What’s Holding TAG Back from Dominating the Card Grading Industry?

Updated March 24, 2025
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TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading) has positioned itself as one of the most technologically advanced players in the trading card world. With its AI-powered, fully transparent grading system, TAG offers precision, consistency, and innovation that traditional graders like PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC don’t match.

But despite its tech-forward model, TAG has yet to break into the mainstream or become the go-to name in grading. So, what’s standing between TAG and grading industry dominance?

1. Legacy Trust in PSA and BGS

One of the biggest challenges TAG faces is overcoming the deeply rooted brand loyalty collectors have for PSA and BGS. These companies have spent decades building trust, setting grading standards, and establishing resale value expectations.

  • PSA slabs are viewed as the “gold standard”
  • BGS is preferred by collectors who want subgrades and premium slab designs
  • Many high-end buyers still default to these legacy graders because of familiarity and resale confidence

Until collectors widely trust TAG the same way, adoption will grow slowly.

2. Resale Value & Market Demand

No matter how accurate TAG’s grading system is, the resale value of TAG slabs still trails behind PSA and BGS.

  • A PSA 10 typically commands higher prices than a TAG 10
  • Some sellers worry about liquidity and auction performance
  • Collectors, flippers, and investors are hesitant to move away from slabs that “move quickly” on eBay, Whatnot, and Goldin

Market perception drives value—and TAG needs more secondary market wins to close that gap.

3. Limited Visibility & Dealer Integration

TAG’s marketing has primarily targeted tech-forward, early-adopter collectors. But it’s less integrated into hobby shops, major breakers, and auction houses—the places that drive the pulse of the market.

  • PSA has partnerships with marketplaces like Goldin and PWCC
  • Arena Club integrates with digital social platforms
  • TAG needs more inroads with high-volume resellers and grading submission groups

Scaling visibility through trusted partners and influencers could make a major impact.

4. Consumer Education: Tech Can Be Intimidating

TAG offers industry-leading transparency with:

  • AI-based scans
  • Digital subgrades
  • Objective surface analysis reports

But many casual collectors don’t yet understand how to interpret these reports, or why AI grading is better than human grading.

Education is the key. TAG must bridge the knowledge gap between traditional collectors and new-school innovation.

5. Slab Design Preferences

While TAG Grading’s slabs are clean and futuristic, some collectors prefer the look and feel of traditional PSA or BGS cases. Design aesthetics are highly subjective in this hobby.

  • TAG’s digital-style label may not appeal to vintage card collectors
  • PSA’s red label and BGS’s metallic subgrades are iconic and recognizable

To dominate, TAG may need to offer more visual differentiation or customization options.

6. Scaling and Turnaround Volume

TAG’s current turnaround times are competitive, and their digital intake process is sleek—but they still need to prove they can handle PSA-level submission volume without delays, bottlenecks, or errors.

PSA processes millions of cards annually. TAG will need serious infrastructure growth to reach that scale while maintaining grading accuracy.

Where TAG Grading Excels—and Why the Future Still Looks Bright

Despite these obstacles, TAG is doing a lot right:

  • ✅ 100% AI-Driven Grading
  • ✅ Transparent Subgrades and Scan Reports
  • ✅ Objective, Repeatable Results
  • ✅ Zero Human Bias
  • ✅ Clean Branding and Presentation

As the hobby evolves and more collectors value transparency, consistency, and data, TAG Grading is well-positioned to grow—especially with tech-native collectors and crossover investors from sports, NFTs, and Web3 spaces.

TAG Grading Isn’t Losing—It’s Just Early

TAG Grading isn’t behind—it’s early. Disrupting a legacy industry takes time, especially when the competition includes household names like PSA.

But if TAG continues to:

  • Educate collectors
  • Increase slab resale value
  • Build strategic partnerships
  • Scale submissions without losing quality
  • And deliver unmatched grading transparency…

…it could absolutely become a dominant force in the trading card world.

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