Selling Pokémon cards—whether you run a hobby shop, an online storefront, or a high-volume singles business—comes with a unique set of risks that most “generic”

Pokémon TCG Sales Agreement: Authenticity Guarantees for Sellers

Selling Pokémon cards—whether you run a hobby shop, an online storefront, or a high-volume singles business—comes with a unique set of risks that most “generic” sales terms don’t address. Counterfeit cards, altered cards, resealed product, uncertain provenance, grading disputes, chargebacks, and platform claims can turn a profitable sale into a time-consuming loss.

That’s where a Pokémon card sales agreement (also called a TCG sales agreement) becomes more than “legal paperwork”—it becomes an operational tool. Done right, it protects your business while still giving buyers confidence through carefully drafted authenticity guarantees.

This post explains what authenticity guarantees mean in a trading card sales contract, how sellers can structure them to be fair and enforceable, and which clauses matter most for hobby shops and card sellers.

Note: This article is for educational purposes and isn’t legal advice. Local laws vary, and you should consult a qualified attorney for guidance specific to your business and jurisdiction.

Why Pokémon card sellers need an authenticity-focused sales agreement

In everyday retail, “returns accepted within 30 days” can work fine. But Pokémon TCG sales have special friction points:

Counterfeits and proxies can be visually convincing.
Alterations (trimmed edges, ink, surface cleaning, pressed cards) can dramatically change value.
Resealed sealed product is an industry-wide problem.
Condition disputes are subjective without a defined standard.
Grading outcomes can change a card’s value, and buyers sometimes blame sellers when grades disappoint.
Marketplace claims (eBay/PayPal/Shopify chargebacks) require quick documentation.

A tailored pokemon card seller contract helps you manage these risks consistently—especially if you have staff handling sales, online listings, show inventory, and buylist intake.

Authenticity guarantees: what sellers can (and should) promise

An authenticity guarantee is a promise that the item is genuine. But for Pokémon cards, “authentic” can mean multiple things:

Genuine Pokémon card printed by an authorized manufacturer (e.g., The Pokémon Company / Nintendo / Creatures / Game Freak as applicable, depending on era/region)
Not counterfeit or proxy
Not materially altered (if you’re selling it as unaltered)
Not resealed (for sealed product)

The seller’s balancing act

Buyers want broad guarantees; sellers need boundaries. The goal is to draft guarantees that:

Build trust (clear remedy if something is fake)
Reduce abuse (limits, timelines, evidentiary standards)
Match your business model (raw singles vs. graded slabs vs. sealed product)
Align with consumer law (which may impose implied warranties in some regions)

Core structure of a Pokémon TCG sales agreement (seller perspective)

A strong tcg sales agreement for sellers typically includes these sections:

Parties and transaction details (who’s buying/selling, what’s being sold)
Definitions (Authentic, Altered, Condition, Sealed, Graded, “Material defect”)
Authenticity guarantee (scope + remedy + process)
Condition and grading disclaimers (what you represent and what you don’t)
Inspection/acceptance window (time limits and required steps)
Returns and refunds process (RMA, packaging, shipping, insurance, fees)
Risk of loss and shipping (when responsibility transfers)
Limitation of liability (no consequential damages, cap on liability)
Dispute resolution (venue, governing law, arbitration/mediation optional)
Special terms for sealed product (reseal rules, tamper evidence, no returns if opened)
Entire agreement + amendments (no “side promises”)
Signature / assent (checkout acceptance, invoice terms, signed agreement)

Think of it as the written version of your shop policies—only better organized and enforceable.

Drafting the authenticity guarantee: best-practice terms for sellers

Below are practical components sellers use in a pokemon card sales agreement. Each one can be tuned based on your risk tolerance and customer expectations.

1) Define “Authentic” and “Counterfeit”

Avoid vague promises like “all cards are real.” Instead:

Authentic: manufactured for official Pokémon TCG distribution and not a reproduction.
Counterfeit: any non-authorized reproduction, including proxies sold as genuine.

This definition matters because some buyers use “fake” to mean “not pack-fresh,” “not mint,” or “not gradeable.” Clarity prevents category errors.

2) Address alterations explicitly

If you sell raw singles, you should decide whether you:

Guarantee “not knowingly altered,” or
Guarantee “not altered to Seller’s knowledge and based on Seller’s inspection,” or
Provide an “altered card” disclosure category (e.g., “ALTERED/DMG” bin)

A seller-friendly (but still credible) approach is:

You guarantee authenticity.
You disclose if you know of alterations.
You set a process for buyers to claim alteration (photos, third-party statement, timeframe).

3) Set a claim window (inspection period)

An authenticity guarantee without a deadline can become a lifetime liability. Common windows include:

3–7 days after delivery for high-volume online singles
14 days for higher-value items
Longer for sealed cases (if you want to be competitive), but be careful—sealed disputes are hard to validate after time passes

Your trading card sales contract should state when the window begins (delivery confirmation timestamp, in-store purchase time, etc.).

4) Require evidence and preserve the item’s state

To prevent “bait-and-switch” returns (buyer returns a different card), require:

Clear photos/video of the item upon opening (for high-value shipments)
Return of the same item with matching identifiers (cert number for graded cards, internal SKU, hologram sticker, or micro-marking where appropriate and disclosed)
No removal from protective packaging if you used tamper-evident seals (when applicable)

Be transparent: don’t use invasive marking that harms the card, and disclose any identification practice.

5) Choose a remedy: refund, replacement, or store credit

A seller’s authenticity guarantee typically offers:

Full refund upon confirmed counterfeit, including original shipping (sometimes)
Replacement if available (often best for sealed product or common singles)
Store credit (less buyer-friendly; may be restricted by consumer laws)

Best practice is to provide a clear hierarchy:

Replace if available and buyer agrees, otherwise
Refund to original payment method (or as required by law)

6) Decide who pays return shipping

If the card is confirmed counterfeit, many sellers cover return shipping or provide a prepaid label. If the claim is unsubstantiated, the buyer may pay shipping both ways.

Spell this out—ambiguity is where disputes live.

7) Include a verification method (third-party standard)

Authenticity disputes often hinge on who decides. Options include:

Seller inspection (fast, but buyer may not trust it)
Independent verifier (local card expert, reputable authentication service)
For graded cards, relying on the grading company’s holder + cert verification (e.g., PSA/CGC/BGS verification)

Your pokemon card seller contract can state that graded cards are sold “as encapsulated,” with authenticity tied to the slab’s cert—while still providing a remedy if the slab/cert is fraudulent.

Special considerations: raw cards vs. graded cards vs. sealed product

Raw singles: condition language is everything

For raw cards, authenticity is only half the battle—most disputes are about condition.

Include:

Your condition scale (TCGplayer NM/LP/MP/HP/Damaged or your own)
Acknowledgment that condition grading is subjective
Photo standards for listings (front/back, corners, holo scratches)
A statement that minor manufacturing defects (centering, print lines) may exist

Graded cards: define what you’re not guaranteeing

For graded cards, buyers may try to “re-grade” and blame you if they get a lower grade.

Common seller protections:

You do not guarantee a cross-grade with any company
The grade is the third-party grader’s opinion, not yours
Any dispute about grade must be taken up with the grading company unless there’s evidence of tampering or counterfeit slab

Sealed product: strict anti-tamper rules

Sealed disputes are uniquely risky, because once opened, provenance is gone.

Include terms such as:

No returns/refunds on opened sealed product
Buyer must inspect outer seal immediately on delivery
If the buyer alleges reseal, require:
- photos/video of shipping box and product before opening
- preservation of shrink wrap and packaging
- prompt notice within a short window

This is one of the most important reasons sellers adopt a dedicated tcg sales agreement rather than generic e-commerce terms.

Clauses that reduce chargebacks and “item not as described” claims

A well-written pokemon card sales agreement also supports your evidence file if a platform dispute arises.

Consider including:

Product identification: SKU, order number, slab cert number, set name, card number, language, edition, etc.
Photo integration: “Listing photos are part of the description” (and store them)
Delivery confirmation: risk of loss transfers upon delivery (subject to local law)
Communication channel: require buyers to contact you before filing a chargeback
Limitations: cap liability to purchase price; exclude lost profits, etc. (subject to enforceability and consumer laws)

Example authenticity guarantee language (plain-English style)

Here’s a simplified, seller-friendly concept (not a substitute for legal drafting):

Authenticity Promise: Seller warrants that items sold as Pokémon TCG products are authentic (not counterfeit) based on Seller’s inspection and sourcing.
Claim Window: Buyer must notify Seller within X days of delivery/purchase with supporting photos and a written explanation.
Condition Requirements: Buyer must keep the item in the same condition as received and return the exact item purchased.
Verification: Seller may request third-party verification or inspect upon return.
Remedy: If confirmed counterfeit, Seller will refund the purchase price (and shipping as stated) or replace at Buyer’s election if available.
Exclusions: No guarantee of grading outcomes; no returns for opened sealed product; no refunds for subjective condition disagreements outside the stated condition standard.

The power isn’t in fancy legal words—it’s in being specific and consistent.

Operational best practices to support your agreement

Even the best trading card sales contract works best when your operations back it up.

Photograph high-value cards at packing time (front/back + edges)
Record slab cert numbers in the invoice
Use tamper-evident packaging for high-value shipments
Keep buylist intake notes (source, date, any red flags)
Train staff on spotting counterfeits (font, rosette patterns, light test, weight, texture—where applicable)
Maintain a written returns SOP so every customer gets the same process

Consistency helps prove your policies are real, not improvised after a dispute.

Common pitfalls sellers should avoid

Over-promising: “Guaranteed PSA 10 potential” is a dispute magnet.
No deadline: Open-ended guarantees invite long-tail liability.
Vague condition labels: “Near mint” without a standard causes fights.
No sealed rules: Sealed returns without anti-tamper terms are risky.
Copy-paste policies: Generic retail terms miss TCG-specific realities.
Ignoring consumer law: Some disclaimers don’t work against consumers in certain jurisdictions.

When to use a Pokémon card sales agreement (and how to present it)

You can use a pokemon card sales agreement in multiple ways:

Online checkout terms (click-to-accept)
Invoice terms for B2B or high-value sales
In-store receipt terms (with a posted policy + QR code)
Event/show sales (printed terms or QR code at booth)
Private deals (signed agreement for expensive collections)

For hobby shops, the cleanest approach is: a short “Sales Terms” document that incorporates the full agreement by reference, with a link and clear acceptance language.

Building buyer trust while protecting your shop

Authenticity guarantees are also marketing. A clear, fair pokemon card seller contract tells customers you’ve thought about counterfeits and you stand behind your inventory—without leaving your business exposed to unlimited claims.

A buyer doesn’t need you to accept every return forever. They need to know:
If it’s not real, you’ll fix it—fast, fairly, and with a defined process.

2025-03-10

Pokémon TCG Sales Agreement: Authenticity Guarantees for Sellers

Miky Bayankin

Pokémon TCG Sales Agreement: Authenticity Guarantees for Sellers

Why Pokémon card sellers need an authenticity-focused sales agreement

Authenticity guarantees: what sellers can (and should) promise

The seller’s balancing act

Core structure of a Pokémon TCG sales agreement (seller perspective)

Drafting the authenticity guarantee: best-practice terms for sellers

1) Define “Authentic” and “Counterfeit”

2) Address alterations explicitly

3) Set a claim window (inspection period)

4) Require evidence and preserve the item’s state

5) Choose a remedy: refund, replacement, or store credit

6) Decide who pays return shipping

7) Include a verification method (third-party standard)

Special considerations: raw cards vs. graded cards vs. sealed product

Raw singles: condition language is everything

Graded cards: define what you’re not guaranteeing

Sealed product: strict anti-tamper rules

Clauses that reduce chargebacks and “item not as described” claims

Example authenticity guarantee language (plain-English style)

Operational best practices to support your agreement

Common pitfalls sellers should avoid

When to use a Pokémon card sales agreement (and how to present it)

Building buyer trust while protecting your shop

Other questions sellers ask (to keep learning)