Buyer Protection Policy

1. Our Commitment

GRAIL is committed to creating a marketplace built on trust.

Our Buyer Protection Program is designed to help ensure that buyers receive:

• The item they purchased.
• Accurate listing information.
• Secure payment processing.
• Shipment tracking where applicable.
• A fair dispute review process.
• Marketplace support when issues arise.

While no marketplace can guarantee every transaction will be perfect, GRAIL works to resolve eligible issues fairly and in good faith.

Buyer Protection is a marketplace policy, not an unconditional refund guarantee.

3. Off-Platform Transactions Are Not Covered

Buyer Protection does not cover transactions arranged through GRAIL but completed outside the official checkout flow.

Examples include:

• Cash.
• Venmo.
• PayPal outside GRAIL.
• Bank transfer.
• Direct payment links.
• Social-media payment.
• In-person payment.
• Any other off-platform arrangement.

GRAIL cannot guarantee investigation, refund, payment recovery, shipment review, or payout protection for payments it did not process through the official GRAIL checkout system.

4. What Buyer Protection May Cover

Buyer Protection may apply when an eligible purchase involves a material issue.

Potentially eligible issues may include:

• Item not delivered.
• Wrong item received.
• Item materially different from the listing.
• Significant undisclosed damage.
• Material undisclosed alteration.
• Counterfeit or materially inauthentic item.
• Incorrect card identity.
• Incorrect grade or certification.
• Certification number belonging to a different item.
• Incomplete lot or missing included items.
• Shipping damage.
• Seller failure to ship within the timeframe shown or communicated for the order.
• Unauthorized account or payment activity.
• Another issue expressly covered by the Refund & Dispute Policy.

The issue must generally be material.

Minor differences may not qualify.

Submitting a claim does not guarantee a refund.

Coverage and remedy are separate decisions.

GRAIL evaluates each case based on available evidence and the circumstances of the transaction.

5. What Buyer Protection Generally Does Not Cover

Buyer Protection generally does not cover:

• Buyer’s remorse.
• Change of mind.
• Accidental purchase.
• Finding a lower price elsewhere.
• Market-value decline.
• Future collectible-value disagreements.
• Minor disclosed defects.
• Defects clearly visible in listing photographs.
• Normal manufacturing variations.
• Ordinary condition variation consistent with the listing.
• Damage caused after delivery by buyer handling or storage.
• Unauthorized alteration by the buyer.
• Failure to review the listing.
• Off-platform transactions.
• Carrier delays alone where no loss or other eligible issue exists.
• Problems caused primarily by inaccurate buyer address information.
• Failure to collect or receive a package without reasonable justification.
• Claims opened after the inspection period without an applicable exception.
• Investment loss.
• Disagreement with a third-party grading opinion where the listing accurately represented it.
• Matters specifically excluded by the Terms of Service or related policies.

Not every disagreement qualifies for Buyer Protection.

Each situation is reviewed individually, and exceptional circumstances may be considered where appropriate.

Nothing in this section automatically bars legally protected claims or rights that cannot be waived.

6. Buyer Responsibilities

To help us resolve issues quickly and fairly, buyers are expected to:

• Review the listing carefully before purchasing.
• Review photographs.
• Confirm card identity, grade, condition, and price.
• Provide a complete and accurate shipping address.
• Monitor shipment tracking.
• Receive or collect the package when reasonably possible.
• Inspect the item promptly after delivery.
• Preserve the item and packaging.
• Report material issues before the inspection period expires.
• Submit accurate evidence.
• Respond to reasonable requests.
• Communicate honestly and respectfully.
• Avoid altering, damaging, reselling, or returning the item without authorization during review.

Failure to fulfill these responsibilities may affect Buyer Protection eligibility or resolution.

Nothing in this section automatically waives rights that cannot legally be waived.

7. Seller Responsibilities

Sellers are expected to:

• Own or be authorized to sell the item.
• Accurately describe the item.
• Use truthful photographs.
• Disclose material defects and alterations.
• Ship the correct item.
• Package the item securely.
• Ship within the applicable order timeframe.
• Use the approved shipping address and process.
• Provide valid tracking where required.
• Cooperate during investigations.
• Preserve pre-shipment evidence where reasonably available.
• Respond to reasonable requests.
• Avoid retaliation, pressure, or off-platform dispute resolution.

Failure may affect Seller Protection, payout release, Trust Score, rewards, listing privileges, account status, or other enforcement under the Terms of Service.

Not every buyer-favorable outcome proves intentional seller misconduct.

11. Investigation Process

Each reported issue is reviewed individually.

During an investigation, GRAIL may review:

• Original listing.
• Listing revisions.
• Listing photographs.
• Card details.
• Grade and certification.
• PSA verification data.
• SportsCardsPro data.
• Order records.
• Checkout records.
• Shipping address.
• Tracking history.
• Carrier acceptance.
• Delivery confirmation.
• Inspection timing.
• Marketplace messages.
• Payment records.
• Refund status.
• Seller payout status.
• Submitted photographs or videos.
• Packaging.
• Third-party service-provider information.
• Account and Trust Score history where relevant.
• Related reports or fraud signals.
• Other reasonably relevant information.

Buyers and sellers are expected to cooperate during the investigation.

Third-party records may be incomplete, delayed, corrected, or unavailable.

GRAIL may rely in good faith on the information reasonably available at the time of review.

GRAIL is not required to disclose confidential fraud or security methods.

A review result does not necessarily establish intentional wrongdoing.

Failure to cooperate may affect the outcome.

13. Resolution Options

If GRAIL determines that Buyer Protection applies, we may take one or more actions, including:

• Issuing a full refund.
• Issuing a partial refund where operationally supported and appropriate.
• Requiring the return of the item when appropriate.
• Issuing a refund without return where appropriate.
• Cancelling the transaction.
• Releasing seller payout.
• Continuing a payout hold.
• Denying the claim.
• Adjusting marketplace records.
• Taking enforcement action against accounts that violate Platform policies.
• Providing another reasonable resolution based on the specific circumstances.

Each case is evaluated individually.

Not every covered claim results in the same remedy.

A previous decision does not guarantee the same outcome in future cases.

Refund components may vary.

A partial refund is not necessarily available as a self-service option.

GRAIL may require return delivery and review before completing a refund.

14. Refund Components

A refund may include or exclude:

• Item price.
• Seller or marketplace fees.
• Shipping.
• Taxes.
• GRAIL Credit.
• Other transaction amounts.

Refund component treatment may depend on:

• The cause of the dispute.
• Whether the item is returned.
• Payment-provider handling.
• Shipping-label usage.
• Applicable law.
• Buyer Protection.
• Refund & Dispute Policy.
• Other transaction circumstances.

No statement in this Policy means every component is always refundable or never refundable.

15. Returns

Buyers should not return an item unless GRAIL authorizes it or provides instructions.

A required return may need to:

• Use the authorized address.
• Use tracked shipping.
• Be sent within the communicated timeframe.
• Be packaged securely.
• Include all cards, holders, certificates, accessories, and lot components.
• Preserve substantially the same condition.
• Provide tracking.

Returning without authorization may affect eligibility.

Refund processing may wait for return delivery and review.

Not every claim requires a return.

Return-shipping responsibility is case-specific.

This Policy does not create a general return window or universal free-return promise.

16. Counterfeit and Authenticity Claims

GRAIL may review authenticity concerns using available evidence.

Relevant information may include:

• Listing images.
• Certification numbers.
• Grading-provider information.
• Item markings.
• Seller records.
• Buyer photographs.
• Third-party data.
• Other evidence.

PSA or another provider’s data may be informational.

A verification integration is not an unconditional authenticity guarantee.

Sellers remain responsible for accurate listings.

GRAIL may require return, further review, or other evidence.

Knowingly false counterfeit claims are prohibited.

17. Shipping Loss and Damage

Potentially covered shipping issues may include:

• Confirmed nondelivery.
• Carrier-confirmed loss.
• Material damage during transit.
• Misdelivery.
• Empty package.
• Missing lot components.

GRAIL may review:

• Tracking.
• Carrier scans.
• Address validation.
• Acceptance receipts.
• Delivery photographs.
• Packaging.
• Buyer and seller evidence.
• Carrier claims.

Carrier delay alone does not automatically qualify.

A delivered scan does not automatically defeat every claim.

Improper packaging may affect Seller Protection.

Each case remains evidence-based.

18. GRAIL Credit

GRAIL Credit has no cash value.

Redeemed credit is not converted to cash.

The current checkout finalization flow records eligible GRAIL Credit redemption as a wallet ledger debit tied to the order.

Restoration may depend on the refund type, transaction status, fraud review, current rewards rules, technical processing status, and applicable law.

No automatic restoration is promised by this Policy unless expressly shown or supported in the applicable transaction flow.

Fraudulently obtained or misused credit may be reversed.

19. Refund Timing

Approved refunds are submitted through the applicable payment provider.

The user’s bank, card issuer, or payment provider controls final posting time after the refund is submitted.

Processing times may vary.

GRAIL does not control bank or card-network posting speed.

20. Chargebacks

A GRAIL Buyer Protection claim is a marketplace review opened through GRAIL.

A chargeback is a payment dispute opened through a bank, card issuer, card network, or payment provider.

Buyers should use GRAIL’s dispute process first where reasonably possible.

Filing a chargeback does not guarantee recovery.

GRAIL may provide order, tracking, communication, and dispute evidence to Stripe or the provider.

Duplicate recovery is prohibited.

A buyer may not keep the item and receive both a GRAIL refund and chargeback recovery for the same loss.

Chargeback abuse may result in marketplace restrictions.

Nothing in this Policy limits lawful rights regarding unauthorized or legally disputable charges.

22. Seller Misconduct

Potential seller misconduct may include:

• Shipping a different item.
• Sending an empty package.
• Concealing damage.
• Counterfeit listings.
• False certification.
• Tracking manipulation.
• Refusing reasonable cooperation.
• Retaliating against a buyer.
• Off-platform pressure.
• Repeated material misrepresentation.

Possible outcomes may include:

• Buyer-favorable resolution.
• Payout delay or cancellation.
• Trust Score consequences.
• Reward reversal.
• Listing restrictions.
• Suspension.
• Termination.
• Other action under the Terms of Service.

Not every seller-losing claim proves fraud.

GRAIL may distinguish good-faith mistakes from intentional or repeated policy violations.

23. Marketplace Discretion

Buyer Protection decisions are based on the information reasonably available at the time of review.

Because every transaction is different, GRAIL evaluates each case individually.

Our goal is to reach outcomes that are fair, consistent, and protective of the integrity of the marketplace.

Nothing in this Policy guarantees a particular outcome, refund, return, payout action, or remedy.

24. Market Value and Investment Exclusions

Buyer Protection does not guarantee:

• Future value.
• Investment performance.
• Market liquidity.
• Sale price.
• Population-report accuracy.
• Third-party grading consistency.
• Third-party valuation accuracy.
• Profit or resale opportunity.

SportsCardsPro values and other estimates are informational only.

This section does not weaken coverage for materially incorrect listing facts.

25. No Insurance or Warranty

Buyer Protection is intended to help resolve eligible marketplace issues.

Buyer Protection:

• Is a marketplace policy.
• Is not an insurance policy.
• Is not a blanket warranty.
• Does not guarantee every transaction.
• Does not replace card-manufacturer or grading-company warranties.
• Does not guarantee carrier performance.
• Does not guarantee future value.

Buyer Protection applies only as described in this Policy and is subject to the GRAIL Terms of Service.

Nothing in this section disclaims obligations that cannot legally be waived.

26. Decisions and Reconsideration

GRAIL makes Buyer Protection decisions in good faith based on the evidence reasonably available at the time of review.

GRAIL may reconsider a decision if:

• Significant new evidence appears.
• A carrier corrects information.
• A provider corrects payment or delivery data.
• Fraud is later discovered.
• A return reveals substitution or inconsistency.
• Applicable law requires review.
• Another substantial reason supports reconsideration.

Reconsideration is discretionary unless required by law.

This Policy does not promise unlimited appeals or a formal multi-stage appeal process.

27. Buyer Protection Processing Errors

GRAIL may correct Buyer Protection processing errors when reasonably necessary.

Examples include:

• Duplicate refunds.
• Incorrect refund amounts.
• Incorrect GRAIL Credit restoration.
• Mistaken payout release.
• Incorrect dispute status.
• Technical processing errors.
• Other obvious mistakes.

Corrections should be reasonable, in good faith, and consistent with applicable law and marketplace policies.

This section does not change transaction logic or weaken Buyer Protection.

28. Governing Terms

This Buyer Protection Policy forms part of the GRAIL Terms of Service.

It is interpreted consistently with the Terms of Service.

The Terms of Service currently use the laws of the State of Florida.

If this Policy conflicts with the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service control unless applicable law requires otherwise.

Nothing in this section waives rights that cannot legally be waived.

29. Relationship to Other Policies

This Buyer Protection Policy should be read together with:

• Terms of Service.
• Privacy Policy.
• Seller Rules.
• Shipping Policy.
• Refund & Dispute Policy.
• Prohibited Items Policy.
• Fee Schedule.
• Any additional marketplace policies published by GRAIL.

If there is a conflict between this Policy and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service will control unless applicable law requires otherwise.

30. Changes to This Policy

GRAIL may update this Buyer Protection Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:

• Marketplace features.
• Shipping procedures.
• Inspection processes.
• Fraud prevention practices.
• Applicable laws.
• Business operations.

When material changes are made, we may notify users through the Platform, email, or another reasonable method.

The “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy indicates when the current version became effective.

Your continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

32. Our Commitment to Buyers

Trust is the foundation of every successful marketplace.

GRAIL’s Buyer Protection Program is designed to provide buyers with confidence while treating both buyers and sellers fairly.

We strive to investigate issues promptly, communicate transparently, and reach reasonable resolutions based on the available evidence and the circumstances of each transaction.