Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By accessing and using GradingPrep's services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use our services.

2. Service description

GradingPrep provides grading preparation services for sports and trading cards, including:

• Card evaluation and condition assessment
• Professional cleaning and preparation
• Submission to third-party grading companies (such as PSA, BGS, SGC and CGC)
• Return shipping for cards you choose not to grade, and for graded cards that come back through GradingPrep, such as on local pickup orders

3. Possessory lien and collateral

By shipping cards to GradingPrep, you acknowledge and agree that:

• GradingPrep holds a possessory lien on the cards in our possession until the fees on your orders are paid in full
• Cards with us are not returned or submitted to a grading company until the fees due on them are paid
• Graded cards ship from the grading company straight to the return address on your order, so we can't hold them. If a grading invoice goes unpaid, we keep any of your cards still with us until it is paid
• You authorize GradingPrep to keep those cards as collateral until all outstanding balances are settled

4. Payment terms

Payment is required at the following stages:

• Prep fees: due after we evaluate your cards, at checkout, before anything is submitted or shipped back
• Grading fees: BGS fees are paid at checkout, before the cards ship to Beckett. PSA, SGC and CGC fees are invoiced after grading, once the grading company bills us
• Shipping: shipping to the grading company and return shipping are paid at checkout, before the cards ship

Card payments are processed securely through Stripe. We also accept Zelle. Invoices are due within 14 days of the invoice date.

5. Abandonment policy

Cards are considered abandoned if:

• Payment is not received within 30 days of invoice date
• Customer does not respond to communication attempts for 45 days
• Customer explicitly abandons the submission

For abandoned cards, GradingPrep reserves the right to:

• Charge storage fees of $5 per card per month after 30 days
• Sell or consign cards to recover unpaid fees and storage costs
• Donate cards to charity after 90 days of abandonment
• Dispose of cards after 120 days of abandonment

6. Card valuation and insurance

While your cards are with us, they are insured against things like theft and fire, at their value and within our policy's limits.

• Shipping to the grading company is insured and signature-required
• Return shipping includes the coverage shown at checkout, and you can add more
• For the trip to us, ship with a tracked, insured carrier. We aren't responsible for cards lost or damaged before they reach us
• Some grading companies price by a card's value (SGC, and Beckett's declared value). Give accurate values and pick a service level that fits them, since the grading company's own coverage is based on what's declared

7. Limitation of liability

GradingPrep's liability is limited as follows:

• A card lost or stolen while it's with us is covered by our insurance at its value (section 6)
• Apart from that insurance, liability is limited to the declared value of cards or $500 per card, whichever is less
• Not liable for grades assigned by third-party grading companies
• Not liable for damage caused by grading companies during their evaluation process
• Not liable for carrier delays. A shipment lost or damaged in transit is covered by the insurance on that shipment
• Not liable for market value fluctuations during service period

8. Customer responsibilities

As a customer, you agree to:

• Provide accurate card information and valuations
• Respond to payment requests and communications in a timely manner
• Review card evaluations and make approval decisions within 14 days
• Package cards securely when shipping to GradingPrep
• Maintain valid contact information in your account

9. Card evaluation and estimates

Estimated grades provided by GradingPrep are professional opinions based on industry experience. Final grades are determined solely by third-party grading companies (such as PSA, BGS, SGC and CGC). GradingPrep does not guarantee that estimated grades will match final graded results.

10. Refunds and cancellations

Refund policy:

• Customers may request return of cards before evaluation is complete (subject to $10 processing fee per order)
• After evaluation, customers may reject cards for grading and request return (prep fees still apply for evaluated cards)
• No refunds for cards already submitted to grading companies
• Grading company fees are non-refundable once paid

11. Privacy and data

GradingPrep collects and stores customer information necessary to provide services. We do not sell or share customer data with third parties except as necessary to provide services (e.g., shipping carriers, grading companies, payment processors).

11a. SMS / text message notifications

By turning on text messages on your GradingPrep account (the SMS opt-in box, or the Text messages switch on your profile) you agree to receive order-notification text messages from GradingPrep LLC, such as cards received, evaluation ready, payment due, shipping updates, and grade results. Message frequency varies by order. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to cancel at any time; reply HELP or email [email protected] for help. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Opting in is optional and is not required to use our services. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle your phone number.

12. Modifications to terms

GradingPrep reserves the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Continued use of services after modifications constitutes acceptance of updated terms. Material changes will be communicated via email to registered users.

13. Dispute resolution

Any disputes arising from these terms or services provided shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. Both parties waive the right to jury trial or class action participation.

14. Contact information

For questions about these Terms of Service, contact us at: [email protected]