Update: As of January 5, 2022 the Toploader Buyback Program has ended. We are no longer purchasing toploaders.

Toploader Shortage

As the hobby continues to surge, the demand for plastic protective toploaders has also peaked. Due to this unpredicted surge in product demand as well as impacted supply chains, many manufacturers of protective toploaders are currently struggling to meet inventory. Hence, there have been shortages seen across the industry at retail hobby shops, card shows, and even here at COMC.

COMC Response

To address the toploader shortage currently affecting the industry, COMC is launching a toploader buyback program and making the following changes to how we process and ship cards.

Toploader Buyback Program

Starting immediately, COMC will buy new and gently-used toploaders of all sizes for $0.10 each, provided that they meet the following criteria:

• Empty toploaders only
• New or gently-used
• Free of tape, price tags, residue, discoloration, writing, or major scuffing
• No toploaders with labels (i.e. “Rookie Card)
• All toploader sizes are welcome!

How to Use:

• Begin at the Toploader Buyback Program service level in the submission wizard
  • https://www.comc.com/Manage/SubmissionWizard
• Provide the quantity of toploaders you’re sending
• Print submission paperwork and include it with each submission group
• Ship your Toploader Buyback Program submission along with any consignment submissions
• COMC will credit your account $0.10 per toploader when we receive your submission

If you have a bulk supply of sealed, new toploaders you would like to sell, please contact us at toploaders@comc.com

Toploader Processing and Shipping Changes

To adapt to the critical shortage of toploaders, COMC is immediately enlisting the following changes:

• All raw Elite items and items purchased for more than $50 will ship in a penny sleeve and toploader.
• All other raw non-Elite items will ship in a penny sleeve and will be carefully braced with mail stiffeners for safe shipment
• Suspension of the “Add Toploader” upgrade on new Shopping Cart purchases and Shipment Requests. If cards with toploaders are desired, please purchase with a COMC account and wait to place a shipment request until we receive more supply.

Toploader Removal Fee Stands

• COMC processes thousands of cards a day, which is why we recommend using just penny sleeves when consigning with us so that we can process your cards expediently.
• Time spent removing toploaders and other plastic cases beyond penny sleeves has a multiplying effect and restricts COMC’s ability to efficiently process new consignment submissions.
• Thus, the Buyback Program Will Not Affect Removal Fees.
• There will still be a toploader removal fee of 50 cents per card for cards submitted through our standard service levels.
  • However, the fee is not in place for the Elite or Auction service levels.

What if I already added toploaders to an order?

Our current toploader supply is sufficient to fulfill existing orders. Orders placed prior to the temporary removal of the “Add Toploader” option will be honored.

We expect our supply to be replenished by Summer 2021, and hope in the meantime the Toploader Buyback program allows you to turn unused toploaders into COMC credit!