Customer Reviews

of our Magic collection selling service

When this customer reached out with concerns about their report, we reviewed the cards in question and confirmed they had been graded appropriately by our team as LP (lightly played).

While in overall good shape, the cards consistently had numerous edge dings on the upper left and bottom right edges that meant they could not be considered NM. We shared photos with the customer, and asked about how the cards had been shipped, as this kind of wear pattern can often relate to damage in transit.

We can certainly understand that this is not what the customer was hoping to hear. Our team responded in a respectful and constructive manner, and so we find it surprising to hear our response described as flippant. Because we were unable to get on the same page, we have shipped the cards back to the customer at our expense.

For anyone evaluating our service who is particularly concerned with grading, we recommend requesting a hold for review to make it easy to discuss your results prior to finalization. We must evaluate cards based on their condition when we receive them and in accordance with our guidelines.

When this customer reached out with concerns about their report, we reviewed the cards in question and confirmed they had been graded appropriately by our team as LP (lightly played).

While in overall good shape, the cards consistently had numerous edge dings on the upper left and bottom right edges that meant they could not be considered NM. We shared photos with the customer, and asked about how the cards had been shipped, as this kind of wear pattern can often relate to damage in transit.

We can certainly understand that this is not what the customer was hoping to hear. Our team responded in a respectful and constructive manner, and so we find it surprising to hear our response described as flippant. Because we were unable to get on the same page, we have shipped the cards back to the customer at our expense.

For anyone evaluating our service who is particularly concerned with grading, we recommend requesting a hold for review to make it easy to discuss your results prior to finalization. We must evaluate cards based on their condition when we receive them and in accordance with our guidelines.

The maximum possible value for this shipment if everything was NM was $546.81, not $600. Of the 142 cards, 10 were MP, 9 were LP and the rest were NM. As a result, the total assessed value (before fees) was $514.23. The retail value (TCGLow) of these cards at NM was $692.41; as such, the assessed value as graded was 74.27% and the amount paid after fees was 70.55% of the NM retail value. Most folks would view this result as very good, so it is disheartening to hear the customer felt "scammed".

The condition names which include "played" in them are industry terms - they describe the amount and type of wear on a card, and are not suggesting that the wear came from any particular activity, like playing with the cards. We must always grade the cards as they are received, and cannot take into account the history of the cards. If you aren't familiar with grading or are surprised by the grading of the report, contacting us is always the best course of action, as we will always do our best to provide more information and context, with the aim to conclude the transaction in a satisfactory manner.

The maximum possible value for this shipment if everything was NM was $546.81, not $600. Of the 142 cards, 10 were MP, 9 were LP and the rest were NM. As a result, the total assessed value (before fees) was $514.23. The retail value (TCGLow) of these cards at NM was $692.41; as such, the assessed value as graded was 74.27% and the amount paid after fees was 70.55% of the NM retail value. Most folks would view this result as very good, so it is disheartening to hear the customer felt "scammed".

The condition names which include "played" in them are industry terms - they describe the amount and type of wear on a card, and are not suggesting that the wear came from any particular activity, like playing with the cards. We must always grade the cards as they are received, and cannot take into account the history of the cards. If you aren't familiar with grading or are surprised by the grading of the report, contacting us is always the best course of action, as we will always do our best to provide more information and context, with the aim to conclude the transaction in a satisfactory manner.

The best advice we can provide to those who are considering the service is to contact us if any of your grading is a surprise. The first we had heard that there was any issue with this shipment was when this review was posted, well past any time where we could provide an explanation for the grades or return any items back. We are always willing to have a discussion to get on the same page, and our goal is to conclude every transaction with expectations met or exceeds.

The best advice we can provide to those who are considering the service is to contact us if any of your grading is a surprise. The first we had heard that there was any issue with this shipment was when this review was posted, well past any time where we could provide an explanation for the grades or return any items back. We are always willing to have a discussion to get on the same page, and our goal is to conclude every transaction with expectations met or exceeds.

We understand it is always unfortunate when your expectations are not met with respect to grading, but it is unusual for folks who have used our service extensively to run into surprises. The cards in question here are dual lands, and white border cards can present well at a glance, but the backs of the cards also need to be looked at and graded appropriately. We unfortunately cannot use more lax grading criteria because the card is old - we must grade the cards as they are received, even for cards more than two decades old.

In most cases, grading disconnects stem from assumptions - in this case, assuming that because it was purchased in a certain condition and "not played", it remained in that condition for an extended period of time. Sleeves/binders do not make cards impervious to wear rather, they help slow the process - and in many cases hide certain types of wear. Depending who the card was purchased from, the typical TCGPlayer grading criteria may have been loosely or inco ... Read more

We understand it is always unfortunate when your expectations are not met with respect to grading, but it is unusual for folks who have used our service extensively to run into surprises. The cards in question here are dual lands, and white border cards can present well at a glance, but the backs of the cards also need to be looked at and graded appropriately. We unfortunately cannot use more lax grading criteria because the card is old - we must grade the cards as they are received, even for cards more than two decades old.

In most cases, grading disconnects stem from assumptions - in this case, assuming that because it was purchased in a certain condition and "not played", it remained in that condition for an extended period of time. Sleeves/binders do not make cards impervious to wear rather, they help slow the process - and in many cases hide certain types of wear. Depending who the card was purchased from, the typical TCGPlayer grading criteria may have been loosely or incorrectly applied. We always recommend removing items from binders/sleeves, and then inspecting them carefully in proper lighting to determine the condition prior to sending them in.

For anyone considering the service, you are always encouraged to reach out for more information on any grading surprises, and in most cases we can get on the same page by providing supporting evidence; this was not done in this case. Further, if you are concerned with your potential grading with our service, you can select the "hold for review" option in the shipment flow which will allow for an easier discussion about your shipment prior to finalization. Ultimately, we want you to walk away from the service satisfied, and that is our goal with every transaction.

We can certainly sympathize with being disappointed when the grading received does not match your expectations. If there is a disconnect, we strongly encourage you to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review (as was the case here), we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. This shipment was finalized one day later than our published expectation, and while that is not "forever", it was slightly longer than the expectations we set, and not the experience we strive to deliver for each shipment.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs), assuming the cards you've owned for 10+ years have no wear, and so on. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rel ... Read more

We can certainly sympathize with being disappointed when the grading received does not match your expectations. If there is a disconnect, we strongly encourage you to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review (as was the case here), we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. This shipment was finalized one day later than our published expectation, and while that is not "forever", it was slightly longer than the expectations we set, and not the experience we strive to deliver for each shipment.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs), assuming the cards you've owned for 10+ years have no wear, and so on. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rely on assumptions. The cards graded MP in this shipment were nearly all more than 10 years old.

For anyone considering the service, you can also select the hold for review option, which will allow you to reach out to discuss any grading surprises prior to the report being finalized. As noted, even if you do not select this option, please reach out to us to discuss anything which mismatches your expectations - we are always willing to provide more detail and attempt to find an agreeable outcome for both parties.

While we can understand frustration when the grading does not meet expectations, we always encourage anyone to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review, we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. We do not make money by grading cards at a lower condition, and then selling them for a higher condition.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs), assuming the cards you've owned for 10+ years have no wear, and so on. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rely on assumptions.

As graded, this payout was 61.5% of TCGLow if all cards were sold as Near Mint. For a shipment containing mostly sub-$5 cards, most would consider that a very good payout.

For anyone considering the service, you can also select the hold for review option, which will allow you to reach out to discuss any grading surprises prior to the report being finalized.

While we can understand frustration when the grading does not meet expectations, we always encourage anyone to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review, we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. We do not make money by grading cards at a lower condition, and then selling them for a higher condition.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs), assuming the cards you've owned for 10+ years have no wear, and so on. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rely on assumptions.

As graded, this payout was 61.5% of TCGLow if all cards were sold as Near Mint. For a shipment containing mostly sub-$5 cards, most would consider that a very good payout.

For anyone considering the service, you can also select the hold for review option, which will allow you to reach out to discuss any grading surprises prior to the report being finalized.

While we can understand frustration when the grading does not meet expectations, we always encourage anyone to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review, we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. We do not make money by grading cards at a lower condition, and then selling them for a higher condition.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - for example, assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs) or that the cards opened remain in near mint condition despite being several years or a decade or more old. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rely on assumptions.

As graded, this payout was 54.3% of TCGLow if all cards were sold as Near Mint. For a shipment containing almost exclusively ... Read more

While we can understand frustration when the grading does not meet expectations, we always encourage anyone to reach out to discuss. Even if you've not requested a hold for review, we can often find many of the cards to provide evidence and discuss grades - and in most cases get on the same page. We do not make money by grading cards at a lower condition, and then selling them for a higher condition.

Most grading surprises are a result of assumptions made - for example, assuming cards right out of the pack are always near mint (especially for Secret Lairs) or that the cards opened remain in near mint condition despite being several years or a decade or more old. We always encourage customers to take cards out of sleeves/binders (which hide certain types of wear), and inspect the cards in proper lighting to avoid surprises and to not rely on assumptions.

As graded, this payout was 54.3% of TCGLow if all cards were sold as Near Mint. For a shipment containing almost exclusively sub-$5 cards (45 cards total in this shipment), most would consider that a very good payout.

For anyone considering the service, you can also select the hold for review option, which will allow you to reach out to discuss any grading surprises prior to the report being finalized.

We understand it can be frustrating when your expectations on value do not align with your payout. We go through great pains to set expectations ahead of time to avoid any unpleasant surprises. In this example, the $600 in trades being cited is the TCGPlayer Low price (retail price), which should never be a baseline expectation for anyone selling cards - even if you yourself sell them on TCGPlayer, as it does not reflect the costs associated with selling (postage, TCGPlayer fees, shipping materials, and time).

We offer a price check tool and a collection estimate tool, and always strongly encourage anyone considering our service to look up prices to ensure they are within the realm of acceptability. Buylist prices - even optimized buylist prices like our service offers - are not the same thing as retail prices, and generally reflect the cost of selling cards, the carrying cost and price risk of holding cards that sell slowly, and a margin so the business can pay for its overhead.

We understand it can be frustrating when your expectations on value do not align with your payout. We go through great pains to set expectations ahead of time to avoid any unpleasant surprises. In this example, the $600 in trades being cited is the TCGPlayer Low price (retail price), which should never be a baseline expectation for anyone selling cards - even if you yourself sell them on TCGPlayer, as it does not reflect the costs associated with selling (postage, TCGPlayer fees, shipping materials, and time).

We offer a price check tool and a collection estimate tool, and always strongly encourage anyone considering our service to look up prices to ensure they are within the realm of acceptability. Buylist prices - even optimized buylist prices like our service offers - are not the same thing as retail prices, and generally reflect the cost of selling cards, the carrying cost and price risk of holding cards that sell slowly, and a margin so the business can pay for its overhead.

We understand that it can be very frustrating to receive a grade you weren't expecting. When it does happen, though, we always invite a conversation to try to get on the same page, which unfortunately never happened here.

This order consisted of 4 cards - 1 non-foil, and 3 foils. The three foils are cards which are 14 years old, and were all graded MP. The non-foil was 6 years old and was graded near mint. One of the biggest disconnect for older cards - especially foils - is that the condition the cards were opened in remains their current condition. For foils in particular, this can create situations where expectations are not aligned with the card's current condition. Sleeves do not make cards impervious to wear. They can absolutely slow down the wear process, but wear can and does happen. Further, certain types of wear - especially for foils - can be hidden by sleeves, so unless the cards are inspected outside the sleeves prior to submission, there may be some hidden wea ... Read more

We understand that it can be very frustrating to receive a grade you weren't expecting. When it does happen, though, we always invite a conversation to try to get on the same page, which unfortunately never happened here.

This order consisted of 4 cards - 1 non-foil, and 3 foils. The three foils are cards which are 14 years old, and were all graded MP. The non-foil was 6 years old and was graded near mint. One of the biggest disconnect for older cards - especially foils - is that the condition the cards were opened in remains their current condition. For foils in particular, this can create situations where expectations are not aligned with the card's current condition. Sleeves do not make cards impervious to wear. They can absolutely slow down the wear process, but wear can and does happen. Further, certain types of wear - especially for foils - can be hidden by sleeves, so unless the cards are inspected outside the sleeves prior to submission, there may be some hidden wear that was not known to the sender.

For anyone considering the service, we recommend a few things. First, inspect your cards outside of sleeves, and with proper lighting prior to sending them in. Never make assumptions. Second, consider adding a hold for review for your shipment - that allows us to easily take pictures, and have a discussion about the grades of any "surprise" cards. Third, even if you don't add a hold, let us know if something unexpected happened; we always want to ensure surprises are avoided and reconciled, and that you feel comfortable with how your cards were assessed.

It's never a good feeling when your assumption coming into a service are fueled by incorrect information and we do our very best to provide as much information as we can before anyone uses our service. It isn't clear what value was being looked at with Dragon Shield/Tcgplayer app in this instance, but the TCGLow value of the shipment if everything was Near Mint was $251. The assessed value was $166.76 before fees, and the fees amounted to $47.99. 66% of TCGlow value with such a low average card value is quite strong, and generally speaking most folks would be ecstatic with that result.

It is worth noting that of the 1,037 cards sent in with this shipment, 921 were deemed to be bulk. Bulk cards in particular can show TCGPlayer values of $0.05-$0.99+ in collection management apps, but those values do not reflect the cost to sell the cards (stamp, labor, materials, marketplace fees, etc.). Further, bulk cards can detract from your payout due to how our fee structure works, which re ... Read more

It's never a good feeling when your assumption coming into a service are fueled by incorrect information and we do our very best to provide as much information as we can before anyone uses our service. It isn't clear what value was being looked at with Dragon Shield/Tcgplayer app in this instance, but the TCGLow value of the shipment if everything was Near Mint was $251. The assessed value was $166.76 before fees, and the fees amounted to $47.99. 66% of TCGlow value with such a low average card value is quite strong, and generally speaking most folks would be ecstatic with that result.

It is worth noting that of the 1,037 cards sent in with this shipment, 921 were deemed to be bulk. Bulk cards in particular can show TCGPlayer values of $0.05-$0.99+ in collection management apps, but those values do not reflect the cost to sell the cards (stamp, labor, materials, marketplace fees, etc.). Further, bulk cards can detract from your payout due to how our fee structure works, which reflects the labor needed to process the cards; sending a shipment primarily composed of bulk is something we typically advise against.

If you are using an app to value your collection, it is always recommended that you run an export file through our Estimate Tool to not only get a better idea of what you can expect from our service, but also a better idea of any incorrect data/assumptions that may be inherent in the collection management tool you are using.

The processing of this shipment (5 days) and issuing of payment (3 days after) was in line with the timeline we provide for shipments of this type. The customer was upset that this timeframe was not expedited since the shipment was only five cards, and they expected that we would change the timelime proscribed. Unfortunately, that expectation does not take into account all the other shipments we have to process each week – which is why those timeframes exist. Anyone working with us should expect us to adhere to the timing expectations we set forth absent discussing it specifically with us (we do try to accommodate urgent circumstances where we can).

As to the values, the payout here was 72.6% of TCGPlayer Low on cards with an average value below $5. Most would consider that an exceptional result when considering the cost to sell those via a marketplace like TCGPlayer. We do our best to set pricing expectations ahead of time, and to make it clear that obtaining retail prices vi ... Read more

The processing of this shipment (5 days) and issuing of payment (3 days after) was in line with the timeline we provide for shipments of this type. The customer was upset that this timeframe was not expedited since the shipment was only five cards, and they expected that we would change the timelime proscribed. Unfortunately, that expectation does not take into account all the other shipments we have to process each week – which is why those timeframes exist. Anyone working with us should expect us to adhere to the timing expectations we set forth absent discussing it specifically with us (we do try to accommodate urgent circumstances where we can).

As to the values, the payout here was 72.6% of TCGPlayer Low on cards with an average value below $5. Most would consider that an exceptional result when considering the cost to sell those via a marketplace like TCGPlayer. We do our best to set pricing expectations ahead of time, and to make it clear that obtaining retail prices via our service (or any buylist) is simply not possible. We always encourage anyone considering our service to use our price check tool and/or collection estimate tool to ensure the pricing meets expectations.

We understand it can be frustrating when your expectations are not met using our service. In this case, the customer mistakenly identified their Foreign Chronicles cards for Antiquities cards – which is certainly easy to do since Foreign Chronicles cards have a black border and look much closer to the Antiquities versions than English Chronicles (which have a white border) – but this misidentification has resulted in the customer having incorrect value expectations coming into the process. Furthermore, the vast majority of the cards sent in this shipment were bulk; we waived half of our fees since it was clear there was misunderstanding of how bulk affects payouts, but even with half the fees waived, the fees to process the shipment were nearly $25.

We understand that grading cards may not be everyone's forte. We are always happy to provide additional information regarding grading to help get on the same page for that shipment and any future shipments. You do agree that the ... Read more

We understand it can be frustrating when your expectations are not met using our service. In this case, the customer mistakenly identified their Foreign Chronicles cards for Antiquities cards – which is certainly easy to do since Foreign Chronicles cards have a black border and look much closer to the Antiquities versions than English Chronicles (which have a white border) – but this misidentification has resulted in the customer having incorrect value expectations coming into the process. Furthermore, the vast majority of the cards sent in this shipment were bulk; we waived half of our fees since it was clear there was misunderstanding of how bulk affects payouts, but even with half the fees waived, the fees to process the shipment were nearly $25.

We understand that grading cards may not be everyone's forte. We are always happy to provide additional information regarding grading to help get on the same page for that shipment and any future shipments. You do agree that the cards will not be returned, but ultimately our goal is to find an agreeable solution – but, that cannot happen if you do not reach out to us to discuss the situation. For anyone considering the service that is concerned with the grading and/or their ability to assess the grades of their own cards, we always recommend you request a hold for review, which gives you the opportunity to review and discuss the report with us prior to it being finalized.

While we strive to set expectations for all customers ahead of time, there can be times where expectations aren't able to be met. The payout for this Sorted shipment, where the potential value was known ahead of time, was 71% of that potential Near Mint value, which is in line with expectations for the range of conditions received.

Extensive photographic evidence of the wear of the cards was provided, but the customer simply disagreed with the assessments – calling them "a joke".

It can be frustrating when you believe your cards are in great condition, but they don't meet vendor criteria to be assessed as such, as was the case here. At the end of the day, we need to assess the card condition as we receive it, but we always want to reach a satisfactory result for every single customer.

If you are considering our service and are concerned about the grades of your cards, we always recommend requesting a hold for review, which will allow you to get evidence of your grades and provide options in the event we cannot get on the same page regarding the assessment.

While we strive to set expectations for all customers ahead of time, there can be times where expectations aren't able to be met. The payout for this Sorted shipment, where the potential value was known ahead of time, was 71% of that potential Near Mint value, which is in line with expectations for the range of conditions received.

Extensive photographic evidence of the wear of the cards was provided, but the customer simply disagreed with the assessments – calling them "a joke".

It can be frustrating when you believe your cards are in great condition, but they don't meet vendor criteria to be assessed as such, as was the case here. At the end of the day, we need to assess the card condition as we receive it, but we always want to reach a satisfactory result for every single customer.

If you are considering our service and are concerned about the grades of your cards, we always recommend requesting a hold for review, which will allow you to get evidence of your grades and provide options in the event we cannot get on the same page regarding the assessment.

We take great pains to ensure expectations coming into using our service are set, but unfortunately sometimes expectations cannot be met. In the case of this shipment, the assessed value before fees was 71% of TCG Low. Further, the assessment was 89% of the full NM value, indicating only minor reductions for condition. The customer expressed dissatisfaction with the results, and we offered to provide more details regarding grading, and otherwise discuss the situation to get on the same page but received no reply.

Given the results of the assessment, the only explanation for being displeased would be an expectation of receiving retail value for the cards. This unfortunately is not feasible, as retail values don’t factor in the expenses associated with selling cards, nor the time it may take to sell cards. The prices that can be expected from our service are readily available using our price check tool and estimate tool, and we encourage anyone considering the service to use th ... Read more

We take great pains to ensure expectations coming into using our service are set, but unfortunately sometimes expectations cannot be met. In the case of this shipment, the assessed value before fees was 71% of TCG Low. Further, the assessment was 89% of the full NM value, indicating only minor reductions for condition. The customer expressed dissatisfaction with the results, and we offered to provide more details regarding grading, and otherwise discuss the situation to get on the same page but received no reply.

Given the results of the assessment, the only explanation for being displeased would be an expectation of receiving retail value for the cards. This unfortunately is not feasible, as retail values don’t factor in the expenses associated with selling cards, nor the time it may take to sell cards. The prices that can be expected from our service are readily available using our price check tool and estimate tool, and we encourage anyone considering the service to use those resources when deciding if our service will be a good fit. If grading is expected to be an area of concern for you, we would also encourage you to request that the shipment be held for review to enable you an opportunity to get more information on grades prior to finalization of the report.

While we strive to set expectations for all customers ahead of time, there can be times where expectations aren't able to be met. Unfortunately for this shipment, the high-end old border foils which were 5-10+ years old had noticeable signs of wear and had to be graded as such. When presented with extensive photographic evidence supporting the grades, the customer simply disagreed with the assessment, but would not cite any particular grading criteria to refute the grades.

It can be frustrating when you believe your cards are in great condition, but they don't meet vendor criteria to be assessed as such, as was the case here. We always want to come to a mutually agreeable conclusion where possible, but when offered the opportunity to explore that, the customer declined, instead requesting we pay the amounts assessed while maintaining their disappointment. Markdowns for high end foils can be substantial since NM versions can be in low supply; when sending in high end foils and the grade is uncertain, we recommend requesting the cards be held for review so the results can be properly understood before finalized.

While we strive to set expectations for all customers ahead of time, there can be times where expectations aren't able to be met. Unfortunately for this shipment, the high-end old border foils which were 5-10+ years old had noticeable signs of wear and had to be graded as such. When presented with extensive photographic evidence supporting the grades, the customer simply disagreed with the assessment, but would not cite any particular grading criteria to refute the grades.

It can be frustrating when you believe your cards are in great condition, but they don't meet vendor criteria to be assessed as such, as was the case here. We always want to come to a mutually agreeable conclusion where possible, but when offered the opportunity to explore that, the customer declined, instead requesting we pay the amounts assessed while maintaining their disappointment. Markdowns for high end foils can be substantial since NM versions can be in low supply; when sending in high end foils and the grade is uncertain, we recommend requesting the cards be held for review so the results can be properly understood before finalized.

It is definitely an unfortunate experience when you find out that what you thought were expensive versions of cards are instead more common and far less expensive versions. This is very common for people less familiar with the game using scanning apps which often will identify cards as Summer Edition, which are extremely rare and valuable, but are actually Revised Edition – not rare, and (mostly) not valuable.

In the case here, there were numerous cards submitted as Unlimited Edition that were regrettably Revised Edition. It isn’t an uncommon mistake to make, however, the differences between Unlimited and Revised are still quite distinct (Unlimited cards have beveled (double) lines at the borders, revised has a single between the inner card and the border) – and our staff is extensively trained to detect the differences between versions. In addition to the mistakenly submitted Unlimited cards, there was a card submitted as Alpha, but was actually from Revised – and a card ... Read more

It is definitely an unfortunate experience when you find out that what you thought were expensive versions of cards are instead more common and far less expensive versions. This is very common for people less familiar with the game using scanning apps which often will identify cards as Summer Edition, which are extremely rare and valuable, but are actually Revised Edition – not rare, and (mostly) not valuable.

In the case here, there were numerous cards submitted as Unlimited Edition that were regrettably Revised Edition. It isn’t an uncommon mistake to make, however, the differences between Unlimited and Revised are still quite distinct (Unlimited cards have beveled (double) lines at the borders, revised has a single between the inner card and the border) – and our staff is extensively trained to detect the differences between versions. In addition to the mistakenly submitted Unlimited cards, there was a card submitted as Alpha, but was actually from Revised – and a card submitted as from The Dark that was actually from Chronicles; in both cases, the difference in the border color alone is enough for anyone familiar with cards to identify the difference.

To those considering the service and reading this review: if you have this kind of concern, you should always reach out to us upon receiving your report and we can explain the differences and provide scans to verify we have assigned the correct version. We would just need you to reach out in a timely fashion, as we may not be able to provide scans if too much time has passed after we complete processing your cards. Ultimately our goal is to ensure you have an experience that meets or exceeds your expectations; this certainly can be a challenge when incorrect assumptions exist coming in, but we will do our best to help you make the best of the situation to the extent we can. You should never assume “well they won’t do anything” – always reach out; we’re here to help.

This customer has been contacted directly to explain a few things about the service, but to also address the alleged missing cards. This reply will steer clear of specifics meant for this customer, and focus on what might be useful for someone reading the review.

Regarding the alleged missing cards, we take the chain of custody of incoming shipments extremely seriously. Our service requires enormous trust, and we recognize how important it be that we can definitively say we processed all cards received in a shipment. In this case, we have reviewed all the pictures of the shipment, as well as shipments processed after the shipment had been opened – and we can confirm that Doubling Season was not received in the shipment (and that all cards received in the shipment are accounted for in the final report presented to the customer). In all cases this has happened in the past, the customer was ultimately able to locate the “missing” items either at their residence or accidentall ... Read more

This customer has been contacted directly to explain a few things about the service, but to also address the alleged missing cards. This reply will steer clear of specifics meant for this customer, and focus on what might be useful for someone reading the review.

Regarding the alleged missing cards, we take the chain of custody of incoming shipments extremely seriously. Our service requires enormous trust, and we recognize how important it be that we can definitively say we processed all cards received in a shipment. In this case, we have reviewed all the pictures of the shipment, as well as shipments processed after the shipment had been opened – and we can confirm that Doubling Season was not received in the shipment (and that all cards received in the shipment are accounted for in the final report presented to the customer). In all cases this has happened in the past, the customer was ultimately able to locate the “missing” items either at their residence or accidentally included in a shipment to another person or vendor. We suspect that to be the case here.

Regarding the “estimated value”, unfortunately this was not an estimate provided from our estimate tool, but rather an estimate from what appears to be a third-party application of some sort that uses TCGPlayer Mid as a proxy for value. Unfortunately, TCGPlayer Mid is not a useful metric; we use TCGPlayer Low as a proxy for retail value, as it more accurately reflects the retail value a customer might expect (not factoring in costs/time, etc.). TCGPlayer Low for the full shipment here was just over $3,900. Removing the items that were intended to be sent, but were not, and it becomes approximately $3,760. Those prices assume every card was NM, which was not the case here – and resulted in an assessed value about $210 lower than it would have been had everything been in NM condition.

The crux of the matter here is the expectation of receiving retail value for cards. We work extremely hard to set expectations for all customers before they send cards in. Our estimate tool is a very valuable tool for this, and while the customer in question did utilize the estimate tool, the format provided resulted in the tool not providing an estimate for the customer to consider. We always encourage anyone seeking values closer to retail value to consider alternatives to our service; while our service does optimize buylist prices and does a great job providing payouts that exceed other buylist options (even when factoring in our fees), it cannot be relied upon to provide retail value for cards.