Hi all,

I’ve recently gotten back into collecting after a long absence. Since I had sold off 95% of my collection due to financial issues, when I got back into collecting two months ago, I focused on older sets plus sets I missed out on during my hiatus.

My purchases were almost strictly Rittenhouse products. During my flurry of purchases, I have opened 2 dud boxes of their products already. In each box I was shorted an autograph. Yes, these were factory sealed boxes. Ive bought 20 boxes from various sets, so I’m running at a 10% dud rate.

My question is simply: how common is this? Did I just get incredibly unlucky?

Welcome back, Mike00spy.

I had to sell a lot of stuff in the mid-2000's so I'm sympathetic. I got back into full collecting 6-7 years ago. No matter the company, a 10% "dud" rate is very high. Your shot at one of the uncommon-rare autographs might be better than that. I would think the company doesn't expect that to happen even in 1 of 100 boxes and probably more than that. Did you get the right amount of the other chase cards?

Even if these are boxes are from as long ago as the mid-2000's, you should contact RA to see if they can do something for you. It might be too late to help you with a box from back then but maybe they can do something else for you.

Jess

RA has been very reliable for me. Not only have I found the correct number of autograph cards, their formula is so consistent that I can almost predict how the hits will be classed out. If they had any known problem products in the past, none come to my mind right now.

Stupid question, but RA has changed the number of hits in some titles. Twilight Zone went from 4 to 2 autographs as an example. So are you sure you were shorted? I said it was stupid. Also look again in the boxes. I do recall a case where packs were getting stuck in the inside flap and people didn't notice they were missing a whole pack.

Agreeing with Jess, it wouldn't hurt to call RA's customer service. Perhaps they are aware of some issue with a particular product and if not, all they can do is tell you that you are to late for a replacement. Lots of luck.

Yes, I am sure of the promised hits. Only 1 auto in a Women of Bond in Motion box, and only 1 in a Complete Star Trek Movies box.

I contacted RA after the first dud and the response was the equivalent of a shrug. The second box was one I opened this evening, but I’m not going to contact them again.

I completely understand not having replacement cards laying around and I’m well aware they don’t have the Bond license anymore anyway. However, if you stand by your product... then you should stand by your product.

RA has other tools at their disposal: simple things like issuing a coupon to use on their direct web store or the issuing of rewards points to make up for the boxes would seem like a happy medium.

Thank you for the responses so far. It seems like I am falling into the “incredibly unlucky” category.

Yeah, Bond is a non-starter for them now and Star Trek Movies is 2007, so they still have the license, but are unlikely to act on any new complaints. The only other option is to question your source of purchase, but I doubt you will get very far there if the packaging looked to be sealed. Unfortunately there is little recourse on old card inventory, although I have seen dealers stand by their customer sales when they didn't have to.

I can't think of another industry where people expect a manufacturer to 'take care of them' after buying what are likely second hand or resold products nearly two decades after they were released.

I even saw a guy trying to get contact information for the owner of an out of business manufacturer to try to have him 'make something right.'

Tip -- there are quite a few box and case breaks posted on Card Talk for older products -- you can check there to see how other people fared:

http://nonsportupdate.infopop....384/m/4586017915/p/1

I can't recall ever being shorted hit items in RA products. One time I got the same autographs in three boxes and they corrected that with different autographs of the same insert level.

Just went on the RA FAQs to see what the official line is these days... they state any guarantee for missing cards is good for only one year from a product's release date.

I don't recall them ever being that specific, or see any reason why it should be 1 year vs. 2 years for example, but they make the rules and it is what it is. There has to be some point where they don't want to be holding onto excess spare inventory.

Its annoying to be missing a hit in each box but with one box being 14 years old, and the other being 18 years old, the latter of which they do not even hold the licence for anymore, I think you've just got to roll with the punches and chalk it up to bad luck.

Anyway, good to see you posting again Mike00spy. What autos did you get? Those were two great sets with some really good cards...

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
I can't think of another industry where people expect a manufacturer to 'take care of them' after buying what are likely second hand or resold products nearly two decades after they were released.

I’m not boycotting them or anything. I’m just expressing disappointment. Unless we have eBay sellers opening boxes, taking out autographs, and then resealing them with the silver sticker and the shrink wrap, then RA is at fault. The time span of the product is immaterial.

Plus, I’m genuinely curious how common this is. I would prefer to keep the conversation on that topic. So far, it appears to be very uncommon.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
Anyway, good to see you posting again Mike00spy. What autos did you get? Those were two great sets with some really good cards...

Thanks. I do remember you from before.

I was happy to get Gloria Hendry. It was one of the cards I had to sell before. It’s come home, so to speak.

For the Trek, I got Spice Williams as Vixis.

Sorry they were not bigger pulls to make up for the missing cards. Gloria Hendry is a nice card IMO, no bit part autos in that release. Can't comment on Vixis as still need to get round to watching Star Trek V!