Upper Deck's response? "We'll send you a card...could be the Montana, or it could be a replacement." (I'm paraphrasing)
REALLY?
Expiration dates on redemption cards really burn my shorts. If a company makes 100 redemption cards, then they must plan on having 100 autos to send to people who redeem those 100 redemption cards. Why is there a need to put an expiration date on redemption cards?
Now if you're only 5 months past the expiration date, what happened to those autos? Did some UD employee take them home the day after the redemption cards expired? Did they put them in some other product line? Did they sell them on eBay? In my opinion, it's not acceptable to have an expiration date on redemption cards. I think it's bogus (and I would really like to use stronger language there).
First of all, I'm not a big fan of redemption cards. But if a company has to use them due to scheduling conflicts, then hold on to the autos until all the redemptions are claimed. I fail to see how something like this could cause a storage problem for the card company. But maybe it's not about storage...maybe it's about trying to make a buck and the card company isn't making any money on some autographed cards that are just sitting on their shelves.
The way I look at is this: If a company has to use a redemption card, it's their fault (not the collector's fault) that they couldn't get the athlete to sign in time for the autos to make it into the product line. By producing a redemption card, you are making a promise to the collector that you will provide them with the autograph listed on the redemption card. An expiration date is a cop-out...a way to break that promise...and I think it's unethical.
OK...enough on my rant. I'm sorry you got an expired redemption card, Fuji. I hope you get that Montana auto. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
I am Joe Collector: Upper Deck, expired redemption, and some BS
I've gone through this exact same song and dance from Upper Deck as well. Right after Joe Collector pulled the Jeter, I pulled an expired redemption for an autographed Griffey box topper. You can read all about it on my blog: http://www.sportssyzygy.com/
ReplyDeleteThe problem starts when an athlete doesn't live up to their promise to sign something or something inserted into packs gets damaged. Card companies start pulling from expired redemptions to fulfill those redemptions and I wouldn't be surprised if some walked out the back door as well.
What's even more frustrating is that not only did I pull this expired redemption, but I'm waiting (2 months now) on redemption cards that are supposedly in-stock and have to wait another month to see what my replacement is going to be for a Michael Johnson autographed card that never got produced. So, I'm seeing all aspects of the ineptitude of Upper Deck.
I can understand the situation if the athlete doesn't sign or the card gets damaged. In those cases, I think it would be appropriate to replace the redemption card with an auto from another player or possibly give the collector a hobby box of product if that would satisfy the customer. But what I have a big problem with is expiration dates on redemption cards.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the reasons why i dont get any boxes of older Hobby Packs a few years older. That is one of the few reasons why I like to retail boxes a few years later,
ReplyDelete1, cheaper
2, not as many redemptions( i dont think so)
3, I can still get some nice rookies depending on the product.
I fully believe with what you said on Sports Card Radio about there should be no expirations.
Like you said, If they make 100 redemtions for 100 cards, they should hold on to the cards in a vault or something. What else are they going to do with the cards? Throw them out?!?!? I hope not.
-sanfrangiants/kylecar18