Tuesday, October 23, 2018

My First Panini Redemption

I hate to be that guy. I bitch enough on this blog about the state of our hobby but I need to vent about my recent Panini package. I bought a redemption card off of ebay and redeemed it. I was less than enthusiastic about the Panini website and even more confused as to why it took two months to fill an order that I knew they had ready to ship. I had seen other versions of the same card /25 posted places. Meaning they had been made, signed, and ready to be redeemed.
I told myself to chill; Panini is probably a busy company. I see posts all the time about people waiting crazy amounts of time for their redemptions. I guess I just assumed those cards hadn't been printed or they couldn't get the athlete to sign them. I figured as a company they understood the business and did the best they could.
Today, though, they lost my benefit of the doubt. I noticed my redemption status changed from open to closed suddenly about 2 weeks ago. I nervously waited for any other information but none was posted. Under the "View Shipping?" button (the question mark should have been a red flag) there was no information other than it had been sent 10/17.
Surely, a company, nay, a thriving business like Panini would upload a tracking number if not email me one soon. Silly, naive little collector me.
Today I received a beaten-to-hell ripped package in the mail. I repeatedly said "please don't be from Panini" in my head as I turned it over to see the sender...It was.


Now, my postal service around here is atrocious. I get rough packages all the time and NEVER receive anything on time. Typically the sender knows how to package well and I rarely have issues. Surely Panini, a freaking card company knows how to ship. They have to, right? This package obviously got stuck and burned for a while in the sorting machine's wheels but the creases and tears are what worried me. Creases = Bends and Tears = Moisture.


THE CARD WAS OKAY. I should get that out of the way now in case anybody wants to bail on this post thinking "the card was fine pansy, quit whining." BUT... There was no cardboard, no paper, no tissue, no team bag, no protection inside at all. Just my card in a penny sleeve and toploader left to dance around inside a cheap bubble mailer. I know guys who automatically give negative feedback on ebay for this or will stop trading with you.
NEXT...There was no tracking! With all the scumbags taking advantage of the good guys in our hobby right now what is to stop anyone from getting their card and saying it never showed. Would Panini send a replacement? THEY PAID $3.50!!!! The same amount it would have cost to send first class with tracking and give us both piece of mind.
The straw that breaks the breaks the camel's back is the piece of scotch tape on the top of the loader. We all preach painters tape or nothing within the better side of the hobby. How can this be acceptable?! What a joke. I have stood by Panini when others leave them for not having logos and even when they have players put on 4 XXXL sized jerseys for 30 seconds just to make swatches like this one for cards.
I have a real bad taste in my mouth after this one. I'm still in shock.

3 comments:

  1. I was in the same boat earlier this year. I redeemed a card from Panini that was live and at the 6 month waiting point I contacted a Panini CSR that finally got it moving. When I got the card it was encased but there was plastic between the case and the card. Redemptions are the work of a cardboard devil.

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  2. Sorry to hear about this bad experience, but glad the card arrived safely. I've been sitting on a redemption from Panini for a few years now. At this point, my expectations are low.

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