS Coin Grading Price List:

http://www.pcgs.com/servicesandfees/

[pierrelebel]

I have often been asked to "grade" or evaluate a postage stamp and I charge a flat $35.00, regardless of condition or value.

Anyone who wants an expert opinion should expect to pay for it.

[Anonymous]

I am still questioning to eBay's choice of which expertise for autographs as the so-called expertise or expertised company that support by eBay. those people really don't know what they are doing.

In fact, I did posted a few real genuine autographs that I have received directly from those who signed the real genuine autographs on eBay.  I even have included the photos showing the original mailing envelopes, manila envelopes, poster tubes with real mailing address, some home street address, even with genuine COAs!.  But no, eBay removed them as violations and said that the eBay supported expertise claimed that they are not genuine!!

So how the heck does eBay knew which is genuine expertise or not??!!  It can be frustrating!

I even questioned to eBay with demands that they must give me the contact information so I can contact the so-called expertise or the companies so many times, so far, nothing.

From my past experience in those area, eBay really don't know what they are doing, period!!

So be careful in paying to someone that may not be that expertise as not to waste your $$$.

[mr.elmwood]

I doubt that "eBay said". More likely you just trigured a bot and the listing got pulled.

There are no people.

[stevesrecords]

I could grade an lp in about 2 minutes on the average.which means I could grade about 30 hr. If for some reason I couldnt find any more lps to sell on ebay,and someone who sold large quantities of them paid me $30 hr to grade lps,I think I would take the job. Im sure there are many people who could be trained to grade lps ,and would become quite proffecient in maybe a couple weeks if this is all they were doing. Im sure there are many many people out there who would be happy to work for $30 hr. Its sad that even though I have about 20 years experience selling lps ,whiuch of course includes grading them, plus I have 100% feedback,I get the feeling that there are many people out there who for some reason or another just dont trust my grading ability. I say this becuase I am not getting nearly as many bids on my lps as I used to,and many lps that others are selling arent selling at all.

[femmefan1946]

 I say this becuase I am not getting nearly as many bids on my lps as I used to,and many lps that others are selling arent selling at all.

Not many Beanie Babies sold anymore either. Or Eaton Beauty dolls. Or  Asimov novels.

What is the average age of your buyers? That alone could tell you what the problem is.

[stevesrecords]

Not many Beanie Babies sold anymore either. Or Eaton Beauty dolls. Or  Asimov novels.

Dont know where youve been in the last several years but there has been a huge resurgence in vinyl,all ages young to old,more and more people getting into collecting all the time. I said as well that others are selling the very same record I have ,but mine arent selling at all. Anyhow I did start another thread about this earlier and definitely got some good tips about improving my listings,but sometimes I really do thing that it is a trust issue more than anything .and that grading would be the number one thing that buyers of recordsl are concerned about more than anything.

[ricarmic · Accepted solution]

I can't remember if someone mentioned this in the earlier thread, but in my opinion, a "grade" is an opinion only, unless it has been professionally graded which is expensive. In my opinion, the pictures are what you should be using to show the grade you think it is, and put the grade you believe it to be in the title.. One lot I looked at had only one picture - I'm not sure what all counts toward an LP grade, but take close up pictures (you get 12 for free) of the aspects one would expect to see in a VF LP - no one will take your word for it....use the pictures which are free to do it for you...I checked another lot and it did have multiple pictures, showing the problem, but they are oddly angled....if you don't have access to natural light, you can buy "simulated sunlight" bulbs and camera lights to put them in which will allow you to take "over the top" pictures so the picture is square....these are the things that would separate you from other folks if you all are charging relatively similar priced items - I would buy from the guy with the actual pictures of the actual item that let me tell how the quality is if it is a "retail" price - if it were a bargain price that would be different....my field is different from yours but in mine (stamps) there will be runs of a certain type of stuff, which are hot for a bit then cold for a while then hot again, no idea why, and that has been happening for decades...same thing might be happening in yours, patience may be required till another hot cycle happens!

[stevesrecords]

thanks ricamic,as for those 45s I had as a lot I will relist them with better pics . I will use more pics as well for more expensive lps as well now that I have had several people mention this as well.

[Anonymous]

How do you know there is no people?

[stevesrecords]

I like that answer,and perhaps you are right. The people looking for the lps that I am trying to sell, The Swinging Blue Jeans lp for example are probably few and far between, so maybe I just have a knack of listing my rare lps at the wrong time,when none of these collectors are around.