Orioles Authentics Experience

[Oriolesfan29]

Hi All,

I have had a couple of interesting experiences with Orioles Authentics over the last year or so since they have taken over for Art of the Game at the beginning of last year and wanted to get input from other Orioles collectors. I have emailed them, or called them, a couple of times regarding specific items I wanted to acquire. When I call or email them I am quoted a significantly higher price than what the item is in its store for. For example, last year I called regarding a Jose Altuve double ball and they quoted me $500 for it, then later it was in the store for $400. And just recently I emailed regarding a lineup card that they had in their store all season and FanFest for $150 and when I emailed them about it now it all of a sudden is $250. Has anyone else had this happen to them? I am not a big fan of this practice if this is what truly is going on.

[allstarsplus]

Hi All,

I have had a couple of interesting experiences with Orioles Authentics over the last year or so since they have taken over for Art of the Game at the beginning of last year and wanted to get input from other Orioles collectors. I have emailed them, or called them, a couple of times regarding specific items I wanted to acquire. When I call or email them I am quoted a significantly higher price than what the item is in its store for. For example, last year I called regarding a Jose Altuve double ball and they quoted me $500 for it, then later it was in the store for $400. And just recently I emailed regarding a lineup card that they had in their store all season and FanFest for $150 and when I emailed them about it now it all of a sudden is $250. Has anyone else had this happen to them? I am not a big fan of this practice if this is what truly is going on.

Since Brett and I ran the store there for almost 5 years it has changed a lot and strictly speaking as a collector that sounds like a lot even at $400 for an Altuve hit ball. I would have to ask Chris Boyd if he remembers what we sold Altuve items to him for when we ran it.

We brought years of expertise to the store in pricing game used items and marketing them.

Good luck to you out there.

[Oriolesfan29]

I know Andrew I miss you guys! You always treated me fairly and hooked me up with all the Schoop stuff. I haven't bought nearly as much from the team run store as I did with you guys as the prices have gone crazy. The Schoop singles you used to sell for $55-$75 are now $100-$150.

It's almost like if they know you are interested in a specific item they raise the price on you. It's just shady since it's happened to me multiple times. $400 is definitely high on a double of his, the Astros don't even sell them for that much. That's why I almost laughed when they told me $500 over the phone last season. What is weirder too is they would also ask for your name before giving a price quote on an item. Just doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy.

I don't want to bad mouth them, I've just been turned off by the practices. I was curious if other collectors have had similar issues.

[TBM]

I've had the same experiance with the Royals Authentics store. Last year I tried to line up a Hosmer bat a couple days before making a 3 hour drive to see a game. Ended up getting price for a Gordon jersey too. They did not have the bat and was quoted $1100 for the jersey. When I got to the store for the game his jerseys were $900 including the same one I asked about just days before.

I've had really good experiences with the Royals Authentics store before and since that one time, but I don't know if I can ever fully believe a price I'm quoted over the phone or email again. I only make a hand full of games every year and don't mind paying for what I want, but I don't want to pay a 20% premium plus shipping just cause I call in for an item.

[Oriolesfan29]

That's interesting. I know all these guys talk to each other, hopefully its not a trend. I guess if I really want something instead of calling in for it its best to just go to the store. I got so pissed off at the store yesterday that I canceled my entire order that I had going with them. I guess they assume that if we are emailing or calling we don't know about what they charge in the store for a certain item.

[Oriolesfan29]

Well unfortunately I get to revive this thread. Another classic un-classy move by the head guy at Orioles Authentics. So tonight Jonathan Schoop broke his bat. I, just two weeks ago bought a bat of his for $375 in the presence of the head guy. So I ask how much he wants for this one, and there is nothing special about it, he proceeds to ask his other two co-workers what the last one sold for, they replied $350 I believe, so he says yea it's $450. Im like I literally bought one two weeks ago for $375, he didn't care. It's no surprise no one goes in the store after the game anymore, he has almost single handedly turned a lot of us away from it. That place used to be hoping after every game. He keeps this up he will lose another loyal customer.

[geoff]

If they keep trying to rip you off you should stop buying from them. I know you buy alot from them and we talked about the HEAD GUY many times before.

[Oriolesfan29]

Yea it just sucks that one party basically has control of the market. I think it's getting to the point where I may choose principal over the collecting that I love. It's going to be difficult to continue dealing with them.

[allstarsplus]

I still keep in touch with a lot of our old customers and most say they have given up and will try the sales at the Fan Fest.

When we ran the store at OPACY fairness was a key and while some thought the prices were still high we were able to sell with plenty of demand which told me we were where we needed to be.

I remember one guy complaining about a price on a Machado bat and we got it reduced for him. Well I found out later he sold it for over $1,000 profit and there lies the problem.

The teams are sick of seeing their items flipped and I know from some of the authentics people that became a sore point where they want to sell directly to the end user at full retail.

What it's done is hurt the baseball fans who go to the games and don't make $500,000 a year and can't afford $400 for an Schoop double baseball.

[allstarsplus]

If they keep trying to rip you off you should stop buying from them. I know you buy alot from them and we talked about the HEAD GUY many times before.

That's the only recourse you really have Geoff. I'm glad people now think that Brett and I were fair when we ran it :D

[geoff]

Andrew you and Brett were fair when you ran the store. I was sorry to see you guys go when you both ran the store. We had many good conversations as well during each season when I went to the games.

[allstarsplus]

Andrew you and Brett were fair when you ran the store. I was sorry to see you guys go when you both ran the store. We had many good conversations as well during each season when I went to the games.

Geoff, thanks. It was always great hanging with fans like you. Kind of like the old-fashioned barber shops where we would talk about baseball, game used, and life.

[Oriolesfan29]

Well I can post a happy story about this. So the manager and I had about a 10 minute conversation today about what happened and in the end he agreed to sell the bat to me for $375. Essentially he said it is hard to try and price something on the spot right when they get the bat after the game before they can do research on what the market has been lately on an item. All of this I understand and I am glad that the manager took the time to call me and talk about all of this out, because I was fully prepared to start really limiting my purchases. Rule of thumb is don't buy something like a game used bat right after a game or else you could very well pay more for it.

[truvalue123]

Gotta say that $375 for that level of player seems mighty high..and, it is cracked..

[Oriolesfan29]

Unfortunately that's the market for the O's. He may be a lower player but he is still seen as an up and coming prospect and is a popular player on the team.

[truvalue123]

Wow, I have seen some really high opening bids on MLB.com for O's items, but, most of them don't open...at some point they must get a back up of inventory...do thjey always liquidate at the winter fan fest?
thanks for the insight.

[lakeerie92]

I can agree for sure when you get an item and people want to buy it right away it can be tough to price and this happened a lot when I was working the Padres program. I'll say this though, I would always rather miss the mark by $25-50 and take the guaranteed sale and make someone happy rather than miss a sale and potentially sit on an item. Sometimes it was out of my hands, but most of the time I was the one doing the pricing and getting good money for items while building a good fan base and growing collectors. The thing I miss most about it is the regulars. In a smaller market it feels like family.

[allstarsplus]

Wow, I have seen some really high opening bids on MLB.com for O's items, but, most of them don't open...at some point they must get a back up of inventory...do thjey always liquidate at the winter fan fest?
thanks for the insight.

They put 1/2 dozen true premium items in the piles to get the people coming but plenty of JJ Hardy, bench players, 4th and 5th starters, callups, bench players, etc.

[allstarsplus]

Sometimes it was out of my hands, but most of the time I was the one doing the pricing and getting good money for items while building a good fan base and growing collectors. The thing I miss most about it is the regulars. In a smaller market it feels like family.

Well said. I have people who are now buddies and we keep in touch.

There were some times that the team would dig there feet in the sand and wouldn't budge and only once an item sold at the ridiculous asking price and it was a Chris Davis pre-All Star record setting HR jersey. It was over $5,000 and I felt bad but the guy took it. Out of my own pocket I got it signed later for him at a Chris Davis private signing.

The team had a callup Henry Urrutia and they priced baseballs at $350 at his debut. Not one sold. They eventually went into grab bags for a few bucks as Urrutia fizzled out.

On the other side were people who came into the store or called us with some sense of entitlement and we had one guy who threatened us because we wouldn't drop the price for him. He lied and tried to say we were changing prices on him and he made it personal. The game used market unfortunately is very expensive. We got the team to sell him a jersey just to get rid of him and hoped he would go away. Even after Brett drove him the jersey he still wasn't happy. Some people you just can't make happy.

Fortunately most are appreciative of what we did for them.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Unfortunately way too many of the people running authentic's programs suck at their job. The worst is trying to get replies from some of these people. The Brewers guy may be the worst I have ever tried to work with and sadly that is what I mostly collect. Emails take forever to be replied to and usually takes multiple tries. I have emailed him and he stopped replying once I was asking for pictures, price, or even to say I am ready to purchase. It is sad because it got to the point where I now refuse to even buy from them and really turned me off on the hobby.

Just a broken system around the league. No one seems to know what the heck they are doing.

[Thinking]

Bringing this thread back up given current mlb.com auction items up for Orioles.

As always, the O's with ridiculous reserve bid prices.

A Machado HR jersey is still not at the reserve price, even with current bid at $2975.

Why can't these guys simply put them out there and have the market dictate the price.

So annoying.

[CubbyBear8]

I think the potential resale is what drives all of this . For the Cubs specifically , how many Bryant and Arrieta items in the last 2 years (jerseys and bats) have been bought that have not been re sold ? Probably only a few . Dealers are buying them and turning around and trying to sell them at 20k each . It's out of control . Cubs keep raising prices , auctions keep selling for more , so the dealers end up pricing them higher once they re sell them .

[thomaslynch]

I already feel like MLB auctions gets top dollar on most items (at least with regards to the Orioles). Not sure how these people that pay these high prices are able to turn much of a profit reselling these jerseys. Do you think they make more than they paid, and even if they do, is it enough to justify the hassle of buying and reselling?

[mr.miracle]

I already feel like MLB auctions gets top dollar on most items (at least with regards to the Orioles). Not sure how these people that pay these high prices are able to turn much of a profit reselling these jerseys. Do you think they make more than they paid, and even if they do, is it enough to justify the hassle of buying and reselling?

Yeah I ask myself that same question often. Check out a similar thread about people flipping this stuff or trying to for a profit. It was mentioned in there that many of these folks are running ebay museums these days not seller accounts as people buy this stuff off MLB auctions and have it listed the next day for 5 times over what they just paid.

I guess there is an idiot born every day but if you are a person who is capable of paying literally 1000's for a game worn star player jersey or bat etc would you not do your due diligence prior to purchasing and check out what similar items have recently sold for?

I don't get how this possibly ever works. As my old high school basketball coach use to say, even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while. I just don't see how this works enough to even be worth the hassle especially when I as a seller rarely if ever break even on an ebay sale these days

Maybe if you had unlimited funds and don't really care if and when the item ever sells but to how many of us does that statement ever apply