Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

[rufusandherschel]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Hilarious! The exact scenario happened to me for the SAME Giancarlo Stanton jersey! Steve told me, "if you agree to the $1500 its yours"! I of course agreed and was told the price had increased to $2250???!!! I refused Steve's increase and told him that HM will never "earn" my business! How are these people still in business??? Disgusting considering in the same email Steve said, "I am excited to begin our business relationship"!!! At this point they couldn't give me the jersey considering the lack of character shown!

In this thread, the Highland Mint rep is described as acting akin to a used car salesperson. From what I've been reading, that's an insult to people who sell used cars!

[xpress34]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

After hurrying here to 'defend' his company and slam GUU members, and tell us how we don't understand the 'system', I find it quite amusing that now all we hear (read) is crickets from Steven/HM when asked to explain the 'system' openly in a public forum.

[ocab87]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

I was offered a jersey for 1500 yesterday, to which I agreed by email. Today I got an email saying $2250 if I want it and to let him know ASAP.

The next email says someone offered 2k and it's mine for 2250. I have more integrity than that- I'm passing.

I think it'll be better to wait for the source to actually have the items in hand and buy them then. Can't get jerked around that way- either you win the bid or you don't.

This is striking me as a used car salesman without the car, and four other salesman are selling the same car.

Hilarious! The exact scenario happened to me for the SAME Giancarlo Stanton jersey! Steve told me, "if you agree to the $1500 its yours"! I of course agreed and was told the price had increased to $2250???!!! I refused Steve's increase and told him that HM will never "earn" my business! How are these people still in business??? Disgusting considering in the same email Steve said, "I am excited to begin our business relationship"!!! At this point they couldn't give me the jersey considering the lack of character shown!

[rufusandherschel]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Steven,

You could avoid creating a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and ill feelings by simply answering my previous post. Sure, I could email and discuss with you personally, but since you have responded several times in this public forum, the least you could do is explain how the process works.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

+ 1

[G1X]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Steven,

It seems that some of the same issues and complaints arose last year regarding the methodology of how the jerseys are sold. Could you please enlighten members of this Forum so that everyone has a complete understanding of how the system works?

Thank you,

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

Steven,

You could avoid creating a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and ill feelings by simply answering my previous post. Sure, I could email and discuss with you personally, but since you have responded several times in this public forum, the least you could do is explain how the process works.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[jake33]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Guys if you have ISSUES WITH Highland Mint or feel tht MLB should sell the ASG gear via auction only.

BELOW IS THE rep at MLB directly that you will want to get in touch with to see if you (as a group) can get this changed.

I assume MLB has a contract with Highland Mint for the ASG gear as they act as a distributor. That contract will expire someday though.

Hernan Tudela is a GU MLB item coordinator.

His twitter account is hatman15
and he WILL respond to messages.

I will work on finding his email, but with any corporate email address... all you need to do just locate the format and duplicate it to locate the desired email.

i.e. --- bob.smith@website.mlb.com
or BSMITH@website.mlb.com
or Bobs@website.mlb.com


regardless, I will be at the All Star game to request all items to go to auction at some point.

I am not saying Highland Mint does a bad job, I am just saying NO MORE MIDDLE MAN please!

[jake33]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

I am going to the ALL STAR GAME this weekend and going to the GAME USED BOOTH ran by MLB to inform them of the issues with highland Mint.

As it appears to me, they run an UNOFFICIAL AUCTION to drive up prices.

I work with a friend who has an opportunity to get a handful of jerseys before HIGHLAND can and he said the same thing, they will drive up prices out of nowhere.

I will give you the contact info at MLB to complain to...

[chakes89]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Sounds like the "Highland Mint" needs to stick to coins and other cheap knick knacks and leave the actual memorabilia to the big boys.

[xpress34]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

I work for and am one of the senior reps there, so since they have the exclusive, I do to then. And your reply about me is taken the wrong way. I'm just standing up for me and my company. You seem very angry at me and you have never once spoken to me.

And so you know, I never once said a sale price on my emails. Each of then specifically said that all prices were estimates and based on last years prices. Also that all needed to be approved by mlb.

Sorry you don't understand and won't be open to listening.

Steven -

I don't want to argue semantics, but your statement was that YOU are the Exclusive Rep (worded to sound like you - the individual) and that (much like the 'offers' from other reps) isn't as black and white as you made it sound. Try to sell it however you want, but Highland Mint is the Exclusive Rep - you are an Agent of the company. And since (per my previous eMail experiences with Jim) the Reps all have access to the entire inventory (I have been told many times that 'another rep' has a better offer on the item I was offered) then YOU (again) do NOT have the 'Exclusive' no matter how you wnat to dress it up... but again, I digress.

I am not 'angry' at you, but the company you represent has very questionable 'ethics' when it comes to how you handle the selling of these items - and you, Jim, etc are the 'agents' (Representatives) and while you personally may not say sale prices in your eMails, other reps (Jim for one) have and as I said previously, offering an item for a price in writing (and yes, an eMail is a written offer) and then reneging on the offer when its accepted could be construed as Breach of Contract and be actionable under contract law.

As for not understanding? I understand very well, your company plans to collect as many eMails of potential buyers as possible and them pit them against each other in a blind bidding war where each 'bidder' has to trust that you actually have another bidder and aren't just running up the price as you see fit. Sorry Steven, but given the state of the hobby and the number of so called 'reputable' dealers that have gone down in the last couple of years, it's hard to trust anyone who isn't open and transparent in their actions (i.e. an auction format where bidders can actually see other registered bidders bidding against them).

Finally - again, not angry - but not impressed at all by your quick dismissal of everyone on this forum with who you personally disagree and to whom you showed such disdain with your comments. ('whining because you failed to pull the trigger', etc.)

I'm confident per the comments of other GUU members contained in this thread that you personally have not only solidified the opinions and beliefs of the forum members about HOW Highland Mint does business, but you (again personally) have probably soured even more members from having any interest in the items you represent. You basically told one of the largest Game Used collecting contingencies in the US (if not the world) that they don't understand the GU industry... My guess is that was a very poor play considering the vast knowledge of and connections in the Game Used Industry by the membership of this forum.

Maybe someday you and your other reps will understand that WE (the GUU members) aren't your average fan who is all starry-eyed when we find out a Game Used item can be obtained. We are veterans of the hobby and deserve much more respect than you showed in your initial post here.

If you don't like the way we talk about how Highland Mint does business, maybe instead of attacking one of your most promising customer bases, you should take our comments to heart and rethink and retool HOW you go about representing and selling the items in question. I'm not saying give the items away, I'm saying just be more transparent in your transactions.

- Smitty

[onlyalbert]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Well this all seems like a rehash of last years posts on the same topic. What they are doing is holding their own silent auction or just shilling. I posted earlier about "my" jersey. So I was told that at 2K it was probably going to get it but the guy that bought it last year might get to make another offer.....might. Well today was told that he in fact offered 2500 and do I want to offer 2750? I said pass. Now why would he go from 2K to 2500? My guess, someone else offered 2250 before he could speak up. And apparently the bid increment is 250....seems to be universal. And my rep is different than the names mentioned so far. How many reps are there?

[Phil316]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

cfern023 nice to see you have morals. It gets very frustrating dealing with this type of business model.

[cfern023]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

I work for and am one of the senior reps there, so since they have the exclusive, I do to then. And your reply about me is taken the wrong way. I'm just standing up for me and my company. You seem very angry at me and you have never once spoken to me.

And so you know, I never once said a sale price on my emails. Each of then specifically said that all prices were estimates and based on last years prices. Also that all needed to be approved by mlb.

Sorry you don't understand and won't be open to listening.

Here's where you said a final sold price, and offered it at the same time. Below that is me telling you in so many words to bleep off.

--------
The principle of there being only one available and MLB wanting the highest price??

Are you sure that is why you are passing? $2250 and it is yours. It is SOLD at $2000.

I am just letting you know about the item that you wanted....

Steven J. McRae
Account Executive
The Highland Mint
800-544-6135 Ext. 137
321-773-2727 Ext. 137
321-777-9500 (Fax)
smcrae@thehighlandmint.com

https://www.thehighlandmint.com

-------------

Thank you,
The last email you sent yes, offered the jersey for 1500. The current email email now says 2250.

I'll pass, just on the principal of it.

Sent from my iPhone
--------

[The natural]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Which means that HIGHLAND MINT has the 'Exclusive', not YOU.

I work for and am one of the senior reps there, so since they have the exclusive, I do to then. And your reply about me is taken the wrong way. I'm just standing up for me and my company. You seem very angry at me and you have never once spoken to me.

And so you know, I never once said a sale price on my emails. Each of then specifically said that all prices were estimates and based on last years prices. Also that all needed to be approved by mlb.

Sorry you don't understand and won't be open to listening.

[GoTigers]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

This should be an easy one...explain your "process" on purchasing publicly on the forum, or don't shill your items here and deal with your bad press.

[nickacs]

Re: Dealing with GU reps for ASG items

Wow, this HM guy is mouthing off like a complete tool to this "little forum".
I have zero interest in MLB ASG memorabilia, but reading this thread makes me laugh and completely angry at the same time.

If you say that you "can't" sell the item offered to the first person for $1, and would rather jack it up by getting 25 people all interested in an item, then like others said, PUT THE ITEMS IN AUCTION. Makes perfect sense.

To use your analogy, so if I go into a car showroom and the sticker price of the car I want is $20k and I offer $18.5k in cash right there/ready to drive off the lot, you really think the salesman is not going to sell me the car, waiting for another buyer to offer higher price or sticker price? HAHAHA, F NO!

If the 1st person in line for your items agrees to your price and is willing to pay right there for it, then they should get it, plain and simple. PERIOD. No argument. If you want to get the max price for it, then put it in an auction and then you'll get your items bidding up and selling for A LOT more than what your offering them for. It's a 100% win-win situation for you.

But whatever...sounds like you should take your business elsewhere off this "little forum" as you call it. Seems you have zero interest in letting anyone from here buy an item from you for the agreed price. Have fun!