Right of withdrawal and complaints when you buy trading cards

If you buy at a distance as a private individual from a business, you have a right of withdrawal for fourteen days from the day you received the item. The most common question with cards is what applies once the packs have been opened, and the answer is that the right of withdrawal remains, but you may have to compensate for the item's loss of value. This page explains how the two fit together.

Quick facts

Right of withdrawal	14 days from receipt, for distance purchases as a consumer
Applies to	Purchases from a business, not purchases from a private individual
Opened item	The right of withdrawal remains, but loss of value can be deducted
Complaint	When the item is faulty, a different right from the right of withdrawal
Purchases between private individuals	General sales law applies, not consumer law
Our own terms	Set out in the terms of purchase

Right of withdrawal and complaints are two different things

Right of withdrawal	You change your mind. The item is intact and as it should be. Applies for fourteen days.
Complaint	Something is wrong with the item. Applies for at least two years in the EU (three years when you buy from us) and does not require a change of mind.
Warranty	A voluntary promise from the seller or manufacturer, in addition to the law.

The difference matters in practice. With the right of withdrawal you normally pay the return shipping yourself. With a justified complaint the fault must be remedied at no cost to you.

Opened packs, step by step

1. The right of withdrawal does not disappear because you opened the packaging. The opposite is a common misconception.
2. But you may only examine the item to the extent needed to assess its characteristics.
3. Opening booster packs is more than examining. The item has then been used in the way it is intended for.
4. The seller may then deduct for the loss of value. An opened display is no longer a sealed display.
5. The consequence in practice is that the deduction can be large on opened sealed products.

What counts as a fault

• The item does not match the description or what was agreed.
• The packaging is damaged on delivery. On an item sold sealed, a broken seal counts as a fault even if the contents are unaffected.
• The wrong item has been sent.
• The item lacks something that, according to the manufacturer's own specification, should be included.
• Manufacturing defects in the product itself.

What is not a fault, however: that the contents of a pack were not what you hoped for. The contents are randomised according to the manufacturer's distribution, and it applies equally to everyone. Read more in the guide on checklists and odds.

How to make a complaint

1. Contact the seller as soon as you have discovered the fault.
2. Describe the fault concretely and refer to the order number.
3. Attach photos, both of the item and of the outer packaging if it is damaged.
4. Keep the packaging until the matter is closed.
5. Make sure that what is to happen is agreed in writing, so that it is documented.

Purchases between private individuals

If you buy a card from another private individual in a buy and sell group, consumer law does not apply. There is then neither a right of withdrawal nor the stronger right of complaint that applies against a shop. The general rules of sales law apply instead, and they are based on what was actually agreed between you and the seller.

Practical consequence: ask for clear photos in advance, get the condition described in writing and save the conversation. That documentation is what decides a dispute, since the law gives less automatic protection.

Common mistakes

• Believing the right of withdrawal applies against a private individual. It does not.
• Opening a sealed box and then expecting a full refund.
• Throwing away the packaging before a matter is resolved.
• Waiting a long time to get in touch after a fault has been discovered.
• Confusing a warranty with the right of complaint.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I withdraw from a card purchase? Yes, for distance purchases from a business, within fourteen days.
• Does it apply if I have opened the packs? The right of withdrawal remains, but a deduction for loss of value may be made.
• Who pays the return shipping? When you change your mind, normally you. With a justified complaint, the seller.
• Can I complain because I did not get a good card? No. The contents are randomised according to the manufacturer's distribution.
• Where are Bangerpack's own terms? In the terms of purchase.

What to keep

The order confirmation	Shows what was ordered and when
The delivery notice	Shows when you received the item
The packaging	Evidence in case of transport damage
Photos when unpacking	Documents the condition on receipt
Written contact	What decides things if the parties disagree

It is the documentation that decides a matter, not who writes most convincingly afterwards. A few minutes when unpacking saves hours later.

Transport damage

1. Photograph the outer packaging before you open it, if it looks damaged.
2. Open carefully and photograph the contents where they lie.
3. Contact the seller as soon as you have discovered the damage. It strengthens the case, even though the legal deadline for making a complaint is considerably longer.
4. Keep all packaging until the matter is closed.
5. Do not throw away the damaged item. It may need to be shown or sent back.

Transport damage is often a simple matter to sort out, since the damage is visible right away when unpacking. Documentation makes the matter faster, but you are not without rights if you have no photos: if the fault appears within one year of receiving the item, it is presumed to have existed already at delivery, and it is the seller who has to prove otherwise. When you buy from us, that applies for two years, under Swedish law.

Read more about checklists and odds, how to assess a sealed box and how to recognise genuine cards.

Shop: trading cards at Bangerpack.

Written by those of us who run Bangerpack. Range and prices change continuously. What applies when you read this is shown in the category.