Quote:
Originally Posted by sbfinley
I have nothing against Brent or PWCC, but if you changed his name to Rick he'd be sitting in front of Joseph McCarthy by this point of the thread. I've bought from him before. Great cards, great scans, great shipping, and pleased, but I'm just lost at how he regularly gets 20%-30% more than major auction houses on big ticket items. I think he has built somewhat of a cult for his auctions (especially in the PSA circles), but you would have to deaf, blind, and mute to not believe there is bid manipulation on some consignments. I think "certified high-end" is a bit cartoonish as well, yet he's carved a position and career in the hobby. Kudos to him.
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This was a really well-articulated point. I agree with everything you mentioned, including my own personal satisfaction with their service and admiration of the business they've built.
I also have a theory that, when compared to AHs, I think ebay auctions tend to attract more "stupid money." Not saying that the bidders are unintelligent people, but I think the the low bid increments and the firm ending clock probably drive more emotional bidding of people who simply want to "win" more than procure a card. Plus, the universe of potential buyers - without the vetting done by an AH - is probably less sophisticated and contains those who are not as attuned about market pricing (hell, I was there once before I discovered AHs). I think the AHs probably attract a more savvy, experienced collector (and a lot of dealers) who are less likely to drive up prices for the sake of the rush. I know that happens, but my hypothesis is that it has a tendency to happen more on ebay auctions because of the structure and bidder population.