These are the Terms and Conditions for our Facebook Group. To join, click here.
This document was originally published as a Pinned Post in our Facebook Group. However, it’s been moved here for easier management.
- Initial Publication Date: November 21, 2016
- Last Updated: December 7, 2021
Table of Contents:
- Information
- Administrative
- Transacting (SUSPENDED)
- Posting
1. Information
The Facebook Group is offered to provide its members with an educational and stimulating avenue to express opinions and share information and ideas around the group’s related topic.
By becoming a member of our Facebook Group, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. These terms may change at any time and without notice so members are encouraged to review them periodically for possible revisions. By using the Facebook Group, you accept any revisions and agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions.
By participating in the Facebook Group, you understand and acknowledge that anything you submit is routed through Facebook’s servers and the world-wide-web and that, therein, you have no expectations of privacy. Please remember that whenever you give out personal information online, via message boards, forums or chat rooms for example, that information can be collected and used by people you do not know. Share with discretion.
Facebook is a “borrowed content” platform meaning that we’re using it to provide a place for our members but it does not belong to us. Since we’re using borrowed content, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you provide/disclose so to protect your personal safety, please use your best judgment and disclose information at your own risk. Members are solely responsible for the content they post in the Facebook Group.
2. Administrative
In this section:
- “Managers” refers to the Facebook Group administrators, moderators, and anyone else associated with managing the Facebook Group.
- PM is the abbreviation for Private Message.
2.1: Authenticity: You will not misrepresent yourself. This includes but is not limited to impersonating other users and/or managers.
2.2: Etiquette: You must not engage in antisocial, destructive, or disruptive behavior. The following behaviors are prohibited:
- Fishing: Posting photos of stuff for sale without a price and asking others to make offers.
- Flaming: also known as bashing, is any interaction between Internet users that is hostile and/or insulting.
- Flooding: deliberately posting an amount of content that hinders or compromises the quality of user experience (UX).
- Spamming: posting unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.
- Trolling: posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, blog or chat room with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response.
- Personal Attacks: both verbal and/or physical. Correcting Fellow Members: deliberately correcting users on things like grammar and content makes you look bad and is not healthy for the community.
2.3: Common Sense: When dealing with fellow users, please treat them with respect. Members collect a wide range of items. No one should be ridiculed for their passion, their collection(s) and/or their methods and/or style of collecting. Please do not deride your fellow collector(s) for what they choose to collect. Be extremely careful when making allegations relating to such things as users selling/buying illegitimate products. Please remember that it is against the Terms and Conditions to publish user information, and in doing so (especially in cases like this), it can result in legal actions against you. Members are fully responsible for their interactions with other members. The managers reserve the right but have no obligation to monitor disputes or interactions between users. Members are urged to cooperate with each other to resolve any disputes.
2.4: Information Sharing: You must not post any personal information that doesn’t belong to you. This is a violation of privacy. This includes addresses, phone numbers, and screenshots of private messages (PMs).
2.5: Links to Other Materials, Sites, and/or Content: Members may post links to content located elsewhere online. The managers do not control such sites and, therefore, can not and will not be held responsible for any content posted there. If you decide to access, click through to visit any of these third party sites, you do so entirely at your own risk. Because some sites employ automated search results or otherwise link you to sites containing information that may be deemed inappropriate or offensive, the managers can not and will not be held responsible for the accuracy, legality, copyright compliance, or decency of the material contained in any third party sites, and you hereby irrevocably waive any claim against the managers with respect to such sites. You are responsible for any links you post in the Facebook Group. If the link is directed to obscene, offensive or inappropriate content as deemed so by the managers, it will be treated as spam and will be removed. Repeat offenders will be suspended or banned without notice.
2.6: Limitation of Liability and Indemnification: Under no circumstance shall the managers be held liable for inconveniences, loss or damages of any kind, including but not limited to direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of, or in connection with, this Terms of Service Agreement accrued by using the Facebook Group in any manner or capacity. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the managers, from and against any and all damages, claims, expenses and/or cost, including attorneys’ fees, resulting from or relating to your use or misuse of the Facebook Group, including, without limitation, the infringement by you, or any other user of your account, of any intellectual property right or other right of any person or entity, and any violation of these Terms and Conditions. The managers do not and will not adopt the views of their users and in no way will be held responsible for what they say; nor will they aid in any violation of local or state ordinances, national law and/or regulation both foreign and/or domestic.
2.7: Offensive Content: We have a Zero Tolerance policy. This means, absolutely no photos, videos, or media of: nude, pornographic, sexually explicit, risqué, vulgar, abusive, obscene, profane, hateful, threatening, libelous, harassing, racial, defamatory, rude, or otherwise objectionable content of any sort. Content such as this is distasteful and has no place in the Facebook Group. Images and/or media must not exceed the rating of PG-13. Content that is deemed rated beyond PG-13 at the discretion of the managers will be removed without notice. If you feel that the content is not suitable for all ages, please refrain from posting it. Please advise that all content is monitored on an ongoing basis and should such content be found, it will immediately be removed and its poster suspended or banned without notice.
2.8: Profanity: Profanity is allowed to some degree but please be advised that this Facebook Group is a socially responsible place and abuse will not be tolerated. Please use your best discretion when responding with passion to other members. Freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment and we’re not here to curb what you say. Just please be civil with each other.
2.9: Spamming other Facebook Groups: You must not spam other Facebook Groups; it’s incredibly distasteful. Managers work hard to attract members; the last thing we need is poachers. We respect your group and want it to be successful, just keep the marketing off our group. We encourage you to invite your friends, but we discourage doing that while on other Facebook Groups. It’s incredibly disrespectful to both Groups. Offenders will be suspended or banned without notice.
2.10: User Submissions: Please do not send confidential, proprietary, or otherwise illegitimate information to the managers through PM or other means. Anything you choose to post, transmit or communicate to and through the Facebook Group will be considered non-confidential. Member submissions of unsolicited suggestions or ideas are implemented with the knowledge that no compensation will be provided to them in any manner.
3. Transacting
NOTICE: AS OF MARCH 24, 2024, SELLING HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY SUSPENDED IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP. IF YOU NEED TO SELL SOMETHING, PLEASE DO IT ELSEWHERE.
3.1: Selling: While this group is more intended to be a place for information sharing, showing off collections, etc., members are allowed to post content for sale should they choose. There are countless Facebook Groups setup specifically for members to do this but if you must do it here, please do the following:
To avoid becoming just another garage-sale Facebook Group, we ask that you please be selective about what you post for sale.
- Post price(s): Don’t bother with the “Make Offer” statement; it just creates problems and wastes time. If you post an item for sale, you must include a price.
- Post photos right side up.
- Coin the photos by placing a sticky tab with your name on it next to the item(s). While this may not be necessary for low value items, it may help strengthen buyer confidence for high value items ($25+).
- Lookup eBay completed sold listings to get an understanding of current actual market value of your items to price your items accurately (click here to do that).
- Physical possession: If you just bought something from elsewhere online, please wait until you have the card in-hand before posting it for sale and be sure to take your own photo instead of repurposing one that’s already been taken by someone else.
3.2: Monetization Formats: Should members choose to try making some extra cash within the group, the following is a list of income streams we recommend and ones we don’t.
- Encouraged formats: FS/FT posts, Fire Sales, and Auctions.
- Discouraged formats: Case/Box Breaks, Razzes, and Stacks. There are many Facebook groups that allow these. We’re not one of them.
3.3: Payments: We strongly encourage the use of the PayPal Goods & Services method because it protects both the buyer and the seller. While you’re free to use the Family & Friends option, we don’t recommend it because it doesn’t offer the same level of transacting protection should something go wrong.
3.4: Shipping: It’s a best practice to ship cards in bubble mailers and provide tracking information whenever possible. Sometimes, and as long as the buyer’s okay with it, plain white envelops (PWEs) can be handy for low value cards shipped in standard-sized toploaders.
4. Posting
4.1: Abbreviations: Whenever posting, inform others of your intentions. Here are some ways to do that.
- PC: Personal Collection
- NFS/NFT: Not for Sale / Not for Trade
- FS/FT: For Sale / For Trade
Examples:
- “PC: Finally landed this guy. It only took 10 years!”
- “NFS/NFT: Just sharing. Look what I just pulled!”
- “FS: 2011 Topps Update Trout PSA9, $500”
4.2: Bumping and Style:
- Bumping: By commenting on an old thread, it brings it to the top of the page, which can give the tread additional exposure. To avoid feed clog, please limit this to once per day.
- Style: To prevent looking like you’re yelling at everyone, please don’t write your words in all caps.
4.3: Fielding Offers: As stated earlier, fishing isn’t allowed. However, if you wanna field offers what you can do is post photos of cards each with individual prices and invite members to place offers. That way, you’re starting with a price as a benchmark to give prospective buyers a point of reference. This is good form.
4.4: Photos: Post your photos right side up. Any photos posted sideways and/or upside down will be deleted. Note, any photos posted to the group may be used as Group banner images. If your photo is selected for use as the banner but you’d rather it not be, contact an Admin and request removal.
4.5: What’s It Worth? This question is inappropriate; please don’t ask it. By asking this question, you’re essentially asking others to do work for you. To prevent coming off as lazy, inconsiderate, or worse, incompetent, please find the answer yourself. It’s very easy to do. All you need to do is a quick review of the current eBay completed listings for your item – click here to do that.
For instructions on how to access eBay Completed Sold listings, click here.
4.6: Termination: Managers, at their sole discretion, reserve the right to terminate: these Terms and Conditions, access to the Facebook Group, and any post for any reason without notice. If the managers feel that any member is disobeying any of these Terms and Conditions, at their sole discretion, the managers reserve the right to terminate the user’s membership privileges without notice.
No action is required on your part. Retaining membership in the Facebook Group constitutes your agreement to these Terms and Conditions.