CGC Partners With EB Games to Bring Card Grading Submissions to More Than 170 Stores Across Canada
CGC is expanding its grading footprint in Canada through a new partnership with EB Games, giving collectors a much easier way to submit cards for authentication and grading without mailing directly to CGC. Under the new agreement, EB Games Canada has been named an Official CGC Submission Center. Collectors will be able to submit trading card games, sports cards and non-sports cards through EB Games locations across the country.
EB Games operates more than 170 stores in Canada, giving CGC one of its broadest retail submission networks in the market. The partnership will officially begin at Funda Expo in Montreal from September 11 through September 13, where EB Games will accept CGC submissions.
“CGC is thrilled to welcome EB Games as an Official Submission Center in Canada,” said Steven R. Eichenbaum, CEO of Certified Collectibles Group, CGC’s parent company. “EB Games has a longstanding connection with the gaming and collecting communities, and this partnership gives Canadian collectors an even more convenient way to submit their cards for CGC certification.”
The arrangement gives EB Games another way to tap into the growing overlap between gaming, trading cards and collectibles. The retailer already carries video games, consoles, accessories and pop culture merchandise, making card grading a natural addition for customers who are already visiting stores for collectible products. The partnership is initially focused on cards, but both companies are already signaling that it could eventually go further.
“We are excited to work with CGC to make trading card grading more accessible to EB Games customers across Canada,” said Stephan Tetrault, Owner of EB Games Canada. “This partnership starts with cards, and we see a larger long-term opportunity to explore additional collectible grading categories with CGC over time.”
That could become particularly significant considering the range of collectibles CGC currently grades. In addition to trading cards, sports cards and non-sports cards, CGC provides certification services for comic books, video games and home video collectibles including VHS tapes, DVDs and Blu-rays. The company also offers autograph authentication through its CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.
An expansion into some of those categories could eventually turn EB Games stores into broader submission hubs for collectibles well beyond cards. CGC has steadily grown outside its roots in comic book grading since launching that service in 2000. Its various divisions now cover a wide range of pop culture collectibles, while the Certified Collectibles Group companies have collectively certified more than 110 million collectibles since 1987.
With more than 170 EB Games locations across Canada, collectors who previously had to rely primarily on shipping or specialty dealers will soon have another retail option for getting their cards into CGC’s grading system.