Skip to main content
A “not as described” message is one of the more stressful things to get as a seller, because the loss usually lands on you even when your grading was right. Here’s a response script to work from, and what to do after you send it.

​
Step 1: Ask for a photo before you do anything else

Reply asking the buyer to send a clear photo of the card — front and back, with the condition issue visible if it’s a defect claim. You need evidence before you can evaluate the claim at all, and most buyers will send one without pushback. Something like:
Sorry to hear that. Could you send a quick photo of the card, front and back? I want to see exactly what you’re seeing so I can sort this out properly.

​
Step 2: Compare it against how you graded it

Once you have the photo, check it against the condition your listing stated and, if you keep any record of the card before it shipped, against that. If the card genuinely doesn’t match how it was listed, own it — a fast, no-argument resolution costs you less than a drawn-out dispute and protects your feedback score either way. If the photo looks consistent with the condition you listed (normal light play wear called out as Lightly Played, for example), it’s fair to explain your grading standard plainly instead of assuming bad faith:
Thanks for the photo — that edge wear is why I listed it as Lightly Played rather than Near Mint. Happy to do [a partial refund / full refund / replacement] if that grading doesn’t work for you, just let me know which you’d prefer.

​
Step 3: Offer a resolution, don’t just argue the grade

Buyers respond better to an offer than a defense. Depending on the situation:
  • Full refund if the card is clearly misgraded or damaged in shipping
  • Partial refund if it’s a borderline condition call — see how to issue a partial refund on a TCGplayer order
  • Replacement if you have another copy in the same or better condition

​
Step 4: Process whatever you offered on TCGplayer

Refunds and any formal case resolution happen in TCGplayer’s own seller portal — Hoard doesn’t issue refunds itself. Follow TCGplayer’s current dispute/refund flow for the order once you and the buyer have agreed on a resolution.

​
Step 5: Keep your response time short

TCGplayer factors response time into seller standing, and a buyer who feels ignored is far more likely to escalate to a formal claim than one who gets a same-day reply, even if the reply is “let me look into this.”