Upper Deck > Topps

I have on occasion pulled expired redemptions from Upper Deck and have always sent them in and recieved something, sometimes even the card it was for. NOT the case with Topps, I sent them in an expired redemption and recieved the redemption card back stamped expired. I hope UD stays in the baseball business as they say they will.

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

It's his opinion, whether or not you disagree.

They both suck when it comes to redemptions..

Some of these guys they put redemptions in for never sign, and in my opinion redemption cards should never expire as they never had the damn card in the first place to get shipped out with the product in the first place..

The advertise auto's in every box, but when you pull a redemption, you don't actually get an auto.. you get a promise for an auto.. if they send it to you.. I have been screwed by both Topps and UD over the years.. They came up with the redemption, then they need to stand behind their redemption and not have expiration dates..

NECpilgrims8 said:

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

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Actually I think your response is a little dramatic. Redemption cards being inserted into packs is BS in general, you don't go to walmart and buy an empty box and wait for contents to be shipped to you, do you? The answer is no; a company should make good on an expired redemption card because who the hell likes getting a piece of cardboard with an empty promise in the first place?

NECpilgrims8 said:

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

Click to expand...

But what happens when you buy a box that guarantees to withhold an auto in it (ala 2007 BDP) & receive a redemption for said auto??? So when Topps denies to redeem that prospect redemption auto, the buyer of the box now has a box from Topps that guaranteed an auto & didn't have one in it.... How would this unfold if there were a class action suit against Topps? I'm just curious as I was thinking about this the other day, I'm not saying I'm gonna grab my nearest Yellow Pages & call up the first "seedy" lawyer I see; I'm just curious to hear how something like this should be remedied.

Basically IMO if Topps guarantees an auto per box & they decided beforehand that they were going to use redemption's for a product that would in fact fulfill some of these "guaranteed auto's per box", then it is solely on Topps to fulfill an auto to the person that sent in the redemption...even if it were a replacement player, they still sold a product that guarantees an auto; it is not the customer's fault Topps decided to use redemption's in place of the auto that would one day expire...Not to mention the only reason they're expiring is because Topps chooses them to! :?

Edit: If you notice the 2007 BDP boxes still guarantee an auto...the writing on the box didn't disappear once the redemption's expired... If they're still offerring auto's as an advertisement on thier product then that redemption better be valid (or don't guarantee an auto)!

LaneyB said:

NECpilgrims8 said:

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

Click to expand...

Actually I think your response is a little dramatic. Redemption cards being inserted into packs is BS in general, you don't go to walmart and buy an empty box and wait for contents to be shipped to you, do you? The answer is no; a company should make good on an expired redemption card because who the hell likes getting a piece of cardboard with an empty promise in the first place?

Click to expand...

Oh, I agree that redemptions are stupid, but we clearly have a date to redeem by, from the company. If you buy old product, the risk you take it pulling an expired redemption.

Sure, they could be nice and send something else, or try and give you the product on the expired redemption, but they aren't obligated by any means after that date. It's just like any business contract, IMO.

NECpilgrims8 said:

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

Click to expand...

Actually the OP was not one bit dramatic, rather it was a statemrnt of fact followed by a wish. Now your reply on the other hand is very dramatic.

You obviously do not run a company. If you did you would realize no matter how painful it can be at times- the customer is always right.
Even if all they would have done is send out a pack of cards of some kind it would have been fine.

NECpilgrims8 said:

LaneyB said:

NECpilgrims8 said:

Are you seriously blasting a company for not being able to fill or replace an expired redemption?

They owe you nothing, and from a business point of view they laid out the time frame for the consumer.

Just because Upper Deck might have sent you something, doesn't make Topps crap. Yes, we all complain about these companies, but this gripe is a bit dramatic.

Click to expand...

Actually I think your response is a little dramatic. Redemption cards being inserted into packs is BS in general, you don't go to walmart and buy an empty box and wait for contents to be shipped to you, do you? The answer is no; a company should make good on an expired redemption card because who the hell likes getting a piece of cardboard with an empty promise in the first place?

Click to expand...

Oh, I agree that redemptions are stupid, but we clearly have a date to redeem by, from the company. If you buy old product, the risk you take it pulling an expired redemption.

Sure, they could be nice and send something else, or try and give you the product on the expired redemption, but they aren't obligated by any means after that date. It's just like any business contract, IMO.

Click to expand...

But what about the contract that is on the box "One Auto per Box"...? (does it say underneath it that this guarantee expires when our redemption's do?)

- Actually, as far as I know, none of the language on the box or the redemption cards themselves can be considered a contract.
Minors can buy sportscard packs, and minors are not allowed to enter into contracts.

That being said, it would be interesting to see what would happen if someone brought a class action against Topps.

UD already has their asses covered with the "on average" language on their boxes.


- The larger problem, to me, is the fact that there are redemptions that expire in the 1st place.

I love my collection, and I love this hobby, but if you really stop and think about it, sports card
manufacturers probably screw over their customers more than almost any other consumer product,
and we just keep coming back for more.

As has been said in this and other threads, there are myriad examples of the same practices by
other companies/industries that people would in no way stand for.

Redemptions usually just suck any way you look at them

Pinbreaker said:

They both suck when it comes to redemptions..

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In no way shape or form should a redemption expire, but that is my opinion.

I don't see why redemptions could expire. I mean if a player fails to sign on time, but does sign at a later date and signs all of the cards intended for the set, then the company should have all the cards to cover all of the redemptions no matter when they are pulled. Plus, in the world of collecting very few production runs every sell out, so not all redemptions will be pulled in the time frame. Redemptions should be like gift cards, they should never expire, they're like company credit for an autograph, even a terrible one.

Funny this comes up now...
I had just pulled an expired UD redemption and entered it online with no luck (message came up to contact UD). Called UD (stayed on hold 30 minutes) and spoke to a CS agent. Explained I pulled an expired redemption, entered it online with no luck, and am now calling him. I asked if they fulfill expired redemptions. He explained to mail it in and as a "thank you for buying our product, we will send you something". So I guess technically it is fulfilled. I also asked about redemptions from 9/08, 10/08, and a Griffey auto jersey from 01/09. He looks into it and says "oh, none of the cards are going to be produced" ::facepalm:: I told him I really wanted a Griffey for a Griffey. As for the other 2 auto RC's, I went easy and asked for Mets or Yankees.... We'll see.....

So lets take it a step further..... Brand new product. Within the first week you pull a redemption and redeem it. 2 years later still no card, and they are NOT going to produce it. Then you get whatever is laying around the factory.....BS :twisted:

Should I attempt to contact Panini?

well ud has been known to say that certain redemptions were never produced yet they somehow find their way into the market as replacements...a far bigger issue in my eyes. on a side note, i had a redemption issue in 2005 with ud for a trilogy gold auto #/15 of kendry morales. i purchased it for $100 thinking it would be his only rc auto since it was released in late december. my redemption sat unfulfilled for 4 months while 1000's of other morales sticker autos hit the market from rookie upd and ultimate collection. i spoke with chris carlin and he told me that they exhausted their supply and i was going to have to wait it out. i voiced my displeasure and he replied by saying that they'd rather have redemption holders wait longer than issue another product with redemptions. :benson:

Nothing should be given for an expired redemption. Accept maybe a year subscription to hooked on phonics so you can learn how to read the back of the card.

Philip J. Fry said:

Should I attempt to contact Panini?

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Maybe. About 4 years ago, I bought two boxes of 1999 Playoff Momentum Football from a nearby shop that was going out of business. I pulled auto redemptions from both boxes. (Can't remember either one one right off, but I could look at the set, and probably figure them out.) We laughed about it, and I said I'd send them in anyway. It only cost me a stamp to send in a 5 year old redemption (past it's expiration date!) About three weeks later, I got the cards that the redemptions were for. (later sold them on eBay. They weren't for anybody really big like Jerry Rice or something. That I would have kept!) I didn't call ahead and talk to anybody. Just filled it in, scanned a copy, and sent them (separately.)

It doesn't make sense for Topps & UD to make good when someone is "shorted" a hit yet not replace an expired redemption. Ya dig?

zookerman182 said:

Nothing should be given for an expired redemption. Accept maybe a year subscription to hooked on phonics so you can learn how to read the back of the card.

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It's moronic statements like this that allow the card companies to keep pulling their crap.

Unless they put the terms of the redemption on the OUTSIDE of the packaging, it's NULL AND VOID. You can't specify a contract after the purchase, without allowing someone a chance at returning the product. Upper Deck has two options: Refund you the purchase price of the entire box (if that's what you bought) or honor the redemption.

This expiry notice is for lottery and contests, and they have to give you a reasonable amount of time (which they deem to be 2 years). The problem lies in the stated odds on the outside of the box, along with guaranteed autographs. When the redemption goes unfulfilled, or is unavailable at the time of printing, that makes the stated odds that're advertised in plain view incorrect and "misleading".

It's BS and i'm yapped about this a trillion times, but what they're doing is misleading as a total ***** move.