UKGraders Questions.

[palitoyjunky]

Hi Steve, thanks for the information, Good to know what's going on with the business.

But I am afraid you still haven't answered a very serious question asked regarding the integrity and impartial grading in your business!

You need to be gaining our confidence because tbh I am not confident in UKG right now, I question the grades given to certain items I have seen and am certain AFA would have down graded these items in question but that is just my opinion of course.

I would love for UKG to carry the kind of weight AFA does then I'd send you all my top pieces to grade and would not have to worry about that big journey across the pond!!

 

[Lee Gregory]

Steve,I was wondering how you can grade items impartially??

You've just won a few items from myself on ebay and bought on behalf of someone else,I've no problem with that. But this guy is one of your best customers and will no doubt get 1 of them graded.

I think it raises the question of integrity for your business when you buy for someone else and then grade on their behalf.

Of course if these items aren't for grading I take my comments back and apologise.

Well Monday has come and (nearly) gone and still no response to my question

Look Steve I don't want to sound like a stuck record going on about this point but as others have said I think it is a serious question and I'd have a lot more respect for yourself and your company if you at least tried to provide an
explanation or reason as to why this sort of practice occurs.

 

[weasel]

Just be aware it's another bank holiday this weekend and I wont be online my Mrs would hang me if I didnt spend it with her for a change haha.

You may have to wait until next Monday (assuming Steve doesn't log in today).
TBF a bank holiday is a fair enough excuse not to be on. But, he should have answered your question before now!

 

[ukgraders]

Hi yeah it was Bank holiday yesterday and I was in Torquay for the weekend so I didnt get back until today.
On the question about integrity, being a collector I have bought alot of items for myself off many ebay sellers, and I have purchased items for some people I know well overseas and sent them on to them with any current orders if sellers wont post to their countries just small favours for them if they ask.
It wouldnt do us any good if were over grading or undergrading of anybodys items we dont stand for any of that and that has been strict from day one.
All items are treated the same.
Hope that helps.

 

[airjedijamie]

hi sorry have not been on for a long time but have known steve at ukg for years and have been to see his house before and i can say for real there i am pleased with all my stuff i have had back but i know that hes got bits i would love to have for myself and its not just star wars bits hes got lol

 

[Joe]

I don't think anyone is saying he isn't a nice bloke Jamie And I am sure he has a nice collection - Lee asked a question about the companies integrity that's all, he obviously has reason to believe there was some less than impartial goings on with UKG, customers/friends whoever it was.

Not sure if the reply covers Lee's question- only Lee can tell us and if he isn't happy perhaps he can be more clear with what he wants answers to.

 

[Lee Gregory]

I don't think anyone is saying he isn't a nice bloke Jamie And I am sure he has a nice collection - Lee asked a question about the companies integrity that's all, he obviously has reason to believe there was some less than impartial goings on with UKG, customers/friends whoever it was.

Not sure if the reply covers Lee's question- only Lee can tell us and if he isn't happy perhaps he can be more clear with what he wants answers to.

Well Joe if Steve says items are treated fairly I'll leave it at that as I don't want to hi-jack the thread and turn it into an RS style bashing affair.

I'm just uncomfortable with the fact that Steve can buy items on a 'friends' behalf and then grade them knowing who they are for. To me that just doesn't sit right.

 

[ukgraders]

I just want to say I know alot of people and love meeting you guys and helping out, I am honest guy some of you dont me from adam so I can see why you might have doubts and some of you have met and got to know me through grading I have flown out to Germany to meet collectors and meet up with some collectors at fairs/events ect over here so I am very serious about what I do.
I wouldnt do aything to jeopardise UKG, I have been with UKG for nearly 4 years now and we have come a long way, met new people and learnt new things along the way and we just want to help you guys the collectors!.
We are here to help and have never graded any personal items and never will,
Only customers items are graded some of these customers have become friends over the last 4 years but when it comes to grading thats business and nothing more and we grade it honest and fairly everybody is treated the same.

 

[PGowdy]

I'm sure the same thing happens with AFA. They seem to 'know' a lot of people on RS so i don't see that as any different. I do agree with Steve that grading favourably has the potential to cause irreparable damage to the company so there really wouldn't be any benefit in doing that.

 

[airjedijamie]

hi sorry i did not get to finish what i was saying i feel that with ukg you do get the better service than afa just because they are based in the uk which i know is better for me i did not want to sound like i was sticking up for steve and uk graders but 3 dealings i had with afa stuff came back and i got charged import duties but thats why i am just going to use ukg from now on but i know how it sounds but a least steve has done the right thing by posting on here and saying that he would love feedback from us lot so i can say i am more than happy with them but thats just me but i do know what you mean by is steve grading stuff with higher grade to sell because i am sure there are companys out there that would do that sort of thing but do think they are great for the amount i have sent them because it would of cost me a bomb to send to the u.s.a and i am woried about sending carded stuff as well thanks to the post men that smashed my signed r2 carded figure

 

[edd_jedi]

I don't really see how UKG (or AFA for that matter) could get away with unfair grading. I'm sure nobody would buy a UKG/AFA 95 MOC that had a big tear on the front and a crushed bubble!

 

[airjedijamie]

that i do agree with

 

[Rich.b]

To be honest I don't think the question was about unfair grading. It was more a question of a conflict of interests possibly created by favourably grading items purchased on behalf of a client.

 

[Lee Gregory]

To be honest I don't think the question was about unfair grading. It was more a question of a conflict of interests possibly created by favourably grading items purchased on behalf of a client.

Rich that was my point exactly.

 

[ukgraders]

Dont reckon I have explained properly, I know I am on here mid week but this has been confusing me a little lol.
I have never bought anything for anybody and had it graded by us I can show you any item I have bought off anybody on ebay or anywhere else all in my private collection.
I was trying to say a customer in Germany asked me if he bought something off ebay because the seller wouldnt ship to him could I put them in his shipping crate with this order thats all think there was some used mini rigs and a used B-wing.
Hope I have helped.
Lee what did I buy off you mate?.

 

[spoons]

I don't really see how UKG (or AFA for that matter) could get away with unfair grading. I'm sure nobody would buy a UKG/AFA 95 MOC that had a big tear on the front and a crushed bubble!

I don't think that's the issue Edd. It would be more of a case of an 85 grade scoring 90 - or a 90 scoring 95, which would mean a lot more cash for the owner if they sold it on (not that I'm saying that is what UKG are doing)

 

[Lee Gregory]

OK Steve I'll get to the point.

The link below will show what items you bought from me back in August last year.

http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&ftab=AllFeedback&userid=8160leeg&iid=-1&de=off&items=25&interval=0&mPg=37&page=3

The three items in question are the three Palitoy MOC's ESB 45a Han Bespin,ROTJ 45 Jawa and a ROTJ 65 ERG.

Now I don't want to sound bitter over this but a certain member (Andy Kaliq,or snake-eyes) of SWF who came on these boards not so long ago rubbed a few people up the wrong way. This person was mithering me all week to sell the items off ebay ect ect. I told him to make an offer otherwise I would be letting the items run their course.

To my suprise the above mentioned never made a bid and the winning bidder was yourself. I then contacted Andy to say he missed out on a bargain,and he replied saying he didn't miss out as his mate 'Steve' had bought them on his behalf.

As you have already stated you buy items for friends or fellow collector's from time to time,I have no problem with that,we all rely on contacts within the community to pick up items now and agin myself included.

The point to this post is this,and it's quite straightforward did you have these items graded for Mr. Kaliq???

I believe you did grade them as Andy said he would be having them grdaed by yourself(I just wished I still had the ebay message from him stating that fact).

Don't get me wrong I'm sure this thing happens with AFA also,but my original point was it must be difficult to remain impartial when you know who you are grading for.

Just a shame your archieve isn't quite up to date because that would show whether they have been graded or not. On Andy's spreadsheet he does have a 45a Han Bespin UKG 80 and a ROTJ Jawa 45bk UKG 85. Probably round about what they would have graded

Maybe just a coincidence

 

[Lee Gregory]

Just found a pic of the Han I still have on file, the sticker residue to the top left would give the card away

 

[edd_jedi]

Yes I see what you mean guys... To be honest that's one reason I avoid graded stuff. It's not scientific, it's an opinion, and having owned many graded MOCs in the past I've seen 70s I think should be 80s and 90s that on a different day could have got an 80. It's an unfair system to start with, before any favours come in to play!

 

[Caswellbot]

With no disrespect to Steve or the AFA, this is also one of the reasons why none of my stuff is graded. I very much appreciate the need for authentication and indeed the preservation of certain items but I do feel the grading system is slightly flawed.

Although Im sure graders follow protocol when grading there will always be discrepencies in a subjective process of this nature. No two sticker tears are exactly alike. No two creases are exactly alike. When does a "Spider Vein" become a "Crease?"
How yellow does a bubble have to be to lose a point on the scale?
Paintwork on figures etc. etc. :?

Somewhere down the line it comes to someones personal judgement. :|

I totally understand the service. I understand its appeal and why people use it. I think it is a very useful service on the whole especially for very high end items but Im afraid it simply isnt for me.

This is just my opinion.

On a lighter note, I have just received a very nice acrylic display for my 3-pack from Steve courtesy of my secret santa John (Jabbawokkie) 8)