Retiring Declined Items Feedback and Discussion

[COMC James]

Hey Blowout,

This afternoon we sent out an email to consignors and published on our blog a Service Update that outlines the current declined items system being retired.

You can read the full announcement here:

https://blog.comc.com/2019/06/06/con...trading-cards/

The cliff-notes version of the changes are as follows:

• Modern trading cards in less than NM-MT condition consigned through Basic and Current-Year Basic services will no longer be declined, nor will they receive condition notes. These items will now be evaluated and described with condition ranges using standardized hobby verbiage (described below).
• Modern trading cards in less than NM-MT condition consigned through Select, Current-Year Select, and Premium services will still receive condition notes, as well as be described with condition ranges using standardized hobby verbiage.
• Items previously consigned through all service levels will still retain any applicable condition notes, but will now also be described with corresponding condition ranges using standardized hobby verbiage.

I appreciate the feedback and discussions that we've had in the past, so I wanted to create a thread pertaining to any questions, feedback or comments you might have about this change. I'll be checking in regularly and responding over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks!

[shrevecity]

What about cards that are damaged in your possession and don't say it does not happen and they were declined as damaged. I know for a fact it has happened. When you submit a bunch of cards in no particular order and the cards that are declined are all from one set and all have the same type damage. That is clearly something that happens in the sorting and counting process.

[Saraste]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

What about cards that are damaged in your possession and don't say it does not happen and they were declined as damaged. I know for a fact it has happened. When you submit a bunch of cards in no particular order and the cards that are declined are all from one set and all have the same type damage. That is clearly something that happens in the sorting and counting process.

I am thinking the same thing. Although this does give COMC some incentive not to damage cards. If they do not damage them, there is a greater chance they sell and at a greater price, thereby putting more money in their pockets. I'm sure we all miss some cards as we are going through them pre-submission. If we are more vigilant about checking our cards, and they are more careful with our cards upon receipt, then we should have fewer cards on the site that are not NMMT+ or better.

On a positive note, at least I will not have to see lesser condition cards if I do not want to.

[trmpetyjo]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

What about cards that are damaged in your possession and don't say it does not happen and they were declined as damaged. I know for a fact it has happened. When you submit a bunch of cards in no particular order and the cards that are declined are all from one set and all have the same type damage. That is clearly something that happens in the sorting and counting process.

Totally agree with this that there needs to be more accountablility with the employees that are not just unpacking but removing penny sleeves and scanning the cards.

I currently have a batch of 120 declined green paper parallels /99 from 2018 Bowman Draft out of a submission of 450 cards. That is unacceptable, I sleeved and checked every one of them before I subbed them. The photos from when the box was received shows no damage during shipping, yet somehow a third of the cards are damaged.

I paid a lot of money to have that spot in over 50 cases in group breaks here on the forum. I called and talked to Joe about it over two weeks ago and although he said he would look into it he never got back with me. During the call he was emphatic that the damage would not have happened by an employee of comc.

Not sure what I can do about it, probably $1k worth of value gone just like that

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by trmpetyjo

Totally agree with this that there needs to be more accountablility with the employees that are not just unpacking but removing penny sleeves and scanning the cards.

I currently have a batch of 120 declined green paper parallels /99 from 2018 Bowman Draft out of a submission of 450 cards. That is unacceptable, I sleeved and checked every one of them before I subbed them. The photos from when the box was received shows no damage during shipping, yet somehow a third of the cards are damaged.

I paid a lot of money to have that spot in over 50 cases in group breaks here on the forum. I called and talked to Joe about it over two weeks ago and although he said he would look into it he never got back with me. During the call he was emphatic that the damage would not have happened by an employee of comc.

Not sure what I can do about it, probably $1k worth of value gone just like that

No they would never damage an item and not admit to it.. If you believe that I got a bridge to sell you..

I guess now they will also have no excuse for a late processing. There have been a few times where processing will run late then I will get another declined items message. Funny how many cards I have gotten back that are not damaged at all.

[pfb11]

So when a card is listed as a specific gradingesque condition, unless the scan is lucky enough to pick up the damage, us buyers will have no idea what the actual damage is?

There are some kinds of damaged cards that don't bother me at all (but would bother other people) but there are some kinds of damage that I won't go near even if it's a card I really need.

This would seem to add a layer of guesswork and more potential for returns.

[cjay101]

Items previously consigned through all service levels will still retain any applicable condition notes, but will now also be described with corresponding condition ranges using standardized hobby verbiage.

What is the timeline on a project like that? You're going to pull and review every card that doesn't have a condition range already entered? It will be great for the non-conditioned vintage card "buckets" but I can't imagine an overly excited person combing through 311 '89 Topps Traded Aikman cards to place them in their appropriate condition range "buckets"

[sthoemke]

I hope all cards will have condition "buckets".

It isn't fair to sellers pricing cards, to have damaged cards mixed in with with top-condition cards.

[Bowman1951]

Originally Posted by cjay101

What is the timeline on a project like that? You're going to pull and review every card that doesn't have a condition range already entered? It will be great for the non-conditioned vintage card "buckets" but I can't imagine an overly excited person combing through 311 '89 Topps Traded Aikman cards to place them in their appropriate condition range "buckets"

I feel like you read that backwards. They are going to put anything with condition notes into the "lower tier" buckets for modern cards post 1980.

This is amazing and like the email said, it'll stop sellers from having to go in and look over all of the cards to make sure there isn't one with condition notes already priced much lower than others. Everything in the "mint" bucket will be just that.

[morningrushnc]

"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

[scotthenrichs]

Originally Posted by morningrushnc

Wait, when I send a card in with a brand new penny sleeve, they remove the card to scan it in? Every card looks like it is scanned in a sleeve, I thought I was saving them a step and possible damage by sending in that way.

I believe they take them out of the penny sleeves and put them into a 9 pocket page and binder (labeled by item number) and scan from there if IRC from the main COMC thread.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by morningrushnc

Wait, when I send a card in with a brand new penny sleeve, they remove the card to scan it in? Every card looks like it is scanned in a sleeve, I thought I was saving them a step and possible damage by sending in that way.

I get less damaged when i dont penny sleeve them

[crimedawg47]

Originally Posted by pfb11

So when a card is listed as a specific gradingesque condition, unless the scan is lucky enough to pick up the damage, us buyers will have no idea what the actual damage is?

There are some kinds of damaged cards that don't bother me at all (but would bother other people) but there are some kinds of damage that I won't go near even if it's a card I really need.

This would seem to add a layer of guesswork and more potential for returns.

This was my exact thoughts when I read the email initially. I dont mind picking up a PC card that has "minor surface wear" but now if not described that way I dont want to risk the issue being something like a crease that isnt visible from the scan.

[crimedawg47]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

I get less damaged when i dont penny sleeve them

Same here...even tho its 10X easier to slide a properly penny sleeved card into a 9 pocket binder page without damaging it

[altaeria]

Why is it so difficult for them to simply not damage cards? That’s a very important part of the process. You’re dealing with collectibles. The least you can do is not ruin them. It’s like when the donut shop runs out of donut batter. That’s the job. Is this too much to ask? Sheesh.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by cjay101

I can't imagine an overly excited person combing through 311 '89 Topps Traded Aikman cards to place them in their appropriate condition range "buckets"

If I had to bet, they're not going to modify any current cards in the modern buckets unless someone submits a correction to them. So for heavily traded cards like 1993 Topps Derek Jeter RC, all the ones with condition notes could be marked as "Report Error/Wrong Condition" and then their staff would relocated them to EX to NM bucket.

I personally like the change, for the fact that if I pay for a card to get mailed there, I don't really want them to return it to me.

[jmarshstl5]

So now they have even less incentive to handle our cards with care, as COMC is guaranteed the processing fee. Sounds about right.

[Mrpokey]

The damage COMC causes on incoming shipments of cards is why I dont send them cards. I only buy cards to flip. Im scared to even request shipment of the cards I do want from the site. Something needs to be done about the people who accept and open the packages there. Way way way to many stories and pictures of then damaging cards.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

If I had to bet, they're not going to modify any current cards in the modern buckets unless someone submits a correction to them. So for heavily traded cards like 1993 Topps Derek Jeter RC, all the ones with condition notes could be marked as "Report Error/Wrong Condition" and then their staff would relocated them to EX to NM bucket.

I personally like the change, for the fact that if I pay for a card to get mailed there, I don't really want them to return it to me.

Cannot tell you how many cards I have had returned though that I resubmitted and were listed fine with no issues the second time. Really did not cost anything more recently put over 400 rejects in with a 40.00 card I wanted sent to me and had it all shipped for like 6.00 Then I just added some of them to another shipment going there to fill up the box so no extra cost there really either.

What gets me is when they reject an item and then when you pay the extra to list it anyway they list it with no condition notes.

[Saraste]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

What gets me is when they reject an item and then when you pay the extra to list it anyway they list it with no condition notes.

I'm sure that has happened to most of us that listed cards after rejection. I know it has happened to me before. When that happens, they should credit you the difference.

[base set]

What will happen to lots of Declined Items currently sitting at COMC?

[allstarcollect]

I have 8K+ submissions from beginning of May, set to land July 10th. Will these be done under the new or old system. I would prefer the old system actually, as I didn't go through them thinking this system would be in place.

[Saraste]

Originally Posted by base set

What will happen to lots of Declined Items currently sitting at COMC?

They said that you will have an as of yet undetermined amount of time to either get them processed or shipped home.

[Saraste]

Originally Posted by allstarcollect

I have 8K+ submissions from beginning of May, set to land July 10th. Will these be done under the new or old system. I would prefer the old system actually, as I didn't go through them thinking this system would be in place.

If you do not receive your declined items by the 14th, it appears everything will be processed. For your sake I hope you get them.

[Swipe79]

I always love these feedback and discussion posts that COMC makes...always so productive!