Announcing the COMC Mailbox service!

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COMC is proud to announce our latest service to help empower collectors: the COMC Mailbox!  Many folks have asked us over the years if they can buy on other sites or participate in a group break and have the items shipped directly to us to make things simpler and to save money.  Additionally, we’ve talked to international customers who have had difficulty buying from American sites due to the expense of tracking packages across borders.  A number of collectors have been interested in a 3rd party verification service for trades and purchases – a neutral service that can film packages being opened and verify contents.  People running group breaks have noted the potential benefit in shipping one large package full of many different participants’ items to a single address rather than mailing out everything individually.  The COMC Mailbox service is designed to serve all of these needs:
- Purchases from other sites
- Group breaks
- Proxy shipments to international customers
- Forum trades
- Many other potential uses

HOW IT WORKS

Have any package shipped to your COMC Mailbox instead of directly to you.  We’ll open the items in your Mailbox on a monthly basis and put them all into one large batch for you with One Week processing, or you can choose to have them opened and processed at any time.  You save money on shipping fees since you don’t have to pay once for the item to be mailed to you and once more to mail it to COMC, and you save on minimum processing charges by bundling multiple small packages together into one consignment batch.

Ship to:
COMC.com Mailbox
c/o [Your Username]
6727 – 185th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98052
United States

Cost for a Mailbox: Free!
As an introductory rate, we aren’t charging anything for Mailbox creation or maintenance while we ramp up the service.  There’s no extra step for getting started either – your Mailbox is created automatically when we receive something addressed to your COMC Mailbox.  Additionally, we will never charge for un-used / empty Mailboxes.

Processing Service Levels Available: One Week or One Day ($5 minimum on all services)
When we receive a package, we will send you an email notifying you of your Mailbox delivery. You may either wait for us to process your Mailbox items on our standard monthly basis with One Week service (we will open Mailboxes once a month; at that time we will start to process all items in the Mailbox as One Week items) or you may choose to expedite the due date by responding to the email and indicating One Week or One Day processing for all the contents of that Mailbox. There is no additional cost to opening your Mailbox early, however our standard $5 minimums still apply and the items will be subject to all normal processing costs.  To prevent potential errors, users may not split Mailbox items up into different service levels.

Restrictions

  • Requests for One Day processing of Mailbox items must be received by 11:00am PST of the day before you would like your items uploaded (i.e. if you email us at 3:00pm on Tuesday requesting One Day service for your Mailbox items, we will upload your items by the end of the day on Thursday).
  • This service is currently for cards only, no comics or other memorabilia.
  • We will provide a picture of the package contents, and we will count the number of items in the package, but we are not able to identify any items that have not been processed yet.
  • If there appear to be any irregularities with the order, the user will be responsible for contacting COMC promptly; costs to return items to the original shipper or to return items to the account holder unprocessed will be assumed by the COMC account holder.
  • Other processing service levels beyond One Week and One Day are not available for Mailbox items at this time.
  • Graded cards will not incur an additional $5 minimum fee if they are processed at the same time as standard cards, although they will be billed at the regular oversized item processing rate of $2.00/item for One Week or $3.00/item for One Day.
  • International users of the Mailbox service will be responsible for any duties / border-crossing fees associated with any Mailbox items received.
  • Users should be aware of any external deadlines (ebay return deadlines for example) and proactively request an early open date if package contents need to verify contents by a certain time.

We’re excited to be offering this new service to further improve your collecting experience.  Like many of our great features, this one grew organically from the community.  We’d specifically like to thank cocoscards for engaging with us when we were in Edmonton.  We appreciate our users’ feedback, as your input has led to some of the innovations now available on COMC.com.  Keep following us on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, and our new Google+ page!

COMC Hot List for May 15th to May 29th

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Greetings and salutations, everyone! It’s Wednesday and it’s time for a new COMC Hot List!

We got a lot of great suggestions from COMC users on Facebook and Twitter after our last call out, and after conferring with the COMC processing team, we’ve put together a list of those players that are making noise and news in the sporting world, as well as a few sets we feel are going to generate a lot of interest.

Starling Marte

And our special Hot Theme this time around?

Seeing as we don’t have any hockey on the Hot List this time around, even though the NHL playoffs have entered the 2nd round, we decided that we’ll make hockey the Hot Theme. So, we’ll be accepting any 2012-13 hockey products as part of this Hot List.

So what does being on the Hot List mean?

COMC wants to encourage our users to get these hot cards into your accounts to offer for sale as quickly as possible, so starting today, any cards from these players or sets will qualify for our “Hot List Special” processing.

With this service, you will receive One Day processing at the One Week price:
$0.50 per raw trading card and $1.00 per graded, encased, or jumbo card.

Stephen Curry

How to Submit Hot List Items for Consignment:

  • Clearly write “Hot List Special” on the outer mailing package and/or the address label.
  • $5 minimum batch fee (We recommend submitting 10+ items.)
  • 200 item maximum per week
  • Must be postmarked by May 29th, 2013
  • Must be mailed to our US address (Our Canadian warehouse currently only supports One Month service.)
  • Any submissions received on a Friday or Saturday may not be processed until the following Monday.
  • Submissions with non-Hot List items mixed in will be downgraded to One Week service.

You are welcome to submit Hot List batches at the same time that you submit other batches with different service levels, even if they’re mailed in the same package, but please make sure that each batch is clearly separated and labeled, and that “Hot List Special” is written on the outside of the mailing package and/or mailing label.

Thanks for your input for this new Hot List, and watch our Facebook, Twitter, and new Google+ pages for the call for the next Hot List in a week!

New “Submit Items” Process

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Greetings, COMC community!

As many of you have noticed, we have a new way to enter your submission information on the COMC website. Some of you have already started using this new Submit Items process, and we hope that you’ve found it easy to use. For those of you who haven’t checked it out yet, we’d like to use this opportunity to tell you more about it and hopefully answer some of your questions.

Q. Why the new process?

A. As COMC continues to grow, we’ve been actively looking for more opportunities for you to submit your items. We’ve added a second office in Canada, increased the number of shows that we attend so you can drop off submissions in person, and, in the very near future, you’ll even be able to submit items to your COMC account at select local card shops. We want submissions to be easy and convenient; increasing the number of submission services and locations is a big part of that.

As we find new ways to get your items into COMC, however, we do want to standardize the process and the paperwork so that we can receive and process all of your items as accurately and efficiently as possible. As we continue to move into comics, memorabilia, and other new-to-COMC types of collectibles, this standardization will become even more important.

This new Submit Items process is designed to be extremely user-friendly, and will be compatible with all of the product lines that we accept. It enables you to easily print Submission Slips with detailed information and barcodes for each item type and service level. Just print and include one with each portion of your order and we’ll take care of the rest.

Q. Any big changes I should know about?

A. The new Submit Items process still asks you to break down your submission by service level (One Month, One Week, etc.).  You’ll also need to separate your submission by item type, for example:

  • Standard Size Trading Cards
  • Oversized Trading Cards
  • Standard Size Gaming Cards
  • Oversized Gaming Cards

After telling us what types of items you’re sending us and what service level you want, you’ll then tell us how many of each item you’re sending us. You can specify whether your quantity is approximate or exact, and you can break larger quantities down into smaller quantities we’re referring to as Groups. For example, if you’re sending us three smaller card boxes inside a larger mailing box, you’ll want to consider each of the smaller boxes as a separate Group, as if you’re sending three boxes of 400 each rather than one box of 1200. (See the video above for a demonstration.)

You’ll get a Submission Slip for each Group/Item Type/Service Level, which you’ll include with each group of items that you submit. When we process your shipment, each Group will be separated into its own batch and given its own transaction number. So if you send in a shipment comprised of both regular and graded cards, it will be processed as two separate transactions instead of one. Please be aware that just like when you combine service levels within a single shipment, each transaction will be subject to its own minimum batch fee – so you’ll want to make sure that you send enough of each item type to meet each minimum.

There are a few other changes as well:

  • New pricing structure for graded and oversized cards
  • More submission location options, including a list of upcoming shows that we’ll be attending, in case you’d like to drop off your items in person and save shipping costs.

Q. Why has the cost of processing Graded Cards increased for One Month service?

We are laying the groundwork for our new drop-off locations.  All of our non-bulk services factor in the cost of shipping the items to us from a drop-off location.  We decided not to offer a different rate for people mailing One Month items to us instead of dropping them off because we want to encourage them to visit a local drop-off location instead.

We expect to have 10-15 permanent drop-off locations spread across the US and Canada by by the end of this year, and we hope to add hundreds more over the next couple years.

Q. I noticed some new service level options. What are these new “Bulk” services?

Many of you have been asking for additional service level choices that don’t quite fall in line with our normal One Month/One Week/One Day options, and we’re pleased to announce some new options:

Bulk Ten Week offers our lowest processing rates for those of you who value economy over speed (some restrictions apply). Bulk Two Week offers a nice sweet spot between our normal One Month and One Week services – affordable and quick. And we even have a Bulk Two Day service if you need it. Please be aware that all Bulk services have a $100 minimum batch fee, and while they may not fit your needs if you only have a few items to send in, we hope you’ll take advantage of these new services for your larger submissions. Here’s the bulk pricing chart:

BULK TEN WEEK

BULK TWO WEEK

BULK TWO DAY
Standard Size Trading or Gaming Cards

20¢ per item *

35¢ per item

$1.50 per item
Oversize Trading or Gaming Cards

50¢ per item

$1.00 per item

$2.00 per item

These are new, additional options.  Our processing fees have not changed for standard size items. 

So that’s the new Submit Items process. You’ll note in the video that the old method is still active, but we’re phasing that out very soon. If you have any additional questions or thoughts about submitting items, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!

* The following restrictions apply to the Bulk 10 Week service:
- Items must be grouped in lots of 100 or more items from the exact same set.
- No penny sleeves
- No serial numbered items
- No vintage (pre-1980)

COMC Hot List Special for May 1st – May 15th

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Hello friends and collectors – it’s time to announce the latest COMC Hot List!

As always, these are the players and sets that are currently hot in sports card circles, as determined by COMC users on Facebook and Twitter, as well as the COMC processing team. This latest list includes several baseball players that are making headlines, as well as one of the hottest players in the NBA playoffs.

Tony Cingrani
Nolan Arenado
Bryce Harper
Matt Moore
Stephen Curry
2013 Bowman Baseball (Parallels and Autos only)
2013 Topps Tribute Baseball
2012-13 Fleer Retro Hockey
2012-13 Panini Prizm  – Any Sport (Parallels and Autos only)
2012-13 Panini Preferred Basketball

And our special Hot Theme this time around?

Even though the baseball season is off to a great start, and NBA and NHL playoffs are underway, we know that some of you (and frankly, some of us) still have football on the brain. So in honor of last week’s NFL Draft, any of the new 2013 Football products that have just been released will also be part of this Hot List.

So what does being on the Hot List mean?

COMC wants to encourage our users to get these hot cards into your accounts to offer for sale as quickly as possible, so starting today, any cards from these players or sets will qualify for our “Hot List Special” processing.

With this service, you will receive One Day processing at the One Week price:
$0.50 per raw trading card and $0.75 per graded, encased, or jumbo card.

How to Submit Hot List Items for Consignment:
* Clearly write “Hot List Special” on the outer mailing package and/or the address label.
* $5 minimum batch fee (We recommend submitting 10+ items.)
* 200 item maximum per week
* Must be postmarked by May 15th, 2013
* Must be mailed to our US address (Our Canadian warehouse currently only supports One Month service.)
* Any submissions received on a Friday or Saturday may not be processed until the following Monday.
* Submissions with non-Hot List items mixed in will be downgraded to One Week service.

You are welcome to submit Hot List batches at the same time that you submit other batches with different service levels, even if they’re mailed in the same package, but please make sure that each batch is clearly separated and labeled, and that “Hot List Special” is written on the outside of the mailing package and/or mailing label.

Thanks for your input for this new Hot List, and watch our Facebook page for the call for the next Hot List in a week!

Come See COMC in May!

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Just when you thought we were ready to take a break, when we were going to spend a weekend at home, just watching baseball and eating way too much junk food…think again! There’s way too much happening in May, and we’re going to rack up some more air miles attending some great shows around the country…or, should I say, around the continent?

The 43rd Sportcard and Memorabilia Expo – Toronto, ON – May 3rd to 5th
We say “continent” as COMC will be in Toronto for the Expo – Sam Kassam from our Canadian Office and our Shipping Supervisor Geoff Holland will be manning the booth all weekend, telling everyone about COMC and accepting submissions of up to 5,000 cards, so people can take advantage of our Canadian Spring Promotion.

White Plains Sports Card Show “Spring Fever Show” – White Plains, NY – May 3rd to 5th
That same weekend, Senior Account Manager Steve Hollander and Account Manager Nathan Richards will be in attendance, taking submissions of up to 1,000 cards per customer and talking with anyone and everyone.

Bonsor Sports Collectors Show – Burnaby, BC – May 26th
Sam Kassam will be in attendance and will be accepting submissions.

Our spring is looking incredible, and we’ll have more shows to check out, more news to share, and more great deals for buyers and sellers…keep checking our blog for more details as they come, and be sure to follow along at Twitter and Facebook!

COMC Hot List Special for April 17th – May 1st

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Hot List Special = One Week -> One Day

Starting today, each entry on the new Hot List will qualify for our “Hot List Special” processing. With this service, you will receive One Day processing at the One Week price. That is $0.50 per raw trading card and $0.75 per graded, encased, or jumbo card.

HOT LIST

Carmelo Anthony
Jackie Robinson
Matt Harvey
Tony Cingrani
Mike Zunino
Justin Upton

2012-13 Panini Preferred Basketball
2012-13 Panini Marquee Basketball
2012-13 Panini Select Basketball
2013 Panini Prizm Baseball
2012 Topps Five Star Football
2012 Panini National Treasures Football

Hot Theme: 2013 Football Products.  The NFL draft begins Thursday April 25 (8 p.m. ET), and to celebrate we’re accepting all 2013 football products as eligible for Hot List processing!

How to Submit Hot List Items for Consignment:
* Clearly write “Hot List Special” on the outside of the package, including the outer mailing package.
* $5 minimum batch fee (We recommend submitting 10+ items.)
* 200 item maximum per week
* Must be post marked by May 1st, 2013
* Must be mailed to our US address (Our Canadian warehouse only supports One Month service currently.)
* Submissions with non-Hot List items will be downgraded to One Week service
* Any submissions received on Saturday may not be processed until the following Monday

You are welcome to submit multiple batches with different service levels in the same package, but you must clearly label each service level you would like.

Thanks for your input for this new Hot List, and watch our Facebook page for the call for suggestions for the next Hot List in a week!

-COMC

Scheduled Steve Hollander sighting!

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Steve Hollander

Steve Hollander

If you’re on the Eastside of the Puget Sound this coming Saturday and would like to meet one of our representatives, Steve Hollander (known as SteveSC on the site) will be at the Twin Oaks show at Factoria Mall, in Bellevue WA, on April 6th.

Steve will be happy to say hello, answer your questions about COMC, and will be accepting submissions of cards to save you the cost of shipping them.  When bringing cards to consign, please remember:

  • To pack them neatly in boxes (no loose cards or binders)
  • Standard processing fees apply