[rjcj2017]

What you heard is actually something I've been hearing a lot lately. I have a buddy who just got a 6 day turnaround for a replacement for just being off center. Apparently they've been focusing on customer service and redemptions/replacements to get rid of the back log. People actually answer the phone now when you call too. They're giving out sparkle packs if they don't have the redemptions. Seems like they're actually making things a lot better. I'm sending in soon for the same thing-a dimple on an otherwise perfect card. I'll post how it goes.

So here's my problem with that - you do you, of course, and best of luck getting your card back in short order.

Back in December I pulled an absolutely beautiful Reactive Blue Prizm RC of Paolo Banchero out of a mega box of Mosaic.

If you've busted any of those you know how hard it is to pull the really good players, especially the parallels.

I was thrilled with the card until I noticed it had a legit corner ding, like, smashed and deformed.

I didn't notice it at first because of all the color and reflective properties on the card, but was really bummed when I saw it.

My expectations for Panini have become so low that I let most things go nowadays, but this corner was so bad I couldn't justify keeping it, especially out of a $50+ retail box.

Even still, I called Panini and asked the rep to be 100% straight with me - if I sent it in, would I actually get a replacement? Because if not I wasn't going to bother.

(I gave him an "out," basically, which you never do in negotiations.)

But he actually said yes, please do send it in, that's a nice card of a nice player and they would eventually replace it. He gave me the usual runaround of they were just getting through the 2021 requests and would be moving on to the 2022s shortly.

But ... that was in early December.

It's now the end of March, so we're basically talking four months.

There's a big difference between waiting six days for a card that is off center - which, let's be honest, really isn't "damaged" - versus waiting four months with no end in sight for a card with a legit smashed corner.

But, the good news is, you've motviated me to call them and give them hell this morning!