UPDATE: Ever heard of PSA Cases Bending when mailed?

General
1

So I ship a lot of cards and graded cards. Usually I provide a cardboard backing when I ship, but for some reason I do not this one time and the buyer is claiming the PSA case is bent. To be specific, I bubble wrapped it and then placed it in a bubble envelope and the buyer claims the envelope had “normal” wear. I have received PSA cards with zero protection and been totally fine, but the buyer claims his case is bent because I did not give cardboard to support it.

Now I’m a physics teacher and that sounds silly. Given how rigid the PSA case it and the fact that cardboard itself can easily be bent. My theory is that the same pressure that would bend a case would most likley do it even with a tiny bit of cardboard. I know I opened myself up to this problem, by not having the cardboard this one time (won’t happen again), but seriously? You can’t even tell from his pictures that the case it truly bent. He claims it doesn’t stack well now with the rest of his cases…

Has this happened to anyone else? Do PSA cases truly warp with enough pressure and would a piece of cardboard keep it from happening? My only thought is extreme heat could do this, not someone sitting on the dang thing. I hardly think I did this and feel like I’m being taken advantage of because he may think he overpaid. I would expect a case to crack before developing a warp.

The whole thing is a bit frustrating to deal with and I know I have to cater to this problem or I risk no longer having 100% feedback.

2

I think the best way to deal with this situation is ask for pictures of the damage and what bending they are talking about. They can be lying to get a discount, or telling the truth and perhaps the mailman decided to sit on your envelope and it got damaged in transit…

3

Damage is putting it mildly. He sent pictures and you cant even tell that there is a bend except maybe one where it kinda looks like it, but I think this guy is being a bit ridiculous and is fishing for a partial refund. Almost like he took pictures for the sake of proving something is wrong when nothing is even there. I bet at the right angle I can make my PSA case look bent.

4

If you want the best possible opinion on here post the pictures.

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This is the ridiculous evidence I have to deal with. Does this really warrant a complaint like it’s my fault or like anything is even wrong? This is beyond picky and it’s a PSA 7 to boot. I don’t think this constitutes as damage and it’s unclear if that is even a bend or manipulation of his camera.

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6

Could be something as simple as a slight manufacturing defect. I haven’t tried it but you would likely have to apply a significant amount of heat to warp a PSA case. They are rigid enough that you shouldn’t be able to bend them without extreme heat from a heat gun or something similar. The cases are extremely brittle and would crack long before they would warp.

7

I have never heard of a case bend, and those pictures don’t clarify anything. Were some of the cards in older cases and some in new cases? Either way I don’t know what the buyer is referring to from those photos.

8

Are they looking for a excuse to return it? Thats what it sounds like!

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Though it seems minor, it does look like a corner is sticking up slightly higher than the others.

10

Yeah, this is why it was good to get pictures on this forum because otherwise we have no idea really what’s going on.

Really does seem like they are fishing for a partial refund or refund; they bend if even it’s present is so negligible that I would not have bat an eye at it. Unless it started to not stack probably I then would say something about it.

11

This is why I asked if the cases were different models, as that would be common.

Regardless I have never experienced a bent psa cases in handling over 10,000+. From a glance, this sounds like buyers remorse.

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12

It might be best to just offer a return and block them. Then post their username so we can do the same.

13

I did see this once before with an older new case right out of the PSA box,. Very slight but noticeable enough that I recall picking it out and putting it on the bottom of the stack where it was harder to notice the warp.
This was a tiny thing and you’d have to be ocd to care, which I’m not but I know many of you are;)
If it’s a legit thing and a bit troublesome to you personally, how would you react? Seriously I wouldn’t blame the guy.
How about this, offer to recase it for him if he sends it to “king_pokemon from Pawn Stars” (lol). He probably won’t but if he does I’ll recase it for him, free to both of you:) it can take a couple months though just so he’s aware.
Other than that, I’d just accept a return or offer him a recase amount discount.

6 Likes
14

And this is why we have a Gary’s the man thread here :blush:
Mjisaacs

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15

Prepare yourselves for a series of eBay messages from this guy who claims he is a “big” collector.

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First message that came with the shotty pics: Hi, I just received my order from you today. The card was shipped in a bubble wrap envelope, with no rigid or cardboard banding/backing. Surprising with a mid value, graded card. The card case is extremely bent, so much so that it’s visible in the pics I sent and it doesn’t stack with my other psa cards as it’s bent. The envelope showed normal wear too, it’s in good shape, no major bends.

My Response: Hi there. I’m sorry for your disappointment. I’m also mildly frustrated by this as I have received many cards in the same or worse manner than how I ship and they have been totally fine. I typically do ship with rigid cardboard, but figured it did not really help much to begin with seeing this is a rigid plastic case. The kind of bend you are describing would take a constant pressure that probably would not be spared by simple cardboard to begin with. That being said I am a bit skeptical of the pictures because it really does not look like much in the way of bending and I have never even heard of this happening before being a collector myself.

That being said I always try to provide 100% satisfaction. I can either provide a partial refund of $5 or you can ship it back to me. I’m hard pressed to say this item is damaged, but I’ll take it back if that is what you really want.

Sincerely, JoeR

His reply: Wow you’re unbelievable, so rude! You’re calling me a liar when I sent you photos right away and am a huge eBay collector. Big mistake! You shipped the cards with no protection and the card is so damage it doesn’t fucking stack! Got it? Who treats people like this, who ships without card board for higher value cards? How dare you, I want a full refund and you must pay return shipping. Calling me a liar you can literally see the curvature in all the pics.

2nd Reply: You’ll see how worthless/ damaged the card is when you receive it back!

My Response: What would you like me to do? I posted this issue to a popular Pokémon card forum “efour”. The response I got is that this issue is most likely a PSA issue with that specific case and has nothing to do with how I shipped the card. Extreme heat can bend plastic but it’s unlikely that is the case and simply applying pressure is more likely to crack a rigid case not bend it. Most likely the case already had this issue and I’m not sure PSA would consider it defective because there isn’t really anything wrong with it.

So what can I do to make you happy?

3rd Reply: Trust me, the last thing I wanted to do was ship that card back, it’s like one of the only shadowless cards I need to complete a NM set of holos base set :confused: I’m pissed and to hear your response is infuriating

My Response: I offered you a return. I don’t see what part of my message is rude. I also did not call you a liar. I just said any issue is probably a manufacturing one. I do think this is a bit unfair, but that’s my opinion. All I have done is try to accommodate you.

4th Reply: Oh great, so even worse you shipped an item without properly inspecting it I want a full refund obviously

5th Reply: Lol the message I received after my lengthy message with pictures was very rude. I’m a serious collector and I can’t even stack the case it just falls off… major bend… this is ridiculous!

My Response: You’ll have to forgive if the message came off as rude. I’m simply surprised by this. This is a hassle for me as well and means I lose money after all.

JoeR

6th Reply: Ya it probably is a manufacturing defect, but its a major defect as it doesn’t stack lol I’m the buyer and would never have bought this defective case which needs to be re cased by psa… lol get real man

7th Reply:You’re losing money on a damaged case, big surprise!!!

My Response: Put in the return. I’m sorry you don’t like it. This has never happened before and will not happen again. You’ll be refunded once I get it back.

JoeR

FIN

His name on eBay is: hoopdreams604

Sucks even more is I have to pay return shipping from Canada… ugh.

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That is incredibly generous, but this guy was a class A A-Hole and I want no part of dealing with him. As soon as the return is done I plan on banishing him to the shadow realm (Ha, Yugioh). But yea, I’m totally blocking him.

18

That would definitely be for the best. It’s not worth fighting over and something you should expect to run into from time to time when selling on eBay.

19

After reading that exchange I’d like to reiterate my earlier point haha

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Now he wants to do a return and buy a replacement PSA 7 gyarados in place of it. I told him to do the return first and then we’ll see. I’m very skeptical at this point. Trying to hang onto that 100% feedback, but I’m close to saying screw it because 1/372 is nothing after 6 years of selling.