Replacement redemptions on hold at Topps
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Editor
If you’re looking to replace an outstanding redemption with Topps, collectors will have to wait at least another month.
After several mentions about it on Twitter and a blog post, collectors said they were told replacing redemptions at Topps was currently put on hold. This was confirmed after calling Topps’ customer service line this morning.
Replacements are still being handled under normal conditions, the customer service rep said. If autographs come in for a specific redemption, those will go out as normal.
However, if a consumer is looking to replace an outstanding redemption, they will have to wait at least a month to do so due to staffing changes in that part of the department.
Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Beckett Media on Facebook and Twitter.
Topps replacements stink anyway! I had two Topps Strata redemptions that were outstanding forever. Get an email in from our “friends” at topps they can be replaced. I asked for one to be replaced, Chris Rainey variation auto. Takes two months and I get my replacement, an auto from legends of a guy that did not even make an NFL roster. Fast forward and I get an email from topps that my Bernard Pierce Strata auto patch and can be replaced. I call topps customer non service and after being on hold for 48 minutes their rep comes on. I tell him what happened with the guy basically tells me that is just tough. I go ahead and ask for the replacement but tell their rep that if they can’t replace the Strata auto patch with another Strata card, I DO NOT want to exchange. I bought Starta because I wanted that product. Last Friday the package arrives and guess what? Did I get a Strata card???? NOPE, a low end base auto jersey of Kendall Hunter. No patch just a jersey. So yesterday I sent the card back to Ryan O’Hara President and CEO of topps at their One Whitehall Street address. Will I get a response? NO, but at least I feel better. Topps customer service stinks and sadly for some licensed products we are simply stuck with them
I totally agree that Topps is stinking out the joint. Sure they e-mail you stating it’s over the time limit for redemptions. I have two Gerrit Cole auto (one platinum to 5 and gold refractor auto patch). What’s taking so long. I also have thrre redemptions from Five Star Baseball (Tom Seaver auto, Dale Murphy variation auto jersey and Joe Mauer auto). Really? these guys can’t sign. I’m sure Seaver isn’t signing but I’m afraid to see what will arrive if I ask for replacements. Sadly we are stuck with this crap as well as Panini and Upper Deck.
I feel that sales of a card that you don’t have is feud. If I tried to sale something that I didn’t have or have a date that I would and have it on that date; I would go to jail. So know that you can’t keep up on replacements. I may have to look into collecting other makers of football cards.
This is another example of Topps attitude that they are so big, they needn’t care what their customer base thinks of their service. To have redemption cards in the first place is an indicator of poor planning, and to then fumble the redemption process shows a clear disregard for the customer. Time to spend my money with a company that cares.
Not good
Topps needs to remember that even Rome fell.
I really like what they do so I hope they can turn it around.
So my first experience with the unfulfilled redemptions went well, I felt I got a good deal. Some 2011 Marquee auto relic of Tyson Ross and I got a Don Sutton instead. Hey, nothing great, but some everyday guy and I at least got a Hall of Famer. Last week hit so low, it made B.J. Upton’s batting average look enormous.
So I have been waiting for two years, 2 YEARS for my 2011 Topps Triple Threads Triple Relic Autograph White Whale Printing Plate of Ozzie Smith. I was excited beyond belief to have pulled that redemption as a true 1/1 of a HOFer that is known across baseball. The re-sale value or trade value would be astronomical since I live in Kansas and have several friends that are die hard Cardinals fans. In it’s place, I received a redemption replacement, purple refractor of David Ortiz numbered 2/5. To say I was upset, would be a slight misnomer.
So I waited after work, and dug through the box of redemptions I am still waiting on (more than 30 and have only received maybe 25 since 2010) pull out the Ozzie Smith one. So, I read the small print on the back of the redemption to find a line that is my line in the sand for this issue, “Substitutions of equal or greater value will be made if the insert is unavailable for any reason.”
So today I called Topps Customer Service and was able to control my anger to have a logical thoughtout conversation. I only waited maybe 8-10 minutes before being helped. The rep asked how he could help. So I started out by telling him the issue I had. After spelling out I did not receive something for my redemption that was of equal or greater value. He wasked what I was supposed to receive. After the explanation, the rep actually agreed that I had not been fairly compensated for my redemption. He asked that I take photos or scans of the redemption card, the apology letter and card received to toppshelp@gmail.com to start the ball rolling.
The bad part of the call was the fact the rep told me, that Topps has not authorized the reps to make any decisions of that nature which is why he asked for the pictures with the email to at least try making something happen. I am not that hopeful because of the rising number of redemptions appearing. I opened a case of 2013 Museum Collection a few weeks back and received NINE (9) redemptions out of the case of 12 boxes, so I nearly received a redemption a box. I also still have 6-7 other outstanding redemptions from 2011 Triple Threads that have been unfulfilled, including two more Ozzie Smith autographs.
Is there really ANYTHING we can do about this? I mean, they can’t even get retired HOFers to sign, how are they going to fill any redemption for active players during the course of the season? Why are they even offering these cards if they cannot fill them? While my anger grows each time I pull a worthless redemption, I understand sometimes not every card could be signed on time. But to receive nearly 1 redemption per box in a case of a product that was pushed back over a month is unacceptable. As a pilot, I can have a few rough landings, but I cannot miss any training by more than a week or face punishment. For a company to promise these types of things and then say we cannot fulfill them 2 years later is unacceptable.
Let’s face it nothing will change at Topps (at least in regards to MLB product) for a number of years now, thanks to the MLB-sanctioned monopoly. The only option that we collectors have (one that sucks worse than Topps customer service) is to stop buying Topps product and then consistently let MLB and Topps know why we stopped (it would be nice if Beckett every once in a while ran something more substantial about Topps’s craptacular customer service, but I doubt we’ll see anything about that either). Unfortunately, there’s probably nothing that can be done to end their monopoly sooner than 2020, but maybe if we make enough noise and put our money where our mouth then it won’t be renewed.
At least there’s the MLBPA-approved Panini and Upper Deck products. It’s not much, but that wasn’t the case at the start of 2011.
Matthew – Great point.
I haven’t had any issues with redemptions with Topps (granted, I’ve only had the misfortune of pulling a redemption card once), but the problems are clear. Redemptions as a whole should be abolished. Plan further out ahead of time and get the physical card into the product unless it’s for something that doesn’t fit in a pack. In that case, have the item in hand before the product is released!
Susan
Can you provide the number to call for these replacement redemption’s? I have tried to call a few numbers to Topps and could never get through to anyone. I been waiting on a Will Middlebrooks patch auto plate 1/1 for a year.
I just called the main customer service line Tel: 1-800-489-9149
Totally agree with about every comment on here.My experience with Topps redemptions is pretty much the same as you all and in my opinion,offering redemptions for cards you don’t even have amounts to fraud.Seriously,how hard is it to just NOT include redemptions for a card that you don’t even have? Also,how exactly do you send me a “replacement” equal to the value of some card that doesn’t exist and exactly how many YEARS are you allowed to not give a customer something that they have purchased?Having a bunch of unfulfilled redemptions from 2011 is completely pathetic.
Very disappointed too, sent an email to Topps and receive the same email as 10 times before.
To be honest, Panini Redemption is doing a lot better than what TOPPS is doing. Topps doesn’t care about or believe in CUSTOMER SERVICE. A greedy company with a monopoly in MLB does only care about MONEY.
TOPPS should be very shame on how other trading sports cards are doing. There was a rumor that numbers of employees at Topps are leaving the company. And Topps was trying to ask them to keep it quite. As a customer, I makes me believe that even there own employee they can’t even keep there own promises. TOPPS seems to heading on the downside, trust me they will hit the ground quick and hard. Also what if Panini or Upper Deck can retain a licence with the MLB. TOPPS will be scared for sure.
Yet another reason I sell or trade redemptions as soon as I get them.
I agree with Matthew and all of the others with similar comments. Some of my experiences with customer service has not been all that great either. I had sent in a damaged numbered Derek Jeter card. I asked that it be replaced with one that has the same 199/199 number. Instead I got one numbered 62/199. I asked why I couldn’t get another 199/199. Customer Service said that they don’t restamp replacement cards. Instead, they just hold back some of the cards to be used as replacements. What that means is that if you are looking to pull one of these numbered cards, the odds of getting one is actually greater then you might be led to believe because while, in this case, the cards are numbered to 199, there are NOT 199 of the cards actually laced in the pack sent to the stores. That’s discouraging.
Anyway, I had been buying TOPPs products basically for the enjoyment of it. This began when I started collecting cards with my son, when he was munch younger, and I have continued this for about 20 years. Now, with the increasing use of sticker autographs (which I think sucks), the type of service I have gotten from Customer Service when I have needed it, and all of the other negative things I hear and read about TOPPs, the enjoyment is gone and I think I am about done buying their products and will find another hobby to replace this one. Plus, I like the autographed cards but most of the ones I do get are cards that are usually in the $2 bins at many card shows.
I’m no lawyer, but you would think not being able to fulfill redemptions and then replacing them with crap has to be some kind of false advertisement violation. Im sure Topps would have no leg to stand on if a large group of collectors got together and shared their stories in court of how they were screwed over. I dont have these same kind of redemption issues, but I can only imagine the frustration of not receiving something that I was very excited about. Collector’s are the ones who need to control the market, not the card companies. Until this can be done, we are subjected to their poor management and have no choice in the matter. Collectors UNITE!
Kraig – it’s called a Class Action lawsuit. That’s when droves of people come together to file a complaint against a business. Granted the issue has to be something which violates the law (not sure what law they are violating (maybe false advertising))? Wonder if we can find a lawyer who collects who would be willing to do this Pro Bono.
TO all Above
Yes it’s false Advertising and it’s complete fraud. I was lucky now not sure I got the Koufax Silver Slate auto-REDEMPTION. i WAS TRUELY estatic the bes card by far I hit. When I went to check they had gotten my Certified redemption as I was to fill it out take picture send certified they said they couldn’t find my redemption and that the Redemption fullfilemt ofc in Pa hadn’t enterd it YET.
I then gave the rep the numbers and told him I have pictured and I promise you that if they loose it I will sue.
I think it’s disgraceful to do any customer this way but I fear Topps maybe hanging on by a thread.
The 1 saving grace is social media we can band perhaps a class action Sue Topps or Boycott Topps on facebook would start the ball rolling.Just saying
tom w
This is one of the reason I no longer buy Topps wax. It’s much safer to buy singles. The total downside though is that ripping boxes is one of my favorite things, but I refuse to give my money to a company that has such little regard for its customers.
I received a 2013 allen and ginter Ernie Banks Red ink mini #10, in exchange for a Luis Apparacio red ink mini #10. I have 10 other cards that I have been waiting on for months. But that is a pretty good replacement. Things do sound kind of shady over there though. The problem is that none of the replacement cards are in the beckett.
I purchased a Russell Wilson auto Topps platinum NFL shield Red refractor.
It was from 2012.
I consider myself a serious Wilson collector as I sold my business in 2011 and was looking for different ways to invest my money.
I called topps about the redemption and was told
1. They were waiting on the card to be autographed.
I told the rep it was a sticker auto and after holding he confirmed yes it is we are waiting for him to put on a jersey as we used all the NFL shields.
Fast forward TWO YEARS, I was offered 8 cards of his as a replacement with the best being a valor /26 which was high point selling for $200 on Ebay.
I have a number of his 1/1 a couple supers and started to collect the Platinum shields of other Seahawks.
I rejected their offer as I felt my card is worth at least $3000 what I paid.
I was.told they put a value of $2,000 and when we spoke last week 5/2015 I was told Wilsons cards are DECLINING in value.
And they now say it is worth $1500 I repeated I want the card.
I do realize that I am now getting the run around.
They will not say if the card wont get made but they keep repeating they hope it does.
Its three years since this redemption was released and was offered more than I paid for the card.
The buyer stated that if Topps will write a letter saying they will make the card then he will buy the redemption for more than I paid.
I have resisted writing anything as I have heard that if they catch wind of it they will send junk or product at a fraction of the cost.
I have bank wire showing I purchased it. Along with a letter from the seller whom I never met face to face.
Just completed.the deal on ebay.
What are my options at this point.
I have kept all correspondance with the Topps rep and all phone calls which if nothing not for the situation would be comical.
Want the card or??
Am not trying to rip anyone off.
I Spent over 70k on Wilson rookie cards couple years back.
I just do not like to see a large company rip off the consumer.
Any ideas would love to hear them.
Jack
Disappointed in Seattle.
Follow up on previous comment.
The value.of the cards they offered didnt add up to $1000
Best was a valor /26 but others were high number of sets that are not very valuable.
Very unhappy customer I do not buy topps cards only Panini.
Am only one person but if I did what they did I.would be in jail.