Missing cards in a Cardmarket order: resolving it
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If a Cardmarket order arrives with cards missing, compare every received item with the order, preserve the packaging and send the seller a precise list through the order conversation. Agree on completing the shipment or another documented resolution. Cardmarket's seller guide states that the seller is responsible for costs associated with providing the complete order.
Do not treat a partial delivery as a condition dispute about a card you actually received. First establish which copies are absent, then keep the shipment issue and any separate condition issue clearly described.
Recount before reporting a shortage
Open the package carefully and inspect all protective layers. A card can remain inside a sleeve, behind another card or in a separate protected bundle. Preserve those layers until you have compared the contents with the order.
Count copies by exact article rather than only the total number of cards. If you ordered three copies of one printing and two of another, five cards with the same name may still be the wrong combination. Edition, language, finish and collector identifier can matter.
Avoid blaming the seller before verifying this inventory. A precise shortage report is more useful than a claim that the envelope “looks too small.” Record what actually arrived and which order lines remain unfulfilled.
Separate missing copies from incorrect versions
A missing copy is an item that was ordered but is not present. An incorrect version is a received item that does not match the order. Both can leave the order incomplete, but the resolution may involve different movements and costs.
For example, ordering two English nonfoil copies and receiving one English nonfoil plus one French foil is not simply a one-card total shortage. One correct copy is present, one wrong item is present and one ordered copy is still missing.
Describe those facts separately in the message. The seller then knows whether to send an additional card, arrange a return, issue an agreed refund or ask for further identification. Do not apply a condition-discount percentage to an item that never arrived.
Preserve evidence without exposing unnecessary information
Photograph the contents and relevant packaging. If the envelope shows tearing or a damaged seal, include that condition as an observation rather than asserting theft without evidence. The order reference links the report to the transaction.
Keep clear photographs of the received cards' identifying details. For a quantity dispute, an overview of the full contents can complement individual pictures. No photograph can magically prove every event before delivery, but a consistent record helps explain the discrepancy.
Avoid publishing the address label, private seller details or the conversation on social media. Send relevant evidence through Cardmarket's order communication or support process. The goal is to resolve the order, not to expose unrelated personal information.
Use a short itemised discrepancy table
Create one row for each affected article. Include the expected quantity, received correct quantity and shortage or mismatch. This reduces repeated explanations and helps both parties agree on the same inventory.
The following is a hypothetical example, not an actual customer's order or a current market-price claim. Replace the labels with the exact product identifiers from your transaction before sending it.
| Ordered article | Ordered quantity | Correct copies received | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card A, specified English printing | Three | Two | One copy missing |
| Card B, specified nonfoil version | One | Zero | Different finish received |
| Card C, specified edition | Two | Two | No issue |
Write one clear message in the order conversation
A useful message states that the package arrived, gives the receipt date and lists the verified discrepancy. Explain that you have checked the protective layers and can provide photographs. Ask for a concrete resolution of the missing items.
For example: “The envelope arrived today. I received two of the three ordered copies of Card A, edition X, English nonfoil. The other order lines are complete. I kept the packaging and attached an overview. Please confirm how you will complete the missing copy.”
That wording identifies the issue without inventing a motive. If the seller offers a different version, clarify whether you accept it before dispatch. Silence should not be treated as agreement to an unspecified substitution.
Completing the order is the primary question
Cardmarket's guide tells sellers to ensure that all purchased articles are included before shipping. If they discover a missing card during preparation, the guide says to contact the buyer rather than send an incomplete order unilaterally.
Once a partial order has arrived, ask whether the seller can supply the exact missing item. Agree on the method and timing for an additional shipment. Keep that agreement in the order conversation so the expected action is visible.
The seller guide also addresses costs associated with completing the order, including potential extra expenses when replacement must be obtained elsewhere. Do not automatically volunteer to pay a second shipping charge for the seller's missing item without discussing the documented responsibility.
Agree before buying an expensive replacement elsewhere
If the seller cannot supply the card, document the proposed alternative. A refund, replacement purchase or broader cancellation can require different steps. Do not assume that any amount you independently spend will be automatically reimbursed without the platform assessing the situation.
Cardmarket's guide recognises that obtaining a missing article from another seller can create additional costs. Present the actual comparable item and shipping cost when discussing that option. Keep the comparison tied to the ordered version rather than substituting a premium variant.
If the parties disagree, ask Customer Support to help resolve the order. The guide is a basis for explaining the issue, while the actual transaction and current support instructions determine how to proceed in your case.
Check Trustee Service before confirming completion
For an order using Trustee Service, funds are held under the service's stated procedure until the relevant confirmation. Do not confirm that the transaction is complete while a reported shortage remains unresolved simply because some cards arrived.
Read the current instructions and shipment status in your account. Partial physical arrival, satisfactory completion and release of funds are related but different events. A premature confirmation can make the later handling more complicated.
If you already confirmed arrival before discovering the shortage, contact the seller and support promptly with the same precise evidence. Do not assume that clicking confirmation erased the factual problem, and do not invent a self-service refund process that the platform has not provided.
An agreed return needs its own instructions
If the resolution requires returning an incorrect item or the whole shipment, agree on what will be returned and how before sending it. Cardmarket's seller guide asks that the platform be informed about agreed returns so support can assist.
Keep the return address, shipping method, responsibility for cost and refund terms in writing. Preserve tracking or dispatch evidence where applicable. Sending cards without an agreed destination can create a second unresolved shipment.
Do not assume every incomplete order requires returning the correct cards already received. Completing a missing copy and unwinding the whole order are different solutions. Choose the actual agreed procedure and follow the platform's instructions.
Distinguish a shortage from a shipment that never arrived
A package containing fewer cards than ordered is a received but incomplete shipment. A package that never arrived is a delivery investigation. If the packaging is damaged, there may also be a postal issue, but the observed shortage still needs an accurate inventory.
State which situation occurred rather than selecting a claim category based only on which seems more likely to produce a refund. The order's shipping method and evidence can influence the appropriate support process.
If you suspect cards were lost through damaged packaging, report the physical observations and preserve the envelope. Let the seller, platform and relevant carrier process assess the cause instead of presenting an unverified accusation as established fact.
Close the issue only after checking the resolution
When an additional shipment arrives, compare it with the documented shortage. Confirm that the exact quantity and version are now correct, or that the agreed refund has actually been processed. Keep the conversation until the transaction is fully resolved.
A promised action is not the same as a completed one. If the seller says a card will be sent next week, record that commitment and check the result at the relevant time. Use support if the agreement fails rather than opening several inconsistent accounts of the same issue.
This approach keeps the report factual and reviewable. It also gives a cooperative seller enough detail to correct a packing mistake without unnecessary back-and-forth, while preserving a coherent record if mediation becomes necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay additional postage for a missing card?
Do not assume you must. Cardmarket's seller guide assigns the seller the costs associated with providing the complete order. Discuss the actual resolution through the order conversation.
Is a wrong-language card the same as a missing quantity?
It is a mismatch rather than a simple count shortage. Identify the incorrect item and the ordered item that remains unfulfilled separately.
What if I already confirmed arrival?
Contact the seller and Customer Support with the order reference and discrepancy evidence. Follow their instructions for the already-confirmed transaction.