[xstreaminsanity]

(I know, another poll. lol)

Ok, so I'm loving the responses to the Redemption thread I made yesterday, but after some thinking last night I thought I'd make a new thread for this. This is an idea that may not even be possible, may never happen, but I thought it would be a good idea if it could work flawlessly (pingbling's issue along with other people's recent troubles might put a kink in this thought).

So, nobody likes redemptions really because regardless of the company they seem to take forever (on average), customer service sucks (except for PressPass from what I hear) and/or you have to get replacements. So the question I asked myself to answer was:

How can redemptions be used to benefit the collector, the hobby, and the company?

Now, like I stated, I'm sure there could be kinks in this idea, and I'm more than happy to hear ideas to fix them. So here it goes.

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1. All "hits" in products are redemptions ("hits" - GU, AU, /25 or less).
   
   • Self-explanatory.
2. All redemptions are the same card stock as base cards.
   
   • This would highly help prevent pack searching I believe. I mean, I don't know if the composite that is put over the number to be scratched off would weigh enough to be noticeable, but I don't think it would be.
3. All redemptions do not state what the item is.
   
   • Now, I like this because it allows for a little more excitement. "Yay, I got a redemption, I wonder what it's for." Upper Decks redemptions used to say what it was for exactly, Panini's says that card and number, just not who (but you can look it up on the checklist), and I've never seen a Topps redemption. But the redemption would simply say to enter your code at the specific site to redeem your redemption. On the site, once you put your code in, it will show you the card you should receive for that redemption. If it's a Game Used card (patch or swatch) the card will already be made and ready to go. However, for autographs, it's a different process.
     
     If your redemption is for an autograph, the site must state whether the card is already made. If it is, that IS the card you will receive. If the card is not already made (waiting for AU), the site must state when the scheduled autograph signing will be. If the signing is scheduled, it cannot be scheduled (all AU will be on card) any more than 30 days from the release of the product. If the scheduled day has passed (either by the time the product was bought or while waiting for the scheduled date), the user can go on the site and request a replacement by choosing from other cards available to be redeemed or a product (like a box of cards). If you have a redemption for a card that was made but no more are available, you can also request a replacement the same way, or request that you receive another card from an upcoming product (not sure about details on this one).
4. All redemptions will be mailed to the recipient in a one touch magnetic holder.
   
   • Now, I know pingbling is going through quite a mess right now with Panini's issue, so making all GU, AU and /25 having to be mailed might draw a lot of people off. Especially if there was someone in the mailing service that started picking them off. Well I would think that insurance should be on each package so the mailing company would keep better track of the cards and make sure stuff like that doesn't happen. Now, ideally I wanted to say that instead of one touch magnetic holders, all cards should be graded by BGS. However, I know that not everyone likes BGS (don't know why, lol) and Panini can't choose loyalty. It would be nice if during the redemption process we could choose for it to be graded at a discounted rate, but I don't know if that'd be possible. But I think the cards should be sent to the user with signature confirmation, insurance on the package, in the proper (better than a top loader) protection.
5. Some redemptions could be for products (like a free box of cards).
   • As stated earlier, if a card you attempted to redeem is out, not made, or something else, you could redeem your card for a box of the same product or similar product. Who wouldn't want to bust more wax? But if the card is made, even if it is a scrub player, you have to accept the card.
6. Redemptions do not have expiration dates.
   
   • Could you imagine if all of the redemptions for a Kevin Durant Finest RC were never pulled until after the expiration date? What would the company do when someone did pull one? If a card is made, and there was a redemption put into a product for it, then regardless if it's ten years from now, I should still be able to redeem my card. Now, if the company goes out of business (Fleer/SkyBox), that's another story.

Now, it did occur to me that a lot of people would not like this issue because a lot of people love to go through the cards in the pack and the that "OH MY GOD" feeling when they pulled a nice patch card or similar, but that's the same feeling you'd get knowing that you have a redemption. Because now, you don't sit there and say "Wow, that's a nice patch of.......who is that?", instead you have a few more minutes of anxiety and anticipation waiting to see who it is you pulled. "This could be Kobe, this could be Durant, ..." Also, I chose /25 or less just because that sounded good at the time. It could be /10 or less, or even /50 or less. But I think the rarer cards should not be sent in a product, it keeps the card from possible damage.

So, answer the poll and put any comments or thoughts you have about the idea. I don't have a way to get this in play if I wanted to, so this is all hypothetical. As always, I'm trying to add traffic and intrigue to the board. Thanks everyone for reading.

[monjo15]

6.Redemptions do not have expiration dates.

◦Could you imagine if all of the redemptions for a Kevin Durant Finest RC were never pulled until after the expiration date? What would the company do when someone did pull one? If a card is made, and there was a redemption put into a product for it, then regardless if it's ten years from now, I should still be able to redeem my card. Now, if the company goes out of business (Fleer/SkyBox), that's another story.


Having a redemption attached to an expiration date for something that the company has promised to provide is the worst trend in today's hobby.

What is done with all those redemptions that were not redeemed???? Its the biggest load of garbage. If they can not find the time to put the items in the product when first released why should our time be limited on when to redeem.

The whole process is just another way for these company's to make us look like fools for collecting cardboard......

[libs021]

not a bad idea but I still don't think they should put redemptions in products unless they are in house and ready to be shipped. I think redemptions would be cool if they were for non-standard size cards, or other memorabilia.

Cool Redemption Ideas:

Signed Balls.
Signed Mini Balls.
Posters
Signed 8X10's
Jumbo cards
Replica Jersey's
Full Game Used Jersey's
Tickets to the Finals

I know some of these would be expensive to the company, but for the prices were paying for boxes, we deserve some cool redemtions not just something that should already be in the box were buying.

[kstjst]

I would choose #5. If the redemption isn't fulfilled within 4 months, then I would consider a box of an item as replacement. What irritates me most about Panini is that they will "randomly" pull a replacement card. So you never know what you will get. But they'll still continue to put out newer product with that same player included and the newer card is in packs and not a redemption. UD will at least give you options on what you want. But in the event that a redemption is not looking like it will be fulfilled, they should have a viable back up plan such as a box of the product that the item is from or one of their latest products of similar value. If the company has to continually send out free products in place of a redemption, they'll quickly learn that they need to get better commitments from a player prior to advertising and including them in a product.

[quavis]

All good ideas. Too bad there is no way Pannini would read this. Even if they did, I bet they wouldn't care.

[xstreaminsanity]

Maybe I shouldn't have used a numbered list. lol. I'm not saying to choose any one idea, I'm saying as a whole. The company would have to adopt all of those ideas, not just one. No redemptions in the product so no pack searching and the redemptions are the same size/weight as base cards, a chance to choose your replacement and see your replacement before you actually get it (except for non-signed yet AU), all redemptions are mailed to us graded or in magnetic holders, redemptions for boxes of cards (maybe next years stuff) and there is no expiration date for redemptions. All or nothing, that's the only way I see redemptions working.