Cardmarket evaluations: reviewing a received order
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A useful Cardmarket evaluation describes what happened in a specific order: whether the correct cards arrived, whether their language and condition matched the offer, how they were packed and how any problem was handled. It is not a substitute for opening a claim, and it should not be written before the buyer has inspected the delivery.
Seller ratings also have their own calculation and appeal process. A single visible star is not a complete history of every transaction, while a seller disagreeing with feedback cannot simply delete it. This guide explains how to write factual feedback and interpret the current system without inventing guarantees about future purchases.
Inspect the order before confirming it
Cardmarket's new-user guide tells buyers to check that the received goods match what they purchased before confirming the shipment. For a tracked order with a problem, it directs buyers to mark the relevant issue status before confirming receipt. Confirmation affects the Trustee Service, so it should not be treated as an innocent shortcut to reach the feedback form.
Check the actual card identities, printings, language, finish and condition. A matching character name may still represent the wrong version. Keep the order description available during inspection so that your memory of the intended purchase does not replace what the seller actually offered.
If something is wrong, document it and use the applicable order-problem process. A negative evaluation alone does not create a refund request, preserve a protection window or explain the evidence to support staff. Handling the order issue and writing its eventual evaluation are connected but different tasks.
Describe observable facts
Good feedback tells another buyer something they can understand. “The order contained the English version instead of the Spanish version listed” is more precise than “terrible seller.” “One card had the photographed crease not described in the offer” identifies a condition issue without making claims about the seller's intention.
For packing, describe the protection that was present and the result you observed. A shipment can look modest but protect the cards adequately, while a visually elaborate package can still allow them to move or bend. Evaluate the actual delivery rather than the amount of decorative material.
Avoid including personal addresses, unrelated names or private correspondence that is unnecessary to explain the transaction. The platform's Netiquette guidance is the appropriate reference for communication standards. A factual complaint can be firm without becoming a personal accusation.
Separate dispatch from transport
A seller's dispatch timing and a carrier's transit time are different parts of the order. If the parcel was dispatched promptly but spent longer in transit, do not claim the seller held it for that whole period unless the evidence supports that conclusion.
Use the order record and available tracking rather than estimating from when you happened to notice the arrival. If the relevant date is uncertain, say what is known. An evaluation does not become more useful by adding an invented dispatch date.
The same distinction applies to damage. Record whether the outer packaging arrived crushed or wet and whether the cards were affected. Do not automatically attribute every visible transport mark to deliberate poor packing, but do explain actual protection shortcomings when you can observe them.
| Feedback subject | Useful factual detail | Detail to avoid inventing |
|---|---|---|
| Card identity | Exact mismatch with the order | Seller's intention without evidence |
| Condition | Observed defect and advertised condition | A guaranteed grading-company result |
| Dispatch | Recorded shipment date | A date inferred only from arrival |
| Packaging | Protection used and received outcome | Damage to cards never inspected |
| Resolution | Refund, replacement or response actually received | Promises the seller did not make |
Include how a problem was resolved
An initial error and the seller's eventual response both belong to the transaction history. Contact the seller through the order conversation and explain the issue clearly. Provide relevant photographs and state the mismatch without requiring the other person to guess which card you mean.
Cardmarket's user guide describes favourable evaluations as common when an error is resolved. That guidance does not require you to invent a flawless original shipment. A factual review can acknowledge both the mistake and the satisfactory remedy.
For example, an illustrative comment might explain that one card initially arrived in the wrong language and that the seller provided the agreed correction. Another might explain that a condition dispute remained unresolved after the buyer supplied photographs. These describe different outcomes and should not be collapsed into the same vague complaint.
What the seller rating actually uses
The official seller-rating page states that general evaluations are used in the rating calculation. It uses the last 100 evaluations or the last month, whichever includes more, and accounts negatively for unsent and lost shipments.
That means the visible rating is not simply a lifetime arithmetic average of every detailed category. Do not promise that one new evaluation will move the seller's star by a specific amount without knowing the relevant current data and calculation.
The page also publishes requirements for its seller categories, including minimum evaluation counts and proportions. Check those current requirements when a category matters to your decision. Copying an old threshold into a permanent article without verification can mislead both buyers and new sellers.
For an ordinary purchase decision, examine the available recent evaluations, the actual offer and the seller's relevant order information together. A category is useful context; it does not identify the printing in your cart or guarantee the condition of a future card.
How a seller can dispute an evaluation
The current rating page describes a Request Evaluation Cancellation button in shipment details. It is available for evaluations less than Very Good made within the last 14 days. If the buyer rejects the request, the seller can appeal to the evaluation compliance team through the provided process.
This is not unilateral deletion. A seller who disagrees with a review should explain the specific factual or procedural concern and use the platform's route. Repeatedly demanding that the buyer change their opinion does not replace the documented process.
For a buyer receiving such a request, compare it with the order record and resolution. If your original comment contains a factual error, correcting it improves its usefulness. If you maintain the evaluation, keep the discussion focused on the transaction rather than escalating into unrelated accusations.
A completed-order example
Imagine you ordered three specific cards in Spanish. All three arrive in the requested printings and condition, with effective protection. The seller's dispatch record matches the expected sequence. Your evaluation can state that the order matched the listing and arrived protected, without claiming that the seller will always perform perfectly.
Now imagine one card arrives in English. Before confirming a tracked problem order, use the appropriate issue process and send a photograph identifying the mismatch. If the seller resolves it, your eventual feedback can include that resolution. If it remains unresolved, explain the continuing factual issue.
Neither example requires publishing the seller's private address or a full message transcript. The information another buyer needs concerns accuracy, protection, communication and outcome. Keep the evidence in the order conversation where it can support the appropriate handling.
Avoid making feedback into a negotiation threat
State the actual issue and the remedy being discussed. Do not invent a defect or exaggerate the impact to obtain a discount. Likewise, do not describe a satisfactory order as defective because market prices changed after you purchased it.
An evaluation should reflect the transaction, not the result of a later price comparison. If you dislike the price you voluntarily paid but received the correctly described card, that is a different concern from receiving a wrong or damaged item.
When writing about an unresolved dispute, distinguish a requested remedy from an agreed remedy. “I asked for a replacement” is not the same as “the seller agreed to replace it.” That small wording choice keeps the account accurate and avoids a misleading promise.
A short record before submitting feedback
Keep the order number, listing details, relevant dates, photographs and resolution messages together. Then write a concise comment that a reader can understand without access to your whole conversation. Check that every concrete statement is supported by that record.
If you are uncertain about a protection status or an open claim, settle that through the help process first. The review box is not the best place to discover what confirmation does. A few minutes spent checking the actual order state can prevent feedback from interfering with an unresolved issue.
Frequently asked questions
Should I confirm arrival to complain in the evaluation?
Do not use confirmation as a shortcut when an order has a problem. Inspect the delivery and follow the applicable issue procedure first. Cardmarket's guide explains that confirmation ends Trustee protection and provides a problem status for affected tracked orders.
Can a seller remove a bad review automatically?
No. The published process involves requesting cancellation within the stated eligibility conditions and potentially appealing to the compliance team. Disagreement alone is not a permission to delete feedback unilaterally.
Does one star summarise the seller's entire lifetime?
The current rating uses the specified recent evaluation window and other stated factors. It is useful context, but it is not a complete lifetime account or a guarantee that every future order will match your expectations.